Did Trust Defy PM... Again?

Did Trust Defy PM… Again?

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2020

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Inside Courts Reading Competition Results!

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CAIMIT CHANGE AND MATRIMONY

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he Yoruba in Nigeria call it 'agbalumo', Hausas know it as 'chiwo' and, to the Igbo, it is 'udara'. Throughout Africa they boast about its many health benefits. One writer claims it can do everything including preventing gum diseases, minimising toothache pains, curing sore throats and helping you lose weight. It cures malaria and yellow fever, lowers cholesterol and blood sugar, and, by stopping you from vomiting, can help both the pregnant and inebriated.

I mentioned it to one of my friends who tries every bush medicine and miracle drug known to human gullibility and he immediately asked me how he could get some: “Boy, my teeth giving me trouble. Where I could find that?”

“Check your backyard,” I said. “I think I saw a tree there.”

He was stunned. “I don’t have no tree like that,” he declared. I decided to play with him a bit more. “It is a forest fruit tree commonly found throughout tropical Africa.”

“Forget Africa,” he responded. “You say we have it here in Trinidad?”

I then eased up: “In Jamaica they call it 'star apple'.

You ever try it?”

“Well no,” he replied.

“That is the one Caribbean country I have not gone to, as yet.”

“Ok, then,” I laughed.

“A lot of people know it as ‘caimit’.” Immediately the caimit and climate changed.

“You have to be joking.

Caimit has all those properties and I don’t know?”

He is not alone. The fact is that we are not only unaware of the origins and properties of many of the fruits and vegetables that came with our ancestors from Africa and India, and others brought by the British, but we call them by different and confusing names.

In Jamaica the star apple is the basis for matrimony.

You cannot think of or enjoy matrimony without star apple.

In this case, however, it is not like the something borrowed or blue, but a Jamaican dessert which combines orange and grapefruit pulp with star apple or caimit, and is sweetened with condensed milk. One theory about why it’s called 'matrimony' is that the dessert is a marriage of the thick, sticky sweetness of the condensed milk and the tartness of the grapefruit and orange juices with the star apple.

If all the different names for the same fruit are not confusing enough, we have the star fruit which is known also as carambola, Chinese jimbelin, coolie tamarind or five fingers.

The other one that caught me is what in Trinidad, growing up in a basically East Indian community, I knew as 'jamoon' and pommerac'. When I went to Jamaica and the hotel’s dessert included pommerac as one of its fruit choices, my Jamaican colleague was ecstatic: “Otaheite apple! Long time I haven’t eaten one.”

I remarked mutinously, “Otaheite apple? I live in a place called Otaheite in Trinidad and it doesn’t have any pommerac there. Where you Jamaicans get this ‘Otaheite apple’ from?” It turns out that Captain Bligh of Mutiny On The Bounty fame introduced it to the British in 1793. The fruit originated in Tahiti which was then known as Otaheite.

While the Otaheite apple has other names like kwachimelon, malaba, malacca apple, plum rose, pomarosa, pomme d'amour and titi apple, the name that titillates me is what the Guyanese call it. My wife said she saw 'cashew' selling by the roadside and then I

realised she was referring to pommeracs and said that she had to be nuts to see a pommerac and call it a cashew.

In turn, she could not believe that we would call a pear a 'zabocca' or even an 'avocado'.

Worse, a 'jamoon' or 'jamun' in Guyana is not a pommerac but a black plum from India, and the padoo fruit (pois doux or sweet pea) is called 'whitey'.

Despite, or because of these differences, in names, the Caribbean’s fruitfulness makes us all berry happy.

For example, a 'damsel' in St Vincent might be a comely, young beauty but in Trinidad she would be called a 'sour cherry' and eaten with salt and pepper.

For Jamaicans it is 'jimblin', Barbadians and Guyanese know it as 'gooseberry' and in the Saint Lucian Creole dialect it is 'siwèt'. While during winter, people in the colder countries would consider a chance to work in the Caribbean a 'plum' job, what they may not know is that there are two hundred types of plums in the region and they all vary in colour, taste, season, size and, most of all, names including hog (a.k.a. yellow mombin and Spanish gully). In fact, I hope the acronym HOGs is for Heads of Government and

St Lucia places 2nd in Courts OECS School Reading Competition

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elody Garrett from Grenada emerged this year’s winner of the Courts OECS Schools Reading Competition held on Tuesday, February 11, 2020 in Saint Lucia. Melody topped the OECS after competing against finalists from Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia and Antigua.

The Courts OECS Schools Reading Competition is presented annually in collaboration with the Ministry of Education in six OECS countries. The Chief Education Officer from the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development in Saint Lucia, Ms. Fiona Mayer,

commended Unicomer Group on this initiative and lauded the company on its commitment to literacy over the last decade.

Ms. Mayer encouraged the students to continue to strive for excellence and celebrated their success throughout this year’s competition.

Mrs. Nicole Lum Kin, Sales Director for Unicomer OECS, spoke on the company’s dedication to this key Corporate Social Responsibility initiative: “At the Unicomer Group we share in this passion and speak with pride about our 10 years of commitment to the Courts OECS Schools Reading Competition.”

She further spoke on the investment across the region of over EC$170,000, which, she said, “is a testament of our dedication to our communities

and its residents, ensuring sustainability for generations to come”. Mrs. Lum Kin continued: “The Group remains committed to being a sustainable organisation and improving the quality of life of the families in the communities in which the company operates through programmes that target social, economic and environmental development.”

The competitors each received a laptop from Unicomer Group and the winner walked away with the top cash prize of EC$5,000 plus a trophy.

Second place winner, Amiera Serieux from Mon Repos Patience Primary School in Saint Lucia won $3,000 and a trophy. The third place winner, Celine Rodriguez, represented Antigua and won $1,500 in addition to a trophy.

The other finalists were Raychad Arrindel, Kheanilla Barrie and Rondre Daniel representing St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica and St Kitts and Nevis respectively.

The finals were keenly competed by the representatives from each island who read narrative and news pieces.

The Courts OECS Reading Competition was launched in 2009, aimed at improving reading abilities among youth.

The competition aims to fight illiteracy in schools, particularly at the primary level, and benefits our children by promoting literacy and engendering a fun way to encourage reading.

not the fruit or animal.

One other example will suffice. My friend Mary was staying with us in Barbados and saw a tree just outside my yard laden with what Trinis call 'pommeseetay' (pommecythere or ambarella). Trinis curry it or, as they do with sour cherries and green mangoes, make a 'chow' containing lots of salt, pepper and 'chadon beni' (a.k.a. cilantro or, in Trinidad, 'bhandania'). She decided to pick some off the tree to add to a dish she was preparing. An old Barbadian man was really upset that she was picking the fruits while they were green. She explained, “But you can’t curry ripe pommeseetay!” Poor man, he knew it as a June plum. It is also known in other countries as dew plum or golden apple.

He didn’t know that Trinidadians will curry anything, including green bananas and elephant

apples or chalta.

There are many other fruits that are known in the Caribbean by different and interesting names including lay lay or manjack; mamisiporte or mammy apple; naseberry or sapodilla, and chocho, the many other names for which (chayote, mirliton squash and christophene) are enough to make you shout, “Oh Gourd!”

Then there is guinep which includes among its other names chenette in Trinidad, ackee in Saint Lucia and, in some places and for obvious reasons, skinup.

While I wish that, despite what we call them in the different Caribbean countries, our political tastes would be similar when it relates to staples like freedom, equality and unity, I cannot ignore the reality that the one and only fruit we all know by the same name is 'stinking toe'.

Tony Deyal was last seen saying that when one fruit in the same region has so many different names including aprin, dunks, Chinese jujube, crabapple, petit pomme, surette and yuyubi, it is enough to get you doung.

Sagicor General Insurance announces Restructure to Streamline Operations

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agicor General has announced that it will be undergoing a restructuring process in Barbados and Saint Lucia.

This is in keeping with the company’s ongoing efforts to improve customer experience and deliver superior value in an ultra-competitive market.

President and CEO, Keston Howell said the decision was taken after a strategic review of the company’s operations.

“The company is focused on the delivery of exceptional service to its clients and is continuously reviewing operations to improve efficiencies. We sincerely value the contributions of our team and will ensure that the affected team members receive the necessary guidance and support to assist them through this process.”

Sagicor General is one of the longest standing general insurance companies in the Caribbean, with operations in Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago. The company offers auto, home, travel and business insurance protection.

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february 15, 2020

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Barbados Okays BHP Offshore Oil Exploration T he Barbados Ministry of Energy and Water Resources has issued effective offshore exploration licences for the Carlisle Bay and Bimshire blocks to BHP Petroleum.

Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Wilfred Abrahams stated: “While the Government of Barbados is aggressively pursuing renewable and alternative energy initiatives, it also recognizes the importance of diversifying the island’s energy portfolio to include offshore oil and gas development.

“With prudent management, Barbados’ offshore oil and gas sector can offer significant opportunities for the Barbadian people, not only in terms of revenue generation but also in relation to institutional strengthening, capacity building, job creation and technological advancement. This has been a long time in coming, and the Government is eager for BHP to get started.”

Subsequent to the signing of the licences in April 2015, BHP submitted the mandatory Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Environmental Plans (EP) for approval by the Minister responsible for the Environment. After robust stakeholder consultations and multiple revisions of the documents to ensure that all potential concerns specific to Barbados were sufficiently addressed, the Minister responsible for the Environment formally approved BHP’s EIA and EP, effective Monday, January 27, 2020.

The issuance of the effective licences marks the culmination of thorough negotiations between the two parties and grants BHP the exclusive rights to explore for petroleum and undertake appraisal activities in the licence areas.

The Carlisle Bay and Bimshire blocks are located between 40 km and 140 km southeast of Barbados, collectively totalling approximately 5,000 km2 in area, and are generally located in waters ranging from 1,200 to 2,000 metres in depth.

Pursuant to the issuance of the effective licences, BHP will commence the first three-year

Dear readers, next week's edition of the STAR will be on stands Friday February 21.

licence phase, which includes conducting 2-D seismic surveys on the two exploration blocks. With favourable results, BHP may enter an optional second phase of three years to perform 3-D seismic surveys and other geological studies, followed by an optional third phase of two years, to drill at least one exploration well in each block.

BHP Petroleum Vice President of Exploration and Appraisal, Sonia Scarselli, said: “We look forward to continuing our relationship with the Barbados Government

as we commence the next phase of our work in Barbadian waters . . . this opportunity leverages our offshore exploration expertise, and we are optimistic about our chances of discovering hydrocarbons within these blocks.”

At a meeting held at the 2020 Trinidad and Tobago Energy Conference

in Port-of Spain, both parties discussed mutual intentions for a transparent working relationship, and the importance of prioritizing the environmental, local content and social value components of BHP’s work in Barbados.

For further information on BHP and the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, persons may visit www.bhp.com and

www.energy.gov.bb.

Meanwhile Saint Lucia’s oil and gas prospects remain in limbo—tied up in litigation twenty years after Prime Minister Kenny Anthony, without the knowledge of parliament or his Cabinet, leased several acres of the island’s sea bed to a suspect oil prospector from Denver, Colorado.

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february 15, 2020 THE STAR

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Roger Pratt Murder Trial Continues:

Investigating Officer testifies!

Joshua St. Aimee

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he Roger Pratt murder trial entered its third week on Monday with Corporal Marcus George on the stand taking questions from DPP Daarsrean Greene. Attached to the Special Services Unit, the officer testified that on January 14, 2020, he went to the forensic lab at Tapion to conduct an examination on firearm evidence. There he met the lab’s custodian, Ms. Alica Compton, who handed over to him two sealed packages. After he had examined their content, the officer told the court, he prepared a report.

George told the court the item in the first package was the right side grip of a small calibre, semi-automatic handgun. The second package contained the left side. The grips were made by Erfurter Maschinenfabrik (ERMA)—a German manufacturer. He said he concluded that the grips were “authentic”. The witness testified that he did his research using a firearm reference table. With the court’s permission he gave the jury a close look at the grips.

The witness testified that the particular grips are fastened with an adhesive and could become dislodged by drying and cracking off through bad storage or maintenance, pried off with a screwdriver or the pieces could break off from a fall. Under cross-examination by defence attorney Alberton

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Richelieu the witness said he had not presented a pistol for examination. Then it was the turn of defence attorney Sandy John.

He asked the witness whether he had with him the reference table earlier mentioned.

The witness said he did not. In answer to another question from John, the witness said the pistol grip was usually affixed to a .25. He also testified that the grips belong to the EP24 models of pistols, characteristics of which vary. The witness also said he was unable to tell the age of the grips. As to the age of the grips, the witness said “they are certainly not new”. He could not say whether similar firearms could be found at the local police armoury. However, the type of pistol was in common use in Saint Lucia, judging by licenses issued.

The director of Saint Lucia’s forensic lab, Ms. Fernanda Henry, was another witness.

She told the court that on January 9, 2020 she received various sealed packages for examination. The first was identified as 2014-0010-05. Inside this package, she testified, was a brownish piece of material measuring approximately 65 x 35 mm. She said that on one side was engraved “ERMA”.

Henry said she examined the material under an alternative light source that allows scientists to see body fluids as stains on an item. She reported that on one side of the material there was nothing observed of forensic significance. However, she observed on the side with the marking “three areas of dark stain”. She took a moistened swab of each of the darkened areas, allowed the swabs to dry for about five minutes, then placed them in respective jackets which she sealed in an envelope.

The next item was 2014-0010-06.

Inside was another brown piece of material, which measured 65 x 35 mm. It also bore an engraved marking “ERMA” on one side.

Henry stated that she performed the same examination and observed two areas of darkened stain on one side, while the other had no forensic significance. She then took moistened swabs of the areas, left them to dry and sealed the swabs.

She further testified that on January 9, 2020 these newly sealed items were sent via FedEx to Kim Gorman of PTC Labs in Missouri, USA for forensic DNA testing.

Other items were also sent to Ms. Gorman including: a blood card from Roger Pratt, a buccal swab from Roger Pratt; and a blue bandana found on his yacht Magnetic Attraction. She testified that the items were returned to her on January 21, 2020.

Also on that date, Henry testified, she received another item identified as 20140010-08, which she sent to Ms. Gorman on January 23 for DNA testing. It was a buccal swab from Margaret Pratt. Henry said this swab was returned to her on January 30; also two analysis reports from her US counterpart. She told the court that she made a copy of the reports and submitted the original to the investigating officer. Henry stated that she also prepared her own report.

In response to a question from the jury panel, she said “If there are body fluids or skin cells

British national Roger Pratt was killed in 2014 following an attack on board his yacht in Vieux Fort. This week DPP Daarsrean Greene continued his case against the four accused: Richie Kern, Kervin Devaux, Jeromine Jones and Fanis Joseph.

present, as long as it is dry and stored in a dry condition—not in direct sunlight or a damp place—then the evidence is preserved in its original condition.”

The court heard testimony from Kim Gorman on Thursday.

She spoke at length on her examinations of materials. She said that on the bandana she had found DNA of Margaret Pratt and that of an unknown male. Concerning the swabs, she said Roger Pratt’s DNA was consistent with DNA found on one of the swabs.

Friday saw the DPP wrapping up his case as he called his final witness to the stand. Corporal Bertly Ferdinand is the investigating officer for the case against defendants Richie Kern, Kervin Devaux, Jeromine Jones and Fanis Joseph. On January 18, 2014, then acting corporal Ferdinand was assigned to investigate the murder of Roger Pratt, and the robbery committed upon Margaret Pratt. That same day, Ferdinand said, she proceeded to Rambally’s funeral parlour in Vieux Fort, where Corporal 18 David showed her a white, sealed body bag.

Sometime in the afternoon, she made arrangements for a

post-mortem examination to be conducted on the body of Roger Pratt. She then proceeded to the yacht anchored in Vieux Fort. There she spoke with Margaret Pratt. Later that day she spoke with Richie Kern, who was in custody at Vieux

Fort police station. Ferdinand said she informed Kern that she had reasonable grounds for suspecting he had participated in a robbery that had led to the death of Roger Pratt.

The witness testified that she read Kern his rights, which he said he understood. “I asked him whether he wanted to exercise his rights and he replied, ‘I have nobody to call, I not talking to my mother.’ I wrote his responses on a form and invited him to sign it, which he did.” She testified that the original form was handed to Kern. She kept a duplicate.

Later, the officer testified that she met with Jeromine Jones at Vieux Fort police station. Identifying herself to him, Ferdinand told Jones that he was a suspect. “I cautioned him. He replied, ‘Whole night I sick, I have my sinus.’ I told him that I was arresting him on suspicion for the offence of murder and robbery, which I did.” She informed him of his rights and asked whether he wanted to exercise them. Jones asked to call his mother and was allowed to. Ferdinand said that he then signed the form and was given the original copy.

Ferdinand said that on January 21, 2014 Fanis Joseph and Kervin Devaux reported themselves at Vieux Fort police station.

The trial continues on Monday with more of Ferdinand’s testimony.

Export Saint Lucia set to launch National Export Strategy

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he Government of Saint Lucia, through Export Saint Lucia in close collaboration with the International Trade Centre and CARICOM Development Fund, will on February 18 launch Saint Lucia’s 2020-2024 National Export Strategy (NES). The strategy, described by National Export Council Chairperson Mrs. Marguerite Desir as “a roadmap to the growth and development of Saint Lucia’s Export portfolio”, has been two years in the making and involved more than 250 stakeholders from the private and public sectors.

The NES is a policy document which articulates activities related to improving Saint Lucia’s export performance over the period 2020-2024. It highlights areas where Saint Lucia is deemed to have comparative and competitive advantages and provides meaningful development strategies aimed at propelling these industries into international markets.

Export Saint Lucia CEO Sunita Daniel stated, “The NES is an invaluable tool which will lead the way to the continued elevation of Saint Lucia as an export leader in the region. Every sector, planned intervention, policy to be debated and activity to be coordinated was penned through a meticulously inclusive process that took the nation, the exporters, the buyers, the environment and all other factors affecting trade, into consideration.”

The strategy’s vision: Uniquely Saint Lucian with global appeal.

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FEBRUARY 15, 2020

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06 LOCAL

FEBRUARY 15, 2020 THE STAR

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CMO: Travel ban can be extended

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he World Health Organization’s February 12 situation report on the Novel Coronavirus revealed there were now 45,171 confirmed cases of the virus, of which 44,730 were from China where there have been 1,114 deaths. The only other death outside China was recorded in the Philippines. A total of 441 cases has been confirmed from other countries, including Singapore (47), Thailand (33), Japan (28), Republic of Korea (28), Taiwan (18), Australia (15), Germany (14), United States of America (13), France (11) and the United Kingdom (8).

On February 3 the Government of Saint Lucia announced that non-nationals with a travel history from China within the last 14 days would not be allowed to enter the country. Returning nationals with a similar travel history face a 14-day quarantine.

At a February 4 press briefing Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Belmar-George told reporters that four Saint Lucians were quarantined at their homes. She noted that all were asymptomatic, doing well

and were being monitored twice daily.

This week the CMO indicated that the four individuals continue to do well, and that they have not exhibited any signs or symptoms. The Department of Wellness, she said, continues to better its preparedness plans to manage possible threats.

Concerning the travel ban, Belmar-George explained that it can expand to include other countries if this becomes necessary.

“We are monitoring the numbers in the other regions and, based on the level of risk for that region,” she said, “a determination will be made.

So the ban can include other countries based on how the numbers increase.”

On Tuesday the department announced that a non-national who arrived in Saint Lucia on Tuesday via private yacht had been placed under medical quarantine. The patient had respiratory symptoms. The department assured that established protocols were being followed and that the necessary assessments would

Saint Lucians breathed a collective sigh of relief on Wednesday evening when Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Belmar-George announced that a quarantined non-national had tested negative for the coronavirus.

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be undertaken. In an update on Wednesday, the department indicated that a sample was taken from the patient and sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency in Trinidad and Tobago for testing. Later that evening, the CMO appeared on Timothy Poleon’s Newsmaker Live programme, and announced that the patient had tested negative for coronavirus.

The deadly virus also has implications for the tourism industry. On Tuesday Saint Lucia’s Tourism Minister Dominic Fedee explained that he expects the sector to be affected.

Anything that discourages persons from travelling, he says, will have an impact on Saint Lucia and other destinations.

“In the short-term, I think it’s going to have implications for the confidence of travellers and they may decide to stick to their safe-zones,” Fedee said.

“It is the hope of the entire travel community that this crisis is over sooner rather than later because it has implications for peoples’ confidence and people will feel nervous about going to foreign places during this time.”

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St. Lucia Shouldn’t Take Just a Page from Taiwan’s Response to the Coronavirus: We Should Grab the Whole Book!

Dean Nestor

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s the National Express coach headed down the M25 on a near freezing English morning, the rising sun cast its golden rays upon thousands of silhouetted, leafless wiry branches of seemingly dead trees, scratching at the sky across vast open fields, revealing dull, damp, green grass as far as the eye could see. A scene quite haunting in its quiet stillness. It was a beautifully bleak sight to my Saint Lucian eyes, especially when juxtaposed against our own verdant mountainsides, hills and valleys. Our greenery, as opposed to the English variety, is unapologetically loud.

As I drew nearer my Fair Helen home, I could not help but think about how this fascinating contrast also reminded me of the week I’d just spent in faraway Formosa.

Formosa is Portuguese for ‘beautiful’ and was the name given the island of Taiwan circa 1542 by Portuguese sailors who had sailed past. This was explained in great detail at the Presidential Palace last Thursday morning, to me and the rest of the small media delegation brought from all over the world to cover the Pacific island’s annual Lantern Festival.

Nine hours earlier, at midnight, I had just arrived at the Palais de Chine where we would be sleeping for most of our stay in Taiwan. The reception from hotel staff and MOFA (Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs) employees was extremely warm, despite that all were masked. It was the first thing I observed in Taiwan. Practically everyone wore a mask, from the travellers at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to our hotel personnel.

I entered the lobby at the end of a 40-minute drive from the airport. My hands were immediately sprayed with a solution of disinfectant, and my temperature measured by hotel staff using an infrared laser thermometer—a device which can only be described as a thermometer gun. My first temperature reading was 35.7 degrees. A thumbs-up from staff assured me I was okay.

Full praise is due Dr. Sharon Belmar-George and her ministry for their efforts at keeping Saint Lucians properly informed about the coronavirus, despite overwhelming on-the-second fake news, often reposted from the Saint Lucian diaspora.

The genius of this device is that it can measure temperature when a small distance away from the subject, without ever having to touch the skin, limiting unnecessary contact.

The next day, following our visit to the Presidential Palace, we were back on the bus when Vincent, our ever-present guide from MOFA, explained that the wearing of masks and the use of hand sanitizer are not government-imposed. I was surprised to learn this. In fact, he informed us, several privately owned businesses put those measures in place for their patrons and customers. At the Hotel de Chine, for instance, we were required to have our hands sprayed and our temperatures checked, not just at the start of each day, but every time we re-entered the hotel after leaving. Whether it was once or four times for that day, we had our temperatures taken and our hands sanitized. We were encouraged to don masks but it was not mandatory.

Nevertheless, I don’t recall seeing a single local, whether outdoors or in transit, in Taipei or Taichung, old or young, pedestrian or scooter rider, without a mask. Talk about personal responsibility and accountability. It made quite the impression on my Saint Lucian psyche. As for Taiwan’s government, it has taken measures similar to many in the international community, as this from the MOFA website testifies: “Starting from 0:00 am of February 10, 2020,

travelers who transit through China, Hong Kong and Macau and are granted entry into Taiwan, will be required to be under home quarantine for 14 days. Pursuant to the request proposed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, for disease prevention, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications will impose a temporary ban on cross-strait passenger flights between Taiwan and certain airports in China starting 0:00 am of February 10 to 11:59 pm of April 29.”

These measures are in fact quite reminiscent of our own Saint Lucia government’s precautionary policies. Earlier this month, the Health Ministry announced it was “taking measures to restrict the possible entry of coronavirus into Saint Lucia. In that regard, the Government of Saint Lucia will not allow any non-national with a travel history within the last 14 days from Mainland China, (whether in transit or originating), to enter any local port as of 12 a.m. Tuesday, 4 February 2020. Any national returning to Saint Lucia with similar travel history will be quarantined for 14 days.”

It is undeniable that over the last two months our government, particularly its Health Department, led by Dr. Sharon Belmar-George, has played its part in the dissemination of information pertaining to the virus, and by extension the protection of the wider public in these

frightful times. Not only with the imposition of the above referenced travel ban, but also in its transparency with the public—albeit against serious competition from the insane disseminators of on-the-second fake news.

The department has in several press releases, in print, over the radio and on TV, recommended several public safety practices including regular hand-washing with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Health officials have also recommended we seek medical attention and share our travel history with our healthcare providers if we have symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness either during or after travel.

Further, health officials also took the decision not to grant clearance to a cruise ship scheduled to berth in Saint Lucia on the first of this month “given the unusually

high number of sick passengers on board”. More recently, the health department informed the public that on February 11, 2020 “a non-national who arrived in Saint Lucia via a private yacht from a neighboring territory was placed on medical quarantine at a health facility as he had visited a health care institution with respiratory symptoms and had a recent travel history to main-land China”.

The press release continued: “A sample was taken from the patient and was sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency CARPHA for testing. On February 12, 2020, the Department of Health & Wellness received the test results of the non-national quarantined and confirms that the patient has tested negative for the Novel Corona Virus.”

Evidently, the information never reached the tuned-off eyes and ears of the usual naysayers. Via

Facebook and the ever-active local grapevine the persistent word was that the non-national had tested positive, and the “callous and vindictive” government was lying. And it all had to do with the Independence horse race.

Since I’ve been back, I’ve seen two individuals with masks; both are immigration officers; both took their own decision to protect themselves—with no prompting from their superiors.

If public establishments were to require patrons to submit to spraying of the hands upon entering, I wonder what might be the public reaction. Chances are it would have everything to do with whether the operators were perceived as government supporters or as soldiers of the other side. If only dangerous viruses were as discriminating!

Boy, it’s good to be back in Saint Lucia.

08 LOCAL TENDER NOTICE GOVERNMENT OF SAINT LUCIA DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS AND NATIONAL SECURITY

INVITATION FOR TENDERS

FEBRUARY 15, 2020 THE STAR

www.stluciastar.com

How Many Ways Can Jeannine Skin Chastanet’s Cat?

PROVISION OF INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THE ROYAL SAINT LUCIA POLICE FORCE PUBLIC STOCK OF ASSETS The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) invites tenders for the provision of Insurance Coverage for RSLPF Public Stock of Assets, which includes Motor Vehicles, Motor Cycles, ATV’s, Marine Property and Marine Vessels. Also required are Personal Accident Insurance for all Police Officers.

Insurance coverage is required for a period of two (2) years commencing April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2022.

Insurance Companies interested in participating in the bidding process are required to attach the following documents along with their bids: 1) A compliance certificate or letter of good standing from

the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA); 2) A copy of the company’s most recent international

financial strength rating; 3) Brief history and experience of providing similar

coverage to other Public or Commercial organizations; Any Insurance Broker making a submission needs to provide: a) A valid copy of their Professional Indemnity Insurance; and b) Must only recommend one Insurer or Agent in their submission Type of Insurance Coverage Required 1) Motor Vehicle Insurance - Comprehensive and/or Third Party; 2) Motor Cycle Insurance - Comprehensive and/or Third Party Marine – Property Damage All Risk Cover

including but not limited to:Accidental damage, Fire, Lightning, Explosion, Riot and Strike, Malicious Damage, Hurricane, Earthquake, Flood, Burst Pipe, Aircraft Damage, Impact Damage, Bush Fire, Spontaneous Combustion, Smoke Damage, Cyclone, Volcanic Eruption, Tornado, Typhoon, Tempest, Subterranean Fire, Storm, Full Flood, Over flow of the sea, Burglary and attempted theft, Threats, Damage to Plate Glass, Collapse due to subsidence land slip.

3) Marine Vessels – Hull and Liability Insurance; 4) Personal Accident Coverage for Drivers, Riders and

operators of 1,2 and 3 above; 5) Personal Accident Coverage for one thousand, one

hundred and seventy police officers.

Details of the Motor Vehicles, Motor Cycles, ATV’s, Marine Vessels and Property to be insured can be obtained from the Permanent Secretary, Department of Home Affairs and National Security, Ground Floor, Sir Stanislaus James Building, the Waterfront, Castries or the Administrative Officer, Royal St. Lucia Police Force, Bridge Street, Castries.

Tenders should be submitted no later than 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday February 26, 2020 in a sealed enveloped clearly marked “Tender for the provision of Insurance Coverage for the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force Public Stock of Assets” and addressed to: THE SECRETARY CENTRAL TENDERS BOARD DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE FINANCE ADMINISTRATION CENTRE 2nd FLOOR, POINTE SERAPHINE

With Bishnu Tulsie (left) on vacation leave, the jury is out on what impact Jeannine Compton-Antoine’s leadership will have on the relationship between the Saint Lucia National Trust and the government.

A

fter 15 years at the helm of the Saint Lucia National Trust, the organisation’s Director Bishnu Tulsie proceeded on pre-retirement vacation leave on February 1 until the end of June. In his absence Jeannine Compton-Antoine, since last December the Trust’s corporate services manager, has assumed the position of Officer in Charge.

The Trust had initially hoped Mrs. ComptonAntoine would replace Tulsie as Director but the prime minister disapproved of the proposal, relying on Section 46 of the SLNT Rules. Section 47 states that in the absence of the Director, the

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Council, with the approval of the minister, may appoint an individual to act as Director.

On the other hand, Section 48 states that officers may be appointed, as the Council deems necessary for the proper carrying out if its functions. The minister’s approval in this instance is not required.

All attempts at reaching the Officer in Charge this week proved futile. I had no other choice but to speak with Trust councillor Calixte George Jr. on Wednesday.

He confirmed the employment of ComptonAntoine and her responsibility for “overall operations, reporting to the Council and handling the day-to-day operations of the organisation.” This includes overseeing the operations of Pigeon Island National Park and handling staff matters.

Keeping in mind the wellpublicized bad blood between her and the prime minister, I asked the councillor if he expected more fireworks. “No, I don’t think so. I don’t know that the relationship will be further affected. The Trust is a professional organisation and we have to take decisions in its best interests.”

He stressed that the Trust does not consider the prime minister’s decision, with regard to Compton-Antoine, as fair. He added that he did not agree with the notion in some quarters that the appointment of ComptonAntoine to her present position in any way conflicts with the spirit of the Trust’s Rules. Tulsie is, he said, still Director.

As for the position of Director when Tulsie retires, George indicated that the organisation is still mulling over its options. “The Trust still has to operate,” he said.

“We have not yet made a definitive decision on that matter. Currently, Mr. Tulsie is to remain with the Trust until June. Some time prior to that point, we will have to make a decision.”

--Joshua St. Aimee

Martinus Sees Light at the End of the Deputy Speaker Tunnel!

O

n Thursday Martinus Francois’ constitutional challenge over parliament’s failure to appoint a deputy speaker was adjourned to April 8, 2020. Filed last year, the case against House Speaker Andy Daniel has faced several setbacks.

At a scheduled hearing last month, the matter was pushed to February. On Thursday Francois explained the day’s outcome: “When I got the affidavit of the Speaker, I realised that they had no case, so I filed a no-case submission to dismiss the matter.

Dexter Theodore QC represents the Speaker and asked for more time to deal with that application.”

He continued: “If that no-case submission is successful, it will effectively dispose of this matter and I will get the declarations that I’m looking for. This is a matter of grave constitutional importance and I want it to be heard thoroughly. I don’t want to rush it; so I am happy to take the time and do it properly.”

Francois did not go into detail on what exactly the defence had filed, simply stating that “legally, they have no leg to stand on”.

Therefore, he said, he is asking the court to dismiss their submission and grant the attorney his requested declarations.

It appears that the countless setbacks have not dampened the attorney’s spirits. He expects the case to go his way come April. That is to say, he expects the court to pronounce that it is a violation of Saint Lucia’s Constitution to carry on with parliament without a deputy speaker.

Francois is seeking a declaration as to the meaning, interpretation and construction of Section 36 (1) of the Constitution. He is also seeking a mandatory order to adjourn future proceedings of the House until a deputy Speaker has been elected.

--JSA

THE STAR

FEBRUARY 15, 2020

They Do Not Say Because They Do Not Know!

By C.L.R. James

F

or something like twenty years we have been establishing the premises of a modern democratic society: parliamentary government, democratic rights, party politics . . . The mere existence of these is totally inadequate—the smash-up of the Federation has proved that. We now have to move on to a more advanced stage.

To think that what I say is the last word in political wisdom is to make me into just another West Indian politician.

I am posing certain profound, certain fundamental questions.

Their urgency lies in the fact that our political pundits and those who circulate around them consistently ignore them, try to pretend that they do not exist. Who and what are our middle classes? What passes my comprehension is that their situation is never analyzed in writing, or even mentioned in public discussion.

That type of ignorance, abstinence, shame or fear, simply does not take place in a country like Britain. There must be some reason for this stolid silence about themselves, some deep underlying compulsion. We shall see.

Our West Indian middle classes are for the most part colored people of some education in a formerly slave society.

That means that for racial and historical reasons they are today excluded from those circles which are in control of big industry, commerce and finance. They are almost excluded from large-scale agriculture, sugar for example.

That is point number one. Thus they, as a class of people, have no knowledge or experience of the productive forces of the country. That stands out painfully in everything that they do and everything that they do not do.

Mr. Nehru talks about India’s new steel mills. President Nasser talked about his dam which caused a war; President Nkrumah talked and preached about his Volta Dam for ten years before he got it.

A West Indian politician talks about how much money he will get from the British government or from the United States. It is because the class from which he comes had and has no experience whatever in matters of production. It is the same in agriculture. They have never had anything to do with the

big sugar estates. Banking is out of their hands and always has been. There is no prospect that social intermixing, intermarriage etc; they will ever get into those circles. They have been out, are out, and from all appearances will remain out. That is a dreadful position from which to have to govern a country.

In Britain, France, Australia, you have capitalist parties, men who represent and are closely associated with big capital, big agriculture, finance. You have also labour parties. In Britain a hundred members in the House of Commons are placed there by the union movement. The Labour Party members are the heads or connected with the heads of the union movement, of the Labour Party, of the Cooperative Movement; thus, apart from Parliament, they have a social base.

In the West Indies some of the politicians have or have had posts in the labour or union movement. But as a class they have no base anywhere. They are professional men, clerical assistants, here and there a small businessman, and of late years administrators, civil servants and professional politicians and, as usual, a few adventurers. Most of the political types who come from this class live by politics. All personal distinction and even in some cases the actual means of life and the means of improving the material circumstances of life, spring from participation, direct or indirect, in the government, or circles sympathetic to or willing to play ball with the government. Thus the politicians carry into politics all the weaknesses of the class from which they come.

Knowledge of production, of political struggles, of the democratic tradition, they have had none. Their ignorance and disregard of economic development is profound and deeply rooted in their past and present situation. They do not even seem to be aware of it.

For several generations they have been confined to getting salaries or fees, money for services rendered. That is still their outlook. For generations their sole aim in life was to be admitted to the positions to which their talents and education entitled them, and for which they were unjustly excluded. On rare occasions an unexpected and difficult situation opened a way for an exceptional individual, but for the most part they developed political skill only in crawling

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09

GOVERNMENT OF SAINT LUCIA MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE, PORTS, ENERGY AND LABOUR

MILLENNIUM HIGHWAY AND WEST COAST ROAD RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT PROJECT COORDINATOR - UNITED KINGDOM CARIBBEAN INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERSHIP FUND (UKCIF) GENERAL PROCUREMENT NOTICE

Almost sixty years ago the renowned author of Beyond A Boundary declared the majority of the politicians of his time talentless and near unemployable outside the undemanding offices of government.

or working their way into recognition by government or big business. When they either did get into the charmed government circles or government itself, they either did their best to show that they could be as good servants of the Colonial Office as any, or when they rose to become elected members in the legislature, some of them maintained a loud (but safe) attack on the government.

They actually did little.

They were not responsible for anything, so they achieved a cheap popularity without any danger to themselves . . . Let us stick to the class, the class from which most of our politicians come, and from which they get most of their views on life and society.

All this politicians’ excitement about independence is not to be trusted. In recent years the middle classes have not been concerned. In recent years the middle classes have not been concerned about independence. They were quite satisfied with the lives they lived. I never saw or heard one of them around the politicians who was actively for independence.

Their political representation faithfully reproduced this attitude.

I can say and dare not be challenged that in 1959 one man and one man only was for independence: Dr. Eric Williams. I do not know one single West Indian politician who supported him except with some noncommittal phrases.

You cannot speak with too much certainty of a class unless you have made or have at your disposal a careful examination.

But of the politicians I am certain.

Independence was not an intergal part of their politics. The evidence of this is overwhelming and at the slightest provocation I shall make it public. The drive for independence now is to cover up the failure of the Federation.

If you watch the social connections of the politicians and the life they live, you will see why their politics is what it is. I do not know any social class which lives so completely without ideas of any kind. They live entirely on the social plane. In a published address Sir Robert Kirkwood quotes Vidia Naipaul who has said of them that they seem to aim at nothing more than being second-rate American citizens.

It is much more than that. They aim at nothing. Government jobs and the opportunities which association with the government gives, allows them the possibility of accumulating material goods.

That is all.

Read their speeches about the society in which they live.

They have nothing to say. Not one of them. They promise more jobs and tell the population that everybody will have a chance to have a better job. They could not say what Federation meant.

They are unable to say what independence means. Apart from the constitution and the fact that now they will govern without Colonial Office intervention, they have nothing to say. What kind of society they hope to build they do not say, because they do not know!

The preceding is taken from The Middle Classes, a 1962 essay

by C.L.R. James reproduced in Consequences of Class and Color: West Indian Perspectives.

The Government of Saint Lucia (GOSL) has applied for financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) – United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund (UKCIF) towards the cost of Millennium Highway and West Coast Road Reconstruction Project and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this financing to eligible payments under a contract for which this invitation is issued. Payments by CDB will be made only at the request of GOSL and upon approval by CDB, and will be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement. The Financing Agreement prohibits withdrawal from the financing account for the purposes of any payment to persons or entities, or for any import of goods, if such payment or import, to the knowledge of CDB, is prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations. No party other than GOSL shall derive any rights from the Financing Agreement or have any claim to the proceeds of the Financing.

The following consultancy assignment will be procured under the project: (a) Engineering Consultancy Services for the supervision

of and certification of the infrastructure works ; (b) Consultancy Services for the completion of A Road

Sector Policy and Strategy; (c) Consultancy Services for the Development and Implementation of a Road Safety Awareness

Communication Campaign; and (d) Consultancy Services for the completion a Business Development and Life Skills Programme for Project affected Persons.

It is expected that these will be procured during the period January 2020 to April 2020.

The following works will be procured under the project: (e) Construction Works: Rehabilitation of 6.1 km of the

Millennium Highway; (f) Construction Works: Rehabilitation of 11.1 km of road

from Cul De Sac and the Anse La Raye Bridge; and (g) Construction Works: Rehabilitation of 23 km of road

between Anse la Raye and Soufriere.

It is expected that these will be procured during the period March 2020 to May 2020.

Consultants and Contractors from member countries of CDB will be eligible to participate in these procurement opportunities.

The Department of Infrastructure, Ports and Energy (DIPE), through the Project Management Unit (PMU) is the Executing Agency for the project. Further details of the project can be obtained by contacting the first address below.

1.

Department of Infrastructure, Ports and Energy Union Complex Union Castries, Saint Lucia Telephone: (758) 468-4300/(758) 468-4350 Fax: (758) 453-2769

10 COMMENT

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FEBRUARY 15, 2020 THE STAR

THE EMPTY SPACES LEFT BEHIND:

A TRIBUTE TO NEVILLE SKEETE

By Dr. Kenny Anthony

T

here are friends who occupy spaces in our lives that give value and meaning to our own existence. Their deaths bring an emptiness, a chasm, a void. How then do we fill the empty spaces that friendship once occupied? Neville is one such person whose death will leave empty spaces for many.

He was, after all, no ordinary man, no ordinary human being. This was a man who knew love, loyalty, friendship, compassion and commitment.

Neville, like Cyrus, knew and believed that “all men have their frailties; and whoever looks for a friend without imperfections, will never find what he seeks.”

So, Neville judged none and loved all. His was a heart which celebrated love of friendship like few others could.

Most knew him as an avid sportsman, one who excelled at multiple disciplines. They

also knew him as “the”handsome, talented architect. But he was more than that, so much more!

Neville was a genius, an artist, a master of his craft, a perfectionist. What poets crafted with the rhythm and cadence of words, Neville crafted with his architectural pen. He gave his designs an immanence, an enduring quality, defying time and space.

Neville could transform a building or an open space like none other. He knew and understood beauty, when to give it and when to take it away.

Significantly, he did not keep his genius to himself. To the contrary, he was a masterful teacher of his craft. He shared his ideas freely, watched as his designs were stolen, and did not care to know that there was something called intellectual property and copyright which he could have used to protect his masterpieces.

It was a curious oddity that even his political enemies made

use of his enormous talent and skills. This is, I guess, no better testimony to his architectural brilliance.

Neville did not care much for being revered.

Instead, what mattered most to him were the buildings his firm inspired, designed and built for the benefit of the people of Saint Lucia. The Daren Sammy Cricket Ground stands as a monument of his immense talent.

Neville loved Saint Lucia, passionately and deeply. He delved into the photographs of its past, searching for its architectural soul and spirit.

He respected, admired and celebrated the artists in our midst and often, quietly, without fanfare or publicity, moved to support them in their time of need.

But he was not just a craftsman, preoccupied with the design and construction of buildings of his time and age.

He was also an architect who shaped and transformed lives.

REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS The German Development Cooperation (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, GIZ) is in the process of procuring a Project vehicle for the Global Programme Human Mobility in the Context of Climate Change.

We kindly invite quotations for the procurement of an SUV with the following specifications: • Fuel Type: PETROL 2.0

• split back seat with

reclining function • Wheels Driven: 4WD with Auto/2WD/4WD mode • Height adjustable driver

seat • Automatic Transmission

• 12V power socket • Front and side airbags

• Bluetooth • Seating capacity 4-6

• A/C • Off road capable, ABS, brake assistant • Power windows • Rear parking sensors or rear-view camera • Halogen headlamps • Steering wheel - tilt and telescopic adjustable • Color white • AM/FM Audio system with USB and AUX inputs

Please consider that we are acquiring duty and tax exempt.

The car handover will be in Castries, St. Lucia in 2020.

Quotations must be submitted on or before February 20, 2020 via email to DO_Quotation@giz.de

The family of the late Neville Skeete attend his funeral on Monday at Gros Islet Catholic Church.

He hated poverty and what it did to the human condition.

Neville was generous to a fault. This generosity of skill and craft, of teaching and learning, of giving and sharing, epitomized the life and times of Neville Skeete. It mattered not who you were or your lot in life, Neville would find a way to assist you in your hour of need. I have often been puzzled by persons who dedicate their lives to relieve the distressed, the unfortunate, the broken and the forlorn. What drives them?

What makes philanthropy their pre-occupation? Among his friends, Neville’s generosity to all and sundry was legendary, unequalled and sometimes bewildering.

He fed the poor; he rescued the hungry from want; he wiped tears away; he paid for the education of the disadvantaged; he compensated his workers with wages far higher than prevailing rates; he paid medical bills and expenses for those who could not do so for themselves; he helped to buy vehicles; he repaired and built homes, often at his own expense, materials and all; he rescued many from the suffocation of debt; and the list could go and on.

This was a man who touched and changed lives by his compassion, kindness, generosity and humanity. The strange thing was that even if his generosity was abused and not acknowledged, he never complained. In fact, he would

simply keep on giving.

I asked him on more than one occasion why did he so willingly accept to bear the burdens and crosses of others?

He would simply smile and say, “I do not like to see others suffer.” In the words of Bulwer, Neville believed that “when a person is down in the world, an ounce of help is better than a pound of preaching.”

He loved me and I loved him fiercely in return.

The love we shared may initially have had to do with his undying passion and commitment for the Saint Lucia Labour Party, but I have no doubt that in later life, that it was the full measure of our personalities that endeared us to each other.

There was a time when it was not fashionable to support and promote the Labour Party. Not Neville Skeete. He knew and embraced the Labour Party in his youth, from the days when the likes of Sir George F.L. Charles, Herman Collymore, Karl La Corbiniere, and Oleo Jn Baptiste dominated the politics of the Market Steps, close to the family home in the CDC. He would often regale me and others about those early days.

He was never unwilling to put his enormous prestige at the altar of the Saint Lucia Labour Party. He stood by and with the Labour Party, in good times and in bad times, even when, in the days of a triumphant United Workers Party, his professional

friends and acquaintances shunned and relegated the Labour Party to the dustbins of history. They were, of course, fatally wrong. The Saint Lucia Labour Party owes his memory a unique place in its still unfolding history.

There is so much of Neville that I shall miss. I will miss the weekly visits to his home, our journeys into the past, his passion for sport, the shared glasses of delightful wine even to the very end, the outrageous and mischievous conversations that we shared and yes, trite as it may be, the majestic perfection of his handwriting.

And this is what we miss when death claims a beloved friend; the empty spaces that are left behind that no one else can fill. Ever since his passing, I have asked myself, what do I do now when only an empty space is left where he always sat for our conversations?

The truth is that when loved ones leave us, those empty spaces can never be filled. To paraphrase Robert Hall, I have lost a friend “in whose understanding and virtue” I was able to “confide” and whose opinion I was able to value “for its justness and its sincerity.”

He was beyond measure, “a judicious and sympathizing friend.”

I know my friend will be welcomed and embraced in love and peace in the constellation that awaits him.

THE STAR

FEBRUARY 15, 2020

BRITISH AIRWAYS ADDS NEW FLIGHTS FOR LONDON TO SAINT LUCIA

T

he Saint Lucia Tourism Authority is delighted to confirm the introduction of additional British Airways direct flights from the UK to Saint Lucia.

The two additional weekly flights from London Gatwick (LGW) to Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) on Wednesdays and Saturdays will increase the ease of access to one of the Caribbean’s most popular destinations, bringing the total to nine British Airways flights per week across the winter schedule. The additional services will commence on October 28, 2020 and run until March 27, 2021 with no onward tag.

The decision by British Airways to increase the flights comes as Saint Lucia closed 2019 with over

400,000 stay-over arrivals. For the period January to December 2019, Saint Lucia recorded 423,736 stay-over visitors; the highest in the island’s history.

The UK figures for the year are up 6.2 per cent, totalling 83,677 visitors. UK holidaymakers lead the way in terms of duration of stay with an average of 10.76 nights per visit.

Tourism Minister, Honourable Dominic Fedee, commenting on the added services, stated; “The increased service from the UK market provides travellers with even more options of getting to Saint Lucia. British Airways is one of the biggest airlines to the Caribbean out of London and we celebrate the extension of this new service to Saint Lucia.”

Director of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority UK & Europe,

Patricia Charlery-Leon said: “We are absolutely thrilled that British Airways has added these flights.

We have a longstanding partnership with the airline and the UK team and want to thank them for their support of Saint Lucia.

British Airways has already added additional flights this summer so these new winter flights will help us to continue our momentum during our high season.”

Flying Boing 777 aircraft, the long-haul BA flights will depart London Gatwick (LGW)at 12:20 (GMT) to arrive at Hewanorra International (UVF)at 17:15 on Wednesdays and then again on Saturdays to allow for better connections.

Taiwan Technical Mission Establishes First Hoop Greenhouse Demonstration Plot on the Island

T

he Taiwan Technical Mission was able to set up its first of fourteen demonstration plots on the island.

This took place on Thursday February 6, 2020 at Vanard Jacmel, which lies in region seven on the agricultural division plane.

The farmer who was chosen for the establishment of the plot, Mr. Christopher Cox, is a seasoned and decorated farmer in the region. He is expected to work closely with the Taiwan Technical Mission and the Ministry Of

Agriculture to properly introduce the technology.

More than twenty farmers neighbouring the demonstration site, plus those interested in the technology, were invited to view and go through the set-up with the Taiwan Technical Mission and the local extension officers.

This drive is to make farmers aware of the new technology on island, called “Hoop Greenhouse”. This greenhouse is expected to assist farmers by protecting from severe loss by heavy rainfall so they can have a

LOCAL

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consistent production of the fruit throughout the year. The main crops recommended for propagation under this greenhouse are honeydew and cantaloupe, the reason being for their economic value.

The next demonstration site is due to be established in region four which lies in Micoud.

For more information, please contact your local extension officer or the Taiwan Technical Mission (450-2084).

11

GOVERNMENT OF SAINT LUCIA

SAINT LUCIA SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY

CLOSURE PLAN FOR VIEUX FORT LANDFILL GENERAL PROCUREMENT NOTICE The Government of Saint Lucia (GOSL) has received financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) towards the cost of consultancy services to develop a Closure Plan for Vieux Fort Landfill and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this financing to eligible payments under a contract for which this invitation is issued. Payments by CDB will be made only at the request of GOSL and upon approval by CDB, and will be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement. The Financing Agreement prohibits withdrawal from the financing account for the purposes of any payment to persons or entities, or for any import of goods, if such payment or import, to the knowledge of CDB, is prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations. No party other than GOSL shall derive any rights from the Financing Agreement or have any claim to the proceeds of the Financing.

The following consultancy assignment will be procured under the project: (a) Consultancy Services for the Development of Landfill Closure Plan; and (b) Consultancy Services for Procurement Support.

It is expected that these will be procured during the period February 2020 to March 2020.

The following works will be procured under the project: (c) Topographical Surveys; (d) Geotechnical Investigations; and (e) Hydrogeological Investigations.

It is expected that these will be procured during the period March 2020 to April 2020.

Consultants and Contractors from member countries of CDB will be eligible to participate in these procurement opportunities.

The Saint Lucia Waste Management Authority is the Executing Agency for the project. Further details of the project can be obtained by contacting the first address below.

The General Manager Saint Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority Maurice Mason Avenue Sans Souci, Castries, Saint Lucia Email address: admin@sluswma.org Tel. No. 1 (758) 453-2208

12 COMMENT

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FEBRUARY 15, 2020 THE STAR

Kenny Anthony: ‘H Loud to Ignore . . .’ E N

ational Trust Door Closes On Woman Pro! So ran the front-page headline of the Mirror newspaper of 10 January 2003. The accompanying item concerned a Saint Lucian female who had been the general manager of the National Development Corporation and in July 2002 had applied for the advertised job of Programs Manager at the Saint Lucia National Trust.

Her interviewer declared her “the most qualified candidate” for the position but offered her a salary she considered low. She suggested “slightly better terms,” she told the Mirror. Some time afterward she was offered a salary even lower than the original figure—with a warning that if she refused, the job would be offered to someone else. Also that if the new candidate was not satisfied with the salary offered her, the advertised position would be made redundant.

The young woman told the newspaper: “They said their second offer was final; non-negotiable. I felt neither the motivation nor the need to respond.”

She went on: “I accepted that the Trust might be financially strapped, that

perhaps they were unable to meet my request. However, I found it unusual that it would advertise a vacancy, extend the response time, and then offer a salary well below the established scale.”

In any event, someone landed the job “on terms not much different” from what the first applicant had asked for.

What really got under her skin was that a Trust official had soon afterward embarked “on a deliberate campaign to discredit me, making disparaging remarks about my past professional conduct.”

Lawyers’ letters were exchanged in consequence.

“I feel I was misled,” she told the Mirror. “This matter has had a profound and personal impact on me and I intend to pursue all available avenues to have it appropriately resolved.”

When the newspaper contacted the organization’s director for a comment, the most the official would say was that the issue had reached the hands of lawyers and consequently the Trust would reserve comment.

From the paper’s own perspective it seemed politics might be at the root of the problem. “Some of the highest levels of decision making in

the country appeared to be involved,” noted its editorialist.

“Does that mean politics is still being used as a tool to control and damage this island’s intellectual and professional talent? Hopefully the unanswered questions in this matter will soon be answered.”

By “the highest levels of decision making in this country” did the Mirror refer to the day’s prime minister?

A member of Cabinet?

A particular government official?

In a related article published in the March 29, 2003 edition of George Odlum’s Crusader newspaper, Laurent ‘Jomo’ JnPierre referred to “The Godfather of the Environment”—resurrected whenever local politicians, declared and otherwise, feel the need to profess interest in conservation and climate change.

This is how Jomo opened his article entitled ‘Standing up for Coco Charles’ Good Name’: “It is not in my repertoire to engage in ad hominem. I prefer satire, street theater, the realm of logic and the market of ideas. However, since Time magazine’s Person of the Year has proven whistle

Coco Charles was labeled ‘The Godfather of the Environment’ for obvious reasons that landed him and his family in official hot water!

THE STAR

FEBRUARY 15, 2020

COMMENT

www.stluciastar.com

13

History Speaks Too Even Trust History!

us

blowing has its place, I have decided to remove my selfimposed gag to share some light on the situation at the National Trust and the family of the deceased Gabriel Coco Charles. I was the Trust’s research officer and curator long before Giles Romulus became part of the landscape.

I was there with the following individuals: Robert Devaux, Winnie King, Gregor Williams and, of course, Gabriel ‘Coco’ Charles, Eric Branford, Julian Hunte and so on.”

He stated further that he had “planted the plum trees on the Trust’s grounds, over the departed body of one of man’s best friends.” He was there, he claimed, “when Coco Charles was pushed into early retirement from forestry by the then John Compton administration.” Thus was Coco Charles “left stranded, a king without a throne,” Jomo recalled. “He had nowhere to go. The popular opinion was that the National Trust should

absorb Coco by creating a place for him. But Giles Romulus would have none of that. At the time he was the project coordinator. He was the engine that generated much needed funds for the fledgling Trust.”

In Jomo’s telling “the whole environmental fraternity on the island and throughout the region was in solidarity, sympathy and empathy with Coco. We all knew he had courageously sacrificed his head to stand up for principle against the powerful machinery of the Compton government.

Coco was our environmental prophet.”

By Jomo’s dramatic account, Coco had taken to task “the Compton administration and the National Trust about the dangers of unsustainable development and overexploitation of the environment.

Not like those at the helm of the Trust today, who seem to be dancing a strange dance with the powers that be.”

The writer, who by his own admission is a lover of satire and street theater, in his stand for Coco Charles challenged the construction of the Roseau dam. He also recalled Giles Romulus’ determination to keep Coco away from the Trust, enough to have said in Jomo’s presence that “he did not want Coco at the Trust; did not want to work with Coco because he was too radical, too outspoken. The Trust would have to decide between him and Coco Charles.”

But then while in Jomo’s opinion “Coco was a giant,” he acknowledged Coco “made mistakes and operated the Forestry Department as if it were his own business.

Nevertheless he got scholarships from CIDA and Trinidad for those who later betrayed him.”

Jomo announced via the Crusader his decision to dedicate to Coco’s memory

his MSc ethnobotanical thesis on the local latanyé broom.

He proffered some advice to the organization’s operators: “Perhaps the Trust needs to be more people oriented, not just by bringing proposals to be endorsed by the public—but by engaging the masses in the decisionmaking process. My suspicion about the Trust is this: it has adapted a European and American model of conservation rather than one that fits our own local landscape. Many at the helm of the environmental movement in Saint Lucia are toothless dogs . . .” For all of the above, wrote Jomo, “I support the Coco Charles family in their effort to strip the Trust of his good name.”

Near the end of his article Jomo credited me with an observation that rightly belongs to Alphonse Karr: “Perhaps Rick is right when he says the more things change, the more they

remain the same.” The satirist in him had a suggestion.

“Perhaps we should name a new national park after Giles Romulus,” he wrote, “and put a halt to any further development of his waistline.

History has a way of repeating itself.”

Keep in mind, folks, that Laurent JnPierre wrote his article for the Crusader in 2003—over 16 years ago!

As for Coco’s survivors publicly dissociating his name from the Trust, their signed letter was addressed to chairman Marcus Day, and dated 30 September 2002.

It focused on the organization’s treatment of “a young woman of unquestionable good reputation and a professional of the highest caliber reputation,” who had “distinguished herself in her commitment to the development of Saint Lucia through the excellent quality of her work in the public sector.” The Trust director’s

attitude toward the woman had left the family of Gabriel Coco Charles “extremely bitter.”

The 2002 letter from Coco’s survivors featured the following: “I Margaret Charles, administrator of the estate of my late husband Gabriel Charles respectfully request of the council of the Saint Lucia National Trust that with immediate effect the name of Gabriel Lewis-Charles be totally dissociated from the Saint Lucia National Trust.”

Does any of the preceding sound like recent history, involving as it does another disgruntled distinguished family, the Saint Lucia National Trust, and a rejected job application from a young woman who just happened to be the older daughter of the country’s most revered environmentalist?

Yes, indeed, the more things change . . .

14 INTERNATIONAL

www.stluciastar.com

FEBRUARY 15, 2020 THE STAR

How Trustworthy is China when it comes to the Coronavirus?

Commentary by ROC (Taiwan)

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n the wake of the new coronavirus outbreak originated from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the whole world is vigilant about China’s inept and opaque way of managing the epidemic. So far, there have been over 65,000 confirmed cases and 1,700 deaths, mostly in China. More than five provinces and 80 metropolises in China, including the capital city of Beijing and major economic hubs such as Shanghai, Guanzhou and Shenzhen have been quarantined, with more than 400 million Chinese people completely shut off from the outside world.

Public health requires public trust. Autocracy breeds bureaucratic inertia and irresponsibility. It also prevents truth from being revealed.

And it was China’s autocratic form of governance that has led to the sweeping spread of the epidemic. Had Chinese Communist Party officials in

Wuhan and the surrounding Hubei Province been more forthcoming and proactive about the real situation back in December 2019, the new type of coronavirus could have been better managed and contained.

When the Chinese government finally acknowledged the severity of the epidemic and sealed off Wuhan City on 23 January this year, more than five million citizens had already fled the city to all parts of China, many of whom carried the virus. Even then, the Chinese government exerted much of its influence and efforts not to share relevant information but to conceal it from the world. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), collaborated with China and deliberately played down the threat of the pandemic. Against better judgment of governments around the world, he even advised them not to take timely preventive measures such as travel restrictions to and from China. As a result, public health and well-being of the whole

The coronavirus has spread from China to many parts of the globe.

world were jeopardized by the world health body for political convenience.

Worse still, China has long abused its political influence by blocking Taiwan’s participation in key international organizations such as the WHO. Taiwan’s health officials and experts have been denied access to vital and timely information about this new type of pandemic from the WHO. At

the same time, China continued to dispatch bombers to cruise around Taiwan and threaten the Taiwanese people. The world wonders why China still has the time and energy to play political games when the world should be working together to combat the cross-border pandemic.

By contrast, the Wuhan Coronavirus has been timely and properly managed and contained in Taiwan. So far

there have been 18 confirmed cases there, most of which were imported from China with the exception of 3 cases of cross-infection within the family. All the patients have been quarantined at the border or upon confirmation. There is no risk of community infection in Taiwan.

Being one of the few countries to have successfully implemented Universal Health

Care (UHC), Taiwan is capable and willing to contribute to global health security, as has been demonstrated by its medical cooperation with Saint Lucia over the years and the recent cooperation between the two countries to manage the outbreak of Wuhan Coronavirus. Taiwan’s pragmatic and constructive participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA) as well as other WHO mechanisms, meetings and activities will surely help advance the right to health and wellbeing of people around the world.

The recent outbreak of Wuhan Coronavirus has highlighted the importance and urgency of the WHO to ensure full involvement of Taiwan in the international consultations, planning and decision making to monitor, control and halt further spread of the epidemic.

It is incumbent upon the international community to help safeguard global health by helping Taiwan obtain its voice and presence at the world health body.

Properties For Sale The following properties located in Vieux-Fort are available for sale.

Property # 1: A 2-storey commercial bldg. located at Beane Field Vieux-Fort Land size: approximately 11,130 sq. ft.

Gross area of bldg.: approximately 7,800 sq. ft.

Property #2:

Consisting of two separate 2 storey structures located on New Dock Road Vieux-Fort

Land size: approximately 3,285.54 sq. ft.

Building #1: approximately 3,300 sq. ft.

Building #2: approximately 2,216.54 sq. ft.

For further information, please contact the following: Richard Surage Liquidator Castries, St. Lucia Tel: 758-450-7777 email: admin@pkf.lc

Accountants & business advisers

FUEL SURCHARGE COST ADJUSTMENT Applied to Bills for February 2020

The fuel surcharge cost adjustment is the cost of fuel at the current price less the average cost of fuel in the twelve months preceeding 1st January, 2020 (the base price) divided by the total number of kwhs sold.

Current price of fuel EC$ 7.2705 / gallon

Average price for 2019 EC$ 7.5535 / gallon

Amount of fuel used (January 2020) 1,705,375 gallons

Cost of 1,705,375 gallons at EC$ 7.2705 per gallon EC$ 12,398,929

Cost of 1,705,375 gallons at EC$7.5535 per gallon EC$ 12,881,550

Current cost of fuel less cost at base price EC$ (482,621)

Electricity Sales (January 2019) 31,584,020 units

(482,621) Fuel Surcharge Cost Adjustment: ----------------- x 100 (1.5) cents / unit 31,584,020 2020 Tariff Rebate FSCA Cost Rates per Electrical Unit EC$ EC$ EC$ EC$ Domestic 1-180 0.753 (0.015) 0.738 >180 0.803 (0.015) 0.788

Commercial Low Tension all units 0.903

(0.015) 0.888

High Tension all units 0.863

(0.015) 0.848 Hotel/Industrial Low Tension all units 0.903 (0.0081) (0.015)

High Tension all units 0.863 (0.0081) (0.015)

Streetlighting all units 0.898

(0.015)

0.880 0.840 0.883

The Tariff Rate and the FSCA are computed in accordance with the Electricity Supply Act No. 10 of 1994, as amended by Act Nos. 12 and 13 of 2006. Note that since the average fuel price in January 2020 is less

than the average fuel price for 2018, this has resulted in a reduction in the tariff.

Ian Peter- Chief Financial Officer

THE STAR

LOCAL

www.stluciastar.com

FEBRUARY 15, 2020

15

Saint Lucia Medical and Dental Association

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STATEMENT ON THE NOVEL CORONOVIRUS (COVID-19)

he Saint Lucia Medical and Dental Association recognizes the understandable heightened sense of anxiety among the populace particularly since the announcement on February 12, 2020 of the mandatory quarantine initially of four returning (asymptomatic) nationals last week and more so, that of a non-national at a public health facility. We fully recognize and do not take lightly our role as guardians of the nation's healthcare and have been working closely with our indefatigable Chief Medical Officer and other public health officials at the Department

of Health to ensure the readiness of our members and other healthcare workers to adequately manage any potential case of this Novel (New) Coronavirus which has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Oganization (WHO)

There is intense ongoing training of staff of health facilities, particularly those on the front line. A quarantine area has been identified and prepared for any suspected case. Guidelines and updates have been disseminated to all members regarding said virus.

It is to be noted that there are still many unknowns about this Novel Coronavirus and we will continue to promptly disseminate unfiltered, truthful information once it becomes available.

In the interim we continue to urge you our fellow citizens, members of the general public, to avoid garnering and disseminating information from invalidated sources and to obtain information only from credible sources; (WHO), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Department of Health officials including the Bureau of

Health Education and to follow previously issued guidelines for the prevention and transmission of respiratory illnesses. These include: —Washing and/cleaning hands frequently with abundant soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub especially after coughing or sneezing; when caring for the sick; before, during and after preparing food; before eating; after toilet use; when hands are dirty and after handling animals or animal waste —Proper cough etiquette, that is, covering nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing with tissue

or flexed elbow —Avoiding close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms —Thoroughly cooking meat and eggs —Avoiding unprotected contact with live wild or farm animals.

Common signs of the infection, which are similar to other respiratory infections, include: fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and death. If you do present with symptoms, contact

your nearest healthcare provider for guidance or visit the nearest healthcare facility

Please note that to date, there has been no confirmation of the Novel Coronavirus in Saint Lucia. Again, we urge vigilance and continued care and protection of each other, particularly the youngest among us, the elderly and patients with underlying chronic illnesses who are more susceptible to infection and prone to adverse outcomes.

We are a resilient people and we are all in this together. Remaining informed and united, will we prevail.

-Dr. Merle Clarke, SLMDA President

Embassy of Republic of China (Taiwan) hostS Scholarship Briefing

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he Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) hosted the Taiwan Scholarship briefing at Union Orchid Garden on February 6, 2020.

Councillor Bill Huang of the Embassy and Permanent Secretary Michelle Charles of the Department of Education, Innovation and Gender Relations gave remarks.

Secretary Steven Tsao, Po-Yen and Human Resource

Development Officer Althea Emmanuel also briefed about the programme. The briefing attracted more than 150 students, parents and alumni who filled the venue.

In his remarks, Councillor Huang thanked Saint Lucian students for their interest in studying in Taiwan and interacted with them at the venue to learn why they had come for the briefing. He laid stress on Saint

Lucian students’ outstanding performance in Taiwan in both the academic field and cultural activities. He emphasised Taiwan’s comparative advantage as a destination of study for foreign students and expats, which includes its low cost but high standard of living and its friendly people.

Finally, Councillor Huang urged the students to carefully read through the application

guidance to avoid any errors that could potentially prevent them from receiving this life-changing opportunity.

Permanent Secretary Charles thanked the Government of Taiwan and its people for their generosity in providing such opportunities for Saint Lucian students to study abroad and explore the world. She hoped these students could come back to Saint Lucia upon completion of

their studies and enhance Saint Lucia’s technology level. She mentioned that more than 160 students are currently studying in Taiwan. They have enjoyed the vibrant and open society of Taiwan and learned a lot during their academic journey there.

The briefing featured delicious Taiwanese food prepared by chefs who went to Taiwan to study cooking. The Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM)

also provided Tai-chiao No.2, the newly introduced climate-resilient bananas from Taiwan for testing at the site.

Posters were placed to showcase different university programmes covered by the Taiwan Scholarship.

The deadline for submitting a scholarship application to the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Saint Lucia is Friday, March, 13, 2020.

THE COMPANY Incorporated in April 2017, Events Company St. Lucia (ECSL) is a non-profit government company responsible for the management and production of all National Festivals and Events in Saint Lucia. ECSL sees national events and festivals as instruments of national development that simultaneously contribute to three sets of complementary objectives: economic development; cultural and artistic development; and social development objectives.

THE POSITIONS We are seeking to recruit dynamic, creative and innovative individuals who are passionate about the business of event planning and execution to fill the following vacancies: • • • • • • • • • •

Operations & Human Resource Manager Operations & Human Resource Officer Executive Assistant Receptionist Office Assistant Accounts Officer Event Coordinators Event Assistants Event Administrative Assistant Warehouse & Inventory Assistant

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN JOINING OUR TEAM OF DYNAMIC PROFESSIONALS? Send your completed Application and CV to vacancies@eventssaintlucia.com Deadline for receiving applications is Wednesday 26th February, 2020 For more information, please visit: www.eventsaintlucia.com

16 LOCAL

FEBRUARY 15, 2020 THE STAR

www.stluciastar.com

Students were delighted with the water tank on which they have put their stamp (see left).

GOVERNMENT OF SAINT LUCIA SETTLEMENT UPGRADING PROJECT DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING, URBAN RENEWAL AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS INVITATION FOR BIDS

The Government of Saint Lucia (GOSL) has received financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in an amount equivalent to USD6,233,000 towards the cost of the Settlement Upgrading Project and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this financing to eligible payments under a contract for which this invitation is issued. Payments

by CDB will be made only at the request of GOSL and upon approval by CDB, and will be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement. The Financing Agreement prohibits withdrawal from the financing account for the purpose of any payment to persons or entities, or for any import of goods, if such payment or import, to the knowledge of CDB, is prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations. No party other than GOSL shall derive any rights from the Financing Agreement or have any claim to the proceeds of the Financing.

The Project is being implemented by the Ministry of Economic Development, Housing, Urban Renewal, Transport and Civil Aviation’s Programme for the Regularisation of Unplanned Developments (PROUD) within the Department of Housing, Urban Renewal and Telecommunications.

The PROUD has contracted a Consultant who will assist PROUD with delivering the Project. The Consultants have prepared designs and contract documentation and will assist in tender administration and evaluation and supervise Project Activities.

The PROUD now invites sealed bids from eligible bidders to undertake any combination of the following works; 1. Lot 1: Construction of Residential Accesses and Drains at Bexon

Phase 1, Contract No. /SUP 53/SFR – OR – STL (P1A) 2. Lot 2: Construction of Residential Accesses and Drains at Bexon

Phase 2, Contract No. /SUP 53/SFR – OR – STL (P1B) 3. Lot 3: Construction of Residential Accesses and Drains at Bexon

Phase 3, Contract No. /SUP 53/SFR – OR – STL (P1C)

Consideration will be limited to firms or joint ventures of firms, which are legally incorporated or otherwise organised in, and have their principal place of business in an eligible country and are either; 1. more than 50% beneficially owned by a citizen or citizens and/

or a bona fide resident or residents of an eligible country, or by

a body corporate or bodies corporate meeting these requirements; or 2. owned or controlled by the Government of an eligible country provided that it is legally and financially autonomous and operated under the commercial law of an eligible country

and otherwise meets the eligibility requirements of the CDB Guidelines

for Procurement (2006).

Eligible countries are member countries of CDB.

Eligible bidders will be required to submit full qualification information with their bids establishing their eligibility to bid and qualifications to perform the contract if the bid is accepted. Tender and qualifications information are to be submitted in the English language on the prescribed forms inserted in the Bid Documents. Submissions that do not provide the information required, or do not demonstrate the prospective contractor’s ability to perform satisfactorily, will not qualify and will not be considered for evaluation.

Qualification requirements include, inter alia: 1) An average annual turnover (defined as certified payments received

for works in progress or completed) within the last five (5) years of:

a) Lot 1: XCD1,300,000.00;

b) Lot 2: XCD1,300,000.00;

c) Lot 3: XCD1,000,000.00;

2) A demonstrable cash flow (including access to credit) of:

a) Lot 1: XCD300,000.00;

b) Lot 2: XCD300,000.00;

c) Lot 3: XCD200,000.00; 3) Experience as prime contractor in the construction of at least two (2) assignments of a nature, scope and complexity comparable to the proposed works within the last six (6) years (to comply with this requirement, works quoted should be at least 80 percent complete). Subcontract work and labour only contracts shall not qualify.

4) Experience in the construction of roads (bituminous surfacing dressing, asphaltic concrete & concrete) base and experience in the construction of earthen and reinforced concrete drains.

The Bidding Document may be obtained by eligible bidders from the following address below for a non-refundable fee of XCD300: The Project Coordinator Department of Housing, Urban Renewal and Telecommunications 7th Floor Conway Business Centre Cnr. John Compton Highway & Jn. Baptiste Street Castries ST. LUCIA, W.I Telephone: 1-758 468-2600/2609 Facsimile number: 1-758 452-1838 Email: cuthbert.mcdiarmed@govt.lc Requests must be made by written application including email.

Written applications must be clearly marked: “SUP (NCB) - Request for Bidding Documents for the Construction of Residential Accesses, Drains and Footpaths, Lot 1 to 3”, along with the name, address and contact information of the bidder for which Bidding Documents are being requested. Payment should be by wire transfer, bank draft or bank guaranteed cheque made payable to Accountant General.

Information to pay by wire transfer can be obtained from the Project Coordinator, whose address is above.

Applicants who request that documents be forwarded to them must submit an account number from a local courier agent that accepts freight collect charges. Documents will be promptly dispatched, but under no circumstance will PROUD or their authorised agent be held responsible for late delivery or loss of the documents so transmitted.

Submissions in sealed envelopes clearly marked “Bid for the Settlement Upgrading Project (NCB) – Construction of Residential Accesses, Drains and Footpaths (Lot 1 or Lot 2 or Lot 3 or any combination)”, must be received at the address address below no later than 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10, 2020. Bid opening will take place at 10:00 am on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at the address below in the presence of bidders representatives who choose to attend.

The Chairperson Central Tender’s Board Department of Finance, Economic Affairs and Social Security Financial Administrative Centre Point Seraphine Castries ST. LUCIA, W.I

All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Security of Ten Thousand Eastern Caribbean Dollars (XCD10,000.00) for any Combination of Lots.

The PROUD reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, and to terminate the process and reject all bids, at any time prior to award of contract, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected prospective bidder(s) or any obligation to inform the affected prospective bidder(s) of the grounds for the PROUD action. The PROUD will not defray any costs incurred by any bidder in the preparation of bids.

WATER TANK HAND-OVER TO THE ANGLICAN INFANT SCHOOL AND LEON HESS SECONDARY SCHOOL

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he hand-over event of two water tanks by Brice & Co. to the Anglican and Leon Hess schools was a huge success. The students were happy and proud to share their take on water conservation and how water shortages have impacted their schools. One of the water tanks was used to facilitate the school’s agricultural department as it undertakes a project of sustaining a chicken-coop. The theatrical department spearheaded this event which comprised art work, poems and speeches by the students on the importance of water conservation.

Brice & Co. Ltd. looks forward to continuing this drive and targeting more schools as recipients for water storage tanks. The company vows to continue its efforts in making water conservation a national priority.

The finished decorated water tank will be put to good use.

THE STAR FEBRUARY 15, 2020

How Yoga Can Enhance Overall Health

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oga makes us stronger by increasing muscle strength and flexibility in all parts of the body, and this helps to prevent injury. It strengthens the muscular and skeletal systems and brings alignment to the physical body if practised correctly.

It balances our hormones and the systems of the body and can lessen chronic pain, such as lower back, arthritis, carpal tunnel and headaches.

With the respiratory system, yoga helps to regulate the breath. Many of us don’t really know how we breathe and don’t pay attention to the breath unless we have a difficult time breathing; most people are shallow breathers. The breath helps us to be more alert, focused, builds concentration, improves energy and vitality, purifies the body and adds healthy years to our lives. Yoga teaches us to regulate the breath.

The health of the respiratory system affects all the other systems of the body: it expands the lungs and gives them space to breathe;

17

HEALTH

www.stluciastar.com

THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN SUPREME COURT SAINT LUCIA

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE

CLAIM NO. SLUHCV2010/0724 BETWEEN:

it activates the body and stimulates the blood flow; it supplies oxygen to every cell of the body and then transports carbon dioxide (the waste product of respiration) out of the body.

The breath assists and builds our immune system.

The circulatory system comes into balance with yoga, relieving stress, lowering blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood glucose levels, as well as heart rate. Yoga helps us to prevent heart disease. It is as good for your heart as aerobic exercise.

We know that yoga has a direct link to the nervous system. Through breath control in the asana practice, it stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system which helps you to feel calmer and less stressed, which can reduce blood pressure and heart rate.

Just about every yoga pose that we do has an impact on the endocrine system.

The endocrine system maintains the body’s homeostasis, or balance. Yoga helps to balance the hormones of the body.

Sirsasana (headstand) increases blood flow to the brain which improves the functioning of the brain and the hypothalamus along with the pituitary and pineal glands.

Halasana (shoulder stand) improves the functioning of the thyroid and parathyroid.

Setu Bandha, which is one of my favourite poses, stimulates the ovaries and the testes.

Practising yoga is preventative medicine.

Pay attention to those who love yoga and you will see a healthy, happy body, mind and soul.

FIRSTCARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL BANK (BARBADOS) LIMITED

Judgment Creditor and

1. ANNE MARIE HENRY 2. MATTHEW INNOCENT

Judgment Debtors

TO: ANNE MARIE HENRY whose last known address was Goodlands, Castries TO: MATTHEW INNOCENT whose last known address was Goodlands, Castries

NOTICE

TAKE NOTICE that the Judgment Creditor FIRSTCARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL BANK (BARBADOS) LIMITED has filed an Application in the High Court of Justice, Saint Lucia, to vary an Upset Price for the sale of the immovable property owned by you and situate at Goodlands in the Registration Quarter of Castries and registered as Parcel Number 0846B 237.

The Application will come on for hearing at the High Court of Justice, La Place Carenage, Jeremie Street, Castries on Thursday the 27th day of February, 2020 at 9:00 am.

Yoga increases muscle strength and flexibility.

AND THAT pursuant to CPR 2000 Part 5.13 service of the said Application is effected on you by advertisements of this NOTICE in two (2) consecutive issues of a local Newspaper circulating in Saint Lucia and two (2) consecutive issues of the official Gazette of Saint Lucia.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you fail to attend the hearing the Application will be heard and an Order made in your absence.

Jill Hagar is a certified instructor of Iyengar Yoga and a certified International Yoga Therapist.

She holds regular Yoga classes at Harmony Suites in Rodney Bay. For more information about classes please contact Jill by phone or WhatsApp on (758) 718 1297 or by email on yogastlucia@gmail.com

Dated this 10th day of February, 2020 FOSTERS Per___________________________________ Ann-Alicia N. Fagan Legal Practitioners for the Judgment Creditor Presented for filing by: FOSTERS, Legal Practitioners for the Judgment Creditor, whose address for service is: Chambers, Robin Kelton Building, Choc Bay, Castries, St. Lucia. West Indies. Tel. No.: 758 453-1100, Fax No.: 758 452-4940, E-mail: contact@fosters.law The Court Office is at La Place Carenage, Jeremie Street, Castries, Tel. No. 758 468-7500, Fax No. 758 468-7543. The Office is open between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Monday to Thursday and between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Friday except public holidays. Email stluhco@eccourts.org.

GOVERNMENT OF SAINT LUCIA MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE, PORTS, ENERGY AND LABOUR MILLENNIUM HIGHWAY AND WEST COAST ROAD RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT PROJECT COORDINATOR - UNITED KINGDOM CARIBBEAN INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERSHIP FUND (UKCIF) REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST The Government of Saint Lucia (GOSL) has applied for financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) – United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund (UKCIF) towards the cost of Millennium Highway and West Coast Road Reconstruction Project and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this financing to eligible payments under a contract for which this invitation is issued. Payments by CDB will be made only at the request of GOSL and upon approval by CDB, and will be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement. The Financing Agreement prohibits withdrawal from the financing account for the purposes of any payment to persons or entities, or for any import of goods, if such payment or import, to the knowledge of CDB, is prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.

No party other than GOSL shall derive any rights from the Financing Agreement or have any claim to the proceeds of the Financing.

This project is being implemented by the Department of Infrastructure, Ports and Energy (DIPE), through the Project Management Unit (PMU). The Project Coordinator within the PMU shall be responsible for the day-to-day management of project activities. Engineering Consultants shall be retained by DIPE to assist with the supervision of the contract. Approximately 40.2 km of Road Rehabilitation is projected for the programme.

DIPE (hereinafter referred to as “the Employer”) intends to engage the services of a Project Coordinator (PC) for the duration of the project implementation phase. The PC will be engaged to provide technical and project management services to the office of the PMU. Full requirements, responsibilities, compensation and all pertinent information about the above employment opportunity is now available on the Caribbean Development Bank`s Website www.caribank.org and on the Government of Saint Lucia`s Website: www.govt.lc

18 REGIONAL

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THE FUNNIES!

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FEBRUARY 15, 2020 THE STAR

Game-Changing Caribbean Conservation Conference

he UWI/OAS Caribbean Heritage Network (CHN) will host its inaugural conference— ‘Caribbean Conversations in Conservation’—at Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business and Management at The University of the West Indies (UWI) in Barbados, March 16-19, 2020.

The hands-on, workshoporiented conference for heritage professionals, including archaeologists, architects, engineers, archivists, and museum professionals, is a milestone capacitybuilding exercise for the region’s professionals to gain knowledge and experience in the area of conservation.

Workshops, sessions and fieldbased study will be integrated into this four-day conference.

This conference will allow heritage practitioners to share their expertise while enhancing policymakers’ understanding of the unique threats, challenges and opportunities for heritage conservation in the region.

Another expected outcome of the conference is to help protect, conserve and interpret the region’s outstanding

heritage from the built environment to endangered collections and documents, and to work towards the establishment of viable multidisciplinary initiatives and regional partnerships to provide mutual support.

A special focus of the conference will be on Climate Change, disaster risk preparedness and first aid to cultural heritage in emergencies. Conference organisers welcome the collaboration of a number of practitioners from leading preservation organisations in North America, the United Kingdom and Europe as well as from the Caribbean.

The opening workshop on March 16 will be ‘Keeping History Above Water: Caribbean Workshop’ hosted by the University of Florida College of Design, Construction and Planning and the Newport Restoration Foundation in collaboration with the Barbados Institute of Architects (BIA).

It will explore how Climate Change and sea level rise affects vulnerable coastal urban landscapes and what

built environment practitioners can do to plan and adapt. Another opening workshop will focus on ‘Disaster Preparedness for Heritage Institutions’ including museums, libraries and archives.

CHN Director, Dr. Tara Inniss, remarks, “This conference is potentially a game-changing approach to heritage conservation in the Caribbean. We need to change our thinking that someone from outside of the region is going to value our heritage more than ourselves. We have a latent heritage industry waiting for innovative and strategic investment that can stimulate the creative industries we all talk about, but need to do more to promote regionally as part of our economic development.

Conservation is at the heart of this conversation. We have to protect and maintain what we have now before we lose it forever.”

The CHN is a network of heritage professionals (individuals and organisations) from around the region and further afield who are committed to the promotion and protection of the Caribbean’s heritage resources.

For more information visit www.caribheritage.org/CCC2020

THE STAR

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FEBRUARY 15, 2020

www.stluciastar.com

INTERNATIONAL 19

Coroner: British man’s death in St Lucia could have been prevented

he death of a British man who was electrocuted at a dam in St Lucia while on holiday with his three sons could have been prevented by signs warning the public not to enter, a coroner has concluded.

Martin Ellis, 68, from Dartmouth Park, north London, a businessman and the main carer for his disabled wife, was killed when he touched a pipe on the site of the John Compton Dam on the Caribbean island on 16 August last year.

His teenage sons heard him cry out when he went to urinate behind a hut, the roof of which they were sheltering

under during a rain shower, and discovered him face down in the mud. Wasco (Water and Sewage Company), the stateowned entity that runs the dam, said the site was not open to the general public and Ellis should not have been there.

However, at an inquest into Ellis’s death on Thursday, St Pancras coroner’s court heard that the only warning sign had been obscured and workers the family had passed had not tried to prevent them proceeding.

The senior coroner for inner north London, Mary Hassell, said: “There’s absolutely no doubt in my

mind that if there had been appropriate signage warning the public not to visit the dam then Martin Ellis and his family would not have visited the dam.

Instead there was one sign covered in foliage, there was a knee-high chain and there were construction workers who gave directions.”

The court heard that the day after Ellis’s death, the foliage was cut back to show the sign and a new sign was later installed at the site. Excerpts were read out from a condemnatory report by an insurance investigator, suggesting that the St Lucian

‘One rule for black boys and another for white’: Corbyn attacks PM

J

eremy Corbyn launched a scathing personal attack on Boris Johnson over the way black and white children connected to class A drugs are treated by the government in the wake of the deportation of ex-offenders to Jamaica.

Speaking in the Commons, the Labour leader called out the prime minister over allegations of Johnson’s own drug use, saying: “If there was a case of a young white boy with blond hair who later dabbled in class A drugs, and conspired with a friend to beat up a journalist, would he deport that boy?

“Or is it one rule for black boys from the Caribbean and another for white boys from the United States?”

The prime minister was born in New York and gave up his US citizenship in 2016. He admitted he tried cocaine as a teenager and was recorded in 1990 on a call with his friend Darius Guppy, who was discussing how he planned on beating up a fellow journalist.

Corbyn used Prime Minister’s Questions to confront Johnson over the controversial deportation of ex-offenders to Jamaica. About 50 people were due to be flown to the country earlier this week, including those convicted of rape, manslaughter and drugs offences. However, the court of appeal stopped the deportation of 25 people due on the flight over concerns they had not had adequate access to legal advice because of a temporary outage of mobile phone signal in January.

Jeremy Corbyn (pictured) called out the prime minister over allegations of Boris Johnson’s own drug use.

Corbyn asked about the case of one offender who came to the UK aged five, who was recruited into a county lines drugs gang and had served time for his drugs offence. The Labour leader said the man had served his time in prison and had never committed another crime.

He asked: “Does the prime minister think that someone who came to this country at the age of five and was the victim of county lines grooming and compelled to carry drugs, released five years ago and never reoffended, deserves to be deported?”

Johnson replied: “It is entirely right that foreign national offenders should be deported from this country in accordance with the law.”

Corbyn said: “Then the government has learnt nothing from the Windrush scandal.

“This cruel and callous government is trying to mislead the British people into

thinking it’s solely deporting foreign nationals who are guilty of murder, rape and other very serious offences. This is clearly not the case.”

The deportation case has ignited rows about the Windrush immigration scandal as the “lessons learned” report is expected to suggest that all deportation flights cease until more work can be done to ascertain people’s citizenship.

The government has said none of the offenders are connected to Windrush and none are British nationals.

Johnson said Corbyn had demeaned himself by the tone of his questions and “besmirches the reputation of the Windrush generation who came to this country to work in our public services, to teach our children in this country”.

He later said the Labour leader was “soft” on the deportation of violent foreign offenders.

--The Guardian

testimony, Lucian Ellis related how he had received shocks himself as he had dragged his father away from the pipe, and said they had assumed the knee-high chain was just to prevent vehicular access.

He also said that when police officers had arrived they had stood around joking, and that despite there being more than 10 of them they had asked him to help move his father’s body, a situation Hassell Martin Ellis with his three sons, who were with him described as “profoundly in Saint Lucia. disappointing”. authorities’ handling of the case would not welcome another

After the inquest, Ellis’s had been affected by a desire high profile case where another eldest son described his father to minimise bad publicity. Phil British national has been as “an extraordinary man, Peart noted that Edmund Regis, electrocuted on the island.” filled with love and kindness”.

Wasco’s general manager, had

Hassell said the St He continued: “Without him been uncooperative initially.

Lucian authorities had failed an enormous void has been Peart said the island, which to provide the inquest with created. An example being my relies on tourism, had already the electrician’s investigation mum, Amy, who is severely suffered a blow from the into why the pipe was live, disabled and no longer has a death of Hannah Defoe, 20, the so she was unable to make a carer, a breadwinner or a loving cousin of the former England determination on that matter. husband.” striker Jermain Defoe. She died Ellis, managing director of

Hassell said she would be when she dived into a hotel a print services company, was making a prevention of future swimming pool on the island in the main carer for his wife Amy deaths report to the St Lucian 2012 and was electrocuted.

Silverston, who has MS, and high commissioner in London.

Peart said: “It’s not hard to see who was in court along with why the island’s government their eldest son Lucian, 20. In --The Guardian

The Government of Saint Lucia through the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice, Local Government and Empowerment, the Executing Agency for the Youth Empowerment Project, now wishes to procure consultancy services for the following: 1. Strengthening the Case Management System 2. Development of a Community-Based Policing Training Manual 3. Development of Operations Manual, Youth Reintegration Toolkit and Gender Equality Guidance Note for the Youth Recidivism Reduction and Out-Of-School Suspension Programmes For more information regarding these notices please visit the

Government of Saint Lucia’s website at http://www.govt.lc/consultancies or contact the Project Implementation Unit at Email: info. yepslu@qmail.com Telephone: (1 758) 713-1836.

20 SPORTS

FEBRUARY 15, 2020 THE STAR

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National Cricket Association honours its Best David R Pascal

F

or one night, whatever problems the St Lucia National Cricket Association (SLNCA) had in recent years were batted away, for it was celebration time with the staging of the annual awards ceremony Friday evening at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.

The awards were an hour late getting underway, but no one cared and several of the early birds spent time reminiscing with friends and colleagues. There was certainly a lot to talk about as the guest list included prominent individuals here and abroad. To begin with there was Cricket West Indies Vice President, Dr Kishore Shallow; President of the SLNCA, Carol Henry and his executive; Past President of the SLNCA, Julian Charles; and Sandals Regional Public Relations Manager, Sunil Ramdin who was the guest speaker for the evening. Deputy Chairman of the National Lotteries Authority, John Estephane chaired the proceedings.

Henry’s address began on a sombre note by him asking the gathering, ‘”. . . to remember those who have departed from our very midst and beyond: Nick Elibox, Dhanraj Chaz Cepal and Lee Stephen.”

Before reviewing 2019 he jumped ahead to 2020, congratulating West Indies Under-19 Captain Kimani Melius for giving a good account of himself at the recently concluded Under-19 World Cup in South Africa where West Indies finished fifth.

Henry followed that up by applauding Saint Lucia winning the Windward Islands Women’s 2020 T20 Cricket Tournament that had concluded at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground the same day as the awards were held. He advised that five Saint Lucians, namely Ashlene Edward, Qiana Joseph, Malaika Edward, Zaida James and Yasmin St Ange, plus Nerissa Crafton as a reserve, had been selected for the Windwards Women’s Team.

That’s not all! Henry mentioned that James, Sunelie Dorius, Shania Cooper and Makada DuBois, with Skyy Smith named as a reserve, had been selected for the Windwards Under-19 team.

Looking back at 2019, Henry provided a brief summary of

Senior Female Cricketer of the Year Swayline Williams.

three tournaments the SLNCA had hosted: 50-Over Senior Male, Alicia John T20, Sandals Under-19.

Henry did not dwell too much on the past and instead focused on SLNCA plans for the future: expansion of women’s cricket, an additional three national tournaments, improvement in public relations and media relations, affiliations with other sporting disciplines for collaboration to achieve aligned goals, town hall meetings prefaced by courtesy calls to garner support for calendar activities and grow the fan base, developing revenue streams to drive the cricket calendar, as there currently is none, and maximizing use of the Sports Academy.

Insurance for athletes has always been a topic of conversation but the SLNCA President proposed that it should take the form of a joint consolidated approach, with all

Junior Male Cricketer of the Year Kimani Melius.

sporting disciplines on board, in order to increase the pool of registered participants and thereby reduce premiums.

Dr Shallow, the next speaker, spoke of some of the important matters that he and CWI President, Ricky Skerritt are focusing on: interacting with various stakeholders, for example corporate partners like Sandals; emphasis on youth development; and the female component of the game.

Dr Shallow, who witnessed the Windward Islands Cricket Tournament played here, said, “I was really happy to see some of the talented young ladies in the Windwards Tournament.

It is nice to see this sort of talent coming out of female cricket. I am excited now to see what they are going to do in the CWI Senior Tournament in March. This is the time where individuals will be putting their hands up and aiming to make the West Indies team.”

Senior Male Cricketer of the Year Johnson Charles.

Sandals has been a longtime supporter of cricket in the wider Caribbean, having contributed immensely to the sport in Saint Lucia, especially when it comes to the development of the game at an early stage. Said Sunil Ramdeen, “Not only have we previously sponsored the West Indies Senior team, for the past 20-odd years we have partnered with the SLNCA to host the Sandals Cricket Academy.

Two years ago we took things one step further when we became the official sponsor of the National Under-19 Cricket Tournament.”

Ramdeen expressed a desire to take the beautiful game to higher heights: “The goal is to take the game to another level and, in doing so, create the opportunity for our players to enhance their game and gain further experience.”

With the official proceedings completed, the following awards were presented: Senior

Recipients of Long Service awards (left to right): Elizabeth Williams, Henry Pierre and Verena Felicien.

Sandals Regional Public Relations Manager Sunil Ramdeen presented the Junior Female Cricketer of the Year award to Qiana Joseph.

Male Cricketer of the Year— Johnson Charles; Junior Male Cricketer of the Year—Kimani Melius; Senior Female Cricketer of the Year—Swayline Williams; Junior Female Cricketer of the Year—Qiana Joseph.

Recognized for the sterling contribution to cricket with Long Service awards were Elizabeth

Williams, Verena Felicien, Henry Pierre and Oliver Scott Jr. Other awardees were Simeon Gerson (Most Wickets), Atonius Simon (Most Runs), Nerissa Crafton (MVP of Alicia John T20 Final).

Jaqueline Inglis rendered the vote of thanks, bringing the presentation of awards to an end.

SLOC releases much needed assistance to Olympic hopefuls

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he Saint Lucia Olympic Committee (SLOC) Inc recently issued cheques totaling EC$ 60,834.63 to four athletes who are preparing to qualify for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The recipients are Levern Spencer, Jeannelle Scheper, Albert Reynolds and Luc Chevrier.

Spencer who received EC$ 57,619.64 during the calendar year 2019 will receive EC$ 18,416.29. This amount represents assistance for the period January to April 2020 broken down as follows: Monthly allowance of EC$4,075.35 and EC$21, 14.89, which was the cost associated with a training camp in Spain earlier this month.

Scheper in 2019 received EC$49,174.20 and the amount of EC$17,966.94 paid out in 2020 so far, will be for a four month period as follows: monthly allowance of EC$ 4,075.35 and EC$1,665.54, which is the cost of an airfare from the Netherlands to South Africa to facilitate her participation in a training camp in March.

Reynolds will received

EC$ 8,150.70 which corresponds to a monthly allowance of EC$4,057.35 for February and March 2020. He traveled to Grenada to undergo training all in an attempt to qualify for Tokyo 2020. In 2019 he received EC$ 13,959.20 Chevrier’s EC$ 16,301.40 is from January to April 2020. In 2019 he received EC$49,219.20 Antoine who is currently in Jamaica Preparing to qualify for Tokyo was the recipient of EC$74,016.08 in 2019 Lovell who earlier this month attended the final Sailing qualifier in Miami was the recipient of EC$ 48,904.20 in 2019. Lovell failed to qualify for Tokyo.

The SLOC Inc also wishes to announce that these payments are direct payments to athletes to assist them with preparation.

They have also spent large amounts on these athletes along with others in their quest to qualify for earlier Games.

Shortly the SLOC Inc will be making funding available to the Boxing and Karate Associations, to assist their athletes in attending Olympic qualifiers in Argentina and France respectively.

THE STAR

sports

www.stluciastar.com

FEBRUARY 15, 2020

21

Football Association Stage set for Caribbean Alliance Gold Cup Final Awards Night

By David R Pascal

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he Saint Lucia Football Association honoured its very best in a number of categories at Saturday’s awards at Bay Gardens Marina Haven Hotel.

Following are the awards presented that evening: Junior Female Footballer of the Year— Krysan St Louis; Junior Male Footballer of the Year—Keegan Caul; Senior Female Footballer of the Year—Krysan St Louis; Senior Male Footballer of the Year—Vino Barclette; Football League of The Year—Gros Islet Football League; Football Club of the Year—Northern United; Football Administrator of the Year—Shayne Paul; Football Coach of the Year, Club— Francis McDonald; Football Coach of the Year, League— Emmanuel Bellas; Referee of the Year—Kim Charlery; Special Education Footballer of the Year, Male—Alec Quincy Pierre; Special Education Footballer of the Year, Female—Kemara Serina Vernevil; Lifetime Achievement Award—Mark Louis.

Corporate Partners Appreciation Awards were presented to South Shoe Store, Scotts Sports and Awards, Castries Constituency Council, National Lotteries Authority, Ice Factory, Ministry of Youth Development and Sports and Windward and Leeward Brewery.

Vino Barclette is the Senior Male Footballer of the Year.

W

ith the conclusion of the Veterans in Sports Inc Football Tournament KC Plate Championship last Saturday at the Philip Marcellin Grounds in Vieux Fort, the Caribbean Alliance Gold Cup takes centre stage today (Saturday) at the same venue.

In the Grand Finals of the KFC Plate Championship, Labowee Connexions defeated Congorians 2-1. Cleva Charles put Labowee ahead 1-0 with a goal in the seventh minute.

Congorians equalized with a strike by Adrian Edward in the 34th minute, only to have Labowee go ahead 2-1 with Albert Emmanuel scoring just before half-time. It turned out to be the winning goal.

In the third place play-off that preceded the final, Valley Legends made it look easy with a 4-1 win over Vieux Fort North.

In the prize-giving ceremony following the final, Labowee Connexions received a cheque from KFC for $2,000 plus a trophy, medals and decorative plate. Second place Congorians took home a cheque for $1,500, courtesy of Veterans

Labowee Connexions and their fans celebrate after winning the KFC Plate Championship.

in Sports Inc., and a decorative plate. Third place Valley Legends received a $1,000 cheque from Somersby (St Lucia Distillers), while fourth place Vieux Fort North were rewarded with a cheque for $900 from Mauricette’s Auto Repairs.

It was more good news for Labowee Connexions when Rudolph Phillip was named MVP of the Final. Haze Marcell of Valley Legends received the award for Top Goal Scorer.

Referees were also recognized and presented with trophies.

CEO of Veterans in Sports Inc., Alvin Malaykhan plus Gavin

Niles and Theodosia Constable assisted with the presentations.

Malaykhan gave his take on the Plate Championship: “It was a really successful Plate Competition. We saw Labowee Connexions celebrating winning this championship, the KFC Plate.

I think this year any team could have won the main championship and I think

the four teams in the Plate Championship really played their hearts out today. It was a wonderful atmosphere, wonderful matches. I think everybody at the Philip Marcellin Grounds got entertained today. The weather was great, I think we got showers of blessing so it was just a wonderful day.”

When asked what we can expect today (Saturday) in the grand finals of the Caribbean Alliance Gold Cup, Malaykhan responded: “I think we are going to have some wonderful matches. It will be a treat for Veterans Football.”

In the third place final at the Philip Marcellin Grounds, Flow Lancers FC go up against Marchand. In the final, slated for 7:00 pm, All Blacks of Dennery take on Central Vieux Fort.

Following the final there will an awards ceremony following by entertainment galore at the venue featuring the likes of calypsonians Invader, Ashanti and Alfa.

Rest in Peace – Loftus Emanus

F

Soufriere Parliamentary Representative Herod Stanislas (left) presented Krysan St Louis with the award for Senior Female Footballer of the Year. She was also the Junior Female Footballer of the Year.

ormer Saint Lucian National opening batsman Loftus Emanus from Anse la Raye passed away last week.

He played for the senior national cricket team in the mid to late 1970s and is best remembered as a gritty, determined and fearless opening batsman who stood up to some of the quickest bowlers in Windward Islands cricket, such as former West Indies fast bowlers Grayson Shillingford and Norbert Philip from Dominica, and Winston Davis from St. Vincent.

For many years, Emanus, along with Griffith Jn Baptiste of Chosieul, held the record opening partnership for the first wicket

by Saint Lucia, of 124. He was a prolific run maker in local cricket and played the game well into his senior years.

The St. Lucia National Cricket Association extends sincere condolences to the family and friends of this dedicated cricketer, as well as to the cricket fraternity of Anse La Raye and wider Saint Lucia.

May his soul rest in everlasting peace.

Action from the third place play-off between Valley Legends and Vieux Fort North.

National Independence Tennis Tournament

T Mary Campbell (right) presented the Coach of the Year (Club) award to Francis McDonald.

he St. Lucia Tennis Association (SLTA) will be partnering with St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC), Digicel and the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, for the eighth edition of the National Independence Tennis Tournament.

The tournament is taking place February 15-21 at the National Tennis Centre in Beausejour. Categories include boys and girls U10, U12, U14, U16 and U18. There is also an open category and senior 45+ for the older folk.

The tournament schedule promises to be exciting this year.

The under-10s serve off the tournament today at 9:00 am, followed by elite performers from the U18, U16 and U14 categories.

The public is encourage to come and support the juniors.

Admission is free.

The SLTA thanks all sponsors for their commitment to tennis and looks forward to staging a successful event.

CEO of Veterans in Sports Inc., Alvin Malaykhan (right) presenting the Congorians Captain with the second place KFC Plate trophy.

22

sports

West Indies finish Fifth in Washout

D

ue to the fifth-place play-off game being washed out, West Indies finished fifth in the 2020 U-19 World Cup while Australia had to settle for sixth place.

Although Australia posted 319 for eight in their first innings, and looked ahead of the game when the rain came down in Benoni, South Africa, their three-wicket loss to West Indies in the group stage consigned them to sixth in the tournament.

Australia's innings had half-centuries from opener Liam Scott, number five Lachlan Hearne and number six Cooper Connolly, who scored 66, 58 and 64 respectively. They were off to a flying start thanks to Scott and fellow opener Sam Fanning, who made 99 in 15.5 overs, but a string of dismissals had them at 174 for 4 at the 30-over mark.

The brisk fifties from Hearne and Connolly though, helped Australia aim for a

300-plus total, and if it wasn't for a bunch of wickets at the death overs, they could've scored more than the 319 they eventually got.

Right-arm off spinner Matthew Patrick was the most successful West Indies bowler, taking three for 34 in his ten overs.

West Indies began their chase of 320 quickly too.

Openers Kimani Melius and Leonardo Julien struck 62 runs in 12.3 overs, before the former fell, cutting Scott to point. As soon as Melius began to leave the field, the skies opened up, and continuous rain forced the umpires to call the game off some time later.

According to tournament rules, in case of a washed out knockout game, the team that finished higher on points at the end of the group stage would finish higher. West Indies were unbeaten in Group B, while Australia had lost to West Indies.

Five Dynamic Swimmers to take the Plunge at UANA

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aint Lucia will be represented for the second time at the Union Americana de Natacion (UANA) Swimming Cup this year, being held at the Videna Aquatic Complex in Lima, Peru February 21- 23.

Invited Federations are Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, US Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, St Kitts and Nevis, Saiknt Lucia, Turks and Caicos, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Paraguay, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela, USA and Canada.

As a benchmark for qualification, each swimmer will have swum a minimum of three Triple A (AAA) Motivational Swim Times within the past six months. A total of eight local swimmers held the qualifying times but due to personal commitments of some, only five swimmers from the St. Lucia

Aquatics Federation will take the plunge with one goal on their agenda: to medal.

The Saint Lucia team consists of Karic Charles, Ethan Hazell and Naima Hazell of Lightning Aquatics, Antoine Destang of Sharks Swim and Tristan Dorville of Seajays Swim Club.

The St Lucia Aquatics Federation is extremely excited that four of the five swimmers will swim two relays in the 11– 12-year-old age group category.

The five-member team will be accompanied by Coach Peter James. He shared his thoughts: "I am excited to take this young team of talented swimmers over to Peru for the UANA 2020 Swimming Cup. I am confident that this team is going to set the tone for Saint Lucia swimming for 2020. Our swimmers range from 11-14 years of age. Apart from being confident that members of this team will make it on to the podium, our 11-12 boys relay team are the ones to look out for. Just remember, 20 in 2020!!”

The SLAF wishes the representing team overwhelming success on their journey.

WI Rising Stars Seales and Young named to U-19 ICC Team of the Tournament a brilliant victory over Australia.

The 19-year-old from Barbados ended with 140 runs, which included two half-centuries, as well as eight wickets with best figures of 5-45. He also held four catches.

An adjudication panel of five selected both the team and player of the tournament, with commentators Ian Bishop, Rohan Gavaskar and Natalie Germanos joined by ESPN Cricinfo correspondent Sreshth Shah and ICC representative Mary Godbeer.

Team of the Tournament (in batting order): Yashasvi Jaiswal–India; Ibrahim Nyeem Young.

Jayden Seales.

Zadran–Afghanistan; Ravindu Rasantha–Sri Lanka; Mahmudul Hasan Joy–Bangladesh; wo members of the West with Bangladesh defeating India ended with 10 wickets at an Indies team, fast bowler in the final to win their first title average of 18.30 runs per wicket. Shahadat Hossain–Bangladesh; Nyeem Young–West Indies; Jayden Seales and allat this level.

Young was equally Akbar Ali–Bangladesh (WK, rounder Nyeem Young, have

Seales, who is from impressive and starred Captain); Shafiqullah Ghafari– been named in the ICC Under-19 Trinidad and Tobago, was hailed with Player of the Cricket World Cup Team of the as the best fast bowling talent Match performances in the first Afghanistan; Ravi Bishnoi–India; Kartik Tyagi–India; Jayden Tournament.The ICC made the in the tournament. The strongly- round wins over Australia and Seales–West Indies; 12th man: announcement on Monday after built 18-year-old consistently England. His 61 helped West the event ended on Sunday, topped 90 miles per hour and Indies recover from 92/5 to claim Akil Kumar–Canada.

T

february 15, 2020 THE STAR

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Racing for Love – Independence Day Celebration

The Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club is tagging another day of races tomorrow, Sunday February 16.

G

et your heart racing this February at the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club when tomorrow, Sunday February 16, it celebrates Independence Day.

Start a week of national celebrations with the RSLTC and toast Saint Lucia’s Independence in style, as horse racing returns with a bumper race day in 2020.

Gates open at 11:00 am and the first race will be run at 1:30pm. Exhilarating racing, entertainment, competitions, family fun, free parking. It promises to be a fantastic Sunday afternoon out.

“Horse racing returns at the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club on Sunday 16th February with the theme of launching a week of Independence Day celebrations,” said Eden Harrington, Executive Director of the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club. “We were honoured and delighted by the positive response of Saint Lucians to our inaugural race day last December and our team has been working feverishly to ensure we provide wonderful experiences again for people of

E

all ages.

“In December we sold out all of our VIP areas and had a wonderful response to our general admission. If people are interested in securing a ticket to the VIP Marquee (Apron Green) this race day, I certainly encourage them to not miss out this time and purchase in advance.

“In addition to some exhilarating racing action, guests will enjoy some engaging entertainment and we will have facilities in place for children as well. It will be a great day out for people of all ages.”

Tickets are priced from as little as EC$25 and children under 12 are admitted free.

Obtain tickets from www. eventbrite.com or from The Cell.

A select number of tickets, priced EC$300, to the VIP Marquee (Apron Green) remain available but are selling fast.

Don’t miss out on your seat.

VIP Apron Green tickets include buffet lunch and afternoon tea, complimentary drink on arrival, as well as access to the parade ring where all the action is.

Pele is depressed, reclusive due to health issues, says son

dson Arantes do Nascimento, better known to millions of fans as Pelé, enjoyed one of the most glittering and memorable soccer careers of all time.

The former Santos and New York Cosmos player is remembered for terrorizing defences all over the globe and winning the World Cup three times—more than any other player.

But now Brazilian soccer great Pelé is depressed over his poor health and reluctant to leave the house because he cannot walk unaided, his son Edinho said in an interview published in Brazil on Monday.

Pelé, widely considered to be one of the greatest footballers in history and who will be 80 in October, has had hip trouble for years and now needs a frame to walk. Many of his recent public appearances have been in a wheelchair.

"He’s pretty fragile. He had a hip replacement and didn’t have an adequate or ideal rehabilitation," Edinho told TV Globo. "So he has this problem with mobility and that has set off a kind of depression.

Imagine, he’s the king, he was always such an imposing figure and today he can’t walk properly. He’s embarrassed, he doesn’t want to go out, be seen, or do practically anything that involves leaving the house. He is very sheepish, reclusive."

Edinho said he had argued with his father because he had not done the physiotherapy called for after a hip operation.

This summer will mark the 50th anniversary of the striker's third World Cup title, won in Mexico in 1970, with what many people believe is the greatest team of all time.

THE STAR

february 15, 2020

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FOR RENT 2 Bedroom Apartment At Babonneau Contact

722-4276

How Proud is Proud?

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2020

S&S

www.stluciastar.com

LAYAWAY NOW AVAILABLE AT S&S THE PRICEBUSTERS

15 inch wirless wireless trolley bluetooth sPeaker with shoulder straP lighting sPeaker $585 sPeaker$165 $100 Come and apply for your S & S Loyalty Card

$2.00

Bois D Orange • Castries • Vieux Fort www.facebook.com/the.pricebusters

12 inch bluetooth sPeaker $280

8 inch bluetooth sPeaker $130

2x8 inches bluetooth sPeaker$230

Also on special: PoP sockets $2, car chargers $5, selfie sticks $8, tablet cases $8, cell Phone screen Protectors $3.50, iPhone data cables $4, android data cables from $2.75, iPhone cases $4.50, samsung cases from $1, samsung batteries from $10, nokia batteries $11, alcatel batteries $20, blu batteries $23, cell Phone holders $4, earPhones $5, aux cords $2.25

Printed and published by STAR Publishing Co. (1987) Ltd., Rodney Bay Industrial Estate, Massade, Gros Islet, P.O. Box 1146, Castries, St. Lucia, W.I., Tel: (758) 450-7827 Email: info@stluciastar.com Website: www.stluciastar.com