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The Star (St.Lucia)
SATURDAY, november 17, 2018
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GRYNBERG, IMPACS, 500 UNRESOLVED HOMICIDES . . .
HAS DPP GOT A TIGER BY THE TAIL? See pages 5 & 16
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02 LOCAL
november 17, 2018 THE STAR
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DSH EYES FEBRUARY 17 FOR FIRST HORSE RACE
DIGICEL CUSTOMERS TO CELEBRATE THIS CHRISTMAS WITH $100,000 IN CASH AND PRIZES
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A section of the audience that showed up on Thursday evening at the Chamber-sponsored 'Encounter with the Prime Minister'.
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ince the signing in July 2016 of a so-called “framework agreement” between the Government of Saint Lucia and Desert Star Holdings for the Pearl of the Caribbean project, Teo Ah Khing has become the island's most talked about investor. Former Prime Minister Kenny Anthony has stated publicly that "there will be no peace" if the project should materialize. More recently he applied to the courts for an injunction to bring the project to a halt. On Thursday, members of Saint Lucia's business community filled the conference room at the Coco Palm Hotel, where they were given the opportunity to meet Mr. Ah Khing. His visit to Saint Lucia coincided with the Chamber of Commerce's 'Encounter with the Prime Minister'— an event organised for Prime Minister Allen Chastanet to update Chamber members on the economy and projects being undertaken by the government. In his brief opening remarks, Prime Minister Chastanet thanked Mr. Ah Khing for his "tenacity" in the project and expressed disappointment at some of the criticisms by detractors. He then introduced the day's special guest who was welcomed with a generous round of applause. Mr. Ah Khing spoke for less than five minutes. "I want to thank the whole Chamber of Commerce for hosting this event to allow us the platform to have a forum like this to discuss, to listen to suggestions for improvements and modifications," he said. "The success of any development needs the support of the government, it needs support
and strong commitment from investors, but most importantly it needs the support of the business community." He was followed by Mr. Eden Harrington, Vice President of Desert Star Holdings, and Demetri Baches, Senior Vice President. They confirmed that the project is well on its way. Said Harrington: "The objective is to be racing in February 2019 so that the launching of a new industry, a new sport, is very much part of the 40th Independence celebrations of your country.” Harrington explained that, with the coming of the horserace track, numerous unique opportunities for the island's business sector will follow. He said that this is an opportunity for the business community to answer the nation’s call and there needs to be an effort to participate. Harrington explained the various packages available for partnership which include US$5,000 to sponsor a horse for a day, where earnings won by the horse go to the company; $45,000 for naming rights of an individual race and $200,000 for the naming rights of next year’s event. The largest package is for $500,000, for naming rights to the racecourse for 12 months. "Every time this racecourse is referenced in terms of horse racing and events, whether in print, broadcast, or digital media, the name of our organisation will be featured," said Harrington. He encouraged the audience that the time is now to be part of a national drive where they can "lend their support to the nation." Following their presentation, the prime minister
took the floor again to address a wide array of topics, from healthcare to the plans for the Hewanorra International Airport, hotel developments and crime. The floor was then opened to questions. Asked by this reporter whether he was concerned that the lawsuit filed by the former prime minister would have an effect on the project, the PM said he is no lawyer but the government has not been in breach of any law, therefore "nothing there scares me". "He [Kenny Anthony] is speculating as to what the contracts we have signed and the incentives that we've given DSH. All the incentives we've given to DSH are required to be public because they have to be published as statutory instruments." He indicated that there is not one incentive given to DSH that "we're not legally entitled to give". The PM said that the DSH project has not sold any passports through the CIP programme and that all the funds they've put in thus far came from them. "They have not borrowed money from any bank in this country; they have brought their own money on the table." The PM stated that he refuses to engage in gutter politics. "We have a difficult enough time. When you attract investors and you drag them into the mud of our politics, that is a behaviour that is unbecoming and will affect our ability to attract future investors in the future." He called on the Chamber to stand up and say, "Enough is enough!" ---Joshua St. Aimee
ust two weeks after turning on its brand new network—lighting up all of Saint Lucia with superfast LTE data—telecommunications and entertainment provider Digicel is giving even more, promising to make this Christmas the hottest for all its customers. On Friday, the company announced that cash and prizes amounting to $100,000 are up for grabs, giving all existing prepaid, postpaid and potential customers an opportunity to win big this Christmas. “This promotion is designed to give all Saint Lucians the opportunity to enjoy more: more cash, more data, more fun and, most of all, more freedom,” said Digicel’s CEO Siobhan James-Alexander. She continued, “Every transaction performed in-store or at our resellers across the island will see customers automatically being entered into our weekly and grand prize draws to win great prizes including weekend and day passes at the best resorts on the island, supermarket shopping sprees, cash, household appliances and more.” No customer will get left behind this Christmas, as they all have the opportunity to win a share of the $100,000 in cash and prizes. Customers purchasing a SIM card and/or a handset will also be rewarded with free data and be entered to win weekly prizes and the
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Digicel's Santa made an appearance on Friday to hand out gifts to customers.
home make-over grand prizes. Anyone singing up for a new LTE Freedom postpaid plan will get unlimited data for three months, while existing customers now have the opportunity to upgrade and benefit from a plan with greater value, at no additional cost. Prepaid customers also stand to win this Christmas with every top-up of $10 or more. Additionally, prepaid customers will ‘Love The Experience’ with
free LTE data for an entire year when they activate a Freedom plan during the first week of every month. Another exciting component to the Christmas promotion is the 'Scratch, Match & Win’ competition in which customers can scratch and win prizes valued up to $20,000 when they pay their bills on time, join the Digicel network or top up with $10 or more.
Chamber of Commerce Announces 134th AGM
he Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture will be hosting its 134th Annual General Meeting at the Bay Gardens Hotel on November 29, 2018. In keeping with its policy agenda, which includes advocating for increased support and the promotion of local investment, the efforts, needs and the obstacles facing local investors will be the topic of a panel discussion at the AGM. Private investors, large and small, along with Invest Saint Lucia will lead the discussion and help identify some of the key initiatives required to facilitate local investment. The Chamber, like Invest Saint Lucia, appreciates and encourages
foreign investment. However, the Chamber is of the strong view that government needs to put specific and deliberate emphasis on encouraging and facilitating local and existing investors who can integrate and work with and benefit from growth opportunities on-island. Denell Florius of Eco Carib and Jameson Alphonse of Green Haven Fresh Farms will be two of the young local investors who will share stories, experiences and suggested measures that might help entrepreneurs like themselves to be successful. The Chamber is working to confirm other panelists who will join Invest Saint Lucia to discuss this most important topic.
The AGM will also see the election of a new President as Martin Dorville, CEO of Massy Stores, has completed the traditional two terms and will not be seeking reelection. The Chamber’s Executive Director, Brian Louisy, will also present his report on the work and performance of the Chamber over the last year which will speak to the achievements as far as progress with the Chamber’s Strategic Transformation Process. Members are urged to contact the Chamber at 452-3165 or email info@ stluciachamber.org for further information and with any queries.
THE STAR
november 17, 2018
Ricky T to Headline on Soca On The Seas in Dubai Ricky T, also known as The Tizzle, has an exotic Soca agenda for 2019.
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icky T is bringing more of his famous energy into the New Year! Saint Lucia’s “Soca Ambassador” headlines a star-studded line-up for the 2019 edition of Soca on the Seas aboard the luxurious MSC Splendida. The cruise is tipped to take “The Tizzle” to the city of dazzle and flair, Dubai, as it makes its maiden voyage to the United Arab Emirates. There, Soca on the Seas will debut the Dubai One Love Music Festival At Sea! The festival is expected to attract the world’s best in soca and dancehall as well as heavy hitters in Afro-beats. Festival-goers can expect the usual high-octane, energy-lased performance from Ricky T as he readies himself for the 2019 Saint Lucia Carnival season. During the journey, Soca on the Seas patrons will be immersed in carnival-themed events aboard the ship culminating with a celebrity yacht party under the stars. Soca on the Seas 2019 Dubai: One Love Music Festival At Sea sets sail on Saturday March 23 for seven nights and eight days. The MSC Splendida will sail to some of the most exquisite Middle Eastern destinations including Abu Dhabi, followed by Sir Bani Yas Private Island, Bahrain and Doha, and Qatar, before returning to Dubai. Ricky T says he is looking forward to the experience and is grateful for another opportunity to not only perform for the masses but to also represent his sweet Saint Lucia.
BodyHoliday/Rendezvous Support Cerebral Palsy Relief
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arents with children living with Cerebral Palsy in Saint Lucia will soon be eligible for relief, thanks to a recent donation by the Cares Foundation, a joint collaboration between The BodyHoliday and Rendezvous Saint Lucia. A small ceremony with stakeholders of the hotel and the Cerebral Palsy Association of Saint Lucia (CPA) commemorated the new partnership. Cerebral Palsy, often referred to by its acronym CP, is a lifelong condition that affects a child’s movement, motor skills and muscle tone. Mrs. Daria Robinson Earnest, President of the CPA, noted that there are over 100 cases of children living with the condition on-island. Cerebral Palsy not only impacts the children but also their parents because of the high cost implications. The Cares Foundation donated EC$50,000 to the CPA. Deputy Managing Director for The BodyHoliday, Mr. Andrew Barnard, said that the aim of the Cares Foundation is to change people’s lives, one person at a time. As a parent raising a child with Cerebral Palsy and an employee of The BodyHoliday, Kelly LouisVolney says that the initiative could not have been timelier for her. The Cares Foundation focuses on three main priorities, mental health, education and vision.
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NWU HONOURS RADIO PERSONALITY JUK BOIS! Sam ‘Juk Bois’ was all smiles Sunday November 4 upon being acknowledged as a major contributor to journalism in Saint Lucia. He was presented with his award by the president of the National Workers Union, Tyrone Maynard (right) at the organisation’s 45th anniversary ceremony, at the Royal St. Lucian hotel.
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What’s next for SALCC?
ecturers at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College on October 25 and 26 stayed away from classes, blaming illness caused by their poor working conditions. On October 31 they further expressed their dissatisfaction via a protest demonstration in the college grounds at Morne Fortune, Castries. President of the Saint Lucia Teachers’ Union, Julian Monrose and Cyprian Montroupe, President of the Civil Service Association, joined the teachers in their cry that “Enough is enough!” Following the protest, SLTU representatives met with the SALCC board. It was agreed that the college would undergo deep cleaning to deal with air quality issues and mould. The college proceeded on semester break from November 1 to 6, during which time the work was done. Education minister Gale Rigobert described the disruption as regrettable but noted that in some circumstances it takes time
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to mobilize the necessary resources. Concerning the way forward for SALCC’s transition to a university college, it remains unclear how this will be done. At a press conference last month, UWI’s Vice Chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles indicated that despite numerous failed attempts at partnering the regional institution with SALCC, he remained hopeful that the conversation would continue. In an interview with Dr. Rigobert, she told the STAR: “I know that there were concerns and some anxiety about what was perceived back then as a kind of a UWI takeover of SALCC. But the UWI charter states that if the campus is resident in your country, it is the government that has jurisdiction over it. Any engagement regarding a physical campus being placed in Saint Lucia or any partnership with SALCC, does not and cannot amount to a hostile takeover. So we have to
Education Minister Dr. Gale Rigobert hints that SALCC’s transition to a university may or may not be in partnership with UWI.
quell, nullify, and debunk that notion early.” The minister says she is equally excited about engaging UWI in a mutually
beneficial relationship but indicated discussions have been held with numerous other institutions regarding a partnership with SALCC.
Some of the other institutions include the University of Guyana, Monroe College and George Brown College. SALCC’s transition to a university, she
says, will be done with “the best suitor” who aligns with the government’s strategic direction. Said Dr. Rigobert: “The question I have asked at board meetings, and I continue to ask of stakeholders, not just UWI, is: What is the nature of the partnership? Critical to defining that are two considerations: the right price point for our Saint Lucian students, and opportunity for student and academic exchange; in other words you can do a semester in Saint Lucia and do another in a campus oversees.” The minister insists that there is no hesitation to engage with UWI and, on a recent trip to Trinidad & Tobago, there were “productive preliminary meetings” with representatives from the university, including Chancellor Robert Bermudez and Vice Chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles. ---Joshua St. Aimee
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THE STAR
november 17, 2018
COMMENT
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How Long Before Kimberly De Leon Joins Other Forgotten 500 Homicide Victims? W
hy does stupidity rain so incessantly on this rock of sages? Why are we so quick to rush to judgment—and just as quickly move on to the next episode of As the Stomach Churns? Not so long ago the police acknowledged they had on their files close to 500 unresolved homicides. At the time of their occurrence, normally placid human hearts, the majority female, had screamed to high heaven for justice and unspeakable vengeance. Many publicly demanded the perpetrators be made to suffer consequences not permitted under our Constitution—like being shot at first sight by the police or placed hogtied in vats of acid. The most popular punishment was offered in graphic kweyol over the airwaves: macerate the miscreant’s testicles in a grinder. A good number of the population saw no need for expensive trials and possible appeals, which may well explain why we’ve been comfortable all these years with a justice system in name only. Dozens
of murder suspects arrested in their teens and taken to Bordelais are now well into middle age, untried and quite possibly off their rockers. Several weeks ago, at the height of Botham-mania, a security guard was fatally shot on his way home from work. Around the same time a woman was discovered stone-cold dead at the government printery. For two days at least, suitably outraged sections of the citizenry let their anonymous voices be heard on Newsspin, then returned to business as usual. It turned out that the 58-year-old woman had died of natural causes. As for the security guard, there have been no arrests, no vigils featuring customized t-shirts, no familiar speeches. In all events the man apparently has been forgotten, ditto his children and their mother—in much the same way as have those earlier mentioned. Never mind the routine cacophony that immediately followed her death announcement and the now de rigueur vigil near her workplace that attracted even her Haley’s
Comet boss the education minister, chances are the fatal shooting of Kimberly De Leon will be buried with the earlier mentioned police list of 500 icecold cases—unless our general attitude to crime undergoes an abrupt sea change. Last Saturday, I published in this newspaper a statement delivered two days earlier at the start of my weekly DBSTV show, TALK. I took the precaution of underscoring the obvious: that nothing in my statement was meant to imply innocence or guilt. Rather, I had taken the time to explore most of what had been said about the shooting by the police and the local media and further disseminated by the anything goes social media to its unquestioning insatiable flock. I provided evidence supportive of what I said, much of it in conflict with the earlier versions, official and otherwise. To date there have been no challenges to what I wrote or spoke. I had taken the opportunity to suggest DPP personnel advise the police in advance of press meetings, especially when related to
Kimberly De Leon, a mother of two, and the wife of a police officer, was shot to death at her Chef Harry Drive residence on November 29. Her relatives and friends are determined to do everything possible to bring her killer to justice.
incidents involving one of their own, as in the case of Kimberly De Leon whose husband is a police officer. And no ordinary police officer at that. I hope I did not speak to deaf ears. Considering the countless tentacles of the particular octopus under discussion, I also advised that the De Leon investigation not be conducted solely by the local police officers, for their own sake. The credibility, perhaps through no fault of their own, has never been lower. The reaction to my
published statement was no surprise. Some concluded that I was siding with the declared person of interest, Sergeant De Leon; that I had handed him the perfect alibi. Others implied I had been misled—or bought. Oh, and there were those who insisted that Kimberly was the victim of a paid assassin. There has been no further word from the police and no indication whatsoever as to their next move. Conceivably, they will have more to say when a suspect has been apprehended
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and charged. Meanwhile calls for the government to import personnel to investigate the November 29 homicide are at best premature. That the police have declared Kimberly’s husband “a person of interest” suggests only that at this time they have no evidence supportive of their suspicions. Conceivably he would not still be residing at the home he shared until recently with Kimberly and their two young offspring, to say the least.
06 LOCAL
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november 17, 2018 THE STAR
Has Anyone Else Noticed the Cas-en-Bas Beach is Slowly Disappearing? Keryn Nelson
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imon Mc Intosh moved from Trinidad and Tobago to Saint Lucia at the age of two. As a young boy he was drawn to local beaches and credits them with the person he turned out to be: a fierce, young sportsman who snagged the title of the OECS’ top-ranked swimmer in 1996 and 1997. Watersports have also been a major part of his adult life. In 2012 he opened his own accommodation and kite-surfing business, Aquaholics Saint Lucia. Now, he is one of two kite surfers operating an enterprise at Cas-en-Bas beach. What made this beach a favourite spot for Mc Intosh, other locals and visitors alike was that although the notoriously choppy Atlantic brushes its shores, the sea is quite calm, thanks to the outer reefs breaking normally aggressive waves before they arrive inland. “Cas-en-Bas beach is no longer what it used to be,” claims Mc Intosh. He blames this on both man and nature that he says together have affected the beach’s aesthetic and ecosystem. As we talk at the beach, he indicates, with an outstretched arm, a sandy road cut off by the sea. “No one can drive a car here anymore,” he says. “It’s actually really, really bad. The level of the beach has dropped, the distance between the tree-line and the high-tide line is dramatically
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different.” In June of this year there were news reports following a mass crowd beach party at Cas-en-Bas. One unidentified environmentalist told this newspaper he witnessed people “digging out heaps of sand from the beach with a backhoe”. After the party “the beach was excessively littered with plastic straws that have proven most damaging to marine life”. On Mc Intosh’s social media pages, where he has documented the slow demise of his workplace, photos are posted of trucks on the beach and a massive hole dug on the shoreline, close to the sea. “I have pictures of the area before they did the sand-mining for the party,” he said. “They dug a hole in the sand deep down to the hard ground so as to erect something like a stage.” Mc Intosh believes this has a lot to do with the currently loose, sinking texture and nature of the sand in the area. The organisers of the party rebutted much of what the environmentalists had claimed, insisting that they had official approval for all they did at the site. They said representatives from the National Conservation Authority had monitored their preparations. Moreover, that their garbage had been dealt with by cleaners from the NCA “and in accordance with the regulations of the St. Lucia Environmental Company Ltd”. Their statement was confirmed by the NCA for the purposes of this article. About the removal of sand, NCA general manager Jacintha Annius-Lee asserted that following the event, the displaced sand was returned to the beach. What Mc Intosh is most concerned about, however, is not just the beach events. He believes also that lack of regulations, the lax approach to rules already enforced and the absence of skilled specialists to handle environmentally threatening projects all contribute to the degrading of the beach. Pointing to seaweed spread across the sand he explained: “There is black seaweed that is indigineous to Cas-en-Bas beach. It’s usually on the bottom and it comes up during the hurricane season. I’ve had people here from the NCA watching this black seaweed and I ask them, ‘What kind of seaweed is that? Is that Sargussum [orange-brown seaweed currently moving around the Atlantic Ocean in large masses]?’ And they say it is. I mean, these people seem to have little training in coastal management. They don’t even know what Sargassum is.” Saint Lucia’s NCA has the following mandate: “To identify, manage, conserve and generally provide stewardship over natural assets including beaches, coastal, protected and other declared or designated areas, in a sustainable manner and to provide ancillary amenities thereby contributing to the social and economic development of Saint Lucia.” The organisation’s website states that mangrove in the area was also recently destroyed by infrastructural development and that “the Saint Lucia Archeological and Historical Society recently discovered a site with remains of Amerindians, the earliest inhabitants of the island [and], plans are afoot
A section of Cas-en-Bas beach following heavy rains over the past weekend.
to preserve the area.” About the claims against mass crowd events, NCA’s general manager, Annius-Lee has also expressed concern for the currrent state of the Cas-en-Bas beach. She assured this reporter that based on advice from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, no longer will such events be authorized by the NCA, although Mc Intosh insists that the
parties continue. The authority’s advice is to contact the NCA or the police whenever illegal activity is spotted on the beach. Annius-Lee also said that “in some instances organisers do not know that they need to get permission”. Which ignorance, she agrees, the organisation needs to address sooner rather than later. As for Mc Intosh, he states he has seen nothing to
make him optimistic about the future of Cas-en-Bas. He says that although swamping along the area during the wet season is normal, the beach’s response now to heavy rain renders certain parts of it inaccessible by vehicle. His primary wish is to see accountability take effect and for the voices of experts and environmental specialists to lead the conversation on beach conservation.
UK Aid to be Used to Provide Thousands of Commonwealth Veterans with Food and Cash Transfers
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abinet minister Penny Mordaunt has announced £12m of UK aid will be used to provide daily meals and cash transfers for thousands of veterans of the British military across the Commonwealth. The Department for International Development (DfID) said the initiative will help 7,000 veterans and widows living in 30 countries - including India, Kenya and Zimbabwe - who are in need of support to meet their basic needs. Officials added the £11.8m project will provide two meals a day to veterans - around 2,400 calories - and will be delivered through the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League (RCEL) charity. Ms Mordaunt, the international development secretary, said: “We owe a tremendous amount to these Commonwealth veterans. “The British public would
be shocked to know that those who have served alongside our armed forces would be living in such poverty. It is absolutely right to make this commitment.” Lord Richards of Herstmonceux, the RCEL deputy grand president and former chief of the defence staff, added: “We owe a great debt to the service men and women of the Commonwealth who served in the British armed forces in the Second World War and afterwards, prior to their countries’ independence. “This grant will help the RCEL ensure that these brave men and women are sustained and cared for in their twilight years. As important, it will let them know that they have not been forgotten and their service and sacrifice is remembered.” The action comes as another government minister, Tobias Ellwood, warns that veterans’ careers prospects are
being blighted by portrayals which give the impression they may have been left “doolally” by their experience of combat. The minister told The House magazine that the perception that veterans are likely to be damaged is “decidedly untrue and unhelpful”. “We suffer somewhat from perhaps a perception that if you’ve served you somehow might be damaged. Studies have proven this,” Mr Ellwood said. “One of my absolute commitments is to try and change the surround.” In fact, ex-service personnel were “less likely to have mental health issues, less likely to go to prison, less likely to commit suicide”, than their civilian counterparts, he said. ---The Independent
THE STAR
november 17, 2018
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november 17, 2018 THE STAR
RESOLVING THE IMPACS CONUNDRUM The island’s roads were left in a deplorable state. To Peter Josie add insult to injury, the former Labour government appeared to have developed a policy of allowing certain persons make bold to say: Put an to build office space which end to the IMPACS impasse! the government then rented, Remove the sword of thereby paying for a building Damocles over the heads of which would never be owned the police. Release the DPP by the taxpayers of Saint Lucia. from this unwarranted burden. This explains the push-back According to some legal minds against the proposed new police with whom I’ve spoken, any headquarters and courts-of-law move short of a full commission buildings. And of course, there of inquiry to resolve IMPACS is is St. Jude hospital. bound to end in a stalemate and In all this unfinished frustration. business, however, none Before getting into comes close to IMPACS, as details, let me first express far as I’m concerned. IMPACS how it still pains me when I is the worst legacy of the think of the many issues of Labour government because it national import the former negatively impacts the entire Labour government left police force; the only security unresolved after fifteen years force on the island. Do we need in office. Recommendations for to be reminded that security is Constitution reform, prepared the first rule and obligation of by our best legal experts, were every government? trashed in parliament by the In a recent call to DBSsame MPs that had appointed TV’s TALK show, I suggested these experts. Citizens were that the host try and discern not afforded an opportunity to from his viewers how the issue review the proposals. There of IMPACS could be resolved. is the unresolved Grynberg It’s not too late to canvass issue. Rochamel and Frenwell public opinion on solutions to financing remain largely this unresolved matter. To that unexplained. A tax was imposed end, I have decided to take the on water to assist in de-silting lead and to go where angels the John Compton dam—and fear to tread. I therefore share nothing happened! Labour the following: used the tax collected for the The IMPACS report about development of Hewanorra the police investigation of Airport—and nothing happened! alleged extra-judicial killings HIA is now a ghetto compared is against the fabric of law to the airports of Barbados and and consequently could not Antigua. Even St. Vincent and proceed further except by way Grenada have forged ahead of of additional investigation us with their airport terminal commensurate with the judicial buildings. process. The basics of the
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or more commissioners, and authorizing the commissioners, or any quorum of them therein mentioned, to inquire into the conduct or management of any department of the public service, or any public or local institution, or the conduct of any public or local officers of Saint Lucia or of any district of Saint Lucia, or into any matter in which an inquiry would, in the opinion of the Governor General, be for the public welfare.” This IMPACS matter ought to have been dealt with much earlier. The persons who gave evidence to the IMPACS commission would have to give evidence in public, and be cross-examined. That would put an end to the present situation. Dr Anthony was well aware of this procedure as he used it in his first appointment as prime minister when he obtained the services of a highly qualified English lawyer, Sir Louis Blom-Cooper, to be the investigating commissioner. It was a sweeping investigation Mr. Daarsrean Greene: When it comes to prosecuting in which even the former Prime Minister Sir John Compton was IMPACS does the Director of Public Prosecutions falsely accused of wrongly have a tiger by the tail? spending money in the Mangue report offend the principles Public Prosecutions because area in Vieux Fort, for a road of law because evidence was there was no basis on which costing EC$25,000. I was the apparently adduced when the DPP could act. The only MP for Vieux Fort South at the there was no report or any step available to bring this to a time, and I was the one who cross-examination during conclusion is by a Commission persuaded some people to the proceedings. Who gave of Inquiry under the Commission relocate so the road through the evidence and what was the of Inquiry Act CAP 17.03 Laws Mangue could be built. Indeed, nature of the evidence was of Saint Lucia. this was the only road built not made known.What then Section 2(1) of the in the town of Vieux Fort over should have happened when the Act states as follows: “It the past forty years. For this, former Prime Minister Dr Kenny is lawful for the Governor I too was dragged before the Anthony received the report? General, whenever he or she Blom-Cooper Commission. I am Certainly, he should not have considers it advisable, to issue saddened and disappointed that addressed it to the Director of a commission, appointing one to this day no one has made
the former government pay for its sins of omission, or of commission, against the people of Vieux Fort and Saint Lucia. In politics, my policy is leave nothing to chance. Chance has a way of conspiring against better judgment. But I digress! There is no necessity for this long delay in solving IMPACS which is affecting the competence of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force. This outstanding matter is preventing those men who are named in the report from making progress in the force. In addition, it is my belief that it is affecting the general competence and morale of the entire police service. Worse, a former well-liked commissioner resigned under a cloud of suspicion. A commission of inquiry, being an appropriate judicial process in accordance with the laws of Saint Lucia, would obligate the United States to accept its results. In addition to the above, we the people must ask some simple questions, and determine to find answers. Who benefits when IMPACS keeps dragging seemingly without end? What benefit does the United States or Europe have in an unending IMPACS? Who benefits when the police are hamstrung from doing their work, and the DPP’s hands are tied to his sides? I therefore end by repeating: It’s time to put an end to IMPACS. It’s time to free the police to do their work fearlessly and competently. It’s also time to release the DPP from this unwarranted burden.
Government to Institute Health System Strengthening Project
he Government of Saint Lucia is embarking on a Health System Strengthening Project to improve the accessibility, efficiency and responsiveness of key health services. The project has four components and Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Economic Growth, Job Creation, and External Affairs Honourable Allen Chastanet, explained to the House of Assembly that each component will benefit from the loan (credit) of US$20,000,000 from the
International Development Association (IDA). Component 1 directly relates to the roll-out of National Health Insurance and focuses on the demand-side of health services by supporting the government in developing and implementing a coverage scheme that would allow the population to receive access to services outlined in the essential benefits package. “The delivery of an essential benefits package will require improvements in institutional readiness,
ensuring that facilities are adequately equipped to deliver the proposed package of services. In addition, a focus on results instead of inputs will be necessary to ensure efficiency gains, thereby enabling an expansion of the essential benefits package over time. As such, the supply-side of services will need to be strengthened,” said the prime minister. The cost of this phase is US$5.5M. The government sees the Design and Implementation of an Essential Benefits
Package as essential to the national dialogue on the roll-out of a national health insurance. It will specifically help the government define what services would be provided under the package, guide decisions on the population to be covered, and the financing of the package. Component 2 will encompass US$13M of the Project and will focus on the supply-side of service delivery, meaning that through Performance Based Financing, incentives will be provided to
ensure a focus on results. “In addition, primary care and ancillary facilities (such as laboratory services) would be assessed and equipped to ensure they are able to deliver the services promised through the essential benefits package,” said the prime minister. Component 3, at a cost of US$1.5M, would provide support to overall project management and monitoring and evaluation to gauge project progress. Component 4 will provide financing for efforts directed at preventing an outbreak from
becoming a deadly and costly pandemic. This component will only be triggered in the case of a public health emergency. The government anticipates that the entire population will benefit from the project given the public goods nature of improved public health emergency preparedness and response. The investments made under the Project are meant to complement each other and to result in an overall strengthening of the health system.
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november 17, 2018
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10 LOCAL
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november 17, 2018 THE STAR
Are vigils the new wakes . . . but without booze? Claudia Eleibox
S
tanding up at the candlelight vigil in support of justice for Kimberly William-De Leon and listening to the several disquisitions and drawn-out speeches, it occurred to me I may already have attended too many such functions. Four in only a few months says a lot about a country with a population of about 180,000. At the Kimberly vigil there were the usual pledges that “justice must be served . . . we must pressure the authorities” and so on, and I couldn’t help wondering about the effectiveness of such assemblies. Who were “the authorities” to be pressured? How exactly was justice to be guaranteed? At the time of Christal St. Omer’s death in 2012 many were at once angry and fearful. It had taken three days to find her body, miles away from home. In preparation for a candlelit vigil in her name I had gone to a store to purchase my
Kimberly William-De Leon’s family “standing in solidarity” at a candlelight vigil. Did the fight for justice end for them on that night?
candle, only to find its stock had already sold out. Hundreds of people walked the several miles from the Aquatic Centre in Rodney Heights to Christal’s home in La Retraite. Then a second vigil was held, this time at Vigie, and even more concerned citizens attended. In the case of Christal a man was arrested and charged with her murder. Had the low-key
The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE (PROBATE) SAINT LUCIA Claim No. SLUHPB2018/0199
IN THE ESTATE of the late Agabius Lewis. And
IN THE MATTER of the application for first grant more than three years after death of intestate. And
IN THE MATTER of Rule 22 of NonContentious Probate and Administration of Estates – Rules.
ADVERTISEMENT OF APPLICATION FOR GRANT TAKE NOTICE that an application has been filed by Dorothy Lewis of Caye Manger, La Feuillet in the Quarter of Gros Islet in the State of Saint Lucia for a grant of Letters of Administration to the applicant who is the wife of THE DECEASED having died on the 16th October, 2009. Any person having objection to the grant of Letters of Administration to the applicant shall file an objection within 14 days of the publication of this Notice.
Dated this
day of November, 2018
THIS ADVERTISEMENT OF APPLICATION FOR GRANT is filed by Winston Hinkson and Associates Per: Winston Hinkson of Chambers 1st Floor – John Compton Building, William Peter Boulevard, Castries, St. Lucia; Tel: (758)452 1665; email: winhinkson@yahoo.com The Court Office is at La Place Carenage, Castries, Saint Lucia.Telephone No. (758)468 7500, Fax No. (758)468-7543. The office is open between 9:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m Monday – Thursday and 9:00 and 3:00 p.m Fridays except holidays. The office can also be contacted via email at stluhco@ eccourts.org
protests and the prayers and the minutes of silence delivered? Have vigils taken the place of wakes in Saint Lucia? Are they held only for victims of violence? In times past, wakes were held in advance of funerals. The community would come together to offer the bereaved comfort and assistance where required. Today they’re held for a few hours after a funeral, with attendees apparently more interested in socializing and filling their bellies with food and booze. The deceased and relatives are forgotten soon after. I ask again, are vigils the new wake, with participants doing what they do on a particular evening then going home to concentrate on living their own lives? Not long after her violent death, even the media reporters could not remember the correct spelling of Chereece Benoit’s name. The most popular version was Cheris Benoit. The special t-shirts worn in remembrance of her and others may have soon become cleaning cloths. Related questions to the police about such cases are answered with a routine “It’s an ongoing investigation”. It was at times difficult to tell whether the local reaction to the shooting death in America of Saint Lucian Botham Jean was protest or an opportunity to vent some spleen while socializing. I can’t remember the last time I heard his name mentioned locally, even though the turnout for his vigil was massive. (Evidently it’s who the victim was that matters, not life per se!) The messages at Kimberly
William-De Leon’s vigil were strong. Candle bearers were reminded that together they can guarantee justice for the deceased. Did the entreatments go into one ear and out the
I
other? Education minister Gale Rigobert seemingly had her doubts. “I do not have the luxury or the privilege of waiting to see what will happen next,” she said at the vigil outside her ministry and workplace of the deceased, “because there are too many people who have met their untimely demise and too many vigils held and what was the outcome?” She spoke about the the Constitution being under review to help curb the number of future vigils. Also the #IAmPartoftheSolution campaign. Police Commissioner Severin Monchery told this reporter: “Vigils are good. They show that Saint Lucians care and are concerned about the victims of the country. People have the right to demand justice and they should always demand justice. The police, too, stand for justice.” But
aren’t they also expected to deliver that justice? I was happy when Allison Jean, Botham’s mother, came to the podium to warn Saint Lucians against turning Kimberly into just another hashtag. “Let us remind ourselves what standing up means,” she said. “Standing up means let us put the pressure on the authorities to make sure that her killer gets arrested. We cannot be such a passive nation.” I end with the words of a colleague: “We need to go back to the protests of 1979. They worked. It’s so sad now that I feel nothing will come of Kimberly’s case.” It occurs to me that the ’79 protests were of another time, when Saint Lucians believed in our ability to bring about positive change. It is also true that the leaders for change in 1979 are either dead and forgotten . . . or are soon to be!
Government Keeps Diaspora Interests at Heart
n a move to embrace the Saint Lucian diaspora, the Government of Saint Lucia has appointed a new ambassador responsible for diaspora affairs. Dr. Jocelyne Clarke-Fletcher will lead the charge to bring Saint Lucians together in a holistic way, enhancing efforts of the government to forge links with nationals overseas. Working within the Office of Diaspora Affairs, the role of the ambassador will be to communicate with non-resident Saint Lucians in different countries, and to assist them in coming home, creating linkages for investment, providing support, or avenues for giving back. Dr. Fletcher worked previously for the Government of Montserrat as Chief Human Resources Manager and also worked for many years as a lecturer for the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College and the University of the West Indies. A human resource management specialist, her cadre of work also includes several posts with the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana. For the new Diaspora Affairs Ambassador, her role
came out of a desire to return to her homeland to serve her country. As a returning national, she understands how nationals outside feel and desires to help bridge the gap. She said: “We left our country for various reasons, probably to better the lives of our families, improve our education, or have a better economic standing, but when we leave our country we don’t leave because we divorce it or don’t care about it. It’s always there, in our hearts.” Plans moving forward in government’s efforts targeting the diaspora include actively engaging Saint Lucians overseas and including them in matters of national development, enhancing the existing package of measures designed to facilitate the process and encourage the return of national residents overseas, building on the capacity of Saint Lucia’s overseas offices to relate and interact with the diaspora, and constructing a data base of skills within the diaspora. There are also plans to strengthen the existing national framework for interacting with the diaspora including not only the Office for Diaspora
Affairs, but all other national institutions which play a role in facilitating the embrace of the diaspora. “Successive governments have recognised the importance of having a diaspora policy, having a diaspora unit, and having an ambassador responsible for diaspora affairs,” Dr. Fletcher noted. The Office for Diaspora Affairs will also be responsible for acknowledging diaspora efforts and contributions to Saint Lucia in everything from cultural recognition and exchanges to national emergencies. The ambassador will be charged with responsibility for reaching out and working closely with other local and Caribbean groups and foundations based overseas. “The government’s policy is to communicate to nonresident Saint Lucians and to assist them in maintaining relations with their home country,” Dr. Fletcher said. “The prime minister and the government are determined that these nationals know they are appreciated . . . and that the avenue is home. We’re willing to listen, and we’re willing to help.”
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GOVERNMENT OF
TERMS OF RE
NATIONAL CO
Consultancy Services - Commun
Increase Saint Lucia’s Capacity to Monitor Implementation and Sustain 1. BACKGROUND
value of ecosystems, into Saint Lucia’s broader development frameworks. This means now, more than ever, there is an Saint Lucia is signatory to a number of international increasing demand and need for information, knowledge agreements from which several benefits are derived and and participation that accommodates the current and future obligations created. These, in part, shape national policies generations and the implementation of comprehensive and legislation, promoting adequate measures to address environmental issues, such as biodiversity loss, pollution of the communication campaigns and activities that are at the marine environment, global warming and sea level rise, as well heart of sustainable development. Such processes imply as sustainable livelihoods. These international agreements have engaging people and institutions while using creative means to dialogue, plan and make effective impact to relevant and target facilitated opportunities for Saint Lucia to receive grants and audiences. technical expertise for projects related to biodiversity, climate change and land degradation. To this end, the Department of Sustainable Development is seeking a local Communication Consultant to assist the Project In this regard, a grant has been received from the Global Management Unit (PMU) in finalizing the development of a Environment Facility (GEF) to address issues related to Communication Strategy and Implementation Plan to engage environmental information management under the ‘Increase major stakeholders on evidence-based reporting mechanisms Saint Lucia’s Capacity to Monitor Multilateral Environmental and knowledge of this project and its support for Information Agreements (MEA) Implementation and Sustainable and Communication Technology related initiatives in Saint Development Project.’ This initiative aims to provide support to Lucia. This will help garner a high level of support for the NEIS, develop the country’s environmental information management highlighting the value of the system in (1) supporting decision system, improve coordination and sharing of existing making for our policy makers and technical negotiating teams knowledge, and generate new information on the state of the for MEAs; and (2) increasing outreach and awareness on the environment. NEIS through all forms of media and the public. The details of services are outlined in the Scope of Work (Item 4). A National Environmental Information System (NEIS) has been developed and launched under the GEF financed project. The NEIS includes a Common Data Storage Facility (CDSF), which serves seventeen (17) public and private agencies who have agreed, through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, to collaborate and co-ordinate institutional agreements for sharing environmental information and data in Saint Lucia. The CDSF serves as a supporting and foundational tool for reporting on MEAs and the translation of data into useful and actionable information. This information will then be available for use in policy and decision-making. The NEIS was specifically developed for Saint Lucia and is designed to provide MEA Focal Point Ministries and other users with data and information for reporting on the state of the environment under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and United Nations Convention to combat desertification (UNCCD). The achievement of the goals and objectives related to the MEAs’ indicators will be based upon data and information managed through the NEIS. Both public and private sector Data Collectors, Information Officers, Technical and Research officers will be trained during this period to utilize the NEIS. In addition, environmental initiatives critical to the island’s sustainable development require increased public education, awareness and participation by Government agencies in order to better integrate environmental concerns, and the
2. CONTRACTING AUTHORITY
The Government of Saint Lucia, represented by the Department of Sustainable Development in the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development (hereinafter referred to as the “Contracting Authority”), with address at Norman Francis Building, Balata, Castries, Saint Lucia, West Indies.
3. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT
The objectives of the Communications Consultancy are to: • • •
Develop a Communication Strategy and Implementation Plan Plan, coordinate and implement three (3) communication training workshops based on finalized Communication Strategy & Implementation Plan Provide expertise support to the Project Management Unit with engagement of the media, key stakeholders and project beneficiaries including communities
4. SCOPE OF SERVICES
The Communications Consultant will be required to carry out the following tasks: Task 1 - Prepare Final Communication Strategy and Implementation Plan
a) b)
c) d)
Conduct an inception meeting with Contracting Authority upon commencement of the assignment Conduct a meeting with key stakeholders upon commencement of the assignment to: i. receive stakeholder feedback on existing draft communication strategy ii. determine how successful communication strategies and techniques within key stakeholder agencies can be integrated into Final Communication Strategy and Implementation Plan, iii. discuss the basis on which this strategy will be implemented. Submit draft Inception Report and Communication Strategy and Implementation Plan to the Contracting Authority no later than three (4) weeks from completion of inception meeting Submit final Communication Strategy and Implementation Plan within 2 weeks of receipt of comments
Task 2 – Conduct three (3) communication training workshops based on finalized Communication Strategy and Implementation Plan in different sectors a) Conduct three (3) communication training workshops with specific target audiences as finalized in the Communication Strategy and Implementation Plan b) Workshops to address the following themes: i. Raising awareness on national policies, plans and legislation containing environmental education provisions ii. Raising awareness on MEAs to which Saint Lucia is party, containing environmental education provisions iii. Training in public awareness techniques, including group dynamics iv. Training in delivery of public sensitization, education, awareness programmes in different sectors c) Evaluate the training administered by assessment and verification of all workshop participants. d) Submit draft Evaluation Report and Workshop Presentations to the Contracting Authority for review four (4) weeks after administration of the training sessions. Task 3 – Provide expertise and technical support to the Project Management Unit in the engagement of media, key stakeholders and project beneficiaries, including communities a)
Conduct media training session with Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Departments and Divisions . Training to include the following themes: i. Media engagement strategies ii. Conducting interviews with media personnel.
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T OF SAINT LUCIA
F REFERENCE
CONSULTANT
munications Strategy Workshops
itor Multilateral Environmental Agreements ainable Development Project b) c)
iii. Initiating dialogue with the media on matters of national interest iv. Contracting Authority rules and regulations regarding media engagement Develop Media Engagement Strategy (ies) Report, including feedback from media training sessions undertaken in (a). Submit draft Report to the Contracting Authority within three (3) weeks of completion of training session.
Task 4 - Closeout Report
The Consultant is required to submit to the Contracting Authority a Closeout Report. This report will be prepared to highlight the full gamut of work undertaken, noting the level of success and constraints in the methodologies used, the nature and quality of stakeholder participation, limitations in the scope of the consultations and meetings, any potential constraints which are anticipated in the effective application of the deliverables and any other lessons learnt during the process.
and provide list of relevant stakeholders with recommendations to the consultant. iv. Ensure timely review of reports submitted by the consultant and facilitate the provision of feedback v. Initiate the consultation and co-operation of other agencies and consultants required to provide support to the consultant for realization of the relevant aspects of the assignment. vi. Provide access to relevant existing information.
i. ii.
Declare any conflict of interest where such may arise. Execute the duties and tasks outlined in Scope of Services with due diligence and efficiency and in accordance with the highest standards of professional competence, ethics and integrity. iii. Be responsible for the collection and analysis of all data and information required for the compilation of all reports. iv. The Consultant will undertake his/her own logistics ensure that they are adequately supported and equipped in terms of personal technical equipment (transportation, laptop, software and field tools).
All deliverables shall be reviewed by Contracting Authority and Project Steering Committee, who shall provide feedback to the Consultant. The deliverables should be developed, presented and adopted based on the following:
Deliverables
Task 1
Inception Meeting Report & Draft Communication Strategy and Implementation Plan
4
Conduct three (3) training workshops & submit Evaluation Report
10
Conduct media training session & submit Media Engagement Strategy (ies) Report
8
Closeout Report
2
Task 2
Task 3
Task 4
Duration (weeks)
− −
Consultant’s Responsibilities
5. DELIVERABLES
Tasks
−
9. SUBMISSIONS
Technical and Financial Proposals are invited from local and regional consultants. In submitting proposal, the consultant must: − − −
7. VALUE OF CONTRACT
The contract will be a lump sum contract payable based on the schedule proposed in the agreed contract between the Government of Saint Lucia and the Consultant. The value of the contract is to cover costs associated with the deliverables of the consultancy.
−
8. QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
The Consultant should have at least five (5) years of overall consulting experience; including: •
6. DURATION OF CONTRACT
The period of execution of this contract is five (5) months, beginning on the date of signature of the contract. The Contracting Authority will: i. Provide a list of stakeholders for consultative purposes ii. Provide a soft copy of available reference documents. iii. Assist with logistics for meetings, training workshops,
• • • •
Post graduate degree in the discipline of Communication or Mass Communication At least 8 years of working experience in projects related to communications and training At least 5 years of experience in facilitating training workshops with Government Agencies Excellent command of written and spoken English Experience in undertaking projects relating to developing communication strategies with national agencies, NGOs in Saint Lucia or the Caribbean region
Key Competencies
The successful consultant should demonstrate: − competence in report writing, presenting information,
consulting with stakeholders at all levels including public awareness strategies; flexibility in the event that adjustments are required, based on the findings, both at the organizational and technical levels, for successful implementation of the consultancy; a solid understanding of the institutional arrangements and resources required to carry out the scope of works. Advanced use of Microsoft Office Suite including PowerPoint Presentation and other Information Technology related programs
Carefully review and comment on the Terms of Reference, recommending potential refinements where necessary. Submit a detailed methodology and work-plan including a time schedule Proposals should be submitted in a sealed envelope marked CONFIDENTIAL. This outer envelope should contain two separate sealed envelopes; one containing the technical proposal and marked ‘Technical Proposal’, the other containing the financial proposal and marked ‘Financial Proposal’. Both the Technical and Financial Proposals must be signed by the tendering party(ies). All submissions should be received by the deadline date and time of 4:00pm on Monday 17th December 2018. Envelopes with proposals should be clearly marked “Consultancy Services - Communications Strategy Workshops for the Increase Saint Lucia’s Capacity to Monitor Multilateral Environmental Agreements Implementation and Sustainable Development Project and addressed to:
The Departmental Tenders Board Department of Sustainable Development Norman Francis Building Balata CASTRIES, Saint Lucia Targeted Group: All agencies that signed onto the Memorandum of Understanding Concerning InterAgency Agreement for the Institutional Arrangements for Cooperation on Environmental Information Management in Saint Lucia 1
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november 17, 2018
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15
Sandals Determined to Establish New Resort Regardless of Setbacks!
N
ot long after Sandals Resorts International (SRI) announced its latest Saint Lucian project, it came to an abrupt halt, thanks to legal action pursued by The Landings Resort and Spa. The last mentioned issued its own press release explaining the reasons for such action, among them that the proposed Sandals La Source would interfere with its own tourism product and the experience it sells to its customers by blocking the vista of Pigeon Island with a building expected to be ten storeys high. But at a recent press trip in Barbados, Sandals’ regional public relations manager,
Sunil Ramdeen, claimed that SRI only aims to stay at the top of its game and offer the latest and best. That, he said, includes the flashy features in SRI’s newest resort, Sandals Royal in Barbados, with a sky pool at seven storeys high, Rolls Royces, and the first ever bowling alley in any of Sandals’ resorts. The plan was to make Saint Lucia’s La Source, scheduled to open in December 2020, “even grander”. Ramdeen explained that while some people may say Saint Lucia already has three Sandals resorts and a fourth facility—Sandals Golf & Country Club—the idea is to keep Saint
Lucia and the Caribbean desirable for visitors. He said: “It’s a very exciting time for us at Sandals. It’s a time when we’re going through rapid expansions. Over the past few years we’ve really revolutionalised a lot of the offering that we’ve had in terms of the product that we have made available for visitors to the Caribbean. And it’s all part of a bigger picture in terms of making the Caribbean much more attractive to the international visitor.” Ramdeen said Sandals is competing with hotels all over the world. “We’re very
ISL PROMOTES THE INVESTMENT POTENTIAL OF SAINT LUCIA
O
ver the past few weeks, Invest Saint Lucia (ISL) has made its presence felt at various investment-related overseas functions in its bid to attract investors to our shores. Newly appointed CEO Roderick Cherry and Chairman of ISL Pinkley Francis, along with representatives of the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU), have just returned from the 12th Global Residence and Citizenship Conference which took place in Jumeirah Mina A’Salam, Dubai. The CEO remarked that this networking mission was indeed an eye-opener. “We met with a number of prospective investors who are looking into projects other than what we currently have on offer. It put into perspective the amount of work that needs to be done, when determining what projects are promoted. We must be fully cognizant of the nature and quality of investments that we propose to certain markets. “We have a very comprehensive strategy as it relates to investment promotion and of course we can’t be static in our approach. My intention is to sit with the team to develop the most appropriate tactics to target the more high-end investors. Hopefully this will help us build greater momentum in these markets.” Dubai was not the only region where ISL interacted with potential investors. Head of the Investment Services Department, Alana LansiquotBrice recently attended the United Nations Conference
on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) World Investment Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, where she was a speaker at the Investment Village, an event organised by the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA). The event sought to bring together prospective investors and persons seeking information on Saint Lucia’s readiness to accommodate foreign investment. Two other members of the Investment Services Department also undertook networking of their own. Marie-Grace Walcott represented ISL at the Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum (CREF), while Camille Michel represented at the just-ended Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference & Operations Summit (CHICOS), in Bermuda. The CREF comes on the heels of a regional dialogue regarding alternative means of energy, particularly due to the devastation caused by tropical weather systems. CREF, launched in 2009, gathers governments, utilities, multilaterals and investors to explore opportunities to ramp up investment in clean energy across the Caribbean. From utility scale to distributed generation; storage to smart grids; financing to regulation; energy efficiency to the role of gas as a complement to renewables, CREF is the primary meeting place for regional and international market participants.
The Government of Saint Lucia has expressed an ambitious goal of attaining a 35% renewable energy target by 2025, and 50% by 2030, using a mix of geothermal, wind and solar sources. ISL remains optimistic, considering the agency’s facilitation of LUCELEC’s 3-megawatt solar farm that meets about 5% of Saint Lucia’s electricity demand. ISL’s representation at CHICOS, meanwhile, was geared towards meeting similar objectives of lead generation and developing relationships with potential investors. ISL’s attendance at CHICOS is one of the many methods used to maintain the interest that the agency in particular, and Saint Lucia in general, have successfully generated in the tourism arena. Through past interactions at this and other such conferences, ISL has cultivated interest, developed leads and new projects, and has managed to gain a better understanding of the perception of investors and industry trends related to Caribbean FDI. Attendance at such conferences is one of the strategies used by Invest Saint Lucia to carry out its mandate of stimulating, promoting and facilitating direct investment, with a view to fulfilling its mission of employment generation, and the advancement of the island’s social and economic development.
Sunil Ramdeen says Sandals La Source is still a very important project for the company .
proud that this year in particular our work has been recognized; we’ve been officially declared the world’s leading all-inclusive company at the world travel awards for the 23rd consecutive year. Sandals number four in Saint Lucia remains a very important project.” Mark Harding, Sandals’
regional senior project manager, gave a breakdown of just how much the new Sandals is expected to boost employment, traffic and income into the country. He estimated roughly US$2million into the economy every month by calculating on the lower end of wages and hundreds more permanent
employees to the local Sandals family. Both Ramdeen and Harding acknowleged others were free to pursue legal actions. On the other hand, said Ramdeen, “Does that mean Sandals should not invest US$210 million in Saint Lucia? Does that mean Sandals should not provide 1,000 construction jobs in Saint Lucia, that these jobs should be taken somewhere else? Does that mean Sandals should not provide 700 additional jobs in Saint Lucia?” The two managers were strong in their belief that the Sandals La Source project will happen, regardless of setbacks. “Since our release,” said Ramdeen, “we’ve gotten tremendous feedback from members of the community throughout the world who have been asking about the project. We’ve had tremendous support from various stakeholders, including the government, to try and make this a reality in the shortest possible time. We still await the determination of the legal proceedings which we are confident will be in our favour.” ---Claudia Eleibox
Theinvites National Workers Union (NWU) applications from suitably qualified persons to fill the positions of: Junior Industrial Relations Officer Main Duties will include: • Organising members and worksite actions • Representing members in hearings and proceedings • Participating in collective bargaining negotiations • Developing and carrying out activities for union campaigns • Data entry • Participating in worker/shop steward training • Communicating with company supervisors and managers The ideal candidate should possess the following qualifications: • Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations/Labour Relations with a minimum of two(2) years working experience • Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management with a minimum of two (2) years working experience • GCE A’Levels including History and Economics with at least three (3) years working experience Skills and other attributes needed: • Clear and concise communication skills • Excellent problem solving capabilities • Ability to work independently and as part of a team • Ability to build collaborative relationships within diverse groups • Experience with database management is a plus Salary and benefits: • We offer a comprehensive remuneration and benefits package which includes training and development A resume along with three (3) references and certified copies of certificates should be submitted no later than December 31, 2018. By email: natwork3@hotmail.com By post: The Secretary General National Workers Union Bourbon House Bourbon Street P.O. Box 713 CASTRIES Only suitable applicants will be considered
16 LOCAL
www.stluciastar.com
november 17, 2018 THE STAR
A Coming Fight Between Environmentalists and Those Who Depend on Seaweed-free Beaches?
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ver the past five years, large masses of Sargassum—an orangebrown species of seaweed that thrives in open water— have swarmed the Atlantic Ocean, widely affecting the east coast of Caribbean islands. In Saint Lucia, fishermen from coastal villages such as Dennery, Praslin and Micoud report significant declines in their weekly catch. Along the Cas-en-Bas beach— which was once a popular spot for locals and tourists—is where craft vendors, excursion operators and Marjorie's Restaurant & Bar all conduct business and similarly report a severe decrease in customers. Restaurant owner Marjorie told the STAR: “Before the seaweed, everyone would come to enjoy the beach atmosphere but now, visiting locals and tourists barely stick around for more than a few minutes. There are days when nothing comes in. But we still have to pay our bills. It's not easy.” Marjorie says she can no longer afford to hire restaurant staff. Instead, family members lend a hand.
As for the craft vendors, they now depend on tourists who visit the area for some horse-back riding. But sometimes buses have to turn around with their visitors from the cruise ships or resorts. One man claimed that when even horse-back riding is not possible on Cas-en-Bas beach they offer to take visitors to Pigeon Island. But it’s a frightening prospect due to traffic zipping up and down. Marjorie, who has operated her business in Cas-en-Bas for over two decades, says the last time she complained to the National Conservation Authority they informed her that there was nothing in place to deal with the Sargassum at that location. She decided to take the matter into her own hands. “To be honest, I used to be cleaning it all the time; we pay for a backhoe and people to clean it. What else can we do? We can’t just sit there and do nothing. It may not be the right thing to do, but . . . What we do when the seaweed has been gathered and left there long
Locals complain the Sargassum seaweed at Cas-en-Bas is depriving them of their livelihood.
enough to turn into sand, we pick it up and spread it on the beach.” Simon Mc Intosh, a wind surfer and business owner at Cas-en-Bas beach, commented on the practice of spreading the withered seaweed around. He says the unsupervised Sargussum removal with backhoes leads to large quantities of sand being lifted
from the beach. “Those who do this are not experts, they are not marine biologists. Who gave them permission to do that?” He fears the sand removal may be affecting Cas-en-Bas’ wildlife and natural ability to deal with changing weather conditions. The NCA’s general manager Jacintha Annius-Lee says her organisation has heard
the cries about Cas-en-Bas beach and has been counselled by the fisheries department of the Ministry of Agriculture not to use tractors and backhoes for Sargassum removal. She promised to pass the word on to such as Majorie and others whose businesses at Casen-Bas have been adversely affected by the seaweed. As for complaints about a seaweed-
associated foul smell, AnniusLee said ,“It only smells when left along the shoreline and is brushed by waves. If pushed up on the beach to dry, the smell is tolerable.” Marjorie, on the other hand, urges: “What I would like is a little help, no matter how small. The government could at least make an effort. Whatever the reasons for the seaweed being at Cas-en-Bas, the point is it chases away our only means of survival. All of us are feeling the consequences. I'm feeling the pain. The people here with me are feeling the pain, everyone is suffering, the kite surfers, Cotton Bay, everyone.” A joint symposium has been scheduled for November 21 and 22, between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the University of the West Indies at the Cave Hill Campus, to discuss sustainable methods of dealing with Sargassum in the Caribbean. --- Keryn Nelson
Francis: ‘Certain St. Lucians’ Made U.S. Lose Faith In Coroner’s Court! this law says the United States shall not furnish any assistance to any unit of the security forces of a foreign country if the Secretary of State has n order to get the United credible information that such States-imposed Leahy Law a unit has committed a gross monkey off Saint Lucia's violation of human rights. The back, security minister law further states that the Hermangild Francis recently prohibition shall not apply if the stated, officers involved in the government of such country is police killings at the time of taking effective steps to bring Operation Restore Confidence must be credibly prosecuted. A responsible members of the security unit to justice . . . When short time earlier, the minister these provisions are scrutinized had met with the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, against the actions of the United Sergio De La Pena. According to States it becomes clear the Francis, he had brought up “the United States believes it has constraints of the Leahy Law on credible evidence that officers Saint Lucia”. By his own telling, of the Saint Lucia police force committed gross violations of the security minister was not human rights.” surprised that the American PM Anthony also related authorities refused to change that “where unexplained their attitude, first made clear killings occur, our law provides in the time of Kenny Anthony for coroners’ inquests to be in 2012. conducted by a magistrate to This was how the prime determine, if possible, the cause minister told it in a televised of the death of the subject of address on August 20, 2013: an inquest”. In the case of the “Officials of the United States 2010-11 police shootings here say they have taken action cited, verdicts of “death by against our police officers lawful act” were returned, said because they are bound by Anthony. Nevertheless, “Since a law enacted by the United the United States has decided to States Congress. Essentially Joshua St. Aimee
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impose sanctions on members of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, then it is reasonably clear that it does not have confidence in the outcome of the inquests to bring those responsible for the killings to justice." On Monday security minister Francis explained the possible three outcomes, should the findings of the IMPACS investigation initiated by the Kenny Anthony government in 2013 come before the courts. "The Director of Public Prosecutions can say he does not have sufficient evidence to go forward and there’s nothing anyone can do about that. Secondly, those charged can be convicted or the charges against them dismissed. They can be acquitted." Then again, according to Kenny Anthony in 2013, although a coroner’s court had declared the particular deaths in 2010-11 lawful, the United States had made it “reasonably clear it does not have confidence in the outcome of the inquests . . .” So, why would the U.S. accept
another verdict of not guilty when, still according to Kenny Anthony, they believe they have credible evidence to the contrary? Minister Francis doesn’t buy Anthony’s claim that U.S. authorities had no confidence in the outcome of the inquests. On Monday he blamed “certain Saint Lucians” for the imposition of sanctions in accordance with the Leahy law. "The Americans accepted the coroner's report,” Francis said. “There was no noise about it, initially. It's when they started getting contrary information from reputable Saint Lucians that the U.S. authorities started questioning the validity of the inquests. They were made to believe the government of the day had manipulated the coroner’s inquest.” Francis is convinced the U.S. will accept whatever verdict is handed down following prosecution of the IMPACS report. He says the present administration has been doing its best to bring the matter to a satisfactory conclusion. If only from his vantage, there is
Contrary to statements of Prime Minister Kenny Anthony in 2013, the U.S. authorities lost confidence in local coroners’ courts only after “certain St. Lucians” made false allegations of government interference in the process says Security Minister Hermangild Francis.
"light at the end of the tunnel". He expressed much faith in the efforts of DPP Daasrean Greene. "Unlike certain people who would want to interfere with the work of the DPP, this
government accepts that the DPP must be left to perform his duties without any outside influence,” said Francis. In 2015, following certain public statements by members of the Kenny Anthony cabinet in relation to the IMPACS investigation, the day’s DPP, Victoria Emmanuel-Charles, revealed that the report handed her by the prime minister, much of it by then public information, comprised “serious allegations of wrongdoing and human rights violations” but without supporting evidence, witness statements, etc. Soon afterward, in an interview broadcast by Radio St. Lucia, then justice minister Victor LaCorbiniere acknowledged the DPP’s assertion. “It would be highly improper and prejudicial,” he told interviewer Shelton Daniel, “to have any such matters contained in a report of this kind.” On the other hand, the Police Complaints Act and the Evidence Act of Saint Lucia dictate that “investigators must transmit all the evidence to the Director of Public Prosecutions”.
THE STAR
november 17, 2018
HEALTH
www.stluciastar.com
17
KIM’S KORNER
Living with Multiple Sclerosis
The cause of multiple sclerosis is unknown but it’s a condition that damages the nerve covering.
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ultiple Sclerosis (MS) is an auto-immune disease that causes inflammation and damage (demyelination) to the myelin (protective covering) of nerves. Myelin helps the electrical signal travel swiftly from the brain to the rest of the body, for function and movement. The attacks on the myelin sheath cause inflammation, which can leave areas of scarring (sclerosis) that eventually lead to permanent nerve damage resulting in acute and chronic disability. There are four types of MS: • Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), the most common type of MS, affects eight out of ten people diagnosed. It is characterised by short episodes of new or worsening symptoms, known as relapses. Relapses occur over a few days and may last weeks or even months but they are usually followed by complete or partial return to normal function. Although the relapses can occur suddenly, they may be triggered by a period of stress or illness. The period between attacks— remissions—can last for years at a time. Some people,
not everyone, can develop secondary progressive MS. • Secondary-progressive MS (SPMS) begins as relapsingremitting but after about 15-20 years symptoms increase and function starts to steadily decline with relapses becoming more frequent. • Primary-Progressive MS (PPMS) is less common and normally only affects one out of ten people diagnosed. From the onset of the disease it follows a course of a worsening of symptoms, without remission. • Progressive-Relapsing MS (PRMS) is similar to PPMS but differs by the presence of acute attacks. The cause of MS is unknown. It is not thought to be hereditary but has been known to be present in more than one person in a family, although this is uncommon. It is more common in women and symptoms usually present between the ages of 20-40. Research has shown that the onset of MS may be triggered by viral or bacterial infections but it is thought to be the interaction of not just a few but hundreds of genes.
Symptoms are varied and differ from person to person. They can occur rapidly within a few minutes or can appear over several weeks or months. When someone is experiencing a worsening of symptoms it is known as a ‘relapse’. The improvement of symptoms is known as ‘remission’. The most common symptoms are: • Fatigue. This can affect anyone but people with MS often experience intense exhaustion, and even the simplest of tasks can be difficult. Fatigue can be worsened by heat, exercise and illness, and tends to be worse in the evenings. • Difficulty walking. As MS affects the nervous system, people often suffer from muscle weakness and stiffness (known as spasticity) that can make walking and moving around difficult. Clumsiness, vertigo, balance and co-ordination problems can also affect mobility and increase the risk of falling. • Vision problems are often among the first signs of MS. People often describe periods of temporary blindness, blurred
vision, double vision and eye pain. • Numbness or tingling in different parts of the body are other early signs. • Problems with thinking, learning and planning can make decision-making and communication difficult. Often short-term memory is affected but not long-term. Processing information and a shortened attention span can make solving problems and puzzles difficult but these symptoms may be a sideeffect of medication, anxiety or depression, not of MS itself. • Pain caused by damage to the nervous system (neuropathic pain) and musculoskeletal pain caused by weak muscles, and decreased mobility can also affect quality of life and daily activities. • Speech can become slurred as the disease progresses and it is not uncommon to have difficulties in chewing and swallowing food. There is no diagnosis and because the symptoms
mimic other conditions it may take at least two separate attacks to confirm MS. Once suspected, an MRI can support a diagnosis as it may show signs of attacks. The most obvious signs a doctor looks for when suspecting MS are vision problems, hand or leg strength, balance and co-ordination, altered speech and reflexes. If MS can still not be confirmed, a lumbar puncture—a procedure where spinal fluid is extracted from the spine using a needle— can detect increased numbers of immune cells and antibodies. To date no cure has been discovered for MS; the aim
of treatment is to manage exacerbation of symptoms and slow down decline in function. Steroids may be prescribed to speed up recovery during a relapse but most often treatment is aimed at specific symptoms, for example baclofen can relax muscles, easing spasms. Unfortunately, many of the medications have side-effects and it is important to weigh up the pros and cons. A physiotherapist can help with the management of pain and give advice on lifestyle changes and exercise to help maintain strength, flexibility and function.
Kim Jackson is a UK-trained physiotherapist with over 20 years’ experience. She specialises in musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction including back pain and sciatica, stroke and other neuro conditions plus sports physiotherapy, having worked with local, regional and international athletes and teams treating injuries and analysing biomechanics to improve function and performance. She is registered with the Allied Health Council and is a member of PASL. She currently works at Bayside Therapy Services in Rodney Bay, O: 458 4409 or C: 284 5443; www.baysidetherapyservices.com
VACANCY NOTICE Project Co-Ordinator for Crime Victimization The United Nations Development Programme Barbados and the OECS invites applications from Suitably Qualified Nationals of St. Lucia and Nationals of the OECS countries who hold the CARICOM Skills Certificate for the position of Project Co-Ordinator - Crime Victimization (Job ID 19364). The position will be based in Commonwealth of St. Lucia and will be under a UNDP Service Contract. The United Nations Development Programme Barbados and the OECS invites applications from Suitably Qualified Nationals of St. Lucia and Nationals of the OECS countries who hold the CARICOM Skills Certificate for the following positions: Remuneration will be in accordance with the established UNDP Service Contract Salary Scale for the OECS. The Terms of Reference for these positions can be obtained by visiting the UNDP website at: http://www.bb.undp.org/content/barbados/en/home/operations/jobs/ Applications must be submitted electronically to the relevant: ID 19364 – Project CoOrdinator Crime Victimization by visiting the above link. Deadline for submission of applications is 19 November 2018. Applications will be treated in the strictest confidence. Only suitable applications will be acknowledged. The United Nations Development Programme does not as a rule acknowledge unsolicited applications. Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply. We shall only contact those persons who are short listed.
18 LOCAL
november 17, 2018 THE STAR
www.stluciastar.com
The Rural Unknown
Global Entrepreneurship Week By Keithlin Caroo
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he Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce deemed this week, from 12-19 November Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW). Since 2011 the Chamber of Commerce has been
hosting GEW as a catalyst for Saint Lucian start-ups and entrepreneurs. This year saw the likes of Joshua Esnard, creator of Cut Buddy and recent feature on Shark Tank, and the launch of the Saint Lucia Startup Huddle, which is “a space to pitch and present up-and-coming start-ups to a network of peers”.
While the focus on entrepreneurship and the thrust by the Chamber of Commerce and other entities is refreshing, entrepreneurship is nothing new to Saint Lucian society. Think of the vendors in the market, the “food trucks” at Rodney Bay or even the handcrafts and skincare you can find at the Vendors’ Arcade or the
Boulevard. Entrepreneurship has long been a part of our economic fabric but, while we are a society of entrepreneurs, only a few have grown to scale and even fewer have created new solutions that address problems affecting the island. Unfortunately, Saint Lucian entrepreneurship has seen replications of the same
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business models, fierce competition among small-scale businesses and a general lack of innovation, particularly one that employs information and communication technologies. We have seen a rise in new eateries and local skincare products but we lag behind in the sphere of invention. The creation of the seaweed fertilizer, Algas Organics, and the solar-powered desalinator, are inventions that are currently on the fringe, but not the norm. I believe that the spirit of entrepreneurship already exists in our people; the problem lies in the fact that most entrepreneurs focus on industries that are already crowded and use many of the same business models as their predecessors. To me, the question is not how we empower persons to become entrepreneurs; it is how we empower a society of entrepreneurs to become innovators. Helen’s Daughters is a Saint Lucian non-profit with a special focus on rural women’s economic development through improved market access, adaptive agricultural techniques, and capacity-building. It was formed in 2016 in a winning proposal for UN Women’s Empower Women Champions for Change Program. To learn more about the initiative, visit: Facebook: Helen’s Daughters Instagram: @helensdaughters.slu Website: helensdaughters.org
The Saint Lucia National Trust Prepares to Stage its 42nd AGM
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very citizen, resident and visitor to Saint Lucia with an interest in protecting the island’s natural, built and cultural heritage is invited to the Saint Lucia National Trust (SLNT)’s 42nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday, November 24th at the conference room of the Finance Administrative Centre in Pointe Seraphine. Registration begins at 1p.m. along with a mini-exhibition of the Trust’s work, and the AGM begins promptly at 2 p.m. According to the SLNT’s Director, Mr. Bishnu Tulsie, “Our AGM gives the public an opportunity to get a comprehensive overview into the work of the Trust from November 2017 to November 2018. Members will also be able to share their views on how we should proceed with upcoming projects for 2019. The highlight of the meeting is the election of councillors to guide the affairs of the Trust; members are reminded that only those who are financially current are able to participate in the election process.” Members desirous of updating their memberships can do so prior to the AGM or on the day itself. The Trust’s patron, Her Excellency Dame Pearlette Louisy will be on hand to officially declare the AGM open. There will also be a presentation and discussion on the SLNT’s Strategic Plan Review facilitated by consultant Mr. Yves Renard. Transportation will be provided for people from Soufriere, Vieux Fort and environs. Persons interested in attending the AGM should contact 452-5005 or email membership@slunatrust.org for further details. Everyone has a role in protecting our heritage, so everyone is encouraged to use this opportunity to learn firsthand about the conservation works of the Trust, its challenges and aspirations.
THE STAR
LOCAL
www.stluciastar.com
november 17, 2018
19
UNDERSTANDING DEMENTIA
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hen dealing with illness, each condition has its own set of warning signs. For Alzheimer’s disease, there are ten of them. This week we are going to discuss warning sign number seven. If you experience any of these warning signs see your doctor or contact the Saint Lucia Alzheimer’s and Dementia Association for more information or for a memory screening. Warning Sign Number Seven: Misplacing things. Although, this happens to everyone on occasion, people normally have the ability to retrace their steps to locate something like keys. A lot of time can be spent trying to remember, and going over every step made to see where the keys might have been placed but, when found, memory clicks in: “Oh, that’s where I left them,” and the person can remember being in that spot. However, people with Alzheimer’s struggle with this and are not able to retrace their steps to find something. Most times they may find the items
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ITEMS GONE MISSING days later by accident in an odd spot. An example would be putting a TV remote control in the freezer or an iron in the laundry basket. Sometimes the person who is experiencing the symptom may recognize that they misplaced it or they may wonder why something so odd happened. Or they may start to think that others are playing tricks because they do not realize that they are the one who did it. When an Alzheimer’s patient starts to become suspicious, they start hiding things even more and then cannot remember where they placed them. This can become frustrating to everyone around. In the latter stages of the disease, when the patient develops a favourite spot to hide things but does not remember the spot, it is helpful when those caring for them figure out where the spot is, making it easier to find missing items. For people who occasionally misplace items and have to retrace their steps, like mentioned earlier, it does not mean that they
Someone with Alzheimer’s might develop a special hiding spot, but can’t remember where it is.
have Alzheimer’s. However, it is important to pay attention to where you are placing things, to slow down and learn to improve your memory with intentions. The increasingly busy life of an average adult can make you a “scatterbrain” so keep in mind practices to improve your memory. Questions about warning signs: Q: My sister has Alzheimer’s
and recently she has started accusing everyone in the house of stealing. The last time it was a big ordeal because it was her handbag. She wanted to call the police and wouldn’t give up on it until her daughter found it in the bathroom shower. She continued to be angry and accused her daughter of putting it in the shower to make her look stupid. How do we deal with this without getting everyone so upset?
ENERGY OFFICER COMPLETES GEOTHERMAL MANAGEMENT STUDIES IN ICELAND
s. Charlin Bodley, Energy Officer within the Energy Division of the Department of Infrastructure, Ports and Energy has just completed a six-month fellowship training in Geothermal Project Management and Financing in Iceland. The United Nations University (UNU-GTP) postgraduate course is designed to assist developing countries with significant geothermal potential to strengthen technical and professional capacity in that area. The UNU-GTP is highly reputed for its specialized training in all the main fields of geothermal science and engineering. Its graduates span the Americas, the African, Asian and European continents and rank among the leading specialists in geothermal research and development in their respective regions. Ms. Bodley disclosed that an important aim of the course is to establish groups of specialists in geothermal
exploration and development with the basic knowledge necessary for sustainable geothermal development. “It was a very intensive programme during which we worked alongside geothermal professionals in Iceland. A valuable aspect of the training is that methodologies are specifically tailored to the needs of the institutions and countries we represent, based on our renewable energy focus, priorities and stages of resource development,” Ms. Bodley reported. Iceland is reputed as a pioneer in the use of geothermal energy for space heating. Geothermal power facilities currently generate 25% of the country’s total electricity production. According to Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Department of Infrastructure, Ports and Energy, Mr. Barrymore Felicien, professional development and opportunities for specialization in renewable energy development is strategic
to the implementation of the National Energy Transition Strategy (NETS) which Cabinet endorsed in April 2018. The NETS is a roadmap for achieving greater renewable energy penetration within Saint Lucia’s energy mix while pursuing energy efficiency. “It is also necessary for Saint Lucia’s overall renewable energy sector development agenda. Typically, developing countries are forced to look outside for some of the competences required, because these fields call for unique specializations. With in-country specialists, apart from the accessibility of related skillsets, we are assured of value-added benefits such as knowledge transfer,” Mr. Felicien said. Saint Lucia is aggressively pursuing an agenda towards reducing dependence on fossil fuels for energy generation. The most recent target set by the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) is a 35% renewable energy target by
2025 and 50% by 2030 by increasing renewable energy penetration. Geothermal is one of the pathways being considered to achieve these targets. The others are solar, wind and battery storage. Last year government resumed upstream activities ahead of geothermal exploration. Pre-Feasibility studies and an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment were concluded with plans on track for the commencement of exploration activities to determine the commercial potential of the geothermal resource at Fond St. Jacques and Belle Plaine in Soufriere and at Saltibus in Choiseul. This year LUCELEC commissioned the island’s first utility scale 3MW (15,000 panel) solar farm. At an annual 7 million kilowatt-hours capacity, it contributes about 1.3% of electricity generated from the Cul De Sac Power Plant, and will reduce LUCELEC’s annual volume of fuel purchased (19 million) by 300,000 gallons.
A: First, everyone is to understand and try to get in her shoes. Remember, you are the one with the healthy brain; her brain is failing her. She is working and responding with what her brain is telling her. At times she may not know that she has a brain disease so, when something is missing and it is not where she normally puts things, it is understandable that she suspects someone of moving or taking it. Also, everyone should understand that usually logic is not going to work because by this time her frontal lobe has a lot of cell death. So, saying to her, “Why would I do that?” is not going to make sense to her and might upset her more. It is best to take her concern seriously because it is serious to her. Assure her that you understand, and you are going to help her locate it. Hopefully you will learn her hiding spots. Don’t tell her she put it there as she doesn’t remember. She will say she
would not do such a thing. If you cannot find an item and she is insisting on calling the police, depending on the time of day, go through the motions and call a friend to pose as a police officer to file a report, or tell her to give one more shot at looking for it. The important thing is to be on her side and show that you are concerned about her possessions. Regina Posvar is the current president of the Saint Lucia Alzheimer’s and Dementia Association and has been a licensed nurse for 25 years. SLADA is supported by volunteers and donations and aims to bring awareness and support by providing awareness public workshops, family support, memory screenings, the Memory Café, counselling and family training for coping skills and communication with persons living with dementia.
THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN SUPREME COURT IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE SAINT LUCIA CLAIM NO. SLUHCV2008/1228 BETWEEN: FIRSTCARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL BANK (BARBADOS) LIMITED Claimant and PHILINA HIPPOLYTE Defendant TO: PHILINA HIPPOLYTE whose last known address was La Croix Road, Laborie, Saint Lucia
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 for an Inspection of Property to Undertake Valuation of the immovable property owned by you and situate at La Mar in the Registration Quarter of Laborie and registered as Block and Parcel Number 0819C 262. The Application will come on for hearing at the High Court of Justice, La Place Carenage, Jeremie Street, Castries on Wednesday the 13th day of February, 2019 at 9:00 am. 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. The said Application and Affidavit in Support of the Application can be viewed and copies thereof can be obtained at the Court Office of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, High Court of Justice, Jeremie Street, Castries. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you fail to attend the hearing the Application will be heard and an Order made in your absence. Dated this 8th day of November, 2018 PETER I. FOSTER & ASSOCIATES per..................................................... Peter A.H. Marshall Legal Practitioners for the Claimant Presented for filing by: Peter I. Foster & Associates, Legal Practitioners for the Claimant, 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@piflaw.com. 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.
20 LOCAL
www.stluciastar.com
november 17, 2018 THE STAR
British High Commission Welcomes Home the 2017 Cohort of Chevening Scholars
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hree Saint Lucians recently returned home following the completion of a oneyear post graduate study period in the United Kingdom. Alisha Ally, Kendall Elva and Louise Victor in 2017 were awarded a place among a prestigious contingent of aspiring and current leaders; the Chevening alumni. The trio were officially welcomed home by the British High Commission in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean during an intimate gathering at the HC’s Vigie residence on Tuesday, November 13. “It was a completely fulfilling experience,” Ally told the STAR. She was fortunate to have undergone and received a Master of Arts in Media Practice for Development and Social Change from the University of Sussex—reputed to be the number one school in the world for Development Studies. Having returned to Saint Lucia, Ally’s quest to influence social change through local advocacy continues, along with her 10year career in media. Louise Victor, who is possibly best known for her accomplishments in pageantry and as a youth leader,
the UK in September of 2017, and now operates as a Social Transformation Officer for Vieux Fort North and Vieux Fort South. “Saint Lucia has had a number of achievements since Independence,” Elva asserted. “However, we are confronted by some tough challenges.” He has his sights focused on youth unemployment. “I think it is an issue we need to address soon so as to allow young people to contribute to the economy. I also think people need to be provided with the opportunity to achieve their goals.” British High Commissioner to Barbados and The Eastern Caribbean, Mrs Janet Chevening is the UK Douglas officially welcomed home Chevening Scholars (L-R) Alisha Ally, government’s international Kendall Elva and Louise Victor. awards scheme. Through this opportunity, every year over successfully obtained an MA in contribution to branding see and situate myself in a 1,500 candidates receive full International Public Relations and communication on an global context. I think that the scholarships to study a masters and Global Communications international scale. Chevening Scholarship is a Management from Cardiff Kendall Elva, who pursued wonderful opportunity to also be programme at a university of exposed to first class university their choice in the UK. Adding to University. “There were a few a MA in Social Development, its prestige, tens of thousands things that came as a culture also at the University of Sussex, experiences. It sort of gets you of applications are received, shock but overall it was a good said: “In the UK there is a to escape some of the national on average from over 140 experience,” she said. proud legacy as it relates to boundaries and to really understand what the world is all countries. Victor had also managed being exposed to the finest About Saint Lucia’s about.” to take time away from studies universities in the world. While applicants, Steve McCready, to represent Saint Lucia at the there, I was able to really Elva has returned to Resident British Commissioner Miss Universe pageant in Las understand a number of things the Ministry of Equity, Social in Saint Lucia, said: ”One Vegas. Now that she’s back that happen internationally. Justice, Empowerment and thing I will say about the So, for me, the education home she is looking forward Local government where he Chevening programme is that to sharing what she learned, was not solely academic but worked before leaving for and to making an even greater it has also added to how I
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it’s very difficult to secure a place. Every year the Eastern Caribbean region gets a set application; usually it’s around 16 to 18. Because there are so few places in the Caribbean, demand is really high. The fact that Saint Lucia has three returning scholars this year says something about the high quality of applications that come from here each year. The understanding is that they are such high quality that they will come back and make a really valuable contribution.” The Chevening programme has been ongoing for the past 35 years. Previous Saint Lucian awardees include now tourism minister Dominic Fedee and former government minister Dr. Jimmy Fletcher. Thanks to the programme, fire officer Kenisha Jeffrey and youth developer Lavorne Verdant-Desir are both pursuing Masters degrees, in the areas of Disaster Management and Resilience at Coventry University and Impact Evaluation for International Development at the University of East Anglia, respectively. --- KN
FLOW launches Christmas Campaign
n Thursday morning at the Baywalk Mall’s courtyard FLOW kicked off a three-day launch of its Christmas campaign, ‘Caring is Sharing’. In conspicuous attendance were staffers, brand ambassadors such as Wavemaker, Teddyson John and Ricky T, as well as current and potential FLOW customers. The Christmas campaign is geared toward “bringing happiness to existing customers while attracting new ones via generous acts,” explained the company’s marketing manager Terry Finisterre. At Thursday’s launch Anselm Mathurin, FLOW’s commercial manager announced: “We’re going to be doing draws starting from this week and continuing every week until the final draw in January.” To start things off with a bang, FLOW offered free handsets to the first 50 customers to purchase a $35 combo plan at the venue.
FLOW Angels pose with brand amassador Ricky T.
Everyone on the company’s network can also expect to receive free data and credit throughout the Christmas season. In keeping with the theme ‘Caring is Sharing’, the FLOW Angels also made their debut on Thursday, handing out goody-bags to everyone in the audience. Throughout the season Saint Lucians can expect to see
the ladies performing random acts of kindness and good cheer all over the island. Yesterday Hollywood HP, Ricky T, Teddyson John and Michael Robinson all lent their voices to ushering in the season alongside FLOW with performances at the Baywalk Mall courtyard. The campaign launch officially ends today at the same location.
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Students off to Taiwan for Tourism-related Training
ix Saint Lucians travelled last week to the Republic of China (Taiwan) where, for the next ten weeks, they will undergo hospitality training. The fortunate students are Nadine Khodra-Jn Baptiste, Veronica Felix, Trudy Everiste, Shervon Emmanuel, Lisa Paul and Nikkev Louis. Funded by the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF), the training, which began on November 12 and ends on January 22, 2019, will consist of approximately 397 hours of both theory and practical courses including front office, food service, housekeeping, food and beverage, and hotel management. The Saint Lucians will be joined by students from sister islands St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Before they left, the local contingent convened at the Department of External Affairs, located at the Baywalk Mall in Rodney Bay, to meet with Taiwanese Ambassador Douglas Shen and Senator Fortuna Belrose, minister of culture. “You, the participants of this programme, are indeed fortunate,” minister Belrose reminded the group, “because
Senator Fortuna Belrose (right) addressing Saint Lucian students, left to right: Nikkev Louis, Veronica Felix and Trudy Everiste, prior to their departure for Taiwan.
you’re getting the opportunity of a lifetime. Remember, you are also ambassadors for our country.” Referencing the government and people of Taiwan, she added: “They’ve made the investment, financed the programme, but you are expected to deliver the quality of person you are.” For his part, Ambassador Shen said the initiative turned a new page in Taiwan and Saint Lucia’s cooperation in human capacity-building. “I believe that when you return to Saint Lucia you will carry new ideas and new skills for
Saint Lucia’s tourism industry. We truly believe a strong, skilled workforce is key to a nation’s social and economic transformation. In order to help further develop human resources and strengthen vocational training systems in the Caribbean region, we will continue to assist our diplomatic allies to enhance the human resources.” Mrs. Nadine Khodra-Jn Baptiste, on behalf of the participants, thanked the government of Taiwan for providing a “lifetime opportunity and a chance to represent our island.”
LIAT NOW ALWAYS ON TIME!
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t might be news to many Caribbean children that the official name of the airline is LIAT (1974) Limited; that it is not an acronym for “Leave Island Any Time”. For years, LIAT has been, for some, the only air option for regional travel, regardless of how unreliable the schedule information might have been. However, LIAT is visibly vying to become worthy of a new image in the minds of Caribbean people. “Everything is in the statistics,” said Shavar Maloney, Corporate Communications Officer for LIAT, “We have acknowledged that there were issues in the past and we’ve had to step back; we’ve had to work on ourselves and fix those issues.” Some airport staff have reported a decrease in customer complaints. Maloney also reported that the company’s efforts at ensuring on-time flights have not gone unnoticed: “For several weeks we have actually ranked number one in Latin America and the Caribbean. We’ve been in the top five for the last
LIAT is leaving nothing to chance when it comes to creating a new and improved image.
few months. For September we were number two up on FlightStats and number three on OAG. And these are independent bodies.” LIAT’s revamp and introspection is constant. “We’re working on customer service, so we’ve had customer training and coaching which is ongoing. And so, a lot of people are experiencing the new LIAT,” said Maloney. “We’re continuously assessing as a commercial entity what we’re going to do and this time we’re really concentrating on ensuring we maintain our on-time
performance, and general customer service remains up to par. People are really enjoying travel throughout the Caribbean.” The improvements do not necessarily mean that the company will be looking into new routes, but Maloney assured that LIAT is always assessing for changes in old markets that had been terminated in the past. LIAT is also aiming at more company changes in 2019 and to be restructured by 2022-2023 to make it “a more viable entity”. ---Claudia Eleibox
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november 17, 2018 THE STAR
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november 17, 2018
DAREN SAMMY FOUNDATION HOSTS FUNDRAISING GALA
he Daren Sammy Foundation prepares to transport attendees of its 2nd annual Black-tie, Fundraising Gala, back in time as it hosts The Cotton Club. Slated for November 17, 2018 at the Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort, patrons will dance the night away amidst an ambience that evokes the spirit and the razzledazzle of the Roaring Twenties. The all-inclusive event will feature Saint Lucia’s top entertainment acts Teddyson John, Ezra, Arthur Allain, Sedale & Michael Robinson. Wavemaker Photography will also be on hand to capture the memories you make inside The Cotton Club. The gala will benefit the Daren Sammy Foundation’s initiatives for the upcoming school year, which include the Daren Sammy Foundation Grant that covers tuition, books, uniforms, school bags and
school shoes for successful candidates. “We feel absolutely grateful that the foundation has been able to assist such amazing, young Saint Lucians over the past few years,” remarked DSF President & Founder, Daren Sammy. “At The Cotton Club we’re going to celebrate our achievements, those we’ve made and those to come, with the people who have made it possible for us to do so.” Since its founding in 2016 the Daren Sammy Foundation has been able to award over 30 deserving students with scholarships. Tickets for The Cotton Club are limited. To purchase tickets please contact any of the following numbers: 718-6719, 724-3792 or 284-3144. Attendees are encouraged to wear garb that mimics the literary classic and iconic movie, The Great Gatsby.
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The Cotton Club is sponsored by Digicel, Chairman’s Reserve, Landmark Events, Sandals Grande St. Lucian, Radio Caribbean International, DBS Television, The Wave, Vybe Radio, Yello Media Group, Travel and Leisure Centre and Indulge St. Lucia. The Daren Sammy Foundation, a philanthropic organisation founded by the international cricketer, is on a mission to serve Saint Lucia by developing its youth through sports and education. Though the foundation cannot extend its reach to everyone, it endeavours to better Saint Lucia’s future, one child at a time, and to inspire everyone to give back to their community. The Daren Sammy Foundation would also like to thank all corporate partners who were able to ensure that the Daren Sammy Foundation was able to fulfill this mission for 2018-2019.
St. Lucia Channel Swim Nominated for WOWSA Award J
ust four months after the Inaugural St. Lucia Channel Swim event, the organisers received official word from the World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA) that they are being nominated for the 2018 WOWSA Swimming Offering of the Year Award! WOWSA was founded in 2005 by Steven Munatones, the creator of Oceans 7. As open water swimming has been growing year after year, Mr. Munatones felt there needed to be an umbrella organisation for this particular sport. As reported on its website: “WOWSA offers the open water swimming community news of its sport, promotion of its heroes, education programs for its coaches, and event support with insurance and sanctioning for its races, solo swims and relays.” There are three different categories awarded annually. According to the selectors, World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year is always an eclectic mix of products, events and services. The award is meant to identify products and services that (1) best support and assist open water swimmers achieve their goals, (2) are innovative, unique and beneficial to open water swimmers, race directors, coaches or administrators, and (3) have made the most positive impact on the world of open water swimming during the
calendar year. Steven Munatones noted in his nomination, “For creating a warm-water (25°C - 26°C) channel swim between volcanic islands with beautiful green mountains with Atlantic Ocean swells with dynamic conditions, for organizing an international event co-hosted by the Ministry of Tourism and the Department of Youth & Sports, and for establishing a swim that can become a warm water crossing that attracts top open water swimmers from around the world, the St. Lucia Channel Swim between Saint Lucia and Martinique by Sue Dyson and Nathaniel Waring is a worthy nominee for the 2018 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year.” Throughout the history of the World Open Water Swimming Offering Award, there has been an average of fifteen events or offerings nominated annually. Well, all except for 2012, the first year of this award, when there were 22 nominees. Previous nominees include Cork Distance Week, Marathon Swimmers’ Forum, Global Swim Series, and Swim Across America. This puts St. Lucia Channel Swim in great company. Out of all the nominees over the years, St. Lucia Channel Swim is the only Caribbean event to be nominated and it’s a nominee in its inaugural year!
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The organisers, Sue Dyson and Nathaniel Waring, along with the team that assisted them for 2018, are humbled and honoured. Says Ms. Dyson: “We are completely overwhelmed in receiving this nomination. With the thousands of open water events and offerings that take place on a yearly basis, your initial reaction is astonishment and almost a little disbelief. Then amazement and honour sets in! "Of course, we could not have received this nomination without the support of the entire local committee, Marine Police Unit, Emergency and Fire Services, SLASPA, Events Company Saint Lucia, Dept of Youth & Sports, Dept of Tourism, Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, Cap Maison, Captain Mike’s, St Lucia Yacht Club, the International Open Water Community, and so many more. "This nomination will allow the event and open water swimming to continue to grow in Saint Lucia. It’s an honour for all of Saint Lucia and it should be recognized as such!" This achievement alone speaks volumes to what awaits open water swimming and sports tourism in Saint Lucia. With support and development in the local community on the horizon, it can be expected that the organisers will continue to strive to draw regional and international attention to Saint Lucia’s shores.
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