Will Horses Win Allen Crosses?

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2019

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Will HORSES WIN Allen CROSSES?

St. Lucia’s Prime Minister Allen Chastanet (pictured) in Vieux Fort addressing on Wednesday an audience including Desert Star Holdings personnel and media representatives.

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

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JUSTIN TIME AGAIN

n Tuesday morning, with the Canadian election results just in, it was clear that Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party were just in by a whisker or two, losing their majority but with sufficient votes to be a Minority Government and walk a political tightrope which could as easily end up around their necks as under their feet.

During the elections many of the “dumb” things Trudeau said in his first term surfaced, including “If you kill your enemies, they win”, “The budget will balance itself” and “I don't read the newspapers, I don't watch the news. If something important happens, someone will tell me." On Tuesday there were so many things in the media about him that the line of people waiting to tell Justin Trudeau what was in the news must have stretched from Ottawa to Toronto. For example, a report by the New York Times Editorial Board started with “Justin Trudeau’s victory in Canada’s national elections on Monday followed what he called one of the ‘nastiest’ campaigns in Canadian history." That may be true, to the degree that much of the campaign was about him and some bad decisions he made, and it featured a lot of name-calling. At one point supporters of his Conservative challenger even chanted "Lock him up, lock him up." The Times referred to a ruling by a Canadian ethics commissioner that Trudeau violated federal conflict of interest rules by pressuring his former attorney general to cut a deal with SNC-Lavalin, a company facing corruption charges, and retaliating when she refused to play ball. That was the frying pan but, as the Times added, “The scandal dominated the news for months and led to several high-level resignations.

Then, when the campaign got underway in September, old photographs and a video surfaced of Mr. Trudeau in brownface and blackface.”

This was clearly not the same Justin Trudeau who had welcomed refugees and made amends to Canada’s indigenous people. But while another minstrel show or scandal might dent Justin’s image, it most likely would not destroy his political career. As

he said, “I won the birth lottery,” and expanded the statement: “I've always known that it's sometimes an advantage to be a Trudeau."

This, more than anything else, explains Justin Trudeau’s rise to power and why the only fall he now faces is the crisp, clear and extremely beautiful Ottawa autumn. Time Magazine captured the dawn of this era: “Justin was not yet out of diapers when Nixon foresaw that he’d one day be Prime Minister himself. During a state visit to Canada in 1972, Nixon raised a toast to the four-month-old son of Canada’s Prime Minister, reported the CBC. ‘Tonight we’ll dispense with the formalities. I’d like to toast the future Prime Minister of Canada: to Justin Pierre Trudeau,’ Nixon said, raising a glass at a state visit gala in Ottawa.” I was a student in Ottawa when this took place but I had seen for myself, a year earlier, what it meant to be not just a Trudeau, but Pierre himself, and the charisma that made him what magazine editor and journalist Peter Brimelow described: " . . . a great man, perhaps the greatest Canada has produced in this century.” Poet Irving Layton put it differently: “In Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Canada has at last produced a political leader worthy of assassination."

Fortunately, in Pierre’s case, it was character assassination and that was like water off the back of one of the ducks in the Ottawa Valley.

I was working in the Whitehall Office of Prime Minister Dr. Eric Williams, in Trinidad, when Pierre Trudeau, erudite, handsome, flamboyant and charismatic Prime Minister of Canada, took time off from his honeymoon in Tobago to pay a courtesy call. Mr. Trudeau jumped out of the car without waiting for the security guard to open the door and literally ran up the stairs in his goldcoloured shorts or “hot pants”.

As he left, Trudeau looked longingly at the polished mahogany handrails of the wooden staircase at Whitehall.

Later, when I went to study journalism in Ottawa where Trudeau and parliament were our beat, I realised that he might have been itching, hot pants and all, to slide down the banister. As CNEWS reported on

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OCTOBER 26, 2019 THE STAR

Saint Lucia Business Incubator and Accelerator Name & Logo Competition

mpowering and enabling home-grown businesses is a key part of Invest Saint Lucia’s (ISL) Strategic Objectives. To that end, ISL has already conducted a number Trudeau’s death, “He did back of entrepreneurial activities flips in swimming pools, wore towards the establishment sandals in Parliament, dated of a Business Incubator and glamourous celebrities.” When Accelerator Programme with the his second son, Michel, died in intention of creating economic an avalanche in 1998, Trudeau opportunities and wealth for aged overnight. As CNEWS citizens; stimulating economic said, “It was not the man that Canadians were used to seeing, development and diversification, including increasing exports; the one who would pirouette behind the Queen, slide down a and strengthening the business bannister, or give protestors the ecosystem to boost the creation of firms as well as to improve finger.”

SME growth.

Despite Justin’s slide in

This initiative will also this election, he is still the son improve the ability of SMEs to of the man referred to as “the access finance by improving greatest pop star this country SME finance readiness and ever produced”. I watched awareness of channels to Mr. Trudeau perform in finance; fostering innovative and parliament and on television entrepreneurial thinking and and, like most other students, supporting the emergence of a loved his quick humour: National Innovation System and “Some things I never learned fostering collaboration amongst to like. I didn't like to kiss government, quasi-government babies, though I didn't mind and non-profit agencies who kissing their mothers." What I remember best is his statement, already work with start-up and existing entrepreneurs.

“A country, after all, is not

For many Saint Lucian something you build as the pharaohs built the pyramids, and then leave standing there to defy eternity. A country is ith Jounen Kwéyòl something that is built every Entennassyonal day out of certain basic shared (International Creole values.” We in the region have seen other similar father to son Day) quickly approaching, the Msgr. Patrick Anthony Folk handovers: the Adams family Research Centre (FRC) has (Grantley to Tom), the Manley magic (Norman to Michael) and launched #MadrasMondays, a campaign that places the the Birds of Antigua (Vere to spotlight on the fashion element Lester). Justin’s time is not yet as tempestuous as Michael’s, as of our Creole heritage.

The brainchild of FRC’s tough as Tom’s or as tarnished as Lester’s. The New York Times Executive Director, Louise Victor, Madras Mondays seek to bolster ends its article with, “Let us the appreciation of our national hope that Mr. Trudeau returns wear and its various elements, to office chastened and wiser.” by focusing on its significance Justin might but Pierre never did. As Pierre Trudeau made clear, “A man who tries to please all men by weakening ank of Saint Lucia has his position or compromising continued its commitment his beliefs, in the end has to Creole Heritage Month neither position nor beliefs. A man must say what he believes in Saint Lucia by once again making a major contribution to clearly, without dogma, and the Monsignor Patrick Anthony without guile.”

Folk Research Centre. Over Tony Deyal was last seen the past decade, the Bank has recounting what Pierre supported the efforts of the Trudeau told a young protestor Centre by way of a financial who threw wheat at him: contribution towards the “If you want to see me again, planning and execution of don't bring signs saying activities during the month of ‘Trudeau is a pig’ and don't October.

This year the Folk bring signs that he hustles Research Centre hosted a series women, because I won't talk of events, one of which was a to you. I didn't get into politics to be insulted. And don't throw Festival of Children’s Games, wheat at me either. If you don't Fèsten Jwé Manmay, which was stop that, I'll kick you right in held in the vibrant community of the ass.” Micoud on Sunday, October 20,

entrepreneurs, it will be their first experience with business incubation and acceleration.

What it entails is still unknown to most and therefore it is worthwhile raising awareness so that new participants have the right expectations when they enter the programme.

Business incubation is a process of nurturing a business concept till it manifests as a start-up company. This is done through a comprehensive business support programme geared to ensure the startup is a success from day one of operation. A business incubator designates a specific time, space and facility to accommodate this process.

Many entrepreneurs who go it alone, often find the early stages of their start-up to be a slow and arduous process.

Business incubators are designed to rapidly overcome these hurdles and bring about growth through education, mentorship and financing. The focus is on market validation, customer development, product market fit, development of a Minimal Viable Product,

business model validation and pitching, generally for finance.

Accelerators, on the other hand, are like a supplemental dose of intense, rapid and immersive education aimed at rapidly advancing the life cycle of young, innovative companies, compressing years’ worth of learning-by-doing into just a few months (3-6 months). They are perfect for start-ups that have moved beyond the earliest stages of getting established and can stand on their own two feet but need supervision and peer support to gain strength.

If you own a start-up in Saint Lucia, the business incubator and accelerator entrepreneurship hub can help with business support services that include mentorship, accounting, legal support, HR advice, business management, business planning and IT support.

Invest Saint Lucia invites all local entrepreneurs to like and subscribe to its Facebook page to keep abreast of new opportunities to participate in its next cycle of Business Incubation and Acceleration Programmes.

See advert on page 18.

FRC LAUNCHES MADRAS MONDAYS!

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and how we can further express our pride for our heritage through fashion year-round.

“When we take a peek into our history and we see how our ancestors used clothing as a way of reclaiming their humanity, and as an expression of style and cultural identity, the radical significance of our traditional fashion cannot be understated,” said Victor.

Madras Mondays launched with a styling session hosted

by Fendi Plummer, a Saint Lucian-born Creative Director of

Fendi P Styles, who resides in Canada.

#MadrasMonday is a year-long, digital campaign that encourages the general public to don their best Madras pieces in celebration of International Creole Day on Monday, October 28, 2019. A prize sponsored by Meme Bete will be awarded to the fan with the most-liked photo on Instagram, wearing Madras with the hashtag #MadrasMonday. Visit the FRC’s official social media accounts for more information.

BANK OF SAINT LUCIA BACKS “FÈSTEN JWÉ MANMAY”

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2019.

Adults and children from the community and across the island participated in a number of traditional games like topie, tikitok, wawa, zi, woulelaba and mab ek pli. Central to this family-oriented activity is the sharing of knowledge of cultural traditions between the older and younger generations.

This is in keeping with the mandate of preserving and promoting our rich cultural heritage.

Executive Director of the Monsignor Patrick Anthony Folk Research Centre, Louise Victor, stated: “The Centre is sincerely grateful to Bank of Saint Lucia for its continued

investment in the development of Saint Lucia’s creole culture.

The support of the institution to the Folk Research Centre over the last decade speaks volumes of its reverence for the work of the institution and we look forward to many more years of collaboration.”

As a leading local financial institution, Bank of Saint Lucia continues to be deeply rooted in the preservation of Saint Lucian heritage. The Bank recognizes its role as a patron of the arts and culture of Saint Lucia and will continue to be a major supporter of events and activities such as these which promote our island’s traditions.

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OCTOBER 26, 2019

Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean and Saint Lucia Government Sign MOU

he Government of Saint Lucia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Cruises to form a joint venture to manage the existing cruise pier and terminal facilities in Saint Lucia, and to design, construct and operate a new cruise port in the south of the island.

The MOU was signed during a ceremony on October 21 in San Juan, Puerto Rico at the FCCA Cruise Conference.

The ceremony included David Candib, Vice President, Development & Operations, Carnival Corporation; Marie McKenzie, Vice President, Global Ports & Caribbean Government Relations, Carnival Corporation; Micky Arison, Chairman, Carnival Corporation; Arnold Donald, CEO, Carnival Corporation; Hon. Allen Chastanet, Prime Minister, Saint Lucia; Adam Goldstein, Vice Chairman, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.; Hon. Dominic Fedee, Minister of Tourism, Saint Lucia; Miguel Reyna, Associate

Vice President, Commercial Development, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.; Russell Benford, Vice President, Government Relations, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

As part of the MOU, Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean and the Government of Saint Lucia will establish a long-term concession agreement to formalize the terms and responsibilities for the joint venture to manage and operate the current cruise pier and terminal facilities at the Port of Castries.

Additionally, the joint venture will design, finance, construct and operate a new cruise port in Vieux Fort that will be able to accommodate the latest and most innovative ships in the cruise industry, according to a press release.

Prime Minister of Saint Lucia Honorable Allen Chastanet has called the signing of the MOU “historic” and “a major step towards enhancing Saint Lucia's tourism product”.

“Saint Lucia has had record-breaking cruise arrivals

Prime Minister Honourable Allen Chastanet (centre) signs MOU on behalf of Saint Lucia with major cruise lines represented by Carnival Corporation's VP of Development and Operations David Candib (left) and Royal Caribbean's Associate VP (Commercial Development) Miguel Reyna (right).

over the past few years and we thank our partners Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean for their continued confidence in our amazing destination,” said Prime Minister Chastanet. “It is essential that we continue to diversify what we have to offer, grow our brand and ensure that different sectors in our island's economy benefit from the growth in cruise tourism and that Saint Lucians can

benefit from the opportunities which arise from the increased numbers; which means we have to improve our capacity.

This signing is historic, as this project will have a major impact on the sustainability of the cruise sector and the reach of cruise tourism to the south of the island. This will also mean employment at several phases of the project, the expansion of existing businesses and the formation

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of new enterprises. We look forward to this partnership as this marks a new day and a significant achievement for our government, for the people of the south of Saint Lucia and for our island as a whole.”

“This is an exciting day for our guests who already love the beauty and deep culture of Saint Lucia, and an important step in sustaining cruise tourism growth for the island,” said Giora Israel, Senior Vice

President of Global Port and Destination Development for Carnival Corporation. “We look forward to working closely with our JV partners to give cruise passengers great experiences when visiting the island.

With the new development project, Saint Lucia will be very well-positioned for jobs and significant economic impact for years to come.”

“The cruise market is the fastest growing sector of tourism and in the next decade cruising in the Caribbean region is anticipated to increase by 40 per cent,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean. “We are excited to partner with the Government of Saint Lucia to ensure that the destination directly benefits from that growth, while giving more guests the opportunity to visit this unique gem in the Caribbean.”

Together, the cruise line brands of Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Cruises currently account for 75 per cent of all cruise ship deployment to Saint Lucia.

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OCTOBER 26, 2019 THE STAR

Chastanet: No St. Lucian project has ever started with wall to wall support!

Joshua St. Aimee

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lthough there were no thoroughbreds bolting from the starting gate in Vieux Fort on Wednesday morning, the newly built racetrack was nonetheless buzzing with activity.

Government officials, representatives of Desert Star Holdings (DSH), the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club and press personnel were gathered in a conference room at the facility for the official launch of Saint Lucia’s horseracing industry. The track forms part of the larger Pearl of the Caribbean project by DSH. December 13 has been earmarked as the Caribbean Equine Cultural Festival (CECF) Race Day, during which there will be five races, including the marquee event: the US$150,000 Pitons Cup.

Vice President of DSH and Director of the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club, Eden Harrington, anticipates this industry will impact Saint Lucia significantly.

He says that December 13, National Day, will see the first stage of the “nation building” Pearl of the Caribbean project. “Over the ensuing months and years,” said Harrington, “this locale will become a jewel for Saint Lucia and its beating heart will be the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club, a centre for entertainment and a club with a clear community focus.”

Harrington told the gathering the project has been underway over the last five years. While horse

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racing is in the infancy stage in Saint Lucia, he acknowledged, the involvement of all Saint Lucians is important. He estimated that more than 200 Saint Lucians will be employed on the race day, predominantly from the island’s south. Hospitality, event management, betting tellers, security, catering and grooms are some of the areas of employment. An estimated US$40 million has been invested in the project thus far—by DSH.

Last Saturday, forty horses arrived at Hewanorra International Airport to participate in the four undercard races. Not since Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem on a donkey has the appearance of an equine caused more commotion. Reacting to rumours that they footed a bill of millions of dollars to purchase, train and ship the animals to the country, the government stated on Monday that this was not the case. The opposition Saint Lucia Labour Party was not satisfied and issued on Wednesday a press release calling for the government to make public the final DSH agreement.

Eden Harrington corroborated the government’s earlier statements: “These horses have been sourced out of the United States. They’ve been purchased by the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club, exclusively. We’ve had them in training for a year at our expense.

We’ve flown them into Saint Lucia with the world’s best carrier, International Racehorse Transportation.”

Looking ahead, he welcomed the public to the inaugural race day. “We thank you for your interest and for your support, and we wish to share with you that we are working tirelessly to deliver an experience on National Day that will make this nation proud.”

Prime Minster Allen Chastanet described the horseracing track as the catalyst and

DSH Chairman Teo Ah Khing (left) and Prime Minister Allen Chastanet: Three years after the signing of a framework agreement, the first phase of the Pearl of the Caribbean is about to take off.

the star attraction of the Pearl of the Caribbean project.

Everybody around the star, he said, will benefit. (He probably was not referring particularly to the opposition party’s symbol.) He spoke of real estate opportunities, and making Saint Lucia more attractive as a destination. “Horse racing has the tag-line ‘the sport of kings’ and so it’s some of the wealthiest people in the world that are attracted and are investing in the horse industry,” he said. Chastanet expressed confidence that combining

DSH’s talent and track record with the beauty of Saint Lucia will “differentiate the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club from everybody else”.

Nevertheless, the project does have ramifications for two other facilities in the area: the Beausejour Agricultural Complex and the abattoir, which fall into the Equine Disease-Free Zone. Chastanet stated that both facilities will be rebuilt in different areas.

He also emphasized that a final agreement between the government and DSH still has

not been reached; what the entities have is a “work in progress”.

The prime minister is hopeful that Saint Lucians will rally around the project and assured that government is going through the proper due diligence.

“I think that on December 13, when people see the international attraction that this is going to be, they will start buying more and more into it.

There’s never been a project in Saint Lucia that had 100% buyin from day one,” he declared.

New Funding Opportunities for Disability Projects discussed at ECLAC

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rganisations working with persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the Caribbean have a better chance to access funds for disability-related projects, following a training workshop conducted by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) sub-regional headquarters for the Caribbean.

The workshop, which was held on October 23, 2019 at ECLAC Caribbean headquarters in Port of Spain, brought together universal service funds (USFs) administrators and organisations working with PWDs across Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.

In the Caribbean there are approximately 1.3 million persons with

a disability of some kind and around 250,000 persons with a significant disability.

PWDs face a range of physical, social, attitudinal and institutional barriers that prevent their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. As a result, they experience less favourable outcomes in health, education, employment and housing.

A recent ECLAC study, entitled ‘Using Universal Service Funds to increase access to technology for Persons with Disabilities in the Caribbean’, identified several challenges to increasing the effectiveness

of USFs in the Caribbean, as well as utilizing them better, to increase access to technology forPWDs. One of these challenges is identifying sufficient projects that target PWDs and their special access needs.

In keeping with the findings of the ECLAC study, the training demonstrated the latest ICTs available for PWDs and the opportunities they create for people with different types of disabilities, and sought to increase the capacity of organisations working with PWDs to draft project proposals for funding.

The workshop also

provided guidance to USFs administrators on how to establish a disability focal point; explained the qualifications, scope of work and targets of the focal point; and detailed the support necessary to ensure the success of this initiative.

The activity aimed to support Caribbean governments in advancing the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in its ambition to leave no one behind.

It also promoted implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

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OCTOBER 26, 2019

Mary Francis Cries Out for Justice on Behalf of Teenage Police Casualty!

s the end of October draws nearer, Joanna Joseph, the mother of 17-year-old Arnold Joseph who was fatality shot by police on May 22, leaves the island to return to work.

Police said Arnold was one of three passengers aboard a “suspicious vehicle” that failed to stop when ordered to.

Speaking to the STAR earlier this month, Arnold’s mother said it made no sense sticking around when the authorities refuse to entertain her concerns.

Attorney-at-law and co-ordinator of the National Centre for Legal Aid and Human Rights Inc, Mary Francis, says it is unfortunate that nearly five months after Arnold’s death, no one has been held accountable.

Echoing earlier sentiments

by Arnold’s mother, Francis speculated that if it were a citizen who had killed a police officer, the matter would have been treated differently.

Francis says the state should set the example, considering one of their own fired the fatal shot. She believes that the authorities are deliberately dragging their feet.

“This is not right,” said Francis. “The duty of the state is to protect the rights of citizens.

When it is the police that are suspected of wrong-doing, they should be seen as going out of their way to resolve the matter in a credible manner. They are there to protect life and property. They are not above the

Human rights advocate Mary Francis is expressing grave concerns over the handling of Arnold Joseph’s death.

law.”

Francis says that Arnold’s untimely death further highlights the need for independent investigations into fatal police shootings and other incidents involving police officers. She pointed to the different police versions of the incident. Initially, the police claimed a 9mm firearm was “recovered from the individuals” but later said it had been found “en route” by a team of officers.

To date, however, there have been no firearm-related police charges. It bothers Francis that the officers involved in the chase that ended with Arnold’s

death remain on duty, “as if nothing unusual had happened.”

There has not been an inquest.

“So,” she said, “we can see they’re trying to hide or they’re trying to avoid responsibility for what took place. And that has been a historical thing. They do what they do, excuses are offered, and then time goes by and the matter is forgotten.”

Additionally: “While we’re talking about forty years of Independence, monuments and so forth, these important aspects of life in Saint Lucia suggest we have not moved very far after all.”

---JSA

MAYOR EXCITED ABOUT DEVELOPMENTAL PROSPECTS FOR CASTRIES

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is Worship, Mayor Peterson D. Francis is excited about the developmental prospects for Castries as well as the changes coming to the city.

This, after an MOU was signed which will see Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean and the Government of Saint Lucia establishing a longterm concession agreement to formalize the terms and responsibilities for a joint venture to manage and operate the current cruise pier and terminal facilities at the Port of Castries.

The MOU was signed

during a ceremony on October 21, 2019 in San Juan, Puerto Rico at the FCCA Cruise Conference.

Speaking about the ground-breaking achievement

by Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, Mayor Francis says this development highlights the commitment of the Government to the visitors and residents of Castries and people of Saint Lucia.

“This is great for the city,” said Mayor Francis. “It is a very exciting time for us, and both residents of Castries and citizens of Saint Lucia should be excited as well.

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“This development will be a wonderful complement to the Castries Vision 2030 which will see a complete transformation of the city of Castries. Currently, the first phase of the Market Redevelopment Project, which is part of the vision plan, is nearing completion.

The many other enhancement projects in the pipeline will include a sidewalk rehabilitation project, the upgrading of George V Park and the Derek Walcott Square, and the pedestrianization of the William Peter Boulevard, to name a few.”

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A Broader Horizon for Black Bay Farmers A

griculture continues to be an important livelihood in rural communities in Saint Lucia.

For this reason, during the past year Export Saint Lucia has been placing enormous focus on the sector to improve rural livelihoods and the economy. In that regard, Export Saint Lucia has taken an interest in the Black Bay Farmers’ Co-operative and recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the organisation to help build capacity.

CEO of Export Saint Lucia, Ms. Sunita Daniel has emphasized that it is an opportunity to broaden horizons for the farmers, and Saint Lucia, by extension.

Ms. Daniel said, “We know that there is a tremendous amount of agricultural production in the country and when we go out into external

markets, we see that there is an increase in demand for various agricultural produce. So what we’re going to do is really focus on sharing that information, help in building the capacity of the Black Bay farmers, so they could reach these export markets, which will give them a way of improving rural livelihoods, and increasing their income.”

President of the Black Bay Farmers’ Co-operative, Mr. Earlike Sadoo, said that the partnership would give farmers a much-needed sense of security. He added, “It’s a step forward for Black Bay farmers.

Right now, if everything goes according to plan the Black Bay farmers would be able to export agricultural produce.

What this does for the farmers is give them a sense of reassurance. Knowing that there is a market out there, they can increase production without any reservation.”

General Manager of the Laborie Co-operative Credit Union, Mr. Lucius Ellevic said, “The move is a welcome one and it is in keeping with building a strong community economy.

We think that if Export Saint Lucia can have Black Bay farmers to be export ready and also give them the avenue to access these external markets, that would cause a greater amount of production and much more returns for our farmers.”

There was a firm belief among the parties present at the MOU signing that with Export Saint Lucia identifying external markets for farmers, more individuals will be encouraged to become involved in the agricultural sector, hence helping to curb the unemployment rate and driving economic activity.

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Recording and management of daily sales; Provides friendly, efficient service to all customers as the example to other team members; Able to train other team members, write work schedules, communicate procedures, policies and other information, and complete complex tasks; Promptly responds to and resolves customer issues in an effective manner that is consistent with our company policy; Performs all tasks and provides services in conformance with policies, procedures, work instructions, training, codes of conduct, recognized best practices, safety laws and regulations; Ensures that all daily duties are completed by team members and their respective positions; Assign support staff to duties Resolve problems that arise, such as customer complaints and supply shortages

• Supervise and co-ordinate activities of workers • Organise and maintain inventory Work Conditions and Physical Capabilities o Fast-paced environment o Ability to work under pressure o Attention to detail o Ability to Supervise 15-20 people Personal Suitability o Flexibility; Must be available to work

evenings and/or weekends o Customer Service Oriented o Reliable o Organised o Motivated individual (s) Qualification Required & Experience • CXC Passing Grades (specifically in English A/Mathematics) combination of education, training or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities with an emphasis on customer and people’s management.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS • Experience working in a fuel station and/or retail/ grocery setting HOW TO APPLY FOR THE JOB Submit completed applications for employment, resumes and cover letters to this email to: cmis.recruitment@gmail.com Closing Date: 31 October, 2019

06 local

A

OCTOBER 26, 2019 THE STAR

www.stluciastar.com

Director cites Absenteeism among the Problems of Bordelais

shortage of officers has been blamed for the recent assault of a female inmate by three males at the Bordelais Correctional Facility. BCF director Hilary Herman made the disclosure in an interview with the STAR on Tuesday. On evening shifts, Herman indicated, there are normally nine officers present to take responsibility for the nine units of the facility. On the night of the incident, five officers were on duty, according to Herman. He recalled that officers weren’t stationed at any one place; instead they patrolled the facility. There ought to have been an officer near the young female at all times but that was not the case on the night in question.

Last week the victim’s mother revealed her daughter told her she had been raped.

Medical results have not been released.

Herman also said officers that were expected at work failed to show up. It remains unclear what action, if any, will

Herman said. Placing her at the female unit that houses sentenced and remanded adult females would not be appropriate; the inmate at the centre of the incident is not yet an adult.

Meanwhile, police confirmed on Tuesday that the

stated: “What I can say is that a report was referred to us on October 14 in relation to that incident. Due to the nature of the report, the investigation, I can say, is of a sexual nature and that is all that I can say due to the nature of the report.”

---Joshua St. Aimee

Paul Bruce not the First Security Officer Killed on the Job!

T BCF director Hilary Herman stated that officers who were supposed to be on duty on the night of the alleged rape incident failed to show up.

be taken against them. Said the director: “I have to look at the individuals who weren’t there to see why they were absent, did they call in sick, and so on.”

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matter is “under investigation”, as are scores of other crime incidents, not least of all the police shooting of 17-year-old Arnold Joseph, and the case of Kimberly De Leon, who was shot in her home last October.

Addressing reporters at a press briefing, CPL Ann Joseph

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He expects to have answers to the many pending questions by early next week.

Herman is no newcomer to Bordelais. He served there 2003-2008 and 2009-2015.

In all that time, he says, staff shortage had been a constant problem, as is absenteeism.

He lamented: “As the director of corrections, I don’t have disciplinary authority. All disciplinary matters go to the Public Service Commission and it takes forever before matters are processed.”

Meanwhile the female inmate continues to be held in the same cell but is more closely monitored, by official account. She’d be worse off placed in any other location,

he impact of the tragic October 18, 2019 shooting death of Guardsman security officer Paul Bruce at a Balata gas station still reverberated on the airwaves of talkradio earlier this week. This is what Police Commissioner Severin Monchery said on the matter during a radio interview: “When I look at that incident in Balata, I say it is very concerning to me. Let me say one thing, an attack on a security officer is, to me, an attack on law enforcement on the whole. That is something we need to look at seriously.”

The late Bruce’s employers, Guardsman Group, in a press release this week commended the police commissioner “for his bold statement on the matter. It provided a great deal of encouragement and comfort to my men out on the field.”

Guardsman Group’s managing director Vinay Walia explained that the company is working closely with the police to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The fatal shooting of Bruce, a Jamaican, brought to mind the shooting death of another security guard last September. Hardy John was shot and killed early one Thursday morning in Marchand while on duty.

The 39-year-old’s killer is still at large. The MP for Castries East, Philip J Pierre, referenced John’s death in a newspaper interview last year: “I knew him very well. He was passionate about

Paul Bruce’s tragic death reminds of Hardy John (pictured), killed last year. Hopefully the former will not be forgotten by authorities, as John appears to have been.

his family. He was passionate about his children.The key issue is gun violence and, unless we stop looking for excuses and deal with it in a forceful manner, we’ll not solve it.”

It is unclear whether by “forceful manner” Pierre suggested fighting fire with fire!

---DN

MILLET PRIMARY SCHOOLERS WELCOME NEW LEARNING TOOLS AND BRIGHTER ENVIRONMENT

T

he learning environment at the Millet Primary School has received a facelift and learning tools which have been touted as “timely” and “guaranteed to enrich the learning experience” by Teacher Pearl Regis. The full makeover, compliments CIBC FirstCaribbean under its flagship community initiative - Adopt-A-Cause, includes the construction and painting five lunch tables, painted educational and positive affirmations on the playground and the receipt of eight

Samsung tablets to enhance the teaching of Social Studies.

The donation of the tablets falls under the “Augtual Reality” Project being developed via the OECS to bring countries national symbols to life.

The aim of the project is to promote feelings of engagement, connection and to contribute to a positive learning environment explained CIBC FirstCaribbean Country Manager, Ladesa JamesWilliams. “The learning environment plays a big role in the extent to which children

engage and participate.

The burden of stimulating children’s minds and imaginations starts with their surroundings and is aided by the tools and teaching aids at their disposal”, Mrs. Williams remarked, adding that a better environment and tools also “supports the considerable efforts of teachers.” Teacher Pearl Regis echoed these sentiments, adding that “this transformation will go a long way in assisting our students and helping them perform even better”.

The Millet Primary School project is being completed over the course of two weekends from Saturday October 19th to Saturday October 26th, by a team of thirty team members of CIBC FirstCaribbean as the bank’s 2019 Adopt-A-Cause community undertaking. It brings the number of school enhancement projects under Adopt-A-Cause to eleven to date.

Adopt-A-Cause projects are researched, selected and undertaken entirely by the employees of the bank.

THE STAR

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Police Good News Overwhelmned by Unresolved Incidents involving Their Own

olice Commissioner Severin Monchery opened his interview on Newsspin earlier this week on a high note: “I must say that over the past few weeks the police have been doing a very great job. I must commend them because they’ve taken quite a few guns off the streets.”

The police have made several arrests, most of them gun-related. To list the most recent: Noah Alex Valcin (25) and Scion Gills (26) were both charged with causing the death of Shalomn Cyril, and for the attempted murder of Sheldon Lucien earlier this month. On October 18, Jalix Howell (18) was arrested and charged with causing the death of Burke Baptiste (28), while Earnie Charles (43), Kervin Hutchinson (42), and Sherquille Rosemain (26), were arrested and charged with the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The fugitive Stanley ‘Coco

by a coroner’s court to be unlawful.

Next Tuesday, October 29, will be the first anniversary of Kimberly de Leon’s death, a case still shrouded in mystery and controversy—with accusatory fingers pointed in the direction of the police.

Kimberly was the wife of a ranking police offer. She was shot in the head as she prepared for bed. Her two children were at home at the time; her husband was not. All the police will say now about the case is that “the files are with the DPP’s office”.

Then there is 17-year old Arnold Joseph, fatally shot by police earlier this year in circumstances most unclear.

Meanwhile, according to the police there are some 500 unresolved criminal cases on their books, most of them homicides!

CCJ Promises Early Ruling on Caricom Advisory Opinion Commissioner Severin Monchery spoke highly of his police force this week, but the shadow of police shootings still looms large.

Boy’ Marshall was returned to Bordelais Thursday afternoon after several weeks on the run.

But while these arrests are commendable, the respective anniversaries of the deaths

of two individuals is what concerns the public. Last Wednesday marked the sixth anniversary of Chakadan Daniel’s death at the hands of the police—a death determined

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T

he Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) said it will give an opinion “within a reasonable time” as it concluded hearing arguments in the request for an advisory opinion by the Caribbean Community (Caricom) that could have implications for the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) that allows for the free movement of goods, skills, labour and services across the region.

The CCJ, which was established in 2003 to replace the London-based Privy Council as the region’s final court for some states, also acts as an international tribunal interpreting the treaty that governs the 15-member regional integration grouping.

It had, over two days, heard arguments from attorneys representing Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, St Kitts-Nevis and the Caricom Secretariat as well as law lecturers of The University of the West Indies (UWI).

The request by Caricom for the advisory opinion is pursuant to Article 212 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC) which states: “The Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction to deliver advisory opinions concerning the interpretation and application of the treaty; that advisory opinions shall be delivered only at the request of member states parties to a dispute or the community.”

In thanking the lawyers for their presentation, CCJ President Justice Adrian Saunders said, “We are going to consider all of them, of course, and I won’t be able to give you a time now when we will give the decision, but I could tell you

it will be given in a reasonable time.”

At the centre of the request for the opinion from the CCJ is the decision taken

by Caricom leaders at the 18th special meeting where they had agreed to extend the category of skilled nationals pursuant to Article 46 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas to include agricultural workers and security guards.

Antigua and Barbuda, as well as St Kitts-Nevis, were granted “an opt out” of obligations from the decisions of the conference to extend the category.

Dr Corita Babb-Schaefer, who is the lead attorney for the Guyana-based Caricom Secretariat, had indicated that the principle of non-reciprocity would not enable nationals of those member states “that opt out of a decision under Article 27 (4) to nevertheless derive the benefits of the decision as the effect of a knockout is to suspend the operation of Articles 7, 8 and 9 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas”.

Earlier, during the proceedings, the St Kitts-Nevis solicitor general Simone Bullen Thompson said that the RTC recognises that “all states are not on equal footing” and that the lesser developed countries are entering the CSME at a disadvantage by reason of structure, size and vulnerability of the economies.

“Certain matters that have contributed to their vulnerabilities have not changed, size of country has not changed, those things remain the same. We still remain vulnerable to shocks

and all those issues that will necessarily affect a small territory.”

She said while many territories had made “significant strides, those issues still remain”.

The solicitor general said one of the areas in which there was some departure from some of the submissions before the CCJ was on the issue of whether free movement was a fundamental objective of the RTC.

“In this regard, we respectfully submit that the objectives of the treaty are the objectives that are outlined in Article 6. Our respectful submission is that free movement, though identified in the Shanique Myrie case as a fundamental principle, is not in itself an objective of the treaty.

“Based on the Shanique Myrie case we indicated that it was a fundamental community goal and referred to as a fundamental principle.

So we respectfully submit, in relation to the principle of free movement, that it is a critical goal and critical principle that is necessary to the attainment of the objectives of the treaty.”

On March 14, 2011 Jamaican Myrie was denied entry into Barbados and, in its ruling, the CCJ said Barbados had breached her right to enter the island. The court ordered Barbados to compensate Myrie in pecuniary damages in the sum of BDS$2,240 and nonpecuniary damages to the tune of BDS$75,000. It also ordered Barbados to pay her reasonable costs.

---Jamaica Observer

THE STAR

OCTOBER 26, 2019

www.stluciastar.com

09

10 LOCAL

Mayor says Litterbugs among City’s more pressing Problems

CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK EXPRESSION OF INTEREST EXTERNAL AUDITING SERVICES The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) wishes to engage a firm of external auditors for the financial years 2020 through 2024.

The external auditors will be required, inter alia, to audit the financial statements for the five financial years ending December 31, 2020 through 2024 in accordance with International Standards on Auditing and issue an audit opinion on financial statements prepared in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards, for the Bank and its pension-related funds and on special purpose financial statements of the other funds under the Bank’s administration. The external auditors will also be required to support the Bank’s various note and/or bond offerings in the capital markets worldwide during the period July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025.

Consideration will be limited to firms or joint ventures of firms which are legally incorporated or otherwise organised in an eligible country, have their principal place of business in an eligible country and are more than 50% beneficially owned by a citizen(s) and/or a bona fide resident(s) of an eligible country or countries or by a body or bodies corporate meeting these requirements. In all cases, the firm(s) should have no arrangement and undertakes not to make any arrangement whereby any substantial part of the net profits or other tangible benefits of the contract will accrue or be paid to a person or persons not a citizen(s) or bona fide resident(s) of an eligible country.

For the purposes of this engagement, eligible countries are CDB Member Countries.

CDB hereby invites qualified firms who are interested in undertaking these services, to submit information in the questionnaire mentioned below and in addition must provide information to satisfy the following requirements: (a)

be an accounting firm which has been operating for a minimum of ten years; have an international operating infrastructure; operate under common standards and policies worldwide and have formal continuing education programmes;

(b)

furnish the Bank with a general background of the firm including description of ownership and structure encompassing its national and international operations;

(c)

have the ability to conduct audits under International Standards on Auditing and issue audit opinions on financial statements prepared in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards;

(d)

have the ability to service the auditing and related needs of the Bank and provide professional support in connection with note and/or bond issuances in capital markets worldwide; and

(e)

be experienced in auditing multilateral banks and/or international commercial banks.

Accounting firms are required to submit a completed copy of a questionnaire and required information to The Head - Internal Audit, CDB via the e-mail address provided below. Copies of the questionnaire are available on the CDB website https://www. caribank.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/Questionnaire%20 Request%20for%20Expressions%20of%20Interest%20 Questionnaire.pdf After evaluation of the information submitted, a shortlist of not less than three (3) and not more than six (6) firms will be selected and invited to submit proposals for the provision of the services.

The terms of reference for the services will be made available to the shortlisted firms.

The approximate date for commencement of the services is expected to be July 1, 2020. CDB shall not be bound to assign any reason for not shortlisting any applicant and shall not be responsible for any costs incurred by applicants.

Eligible countries are CDB Member Countries.

All submissions are to be in English and must be received by the Head – Internal Audit via email at internalaudit@caribank.org

by November 25, 2019.

October 26, 2019 THE STAR

www.stluciastar.com

L

ast Thursday the issue of flooding in Castries city reared its ugly head yet again as the island experienced heavy rains. Jason Hullingseed, communications manager in the office of the mayor, admits that while headway has been made in tackling the problem, there is still much work to be done.

“We do have issues with the engineering aspect of things,” said Hullingseed. “This is why, just a few days ago, Mayor Peterson Francis, myself, and our CEO Wilfred Pierre met with the Cuban Ambassador Jorge Francisco Soberon to see how Cuba can assist us with an engineer to help mitigate those situations of flooding within the city.”

He described the discussions as preliminary and said further talks will be held.

Another factor that creates a major headache for Castries City Council (CCC) is the Saint Lucian pastime known as littering. The communications manager says that while city police officers do their best to make litterbugs accountable, more co-operation from the public is needed. This problem, unlike engineering, only requires citizens to take care of their surroundings. He encourages the public to make

use of the many bins available throughout the city to dispose of waste.

Hullingseed advised that CCC had been working hard desilting drains around the city on a regular basis.“There was a time when the slightest rainfall caused floods in the city, but now, it takes a lot of rain for that to occur,” he said.

“I think there’s still a lot of work that has to be done, however."

The Styrofoam and Plastic Food Service Containers (Prohibition) Bill was passed by government in June and bans the importation, manufacturing, sale, use and distribution of Styrofoam and plastic food service containers in a phased approach.

Hullingseed says that has had positive effect.

Also, CCC has its own programme, the Plastic Collection Project under which individuals can be paid $5 for every bag of plastic and Styrofoam waste. Visit CCC’s office to collect the needed bags and return them when filled.

To tackle the issue of littering, Hullingseed says that enforcement and education work hand-in-hand. Per the Litter Act: a $500 fine or six months imprisonment is the penalty for littering a public place.”

T

S

aint Lucia became the third country of the Caribbean to implement the HEARTS initiative to improve prevention and control of hypertension, one of the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes, the principal causes of death in the Caribbean.

HEARTS, promoted by the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), together with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the initiative Resolve to Save Lives and other partners, is an opportunity to improve the cardiovascular health of the population of Saint Lucia.

Cardiovascular diseases have been the main causes of disease and death in Saint Lucia for a decade, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. In 201, these diseases contributed to 31% of the mortality in the country.

Before launching at the national level, Saint Lucia will implement HEARTS demonstrations in six primary care clinics across the island, ---JSA including Babonneau, Bellevue, Ciceron, Grande Riviere, La Croix Maingot and Richfond, which have already been evaluated.

Health workers participated in a training workshop this week to implement the project in the wellness centres. The initiative includes training the health team, a registry of patients and an active search for people with hypertension who do not know their condition. the critical need to make utility

"Implementing the package companies in the region more of measures that HEARTS resilient, due to the vulnerability includes, which are simple and of their infrastructure, to the of proven effectiveness, can worsening adverse effects of prevent complications from climate change affecting the cardiovascular diseases and region.

In addition to the training on Non-Revenue Water (NRW) • Methods and Instruments of Reduction, the session also NRW Reduction including smart sought to promote more efficient metering. use of precious water resources.

The training stressed the

This regional workshop importance of NRW Reduction provided a platform for as it reduces wastage on networking and the sharing transmission and distribution of ideas and experiences on networks to facilitate optimal use best practices among regional of limited water resources. counterparts regarding network

By reducing NRW, more management and reducing NRW water could be made available Among the topics covered were: to customers and for use and • Organization and storage purposes. documentation of repairs The workshop was • Asset condition assessment, facilitated by two experienced documentation, and action plan for replacement and maintenance water professionals. Mr Peter Blawat from Hamburg Wasser work has over 30 years’ experience • HDPE and maintenance with the company in the areas strategies of network management and • Use of Geographic has also worked as an internal Information System in water consultant on many projects. He network management

WASCO WORKS TOWARD INSTITUTIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTHENING WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT he second regional workshop, which is part of the broader consultancy 'Institutional and Organizational Strengthening of WASCO Saint Lucia and Regional Water Utilities' was held in Saint Lucia at Bay Gardens Inn from September 24 to 27, 2019. This consultancy is part of the Caribbean Aqua Terrestrial Solutions (CATS) Programme funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

The regional workshop brought together participants from the Water and Sewerage Company Inc (WASCO) and water utilities from St Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, Belize, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Grenada and the British Virgin Islands for the week-long training initiative.

Held under the theme, 'Measures and Activities to Reduce Non-Revenue Water', the one-week session was a followup to the first workshop held in July 2019. It stemmed from

Saint Lucia joins HEARTS Initiative to improve Prevention and Control of Hypertension premature deaths," said PAHO/ WHO experts.

Hypertension is a problem that contributes to heart disease.

However, it is estimated that 40 per cent of people with hypertension in the region do not know their condition. Of those who know they have hypertension and receive treatment, around 20 per cent have their blood pressure controlled.

Among the initiative’s measures for primary health care workers are the establishment of a protocol for the management of hypertension, adoption of a set of drugs and technologies of proven effectiveness to treat hypertension, reorganisation of the tasks of the health team, registry and monitoring of progress; and advice to patients on healthy habits and lifestyles.

HEARTS, which dates from 2016, seeks to support governments in strengthening prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases to save lives and help countries meet the global goal to reduce, by a third, premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases by 2030.

Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago are the two other countries in the English-speaking Caribbean where HEARTS is being implemented. In the rest of the Americas, the project is active in Argentina, Chile, Cuba, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Dominican Republic. Eleven more countries in the world are part of the initiative.

The results of the project in participating health centres in the region show an increase of about 30 per cent in the number of people with hypertension who are undergoing treatment, and a similar increase among people who have their blood pressure controlled.

is also the Network Management Expert on this ongoing consultancy.

Mr Marc Luedtke from CONSULAQUA serves as a project manager and has experience in water system design and operations improvements. He is the Hydraulic Modelling and Water Supply Concepts Expert for this ongoing consultancy.

A total of 20 participants received certificates of participation for completion of the training course. The intention is that these individuals will return to their respective utilities and share with their colleagues the knowledge and skills which they have acquired and implement some of the concepts and lessons learnt.

THE STAR

OCTOBER 26, 2019

LOCAL

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11

CDF Honours Sculptor Joseph Eudovic with Sculpture Exhibition

T

he Cultural Development Foundation (CDF) will this month pay special recognition to master sculptor Vincent Joseph Eudovic, who is the CDF’s honouree in the 2019 Cultural Icon Series.

The recognition of Eudovic, arguably Saint Lucia’s most acclaimed sculptor, is in the form of a Sculpture Exhibition that officially opened on the second floor of Baywalk Shopping Mall, Rodney Bay yesterday, Friday, October 25, and runs until Tuesday, October 29, 2019.

The Sculpture Exhibition, curated by Milton Branford Jr., features a new collection of original small and large sculpture pieces by Eudovic that capture moments of life:

a current time and place, his thoughts and sentiments, through artistic representation.

Eudovic, who began experimenting with sculptural works in the early to mid-1950s, is among the great Saint Lucian artists and a cultural icon with global acclaim who has been inspiring audiences for nearly seven decades. The CDF invites visitors to experience Eudovic’s work in an immersive and interactive environment.

Admission is free and the exhibition is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Since 2015 the CDF has presented the life works of Saint Lucia’s cultural icons, including Hon. Charles Cadet, Joseph “Rameau” Poleon, Garth St. Omer, and Virginia Alexander.

The Cultural Icon Series aims to make connections and provoke conversations within and across disciplines. The programme is a major initiative of the CDF and works with artists across art forms, from dance and theatre to literature, music and the visual arts.

The Sculpture Exhibition is sponsored and organised by the CDF, Baywalk Shopping Mall, the Monsignor Patrick Anthony Folk Research Centre (FRC) and Events Saint Lucia.

Wood carver Vincent Joseph Eudovic was born in Babonneau, Saint Lucia, on April 15, 1942. He began carving at a very early age and won his first exhibition contest at age 12; it was from this time that Eudovic knew

LANTERN-MAKING WORKSHOPS— CREATING THE MAGIC OF THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT CEREMONY

T

he Cultural Development Foundation (CDF), organisers of the popular lantern workshops, lantern competition and Festival of Light procession, will host lantern-making workshops at eight venues/communities during the months of October and November this year. The CDF has been busy making sure this year’s event is “bigger and better than ever” for visitors and locals in neighbouring towns and villages.

The CDF’s lantern workshops bring a multitude of opportunities to learn how to build a lantern, while the associated competition and Festival of Light procession will be colourful occasions with a procession of lanterns and music for young and old to enjoy. At the workshops, participants will have the opportunity to work with experienced lantern-makers to create either a traditional lantern out of cardboard and paper, or a design of their own choice, ready to carry in the lantern competition and Festival of Light procession.

Jimmy Clavier, CDF’s Business Development and Marketing Officer, notes, “We had around 150 persons join us for these workshops last year, and we'd love to see more! These workshops are a great chance to get really involved in one of our biggest annual events, and we would

Register for the CDF’s workshops to learn how to create eye-catching lanterns like this!

like to invite communities to come along and join in with the creative fun.”

Interested persons will also receive an invitation to the Festival of Light procession and instructions on how to further decorate their lantern at home.

The workshops deliver a lantern-making pack which includes card-board and glue.

Facilitators from CDF will be on hand to guide participants in making a lantern.

Workshop Venues: Open to the Public CDF Conference Room: November 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26 and 28, 3:30-5:30pm.

Registration Fee $10.00 Closed to the Public Odsan Combined: Fridays - November 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, 1:00-2:00pm.

Morne Du Don Combined: Wednesdays - October 30, November 6, 13, 20, 27 and December 4, 2:00-3:00pm.

Micoud Primary: Saturdays - October 26, November 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, 9:00am-3:00 pm.

Boguis Primary: Fridays - November 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, 10:00am-12:00 pm.

Des Barras Combined: Fridays - November 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, 1:00pm-3:00 pm.

Patience/Mon Repos Combined: Saturdays - October 26 and November 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, 9:00am-3:00 pm

Forestierre Methodist Combined: Dates to be finalized.

Cultural icon Vincent Eudovic (pictured) has participated in many competitions over the years, including the Caribbean’s first wood carving exhibition held in Guadeloupe in 1975, where he won the Golden Medal Award for Best Caribbean Wood Sculptor.

what his life’s work would be.

Upon completing his public schooling he went to Trinidad and Tobago to continue his studies and carving. After a very successful ten years in Trinidad and Tobago, Eudovic returned to Saint Lucia to teach art. Still wishing to improve his craft, he then applied for a United Nations scholarship and ventured off to Nigeria, where his studies brought, in his view, maturity to his art form.

Eudovic later returned to Saint Lucia and resumed teaching but, after a few years, left to concentrate on his art work as well as open his own gallery and workshop at Goodlands, Castries, which is still in operation. He has held exhibitions and his work has been displayed in nearly every island in the region, as well as in Europe. His work is displayed in museums and private collections worldwide.

He is the father of Jallim Eudovic, another outstanding Saint Lucian sculptor, whose “All In” bronze monument was unveiled near the Castries Waterfront earlier this month.

Dear Valued Customers, Please be informed that our retail outlets will be closed between the hours of 8:00 am to 11:00 am on Tuesday 29th October 2019, to facilitate a staff meeting.

Retail Store Location

Wet and Cold Express I Mongiraud Street

Wet and Cold Express 11 Cadet Street PCD Food Mart Bois D’Orange

House of Wine & Spirits Bridge Street

House of Wine & Spirits JQ Mall

House of Wine & Spirits Rodney Bay Marina All outlets noted will be open to the public from 11:00 am. We apologise for any inconvenience that this may have caused.

Peter and Company wishes to thank our valued customers for their continued patronage.

Wet & Cold Express I PCD Wines & Spirits Rodney Bay Marina Tel: 457-7086 Tel: 457- 7085 Wet & Cold Express II PCD Wines & Spirits JQ Mall Tel: 457-7087 Tel: 457- 7083 PCD Foodmart Tel: 457-7089

PCD Wines & Spirits Bridge Street, Castries Tel: 457- 7082

Cul De Sac, Castries, St. Lucia Tel: 457-7000 Fax: 457-7059 Email:pcdcustomerservice@cdplimited.com Website: www.peterandcompanydistribution.com

12

LOCAL

Equal Opportunity offered Locals, Friends and Families— as well as Foreigners!

By Jody A. von Wahl

T

he Pearl of The Caribbean, a Desert Star Holding (DSH) project, has generated much controversy since its introduction by the newly elected Chastanet government in 2016, with some people expressing their support and others opposed to it, regardless.

Still others adopted a “let’s wait and see” attitude.

On Wednesday this week the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club (RSLTC) convened a press conference and offered a tour of the horse racing facilities in Vieux Fort. Many connected matters were discussed, among them the Winston Trim training programme that has been preparing young people, mostly in the south, for gainful employment in the equine industry, and the unveiling of the Pitons Cup Trophy designed by Saint Lucia’s own acclaimed sculptor Jallim Eudovic, whose most recent creation—the All In monument—sits at the Castries waterfront roundabout.

Long before their arrival at Hewanorra International Airport earlier in the week, there was widespread speculation about the forty thoroughbreds: who owns them, whether they were purchased with CIP funds, whether taxpayers—without their knowledge—may

O

Eden Harrington (pictured), Director of the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club and Vice President of DSH Caribbean Star Ltd, says that the Pearl of the Caribbean is a nation building project.

be footing the bill for related activities. Opposition party representatives and other acknowledged Allen Chastanet detractors went as far as saying the prime minister had himself paid millions of dollars from the Consolidated Fund for the horses while ignoring more pressing matters. Others who claimed to be only concerned citizens called the talk shows daily to express their often farfetched misgivings or to challenge earlier official pronouncements.

It fell to Eden Harrington, Director of the RSLTC, to provide

answers via attendant media personnel on Wednesday. He said the horses were bought and paid for by his organisation exclusively. Also that they had been trained at RSLTC expense in the USA. In the meantime the horses were undergoing quarantine processes in Saint Lucia. Harrington introduced a management team that includes two experienced veterinarians and a training team headed by Deon Visser.

Harrington took the opportunity to invite Saint Lucians, individually or in groups, to purchase the horses.

He said participants in the main event—The Pitons Cup—will be given an unraced 3-year-old horse to compete in the Helen of the West race on the opening day undercard.

Each horse will be on sale for US$20,000 and will be not only eligible but will be given precedence to race in one of the undercard events and a chance to win prizes worth between US$20,000 and US$40,000. Put another way: individual locals, their friends and families, as well as foreigners, will be afforded equal opportunity to purchase the thoroughbreds of their choice.

There will be so-called “Open Days” on November 3, 10, 17 and 24—all Sundays—when the general public will be invited to view the forty racehorses at the Vieux Fort facilities. The Open Days are designed to give visitors the chance to learn more about the horses and what’s involved in racehorse ownership. Foreign and domestic personnel will be on hand to answer all questions. Whether or not you see yourself as a future champion in the sport of kings, the Open Days will allow you the opportunity to determine for yourself what to believe in the on-going politically loaded atmosphere. After all, seeing is believing, whether we’re talking about horses or the droppings from uninformed sources with their respective agendas.

Thousands take to the streets in ‘Independence Solidarity March’

ver 5,000 people took to the streets yesterday to march against what many of the participants described as “wicked practices” by the present Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) administration.

OCTOBER 26, 2019 THE STAR

www.stluciastar.com

The coalition group, dubbed, “The Faithful Nationals”, comprises members of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Antigua Barbuda True Labour Party (ABTLP), The Movement, The Barbuda People’s Movement (BPM) and

the Antigua Barbuda Workers’ Union (ABWU), and at least one more disgruntled group—the prison protest group.

The leader of the prison protest group, Jessica Thompson, was front and centre at yesterday’s march, and she

took the opportunity, along with her fellow protesters, to let the administration know how she felt.

“We need change,” said Thompson. “We’ve had enough. No more promises.

We need action!”

HAS THE G BURST OP PRETTY Dean Nestor

T

he cold conditioned air of the conference room at the Office of the Prime Minister on Monday did little to dampen my curiosity that had been building up from the moment Nicole McDonald, the prime minister’s senior communications officer, called to tease a big story stemming from news at the weekend.

As my media colleagues and I sat in the chilly conference room, a beaming McDonald made nice with one and all, before dropping her political bombshell. I had suspected, as had my colleagues, that what earlier she had hinted at was related to DSH and the arrival of the ostensibly apocalyptic thoroughbreds—that for two years at least had generated much controversy. Somehow the opposition had managed to link the DSH project with the disastrous state of healthcare in Saint Lucia, not without some success. “Finish St Jude Hospital!” was the opposition’s latest mantra, as if they had played no part whatsoever in the fiasco. They said only a “vindictive and callous” government would place “horses before people”.

“The Saint Lucia Labour Party reminds the prime minister that this healthcare crisis in Saint Lucia is more important than the horses that will be given brand new, airconditioned facilities which will be paid for by money belonging to all Saint Lucians,” said a hyperbolic Moses Jn Baptiste, standing next to his party’s recently elected first deputy leader at a press conference a few weeks ago. “When you compare what is happening with DSH to the crisis in healthcare, you can see how disrespectful, how arrogant this

government behaves. For a prime minister to go and smile at the starting gates for horse racing, and less than 100 metres away you have patients crying out for bedsheets and for medication, it says clearly that the priority of the government is really off and not with the people of Saint Lucia; it is with horses.”

Additionally: “We have heard that the PM and the government—we've heard rumours, rumours that there may be purchases of horses and other implements for the horse race and we are hoping, still hoping, that this is not true.”

Rumours, rumours indeed.

Rumours that Jn Baptiste and his party had for months been selling, via a co-operative media, as validated fact!

Back in the chilly conference room McDonald was about to deliver the official word: “Despite the progress that has been made on this development in the south of the island, and as we near the successful hosting of Saint Lucia’s first race, there continues to be a concerted effort by some to tarnish this achievement by spreading outright lies. Permit me to state some facts which should clear up any misconceptions about the government’s part in this project. The Government of Saint Lucia has not purchased, or facilitated the purchase, of any horses for the race, meaning that no millions of dollars have been spent by the Government of Saint Lucia to purchase horses for this project. The construction of the racetrack has been fully funded by the investor. The Government of Saint Lucia has not funded the construction of the racetrack or any other aspect of this project.

Let me repeat, no government funds have gone into the racetrack.”

The statement was not without its ambiguities. But it certainly put a dampener on the opposition’s bonfire, if only temporarily.

Royal S

THE STAR

OCTOBER 26, 2019

LOCAL 13

www.stluciastar.com

GOVERNMENT OPPOSITION’S Y BALLOON?

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Overview Cabinet by Conclusion no. 764 of 2019, approved the introduction of a fixed nightly accommodation fee on all guests of accommodation services in Saint Lucia. According to the Conclusion, the Saint Lucia Tourist Authority (SLTA) must: 1. Build and maintain a database of

accommodation providers on island 2. Introduce a tiered accommodation fee based on the accommodations’ classification

according to its Average Daily Rate (ADR).

3. Revise its organizational structure and staffing to implement and audit payments

from accommodations providers 4. Formulate a committee (SLTA, Ministry of Finance, Sector Representatives) to explore

and report back to Cabinet Action Plan The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority thus seeks a proposal for a consultant (individual or company), to create an implementation guide for this project.

Priority emphasis will be given to a consultant that can submit a proposal that is cost effective and which provides the greatest efficiency to secure data in real time.

Scope of Work The consultant selected will be required to: 1. Design a database instrument and methodology to collect information and ultimately create a database of all accommodation providers on island, broken down by room classifications based on the

ADR for both peak and off-peak seasons.

2.

Review preliminary concepts for implementation of the Accommodation Fee developed by the SLTA team and advise

on feasibility of the concepts.

Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club Director Eden Harrington (right), disclosed what had been asked by the Opposition of Allen Chastanet (left) about DSH.

The first media question: “So has the government injected no money at all into this entire project?”

As for the official opposition, the day after McDonald addressed the press the opposition sought to rip the heart out of her statement: “Ms. McDonald claims that the Government of Saint Lucia did not purchase or facilitate the purchase of the horses.

However, she failed to inform Saint Lucians who purchased the horses and under what terms and conditions such a purchase took place. The Saint Lucia Labour Party is calling on the Allen Chastanet administration for full disclosure on the recent purchase of horses for the proposed DSH Pitons Cup races.”

On Wednesday Eden Harrington, Director of the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club, did just that at a special gathering in Vieux Fort. He said the horses that landed here at the weekend had been sourced exclusively out of the United States; that they were purchased by the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club.

Russell Lake, fresh off hosting Wednesday’s DSH launch, summed

it all up on a local talk show: “When people, ourselves included, don’t know much about something, and we are not being given enough information to come up with our own conclusions, there’ll be speculation. This DSH/ racetrack/horses thingy is not going to go away. I will tell this government and the next government to use the airwaves and social media to disseminate information.”

Lake assured his comrade at arms Andre Paul that from what he had gathered talking with people he’d met the day before, he had formed the impression “they are very disenchanted by what has been coming out on some of the talk shows and from certain regulars who call these shows.

I deduced from what they were saying that some of these things are so defamatory . . .”

The government did not forget Winston Trim. A legendary horse-racing

enthusiast, it was he who first brought Theo Ah Khing to Saint Lucia and introduced him to then prime minister Kenny Anthony. Khing was then interested only in establishing a race track here, Trim told the STAR in an exclusive interview weeks before he died in a road accident. Said Trim: “It was Ernest Hilaire and the prime minister who suggested he should expand his horizons to include a hotel and other projects.” Trim also suggested that not long after he introduced Theo Ah Khing to Kenny Anthony, “I was squeezed out. Nobody told me anything.”

McDonald on Monday said: “The investor has also trained several young Saint Lucians to work on the track, under the Winston Trim training programme, named in honour of the late Winston Trim who sadly passed away in 2017. He had an unwavering passion for this project.”

3.

Provide a solution for the most suitable, cost effective and efficient method to implement the Accommodation Fee and to validate the information submitted by the accommodation providers when remitting the fees collected. This would include any IT requirements for hardware and software.

4. Advise on the best possible approach to

implement the new process, even if it means

through a two or multi-pronged approach.

5.

Design and execute a Communication Plan to explain the new process, which identifies the different target audiences, messages, timing and the person or parties responsible for presenting the information.

6. Identify the different sharing platforms available on island and develop a working

relationship with each, in an effort to start the

information sharing process.

7. Make recommendations for staffing requirements for implementing and auditing

the Accommodation Fee. 8. Work closely with Committee members (Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Finance, Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, St. Lucia Hospitality Association) to ensure the legal drafting and necessary amendments to the Tourism Authority Act as well as the Cabinet Conclusion are complete and all encompassing.

The final scope of work will be negotiated with the selected consultant.

Schedule Proposals should be received by 4:30 pm on Friday, 8th November 2019. Any submissions received after this date will not be considered.

Proposal Submission Requirements To receive consideration, proposals must be submitted as follows: 1. Proposals should include a cover letter

to the attention of the Chief Corporate Officer.

The cover letter must include the name of the proposing individual/company, the name (s) of the professional (s) proposed to provide direct service for the duration of the project,

e-mail address, postal address and telephone numbers.

2.

Proposals should include a narrative that speaks to the qualifications relevant to Evaluation Criteria outlined below, including a timeline with benchmarks and the number of hours and cost to accomplish the Scope of Work outlined above.

3. Proposals must clearly outline the responsibilities both of the Authority and that of the consultant. All costs payable by the Authority for these services must be

clearly defined.

4. Proposals should include the resume(s) of the professional (s) who will provide direct

service for this project.

By submitting a proposal, the consultant authorizes the Authority to contact references to evaluate consultant’s qualifications for this project.

Evaluation Criteria All proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria: • Performance capability – the extent to which the proposal demonstrates ability to provide the depth and breadth of experience, skills, knowledge and creativity generally required

for this project.

• Completeness and quality of response – the

thoroughness and concern for quality in your response.

• Understanding of and commitment to the

Authority mission and strategic objectives • Budget • Experience with similar organizations,

preferably in the tourism sector.

References Please list the organization name, contact person, title, telephone number and email address of three references for similar projects, as well as a brief description of each project including the outcomes.

Interviews Top rated candidates may be invited to an interview with the Authority’s Board of Directors.

Contract Award The Authority plans to select and award a contract to the best qualified consultant by 25th November 2019. The selected consultant and the Authority will then mutually discuss and refine the scope of works for the project and shall negotiate final conditions, compensation and performance schedule for the subsequent contract to be executed.

The Consultant will be required to provide all the deliverables under the scope of works by 31st December 2019. An interim report to be submitted by 15th December 2019.

Submission All proposals should be addressed to: Chief Corporate Officer, 1 Bella Rosa Road, Gros Islet, PO Box 221, Castries Saint Lucia.

Of Via email address: ChiefCorporateOfficer@stlucia.org

14 local

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www.stluciastar.com

OCTOBER 26, 2019 THE STAR

Optimists to Provide Opportunities to Help Young People and the Community

ptimist International, one of the premier service organisations around the world, is expanding its operations in the Eastern Caribbean in an effort to use its unique hands-on service model to strengthen the social fabric of communities across the region.

Optimist International has been in the Caribbean for over thirty years with a network of clubs in Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Haiti, Barbados, Antigua and Anguilla. Over these years, its club network has positively impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of children and the communities in which they live, with millions of dollars invested in projects and programmes involved in community improvements, scholarships, and sporting initiatives.

With the election of Adrian Elcock, a Caribbean businessman from Barbados, as President of Optimist International, there is a greater urgency to ensure that Optimist International’s reach

is expanded into other islands in the region, particularly the Eastern Caribbean. Optimist International is easily one of the most impactful service organisations focused on the youth, President Elcock stated.

“It is extremely important to me, as President of Optimist International, to see that impact spread across the Caribbean so that our youth can achieve their maximum potential and that the members that carry out that service will be seen as leaders in their communities,” he said.

Optimist International, founded in 1919, consists of 2,300 clubs in 23 countries around the world.

Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, the organisation strives to improve society by working to provide positive experiences for young people through the many projects and programmes that clubs conduct in their communities.

These programmes include scholarship opportunities, sporting activities and

leadership development for young people and adults alike.

The organisation spends over US$78 million and impacts the lives of over 6 million youth annually on its unique projects and programmes executed by its club network.

The International Director of Strategic Growth, James Boyd, will be leading a delegation to a number of islands to raise awareness of Optimist International's work, meet with relevant officials, and host public information sessions. On Monday, October 28, at Auberge Seraphine hotel, starting at 6:30 p.m. they will provide information about how Optimist Clubs can make a significant difference to the communities where they serve and how members can develop strong leadership skills and establish a global network of colleagues of similar mind.

“Equally important to enhancing the lives of children is the personal and leadership development opportunities

this organisation provides its members,” Mr. Boyd said. “Our members credit the personal and leadership development programmes available to their continued individual growth, not to mention the satisfaction of giving back to their community.”

Mr. Boyd will be joined at the informational meeting by prominent Jamaican banker Dave Wilson, a solid

leader in the Caribbean Optimist movement who has 10 years of experience in the organisation at local, district and international levels.

“I look forward to meeting new people in Saint Lucia who want to make their part of the world better through affiliation with Optimist international,” said Wilson. “I have seen significant benefits to my life

personally and professionally since I became a member. I have also had the opportunity to meet thousands of people around the world whom I have found to be committed men and women who are interested in improving our world’s communities.”

For more information contact Optimist International or jim.boyd@optimist.org

Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Forty Recommendations—33: Statistics By the Attorney General’s Chambers and the National Anti-Money Laundering Oversight Committee (NAMLOC)

T

he Financial Action Task Force (FATF) 4th Round Mutual Evaluation not only focuses on technical compliance which examines the strength of laws within a country, but also on effectiveness which examines how well the established laws are being enacted to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing. Effectiveness is proven primarily through statistics. This area is of such great importance that the FATF focuses on the subject in Recommendation 33.

This recommendation requires countries to maintain comprehensive statistics on matters which are pertinent to the effectiveness of their anti-money laundering systems.

These statistics can include: information on the number of suspicious transaction reports received and disseminated,

number of money laundering/ terrorist financing prosecutions and convictions, information on property which is frozen, seized and confiscated and information on international co-operation requested and received or mutual legal assistance requests made and received.

The statistics identified above would mainly be kept by public sector stakeholders.

In the case of the number of suspicious activity reports received and disseminated, this statistic would be maintained by the entity which collects these reports—the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA), whereas the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the courts would collect statistics on the number of money laundering prosecutions and convictions, and the Attorney General’s Chambers collects statistics on mutual legal assistance and international co-operation.

It should be noted that statistics from private sector stakeholders are equally as important in evidencing anti-

money laundering measures.

Financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses and professions such as realtors, accountants, casinos and attorneys are encouraged to keep statistics such as the number of suspicious activity reports which are filed with the FIA and the number of customer due diligence checks conducted.

During the course of a mutual evaluation, statistics such as these are the yardstick by which implementation of laws and regulations is measured. This contributes to the rating a country receives for the recommendations.

Financial institutions and designated non-financial business and professions are encouraged to implement systems for the proper collection and maintenance of statistics.

More information on this and the other Financial Action Task Force Recommendations can be found on the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) website at https://www.cfatf-gafic.org

Unicomer St Lucia Tops Nominations at 2019 St Lucia Business Awards

U

nicomer St Lucia has been nominated in four categories in this year’s annual Saint Lucia Business Awards. The prestigious Business Awards are a “celebration of excellence by the business community’ and are adjudicated and presented by the Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, in conjunction with the Office of the Prime Minister.

“This is an exciting time for our staff and company!”, said Vincent Gordon, Managing Director for Unicomer St Lucia and the OECS. “These nominations reflect the hard work of our people, and that our innovations in creating value, in understanding and responding to our customers' needs, and our deepest commitment to giving back and making Saint Lucia a better

place, are being recognized.”

The following are the Unicomer St. Lucia nominations: • Award for Corporate Social Responsibility • Award for Service Excellence • Employer of the Year • Business of the Year

The 2019 Saint Lucia Business Awards will take place on Saturday, November 9, 2019.

THE STAR

october 26, 2019

LOCAL

www.stluciastar.com

15

French Embassy Celebrates Kwéyòl Month with Pom’Kanel Dance Troupe

Albert Alamelu (back row left) was born in the village of Basseterre, Martinique, a small community of 3,800. Self-taught, he did not receive any academic training in dance.

A

s part of the festivities of Kwéyòl month, the Embassy of France hosted the Pom'Kanel dance troupe for a folk and traditional dance show on Friday, October 18, 2019.

This day allows the French Embassy in Saint Lucia to link two cultural highlights: the tradition of the Kwéyòl month in Saint Lucia and a more recent one initiated in France by the Ministry of Overseas and the Ministry of Culture, the Kwéyol Month Festival.

In France, the Kwéyòl

festival is a multi-disciplinary festival that returned in October for its fourth edition. It is an event that has become a must for ultramarine culture in France, and is an artistic and scientific festival, offering a month-long programme of theatre, dance, music, storytelling, documentaries, round table discussions and workshops of all areas. It is welcomed in various places of culture and knowledge, open to all, Paris, Ilede-France, the Great East Region, Brittany, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Canada. Under the watchful

eye of the festival's godmothers, Audrey Pulvar and Corinne Mencé-Caster, artists, actors from the cultural world and specialists gather and meet the public, questioning the intangible heritage between past and present, between tradition and modernity, to give a fresh look at the crossroads of continents and cultures.

Since 1984 Saint Lucia and Dominica have celebrated Kwéyòl day on the last Sunday of October. In Saint Lucia it is celebrated under the aegis

In its two-hour show, Pom'Kanel gave the audience a live presentation of cultural heritage through Martinican dance and songs.

of the Folk Research Centre, established in 1973 to document, preserve and promote the cultural heritage and the Creole language for future generations.

This year the French Embassy hosted the traditional Pom'Kanel dance troupe from Martinique. This company was created in 1984, on the

initiative of its artistic director Albert Alamelu. The group is one of the best folk and traditional dance troupes in Martinique, and is well worth seeing.

Buckeye St. Lucia Terminal Ltd

Good Weather helps make Flower Festival a Bloomin’ Success!

T

here was a riot of colour in Mon Repos and La Clery on Thursday October 17 as La Magwit groups and schools celebrated La Magwit Flower Festival.

The Gwan Fet Magwit, which started out with a service held at the Church of St. Anne in Mon Repos, saw six La Magwit community groups and schools within the immediate environs participating in this year's celebrations.

The Schools’ Ecumenical Service held at the Church of Our Lady of Fatima in La Clery was well attended by youth from over thirteen schools in the north of the island, and support from the community was good.

Jimmy Clavier, an organiser for the festival, said: "It was an enormous success. This year’s celebration had a strong focus on embracing our local and indigenous cultures and we saw that happen, with people from far and wide turning up and enjoying the presentations. Despite some interruptions, we couldn't have asked for better weather, which meant that lots of people turned up and the celebrations were a little more intimate.”

He added that for future flower festivals, organisers plan to have more promotions leading up to the main event.

“We need to make the flower festivals a big event and if we can plan, work towards that

and plan early enough, I think that we will see more persons beginning to relate and have a better appreciation for this indigenous cultural element,” Clavier noted.

Clavier also believes that the collaborations with the Monsignor Patrick Anthony Folk Research Centre and Events Company of Saint Lucia have helped to strengthen the festival.

“We can make a solid force to push the flower festivals forward and make them a major event,” he said.

According to him, collaboration will not only benefit the communities where the flower societies exist, but Saint Lucia as a whole.

Bon Fete Jounen Kwéyòl To All Saint Lucians from

Buckeye Terminal St. Lucia Limited Cul De Sac

St. Lucia, WI Tel: (758) 456.1600

16 LOCAL

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OCTOBER 26, 2019 THE STAR

My Father Is No Longer There a review by Dr. Jolien Harmsen

I

Jounen Kwéyòl (Creole Day) is celebrated in Saint Lucia on the last Sunday of October, and has been held annually since 1984.

Bon Fete Jounen Kwéyòl To All Saint Lucians from

The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan)

t took me a day or two before I made the time to sit down at my laptop, and begin reading Anderson Reynold's latest book, My Father Is No Longer There.

Two hours later, I got out my phone and sent Anderson a Whatsapp message: "Reading My Father. In one breath. I'm at page 63 now and he is gradually emerging, like a man walking towards me from a long distance. The book is a love ballad, Anderson. And the language so much more beautiful than anything of yours I have read before. Strong, supple and sensitive at once. I cried at one scene."

The next day, I rushed around to get my work done, just to get home and back to the book. "I stayed up till midnight to read. Have just a little left now.

Dreamed about it all night."

The book that starts out as something I can only describe as a love ballad—odd as that word may sound when used to describe the relationship between a grown man and his deceased father—takes an unexpectedly desolate turn, just a few chapters later. Just when you've settled in to what appears to be the fabric of the memoir and the pattern of the story: a father tragically killed in old age, his adult son trying to come to grips with the trauma of that loss and, in doing so, weaving the narrative of his entire family's history as Seventh Day Adventists in Vieux Fort during the 1950s, 60s and 70s, the author suddenly shifts gears and the story takes an entirely more personal turn still.

The revelations that follow are unusual, not just in Caribbean literature, but in Caribbean social science as well. As a social historian myself, in all my reading on West Indian household labour strategies, I do not recall ever seeing anything that comes close to this testimony about the impact of (return) labour migration on the emotional well-being of the children left behind in the care of grandparents, aunts and others.

In Anderson's hands, the trauma of his father's death, one wet morning in June 2002, when a speeding driver lost control and hit him during his early morning walk, now becomes the touchstone for that much earlier trauma experienced when he was just a toddler: the temporary loss of his mother to the

migrant stream that took tens of thousands of aspiring West Indian men and women to the United Kingdom, in the late 1950s and early '60s.

Much has been written about the social, economic and political aspects of West Indian labour migration over the years, but the crushing emotional impact it—occasionally—must have had, remains virtually invisible in both academic works and Caribbean literature. From my own work on intergenerational relations in Vieux Fort since 1910, I can testify to the profound long-term impact of the quality of emotional relationships between children and their care-givers on those children's future social, economic (financial) and educational development.

In Anderson's own case, his family's strong love and work ethics and, especially, his mother's indomitable educational aspirations for her children did not save him from the long-term emotional trauma of that early childhood separation. But it did, however, help to keep him sufficiently focussed to eventually be able to come through the emotional catharsis that followed, and out the other end of that long, dark tunnel of depression . . . and emerge as an accomplished author and analyst.

The two stories of trauma— his father's death and his own early childhood anguish—thus become entangled in each other, are reflected in one another, creating contrast, depth, and perspective, like two hands playing the piano, like an image bouncing back between two mirrors, or like two birds

struggling around each other in mid air.

My Father is No Longer There is a biography and an autobiography, as well as an important addition to our understanding of the unwitting impact of West Indian migration on the psyche of the children involved.

The background to the story is that of a pastoral Caribbean childhood, a joy to read and a feast of recognition to anyone who is familiar with this slice of time and space, the shape and colour of it, the smell, the flavour, the colours, and the characters.

The language used to tell the story is very much Anderson's own: verbal, direct, unadorned, its power derived sometimes from simple repetition, sometimes from raw dialect. What it lacks in finesse and grace, it makes up for in honesty, integrity and sheer forcefulness.

But to me, the overwhelming power of this book lies in the author's inestimable courage, his willingness to explore, bare and share a deeply intimate side of himself to us, his readers. Because of this, reading My Father Is No Longer There is a privilege to be savoured, and one that ought to be treated with the respect it deserves.

Originally from the Netherlands, but residing in Vieux Fort, Dr. Jolien Harmsen is a social historian and the author of three books including Sugar, Slavery and Settlement: A social history of Vieux Fort, St. Lucia, from the Amerindians to the present (1999); Rum Justice (novel, 2007), and a History of St. Lucia (2012). Dr. Harmsen and Dr. Reynolds are regarded as the two foremost authorities on the socioeconomic history of Vieux Fort.

THE STAR october 26, 2019

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ne of the region’s largest donors is expressing disappointment that after several years of receiving development funding to build capacity for the agriculture sector, Barbados and the rest of the Caribbean continue to struggle.

Head of the European Union Delegation to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Ambassador Daniela Tramacere said the EU recognized food security was fundamental to the region, and the EU stood ready to assist. However, she said it was about time that the sector began to bear fruit from all the work that has gone into planning and training over the years.

“It is very painful that after a few years of sustained support to the sector we are not yet at the point where we would like to be. For this reason, I am particularly grateful for this workshop because we do acknowledge that finance is key,” said Tramacere, while calling for a change in production and consumption

REGIONAL

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Not good enough patterns in the Caribbean.

She was addressing the opening ceremony of a three-day ‘Climate Finance and Support Mechanisms for a Resilient Agriculture Sector in the Caribbean’ seminar at the Radisson Aquatica. She said that while agriculture was not a “focal area” of the development portfolio of the EU, a range of agriculture-related activities was being supported including regional integration and climate change mitigation.

She pointed to the Euro 6 million coconut sector improvement project and other schemes in the region that the EU was supporting through the European Development Fund (EDF).

Tramacere also noted that the EU was about to provide a second round of funding for phase two of an Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) project to build on results achieved in a previous Euro 11.7 million project designed to help companies become more compliant in sanitary and

Daniela Tramacere (pictured) says it is time to move from training and workshops to action.

phytosanitary measures.

“There will not be a third project, I can assure you. It is high time that all the support and capacity building that has been going on in the region bear its fruit. I have been in the region now for almost nine years . . . It is time to move

from training and workshops to action,” the EU official insisted.

Stressing that the region could no longer afford to put off implementation of climateresilient development plans, Tramacere said: “We are living in hard times . . . and we have to be very focused on this.”

She suggested that regional governments plan more for natural disasters by including it in their budgets.

“To maximize adaptation finance, adaptation action and climate action in general, all disasters have to be integrated into the national budget and planning processes,” said Tramacere, while urging agriculture practitioners to play a role.

Meanwhile, one agriculture research specialist urged officials to pay more attention to the projects submitted for funding. Questioning the amount of funding being provided for the agriculture sector in Barbados and the rest of the region, Ansari Hosein, Caribbean Agriculture Research and Development Institute (CARDI) representative for Barbados, said the region remained one of the most vulnerable to climate change impact though being one of the least responsible.

He said it was therefore critical to always be prepared, adding that efforts would

The UWI climbs to top 4%

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t a media conference hosted at The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Cave Hill Campus on October 17, Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles announced that the regional University had climbed the Times Higher Education (THE) rankings, following its debut last year. The UWI appears in the World University Rankings 2020 which includes almost 1,400 universities across 92 countries and is still the only Caribbean university on the prestigious list.

In 2016 The UWI rolled out its five-year strategic plan (2017-2022) built upon three pillars: Access to tertiary education, Alignment with partners and stakeholders, and Agility in effort. Themed Revitalizing Caribbean Development, this plan mobilizes the University to “rekindle and sustain Caribbean Development”. Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, in conceiving and rolling out this plan, which is known as the “Triple A Strategy”, declared an immediate objective to “radically upgrade and globalize the University’s performance reputation, and enhance its international visibility and

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competitiveness”. To achieve this strategic objective, The UWI system prepared for its first exposure and participation in comparative international rankings last year. It chose professional engagement with Times Higher Education, the most prestigious ranking agency, and moved with agility to become fully conversant with THE’s scientific methodology — pillars of assessments, criteria for categorizing performance, and the tabulation of scores.

Critically, it called for a purposeful effort to strengthen areas of weakness and enhance traditional strengths.

The UWI’s debut on the THE ranking results showcased the tremendous accumulated success of the University as a legacy institution. With over 200 registered universities in the Caribbean region, The UWI was ranked number one. Among more than 2,000 registered universities in Latin America and the Caribbean, it ranked in the top 3%; and in the top 5% among the 28,000 registered universities globally.

With these excellent results in last year’s ranking scheme, The UWI did not rest on its laurels or muse upon its legacy. Rather, it

moved to strengthen its competitive position in key areas, particularly in enhancing the international recognition of its published research.

The evidence of The UWI’s enhanced global visibility is found in key areas such as its leadership and participation in international projects.

Additionally, its concerted effort to expand and deepen industry-academic partnerships was noted. Collectively, these outputs showed that the University had made significant strategic strides, with enhanced excellence, reflected in a surge in reputation recognition.

Within the context of these developments, the just released THE 2020 results are even more impressive. The enhanced respect the University gained for its academic output and its alignment of effort with the development objectives of the region was rewarded.

Not only has The UWI retained its position as the number one ranked university in the region, in the Latin America and Caribbean region, it moved from the top 3% to the top 2%. The scores for its global rankings show that it moved from the top 5% to the top 4% of ranked universities. “This upward

(Left to right): Professor Eudine Barriteau, Pro Vice-Chancellor Principal at The UWI Cave Hill; Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of The UWI and Professor Densil A. Williams, Pro Vice-Chancellor Academic-Industry Partnerships and Planning at the October 17 media conference.

trajectory into the top 4% of the world’s best universities reflects the extraordinary effort of the management team and The UWI family to honour the pledge within the strategic plan to be an excellent global university rooted in the Caribbean”, says Vice-Chancellor Beckles.

Specifically, the Vice-Chancellor added, “it is the intention of the University to be located in the top 3% of ranked universities by the end of the current strategic planning cycle in 2023.”

The UWI has an excellent Executive Management Team, and is focused on sustaining its reputation revolution, while demonstrating daily proof of greater efficiency and public

accountability.

Vice-Chancellor Beckles expressed special gratitude to project leader, Pro ViceChancellor Densil Williams and his technical team, and all members of community who actively participated in the data gathering, focused on implementation schedules, and framed the dialogue associated with rankings as a tool of performance measurement.

Describing the ranking process, Pro Vice-Chancellor Williams made the comparison that for the 2019 World University Rankings, there were 1,258 universities on the list (The UWI placed at 591), while for the 2020 World University

require a lot more funding and collaboration. He proposed that the region go after the funding the same way it did following a hurricane.

“We must respond in that same togetherness to deal with accessing finance for mitigation and adaptation measures,” Hosein told the participants.

“I have heard about significant funding in aid being available from the international community to implement projects in climate resilience including those affecting agriculture. And while there have been many successes in the past . . . it is my view that these have been too few and far in between to get the impact that we need—not what we want but what we need—if we are to survive in the future,” said Hosein.

He argued that while the financing was available in many instances, accessing it could sometimes be a challenge, especially if organisations acted alone.

---Barbados Today Rankings 1,397 universities made the list (The UWI came in at 571). “The UWI has moved significantly up the trajectory,” he said. He further noted that The UWI has seen significant movement in all the THE’s criteria of teaching, research, citations, industry income and international outlook. Importantly, the regional university, which is much smaller and less resourced than many of its competitors on the list, received very high scores for ‘citations’ and ‘international outlook’, placing it among the top 75 percentile of universities across the globe in those criteria.

“I am very confident,” he stated, “that going forward The UWI will see better days. And given what we now know about our global University, and the quality of work that we have been doing, I expect us to continue to rise in the near future.”

Recently appointed University Registrar, Dr. Maurice Smith, who served as Chair of the media conference, commented that the THE’s rankings have “placed us alongside the wealthiest and the best in some of the biggest countries across the globe”. He added, “The rankings show how we have been aligning ourselves with our strategic mission to radically transform and improve The UWI’s regional and international academic standing as an excellent global university that is rooted in the Caribbean.”

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OCTOBER 26, 2019 THE STAR

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Boris Johnson to ask MPs to back election on 12 December

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oris Johnson has abandoned his “do or die” pledge to leave the EU by 31 October and will ask MPs next week to back a preChristmas general election.

The prime minister has written to Jeremy Corbyn saying he will give parliament one last opportunity to scrutinise his withdrawal agreement bill and “get Brexit done” by 6 November. But he will also table a motion under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act next Monday asking for an early general election. MPs would then vote on the motion the same day.

In his letter, Johnson said: “An election on 12 December

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will allow a new parliament and government to be in place by Christmas. If I win a majority in this election, we will then ratify the great new deal that I have negotiated, get Brexit done in January and the country will move on.”

Johnson had previously said he would wait for confirmation from the EU27 of the Brexit delay that he reluctantly requested on Saturday before deciding on his UK Prime Minister next steps. He sent a letter to Boris Johnson Brussels asking for an extension (pictured) will table a to article 50, as the Benn act motion for an early required, after MPs refused poll as he abandons to fast-track his deal through ‘do or die’ pledge to leave EU by 31 October. parliament in time for the 31

October deadline.

The election motion will need the support of two-thirds of the Commons, equating to 434 MPs. Labour has said it will support a general election once the extension is in place—a decision the EU27 are expected to confirm on Friday.

Johnson told Sky News: “The way to get Brexit done is, I think, be reasonable with parliament and say if they genuinely want more time to study this excellent deal, they can have it, but they have to agree to a general election on 12 December and that’s the way forward, because this parliament has been going

on for a long time without a majority.” He added: “It’s refusing to deliver Brexit. It’s impossible to deliver legislation.

It’s time, frankly, the opposition summoned up the nerve to submit themselves to the judgment of our collective boss, which is the UK.”

Earlier, Johnson met his cabinet, some of whom, including the Northern Ireland secretary, Julian Smith, were reluctant to support the idea of entering into a general election campaign without yet having left the EU.

The Brexit bill passed its second reading in the Commons on Saturday by a larger than

Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party wins Canada’s general election

lection results show Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party will return to power, but as a minority government after Monday’s general election, according to CBC News and CTV News.

The victory ensures that Trudeau will serve as prime minister for a second term.

Trudeau spoke to a cheering crowd in Montreal about his victory. “From coast to coast

to coast, tonight Canadians rejected division and negativity.

They rejected cuts and austerity.

They voted in favor of a progressive agenda and strong action on climate change,” he said. “We will make life more affordable, we will continue to fight climate change, we will get guns off our streets.”

Trudeau, the Liberal leader, and Conservative leader Andrew Scheer were the two

top contenders in Monday’s competitive general election.

More than 300 parliamentary seats were up for grabs. Health care, the climate crisis and the cost of living reportedly are voters’ top issues.

Trudeau, 47, picked up a key endorsement last week from former President Barack Obama but the prime minister has faced a difficult campaign after revelations that he wore

expected majority of 30, and Smith believed that would be sufficient to carry it through all its stages in parliament. But some of his colleagues, including the chancellor, Sajid Javid, feared the majority could easily melt away and encouraged Johnson to head straight to the polls.

Some Labour backbenchers may be reluctant to support a general election, even if the leadership endorse the idea, hoping instead to secure a second EU referendum. Labour twice blocked the prime minister’s plan for a mid-October election, warning that Johnson could use the period during which parliament was suspended to take the UK out of the EU without a deal.

---The Guardian

He said he is in the process of renouncing his American citizenship. Dual nationality does blackface in the past. He said Trudeau apologized for wearing not legally disqualify someone he didn’t know how many times blackface after Time magazine from running for Prime Minister. he put the racist make-up on. posted the first photo, and again Some disenchanted voters

Last month, Time magazine after the three photos surfaced. have moved on from Trudeau posted a photo of Trudeau

Scheer has tried and failed and settled on New Democratic wearing brownface when he to capitalize on the scandal and Party leader Jagmeet Singh as an was a school teacher in 2001. criticism of Trudeau. But neither option. Singh has advocated for Trudeau said he had attended his negative emphasis nor his climate action and a governmentan end-of-the-year gala with an polices have engaged voters. funded drug program for everyone.

During the campaign, Scheer “Arabian Nights” theme when He is a practicing Sikh whose disclosed that he is an American colorful turbans illustrate the the photo was taken. He said it was a racist photo, but he citizen, with dual nationality in country’s changing complexion. didn’t consider it racist then.

Canada and the United States.

---CNN

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KIM’S KORNER A

The Effects of a Traumatic Brain Injury

bump on the head can be painful and leave a bruise but in some cases the consequences can be devastating. There has been a lot of coverage recently about concussion, especially in sport, and the long-term effects.

Researchers have found an increased risk of dementia among people who suffered a concussion, sometimes years before. There have also been links between boxing and Parkinson’s, one famous example being the legendary boxing champ, Muhammad Ali. The symptoms of an acquired brain injury can take time to manifest but those of a traumatic brain injury can often be seen immediately.

The brain, which sits at the top of the spinal cord, is an amazing organ encased in a protective shell—the skull.

Together with the spinal cord, the brain governs our emotions, actions, movements, memories, speech; in fact, it is the ‘CPU’ that keeps us functioning. The skull is made up of 22 bones fused together. It provides a base for the attachment of tendons and muscles but its most important function is to

The brain—the body’s equivalent of a CPU.

protect the brain, nerves and blood vessels.

The brain has three main areas: • The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain and consists of the left and right cerebral hemispheres. The left one controls language and speech while the right interprets visual and spatial information. Each hemisphere is divided into four lobes. The frontal lobe is responsible for our reasoning, motor skills, cognition and how we express language. Damage to the frontal lobe can affect our attention, social skills and change our sexual habits. The parietal lobe, which is situated in the middle, is linked to processing tactile

sensory information i.e. touch, pressure and pain. The temporal lobe is situated at the bottom and is where sounds we hear and language are interpreted.

Damage to this area can affect memory, the understanding of speech and our language skills.

The occipital lobe is located at the back of the brain and is where we interpret visual information. Damage to the occipital lobe can affect the recognition of objects, colours and words.

• The cerebellum, also known as the little brain, receives information from the inner ear, nerves, and our hearing and visual systems.

The cerebellum controls our balance, posture and co-

ordination. It is also the place that stores information about new skills. Damage to this area can affect tone and smooth coordinated movements.

• The brainstem connects the spinal cord to the forebrain.

It is responsible for transmitting messages between the brain and the spinal cord.

The most common causes of a traumatic brain injury are falls and road traffic accidents. Sports can cause them— heading a ball or the clashing of heads; also fights or being shaken violently. The force of the brain hitting a hard surface or being subjected to rapid deceleration, for example when moving and hitting a firm object, results in the brain moving forwards, backwards or both within the skull.

The symptoms and impact of a traumatic brain injury may not always manifest immediately and can also vary depending on the area of the brain that has been affected. In some cases, a person may lose consciousness but not always.

In mild cases there may be: • Headaches • Blurred vision • Sensitivity to light or sound • Confusion and a feeling of disorientation • Nausea • Ringing in the ears • Fatigue • Problems with speech • Dizziness and/or loss of balance

In cases of moderate to severe injury the symptoms may be similar to the above but can also include:

YOGA AND OUR FEET

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any of us seldom think about our feet until they hurt. When the feet hurt, the whole body hurts. They support us, carry our weight, take us wherever we want to go, and they endure hot and cold.

The feet have a special sensitivity, different from any other part of the body. We are now finding that many of our ailments come from our feet, such as pain with knees, legs, hips, the back and neck.

Our feet can show us that we may have serious issues like diabetes and heart disease.

Yoga teaches us to become aware of our feet. We know that they are our roots, base and foundation. We learn that when we sit on the floor, extend the legs straight

HEALTH

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OCTOBER 26, 2019

When something goes wrong with our feet, other areas tend to suffer as well.

out in front of us and press the inner heal away from the inner ankle, the back of the inner leg

moves closer to the floor and becomes longer and straighter.

Pressing the outer heal away

extends and lengthens the outer leg; it also brings the centre of the back of the heal onto the floor evenly. When we stretch from the half moon on the protruding bone on the inside of the heal, lengthening through the inner foot to the big toe, the arches lift and the inner foot extends. Extending from the outer heal to the little toe side of the foot completes pressing the back of the leg into the floor, to stretch the legs evenly. All of these actions of the feet activate the legs.

If we don’t stand on our feet properly we can throw our whole body out of sync.

Standing constantly on the outside of the foot can move right up the leg and create a hip or knee problem, maybe even lower back. The inner

• Coma or unconsciousness • Double vision • Severe confusion • Convulsions/seizures • Dilation of one or both pupils • Clear fluid or blood from the ears and/or nose • Bruising behind the ears and/or around the eyes • Difficulty rousing from sleep • Irregular breathing pattern • Weakness and numbness • Poor co-ordination and balance problems

When a brain injury is suspected it is important to seek medical attention and undergo a neurological assessment. The first step is to determine the level of consciousness and awareness and to identify any deficits in brain function. This can be done by carrying out the Glasgow Coma Scale, a tool used to score a person’s conscious state and cognition. A person who has no deficits will score 15/15; a score below this will need monitoring. It is also advisable to arrange either an MRI or CT scan to determine if there has been any damage to

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the skull and brain.

The management of a traumatic brain injury will be dependent upon the diagnosis; surgery may be indicated if there has been a severe fracture or if there is pressure from a bleed or haematoma.

Where surgery is not indicated, medication may be the first line of treatment to avoid secondary damage to the brain, whether that is to induce a coma to minimise the amount of oxygen needed by the brain or diuretics to help reduce the fluid in the soft tissues and therefore the pressure on the brain.

Once the patient is stable then physiotherapy may be recommended to minimise the risk of secondary complications like contractures; relearn motor skills and help clients with functional tasks. The aim of all interventions is to prevent complications and improve function and quality of life.

Although it may not always be possible to achieve the same level of independence that a person had before the injury, it is important that everyone is given an opportunity to reach their full potential.

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

foot rolling inward, many times comes with fallen arches and weak ankles. This can also create knee issues.

One of the most important poses in Yoga is Tadasana— Mountain pose. It is the basic standing pose in yoga. The student begins with the feet hip distance apart, with the outside of the feet parallel to one another. The student presses into the four corners of the feet and lifts the kneecaps and thighs to stretch the legs.

This brings a stability to the

alignment of the body. The trunk is lengthened, the chest lifts and the arms are stretched to the floor.

We find this alignment which comes directly from the feet and we begin there.

We take these actions into our standing poses, inversions and almost every Yoga pose that we do because this is the beginning of bringing the body and mind together into alignment, to acquire concentration and meditation.

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

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

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International Horse Racing debut on National Day David R Pascal

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hey are at the post and they’re off! If the ruling party has its way, this will become a familiar line on December 13—National Day— when international horse racing debuts here. However, not everyone in Saint Lucia sees horse racing as the thriving industry that investors and government make it out to be. Some, including the Opposition SLP, feel more attention should be placed on national concerns and needs like healthcare and, in particular, the completion of St Jude Hospital. Nevertheless, the race track took precedence on Wednesday. Details of what has been dubbed the CECF Race Day were announced during a press conference in Vieux Fort,on the site of the horse racing track that the prime minister referred to as a “star attraction”.

MC Russell Lake opened the proceedings by greeting everyone and introducing the VIPs in attendance, including Prime Minister Allen Chastanet; Chairman of DSH Caribbean Star Ltd, Teo Ah Khing, and other officials associated with the project.

The CEFC Race Day signals the official launch of the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club, ahead of the club’s first season of racing in 2020. The CECF Race Day is the first stage of the Pearl of the Caribbean, which Vice President of DSH Caribbean Star Ltd, Mr Harrington, referred to as “a nation building project”.

Before this National Day horse racing extravaganza takes place, Saint Lucians will have the opportunity to see for themselves why this horse racing track, when completed, is destined to become one of the best in the Caribbean and, more importantly, why it will generate worldwide interest in a sport that is relatively new to this country.

Open Days will be held at the race course on Sundays November 3, 10, 17 and 24 when the public will have the opportunity to view the facilities.

Earlier in the week, at the expense of the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club, forty thoroughbreds trained in the United States were transported

Chairman of DSH Caribbean Star Ltd, Teo Ah Khing (left) with Prime Minister Allen Chastanet at Wednesday’s press conference.

Race horses that arrived in St Lucia earlier in the week are presently in the quarantine area.

No doubt about it, every precaution is taken to ensure the safety of the horses.

to Saint Lucia; They will be available for sale to an individual, group or syndicate (up to thirty owners). On Wednesday it was announced that horses purchased from the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club will be given precedence to compete in 2019 CECF Saint Lucia in races valued at between US$20,000 and US$40,000.

There will be five races on National Day, supported by local entertainment. The feature event will be the US$150,000 Pitons Cup, considered the richest purse in the Caribbean this year. Already it has attracted the likes of Hall of Fame USA trainer Todd Pletcher; champion Jamaican trainer Anthony Nunes; from Trinidad and Tobago, highly acclaimed owners Mervyn Samlalsingh and Wilfred Acham; and from Australia, leading trainers Michael and Richard Freedman.

Horse racing received the thumbs up from Chairman of DSH Caribbean Star, Teo Ah Khing.

Weekend Results in the Island Cup

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atches resumed in the National Lotteries Authority-sponsored Saint Lucia Football Association Island Cup with a double header at Marchand Grounds on Saturday, October 19.

In the first encounter, Dennery, with a goal by Jamie Prospere in the 28th minute of play, defeated Central Castries 1–0.

In the second match, Marhand had the upper hand against Canaries, with a Lincoln Phillip brace in the 26th and 90th minutes, to prevail 2–0.

Sunday October 20 witnessed a double header at Marchand Grounds. In the first match, after a goal-less first half in which Mabouya Valley had the better of the exchanges, that team returned in the second half to defeat Roseau Valley 1–0. The winning goal was scored by Vernon Abbott in the 51st minute.

In the final game of the evening, Gros Islet stunned the 2019 Blackheart Productions Knockout four-time champions Vieux Fort South. Gros Islet scored two early goals in quick succession. The opposition never recovered and lost

Mabouya Valley (pictured) defeated Roseau Valley during play in the Island Cup on Sunday.

2-1. Nicholas Lawrence opened the scoring for Gros Islet in the 9th minute and two minutes later Melvin Aurilien made it 2–0. Jamil Joseph reduced the deficit in the 30th minute and the half ended 2-1. Despite the exploits of both teams, no further goals were scored in the second half.

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OCTOBER 26, 2019

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Medallists Spencer and Reynolds Reela wins Third Leg Of rewarded by Olympic Committee Community 7s Rugby Tournament

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By David R Pascal

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wo athletes who won medals at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru were recently recognized and rewarded by the Saint Lucia Olympic Committee (SLOC) Inc at its headquarters at La Clery.

High jumper Levern Spencer, who defended her title at the Games with a gold medal, and Albert Reynolds with a bronze in javelin, were recipients of a monetary prize from the SLOC Inc. This is in keeping with the SLOC’s incentive scheme whereby it provides prize money to athletes who win a medal at major games.

In congratulating both athletes, President of the SLOC Inc Fortuna Belrose said: “Every year the Olympic Committee evaluates its plans as it looks towards the future for sports. This year, of course, is no exception. We did have a very great year in terms of the work happening within the organisation, as well as the performances from our athletes.

We are grateful that we are able to have the two athletes who made us proud this year and are in our presence this morning to receive their awards.”

Belrose referred to Spencer as a rare athlete who, over the years, has demonstrated persistence and perseverance, and is someone of whom Saint Lucia is proud.

She presented Spencer with a cheque for $10,000 for her gold medal performance at the Pan American Games.

Spencer, who was recently named the first-ever SLHTA Goodwill Ambassador, thanked the SLOC Inc. Looking back at the Pan American Games she said: “I defended my title as

Left to right: Olympian and Sportswoman of the Year Levern Spencer, President of the Saint Lucia Olympic Committee Inc Fortuna Belrose and Sportsman of the Year Albert Reynolds.

Pan American champion. It was a challenge considering the weather and everything that was taking place on the ground.

I tried staying positive and focused and went out there and put my best foot forward . . . I just wanted to go out there and represent Saint Lucia the best possible way I know how.”

Spencer thanked the SLOC Inc for recognizing her performance and that of Reynolds in a tangible way. She said: “I do appreciate small gestures and will continue working hard, and look forward to 2020 when hopefully I will represent Saint Lucia at the Olympics and see where it takes us from there.”

Reynolds received a cheque for $5,000 from the SLOC Inc President for his bronze medal at the Pan American Games. Describing his performance at the Games, Belrose said: “Albert told us he would give it his best shot. On the day of competition, or even the day before, everyone could have seen the determination on his face. So Albert, we are very grateful that you came back with a bronze and, by doing so, inspired a lot of youngsters

to get involved in the art of throwing the javelin. We commend you, we congratulate you and hope you will continue because next year is the Olympics and, of course, you can get there.”

Reynolds appreciated the kind gesture from the SLOC Inc and, when reflecting on the Games, spoke about what he went through: “I had some doubts heading into the season, in terms of preparation and how well I would be able to execute at the time.”

He mentioned having a strained muscle in his bicep and remarked, “It posed a threat to me participating at the Pan American Games but I still remained determined. I mean, we as athletes always have some injuries and we always pull through.”

He continued: “In spite of the conditions at Lima, I knew that I could have done something spectacular for myself, my country. I just want everyone to know that in Saint Lucia we can produce; we do have athletes here. We complain about what we don’t have and tend to forget what we do have.”

Upcoming SLNCA Elections

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he Biennial General Meeting of the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association will be held on Saturday November 30, 2019 at Grande Riviere Secondary School, Mabouya Valley commencing at 10:00 am.

Following is the agenda: Prayers, Welcome—President, Ascertainment of Quorum, Apologies for Absence,

Obituaries, Reading of Minutes of last AGM, Errors/Omissions, Confirmation of Minutes, Matters Arising, Adoption/ Confirmation of Reports from Executive and Treasurer, Windward Islands Cricket Board of Control Matters, Cricket West Indies Matters, Election of Officers, Adjournment.

Nominations for post of President; First, Second, Third

Vice President; Secretary; Principal Secretary and Treasurer are currently being received.

To date there has been one nomination for post of First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.

The deadline for receiving nominations is October 31, 2019.

he Saint Lucia Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) held the third leg of its Community 7s Rugby Tournament in Anse Ger on Sunday, October 20.

Four teams took part in the competition with Reela taking first place with 15 points, Veterans (over 35) second with 11 pts, the Goons third with 7 pts, and Belle Flair in fourth place with 3 pts.

Tyrese Samuels of Reela Rugby Club was voted the MVP for this round of the tournament.

The spectators were treated to dazzling bursts of speed from Vitus Jn Pierre of Veterans, as well as the play of the day—the dummy “basketball type pass” on the Goons by Wayne Pantor.

The SLRFU is using this tournament as preparation for the World Rugby 7s in Barbados.

In 2018 the Saint Lucia Female team placed third in the open division. The SLRFU is also using the Community 7s tournament to spread the game of rugby throughout the island.

Saint Lucia’s next international competition will be today, October 26, in Saint Vincent at a Rugby Americas North (RAN) 15s competition (see below).

MVP Tyrese Samuels (left) of Reela receiving the prize ball from National Rugby Coach Wedrel St Claire.

The Reela Rugby Club placed first in the Community Rugby 7s Tournament.

Men’s Rugby Team competing in St Vincent

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he Saint Lucia Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) National Men’s Rugby 15s team left the island on Wednesday for St Vincent to take part in a Rugby Americas North (RAN) 15s tournament.

The face-off against the Vincentians is today (Saturday) at Arnos Vale. In their last encounter, Saint Lucia lost to St Vincent in a closely contested match, 14 to 17.

The team, under the leadership of National Coach/Technical Director Wayne Pantor, has

been in training and is now poised for a victorious outcome.

The 17-man team, captained by Flavien Gabriel, comprises Mario Chicot, Neighman Lascaris, Cletus Joseph, Kurt Phillip, Danlin Samuel, Dwayne Nathaniel, Zayvon Augustine, Jerry Charles, Wedrel St Clair, Ernie Julien, Ethan Phillip, Jean Mael Phillip, Jesey Francois, Quintain Gabriel, Yohan Henry.

The contingent also includes Team Manager Sixtus

Pamphile, Technical Director Wayne Pantor, President of the SLRFU Roger Butcher and Medical Official Senetta Viger.

The team has a combination of youth and experience with local and foreign-based players. The winner of this tournament will have the opportunity to move up to a higher tier of competition in 2020.

Saint Lucia’s Chantel John will be operating as Assistant Referee for Rugby Americas North at the tournament.

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OCTOBER 26, 2019 THE STAR

Spencer first-ever SLHTA Goodwill Ambassador S aint Lucia’s high jump star, Levern Spencer, received a heartwarming reception moments after she returned home via Hewanorra International Airport on a Delta flight on Monday this week.

Spencer, the island’s most decorated athlete, defended her gold medal at this year’s Pan Am Games held in Lima, Peru from July to August, with a best jump of 1.87 metres. However, she finished 13th in the justconcluded World Championships held in Doha, Qatar, with a best jump of 1.92 metres.

Monday’s welcome ceremony was organised by the Saint Lucia Hospitality & Tourism Association (SLHTA) which inducted the wellrespected athlete as its firstever Goodwill Ambassador at its 55th Annual General Meeting held on August 30 this year.

Spencer, 35, who represented Saint Lucia at the Olympic Games in 2008, 2012 and 2016, was selected “based on her humility, dedication and persevering spirit, and knowing that she would be the perfect asset to carry out the mandate of the SLHTA,” said Yola St Jour, the SLHTA’s Finance and Administrative Officer and Corporate Secretary. “The SLHTA surely and truly believes Spencer to be an absolute draw and phenomenal daughter of the soil,” St Jour added.

Director on the SLHTA’s Board, Kirk Elliott, expressed congratulatory remarks to Spencer on behalf of the SLHTA President Karolin Troubetzkoy, Directors of the SLHTA and the general membership.

Elliott cited Spencer’s charm and humility as qualities that represent and embody the true spirit of Saint Lucians.

“On behalf of our Association, I want to thank you for being an ambassador for Saint Lucia in this regard, for being an ambassador to the youth of this country, for being an ambassador to the country itself,” he said.

Elliott added: “Very often, we hear about the problems that exist: problems with the youth, problems in society.

But rather than harp on the problems, I believe it’s absolutely important to speak to how each and every one of us serves to be (and make) the difference.”

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Benson Emile, read a message on behalf of Minister of Youth and Sports, Edmund Estaphane: “Your presence on the island always brings a buzz of excitement, national pride and national accomplishment that only you have fulfilled but, as a nation, we all partake in. Your sporting exploits and achievements are well-

Left to right: SLHTA Project Assistant/Operations, Allyson Dudley; Director at SLHTA, Kirk Elliott; Sportswoman of the Year and first-ever SLHTA Goodwill Ambassador, Levern Spencer; Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Suzette Jean; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, Benson Emile; SLHTA Finance and Administration Officer, Yola St Jour.

documented and celebrated.

“We, as a nation, share in your accomplishments; we celebrate when you do well, but also share your emotions when your performance does not get you to the podium. But we take comfort in the fact knowing that you’ve tried your best. You are the best.

“As an esteemed athlete of the soil, from this tiny island of Saint Lucia, you carry this flag in battle with great nations far and wide, and for that the nation is indeed grateful.

“We also congratulate

and thank the SLHTA for recognizing sports and the accomplishments in sports as something worthy of celebrating and honouring.”

Suzette Jean, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Information, Broadcasting, Culture and the Creative Industries, described Spencer as “a true jewel, a phenomenal daughter of the soil and an inspiration to young people everywhere. You represent what every young person should aspire to, that is, achieving

success through hard work and dedication in whatever field is chosen. Your personality and pleasant disposition also keep you humble, focused and disciplined.”

Sports, Jean explained, create opportunities for youth to gain meaningful employment and engage in positive activities, thereby reducing crime and other social ills. She said government recognizes the link between investing in sports development and growth in other sectors of the economy, particularly tourism.

“Sports tourism has the potential to bring visitors and other sports enthusiasts to our shores to fill our hotel rooms, provide incomes for workers employed at all levels of the industry, and to provide foreign exchange,” she said.

Spencer’s excellence in sports at the international level, Jean noted, creates muchneeded awareness of, and interest in, Saint Lucia, with visitors coming to the island to learn more about the athlete’s birthplace.

For the next twelve months the SLHTA will partner with Spencer to host publicity events aimed at promoting the athlete and organising fundraising activities for the Association’s programme, many of which target youths.

Spencer said she was

“honoured” and “touched” by the welcome ceremony, adding that she looks forward eagerly to partnering with the SLHTA on the new venture.

Spencer also thanked her family, manager, sponsors, media and other organisations and sports associations for their support over the past twenty years, despite ending a season that could have been better.

“This season was, by no means, my best in terms of performance,” she stated. “But by no means was it my worst.

However, it was probably my worst in terms of niggling injuries which, in many instances, affected my performance. But, with the help of God, I was able to survive it and end the year having won some professional competitions in Europe and, for the eighth consecutive time from 2005, I was able to represent my country at the prestigious World Championships which were held in Doha, Qatar.”

Despite not making a podium appearance at this year’s World Championships, Spencer said it was enough just being named among the best in the world, adding that the crowning moment this season was defending her title at the Pan Am Games. She first won a gold medal at the Pan Am Games four years ago in Toronto, Canada, which was Saint Lucia’s firstever Pan Am gold.

CFC LUCELEC BOSL Youth Tournament Results T

Keegan Caul (pictured) of VSADC scored a hat trick in a game against New Generation.

he Castries Football Council (CFC) last weekend hosted another full slate of matches as round five was played at La Clery playing field. The under-11 division kicked off the weekend’s action with two matches on Saturday.

Nyah FC made light work of VSADC with a 6-0 drubbing. Edson Nicholas scored twice while Sunick Biroo, Carter Clauzel, Brandon Williams and Zidan Augustin each scored one goal.

In the second match First Touch Pioneers were determined to take all three points against Flow Lancers FC. Didn’t happen! Flow Lancers FC came from two goals down to record a 2-2 tie. Pioneers opened the scoring through #7 Enrique Roberts, the only goal in the first half. Early in the second half, Curtrel Francois made it 2-0 in what seemed to be a first defeat for the unbeaten Flow Lancers outfit. However, the inspirational Torres Harris pulled one back before Mickel St Clair netted the equalizer in the dying moments.

The under-15 division was just as exciting. In the first match VSADC came up against GMC. At half time the 0-0 deadlock had not been broken. All the goals came in the second half with GMC’s Joshua George opening the scoring just after the restart.

Goals from Kerval Cenac and Mikel Castang

in quick succession gave GMC a 3-0 lead before a potential comeback from VSADC. Jabari Etienne and Messiah Pinel pulled VSADC within one but, in the dying moments, Michael Justin sealed the game for GMC with a 4-2 win.

Flow Lancers FC and First Touch Pioneers were involved in the second encounter. From the start it was all Flow Lancers FC and it was only a matter of time before the deadlock was broken. That first goal came in the first half through Michal Daniel. The score was doubled in the second half by a busy Nayo Matthews. The final goal in the match came from a brilliant left-footed shot from outside the 18 yard box.

That goal was the second that central defender Dante Gregg has scored in the tournament.

First Touch Pioneers and Flow Lancers FC would meet again in the under-13 division on Sunday. The final score was 2-0 in favour of Flow Lancers

FC. The goal scorers were Vernroy “Pickles” Alfred and D’Andre Preville.

The other under-13 match was not much of a battle as VSADC’s two teams faced each other. The match ended 4-0 in favour of the Sharks over the Dolphins. Armani Lesmond was the lone goal scorer in the first half. Jean Quan John, Messiah Pinel and Mikkel Valcin got in on the action, scoring one each.

The under-18s closed the weekend with some brilliant displays after lunch on Sunday.

First off it was VSADC and New Generation doing battle.

National under-15 player Keegan Caul scored a hat trick and the winner to send VSADC past the Babonneau outfit.

Akil Gabril netted the other for VSADC. The final score line was 4-3.

New Generation opened the scoring and actually led 3-1 at one stage. New Generation goals came from Yanic Noel, Baggio Edwards and Darren

Edwards. Yanic Noel earned himself a red card late in the game.

The weekend’s final match was also one to watch.

Flow Lancers FC and First Touch Pioneers squared off in the under-18 division. Kyle Serville opened the scoring in the 26th minute to send Pioneers into the half-time break with the lead. That lead disappeared just after the break through a penalty taken

by Jared Desir. Pioneers took their lead back through Kenan St Omer and it looked like the winner for Pioneers. That was not to be!

Late in the game a beautifully placed corner kick from Jared Desir met the head of the shortest man in the park to record a 2-2 draw. Andrez Daniel managed to climb above everyone else to score a thundering header and steal a point from the match. Both teams created chances in the later stages, but to no avail.

THE STAR

OCTOBER 26, 2019

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