The STAR Newspaper- Justice For All!

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The Star (St.Lucia)

SATURDAY, september 29, 2018

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St. Lucians mourn and pray the death of Botham Shem Jean will deliver

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JUSTICE FOR ALL! See Page 5

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

Big Brother is Bullying Everyone

By Michael Walker

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s far as I can recall, the word ‘country’ can refer to various entities; it can be a state or nation as in 'What Asian countries have you visited?' It can be the people of a district, state, or nation: 'The whole country backed the president in her decision.' It can be the land of one's birth or citizenship: 'Levern made us all proud of our country.' Or it can simply refer to rural districts, including farmland, and other sparsely populated areas, as opposed to cities or towns: 'She lives in the country outside Laborie.'

But for the country that is Mainland China the word means something else and that country is flexing its muscles to make sure the whole world understands the word their way. China is pressuring airlines around the world to toe the Mainland’s political line. Airlines such as the Australian carrier Qantas, and U.S. carriers American Airlines and United Airlines have reportedly received letters bearing threats against them if they do not stop referring to Taiwan as a country. The letters from China's Civil Aviation Authority says the companies will be referred to the relevant cyber-security authorities if they do not comply.

Now what are Mainland China’s relevant cyber-security authorities, and what could be the consequences of being referred to them? In these times of Internet hacking by international agencies I cannot but feel an icy chill go down my spine at these threats. Imagine a planeload of passengers travelling from Sydney in Australia to Taipei in Taiwan on a Qantas Airbus or Boeing airliner, disappearing over the ocean as a result of the intervention of Mainland China’s cyber-security authorities! We all know that computers guide planes these days from push back, to taxying, to take-off and landing.

How difficult would it be for some murderous technician to hack into a plane’s autopilot and cause it to change course or simply disappear without trace, leaving no clues behind?

In January, China demanded an apology from Delta Air Lines for listing Taiwan and Tibet as countries on its website. We are all well aware of Mainland China’s obsession with Taiwan’s global recognition and success in matters of trade, business, research and innovation, so much so that the delicate diplomatic dancing of switching and stealing partners hardly matters any more. Taiwan quietly goes about her business of forging alliances, establishing trade links, and improving the world, despite the snapping of

september 29, 2018 THE STAR

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Chinese dogs at her heels.

We all remember the Malaysia Airlines 370, a scheduled international passenger flight that disappeared on 8 March 2014 while flying from Malaysia to its destination in China.

The crew last communicated with air traffic control around 38 minutes after take-off when the flight was over the South China Sea. The aircraft was lost from radar screens minutes later, but was tracked by military radar for another hour, deviating westwards from its planned flight path. All 227 passengers and 12 crew aboard were lost. This massive failure of aviation technology could, some might think, be the result of some meddling by an unknown cyber-security authority. And that’s all I have to say about that. But it’s not only airlines that are affected; Marriott experienced the same issues earlier this year when the hotel chain was forced to shut down its app and website for a week as financial punishment after sending an email that listed Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan as countries.

Part of China's motive, it seems, is to ensure that international recognition for Taiwan doesn't grow. If this is so, then it is failing miserably. Taiwan, a country of ‘only’ 23 million inhabitants, already occupies a position among the top 25 economies of the world. China is scared, quite simply, of Taiwan’s economic might and is jealous of the admiration shown to her by the global community, quite apart from the petty niceties of diplomatic recognition that beach vendors can buy and sell at will. The Peoples Republic of China fears most of all that if companies and countries officially recognize the democratic island of Taiwan as its own country, China's claim to rule diminishes, which is why the Chinese Bully continues its campaign to bribe small island states to sell their pride and dignity for a sometimes huge handful of silver and dollars and change their allegiance from Taiwan to China.

In a statement, the White House said the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration had sent a letter to 36 foreign and U.S. air carriers demanding they change how they refer to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. In the novel 1984, published in 1948, Orwell introduced a Big Brother who watched over all that his subjects did, including their private lives and thoughts. The Peoples Republic of China still strives to be the Big Brother in some fantasy world in which every nation, every country, bows down before it. I think it might be time for the Citizens of the World to don T-shirts proclaiming Taiwan Pride, or if they want to avoid upsetting the bully, Taipei Pride. What a farce the whole thing is!

HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN ACROSS ST. LUCIA BENEFIT FROM DIGICEL’S BACK-TO-SCHOOL CAMPAIGN

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elecommunications and entertainment provider Digicel, during the month of September, has demonstrated how serious it takes its corporate social responsibility; touching the lives of hundreds of students in over twenty primary schools across the country in its Back-to-School campaign.

The campaign started on September 3 with Digicel paying the bus fare for hundreds of students traveling to school. The second phase of the campaign saw a total of five HP printers donated to five primary schools, through a collaborative effort between Digicel and Computer World. The beneficiaries were the La Guerre Combined, Marchand Combined, Piaye Combined, Plain View Combined and Gordon and Walcott Memorial Methodist.

Additionally, the mornings of September 12 and 19 got off to a bright start for students at the Gros Islet Infant and Primary, Fond Assau Combined, Canaries Primary and Odsan Combined as they were treated to a special breakfast, compliments of Digicel and June’s Catering.

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Happy students at the Anse-La-Raye Primary School enjoying a visit from Digicel.

The Back-to-School campaign then led the Digicel team to the Belle Vue Combined, Deniere Riviere Combined, Laborie Boys' Primary, Vieux Fort Primary, Micoud Infant, Mon Repos Combined, Anse-La-Raye Primary, Fond St. Jacques Primary, Bocage Combined and the Grand Riviere Primary whose students received a donation of Digicel-branded notebooks, pencil cases and backpacks.

Digicel’s CEO Siobhan James-Alexander expressed much thanks to her team for identifying the most deserving schools and going out day after day to bring so many smiles to

the students’ faces.

James-Alexander explained that though there have been many changes within Digicel over the years, one thing that has remained constant is the company’s commitment to giving back to the community and the people it serves.

The CEO ended by stating that the Back-to-School campaign is just one aspect of what Digicel has in store, adding that the rest of 2018 promises to be extremely rewarding for all Digicel customers and Saint Lucia as a whole, urging persons to keep their eyes and ears peeled.

Taiwan Banana Expert Brings New Technology

ver the past two months, Taiwan Technical Mission in Saint Lucia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, has been disseminating a wide range of new banana technologies to local farmers via the Banana Productivity Improvement Project (BPIP). Overall, 17 workshops covering eight agricultural regions were held and 470 farmers have benefitted from BPIP. The workshops were conducted

by Taiwan banana expert Mr. Johnson Wu and Saint Lucian project manager Mr. Kerde Severin.

The new technologies thus introduced include banana production, irrigation systems, soil nutrition, disease and pest control, drainage, seedling management, fertilizer application as well as newest agricultural practices. They are all important tools for local farmers interested in starting a

Local farmers get modern, hands-on training from Taiwanese and local professionals in the agricultural industry.

banana business.

Head of the mission Mr. Mario Cheng emphasized the importance of building a sustainable banana supply chain in Saint Lucia, which can not only stimulate economic growth of Saint Lucia but also boost the income, employment opportunity and food security of thousands of households in rural communities. The mission will continue to work

closely with the Ministry of Agriculture to further enhance the capability of local farmers.

To date, over 250 field technical advisory services have been conducted, over 30 drainage facilities, 40,000 seedlings, and training for over 500 farmers have been introduced through BPIP. They have contributed tremendously to the competitiveness of local farmers.

THE STAR

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september 29, 2018

Yoplait Walk Gives Way To New Idea

ince its launch in 2008 to raise awareness and support for individuals living with cancer, the Yoplait Walk for Cancer has attracted hundreds annually. But the walk will be no more.

Division Head of Massy Stores, Mrs. Janice Lionel, made the announcement during the launch of the company's 2018 Breast Cancer Campaign.

"In 2008, our partnership with General Mills, through their Yoplait brand, saw the first ever Cancer Campaign launched in Saint Lucia,” she said. “Ten years later the cancer campaign is one of the largest fundraisers for women living with cancer on-island, having collected over $400,000 during this period.

"The General Mills worldwide campaign ended about three years ago but continued in the Caribbean. We are in our 11th year of the breast cancer campaign and unfortunately the 'Save lids to save lives' campaign has now stopped for the Caribbean. This means that the Massy Stores Yoplait walk will not be taking place this year."

She indicated that all is not lost and the company sees this as an opportunity to develop new partnerships and continue raising awareness.

“In the absence of a Massy Stores-led cancer walk, we will continue to be a force for good by supporting other existing entities. We believe we can still achieve the objective of awareness and raising funds through in-store activities and collaboration with existing entities in their fundraising events."

Ms. Lionel said efforts to raise awareness will no longer be concentrated in October to November, but will be spread throughout the year. Marketing manager of Massy Stores, Ms. Sancha Raggie explained the way forward: “Between October 1 and November 11, 2018, you can make a donation at the cash register in the denominations of five, ten, fifteen and twenty dollars. The maximum donation will be $200. Massy Stores will match the funds raised, up to $6,000. All funds will go to Faces of Cancer.”

She added: “Since we don’t have a walk, we are partnering with other organisations. The CIBC Caribbean Walk for a cure is on October 7. Walk for a Cause is also next year and part of the proceeds will be donated to the National Community Foundation.”

Massy Stores will also be announcing select days when the St. Lucia Cancer Society will be available to the public at their various stores, to provide information on breast cancer. Executive director of the National Community Foundation, Mrs. Michelle Phillips, commended the company for its continued support: “The partnerships are very important and it cannot be downplayed.

When Sancha called to say that General Mills had pulled out, and that Massy was going to look at rebranding, my response to her was it is just encouraging that even in the face of this, Massy Stores has seen it fit to continue the fight against cancer. That should not go unnoticed, and I want to say thank you.”

---JSA

LOCAL

Ms. Sancha Raggie, Marketing Manager of Massy Stores at the 2018 Campaign Launch.

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september 29, 2018 THE STAR

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St. Lucians say Final Good-Byes to Botham Jean

record audience of mourners turned out at the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on the afternoon of Monday September 24, to pay their last respects to Botham Jean. The 26-year-old was shot in his own appartment by a Dallas police officer two weeks ago. Also in conspicuous attendance were ministers of government and proclaimed justice activists.

The ceremony comprised mostly tributes from those who had encountered Botham throughout his life. From his alma mater, the Saint Mary’s College, Botham’s choir instructor and former principal gave their personal accounts about his early signs of levelheadedness.

Lecturers and old friends from the Sir Athur Lewis Community College were also on hand to say their pieces.

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Dallas West Church of Christ Minister, Sammie L. Berry, flew in specially for the occasion. His address ended with impassioned chants that implored the Jean family to stand and join in: “We stand for Botham!”

“People are angry, Saint Lucians are angry, people around of the world are angry,”said Ignatius Jean, Botham’s uncle and a former government minister. “One good thing that has happened is that the anger evoked by the tragedy has brought our nation together!”

There was hardly a dry eye at the cathedral when Botham’s father, Bertram Jean, shared his last memories of his son: it was a phone call concerning his youngest son’s tertiary education which grew into a heated debate. Towards the end of their talk, the father

Father of the deceased, Bertram Jean, brought the room to tears with his moving speech during his son’s funeral service.

explained, “He asked, ‘Daddy, am I a bad son?’ I said, ‘No, Botham, you’re not.’ Then he was emotional, he was crying a bit. I said, ‘No Botham, you are a

good boy.’ That’s the last time I spoke to him.”

Botham’s body was buried at the Vigie cemetary in Castries. Mourners later

congregated at the National Cultural Centre where refreshments were served.

Hours before Monday’s funeral, it was reported that his killer,

Amber Guyger, had been fired from her job as a Dallas police officer.

--- Keryn Nelson

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THE STAR

september 29, 2018

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Justice in the Land of Missing the Point!

His family vowed at Botham Jean’s (far right) funeral that his lifelong dream to change the world would come true with his untimely death.

Now that Saint Lucians clamour for justice for one son, will the country demand justice in the same way for (from left to right) Jezelle Georges, Alisha Hunte, Chereece Benoit, Saadia Byron and Rohan Louison?

old Rohan Lousion had been shot to death, and during the Claudia Eleibox time leading up to his burial last week, it would seem not all lives matter. At any rate, equally.

Or that it matters only when pray that if I should die as a Saint Lucian lives have been result of violence, whether at taken by a foreign officer of the the hands of a trigger-happy law in a foreign country. police officer or a drive-by

More people turned out doped-up shooter, that Saint for Botham Jean’s funeral Lucia will fight and demand ceremony than for many other justice in my name as we’ve such sad events, judging by all done and are doing for Botham I’ve myself experienced and Jean: with vigils, marches, what others have assured me. protests and pressure on the Not even the final turn-outs for authorities. Saint Lucians at Nobel laureates Sir Arthur Lewis home and in the diasporas and Derek Walcott come seemingly are united in their efforts to prove that though ours close. But then there were no radio and TV promos by event may be a tiny country, still we planners entreating people can force the United States to to come out in a show of do what it may be disinclined “solidarity”. No calls for to do. In this instance, deliver school children to line up along justice in the Botham Jean manslaughter case, never mind the route from Hewanorra Airport to La Clery. that country’s record when

But please don’t get me it comes to the treatment of wrong. Botham Jean’s untimely blacks and police officers; especially white police officers. death certainly deserved all the local attention it has so Botham and his family, his far received. He was one of us friends and relatives—all of and it was good to see, for a Saint Lucia—deserve to see change, a Saint Lucia united, if justice done. only in grief inspired by Botham

So do the families, friends Jean. I was not able to establish and relatives of every citizen how many of the estimated killed in Saint Lucia, native or 3,000 watching his funeral visitor. But judging by the level of public outrage when first the service online actually knew the deceased. No matter, it’s the news came out that 13-year-

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thought that counts.

But what does that say about the demonstrated ‘don’t give a damn‘ attitude to so many home-based Saint Lucians who over the years were brutally raped, beaten, stabbed and dumped, bludgeoned to death by animals yet to be arrested? They were black, too. Some were actually shot or beaten to death in their own homes, just as Botham Jean was.

Only a few months ago an elderly couple was beaten to a bloody pulp at their Desruisseaux residence. The man died on the spot, his skull crushed by the force of the fatal blows by individuals not yet detained.

Shortly before, the body of a Laborie woman was discovered in a shallow grave not far from where she lived. Case still unresolved.

Jezelle Georges, who was raped and killed at her parents’ house in Bonneterre, at high noon, with workmen doing roadworks yards away. No one arrested.

This week her sister, Geraine Georges, told the STAR: “My family is in full support of justice for Botham who was murdered in his own apartment, just as Jezelle was. This recent

incident has forced us to relive the horror of Jezelle’s last day, almost 20 years ago. What is disturbing to me is that the national criers for justice are so selective. There are so many murder and rape cases pending; the lives of so many young people cut short without resolution; without answers for the children and other relatives left behind. We’ve had so many victims of domestic violence, with few, if any cries for justice.”

I could go on and on about local black lives that apparently never mattered. While all the hoopla was going on in the media, how much did we hear about the still unresolved cases of the raped and killed: Trisha Dennis, Valerie Lorde, Chereece Benoit, Rohan Louison . . . they, too had parents who loved them, regardless of their status, achievements or public image. They, too, had friends and relatives who continue to miss them.

Then there are those who, according to Prime Minister Kenny Anthony reading from a 2013 televised speech, were victims of suspect police shootings. The prime minister stated for all the world to hear that some of those killings were made to look like what

they were not, with guns planted at crime scenes. Not a single police officer has been arrested in the related matter. Did the lives snuffed out not matter? Why have we not “united as a people” in the cause of justice?

Only this week another petition came out to remind the world of the yet unresolved seven-year-old murder of English yachtsman Roger Pratt.

Also of Ollie Gobat. Actually, our country has earned itself the dubious reputation for being especially unfriendly and dangerous to Brits.

By all means, let us continue crying out for justice for Botham Jean. Chances are it will have little impact on justice as practised in the United States, in Texas especially. It’s not as if we can withdraw certain privileges should the U.S. authorities ignore our pleas. The harsh but undeniable truth is that we have no way of pressuring the U.S. to move in a direction synonymous with Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Dream”.

On the other hand, we can do for ourselves, for local justice, what we cannot force the American authorities to do. We can begin by answering some questions

about the scores of cold cases (forgotten cases?) crying out for resolution. We might start with some meaningful words in relation to IMPACS. How about inundating our radio stations with calls for justice in relation to that elderly woman in Micoud who was awakened from sleep and raped in her own home, in her own bed?

It is worth mentioning that throughout this whole regrettable Botham nightmare, his mother has retained an image of quiet dignity, keeping her indescribable pain almost to herself. Not once was her voice heard in the appeals that sometimes sounded less horror-driven than feterelated. When Allison Jean finally broke her silence this week, it was to appeal to all not to turn her son’s death into a spectacle, political or otherwise, and to respect the family’s privacy. She spoke her touching words while also thanking the many who had shown support in her family’s worst hour. As horrible an episode in the lives of the Jean family as undoubtedly it is, the death of Botham Jean can be an unforgettable reminder that justice, like charity, should begin at home. Rest In Peace, Botham Jean!

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september 29, 2018 THE STAR

We Need To Revisit Our Laws Where Obstructionists Are Concerned!

Peter Josie

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feel both blessed and happy to have been able to attend the recent classic Greek wedding ceremony of my nephew Howard and his beautiful bride Sophia, in Corfu, Greece. I feel equally fortunate that I was able to stop over for a couple days in Athens—a city I’ve longed to visit— to see and feel firsthand the place and people that gave democracy to the western world, beginning with the Greek City States. I hope to include some aspects of my visit to Greece in the autobiography that Rick Wayne and a few other friends have been encouraging me to write. They insist that “Shattered Dreams”, my first book, was a mere précis in my political journey.

Before leaving Saint Lucia for this amazing event in Corfu, I closely followed the story surrounding the death in the USA of the young Saint Lucian Botham Jean. Although America has always been a country that Saint Lucians love and respect, I think the demise of Botham Jean, and what led to it, has left a sour taste in their mouths, as well as in the mouths of many in our region.

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I could not help noticing that the forced political division which the opposition St. Lucia Labour Party has been busy fomenting since its rejection at the polls in June 2016 was about to hit a new low. I was informed that they had planned another protest march in Castries, when Botham’s sudden and violent death occurred. The murder shocked the entire island into a state of disbelief and anger, and it should have been a rallying call for all Saint Lucians to put their differences aside and focus on what would happen in Saint Lucia if a Trump-like unhappy opposition politician that hates to lose was allowed to create more division in the country. Who will stop local politics shooting its opponents dead?

One possible solution which hit me came when I saw Prime Minister Allen Chastanet trying to comfort Botham Jean’s family. The prime minister had been offisland, and my information is that he was due to return home when Botham’s unfortunate death took place. The PM immediately adjusted his travel plans, knowing how well and professionally Botham’s mother and uncle Ignatius Jean had served Saint Lucia in the public service and in politics, respectively.

Since I have the enviable reputation of never mincing my words, I will repeat here what I once said to Ignatius Jean, which I

hope he does not mind me citing here: “The only time I will ever consider voting for the SLP ever again, is if Ignatius Jean were to emerge as its political leader.” Yes, I said that!

This takes me to the broader political point that I wish to make here. Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, to his credit, and to my great pleasure, has offered me two job opportunities, which I feel certain 99.99% of his opponents, as well as his supporters, would readily grab with both hands. I didn’t just say sorry to him. I informed him and his closest colleagues that he needs me in Saint Lucia, on radio and television at least three or four times a week, more than he needs me elsewhere, Here is a glimpse of agenda item number one, as far as I am concerned. I aim to mobilize the entire country to force (or to persuade, if you prefer) the citizenry to get their MPs to pass a law in the House and Senate that

would make it illegal, and incur disqualification, for any member of parliament to threaten potential investors to the island. Words such as “I will write to foreign investors asking them not to invest in Saint Lucia,” should disqualify any politician from ever contesting general elections or any elections for a public post in Saint Lucia.

The British have a habit of frowning on post-dated legislation. Perhaps we should do some research and see whether any former British colony has successfully postdated legislation with no time limit in which to prosecute and punish those who betray their country and wish to harm its economy. Calling a strike and blocking roads so bananas and tourists cannot pass should fall under such a law.

Furthermore, it’s time for the Allen Chastanet-led UWP to establish in clear and simple terms investigations into the Grynberg affair, the launching of the CIP in Monaco, the reason

the DSH was kept a secret until after the 2016 elections, and, crucially, the massive cost over-runs in the rebuilding of the St. Jude Hospital in Vieux Fort.

The prime minister must also be informed that it does not matter how much he rebuilds the economy, if the SLP were to be returned to office any time soon, they would mismanage the economy worse than they did before and Saint Lucia would be returned to the same depressing begging status he found it in, in 2016. That is the reality the UWP government must never stop drumming into the heads of those who pretend not to hear.

The UWP must get some strong gonads and push its MPs to keep reminding the official opposition and its puppets in all walks of Saint Lucian life that the people of this nation voted the UWP into office for five years; also that the PM has consistently said it would take three years just to clean up the mess he inherited.

THE STAR

september 29, 2018

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september 29, 2018 THE STAR

Saint Lucia Crowned The Rural Unknown Caribbean’s Solar Power: Leading Honeymoon A New Reality Destination S aint Lucia has won the award for the ‘Caribbean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination’ at the 25th annual World Travel Awards. The award ceremony, which celebrates some of the finest travel brands in the Caribbean and North America, took place at Sandals Montego Bay, Jamaica on September 23, 2018.

This is the ninth time the island has won the award in ten years and the

win represents Saint Lucia’s fifth consecutive title as ‘Caribbean Leading Honeymoon Destination’.

Saint Lucia is also a nine-time winner of the ‘World Leading Honeymoon Destination’.

“Romance has helped to establish the Saint Lucia brand and continues to be a significant niche market for the destination. This award is a result of the hard work of all our tourism stakeholders and truly is an award for the people

of Saint Lucia,” stated Tiffany Howard - Chief Marketing Officer and acting CEO of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority.

The destination is also nominated for ‘World Leading Honeymoon Destination 2018’. The grand finale gala awards event, which acknowledges first class excellence of travel brands from across the world, will take place on December 1, 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Simpson Finance Ltd, a growing finance company in St. Lucia is inviting suitable applications for the position of

Credit Officer Duties and Responsibilities: The Credit Officer responsibilities include but are not limited to: • Daily review and active pursuing of the receivables portfolio, to ensure prompt payment

by customers • Preparation of all necessary correspondences to clients regarding their accounts • To provide monthly reports of stock and repossessed units.

• To provide excellent customer service and answer all general queries • Liaising with bailiff on repossession orders issued • To prepare credit applications and attend to clients’ calls and visits regarding queries.

Qualification and Experience: The minimum requirements for the position of Credit Officer • Diploma Level in Business related field from a reputable University.

• At least two (2) years’ experience in Customer Service Industry • One (1) year experience in Collections/ Banking Industry Job Requirements: • Excellent verbal and written communication skills • Must be self-motivated • The ability to problem solve creatively • Must be proficient in time management • Negotiation skills • Strong desire to achieve goals • Basic computer knowledge/skills • Ability and openness to work with a diverse customer base • Works well in team settings • Attention to detail and accuracy Suitable candidates may forward applications to: Simpson Finance Limited C/O JQ Motors Choc Estate P O Box 279, Castries Or Email: info.slu@sflcaribbean.com Deadline for submission 5th October 2018

Solar panels: will this be the new design on Saint Lucian residences?

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ith the passing of Hurricane Florence through the Carolinas, startling news was presented shortly after. While most residents who were reliant on electricity from non-renewable resources, such as coal, were without power for almost two weeks, solar farms sustained little to no damages and were up and running within days of the powerful storm.

Furthermore, reports stated that coal-fired plants which sustained heavy damage, also flooded into nearby rivers and waterways. These accounts highlighted two key elements in the battle for renewable energy: firstly, renewable energy sources may be less vulnerable to natural disasters; secondly, they have little to no negative environmental impact on the land and people, very much unlike coal and gas.

While the world is beginning to be awed by renewable energy sources such as solar energy, this phenomenon is not new to our country. We used it at first merely for heating our water, but solar panels on the tops of

houses in Saint Lucia were, in some ways, a common sight.

Now, there are several solar companies based on-island and it begs the question: If we were ahead of the curve, why are we now behind? In my opinion, solar power in Saint Lucia remains in the hands of those who can make a large investment in the long term. For those who at some points cannot even afford the cost of electricity services, investing a large sum into solar panels is not a possibility, even though in the long term it will be consistently cheaper than traditional electricity.

Initiatives such as Akon’s ‘Lighting Africa’ project, (a public-private partnership that provides solar solutions to rural villages, schools and health centres) is exactly the type of project that would make the use of renewable energy common to the common man. While we have made some strides with the recently opened solar farm in La Tourney, Vieux Fort, we still have yet to address the economic barriers that block our citizens from being a part of our intended green future. Hope

may lie with the introduction of the Caribbean Climate Accelerator and our region as the newly debuted testing ground for climate-resilience.

Perhaps in 5-10 years solar power could very well be in every household. Or, as we have seen before, it might only be in the households that can afford it. Only time will tell.

--- Keithlin Caroo Helen’s Daughters

Helen’s Daughters is a Saint Lucian non-profit with a special focus on rural women’s economic development through improved market access, adaptive agricultural techniques, and capacity-building. It was formed in 2016 in a winning proposal for UN Women’s Empower Women Champions for Change Program. To learn more about the initiative, you can visit: Facebook (helensdaughters.slu), Instagram (helensdaughters.slu) Website (helensdaughters.org)

THE STAR

september 29, 2018

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RS E N N I W Y 4 LUCK

Prices are correct at the time of going to print. Courts reserves the right to subsequently change prices without notice. Offers available while stocks last. All finance terms are subject to credit approval. Weekly prices are based on a Gold 36 months repayment plan. 3 to 36 month credit plans available. See in-store for details.

NOTHING DOWN &

NOTHING TO PAY

FOR 30 DAYS

SAME DAY

DELIVERY &

INSTALLATION

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september 29, 2018 THE STAR

Understanding Dementia

B

BRAIN: Don’t Forget Me

rain health is a rising concern for many older persons as the risk to develop Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia increases dramatically after 65 years of age. The health of family and professional caregivers is also in jeopardy when caring for someone with dementia when they have little to no support.

Newer evidence shows that plaques and tangles (hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease) are found as early as 18 years prior to showing any signs of cognitive impairment. This means the brain is affected as early as the 40s and 50s if the onset of Alzheimer’s disease is in the 60s. There have also been rising cases of developing the disease in the early 40s meaning that the brain was affected in the 20s.

With this said, prevention of risk factors is a must as early as possible. No one can stop

getting older, but age does not guarantee that dementia will develop. People can, however, reduce known risk factors. But first it’s important to understand dementia. Let’s start with the basics. What is dementia?

Dementia is a syndrome and a collection of symptoms that affect the memory, thinking and ability to complete everyday tasks that most people take for granted. However, there is no test to specifically diagnose dementia. A health provider will take several tests and if other illnesses are ruled out and it’s discovered that there are at least two parts dying in the brain with no cause, the diagnosis would be unspecified dementia. It is important to know that receiving a diagnosis of dementia should not be a one-time doctor visit that results in a list of prescriptions.

If this happens, it is advised to get a second opinion or go to a

specialist.

It is safe to say that a person with Alzheimer’s disease also has dementia, but what is commonly misconceived is that if a person has dementia, they also have Alzheimer’s disease.

If someone is only diagnosed with dementia, it is unspecified meaning the health provider cannot determine the type or cause of the dementia.

Dementia is like a basket of fruits and vegetables: The basket is dementia, the vegetables are the conditions caused by the neurodegenerative disease (dying neuron cells), and the fruit are the conditions that look like dementia (depression, or vitamin deficiency), only they can be cured or reversed. The basket, or dementia, holds it all.

Another way to understand dementia is to see it as an umbrella term to describe neurodegenerative conditions

such as Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy Body, Parkinson disease, Vascular Dementia and many others. These conditions are debilitating, incurable and result in progressive degeneration of nerve cell death.

Pseudodementia can be placed under the same umbrella, which is depression with a cognitive impairment with symptoms of dementia.

These dementia symptoms can be reversed if early detection is found.

It is important to understand the difference in conditions because the treatments are critically different, especially when

please send your questions to prescribing medication. There are associations for different brainhealthstl@gmail.com types of dementia and their ---Regina Posvar research shows that the common types of medication Regina Posvar is the current used can result in death when misused. president of the St. Lucia

The St. Lucia Alzheimer’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Association and has been a Association encourages licensed nurse for 25 years. readers to share your SLADA is supported by caregiving challenges with the volunteers and donations, and association for professional recommendations and tips aims to bring awareness and to help you understand support by providing awareness Alzheimer’s disease, other public workshops, family support, memory screenings, dementias, caregiving concerns, the Memory Café, counselling and brain health questions. You can also share your tips to help and family training for coping skills and communication with another family.

For more information persons living with dementia.

Store promises excellence for Saint Lucia

The “Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH”, under the “Caribbean Aqua-Terrestrial Solutions (CATS)” programme” based in Castries, Saint Lucia, is looking for a:

Regional Advisor/Expert (m/f) Required professional profile: •

•

• • •

• • • • • •

Advanced Degree in Climate Science, or else, in a relevant academic discipline such as Agriculture, Environmental Sciences, Water Resources Management, Coastal Resources Management, Forestry or Engineering.

Solid practical experience (more than 5 years professional experience) in developing and/ or managing multi-stakeholder partnerships, ideally related to the adaptation to climate change in agriculture, forestry, coastal/marine and/or the water sector.

You have knowledge and experience on climate change adaptation and mitigation projects, Know-how regarding loss and damage and climate-induced migration would be an asset Prior work experience with an international development cooperation agency would be an advantage too.

Proven track record of working in a team setting Ideally, prior experience in Grenada and/or Carriacou Ability to work independently Fluency in English (oral and written) Solid ITC skills (MS Office, Internet, E-Mail) Excellent communication and presentation skills incl. PR (Public Relations) and awareness creation.

Information re the position: The CATS program is a joint development cooperation endeavour between the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). It is being jointly implemented by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and German Development Cooperation (GIZ). CATS program operates in several CARICOM Member States, mainly targeting the three focal island states of Dominica, Grenada and Saint Lucia in the Eastern Caribbean.

Time frame of employment: November 2018 - February 2020.

Application information: If you are interested, kindly submit your cover letter and CV in English to: giz.serviceskaribik@giz.de Application for this post must be submitted no later than by the end of Friday, October 5th, 2018.

NOTE: Due to the expected high volume of applications, we will only contact applicants who are being considered. Thank you for your understanding.

Excellent Stores Managing Director, Franco Siu Chong, welcomes the first customers to the Saint Lucia branch.

L

ast Saturday started with a proud morning for Excellent Stores and Gros Islet.

The newest branch and the first non-Trinidadian location of Excellent Stores opened in the Johnson’s Centre in Rodney Bay. Franco Siu Chong, managing director of Excellent Stores Group of Companies, was delighted to announce that spreading the company’s reach regionally is an important step for investment. He also highlighted that the reason for choosing Saint Lucia for this investment is his wife — Lisa Siu Chong, is Saint Lucian and presently the company’s director of human resource, marketing and e-commerce.

Franco Siu Chong emphasized the positive mark that he wishes for the company

to make on the island. He said: “At Excellent Stores our mantra is honesty, hard work, integrity and, most of all, giving our customers a value for their hard-earned spend, delivering excellent service in our comfortable shopping environment and satisfying their needs for valued products, convenience and improved lifestyle.”

Further to the mantra, Siu Chong said that the staff of the most recent Excellent Stores will be 100% Saint Lucian and that “it is our intention to integrate into the local economy and truly become Saint Lucian".

As president of the Trinidad Dragon Boat Festival, Siu Chong has already started discussions with the Saint Lucia Yacht Club to bring a similar concept to this

island. He predicts that it would be his contribution to the local tourism industry.

In attendance at Saturday’s ribbon-cutting and opening ceremony were other members of the company’s board of directors, representatives of their foreign retailers and Sharon Amos, the winner of a trip to Saint Lucia from Excellent Stores as part of its 60th anniversary promotion.

The adjective “excellent” was tossed around a lot by all of the event’s presenters. Minister Bradley Felix, who featured an eye-catching hairstyle on the occasion, and deputy mayor of Gros Islet, Mr. Daniel Belizaire, both expressed satisfaction with the look, design, display and merchandise at the store.

---Claudia Eleibox

THE STAR

september 29, 2018

www.stluciastar.com

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september 29, 2018 THE STAR

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What t Jour I

It was true when George Orwell first wrote it and it remains true to this day—whatever else our special breed of “media workers” might cook up for their own easy consumption!

smiled while reading in last Saturday’s Voice an item with the heading Hilaire Should Not Get Too Comfortable! that included the following: “Mr. Hilaire seems to have an inflated opinion of his skills in argument. He also seems to think he is the only one who has studied political science. He should know that he is seen by the public as being disrespectful, full of himself and a badly-spoken individual.”

As I continued reading, I wondered: What is it that compels some newspaper contributors to produce such self-revealing gibberish? Their morphology suggests a close natural connection with certain habitués of St. Louis and Coral streets in Castries, who imagine they hold the answer to every question, whether related to economics, the afterlife or physical cosmology.

A first-time visitor from Pluto, unfamiliar with local kolcha, would likely deduce from the above-quoted lines that they were written in the aftermath of not only scientific analyses of Ernest Hilaire’s pysche but also of how he is perceived by a remarkably astute “public.”

For the benefit of those who continue to suspect I am myself a creature from another planet, I confess the contrary. It’s just that I have

for a long time been studying local sardines that believe themselves to be whales; also cockroaches convinced they can devour hungry roosters if only they can muster up a large enough cockroach army.

If I may be permitted a small arrogance, I dare to say there is little I don’t know about the idiosyncrasies of the more bizarre inhabitants of this rock of sages—Wonderland without Alice. While illiteracy abounds, so do literary critics: a piece of writing, however pretentious or juvenile, is here considered worthy of a Nobel or Pulitzer, depending on how flattering it is of a friend, favorite relative or politician.

Consider this, from the earlier cited Voice article: “I wa hoping to see Ernest Hilaire cu down to size by Rick Wayne, but instead listeners saw a mutual adoration society at pla It was a terrible show.”

Disjointed is the least of it The disappointed (and obvious confused) Voice contributor was referring to Hilaire’s recen appearance on TALK. The truth is that although there was little we agreed on—certainly not on the messy topic of St. Jude Hospital—the opposition MP was on the remembered evening exactly as I’ve always known him dating back to the 1997 general elections: articulate, focused, stubborn,

THE STAR

september 29, 2018

COMMENT

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13

t the hell is ‘Objective urnalism’ Anyway?

en studying believe whales; also nced they roosters if ter up a roach army. ed a small o say there w about the he more of this onderland e illiteracy rary critics: however nile, is here of a Nobel ing on how friend, politician. from the article: “I was st Hilaire cut ck Wayne, rs saw a ociety at play. ow.” he least of it! and obviously ntributor laire’s recent LK. The truth ere was —certainly opic of St. e opposition membered I’ve always back to lections: , stubborn,

informed, cautious and so on. We laughed with and at each other, despite our many disagreements.

Just before the show ended I tossed him the following loaded question: “Why are you the only one from your party who has ever accepted my invitation to appear on TALK?” I may have actually taken him off guard.

He paused, chuckled, fingered his shaved head.

Finally, he said: “Maybe it’s because they think I’m the only one you don’t dislike!”

True enough, a response open to several interpretations.

But Hilaire knew that I knew precisely what he’d hinted at. Quite obviously, the Voice contributor did not get from us what he had hoped for. All he saw was a “mutual adoration society at play . . . A terrible show!”

The Voice review appeared at a time when some who describe themselves as “media workers” have promised themselves to “deal with Rick Wayne.”

Why? I have no doubt they could offer countless reasons.

From what has reached me, it would seem my expressed contrary opinion on matters close to their hearts has once again made me a target for intellectual Lilliputians on match-stick

stilts. How dare I suggest it was no big deal that a woman at a party press conference had demanded a garrulous reporter “shut up!” I was nothing but “a sell-out . . . a dirty bastard” to be dealt with by one of the aforementioned Lilliputians on matchstick stilts.

Real journalists and reporters know they are involved in an exercise of democracy, not of etiquette.

Reporting is often adversarial, sometimes involving loss of life—that of the journalist.

So what if a known supporter of a particular political party should behave in an ungentlemanly or unladylike fashion toward a reporter he or she believes to be less than fair and balanced? And what if I happen to think there are things to be written about more important than a media worker’s bruised ego? Does that amount to selling out ostensible fellow journalists with whom I’ve never had much in common?

I suppose it didn’t help that some months earlier I had underscored the fact that politicians, whether or not in office, are free to talk or not to talk to media workers bearing microphones and other recording devices. Especially when they are self-convinced such reporters exist only to guarantee them an unflattering public image. We need not automatically think of Trump at this point, despite that he has repeatedly declared unflattering American journalists “the enemy of the people” and their work “fake news.” Long before Trump, other U.S. presidents had declared war on uncooperative newsmen, from Jefferson (yes, yes,

him!) to Richard Nixon. The last mentioned had his own rogues' gallery of journalists, the most despised among them being Bob Woodward and Carl Berstein.

As I say, long before Donald Trump became “Liar in Chief” to millions worldwide, there was the equally onion-skinned Kenny Anthony. From the steps of the Castries market and before a huge crowd of overheated supporters, he had unforgettably referred to a particularly timid news presenter at the scene as “a media terrorist.” Kenny Anthony had also refused to accommodate questions from STAR reporters. But then talented and inventive journalists (“media workers” are free to speak for themselves) have always been able to work their way around such paper-thin walls.

At a press conference a day or two before Saint Lucia became an independent nation, the prime minister designate, determined to avoid my potentially embarrassing questions, declared through his press secretary that he would only entertain questions from the attendant foreign press.

At the time I was home on vacation from my job as a magazine editor at Weider Publications, in Los Angeles. I assumed the obvious insult to home-based media personnel did not apply to me. When I raised my hand to signal I had a question, Compton who knew me only too well, demanded that I identify myself and my paper. Sadly, I had left my ID card at my mother’s residence in La Clery.

But all was not lost. A member of the UK press contingent happily volunteered to be, in effect, my ventriloquist’s dummy.

On the recalled occasion Gregory Regis, a Saint Lucian then attached to a news organization in Toronto, Canada, caused something of an upheaval when he asked Compton what he planned to do about the brothels in some of the poorer areas of Castries.

Compton’s response was a fiveminute lecture on nationalism and love of country. But that’s for another show, and another time.

Politicians are nearly always vulnerable. Which is why the best among them, the late Romanus Lansquot, for one, never permit too much bad blood between them and even the least experienced journalists.

Claudius Francis can say a lot about Lansie’s sometimes hilarious ambivalent relationship with the press.

In more recent times my contretemps have been not so much with politicians as with particular “media workers” whom I’ve been known to dismiss as talentless and unread 20 lines a week scribblers. Lately they’ve taken to echoing one another at my imagined expense, selfconvinced as they say that Rick Wayne has “lost all objectivity.” It will probably come as a shock to them that for once they may have a point worthy of discussion. I have never been a fan of what they refer to as “objective” journalism.

The ordinary meaning of the term: “Not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations or prejudice;

based on facts; unbiased”— the best examples of which are served regularly by media workers at local TV and radio stations, not to mention the anonymous publications online.

Oh, and by politicians stuck in campaign mode.

It might be worth citing the historian Gerald Baldasty who held that objectivity went “hand in hand with the need to make profits in the newspaper business by attracting advertisers.” In this economic analysis, noted another qualified observer, “publishers did not want to offend any potential advertising clients and therefore encouraged news editors and reporters to present all sides of an issue.

Advertisers would remind the press that partisanship hurts circulation and, consequently, revenues. Thus objectivity was sought.”

On the other hand, “some scholars and journalists criticize the understanding of objectivity as neutrality or nonpartisanship, arguing that it does a disservice to the public because it fails to attempt to find truth. They also argue that such objectivity is nearly impossible to apply in practice.

Newspapers inevitably take a point of view in deciding which stories to cover, which to feature on the front page, and what sources they quote.”

Newspaper critics such as Edward S. Herman and Noam Chompsky have described a propaganda model that they use to show how, in practice, such a notion of objectivity ends up “heavily favoring the viewpoint of government and powerful corporations, leading to an over-reliance on official sources.”

I could not agree more.

Although I seldom write hard news nowadays, leaning instead toward highly opinionated commentary and features, still what I do demands immediately verifiable facts. I cannot guarantee my interpretations of facts at my disposal will always be beyond dispute, but I stand ever ready to defend my positions—which, to borrow from John Maynard Keynes, can change when the facts change. Foolish consistencies were never my bag. I dare to say human beings as a species are naturally prejudiced to one extent or another. Our life experiences, our education, our religious beliefs, our sense of right and wrong, these things influence how we view the world. Nevertheless, a piece without feet will not for long stand!

The problem with our soidisant media workers is that they almost never challenge what has been said or written. Their uncontrollable inclination is to launch pseudonymous sneak attacks on the reputations of those they dislike, exemplified by the recalled assault on Ernest Hilaire’s intellect and character at the start of this admittedly lengthy article. (Most media workers cannot stay focused long enough to read a full newspaper column—let alone a 50-page grammar book.)

The ostensible leaders of the pack can barely manage a hundred lines a week for their news bulletins, most of which comprise usually unchallenged statements by better informed politicians, without which the average local media worker would be lost. But then, they are nothing if not “objective media workers!”

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september 29, 2018 THE STAR

KIM’S KORNER

Sandals Won’t Fibromyalgia: Pain that be Held Back can’t be explained F

ibromyalgia is not a new disease, but it only recently gained recognition as a painful and debilitating condition. Its symptoms of all-over body pain were first discussed in the 1800s and fibromyalgia was known as muscular rheumatism. At that time no cause, relief or cure from symptoms could be found; some doctors even believed it was a disease of the mind and the pain was manifested by thoughts and experiences.

It was not until 1904 that the medical profession realised it was not a rheumatic disease; they renamed it fibrositis— believing the pain was caused by inflammation. In 1976 the name changed again to fibromyalgia, when it was discovered that inflammation was not the cause of pain.

Researchers now believe that the way the brain perceives pain is altered and these signals are amplified in the presence of fibromyalgia.

The name, broken down: Fibra (Latin), meaning fibrous tissues, i.e. tendons and ligaments; myos (Greek), meaning muscle, and algos (Greek), meaning pain. It does not discriminate; both Morgan Freeman and Lady Gaga suffer from this painful condition.

Lady Gaga is speaking out on Twitter to help raise awareness and connect with people who have it too.

Although fibromyalgia is still under the umbrella of rheumatoid diseases, this new understanding of what it is (and is not) has helped many with this condition finally find some relief. As yet there is still no cure but increased knowledge has brought better treatments for pain relief and other symptoms. So, what exactly is fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia, which affects more women than men, describes pain and tenderness throughout the body alongside other symptoms such as fatigue, mood swings, poor memory and sometimes insomnia. The cause is unknown; symptoms may appear for no reason, gradually increasing over time

or sometimes linked to trauma, surgery, infection or high levels of stress.

The most common symptoms are: widespread pain, fatigue, poor memory (known as brain fog) and insomnia.

The less common symptoms are: temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), frequent headaches, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and cystitis and painful bladder.

Although more is known about fibromyalgia, diagnosing it can still be difficult. There are no definitive blood tests, laboratory tests or significant signs. Diagnosis is based on having symptoms for three months or more and ruling out any other pathologies or causes.

Blood tests do not confirm but rather dismiss other conditions with similar symptoms, such as rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid problems or infection. Treatment for fibromyalgia can vary greatly between individuals and this has made it difficult to find the perfect solution. Most often a combination of interventions are suggested to manage symptoms: • Self-care and lifestyle changes – An important piece of advice that is often suggested is to reduce stress. Just thinking about reducing stress is enough to increase stress levels. It seems that these days stress is unavoidable, whether at work, at home or juggling both work and home; even sitting in slow-moving traffic can be stressful. Managing stress is far better than ignoring it or letting it control us. There are so many ways to do this from writing lists and prioritising to learning the art of meditation.

Go for a walk, get some fresh air and take in the surroundings to unwind after a long day; get plenty of sleep and slow down.

Feeling good today does not mean having to fit everything into one day!

• Medication – Now that more is known about this condition, medication is more effective. It may take time to find the right combination but doctors have a clearer idea of medications that are effective in treating pain, insomnia and mood. Remember, never take high doses of medication without professional guidance; even over-the-counter medication can have side effects if not taken correctly.

• Therapy – Seeing a physiotherapist can help to manage and understand pain through a range of interventions. Physiotherapists can offer a full assessment to identify areas of weakness and pain, and offer advice on pain management and exercise. Exercise can help relieve symptoms. Remember, exercising in moderation releases endorphins, the body’s very own happy hormones, as well as improving circulation, strengthening muscles and boosting metabolism. All of these can help relieve symptoms. Occupational Therapists can advise on managing daily tasks and give advice on modifications at home and at work. Counselling is also helpful in recognising stress and identifying strengths and weaknesses. It is sometimes helpful to seek advice on setting sensible goals and suggesting coping strategies.

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

Sandals Halcyon’s general manager Chris Elliott looks forward to a brand new look for the hotel by December 1.

D

espite the major pause in the latest plans for a modern Sandals resort at Pigeon Point three months ago, the other resorts in Saint Lucia are moving forward.

On Monday, Sandals updated local media on its latest activities at Sandals Halcyon.

The resort hopes by December to boast the “longest pool in the Caribbean,” 540 feet, costing about $3.8million.

Renovations to the hotel began on July 15, with 19 Saint Lucians employed to recreate 93 rooms. The intention is to develop at least another 70 in the future. The press conference took place

in the newly installed Kelly’s Dockside restaurant.

But all of these updates come at a price, as general manager Chris Elliott reminded the gathering. He said: “I want to thank the public of Saint Lucia for their patience. But, I’m sure you will agree it’s a good investment.” Referencing the nightmare that daily confronts commuters in the north, he said the company was sorry for the traffic problems caused by its heavy equipment.

On Saturday Sandals’ staff celebrated 25 years of operation in Saint Lucia. Sandals Resorts International recently won ten awards at the World Travel

Awards 2018, as well as what the general manager for Sandals Regency, Mr. Guarav Sindhi, described as the “Emmys of the travel awards,” the Hotel and Resort Operator Award.

“So why do we keep on adding something new?” he asked and answered. “Firstly, we don’t like to stay still; we just don’t have that in our DNA. We like to constantly keep on innovating, being over-the-top and always doing something new. We’ve got to stay ahead of the curve and we want Saint Lucia to be ahead of the curve as well.”

Natural Disaster Double Attack

T

he “all clear” from the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMO) didn’t come until late morning yesterday after Tropical Storm Kirk safely passed Saint Lucia. But the howling winds had barely subsided before parts of the island jolted from the shaking earth at around 8:30a.m. The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre confirmed that a 5.6 magnitude earthquake occurred at 8:32a.m. It affected Dominica, Martinique and

Saint Lucia all of which felt tremors as it was detected at latitude 15.11N and longitude 60.43W at 10km deep. All three islands were still under tropical storm warning at the time.

Locals described the quake coming in two parts first thinking it was fizzling away and then feeling a second harsher jolt that followed.

According to preliminary, computerized information from the UWI, SRC another tremor happened at 9:27a.m. and occurred at latitude 15.08N and longitude 60.25W.

This comes about a mere five weeks after the fatal 7.3 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Venezuela on August 21, 2018 that was felt as far away as Saint Lucia.

No damages were reported at press time due to the earthquake in addition to the flooding, property damage and utility troubles caused by Tropical Storm Kirk.

The public is advised to take heed of earthquake and hurricane safety tips available from NEMO as Saint Lucia is in an earthquake and hurricane zone.

THE STAR

september 29, 2018

LOCAL 15

www.stluciastar.com

ANOTHER GLITCH HOLDS UP POLYCLINIC

DESIGN AND SUPERVISION OF CONSTRUCTION WORKS PROJECT TITLE:

TYPE OF CONTRACT COUNTRY OF ASSIGNMENT: ANTICIPATED PROJECT START

Design and Supervision of construction works of a Berthing Jetty in Soufriere Bay, Dominica Design and Supervision of Construction Commonwealth of Dominica November 2018

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST The scope of this service contract is determined by the Caribbean Aqua-Terrestrial Solutions (CATS) program which is jointly implemented between the German International Development Corporation (GIZ) and the Caribbean Public Health Agency, CARPA. The present phase of the program targets three focal countries namely Dominica, St Lucia, and Grenada and includes the option to scale up best practices to five other CARICOM member states. CATS II embraces the conceptual framework of “Ridge to Reef” (R2R) and is applying systemic resource management in selected states to increase resilience to climate change and as a tool for sustainable development of communities within marine managed areas (MMAs).

Government ministers at the sod-turning ceremony for the Dennery Polyclinic in March. Left to right: Mary Issac, Ubaldus Raymond, Edmund Estaphane, Hermangild Francis. Second from right: Guy Joseph.

T

he sod-turning ceremony for the EC$13.5 million Dennery Polyclinic was held on March 8 this year. The facility falls under the Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (DVRP) and is financed by the World Bank. It is earmarked for the community of Bois Jolie, and the estimated time of completion was given as 18 months. A subsequent press release by the Ministry of Health days following the ceremony indicated that the project went through a period of “preparatory works, which included site identification and preparation, detailed architectural designs and a protracted international bidding and procurement process”.

On Monday this week the press was updated on the situation from representatives of the Ministries of Health, Economic Development, Infrastructure, and Engineering Construction and Management Consultancy (ECMC) Ltd.

Ivor Daniel, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure, stated: “It was brought to our attention that, from the project manager’s standpoint, requests for information have been made.

We’ve been attempting to

respond to those requests.

It has been determined by our consultant that those requests for information require a deeper, technical engineering intervention, and that intervention is beyond the scope of the PS’s office. We’ve now gotten the assistance of a design review engineer in order to provide the required responses to the contractor.”

Egbert Louis of the consultancy firm ECMC, expounded: “A number of those issues that were raised by the contractor, and which we observed as the supervision consultant, were related to design. One of the critical issues is that during the excavation of the foundation for the building, we recognized that there are two or three ravines which pass through the site. This, of course, meant that we would need to undertake some sort of redesign of the structure."

“All of these are rather normal circumstances,” said Mr. Dwight Calixte, Chief Health Planner. “When you do the excavation, if there are issues, then you would have to redesign the building plan to suit its function. For instance, with OKEU there were some

redesigns done. This is why we have as-built drawings being created. So it is quite normal to relook, reassess, redesign and move forward.”

As to when the new designs would be completed, the PS in the Ministry of Health, Mr. Philip Dalsou, made no promises: “I can’t give you a precise date but we’re working assiduously to have it done in the shortest possible time.

Maybe a range of six weeks to three months. Don’t hold me to it but we’re looking at having the design modifications completed in the shortest possible time. From there we’ll be able to determine cost.”

For his part, the Minister of Economic Development, Guy Joseph, said: “We could have said we need to finish this project before the next elections so let’s overlook this, and let's take a makeshift approach and try to complete it, regardless of related problems ten years down the line. But that’s not the approach of this government.

We insist that anything we undertake should be properly completed, without shortcuts.”

---Joshua St. Aimee

The purpose of this Expression of Interest is to identify and hire a qualified firm for both design and supervision of construction of a berthing jetty in Soufriere Bay, Dominica. It is envisaged that the works will be completed over a period of several weeks for the design and over the entire construction phase for the supervision of services. The scope of services includes:

a) Design of a berthing jetty to accommodate up to 50 ft. vessel based on - Site characteristics of the area; - Anticipated use of the jetty

b) Supervision of construction works of the berthing jetty

c) Development of a management and monitoring plan for the facility.

Terms of Reference (TOR) describing the exact scope of works in greater depth will be made available to all qualified companies together with the tender documents.

GIZ now invites eligible companies to indicate their interest in providing these services.

Interested firms must provide expressive information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the services:

1) An official letter expressing interest

2) Company details including full company name, full address, phone and email

3) Company profile including copy of Certificate of Incorporation

4) CVs of key staffs who is intended to work on the project. The key staff should have at minimum, undergraduate degrees in civil, structural engineering, Quantity

Surveying, and Expertise in carrying out Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

5) Experience with previous similar jobs (2014 to 2018) including design of coastal

structures such as wharfs, jetties or other similar structures. A summary description

(including size, nature and location) of similar projects undertaken with contact details

of reference principal

6) Annual total turnover for each of the last three (3) years For consideration, all interested & qualified Architectural/Engineering Companies should submit the aforementioned documents electronically as a single PDF by 4:30 pm (16:30 hours) Eastern Caribbean time no later than October 5th, 2018. The EOI should be sent to the following email address: giz.serviceskaribik@giz.de Please make the subject line of your email communication on this matter: “EOI –Design of Berthing Jetty and Supervision of Construction Service for Jetty Development in Soufriere Bay, Dominica.

Please do not send technical or price offer, or other unrequested documents. Kindly note that complete tender documents with all information relevant for the offer itself will be sent to qualified Architectural/Engineering companies that expressed their interest.

GIZ will inform all companies that handed in expressions of interest about the end result of the evaluation process and whether they qualified as eligible contestants for the tendering process.

16

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LOCAL

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september 29, 2018

17

Saint Lucia welcomes OFFICE OF THE Taiwanese Medical MAYOR TO LAUNCH AFTER-SCHOOL Volunteers PROGRAMME T

Centre four, left to right: Ms. Verna Charles, CEO of St. Jude Hospital, Taiwanese Ambassador Douglas C.T. Shen, his wife Madame Shen and Mr. Wayne Harrow, Chairman of the Board (St. Jude Hospital), with Taiwanese medical volunteers.

S

t. Jude Hospital hosted a reception on September 25, 2018 to welcome the Changhua Christian Hospital Medical Volunteer Team from Taiwan. Ambassador Douglas C.T. Shen, accompanied by his wife, Mr. Wayne Harrow, Chairman of Board, and Ms. Verna Charles, Chief Executive Officer of St. Jude Hospital, attended the welcome reception.

Ambassador Shen expressed his appreciation to the volunteers for travelling all the way from Taiwan to render

T

medical service to local Saint Lucian people. He stated that a steady flow of personnel exchange has become a tradition since Changhua Christian Hospital and St. Jude Hospital signed the twinning agreement in 2009.

Ambassador Shen pointed out that over the years more than 120 medical experts from Taiwan have performed volunteer work at St. Jude Hospital, offering services to over 6,000 patients in southern Saint Lucia. Ambassador Shen also thanked St. Jude Hospital

for hosting Taiwanese medical volunteers.

Mr. Harrow thanked Taiwan and Changhua Christian Hospital for the long-standing support, and for providing every year training programmes to St. Jude Hospital staff, who all benefit greatly from the knowledge and experience they have learned.

The five-member medical volunteer team will stay in St. Jude Hospital until October 6, providing services in neurology, otorhinolaryngology, and Chinese medicine.

SLSWMA Survey Notice

he Saint Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority is presently conducting a survey as part of a project funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) through the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) Programme in the following communities: 1. Floravilla, Canaries 2. Bruceville, Vieux Fort 3. Barcadere, Vieux Fort 4. Blackstars/Odlum City, Morne-du-Don, Castries

5. George Charles Boulevard, Marchand, Castries 6. Ravine Poisson, Bexon

Authorised individuals will visit homes in the listed communities requesting information about solid waste management practices in homes/communities with the aim of assisting the Authority in improving solid waste management in the communities.

Residents are encouraged

to continue to support the individuals by providing the information required to complete the surveys.

The SLSWMA anticipates public cooperation as it seeks to improve solid waste management in your community.

The organisation can be reached through WhatsApp on 724-5544 or via telephone on 453-2208 or 450-7070.

he Office of the Mayor will soon begin to assist in bridging the gap between the end of a child’s school day and the end of a parent’s workday when it launches its first after-school programme.

The programme, dubbed PASS—Partners for After School Success—will offer free lessons in English and Mathematics three days a week to disadvantaged students preparing for CXC. The after-school programme was endorsed during a recent meeting with the Minister for Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development, Dr. Gale Rigobert.

Speaking ahead of the launch, His Worship, Mayor

Peterson D. Francis said that the introduction of PASS is aimed at not just reducing the pressure on the Ministry of Education, but also helping each student to learn and advance their skills.

According to Mayor Francis, after-school programmes have been proven to increase academic achievement as well as reduce financial stress on families.

“We’re resolute to use all tools at our disposal to expand the education prospects for the future shapers of our city as learning shouldn’t stop when the school bell rings,” said Mayor Francis.

“It is a situation where you cannot depend on government and ministries to do it all.

Each sector, business and individual must play a key role in advancing the cause of the country. Young people spend most of their time, including after school and weekends, outside the classroom, and given the current situation we face with loitering in the city after school, the programme is a start in dealing with that issue. It will be a significant contribution and headway in providing our young adults with an engaging and supportive atmosphere that will keep our children off the streets.”

Interested persons can call 452 2121 for more information or register for the programme at the Office of the Mayor, Peynier Street, Castries.

Offers are invited for:

1.

2.

3.

4.

One (1) 2008 Chevrolet Optra One (1) 2007 BMW 530i One (1) 2011 BMW X3 One (1) 2010 Audi Q5 The Vehicles can be inspected at

Admiral Sales and Rentals, Vide Boutielle Castries.

Appointments for viewing can be made by calling 758-729-1454.

No information will be given over the phone. Tenders are invited in sealed envelopes marked “Tender for Vehicle….”

Addressed to: The General Manager Simpson Finance Limited Choc Estate P O Box 279 Castries Closing Date Friday 5th October 2018 at 5pm.

Simpson Finance reserves the right not to accept the highest or any tender.

18 REGIONal

september 29, 2018 THE STAR

www.stluciastar.com

US$34.5 Million Confirmed in Grants under UAE-Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund

H

is Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of Climate Change and Environment, on September 27, confirmed that the UAE is proceeding with grants totalling US$34.5 million to fund renewable energy projects in the Caribbean that are built to withstand Category 5 hurricanes and located for enhanced resilience. This amount builds on projects valued at US$15 million announced last year

as part of the UAE-Caribbean Renewable Energy under Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation.

The announcement was made at the second annual Bloomberg Global Business Forum, held on the side-lines of the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, USA, where Minister Al Zeyoudi was invited to speak in the climate segment with former US President Bill

Clinton and Kristalina Georgieva, CEO of the World Bank.

Addressing the forum, Minister Al Zeyoudi said: “The UAE is honoured to have partnered with over 30 island countries since 2013 to implement renewable energy projects that reduce energy costs and create jobs. Today’s announcement on our partnership in the Caribbean builds on this legacy, simultaneously expanding our cooperation into climate

resilience.”

“Hurricanes Irma and Maria were a wake-up call for us,” Minister Al Zeyoudi added. “We realized that the kind of projects we pursue had to change. As a result, we have implemented a resilience standard for all of our Caribbean projects that reflects the reality of climate vulnerability in the region. Inspired by this precedent, we are now preparing for global roll-out of a resilience standard across over US$5 billion of annual aid from the UAE.”

The Minister described plans for seven new projects in Belize, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, St Kitts

and Nevis, and St Lucia. He also announced that the UAE had increased its allocation by 50 per cent to the rebuilding of the Barbuda power system, devastated by Hurricane Irma, in order to relocate and strengthen its main plant, where a solar and battery solution will be installed.

The Minister additionally announced that the UAE will allocate US$12 million for the next cycle of the fund, to be launched in January 2019 at the Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

In tandem with the Bloomberg Global Business Forum, Minister Al Zeyoudi also participated in the One Planet Summit organised by President Emmanuel Macron of France. The UAE is a core member of a sovereign wealth fund working group on carbon accounting, announced under the summit.

UAE foreign aid for renewable energy has reached nearly US$1 billion since 2013.

Statement on Botham Jean

by Chairman of OECS Authority, Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves

OECS Chairman and Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. The Hon. Ralph E. Gonsalves.

O PATRICIA GREENIDGE has been promoted to the post of Vice President, Pensions Administration We are pleased to announce that Mrs Patricia Greenidge has been promoted to the post of Vice President, Pensions Administration with effect from July 1, 2018 subject to regulatory approval.

Patricia joined Sagicor Life Inc on October 1, 1997 as an Assistant Vice President (AVP) in the Investments Department. In this role, she was instrumental in upgrading the Accounting and Investment portfolios to cutting edge software and reconciling and managing the onboarding of the then Life of Barbados (LOB) Investment and Mortgage portfolios. Patricia also provided strong leadership skills and considerable drive to her role as Treasurer in the Asset Management Department and brought these strengths to her most recent role as Head of Pensions Administration and Accounting in the Pensions Department.

Patricia is a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants (FCPA), holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University and the Corporate Secretarial qualification from the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA). Her keen interest in cricket led to her appointments as Manager of the West Indies Women’s Cricket Team on several occasions.

Please join us as we congratulate her on this significant achievement!

ver the last two weeks the people of this region, North America and indeed many other parts of the world have been following the rather sad, perplexing, and horrifying case of Botham Shem Jean, a 26-year-old citizen of Saint Lucia and the OECS.

It is an undeniable fact that Botham Shem Jean was shot and killed while in the sanctity and comfort of his own home on the night of September 06, 2018 by a uniformed officer of the Dallas City Police.

Botham Shem Jean had committed no crime, nor was he contemplating or conspiring to commit any crime. From every indication, Botham Shem Jean was a proud product of our Caribbean Civilization – bright, God-fearing, respectful of others, humane and full of promise.

And so, it is a great loss that we all feel, and for which we sympathise deeply with his family and friends. The people of our region, from the OECS and beyond, want to let it be known to the United States of America and indeed to the entire world that we stand firmly in solidarity with the family and friends of Botham Shem Jean, and with the Government and people of Saint Lucia in their demand for justice.

We wish to make it clear that our small size or perceived ranking in global affairs should not lead to false assumptions or conclusions about the strength of our resolve and determination in the fight for justice.

We are dismayed by the despicable attempts by some to smear the character of Botham Shem Jean, and call upon the authorities in the State of Texas and elsewhere in the United States of America to work to ensure that justice prevails in this matter.

THE STAR

september 29, 2018

REGIONAL

www.stluciastar.com

19

Only good coming out of the new EU Data Protection Regulation

By EU Ambassador to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean States, the OECS and CARICOM/CARIFORUM, Daniela Tramacere

O

n 25 May 2018, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) entered into force. This is a tool designed to harmonize data privacy laws across Europe, to protect EU citizens’ data privacy and to trigger more secure individual data privacy amongst organizations working with personal data of EU citizens. The GDPR not only applies to stakeholders located within the EU, but it also concerns companies and/or public authorities that process and hold personal data of EU citizens, even if the entity is based outside of the EU.

The GDPR is indeed extremely timely as issues of privacy and data security are truly global and not confined to the borders of a continent, let alone a single country. As I said before, at the core of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation is the safety of the personal data of individuals.

I’m sure this is something that Caribbean people cherish and value.

Last year many would recall the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica revelations which made us realise how vulnerable individuals are and how much there is at stake from a collective point of view, for the society as a whole, including for a functioning democracy and the integrity of the electoral process. These and other developments have reminded all of us why it is important to protect personal data as a central individual right and a democratic imperative but also as an economic necessity, because without consumers’ trust in the way their data is handled, there can be no sustainable growth of our increasingly data-driven economy.

The GDPR is the EU’s response to these challenges. It seeks to protect the individual’s privacy as a fundamental right, enhance consumer confidence in how the privacy and security of personal data is guaranteed, particularly online, and also

EU Ambassador Daniela Tramacere says the GDPR is the EU’s response to recent data protection challenges in the digital dimension.

encourage economic growth.

I understand that the entry into application of the GDPR has raised some questions from several local organizations and the public at large seeking to know more about the GDPR and its possible impact.

The concerns raised relate mainly to who is expected to comply, what are the rules to be complied with and what is actually needed to be done to comply with the rules.

From the outset, I would like to emphasize that the GDPR rules only apply to personal data about individuals and do not oversee data about companies or other legal entities. However, information in relation to one-person companies may constitute personal data where it allows the identification of a natural person. In addition, the application of the data protection regulation depends not on the size of a company/ organisation but on the nature of its activities which present high risks for the individuals’ rights and freedoms.

One very common misunderstanding about the GDPR is that EU data protection rules will apply outside of the EU (‘extraterritoriality’), to the collection and processing of data of Europeans, anywhere, anytime. Let me reassure you, this is an urban legend! To

use an example, a hotel in the Caribbean will not be subject to the GDPR for the simple reason that it is hosting some European tourists. The regulation clarifies that, for the GDPR to apply, some strict conditions have to be met: either the processing operation in question takes place on European soil, within the EU territory, or the business operator specifically targets consumers in the EU. By contrast, the mere fact that an European would for example visit a Caribbean website and decide to book a hotel room or buy a tour is not sufficient to make the processing of data involved in that transaction fall within the GDPR.

Contrary to the perception that the GDPR is a new EU initiative, let me make it clear that the GDPR is an enhancement of the previous EU Data Protection Directive of 1995. Therefore, foreign companies doing business in Europe, including of course Caribbean companies, that were benefitting from the 1995 Directive will continue to do so with the additional benefits introduced with the new GDPR.

Let me mention the most relevant ones: 1. Companies can now offer their goods and services in a harmonized and simplified regulatory environment in the

EU. Instead of having to deal with 28 EU Member States’ different data protection laws and 28 different regulators, since 25 May one set of rules applies to their processing operations and is interpreted in a uniform way throughout the EU. 2. Obligations to notify data processing operations or to obtain the prior-authorization (as it was required under the previous regulatory regime) from data protection authorities have been scrapped.

3. The GDPR has been adapted to the needs of the digital economy. This equates to increased legal certainty and a significant reduction in compliance costs and red tape.

Again, something particularly important for foreign operators doing business in Europe, especially small and medium sized companies.

4. Finally, co-regulatory tools, such as codes of conduct or certification mechanisms, are being introduced to help companies manage and demonstrate compliance.

Therefore, the so-called “risk- based approach” that is at the core of the GDPR means that controllers that limit the impact of their processing operations on privacy will not be subject to a number of obligations.

Simply put, the GDPR is based on a modern approach to regulation which rewards new ideas, methods and technologies to address privacy and data security.

What is also very important to stress is that these developments relating to the GDPR are not limited to Europe but are part of a more global trend of adopting new or updating existing data protection legislation to harness the opportunities offered by the global digital economy and respond to the growing demand for stronger data security and privacy protection.

Today more than 120 countries have data privacy laws in place. Many of the new or modernised laws tend to be based on comprehensive legislation, rather than sectorial rules, as data needs to move across industries and sectors. And this convergence is also taking place in the Caribbean. Just to mention a few examples: recently a new privacy law entered into force in Bermuda, while in Barbados the public consultation on a draft privacy bill has already taken place and an amended bill is expected to be presented to Parliament soon. Similar developments are taking place in Jamaica as “An Act to Protect the Privacy of Certain Data and for Connected Matters” was introduced in the Jamaican House of Assembly in October last year. In Latin America, a set of Ibero-American data protection standards have recently been adopted to promote regional cooperation in this field and have served as a source of inspiration for several legislative initiatives.

Thus Brazil has adopted its first comprehensive data protection legislation and, Chile has created an independent data protection authority. Outside of the region, Asian countries such as India, Indonesia and Thailand are following the path opened

by Japan and Korea some time ago, and are also legislating on data protection.

And in a world that is too often characterised by uncertainty and unpredictability, this developing convergence in privacy standards is very positive, for several reasons.

First, this trend offers new

opportunities to facilitate data flows and thus trade, at both regional and global levels. In fact, having convergent data protection regulations in the Caribbean would help with easier transferral and sharing of data securely within the region and between the EU and this region, contributing to a more integrated business environment that can boost trade and investment.

Secondly, given that companies increasingly operate across borders and prefer to apply a similar set of rules in all their business operations worldwide, being part of this global trend would help the Caribbean economies, contribute to an environment conducive to direct investment and improve trust between commercial partners.

Thirdly, having common data protection rules can also greatly facilitate the exchanges of data between public authorities, including in the context of law enforcement cooperation.

The European Union is committed to promoting and further building on that convergence with countries or regional organisations that share similar values.

This can include the adoption of a so-called “adequacy finding” by the EU, ensuring the free, uninhibited flow of data between the EU and the concerned country (essentially assimilating that country with Member States of the EU when it comes to data flows). And these decisions can bring very significant mutual benefits.

Recently, the EU and Japan announced the conclusion of a reciprocal adequacy arrangement thereby creating one of the world’s largest areas of free and safe data flows. We are certainly interested in exploring that possibility with other international partners.

It is my hope that we can have dialogue with the relevant authorities and concerned stakeholders in the coming months on this very important issue. As in the EU we have gone recently through a process of reform of our data protection rules, we are available to share our experience and further discuss these issues with all interested parties.

20 REGIONAL

www.stluciastar.com

september 29, 2018 THE STAR

If Sea Mining is Good for Venezuela’s Maduro says Jamaica, why not for St Lucia? he is ‘ready’ to meet Trump

M

ichael Lodge, secretary general of the International Seabed Authority (ISA)—created in 1982 by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, with headquarters in Kingston—has cited opportunities for small island states like Jamaica to benefit from seabed mining. He said that 29 exploratory licences have been issued by the ISA up to now, which shows that there is private and publicsector interest in accessing supplies of metals in a more environmentally sustainable way to meet increasing global demand.

“Through partnerships and access to research, which already exists, there are many possibilities for Jamaica,” he said.

The secretary general of the International Seabed Authority was speaking on Monday, September 17, at a meeting of the Rotary Club of St Andrew North held at the Altamont Court Hotel, Kingston.

According to Lodge,

following explorations by those already licensed and when mining begins, the annual global revenues of the activity could be several billions of US dollars per year.

Among the countries that have participated in obtaining contracts from the International Seabed Authority for exploration of the seabed is Nauru, in the South Pacific, which has a population of only 8,000.

“The global seabed represents approximately 50 per cent of planet Earth and contains significantly more mineral reserves than are now accessible on land,” Lodge told the Rotarians and guests.

The International Seabed Authority official noted that technological advances have led to increased demand for particular metals used in the manufacture of products such as telephones, computers, and electric vehicles. Given the level of demand, cobalt, for example, which currently sells at US$60,000 per metric ton, due to an impending supply gap, is readily available from under the

seas and oceans.

According to Lodge, in the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean alone there are 20 times more potential reserves of copper, cobalt, nickel, and manganese than on land, and this area has been the focus of exploration work over several decades. The Clarion-Clipperton Zone spans 4.5 million square kilometres (1.7 million square miles) between Hawaii and Mexico, an abyssal plain as wide as the continental United States and punctuated by seamounts.

However, he pointed out that there were several challenges to taking full advantage of the mining opportunities, including the fact that mining the oceans is still new business, together with technological needs, a very high cost of extraction and processing, extreme depth, and remoteness of mining locations.

--- Reprinted from Jamaica Gleaner

E

in surprise UN speech

mbattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro showed up unexpectedly at the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday to “defend his country” as six nations accused him of crimes against humanity and President Donald Trump hinted at taking military action.

The surprise visit came after Maduro threatened to skip the global gathering, citing fears he could be assassinated as his once-wealthy OPEC nation spirals into a brutal economic crisis and international pressure mounts for the socialist leader to step down.

In a rambling, 50-minute General Assembly speech directed mostly at U.S. policy, Maduro spoke for well over the allotted time and said that the United States “wants to continue giving orders to the world as though the world were its own property.”

“From this very rostrum a threat was issued yesterday to governments of the world that orders should be obeyed and the U.S. policy should be followed or else those countries would suffer from the consequences,” Maduro said.

He was referring to Trump’s speech Tuesday in which the U.S. president outlined the rationale for his more unilateral “America-first” policy.

It appeared unlikely that Maduro would cross paths with Trump, despite the U.S. president’s comments earlier in the day that he was willing to meet with his Venezuelan counterpart if it would help ease suffering in the South American nation.

“I’m willing to meet with anybody anytime I can (to) save lives, help people,” Trump said as he was pummeled by reporters’ questions about whether the U.S. would ever intervene militarily to remove Maduro.

Maduro responded to the meeting comments in kind, saying that he and Trump “certainly have our differences, but that is what we have to dialogue about.”

“Donald Trump said he was worried about Venezuela, he wanted to help Venezuela,” Maduro said. “Good. I stand ready to talk with an open agenda on everything that he might wish to talk about with the United States of America.”

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro addresses the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday. (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press.)

On Wednesday, presidents from five conservative Latin American governments and Canada’s prime minister met in New York and signed a complaint with the International Criminal Court, asking it to investigate Maduro on charges of crimes against humanity.

It’s the first time that member countries have referred another country to the Netherlands-based U.N. court.

They pointed to a human rights report accusing Venezuelan security forces of carrying out arbitrary arrests, murders, extrajudicial executions, torture, sexual abuse and rape on orders from Maduro’s government.

“To remain indifferent or speculative in front of this reality could be perceived as being complicit with the regime,” said Paraguayan Foreign Minister Andres Rodriguez Pedotti. “We are not going to be complicit.”

Venezuela’s ousted chief prosecutor, Luisa Ortega, meanwhile, called on the United States to take advantage of Maduro’s visit to arrest him on charges of organized crime, corruption and genocide. A small group of Venezuelans shouted “Assassin!” as they protested his presence outside the U.N.

Maduro’s trip came a day after the Trump administration imposed financial sanctions on four members of his inner circle, including his wife and Venezuela’s vice president, on allegations of corruption. Trump also suggested Maduro could be easily toppled in a military coup, echoing comments first floated last year that some sort of “military solution” might be needed to restore Venezuela’s democracy.

“These are illegal unilateral sanctions imposed on us,” Maduro said in his speech, reflecting previous comments about earlier sanctions.

Upon arrival, Maduro held meetings with Iranian President Hassan Rohani and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov — both of whose countries, like Venezuela, are under U.S. financial sanctions.

Addressing the U.S. threats, Lavrov said afterward that “we are ready to offer allaround assistance for all of your plans,” Russian news agencies reported.

Maduro has been seeking a meeting with Trump for almost two years and has watched with frustration as the U.S. leader has talked with American adversaries like North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and Russia’s Vladimir Putin while shunning Venezuelan entreaties.

Citgo, a subsidiary of Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, was a major corporate donor to Trump’s inaugural committee. Maduro also this year freed a former Utah missionary jailed for more than two years on weapons charges in a bid to improve relations with the White House.

His desire for some sort of reconciliation with the U.S. has increased as international pressure has been building on his socialist government at a time of hyperinflation and widespread food and medicine shortages.

An estimated 2.3 million Venezuelans have fled into neighboring countries in the last four years, threatening to upset regional stability.

Maduro had not attended the U.N. General Assembly since 2015.

---Associated Press

THE STAR

september 29, 2018

www.stluciastar.com

INTERNATIONAL

21

Vatican cardinal slams Pope Francis as ‘ice-cold, cunning Machiavellian’ and a ‘LIAR’ in explosive interview about Catholic church child sex abuse scandal occupation ended.

Justice Minister Katarina Barley said the study was ‘shocking and probably just the tip of the iceberg’. She urged the Church to ‘take responsibility for decades of concealment, cover-ups and denials’.

Barley also called on the Roman Catholic Church to work with state prosecutors to bring every known case to justice, and to take steps to prevent more abuse.

The independent commissioner for child sex abuse issues, JohannesWilhelm Roerig, recommended state authorities step in to clear up the crimes and ensure victims get access to Church files and compensation.

Pope Francis (left) arrives to attend an ecumenical meeting at Kaarli Lutheran Church in Tallin, Estonia September 25, 2018.

P

ope Francis has been branded an ‘ice-cold, cunning Machiavellian’ and a ‘liar’ by one of his cardinals, a German magazine reports.

The anonymous cardinal made the comments in a bombshell interview with Der Spiegel for its 19-page report on the Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal.

He said: ‘The pope preaches mercy, but in reality he is an ice-cold, cunning Machiavellian, and, what is worse – he lies.’

The cardinal was referring to claims that Francis knew about sexual abuse allegations against US Cardinal Theodore McCarrick long before he admitted he was aware of them or took any action.

A report from a highranking cardinal in August claimed the pope knew about McCarrick in 2013 - but still employed him as a consultant in naming new American bishops until his resignation in July this year.

The pope declined to comment.

The report was the main item in this week’s Der Siegel magazine which featured a picture of the pope on the front and was titled Du Sollst Nicht Lügen (Thou Shalt Not Lie).

The report criticised the pope’s handling of abuse allegations generally, stating: ‘He often speaks at inopportune moments, yet in important moments remains silent.’

On Tuesday in Estonia, Pope Francis acknowledged that the sex abuse scandals rocking the Catholic Church are driving people away - and admitted the church must change its ways if it wants to keep future generations.

Francis referred directly to the crisis convulsing his papacy on the fourth and final day of his Baltic pilgrimage, which coincided with the release of the devastating new report into decades of sex abuse and cover-up in Germany.

Francis told a gathering of young people in largely secular Estonia on Tuesday that he knew many young people felt the church has nothing to

offer them and simply doesn’t understand their problems today.

He acknowledged their complaints and said: ‘We ourselves need to be converted; we have to realize that in order to stand by your side we need to change many situations that, in the end, put you off.’

Meanwhile, Germany’s Catholic Church is expected to confess to and apologise for thousands of cases of sexual abuse against children, part of a global scandal heaping pressure on the Vatican.

It will release the latest in a series of reports on sexual crimes and cover-ups spanning decades that has shaken the largest Christian Church, from Europe to the United States, South America and Australia.

In Germany alone, almost 3,700 minors were abused between 1946 and 2014, according to the report prepared by the German Bishops’ Conference, details of which were leaked to the media earlier this month.

Pope Francis ended his

pilgrimage to the Baltics on Tuesday in secular Estonia, warning that ‘existential ennui’ can creep in when societies put their faith in technological progress alone.

Estonia is considered both one of the most tech-advanced countries in Europe and one of the least religious societies in the world. More than half of Estonia’s 1.3 million people profess no religious affiliation.

The Lutheran and Russian Orthodox churches count the most followers of those who do, while 6,000 people are Catholics.

Upon arriving in the capital Tallinn, Francis met Tuesday with President Kersti Kaljulaid.

Later, he presided over a youth gathering before celebrating Mass in Tallinn’s Freedom Square for the tiny Catholic community.

In a speech to Kaljulaid in the Rose Garden of the presidential palace, Francis praised Estonia’s social and economic transformation in the quarter century since the Soviet Union’s five-decade

The state ‘has a duty of care for all children, including those who are in the care of the Church’, he told the Sueddeutsche newspaper.

The German Bishops Conference was due to officially release the research paper, which it commissioned four years ago, at the start of a four-day meeting in the western city of Fulda.

A victims’ support hotline and a dedicated website with information was put in place during the meeting.

The conference head, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, said earlier this month that bishops were ‘deeply depressed, shaken and ashamed before the reality of sexual abuse of minors within the Catholic Church’.

--- Mail Online

22 INTERNATIONAL

www.stluciastar.com

september 29, 2018 THE STAR

Bill Cosby sentenced to state prison for sexual assault

A

judge in Pennsylvania has jailed US comedian Bill Cosby for three to 10 years for sexual assault.

Cosby, 81, was also categorised as a sexually violent predator, meaning he must undergo counselling for life and be listed on the sex offender registry.

The actor declined to make a statement when offered the opportunity.

At a retrial in April, Cosby was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault for drugging and molesting Andrea Constand in 2004.

Cosby's request for bail pending appeal was denied. He was also fined $25,000 plus the prosecution costs.

After the sentencing, he was led away in handcuffs from the courtroom. He was then driven to Montgomery County Correctional Facility.

Cosby's attorney had asked for his sentence to be restricted to house arrest, saying he was too frail for prison.

The actor had been under house arrest since April.

The comedian became a household name in 1980s America when he starred in the Cosby Show TV sitcom, playing the father in a well-to-do African-American family living in Brooklyn, New York.

Such was his popularity that he was dubbed "America's Dad".

"This was a serious crime," Judge Steven O'Neill was quoted as saying by CNN after pronouncing the sentence in the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown.

"Mr Cosby, this has all circled back to you. The day has come, the time has come."

After the sentencing, Cosby was taken to Montgomery County Correctional Facility.

In June 2017, the former Temple University basketball administrator described how Cosby, whom she had viewed as a "mentor", had given her pills that left her "frozen" and unable to stop his assault.

In her impact statement, as carried by the National Post, she said: "To truly understand the impact that the sexual assault has had on my life, you have to understand the person that I was before it happened."

"I was at the top of my game, certain that the groundwork provided by my education and athletic training would stand me in good stead whatever challenges lay ahead . . ." she said.

"After the assault, I wasn't sure what had actually happened but the pain spoke volumes. The shame was overwhelming. Self-doubt and

confusion kept me from turning to my family or friends as I normally did. I felt completely alone, unable to trust anyone, including myself."

She wrote that she had stopped eating, sleeping and socialising. Tormented by nightmares, she finally told her mother the truth about what had happened.

"Bill Cosby took my beautiful, healthy young spirit and crushed it," she said. "He robbed me of my health and vitality, my open nature, and my trust in myself and others."

"Instead of looking back, I am looking forward to looking forward," she added. "I want to get to the place where the person I was meant to be gets a second chance."

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele paid tribute to Ms Constand,

saying: "We are all better off because she is in our lives.

You've heard about how this assault changed her life . . .

To put herself out like this, for years, in front of a worldwide audience is extremely difficult for anyone.

"She could've lived a quiet life but she knew it was important to see that justice was served."

Bill Cosby showed little emotion and no remorse during his sentencing. At this defining moment in his life, there were no family members or former cast mates with him for moral support.

The court was filled, though, with several of his accusers who sat in the rows behind Andrea Constand.

Model Janice Dickenson clapped her hands in anticipation and joy, others

quietly held hands. Their relief was evident when his sentence was finally read out. This was a moment they never thought possible. And they had front seats to witness it.

The three counts on which Cosby was convicted were merged into one after an agreement between the defence and prosecutors, AFP News agency reports.

Cosby can apply for parole after three years - such a request would be reviewed by a special committee.

However, he could end up serving the maximum 10-yearsentence.

Psychologist Kristen Dudley testified that Cosby showed signs of a mental disorder and was likely to reoffend.

Ahead of the sentence, the judge designated him a sexually violent predator, despite the defence's argument that Cosby's age and blindness meant he was not a threat.

Tuesday's classification means he will need to register with state police and notify any community he lives in of his sex offender status, as well as undergo mandatory counselling for life.

Neighbours, childcare centres and schools will have to be notified of his whereabouts.

Cosby's wife, Camille, did not attend the sentencing.

Cosby's spokesman, Andrew Wyatt, dismissed the trial as "the most racist and sexist" in the history of the US, and said the convicted man was a victim of a "sex war".

District Attorney Steele summed up Cosby's fall from fame to ignominy: "For decades

the defendant has been able to hide his true self and hide his crimes using his fame and fortune.

"He's hidden behind a character . . . but it was fiction . . . He used his acting skills, that endearing TV persona, to win over his victims and keep them silent . . .

"Someone who has a lot of money, someone who is famous, someone who can get a lot of attention all over the world just by showing up some place to eat shouldn't get a free pass for his crimes or be allowed to walk free."

Some 60 other women have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct but charges have not been brought because of the statute of limitations.

However, Cosby does face defamation lawsuits for branding his accusers liars.

"I'm overwhelmed by the number of women who were willing to go through this process with us . . . telling their stories of being drugged, assaulted or raped by Bill Cosby," said District Attorney Steele.

Lili Bernard and former model Janice Dickinson - both Cosby accusers present at the hearing - tweeted on Tuesday: "May justice be served! #MeToo".

The comedian was arrested in 2015 and a deadlocked jury resulted in a mistrial in June 2017.

This year's retrial occurred amid the #MeToo movement that has seen people worldwide come forward to share stories of sexual harassment and assault.

--BBC News

Trump on U.N. speech: ‘They were laughing with me’

P

resident Trump on Wednesday defended his address to the United Nations, asserting that the audience of foreign delegates was “laughing with me” during a moment early in Tuesday’s speech in which he was interrupted by audible chuckles.

“They weren’t laughing at me,” Trump said at a news conference here when asked about the episode. “The ‘fake news’ said people laughed.

People had a good time with

it. We were doing it together.”

News stories about the speech, including in The Washington Post, noted that the laughter came after Trump had opened his remarks by saying his administration had accomplished more than “almost any other administration” in U.S. history.

“Didn’t expect that reaction, but it’s okay,” Trump said in response to the laughter.

The audience then laughed louder and applauded.

Widespread news coverage

suggested that audience members were rebuking the president’s claims.

At the news conference, Trump sought to portray it as a lighthearted moment. He acknowledged that he “heard a little rustle” as he was making the case that “the country is stronger than ever before.”

“I said, ‘It’s true.’ I heard smiles,” Trump said. He added, “They respect what I’ve done.”

---The Washington Post

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