Issue September 7th, 2012

The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

FRIDAY,

SEPTEMBER 07, 2012

VOLUME 106, No. 36

www.thevincentian.com

FORMER STAR WITNESS GUNNED DOWN

reversing into his yard in Redemption Sharpes when he was UROY ‘LAYBAY’ ROBERTSON, the shot in the head multiple times. star witness in the case involving He was rushed to the Milton Cato the death of Lloyd ‘ Lazarus’ Samuel Memorial Hospital, but he never , was on Sunday 2nd September, regained consciousness, and died shot dead. on Christmas Day. According to a police report, Ozari ‘Nines’ Ash, purported to Robertson, a 22-year-oldlabourer be the killer, and Che ‘Ragga’ of Evesham, was sitting with two Bute, the alleged mastermind other men at the roadside in behind the killing , both former Walvaroo, when he was shot at friends of Robertson, were tried the left side of his head, by an and sentenced to life in prison for unknown assailant. The two men the murder. who were sitting with Robertson Robertson also told the court in fled the scene. Robertson died on 2011, that from 2009 , he had the spot. “stopped liming with the ‘Dutty Robertson gained notoriety in Cup Crew” with which Bute and 2011 when he gave evidence in Ash were associated. He stated the case against Ozari ‘Nines’ then that he was “fed up” because Ash, both of whom were charged he kept getting into trouble and with the murder of Samuel. going to prison.

Robertson gave graphic details He also told the court that about the plan and execution of three years prior to Samuel’s the murder. death, he was involved in a The court heard then that on robbery and he disclosed to the December 24th, 2007, Samuel was police exactly what had transpired

by KENVILLE HORNE

Uroy ‘Laybay’ Robertson was well known to law officers and the courts.

in that undertaking, because he “wanted to change his life.”

However he was convicted and jailed.

Once released, though, Robertson continued to run afoul of the law, and was arrested for theft, fire arm possession and assault. He was also shot in his hand earlier this year.

More recently, he was released by the police after being held on suspicion of robbery.

While the circumstances behind Robertson’s death are being investigated by the police, a very reliable source has indicated that Robertson might have had information pertaining to a recent murder. The source also noted that someone has been picked up for questioning.

EC$1.50

Murder accused Andy Quashie (left), Billy Adams (2nd from left) and Adolphus Foye (behind Adams) leaving Court last Wednesday.

Teenager remanded on murder charge ADOLPHUS FOYE, a 17-year-old Layou resident, along with Billy Adams and Andy Quashie, both aged 26 and also of Layou, will return to the Serious Offences Court, January 22, when Preliminary Inquiries into a charge of murder will begin.

The men are accused of causing the death of Joseph ‘Evans’ Lynch in Layou last Saturday, September 1.

Foye was unrepresented when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Sonya Young last Wednesday. He was not required to plea.

Adams was represented by lawyer Patricia Marks, while Quashie had Grant Connell in his defence.

Prosecutor Glenford Gregg requested a date early in the new year for the start of the inquiries. He outlined that the Police had 15 witnesses to appear.

Continued on Page 3.

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2. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. THE VINCENTIAN

Feature

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. 3.

News 3 ÂToughyÊ falls happen to her son, as reports had reached her that “the THE BODY OF THIRTY-SIX-YEARman and them” were stalking OLD Evans ‘Toughy’ Lynch lay her son since last Friday sprawled in the middle of the night. road at the cross section of the When she got to the scene, Layou main road and the Texier ‘Toughy’ was already lying on Road/ Swamp Gut Road last the ground and the area was Saturday, 1st September. He cordoned off by the police. She had been shot. was unable to go to him until, in a fit of determination, a Eye witness report young man wheeled her towards her son so she could An eye witness at the scene touch him. of the incident reported that A mother’s agony “Evans was a good son,” she Lynch had been walking along reported. “He was my hand Swamp Gut and as he turned There was general outrage and foot.” She went on to towards the main road, two among the crowd gathered at describe him as a very kind men, armed with guns, were the scene. A range of person who loved “to ‘offer” seen following. emotions surfaced with Ms. and would get angry only if According to the eye Vereen Lynch, ‘Toughy’s’ provoked. witness, one of the men fired, mother, giving her agonized He was a diver and sold his hitting ‘Toughy’ in the leg. version of the story. daily catch for a living.

He was on his way down “Ah just yesterday they tell She lamented that when he received another ‘Toughy’ they go kill him, and ‘Toughy’s’ death brought to bullet. you mean them kill ‘Toughy’ two the number of sons she today!” was has lost by the bullet. A her cry. younger son, Algonon Lynch, Ms. Lynch was gunned down by “this told THE same gang,” a bystander VINCENTIAN purported. that she was at home with A partner’s despair her commonlaw husband, Ms. Candis Lee of Middle Mr. Patrick Street in Layou, had been in a Sam, when relationship with ‘Toughy’ for they heard the past year and a half. shots fired. A When THE VINCENTIAN serious caught up with her, she was sufferer of distraught. arthritis, Ms. She reported that she was Lynch is at home when she heard a unable to walk sound, which she did not want so she was to associate with gun shots. quickly Some friends came to her hustled to the home shouting the word scene in her “Evans,” but she never stopped wheelchair. to listen to what they were She said saying, she just started that she knew running. that something “As I ran, the crowd parted was going to and I saw him on the ground

by GLORIAH…

He fell to the ground but was still alive.

Several persons reported that the assailants had begun to flee the scene but were encouraged by a third man to “go back and finish the job”, as, “he [was] still moving.”

“He wasn’t expecting them, so they get him good,” wailed the sad informer. “He died with his hands in his pocket!”

Evans ‘Toughty’ Lynch and his girlfriend, Candis Lee, in happier times. gasping for air,” she explained.

She rushed to him, held him and beckoned to him to hold on because he was strong and the ambulance will come.

However, persons in the crowd told her not to touch him because he was dead already. “I saw him”, she said “he was moving!”

Ms. Lee expressed her despair at losing her boyfriend. “It ain’t easy. Just to kill him for no reason. It ain’t easy! I want justice!

They don’t deserve to live.

People like them who would do such a cold thing for no apparent reason, don’t deserve to live!” she said in anguish as the tears rolled down her eyes.

number of years in Layou between two factions, a milieu in which Evans ‘Toughy’ Lynch and his brothers were embroiled.

‘Toughy’ is said to have escaped death on about five previous occasions, before this bullet ultimately claimed his life. He was alleged to have been shot previously in his right shoulder, left shoulder, foot and stomach. It was reported that of the Lynch brothers, he was the one who deliberately kept away from violence, always claiming to “never love trouble, police and Court House”.

The deceased brushed with death From all reports, a war has been waging for quite a

Evans ‘Toughy’ Lynch’s body being lifted into a van.

Teenager remanded on murder charge As far as Magistrate Young was concerned, Connell was Defence counsel Marks conveying the message that noted the date for the start of justice was being denied in the PI. her court.

Lawyer Grant Connell, Connell made it plain that however, raised concern about he was giving his opinion. the length of time before the “It makes the justice commencement, and his query system look inefficient,” Young drew a comment from Young indicated. that “by no stretch of Connell was quick to retort imagination” was four months that the Serious Offences a long time.

Court “has a level of Connell and Young engaged efficiency.” in an exchange about the Young was worried about beginning of the inquiries. the implications of his Young expressed “shock” that statement made in front of the Connell questioned the length three accused, and noted that of time it was going to take the defendants were before the preliminary becoming agitated hearing investigations will get on the arguments in their presence. way.

The men were remanded.

Continued from Page 1.

An ever curious crowd of residents of all ages gathered at the scene of the crime.

Inset above: Vereen Lynch, was wheeled to where her son lay dead.

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4. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. THE VINCENTIAN

Courts

Magistrate agrees ÂBlakeyÊ deserved better Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS

Senior Magistrate Donald Browne also passed judgement on the trophy ‘Blakey’ received.

Magistrate asks: ‘Kick up or kiss up?’

A 20-year-old male who appeared at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court Monday on a charge of criminal trespass, told the court he was beaten during his three months on remand.

But the accused, Ishmael Jack, crystallized that he was only beaten, and nothing else. It was not clear whether he was referring to prison officers, inmates, or both.

“Jail hard so I go plead guilty and done,” Jack, who was not represented by a lawyer, told Senior Magistrate Donald Browne.

“What they do you since you are in jail?” the Senior Magistrate asked.

“Dey does just beat up people round dey,” the youngster replied.

“I am glad for that,” the Senior Magistrate said, adding that he hopes more youngsters would say that.

“When you sleeping, man ah come over you and ah kick you up, all kind ah ting,” Jack explained.

“Kick you up or kiss you up?” the Magistrate asked curiously “Kick you up,” Jack repeated aloud, setting the records straight.

“They didn’t do you anything else?” the Magistrate inquired.

Jack replied, “No!” Jack was charged with entering the property of businessman Winston Knights of Kingstown Park on May 24, 2012, with intent to steal.

The court heard that around 5:30 a.m. Knights was at home when he heard a noise in his garage.

When he emerged from his house, Knights saw the intruder with a bamboo rod in his hand. When Jack spotted Knights he fled.

Prosecutor Inspector Glenford Gregg told the court that Jack’s excuse was that he entered Knights’ premises to pick breadfruit. The prosecutor said Jack had been on the compound before.

Jack was fined $250 to be paid in one month with an alternative of three months in prison.

SENIOR MAGISTRATE Donald Browne agrees that Vincent ‘Blakey’ Cuffy deserved a better trophy for winning the 2012 National Ex-tempo Calypso Competition.

The four-time extempo monarch, 20092012, was presented with the trophy on Wednesday, August 29 at the official prizegiving ceremony for Vincy Mas 2012, held at the Methodist Church Hall.

In an interview with THE VINCENTIAN reported on page 3 of last Friday’s publication and headlined, ‘I deserve better’, says Blakey’, the reigning ex-tempo king described the award as a “baby trophy.”

According to him, “I get larger and better trophies in the past, so I don’t know what happen this time. All I could say is that it (trophy) is what some people think of me and the ex-tempo crown”.

He added, “even the ‘fellows’ at last Wednesday prize-giving ceremony were moved to say that I deserve a better trophy and it

unfair what the CDC do to me”.

The Senior Magistrate commented on the issue on Monday, September 3, during a sitting of the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court where ‘Blakey’ had appeared as a complainant in a theft case.

Monty ‘Mont-I’ Thomas, a 44-year-old character on the streets of Kingstown, was charged with stealing a CD and other items from Blakey, valued $420. It is alleged that on May 24 in Kingstown, Thomas pulled away the items from ‘Blakey’ and ran.

The matter was adjourned to Monday, September 10 as the accused could not be allowed to enter the dock as he was improperly dressed.

‘Blakey’, you going on with the matter”? prosecutor Inspector Glenford Gregg asked the calypsonian, who replied in the affirmative.

Blakey opined that if he failed to proceed with the matter, the accused may repeat the alleged act.

Senior Magistrate Browne then enquired,

Vincent ‘Blakey’ Cuffy was in front of Magistrate Browne as the complainant in a theft case.

“Is this Blakey? You (Blakey) could bus’ a calypso right here because you don’t have to prepare your calypsos.”

The Senior Magistrate told the ex-tempo king, “I see where you were annoyed with your trophy. It’s too small for you. I agree with you. It looks like a toy.”

The renowned Mighty Chalkdust once sang that to be a good calypsonian, one must learn the art of extempo. ‘Chalky’ was commenting, in song,

about the direction of the calypso art form today.

Another Calypsonian in Trinidad sang, “You can’t buy an ex-tempo.”

He was responding to critics who had complained that the extempo monarch in the twin island republic was getting too much prize money. He made the point, in song, that while ‘it is easy for some calypsonians to buy calypsos and win competitions, ex-tempo singers have to compose on the spot’.

Disrespectful youth jailed TERRON PRINCE, an Edinboro youth, who on Monday at the Serious Offences Court denied knowledge that it was illegal to smoke marijuana, was sentenced to three weeks in prison to reflect on his life.

When Prince, 25, was arrested last Friday, August 31, after officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) saw him at Heritage Square, Kingstown, with what appeared to be a marijuana cigarette in his hand, he told the lawmen, “Da no nutting if you lock me up.”

He was charged with possession of one marijuana cigarette, and pleaded guilty when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Sonya Young on Monday.

“Tell me about this drug and why it is that you were willing to get locked up,” Chief Magistrate

Sonya Young inquired of the accused.

According to Prince, one of the officers told him he was wanted for robbery, and on their way to the Central Police Station, the officer proceeded to beat him.

“He (officer) stretch out me jersey all ting. So when I reach the barracks (police station) I meet Keith Miller and I start to explain to him. I start to tell him my mother don’t beat me. I start to curse and when I went upstairs, Sergeant Maloney say must charge me,” the youngster explained.

“You don’t know it is illegal to smoke marijuana?” the Chief Magistrate asked.

“No, my Lordship,” Prince replied.

“Well, you know it now,” the Magistrate told him, and lamented, “You know what I

notice, that you don’t have respect for authority. The law does not make a distinction between one marijuana cigarette and 100 lbs.

The law is the same.”

Magistrate Young then asked, “How long you want to go around there (jail) for?”

“Three weeks,” Prince replied.

“I was only going to give you a week, but since you want three weeks, for the three weeks you are there, you must think about where your life is going. Sit, consider what it is you are going to do with your life,” Magistrate Young told Prince firmly.

She added, “Not even I can disrespect authority. If the police tell me pull over I have to pull over. If the police tell me they going to search me, I have to let them search me.”

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. 5.

News

Decriminalise ÂganjaÊ, says attorney THE ISSUE OF DECRIMINALIZATION of marijuana use continues to occupy the agendas of attorneys, Rastafarians and other interest groups throughout the region.

The latest to challenge the status quo is Dominican attorney Henry Shillingford.

Speaking recently on a radio programme in Antigua, Shillingford challenged that country’s National Security Minister, Dr. Errol Cort, to “legalise ganja for the national security of Antigua,” and as a means “to protecting the country’s borders.”

The Antigua Observer newspaper, reports Shillingford as also advancing the view that “cash saved from prosecuting people accused of marijuanarelated crimes could be redistributed to stopping harder drugs, such as cocaine, from entering Antigua & Barbuda.”

Shillingford’s comments came in response to Dr. Cort’s expressed position voice during

the same radio programme referred.

Dr. Cort had said that in his capacity as Minister of National Security he would Dr. Errol Cort will continue enforce the to operate within the laws ambits of the laws as they against relate to ‘ganja’. marijuana possession St. Vincent and the “pursuant Henry Shillingford is a Grenadines have either to the laws known Human Rights publicly or privately voiced of Antigua attorney in his native a similar opinion to that of & Dominica and the region.

Shillingford.

Barbuda.”

In fact, a public While prosecutor here is on record as Dr Cort said there was a “very saying that he was not going to strong” argument for the waste the court’s time, pursuing decriminalisation of marijuana, he cases against persons charged for said that his official position was possession of a “spliff” (of to align with the country’s laws. marijuana).

A number of attorneys here in

Spiritual Baptists get school AFTER FOURTEEN community has been Panday.

YEARS of waiting and dreaming about for It was Panday who praying, the Spiritual years.” had granted the land for Baptists, commonly There were special the construction of the referred to as the thanks for Prime school, and the PersadShouter Baptist Minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar’s government community of Trinidad Bissessar and former which effected the and Tobago have Prime Minister Basdeo construction. officially opened Burke was their first especially proud to primary school. register her Church’s Fifty students entry into the service and 12 teachers of education, which proudly walked other religions and through the door churches had long of the St offered.

Barbara’s “I feel elated, I Shouter Baptist feel joyful in my soul Primary School because it has been in Maloney, 14 long years we Monday 3rd have been waiting September, for our own school. It 2012, to was painful and formalize the embarrassing. So occasion and today is a Red Letter mark the Day in every Shouter history-making Baptist’s life to see moment. that we can Reports from accommodate our Trinidad and own teachers and Tobago indicated our own little that Archbishop children,” the Barbara Burke, Trinidad Newsday who led the fight newspaper reported to get the school, Archbishop Burke as said she “very saying.

Government and Spiritual Baptists happy to see The school was officials gather for the opening of the what the Baptist school. constructed in seven

months at a cost of approximately TT$29 million. It will, at maximum, cater to 114 students served by a staff of 14.

It was first handed over in March this year, as part of Trinidad and Tobago’s marking of its 50th anniversary of independence from Britain.

Cuban culture on display in a public square welcomes and entertains visitors.

Cuba reveling in visitor arrival numbers ON THE HEELS OF THE VINCENTIAN Prime Minister cautioning Jamaica, Friday 31st August, about Cuba’s entry into the northern Caribbean pact that signed on to the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), and what that could mean for the southern Caribbean, Cuba announced that it had welcomed its two millionth foreign visitor, 20 days earlier than it did in 2011.

According to a release from the Cuban Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR), this figure represented an increase of 5.3 percent compared to the same period last year.

The increase was attributed to the strategies under the Authentic Cuba campaign, which promotes Cuba through several countries around the world.

The ministry added the country was on track to reach its goal of 2.9 million foreign visitors in this year.

Cuba has hit and surpassed the two million visitor mark for the last nine consecutive years and continues to place among the top vacation destinations in the Caribbean, offering strong competition to traditional markets in the eastern and southern Caribbean.

Cuba’s rapidly growing tourism industry shines against challenging times for the industry, especially in the English-speaking Caribbean.

Even in the face of the United States economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba, which prevents American people entering the island, Cuba stands out as an attractive market for visitors from Europe and Central and South America.

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6. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. THE VINCENTIAN

Court

Former clientÊs death upsets lawyer of effectively ridding the communities of these unlicensed firearms. That is ATTORNEY KAY BACCHUS-BROWNE says what they should be spending their she is “upset” about last Saturday’s time doing. This gang warfare must shooting death of her former client, stop.”

Evans Lynch, 36 of Layou, and she has Bacchus-Browne revealed that called for an end to ‘gang warfare’.

Evans visited her office last Friday, Bacchus-Browne represented Evans August 31, hours before he was some years ago in a wounding case in gunned down at Layou. She disclosed which another. that Evans, in tears, related to her Layou man, Shem Jeffers, was that threats had been issued to kill shot. Evans was not convicted in that him and his brother, Kenute Lynch, matter. who was recently sentenced to 30 “We have to learn to love more. Why years in prison for murder. is there so much in-fighting between “He wept as he related his story. people from the same village? Maybe The impression I got was that he was the police need to do a better job in crying more for his brother,” the getting the guns off the streets,” the lawyer said. “He was saying he don’t experienced lawyer told THE know why they have been attacking VINCENTIAN during an interview on his family.”

Monday.

On March 23, 2012, Kenute was She expressed the view that, “the sentenced to 30 years in prison for the police know who these gangs are, and murder of fellow villager Maxwell they (police) need to devise a method John 25, who was shot in the back on

by HAYDN HUGGINS

Left: Attorney Kay Bacchus-Browne has called for more studied actionby the police to get firearms off the streets.

the night of July 18, 2007, at Texier Road, Layou.

Bacchus-Browne had represented Kenute at the trial, in which a 12-member mixed jury found him guilty on February 26, 2012. She has appealed his conviction and sentence.

Evans had survived a bullet to the shoulder about two hours before John was shot.

The Lynch family seemed to have been at the centre of an ongoing feud in the Layou community for a number of years.

Evans had been shot at least five occasions prior to his death, while their younger brother, Algornon Lynch, died from a bullet to the chest October 30, 2004, at Layou.

Bacchus-Browne said Evans had been the ‘hands and feet’ of their crippled mother since Kenute’s imprisonment.

Barbados Coast Guard officers charged THREE MEMBERS of the Barbados Coast Guard have been charged for the offence of manslaughter in relation to the death of Percival Louie, 47 years, a Vincentian national, formerly of Chateaubelair.

According to the Barbados Nation newspaper of Tuesday 4th August, 2012, Corey Andre Broome, 31, of Upper Black Rock, St Michael; Romero Alexander DaCosta Gaskin, 21, of 3rd Avenue, Inch Cape Terrace, Wellhouse, St Philip; and Shem Jonathon Chapman, 21, of 3rd Avenue, Alleynes Land, Bush Hall, St

Michael, all stand accused of unlawfully killing Louie.

The incident, during which Louie died from gunshot wounds, occurred on April 2010, off the St. James Coast within the territorial waters of Barbados, according to a press release from the Royal Barbados Police Force.

When the three men appeared at the Bridgetown Traffic Court, last Tuesday 4th, the Barbados Nation reported that they were not required to make a plea. Prosecutor Station Sergeant Eustace Ifill did not object to bail for the three accused, but requested they be

released under strict conditions.

Magistrate Douglas Frederick impounded the officers’ travel documents and released the men on $50,000 bail each, with two sureties of $25,000 each.

The accused will return to court on the 31st October 2012.

Speculation about the circumstances surrounding the death of Louie re-surfaced when the news broke about the charges against the Coast Guard Officers.

However, no evidence has yet been disclosed to indicate that the killing was drugs related or not.

(Source: Barbados Nation)

Coast Guard officers leaving the Court. (Internet Photo)

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. 7.

Feature

The Stinger ManÊ heats things up for KFC representative of ‘Stinger Promotions’, expressed THE STINGER MAN, joy on behalf of KFC, to Shernelle ‘Skarpyon’ have ‘Skarpyon’ as a part Williams will join KFC to of their family. make everything over at Boyea explained that the ‘So Good’ it was his performance at Establishment, even a Calypso Tent, Upstage better.

Experience Calypso tent ‘Skarpyon’, former show that ‘Skarpyon’ Carnival Ragga Soca caught the attention of Monarch, Calypsonian KFC. and singer of memorable She expressed that songs like ‘Forever’, “just from his presence ‘Shawty looking fine’ and on stage and the whole ‘Pan Dream,’ to name a presentation, I thought few, is now the Face and ‘Skarpyon’ might just be Voice of KFC. the right person to On Saturday, represent us.”

September 1st, 2012, The rest is now Williams signed his history as ‘Skarpyon’ put contract, tying him to his name on the dotted KFC for a full year. line to be fully associated KFC Manager Shanda with the Launch of Boyea, in the presence of KFC’s “So Good” the media personnel, campaign.

Miss KFC 2012 Adonna Boyea further said Sterling and David that “ ‘Skarpyon’ Brown, ‘Skarpyon’s’ represents a lot of the Manager and ideals and morals that KFC would like to promote, especially in the sense of integrating families. We know he would be good at getting across all those messages to the public.”

by KARISSA CLARKE

‘So Good’ already in motion ‘Sharpyon’ made known what a privilege it was to become

This outfit, made from KFC bags, was adjudged Most Original Costume of the day.

Shernelle ‘Skarpyon’ Williams and KFC Manager Shanda Boyea seal the deal that makes ‘Sharpyon’ the ‘Face and Voice’ of KFC. Right: ‘Sharpyon’ performed for and charmed the hundreds of children and adults who had flocked to Heritage Square for the KFC Fun Day. a part of KFC’s family, and explained, “I will be promoting the brand through song, on billboards and working to get the products and KFC’s ideal out.”

‘The Stinger Man,’ as he’s known, plans to take the two entities and make something big.

To launch the ‘So Good’ campaign, KFC has released a new jingle, ‘So good’, with ‘Skarpyon’s’ vocals melodically promoting KFC’s deliciousness.

There is also an appropriately named ‘Skarpyon’ inspired ‘Stinger Meal’ to be added to the menu, along with ‘rollers’ which were launched on Saturday, as well as a new dessert

Rahida Walters was moved to jump for joy.

line which is on its way.

The establishment has also added a number of pictures of local sites as part of its décor, to encourage Vincentians to think of their environment.

Boyea declared that “KFC is definitely perched and poised for take off!”

KFC gives back The ‘So Good’ Saturday signing of ‘Skarpyon’ was followed

by a Motorcade from the KFC Arnos Vale branch into Kingstown, and which ended at the KFC Kids fair in Heritage Square.

The fair saw parents and children alike enjoying some afternoon fun with bouncing castles and a variety of games and prizes to enjoy.

The day ended with

performances by ‘Skarpyon’ and his troop of dancers who showed the crowd just why he was the ‘The Stinger Man’.

THE VINCENTIAN congratulates KFC and Shernelle ‘Skarpyon’ Williams on this venture, and looks forward to greatness from this merger.

KFC transformed Heritage Square with a day of fun and give-aways.

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8. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. THE VINCENTIAN

Views The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Managing Editor: Desiree Richards Editor: Cyprian Neehall Telephone: 784-456-1123 Fax: 784-451-2129 Website: www.thevincentian.com Email: vinpub@yahoo.com Mailing Address: The Vincentian Publishing Co. Ltd., P.O. Box 592, Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Editorial

Tourism: the little things matter THE ARTICLE CARRIED ON PAGE 2 of this edition raises certain direct as well as more encompassing questions about the seriousness or lack thereof, that we affix to our efforts to develop and market the tourism potential of our country.

The direct question that surfaces — may be one which many are afraid to ask - with respect to the article referred is whether the concerns raised have gone unattended because the ‘site’ is privately owned and developed, in the main, without direct state support. Why, given the fact that the Montreal Gardens continues to be a ‘popular’ stop for stay over and cruise ship visitors, would such basic infra-structure be allowed to deteriorate to the state to which it has?

And the question can be applied to any of the existing private sector driven investments in the tourism sector.

This country spends a tidy share of its recurrent revenue on promoting itself as a choice destination for tourists. That is expected, given this administration and past administrations’ unambiguous position to promote the tourism industry as a related and potentially viable alternative to our dependence on export agriculture as a major foreign exchange earner.

Vincentians home and abroad have been beckoned to accept this and promote it accordingly. And of late, the introduction of an international airport into the mix has added even more verbal vigour to promoting this country in a global, multi-billion dollar market.

We have convinced ourselves, irrespective of our size and because of what we have to offer, that we can stand among the competition and survive. That is noble in intent and worthy of support.

The issue though is how serious we are about readying ourselves for welcoming this demanding but potentially lucrative industry.

When situations like the one Montreal Gardens throws up present themselves, it heightens question about our seriousness to extend impartial support to private investment in the industry.

Is it that we support more becomingly some investments and fail to give the light of day to others? Is it that we have convinced ourselves that we stand to benefit more from one investment over another?

And for those who may be wont to think that this is mischievous, it would serve the argument well to recall that a local tourism consultant only very recently questioned the seriousness with which we were attending to the matter of cleanliness and sanitation in our capital — basic requisite to positioning ourselves as a choice destination.

The argument has already been made and accepted: Tourism is a promising growth sector in our small island developing state.

It offers a meaningful, viable opportunity for economic diversification, once adequately supported through proper physical infra-structure, services and promotion.

Additionally, tourism speaks to an opportunity to build linkages with other existing economic sectors; it can contribute to the growth of all tourism-related activities in all of the major economic sectors - agriculture, including fishing, industry and services, including transportation.

So why would we not want to ensure that that which makes us attractive, anything physical and/or aesthetic that has the potential to woo visitors and the attendant foreign exchange, is well served and encouraged, regardless of colour, class or political persuasion?

And lest we forget, the main objective of the promotion of tourism as a growth sector is to create and sustain, not to mention accelerate national incomes, gainful employment, foreign exchange earnings and government tax revenues. The last cannot be forthcoming unless we provide, as a state, the supporting services to drive the private investment in key areas of the industry.

There is no doubt, as other small island states in other parts of the world have demonstrated, that tourism can play an even more important role in the growth and development of small island developing States if appropriate measures are taken to invigorate other sectors, in particular agriculture and fishing, so that they can more adequately meet tourist demand for consumer goods from domestic sources.

All of that is fine, but if the ‘little’ things, the basic things like infra-structural support and fair play in the industry, are not guaranteed, the fruit that the tree bears will be sour.

Radicals and scape-goatism AT LONG LAST, THERE WAS a “radical” of old appearing on radio to give us a flashback of the good old days, 1970-1985 when SVG moved to the clamour of youth exercising their mind, flexing their muscles, and creating space for their own philosophy grounded in their own social reality.

Conley “Chivambo” Rose appeared on the Global Highlights programme to tell his story of political SVG in the tumultuous 1970-1980s. I was then an activist, participant, or observer, or all three wrapped in one. In any event, I was so placed that I can say with confidence that “Chivambo’s” performance was brutally honest, expressive and explicit, and speaking from hindsight, handled the situation with sympathy and understanding, balance and truthfulness.

In 1969, the Educational Forum of the People had been launched with a core leadership of graduate teachers focussing on the broad political education of the citizenry.

Conley covered all this, going into detail of the blows we generally suffered, the lawsuits which hampered us, the dismissals from the Public Service, nightly raids at the homes of members, and the digging up of the yards of others in search of ammunition, and much more.

We came together in the U.P.M, the United People’s Movement partly to fight the backward Labour Party which then, in Milton’ Cato word’s constituted “the strongest Government in the world”. And to have a formal if belated say on our Independence Constitution which had been foisted upon us in 1979.

The UPM fought the elections under the leadership of the triumvirate-Parnel Campbell (former Forum) Ralph Gonsalves and Renwick Rose- the three headed monster in the eyes of the Labourites. But we secured 11% of the votes, which spoke to the future. Then disaster struck.

In a matter of two to three months. Officials of the former Forum walked out of a meeting in disgust, ending the merger of the DFM with Arwee and Yulimo. It was a colossal blow that dashed the hopes of Vincentian youth, truly a case of “Shattered Dreams”.

In fact, it represented the disaster that comes with the importation of alien doctrines, euphemistically called the internationalisation of politics, into the affairs of poor, two-by-four, colonial countries. The pat diagnosis has also been externally determined. We have been made to understand that the core problem stemmed from the betrayal of the masses by the intellectual middle class youth of the EFP Forum.

In other words, Yulimo had been shafted by the DFM. If the truth be told, the wreckage had been brought about by the clumsy attempt by Dr. Gonsalves to introduce communism into St Vincent by sleight of hand.

The DFM had espoused a broad philosophy which approximated that of Democratic Socialism. There was much argument in meetings, exchange of letters between the groups, and it was finally accepted that the UPM would travel the road of socialist orientation, a sort of floating compromise.

After our defeat in the 1979 elections, Dr. Gonsalves presented a paper which was a compelling recommendation that our organisation adopt the teachings of MarxismLeninism. Parnel Campbell and I were dumbfounded. We walked out of the meeting, conceding that all the preparatory work we had put in to emerge with a most promising political vehicle had blown up in our faces.

The ex-members of the DFM after two to

three years formally folded, with individuals enlisting in the NDP, to whose early growth they contributed much. For my own path, I gave up active politics but remained a critical supporter of the NDP 1984 to present-day, concentrating on my weekly columns in the “Vincentian” .

The remnants of the UPM soldiered on under the joint leadership of Oscar Allen and Ralph Gonsalves until 1982 when Ralph mysteriously led a break-away faction and formed the MNU, taking Caspar London and Blazer Williams along with him.

Just about that time, 1982-83, the split was confirmed, with the MNU and UPM taking sides in the tragic scenes in Grenada where the socialist experiment was being tried out, ending in the slaying of Maurice Bishop whose side Ralph had championed.

The UPM did badly in elections of 1984 and worse in those of 1989 under the leadership of Oscar Allen and Adrian Saunders.

MNU fared hardly better, both groups in fact going under in 1989. The UPM finally accepted the inevitable, with some members led by Mike Browne formally joining the MNU which meanwhile had linked up with the post- Cato Labour Party to emerge with the ULP in the mid 1990s.

The same Labour Party that had indiscriminately harassed our individual groups in the early 1970s, sacking some from the public service, digging-up yards for heaven knows what, raiding homes in search of a banned literature and arms, daubing all with the communist brush.

Persons like Chivambo and myself could sit back and reminisce on all that, albeit from different perspectives: Yulimo’s African Liberation Day marches: Forum’s Afro-Queen shows, OBCA’s newsy Black board, BLAC’s demonstration against Princess Margaret.

True, there were extremes which were forgivable in the circumstances: The use of African names; western European names printed in common letters ;the use of Middle and Bay Streets only; dubbing the Villa-Indian Bay complex, the White Coast to which we all now aspire!

As a matter of interest, the EFP had been launched on the 11th April 1969 featuring “Bourgeois intellectuals”- Kerwyn Morris, Parnel Campbell, Eddie Griffith, Alfred Fraser, Winty Roberts and Kenneth John. Within a few months, we added to the group the “Privileged band” of Burns Bonadie, Ken Ballantyne, John Cato and Arnhim Eustace.

Significantly we lovingly embraced illustrious guests to share our platform-Joseph Massanini of South Africa’s A.N.C who wanted a breath of fresh air outside the Apartheid system, but was constantly tailed by Cato’s police; Rosie Douglas; Carl Glasgow; Dwight Venner and to top it all Ralph Gonsalves enjoying his political baptism on the platform of the EFP! The fore-going in varying ways have contributed to the evolution of the Caribbean civilisation.

And the EFP-forum has certainly etched out an assured place on our historical landscape.

Think of Eddie Griffith, Parnel Campbell, John Horne, Stuart Nanton, St. Clair Leacock, Yvonne Francis-Gibson, Andrew Cummings, and Adrian Fraser,..., and your nose is bound to swell. You get the message?

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. 9.

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to Being ÂFrankÊ about Commit values of old the Âgoat thiefÊ WELL, Mr. Editor, thanks to that attractive new website, I can now bother you on Thursday evenings with my response to your week’s edition.

Last week, the thing that caught my fancy was the piece by Frank da Silva; the piece about the ‘Goat Thief’.

(I notice, by the way, how accommodating you are to Mr. da Silva. I supposed he now realizes that you are an openminded person and by now would have forgiven Frank for his earlier tirades — if they ever mattered to you - against you and your paper… but that is another story.)

Frank da Silva hit the nail on the head… or is

it the goat on the head?

Something has to be done about these ‘goat thieves’ and all those who feel another man’s labour is theirs to reap.

I remember well the one person who tried to steal one of my goats, from among a number of others belonging to my friends. The elders in the village gave him a good ‘lashing’, and I don’t think he ever wanted to see another goat in his life. I know you would say that this is vigilante ‘justice’, but I tell you, it worked.

Like Mr. da Silva, I wonder where this ‘goat thief’ was going to find the money to pay the fine.

I say, and say it loud

and clear: Bring back next one a good licking. the cane!!! These thieves — whether they be goat Garnet, N.Y. thief, sheep thief, cow thief, ground provision thief or what have you should be given a good licking. They must get such a ‘twacking’ so that they feel the pain for months; and they must be paraded in the community so that every man jack would know who they are.

I understand from a relative that there are some known ‘fruit vendors’ who make their living selling stolen goods. What is the police doing about this?

In the meantime, let us send a strong message to all ‘goat thieves’ and the likes, by giving the

Wat ah sin ting!

I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED on Thursday 23rd August 2012, while I sat in my living room watching the 7 o’clock news on SVG TV. Lo and behold, someone I admired and listened to frequently, and someone who I thought believed in the Almighty God, said that even if you don’t believe in God, you can come and join her party.

Is this young lady for real? Is she saying that Vincentians are stupid, that she can use a fool to represent us in parliament and a constituency? Has the hunger for political power blinded her mind? Has she forgotten that the same Bible, which she likes to quote from, says in the book of Psalm 14:1: “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good”. So, therefore, the interpretation is that any man who does not believe in God is a fool.

A few years ago, we were given the opportunity to raise our education level through the Education Revolution. I still do not see why this woman thinks we Vincentians are

illiterate and she can use fools to represent us.

We are indeed living in the end of times. These are decorations for the Anti-Christ. There is no other way he can rule than to set up his agents here, there and everywhere.

Vincentians! Take warning and start praying harder. Look around you because the truth has started to reveal itself. Remember, who you think is Godly only has a form of godliness, for they are denying the power thereof. Is it that Psalms 1 and 11 Corinthians 6:14-18 have been removed from the Bible?

In conclusion, the Bible declares in Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou has rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shall be no priest to me: seeing thou has forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children”. If we do not take heed now, we will not be destroyed for lack of knowledge but that of disobedience.

Concerned Pastor C.A.H

* Has that petition raising concern about the appointment of Hawkins Nanton as an Inspector of Police reached the desk of the Minister of National Security who is also the Prime Minister? * When is Comrade Ralph and Oscar going to stop going after one another in public?

Don’t they know that the public is not interested in their differences? * Have all the vacancies in the Teaching Service been filled? Are some schools deliberately better staffed, in terms of numbers, than others?

I TRIED MY best during the month of August to keep abreast of the 50th Anniversary of Independence celebrations in Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica. Of course, each country was especially thrown into an unprecedented period of euphoria with the gold medals their athletes won at the London Olympics.

Through it all, though, I reflected on our own independence. I remembered how proud I was, like so many others, when the Union Jack was lowered and our national flag (not the one we have now) raised. Raising our own flag was like raising our hopes as a people.

No one can doubt (only the very few dishonest ones) that this country of ours has made progress since attaining independence. Some might have expected a lot more, but that does not take away from the progress we have made. However, we need to be honest, and continually remind ourselves that we have a long way to go.

And that is why, as I reflect on our own future as Trinidadians and Jamaican celebrate their milestones, I want to encourage all of us to commit, to embrace and practise, the values that once made our families strong. When our families were strong, our children felt safe, our young people felt motivated and our communities were caring.

It is through fulfilling this commitment that we will be able to deal with crime, corruption, and all the greed and selfishness that have overcome us in recent times. It is with the strength of that commitment in our hearts that we will be able to stand up to our politicians.

Selwyn

Keep Obama in office IT WAS DISTURBING to hear a number of persons with whom I was in discussion say that Obama will lose the Presidential election in the USA. I could not understand their position, especially when, in my humble opinion, Obama, as the first Black American President of the most powerful nation in the world, was taking over at a time when Bush had taken the country

regional president. Only time will tell!

My advice to all governments is to teach your people righteous principles and allow them to govern themselves individually and collectively.

Any party that moves in that direction will get the full support of the emerging Christian Democratic Party.

Congrats Mrs. Baptiste and your DRP.

into a pit.

Obama had very few choices, as I saw it.

Whatever he did would have been unpopular because they might not have had a turnaround effect immediately. But what he did must be given time to work, and that is why Americans need to vote him back into office.

The fact that the USA is not yet out of its economic constraints does not mean that Obama must not be given credit for what he has done, or tried to get done, when his opponents ruled the American Congress and Senate.

I wish those persons to whom I referred would see through their own biases. Many of them have relatives in the USA, and they will benefit eventually from what Obama has started.

I say, for whatever it is worth: Keep Obama in office.

A Christian Democratic

Paul Jackson

Just another party – DRP PERMIT ME SPACE in your paper for a brief philosophical look into the newly launched political party, the DRP. Democratic — the belief in a government elected by the people, governed collectively by the people and their representatives; people and their representatives brainstorming and decisionmaking; political, social and legal equality.

Republican — the belief in a government in which the people elect the head of state, and in

which the people and their representatives have supreme authority over the state. This, in a nutshell, spells out the philosophy of the DRP — according to name.

Currently we practise people’s elected government, but we do not allow them to brainstorm and decisionmaking. Our present system is of the dictatorship (type) of a one man or a few — undemocratic.

As to the head of state being elected by the people, Mrs.

Baptiste and the DRP may be thinking of another referendum exercise because currently, our head of state is the Queen’s representative and is selected by leadership of the party in government.

Our recent proposed constitution proposed to have the PM and the opposition leader or parliament elect or select the head of state.

With the DRP turning another page in our political book, we may very well have to be voting for a national or

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10. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. THE VINCENTIAN

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hard place: The plight of the opposition NDP The issue IT IS NOT DIFFICULT to predict the direction that the opposition New Democratic Party will take, as it tries without success, to assume the role of government in this land. They oppose all that is progressive and worthy, in the blind quest to win elections in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. This approach has landed them in trouble with the voters in this country, a situation they are now occupied with in trying to alleviate the anger that is being directed at them.

Still the leadership of the NDP cannot understand that their party must embark on a new direction. They cannot understand that Vincentians are fed up of the brand of politics that they practise. And it has not yet dawned on them that they are between a rock and a hard place, an unwillingness to change their modus operandi, against the demand from an increasingly intelligent voter base, that they do not want this “business as usual” approach from the NDP. Let us look at some of the issues that have placed the NDP between a rock and a hard place.

project.

How else can we interpret the vicious attacks launched by the NDP, against the telecommunications provider, LIME, for putting a photograph of the terminal building of the Argyle International Airport on the cover of the 2012 telephone directory?

Elections are coming soon

It is almost comical to hear statements coming from the NDP, that Dr. Ralph Gonsalves will call a snap election soon. Apparently this conclusion was arrived at, based on a shipment of building materials ordered by the central government, for rehabilitation work in the country.

It is pathetic to hear the Leader of the NDP, Arnhim Eustace, state that the shipment of building materials will be used to woo voters, so that they will vote for the ULP. Based on this, Eustace was able to surmise that The International Airport project Dr. Ralph Gonsalves will call a snap election, and that his supporters must All progressive Vincentians will tell get ready, since anytime now, they you that the Argyle International will be called on to vote!

Airport will bring immense economic If this is the type of leadership that and social benefits to the country. Yet Arnhim Eustace is providing for his the NDP has opposed the project, party, then they are indeed in more simply because it is “Ralph” who is building the project, and that the ULP trouble than we thought. If you have to wait on a shipment of lumber to make political capital from this. This predict a general election date, then is backward thinking. If Comrade you are clearly out of touch with Ralph and the ULP were in reality. Dare we say that finally, we Opposition, they would take a have proof that Arnhim Eustace has different approach as follows. lost his marbles?

1. Support the project since it will benefit all Vincentians, and call on all The economy ULP supporters to get on board.

2. Call on the government of the Finally the NDP has come around day to make the project a national to the fact that the current global one, so that all hands will be on financial and economic crisis has also board.

3. Call on the government to ensure affected the economy of St. Vincent that the Board of Directors to and the Grenadines. They now preface supervise the project, should have their attacks on the Vincentian representation from all quarters, since economy, by conceding that things are it is a national project in scope. This not good worldwide. will include the Opposition, the But they will never compliment the business sector and persons in the ULP and Comrade Ralph for the Diaspora. excellent way in which the affairs of 4. Organise and engage in national the State are being managed, in the consultations to sensitize Vincentians current turbulent period. Salaries are and influence their thinking, about being paid, including those to the the various approaches to be members of the opposition. No major considered, in the integration of the companies in the State have airport into national development retrenched workers, despite the lies activities. told by the NDP. Here and there new This is forward thinking at its best; businesses, including some owned by but the NDP is unable to rise to the supporters of the NDP, have opened, occasion. Even where these and in some cases have expanded. suggestions are being offered, the This shows confidence in the NDP will not take telling from economy and the performance of the anyone, and these ideas will go a ULP administration, as well as the begging. But that is what we have strategies adopted by the Prime come to expect from the NDP. Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, to In recent times, it has softened its opposition to the Airport Project, in an keep things together.

The NDP boast that the effort to fool Vincentians into thinking government is broke and that there is that it is on board. Then its no money in the country. Yet they spokespersons make stupid come to the House of Assembly statements, claiming among other seeking to have the ULP repair roads things, that money earmarked for national projects is being used to fund and back walls, etc., in their the project. If you support the airport, constituencies. Are they practical then you will refrain from telling lies people? It is no wonder therefore, that they are between a rock and a hard about the project. The NDP is not place! fooling anyone; they still oppose the

NDP will make things better for parents, teachers and students Poor and working class parents feeling it As the economic situation deteriorates in this country, Vincentians are feeling pressure that they have never experienced before. The poor and working class families are finding it extremely difficult to make ends meet, more so, to send their children to school at the reopening of the 2012 – 2013 academic year.

On Friday 31st August, 2012, hundreds of poor and working class parents flocked the welfare department pleading for assistance so that they can send their children to school, only to be told that there wasn’t any money to purchase books and uniforms. What a disgrace! This is from a government which boasted how much they loved the poor and working class. Books and other school materials were not bought, but $7 Million worth of materials was purchased. We wait to see how much of these materials will be given to the poor and working class, and how much will go to the construction of the airport.

Some parents were unable to pay the high registration cost at some secondary schools and the Community College. Some of these parents were also forced to buy most of the textbooks because they were not available on the Book Loan Scheme. As a result, additional financial burden was placed on the poor parents, to the extent that some children did not attend classes for the first week of the school term.

We hear the cry from the parents in the Grenadines about the cost to send their children to secondary schools on main land St. Vincent, and where children especially from Canouan have to be away from their homes at a young age because the island does not have a secondary school. This does not only create financial burden to the parents, but also psychological problems to parents and students alike.

school by providing resources to assist all children in need * Give direct funding to the poor and students from rural areas to enable them to easily access quality education and to take advantage of such opportunities * Establish a national curriculum framework on numeracy and literacy * Provide a dormitory for students from the Grenadines and the rural areas to access quality secondary and tertiary education * Provide direct assistance to students writing external examinations such CAPE and CSEC by paying the fees for all students registered to take these examinations * Make skills training more accessible throughout the country, and ensuring that targeted interventions are well designed and are appropriately linked to the market demands, national development and the global economy * Implement strategies to effectively deal with undiagnosed and untreated developmental and learning disabilities, and the establishment of remedial education programs to effectively deal with such learning disabilities * Enhance the participation and collaboration of all stakeholders (Teachers’ Union, Parents, Churches and the wider civil society)in the provision and the management and delivery of education services * Curb the school drop-out rate by embarking on curriculum reform to ensure that the curriculum is broadbased and that there are extracurricular activities to meet students’ developmental needs. * Establish national criteria for national student awards in recognition of students’ achievement in academic, Teachers feeling it technical, vocational and extracurricular activities This ULP government continues to * Provide incentives and/or violate the Collective Agreement, and scholarships for students who excel in refuses to negotiate with the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers’ sports, the arts and extra-curricular activities.

Union (SVGTU) for a new collective Agreement which is long overdue. We * Ensure that all children have access to learning resources such as text have seen the refusal of this ULP books, computers and other relevant government to rehire the three teachers: Kenroy Johnson, Elvis Daniel learning materials. * Improve the quality of and expanding and Addison Bash Thomas who access to early childhood education and contested the 2010 General Elections. intervention.

The failure to pay teachers the 3% salary increase which was due to them since January, 2011, the denial of Long Closure Leave to teachers as specified in the With all the boast by this ULP Collective Agreement and the blatant administration about ‘Education disregard of other Articles in the Revolution’, for the eleven (11) years Collective Agreement. they are in power, only two (2) innovations have been made to the Education for development education system: Universal Access to secondary education and the The NDP sees education as the key to the development of any nation, and has distribution of laptops to some placed a high value on education. Our students. The distribution of laptops to students is incomplete. It’s almost efforts will focus on transforming and modernizing the school environment at two years since the first laptop was given to a student. What is the all levels: pre- primary, primary, government waiting for, to deliver on secondary and tertiary. its promise? Is the government waiting until the next General An NDP administration will: Elections to do so? The students need the laptops now! * Improve the quality of primary and Despite what has been said by the secondary education with a greater administration about the NDP, emphasis on the allocation of resources ULP they must admit that the NDP laid to primary education. To accomplish the foundation for education in this our this there is need for improvement in blessed land and has once again teaching quality and facilities, outlined an impressive programme for relevance of curriculum, learning education. One that will bring materials and the introduction of tremendous benefit to students, continuous assessment systems and teachers, parents and all stake holders remedial programmes for slow and ultimately the development of St. learners.

Vincent and the Grenadines. * Ensure that all children can go to

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Semper Fidelis “I do not pray for success.

I ask for faithfulness.” — Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997); born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu THE TITLE of this week’s article may seem like a foreign language to many readers. And it is. But I am aware that there are many who would readily be able to decipher its meaning. Many of the students of Latin will recognize if for what it is. In addition, individuals who have some exposure to military training or interest will recognize it to be the motto of the United States Marine Corps.

The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is one of the seven branches of the United States Armed Forces. The USMC operates through the United States Navy to implement rapid and powerful military interventions. Training to be a marine is considered to be one of the most difficult assignments in the world. It is not for the faint-hearted.

It is not for the physically weak. The training exercises for the Marine Corps are designed to break those who are physically and/or mentally weak, so that the few who remain will be considered the best of the best in every aspect of warfare. The US Marine Corps is the smallest of the US armed forces in the Department of Defense. As of June 2011, the US Marine Corps stood at approximately 200,830 active duty Marines and just under 40,000 reserve Marines.

It is interesting to note that the US Marine Corps emerged as a “division” of the US Navy just over 230 years ago. History records that on 10 November 1775, Captain Samuel Nicholas formed two battalions of Continental Marines in Philadelphia as naval infantry.

Four years later, in 1779, Captain William Jones advertised for “a few good men” to volunteer for “special naval duties”. He was convinced that a relatively small number of highly trained and motivated soldiers could accomplish much more than a larger military force that lacked the qualities of these good soldiers. The Marines have operated all over the world and in the harshest of conditions.

The Marine Corps has had several mottos over the years. They have used these mission statements and slogans to inspire them to excellence and to accomplish great feats over the years. In 1805 they adopted the motto “To the Shores of Tripoli.”

With the Tripoli assignments accomplished, shortly thereafter they replaced it with “Fortitude” in 1812.

By 1848 it evolved to become “From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli.” A few years later, it became “By Sea and by Land.” And in 1883 they adopted Semper Fidelis as their official motto. Semper Fidelis is also the title of the Marine Corps’ official musical march.

Semper Fidelis is Latin and means “Always Faithful.” U.S. Marines use an abbreviated verbal version, “Semper Fi,” to voice loyalty and commitment to their Marine comrades-in-arms; they always strive to ensure that they protect each other. Their “buddy system” has been used as a model for best practice in terms of looking out for others and caring for the well-being of others.

These patriotic men and women endure the rigours of the intense training. It prepares them for combat and, in particular, to bear extreme pain and to not bend under severe torture. They have been programmed to be faithful to country and to each other. Yes, in addition to gaining specialized skills as a warrior, they are mentally programmed to work in teams and to look out for each other.

They seek never to leave a fallen comrade behind; they believe and live Semper Fidelis. And while they are not perfect (and some have been known to engage in unpatriotic activities) by and large, they provide us with models of behaviour that are worth emulating; faithfulness to country and faithfulness to comrades.

Semper Fidelis! Where do you and I stand in relation to our faithfulness to country, to spouse, to family and friends? Where do we stand in relation to our faithfulness to employer or employee? Where do we stand in relation to our commitment to building a better, more civil, society? Where do we stand in relation to God’s laws and the Biblical principles that keep societies strong?

These are questions that you and I must ponder and probe as we seek to arrive at higher levels of accomplishment in the various duties that we perform. And while most of us have not had the benefit of military training we can extract wisdom and be propelled to be more disciplined as we reflect on the fundamental principles that have made the marines great. But this is not a new concept, Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC), considered the greatest Roman orator, statesman, philosopher and author, once said “Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than fidelity. Faithfulness and truth are the most sacred excellences and endowments of the human mind.” And so, we proceed to build a stronger and more vibrant community and society by accepting the challenge to be more faithful.

Semper Fidelis!

Send comments, criticisms & suggestions to julesferdinand@gmail.com

Time for fearless debate JAY NAIDOO, the first General Secretary of the South African Confederation of South African Trade Union (COSATU), a key member of the alliance that keeps President Jacob Zuma’s African National Congress (ANC) in power,has written the union and raised a number of questions. The italicised sections are of special relevance to governance in SVG. ‘I have no authority to tell you what you must do, but my conscience as one of your founding leaders begs me to reflect on the state of our country.’

The Marikana massacre is a deadly body blow to the democratic social fabric. The weight of the disappointment is staggering as I think back to my political initiation as a teenager, listening to the powerful political narrative of Steve Biko. “We have nothing to lose but our chains.” He presented a bold, courageous and impossible vision of a free South Africa. We were inspired as a generation to stand up and be counted irrespective of the cost.

So where are the courageous leaders of today?

truth. The Marikana massacre shows all the hallmarks of our Apartheid past. Violence from any side is inexcusable, but deadly force from a democratic state is a cardinal sin. It strikes at the heart of democracy.

The COSATU Congress must draw a line in the sand between justice and injustice. But it needs leaders with the courage to hold up the mirror. And it needs to ask the critical question: whether leaders have lost touch with the membership and the poorest in our country.

I am reminded of our visit to the Soviet Union in 1990. We wanted to understand how a powerful state claiming to represent the working class could fall prey to the crass corruption that represented the worst excesses of crony capitalism.

It was obvious to us. There was no democratic participation. The nationalized economy and state enterprises were simply the feeding troughs of the voracious elite. The labour movement was emasculated. It had been reduced to a conveyor belt of the political and predatory party elite.

There were no real unions in the Soviet Union. There were just obedient lieutenants who enforced the orders of their political masters and enjoyed the minor perks of financial hand-outs. It’s a slippery slope, and one we can’t afford to send South Africa down.

The fact is that there is a deep and growing mistrust of leaders in our country, and the expanding underclass feels it has no voice through legitimate formal structures. There has to be trust, but workers cannot eat promises and political slogans. Some fear victimization. The creation of a vision and ownership lies in winning the trust of the workers, especially the poor.

Their trust has to be won every day.

Grassroots members must never be allowed to become alienated from their leadership. The debates should address and answer the perceptions the people increasingly hold.

COSATU has a proud history. We stood firm when our government, in its insane denials, condemned to death so many people living with HIV and AIDS, You mobilized amazing organizations such as the Treatment Action Campaign to make government accountable.

But where has the social activism gone to in our country? Has it also submerged below the need for some of us to live comfortably? No one can escape responsibility any longer. Our society is fragmenting and our state becoming increasingly dysfunctional...

Public institutions are there to serve the interests of the citizenry and not the narrow often corrupt interests of a predatory elite. We need to stop being subjects and become active citizens. It is now incumbent on us all to stand up and bring our country back to the path of reconstruction and development. We promised a better life in 1994, and we need to deliver it. The key, now, is for us to take the appropriate action.

The 1976 Soweto student uprisings were smashed, but we came back and kept building on the foundations of the sacrifices of Nelson Mandela and his generation. We painstakingly nurtured a mass movement. The eighties saw the flourishing of internal mass struggles led by COSATU and the UDF that pitched us into battle with a brutal Apartheid state. It took us 18 years to make our liberation movement, the ANC, the majority party in our Parliament and place Nelson Mandela as South Africa’s first democratically elected president.

Now, 18 years later, we commemorate a new massacre under the watch of the supposedly democratic government we elected. I, like many South Africans, am devastated.

Yet it can’t be denied that the writing has been on the wall for some time. Why did we choose to ignore the facts staring us in the face?

I was part of the leadership that led COSATU into an alliance with the ANC and SACP. It had a clear objective. We were making a commitment to a profound transformation that struck at the heart of Apartheid - the cheap labour system and its attendant diseases of joblessness, poverty, gender violence and inequality.

But those same diseases remain, and we desperately need a frank, no-holdsbarred clinical analysis of our condition. It goes something like this: inequality has grown. Formal employment has shrunk. A single breadwinner supports up to eight dependants. The content of migrant labour remains as deeply entrenched as ever, as subcontracted labour continues to marginalize the workers’ families.

The education system hopelessly fails the poorest in our townships as half of our children, mainly of the working poor, are left with almost no skills to speak of even after 12 years of school.

They can’t get jobs, and many of them are unlikely to do so at all in their lifetime. The majority of young people throughout South Africa see this as the arrogance of a `blue light brigade’ that believes it has some divine right to rule.

This is not the programme of transformation for which our leaders sacrificed so much.

Send comments, criticisms & Now is the time for fearless debate. suggestions to wefirst@aol.com Power has to be confronted with the

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12. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. THE VINCENTIAN

Opinion

New school year, but what future for our children?

A Green government will build universities for our children. Education will be free from pre-school to university and we will create a world-class, highquality education system.

Under a Green government, when a child starts school, they will know that if they do well, university awaits them. They can dream that a degree is possible, a high-paid job is possible, because a Green government will build universities for them.

THE START of a new school year is upon us, but the For the 2012 CEE, roughly 55 per cent of the A Green government will end the apartheid of the problems of old still exist. Many poor parents cannot 1,076 males writing the exams failed and roughly 40 outrageous blanket tax and customs duty afford school fees, school uniforms, school books and per cent of the 1,043 females failed. Almost 1000 exemptions granted by the ULP regime to Mustique, other school equipment for their children. Parents are children did not pass and some children scored as Canouan and Taiwan, that equate to hundreds of forced to pay all manner of nonsense education low as 5 per cent. These children are victims of a millions of dollars annually. We will use this tax charges, and this is wrong. failing education system. Their future is being revenue to build universities for our children.

Gonsalves has destroyed the SVG economy and stolen.

It is immoral that our children’s education caused poverty throughout our country. Many poor Even after school, what future is there for our suffers, whilst Taiwan and the super-rich of parents cannot financially support their children’s children? What is there for our children to aspire to, Mustique and Canouan bloat and gorge themselves, education. Preschool and primary school are crucial to encourage them to do well at school? aided by tax exemptions. periods in the development of children. Children Unemployment is high in SVG and it is hard to As school starts, we must offer our children a whose parents cannot afford to send them to find a job. Businesses are closing down every month future; we must give them inspiration to achieve. A preschool or primary school, are being left behind in and creating even higher unemployment. The Green government will do that by building three education and development at this important time economy is so bad that no money is circulating and science and technology universities and providing in their lives is hindered. no jobs are being created. free education from pre-school to university.

Exam results in recent years have shown that the After 11 years in office, the flagship project of the Let us wave goodbye to apartheid and usher in education of the children of the poor is suffering, Gonsalves regime is a jail. That is practically all universities. Give our children a future. because attending school is so expensive. In 2011, Gonsalves has to offer our children. What message SVG had its worst CEE results in history, with 1116 does that send to children starting school this year; SVG Green Party children of the poor and 56 per cent of boys failing. what future does it offer them? www.svggreenparty.org

Remembering L A Providence with respect FOR SOME YEARS now, I have been using the medium of the newspaper whose editors have been kind to allot me the space, to address some issues affecting the welfare of our people. Those issues I have considered important enough, for me to make public my opinion, as a citizen of this country.

However, when I read some weeks ago the article captioned, “L A Providence remembered”, written by Avil Cupid, I was almost inclined to abandon that approach and to seek instead to sharpen my oratorical skills, so that I could effectively speak boldly on the issues, as I see them.

After all are the airwaves and rostrums indoors and outdoors not frequently used by persons who boldly speak and make pronouncements riddled with inconsistencies and are blatantly out of harmony with the pursuit of advancement, by an intelligent and ambitious people, endeavouring to secure a reasonable chance for their children and grandchildren to

prosper? Could I do worse?

You see, L A Providence was my father, so when I read Avil Cupid’s opening paragraph which went as follows: “In fact I can’t get L A out of my head: I think of him every minute. LAP was a prolific writer in the VINCENTIAN newspaper, but his writing lacked substance”, I was quite alarmed,for during all those years I had never witnessed L A Providence’s efforts so disparaged!

He went on to say that L A Providence was a senior citizen when he wrote “Give us calypso music in West Indian style”, and Avil Cupid, because of this concluded that L A Providence disregarded other music. That piece has ensured that Avil Cupid remembers L A Providence every time he listens to music. Avil Cupid ended his piece by saying “I did comment when Providence’s piece appeared, so it would be no surprise to him that I did not rate him as a writer; his world was too small”.

On the other hand, I do not think that L A Providence ever discredited Avil Cupid as a writer, and it is reasonable to conclude that he had read several of Avil Cupid articles over the years. He may not have been particularly impressed byCupid’s writing style; but never would he have descended to the expressing of a warped categorization of Avil Cupid’s writings, as being without substance.

While I recognized the therapeutic strength of expressing an opinion fearlessly, I am a little disappointed, that Avil Cupid, who has himself been a regular contributor of substance over the years to THE VINCENTIAN newspaper, could only come up with an exhibition of seeming disdain, for the likes of L A Providence, whom Cupid himself described as a prolific writer.

I say firmly, that Avil Cupid’s conclusion, that L A Providence disregarded all forms of music that were not calypso is erroneous, to say

the least, because L A Providence grew up in a period when calypso was not predominant. Even up to the early 1940s, the calypsos were few. I would not be surprised, if up to the end of the second world war, there were not ten calypsos that enjoyed popular hearing in the country.

Indeed L A Providence was quite a competent violinist, his repertoire was from the classics. One of his favourite pieces was ‘Humeresque’.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is at the crossroads, the issues that confront us are burdensome.

The very page on which Avil Cupid’s letter appears, indicate that our people are endeavouring to overcome these burdens. We cannot afford for the energy of our citizens to be expended on egodriven petit fault finding in those who are making an effort to contribute to the upbuilding of our country.

There is ample testimony that L A Providence has done his part in his “small world”.

It is left now for Avil Cupid to do his part in his “big world”.

LeRoy Providence

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. 13.

Arts

Bamboo craft makers hone business skills CRAFT MAKERS in Georgetown and surrounding communities are continuing to take advantage of opportunities to develop themselves, having recently graduated from an FAO-funded bamboo craft project.

Twenty-six persons from the Georgetown Craft Makers Association last Friday successfully completed the Centre for Enterprise Development Inc (CED) Community Programme for Entrepreneurship Development (CPED) Seminar.

The CPED seminar was developed

by CED to help rural communities to generate wealth by equipping residents with the necessary knowledge and skills to start and operate successful businesses. The programme provides a forum for participants to acquire the necessary information that would be required before engaging in a business activity, and seeks to facilitate the development of an enterprise culture in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, through the creation of viable micro and small enterprises and in the

growth and development of such existing businesses.

Business Consultant, Dougal James, in facilitating the three-day seminar, walked the craft makers through the sessions, covering areas such as Entrepreneurship, Identifying Business Opportunities, Planning a Business, Record Keeping, Costing and Pricing of Products, Marketing, Customer Service.

Throughout the sessions, James emphasized the need for persons to use their craft skills to create revenue for themselves and the community, urging them to come together as a group and develop a business that will positively impact all their lives.

The CPED workshop was also attended by executive members of the Georgetown Craft Makers Association and several small business operators from Orange Hill, Overland, and Sandy Bay. Each participant received a Certificate of Participation along with a CPED Training Manual.

(Contributed)

Association of Writers SVG off the ground

by KARISSA CLARKE VINCENTIAN WRITERS, both home and in the Diaspora, have a new organization which they may use as an outlet for expression.

The Association of Writers of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a nonprofit organization, was incorporated into Vincentian law on 16th July 2012.

Spearheaded by locally based writers Dr. Chester Toney and Herlon Phillips, the mission of the association is to “foster and strengthen cooperation among writers throughout Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and in the Diaspora, to develop their literary and creative skills and abilities, and to heighten awareness amongst members of the public of the literary and other workers of the Association and its members.”

In an Interview, Phillips explained that he thought it was especially fitting that the association has come “into inception on the heels of the education revolution.”

According to legal documentation, the association’s objectives and responsibilities are to promote professionalism of its members while permitting unhindered development of their work; to keep the public informed of members’ publications; to produce and publish literary works in accordance with internationally accepted standards by Vincentians.

Phillips also expressed that, “It is very necessary to promote the Copyright Act because it’s a way of bringing revenue to our little country, and the Association of Writers will definitely help with this.”

When asked of how the idea came

Herlon Phillips, one of the driving forces behind the Association of Writers. about, he disclosed: “Chester and I sat together and coined the idea. We realized that writers need somewhere to go and someone to represent them faster. We need an environment for youth to become authors and true creators of literary work.”

And as far as staying the course is concerned, Phillips expressed optimism, saying, “I think the association is here to stay, as it is a platform to work on now and heighten the awareness of the importance of reading, writing and recording information for future posterity.”

In addition to its literary work, “the organization is naturally steeped in humanitarian work and plans to give a lot of Human Service to SVG by providing financial support to the less fortunate,” Phillips told THE VINCENTIAN.

Members of the Georgetown Craft Makers Association proudly display their certificates with facilitator DougalJames.

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14. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Scholarship launched in honour of ‘Timmy’

by KENVILLE HORNE

Chief Education Officer Lou-Ann Gilchrist (left) and Vincent Da Silva at the launch.

The Bertram ‘Timmy’ Richards Memorial Scholarship Fund has Artist’s impression of the proposed Academic Centre in been officially launched. honour of Bertram ‘Timmy’ Richards.

The fund was launched last Thursday 30th at the former site of the Intermediate High School (I.H.S.) on Sharpe Street. It is expected to benefit present students, past students and children of past students of the Intermediate High School, in pursuit of tertiary and university level studies.

Speaking at the launching, Member of the Board, Vincent Da Silva, told the audience that Mr. Richards, long standing Principal of the School, was a very dedicated man.

“He spent most of the time on the school compound and never left until dawn of the day,” he remembered.

Moulton Mayers (right) hands over donation to Hermia Da Silva Scott, Chairman of the Board of Directors. said he was happy that However, after a mortgage proved difficult to Richards had been acquire, and other challenges emerged, the recognized.

Board concluded that the $40,000 already in a “I am hopeful that some young persons who might get fund, should go towards a scholarship fund to one of these scholarships, honour Richards. will be our future leaders of In March this year, the scholarship account tomorrow,” he advanced. was opened and the $40,000 re-directed into it.

Chief Education Officer, Scott explained that the fund will be Lou- Ann Gilchrist, replenished through revenues collected from congratulated the Board for the use of the old school site. their insight and devotion in Board member, businessman and graduate establishing the scholarship of the Intermediate High School, Moulton “so that Timmy memories Mayers, was on hand to donate $1000 to the will live on.”

Fund.

She reminded the Mayers described Richards as “an educator gathering about the efforts of par excellence”, who paid special attention to those in the past who worked to prepare a pathway for the students, especially students who were challenged learners. “I am testimony to that younger generation. statement, “ he declared.

She encouraged the He also announced that there was still a potential scholarship holders plan in place to erect an AcademicCcentre in to continue to work towards honour of Mr. Richards. fulfilling the ideals of the Alinda Hypolite, current principal at I.H.S, founders of the school. “You confirmed that the history of the school and its have been provided with a founding fathers are alive at the school. She solid foundation at the stated that every year, the first year students Intermediate High; your are presented with a handbook, which outlines school has graduated very the history of the school and “it outlines clearly notable and distinguished the founding fathers”. individuals in this Six students will receive scholarships: three Vincentian society, who have students pursuing tertiary education and three contributed to the pursuing university education. development of the nation The I.H.S was opened in 1926 by another and will continue to do so.” renowned educator Dr. J P Eustace. It was From building to Fund then only the third secondary school in the country, the others being the St. Vincent Boys Hermia Scott, Chairperson Grammar School and Girls’ High School.

During that time, secondary education was of the Board of Governors, seen as a privilege enjoyed only by the and former Principal, noted fortunate ones. The I.H.S. opened the doors to that the Board had first education for many who would not otherwise intended to reconstruct the have been accorded an opportunity. old school to be used as an Mr. Bertram ‘Timmy’ Richards passed away educational resource centre. in 1989.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. 15.

Diaspora

Starlift electrifies New York

time will be greater.”

Swaying to a ‘Jam Dem’ rendition, Ancilla Friday, née Pemberton, president of Club St. Vincent, the Brooklyn-based educational and cultural group, which is hosting MOST VINCENTIAN pan aficionados were, Starlift during its history-making visit, clearly, very disappointed, but said the band is in a class by itself. understandably so, that perennial “They’re great, they’re captivating, panorama champion Sea Operations they’re electrifying, they wonderful,” Starlift Steel Orchestra was unable to exclaimed the Ratho Mill native and participate in Club St. Vincent’s massive Emmanuel High School (Kingstown) Biennial Cultural Exhibition in Brooklyn, alumna.

New York, two weeks ago, because of visa and flight delay issues in Barbados. Nothing lost But the nation’s leading steel orchestra surpassed the billing on Chester Peters, a former Royal arrival in the ‘Big Apple’ two Tuesdays Bank of Canada (now RBTT Bank) ago, living up to its extraordinary high employee, who hails from Starlift’s standards, while, simultaneously, home village, Old Montrose, electrifying, to date on their debut Kingstown, said, “They have not lost trip, not only their compatriots but their musicality and their unique Caribbean and other nationals as well. sound,” he added. “Their arrangement At each venue, the 12-member is very fantastic. That’s what makes contingent, a small fraction of the 125member band, stupefied its audience with crisp, pulsating rhythms that triggered calls for encore.

Some non-Vincentians, while rendering unsolicited donations, queried how a small-island nation could produce such a stellar musical embodiment.

Unmistakably, most, if not all, Vincentians in New York are proud — and have expressed profound pride — in their country’s exponent.

The band convulsed audiences in Brooklyn at Vee Jays Restaurant (last Friday night); the Flatbush-Caton Vendors Market (Saturday afternoon); Standard Shippers (Saturday afternoon/evening); and J’ouvert during the West Indian American Carnival on Labor Day, Monday.

“The band is (playing) real nice,” mas producer Jeffrey Hinds, originally from Lower Middle Street, Kingstown, told THE VINCENTIAN, as Starlift banged out Becket’s ‘Teaser’, among other hits, at Standard Shippers on Former national 400m-sprinter Avenue D. Eswort Coombs (L) and Caribbean “I’m happy to see a band come up Soccer (Football) Cup President Fred from home,” Hinds continued. “Next Ballantyne take in the action.

Stories and Photos by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net; neloking@msn.com US CORRESPONDENT

Starlift in action at Standard Shippers. them unique.”

Eswort Coombs, an erstwhile national 400-meter sprinter, said Starlift has been able to attract some nationals who rarely attend Vincy events in New York.

“You see a lot of strange faces that you normally wouldn’t see,” he added.

“A lot of older heads can identify with Starlift, because they’ve been around for so long.”

One of those “older heads” was Fred Ballantyne, president of the Brooklynbased Caribbean Soccer (Football) Cup, who hails from Frenches, Kingstown.

“I think it’s a great move to bring Starlift here,” said Ballantyne, stating that he was “very impressed” with its performance some years ago, when it collaborated with the Kingstown Chorale at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex.

“You hear them, so it’s good to witness them in person,” added the husband of national netball icon Gloria Ballantyne and father of ex-sporting stars Raymond, Orde, Junior, Bob, Jacintha and Joanne Ballantyne.

Marcia Kirton, vice president of the group VincyCares, said the band chose the right weekend to be in New York.

“Labor Day (holiday) is a great weekend. It’s a great opportunity to feature our artistes,” said Kirton, whose group also used the event at Standard Shippers to stage its annual toy drive.

Verna Arthur, the Paul’s Avenue, Kingstown native, who had spearheaded efforts to bring Starlift here, said the orchestra’s performance in New York has been breath-taking.

“Words like astounding, remarkable, stunning, phenomenal come to mind,” said the public relations officer of Club St. Vincent.

“Vincentians and other patrons who attended Vee Jays Restaurant on Friday, Aug. 31, were in awe, as they listened and danced to Starlift Steel Orchestra’s extraordinary rendition,” she added. “I will simply say that outstanding is an understatement.”

For J’Ouvert, Arthur said Vincentians were “in a trance, as we chipped to the pulsating sounds of Starlift.

“The rain certainly didn’t stop us,” she said, excitedly.

“Onlookers kept checking the bottom of the pans to be sure they are not amplified — a confirmation that Starlift was sensational.”

Continued on Page 18.

Patrons taking in the sounds of the ‘winniest’ steel orchestra in the history of SVG.

Right: Another section of Starlift performing.

Starlift performing at VJ’s, Brooklyn.

Superlatives galore

16. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. THE VINCENTIAN

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. 17.

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18. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. THE VINCENTIAN

Diaspora

TorontoÊs SVG Association thanks volunteers and supporters

by BEN HARRISON – International Correspondent

LAST WEEK’S EDITORIAL in THE VINCENTIAN highlighted the importance of the Vincentian Diaspora. In 1967, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Association of Toronto was incorporated. Through the years it has evolved as a result of the countless and sometimes thankless and unrecognized hours of hard work by an army of volunteers.

The Association is a connecting link available to more than 25,000 members of the Vincentian community resident in the Greater Toronto area. Through the years, this not-for-profit association, without government assistance, has provided emergency services including financial relief and health care, legal and social support to those in need.

Annually it sponsors and organizes, along with its sister associations in Montreal and Ottawa, the now famous Unity Picnic; other events during the year include an Independence gala dinner and dance, community town hall meetings, a children’s Christmas party and many other events too numerous to mention. None of these events and undertakings would be

The Fraser Family, included the three children who rendered musical numbers, is seen here with SVGAT President Marcia Farrell (right).

Hulda De Freitas, Lay Minister, also provided some entertainment. possible without the dedicated services of volunteers.

On Sunday, August 26th, 2012, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Association of Toronto, under the leadership of this year’s president Marcia Farrell, held a Membership and Supporters Appreciation Reception at the Northwood Community Centre. The purpose was to say “Thank you” and to recognize the long standing contribution by special individuals to the Toronto Vincentian

Steve Phillips, SVG Counsel General in Canada, emphasized the importance of Vincentians working together.

Community.

Certificates of appreciation were presented to 56 volunteers and supporters, and 13 Special awards were presented for Outstanding Community Service, in a variety of areas including entrepreneurship, education, and journalism.

The program included welcome greetings by

Prudence Morton and President Marcia Farrell who gave a synopsis of the history of the association and her dreams for the future growth of the association including its own building.

The audience was especially moved when Rosanna Lewis from St. Vincent, shared the continuous improvement in her 2-1/2 year old daughter’s battle with Leukemia. She has been treated at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children during 2012, and her parents have been staying at Ronald MacDonald House in Toronto.

Entertainment was provided by Hulda DeFreitas, (Hulda was recently awarded an LM (Lay Minister) certification from the University of Toronto’s Wycliffe College and provides pastoral care to members of St. Michael and All Angels Anglican Church in Toronto).

Musical numbers were provided by the three very talented children of the Fraser Family, and a selection of

poetry was written and read

by Zakiva and Munifa Hutchinson.

Canadian SVG Counsel General, Stephen Phillips delivered a few short but powerful remarks, complimenting the work of the association and emphasizing the importance of the Vincentian community putting aside its criticisms and uniting as one group. “It is essential that we all work together with a common vision to achieve common goals and addressing the needs of our community and society,” he stressed..

THE VINCENTIAN newspaper and its online facilities have made a commitment to do everything possible to act as a catalyst for linking the Vincentian Diaspora. Vincentians in the global Diaspora, it is said, far outnumber those residing in SVG. They are a powerful voice and can contribute greatly to our country’s very ambitious goals during these uncertain times.

Starlift electrifies New York Continued from Page 15.

“The spectacular performance of the pannists for six hours was mindboggling,” she added.

Arthur said her group is awaiting the result of the Bomb competition that Starlift UN Ambassador Camillo Gonsalves (far L) among patrons, competed in taking in the sounds of Starlift. with ‘Teaser’, reached to the judges’ point, “there “which had those sitting on their feet.” were no judges in sight.”

She said the band was unable to participate in the Calypso competition, because, unfortunately, when it

Starlift excited by response

Kingsley “Hero” Roberts, Starlift’s musical arranger, said the band was “very proud” and “excited” to make the historic journey.

“We’re here to showcase our talent,” he said in an exclusive More action by Starlift VINCENTIAN interview. “It’s a the week and “in concert” at the historic moment. We were longing to do this, and it’s long overdue.

Friends of Crown Heights Educational “The reception has been very good, Center in Brooklyn on Friday evening, we’ve been well-received” he added, Sept. 7. disclosing that patrons even “threw It is also planning to perform at St. money” at the band during Paul’s Episcopal (Anglican) Church — performances. “It’s beyond our Friday’s church home — on Flatbush expectation.”

Avenue, Brooklyn, on Sunday Roberts said the band was hoping to morning, Sept. 9, before heading back perform at the United Nations during home early next week.

V Students get school supplies

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. 19.

Education

that, “Caribbean children have the educational supplies needed for their STUDENTS of the early childhood Georgetown Government education regardless of School had the surprise of their economic situation.” their lives last Monday, According to Mrs. September 03.

Lewis, this intention will When they turned up be effected “one village, for the first day of the town and parish at a new school year, 2012 time, island by island,” 13, in addition to being adding, “It is important assigned to their classes, that we recognize that it they came in for a treat takes a village to make when close to 200 of sure a child is taken care them were each gifted of,” hence persons who with a knapsack and a can assist should feel Webster dictionary. committed to do so.

Teachers too received Mrs. Paula Toney, encouragement when a Principal of the School, quantity of books was extended thanks for the made available to them. kind and generous The generous donations, and donations were made in commended Mrs. Lewis the name of the USA“for the wonderful job based philanthropic you are doing.” organization Giving Life For the time being, a New Meaning (GLAM), GLAM’s work is and were handed over by concentrated in St. that organization’s Vincent and the founder and president, Grenadines and while Mrs. Isabel Lorna donations from here on Lewis, who hails in will be made in its originally from name, Mrs. Lewis’s Diamonds. philanthropy dates back In a ceremony held to 2010 when she made during a full assembly of her first donation to her the school, Mrs. Lewis alma mater, the outlined that GLAM is Diamonds Government committed to ensuring School.

Jayorn Richards receives his award from Woodrow Williams.

Story and photos by: BERNARD BROWNE

The head table at the handing over ceremony (L-R): Mrs. Paula Toney – Principal; Mrs Isabel Lorna Lewis – GLAM President; Minister of Education Hon. Girlyn Miguel; Mrs. Sheila Billingy.

Right: Isabel Lorna Lewis (left) brought cheer and encouragement to the young ones of the Georgetown Government School.

also made at the Diamonds Government School and the Diamonds And on last Monday’s Preschool. trip, during which Mrs. When questioned Lewis was accompanied about the inclusion of a

by Minister of Education dictionary as part of the Girlyn Miguel and a gift, Mrs. Lewis friend, Mrs. Sheila highlighted her own Billingy, donations were yearning to own a dictionary when she was young, having even then and moreso as she entered secondary and tertiary level schooling, recognized the importance of words.

“Proper speech, proper writing skills are “the donation of this founded on the use of photocopier will certainly words. What better way assist with our daily to ensure that children administration, as well are encouraged to learn as allowing teachers to and use words than by copy valuable providing them with supplemental dictionaries!” Mrs. Lewis, information for our a published writer students.” herself, espoused.

She expressed the hope for continued partnership with Karib Cable.

Karib Cable donates to Sugar Mill Academy THE SUGAR MILL ACADEMY is better able to meet its administrative, clerical and instruction demands.

This after the Academy received the generous donation of one photocopying machine from this country’s lone Cable Television provider, Karib Cable.

“Karib Cable strongly believes in supporting the education of our children here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines”, said Vance Garraway, Marketing Executive of Karib Cable, at a brief handing over function at the Academy.

“We also believe our children should be given all the tools required to enhance their education.

We will continue to demonstrate our corporate responsibility to assist schools in their endeavours to help

further the education of our children,” Garraway added.

Elizabeth Cordice, Principal of the Sugar Mill Academy, endorsed Karib Cable’s “commitment to the well being of our children.”

She thanked the Company for its “continued interest and support,” ensuring that

Elroy Edwards, Sales Manager at Karib Cable presents copying machine to Elizabeth Cordice, Principal, in the company of students and teachers.

Vibert Williams Memorial Scholarship awarded JAYORN RICHARDS, a former student of the Richland Park Government School, is the first recipient of the Vibert Williams Memorial Scholarship.

Richards will attend the St. Vincent Boys Grammar School.

He will receive $1500.00 per annum, for five years.

Richards qualified for the scholarship when he performed best for his school in this year’s Common Entrance Examination, with an overall average of 83.82%. He is from a banana farming family which is a principal criterion for selection.

Woodrow Williams, brother of Vibert Williams, presented the award to Richards

Vibert Williams, in whose memory a Scholarship Award has been established. earlier this week. Williams recalled his brother’s (Vibert) intimate connection to the banana industry in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and his relationship with banana farmers in Richaland Park in particular.

Vibert Williams served for many years as the Banana Association’s Operations Manager and thence as Assistant Manager. Vibert Williams died on January 01, 2011.Francis, ‘Bigs’ Williams, Vibert’s cousin, is credited with initiating the idea to establish the Vibert Williams Memorial Scholarship award.

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20. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. THE VINCENTIAN

Opinion

Who is fooling whom? mold, neither those of today nor yesterday.”

It is no trivial matter, therefore, that most Vincentians, particularly those THE CLAIM that our Prime of primary, secondary and Minister, Dr. The Honourable tertiary level education, would Ralph Gonsalves, a political have little clue about what scientist, has one of the ‘best these men of ‘bright minds’ are minds’ in SVG, is brought into talking. But why do our question, given recent events students still have to rely on and how they apply to the men of ‘bright minds’ to governance of our country. interpret historical accounts of First, there are stories of a major part of their African children starting the 2012 -13 ancestry, especially after Dr. school year without their Gonsalves had introduced in required reading material. parliament the notion that When the Unity Labour Party history would be a compulsory (ULP) took office from the subject in our schools? How New Democratic Party (NDP) can we ever trust Dr. in 2001, there was a EC$2M Gonsalves to interpret our book loan scheme which had African history when he often started in 1998. Under this uses his political platform to scheme, students at critical send subliminal messages stages of their school life about those African features (senior classes in primary that do not fit the white man’s school and Forms 1 through 4 criteria for beauty: ‘pickie of secondary school) were able head gal’, ‘ugly and too dark to borrow much needed for the white man to see’? material for their studies, at a Imagine sending our brightest cost of EC$50/year. In fact, and best to universities across the thinking behind this the globe and with little project came from primary knowledge about their own evidence that many not so history, and then boast a privileged children had to “post-colonial economy which borrow reading material from is at once … a socio-cultural their more privileged rubric for the further classmates. So, what was the ennoblement of our Caribbean thinking behind a Dr. civilization and its magnificent Gonsalves led ULP Vincentian component.” administration when they No less trivial is Dr. reduced this budget item to Gonsalves’s reasoning in his EC$6,000 in 2001, then raised monograph for what it to EC$1.2M in 2002, and by “constitutes the root of 2011 decreased it to EC$1.1M? underdevelopment”. He cites

By Luzette King Producer and Host, Global Highlights globalhighlights@gmail.com

two major happenings.

Firstly, the British colonialists raiding and greedy ways that transformed the once “proud, independent, tenacious Callinago/Garifuna nation” into “a wretched remnant — weak in body as in mind”, and secondly, slavery which had “dehumanised productive, selfgoverning Africans, brutalised them on the plantations, robbed them of their dignity and the value of their labour, and denied them opportunities for socio-economic advancement and equality in the decades after Emancipation.” Of some significance, though, Allen beckons that “Underdevelopment does not have to be the heritage we pass on to our children.”

So, even if we accept the excuse of a global economic downturn, how does the ‘bright’-minded, political scientist, Dr. Gonsalves, explain and defend the gradual under-development as evidenced between 2001 when the Unity Labour Party won the reign of power from an embattled New Democratic Party, and now? And if, as historian Dr. Adrian Fraser explains,that during the emancipation period, African descendants had been trying to establish themselves economically by way of land ownership, it becomes significant to identify the

decline in numbers of the NDP land reform beneficiaries.

Some have been displaced from land reform estates at Belle Isle, Wallilabou, Cane Grove and Orange Hill/Rabacca.

Dismantling of local black business The respected agronomist Clive Bish I Bishop often laments the rising food IMPORT bill which indicates a further dismantling of our small business sector, which is comprised mostly of small plot farmers who are predominantly of African descent. In 2003, this bill was less than EC$100M, and to date it is approximately EC$207M. Some of the import items include: fresh vegetables and fruits (EC$19M); meat and meat products (EC$41M); cereal and cereal preparations (EC$53M) and dairy products and bird eggs (EC$20M).

Now, compare this multimillion import bill with the decline in foreign exchange earnings for the banana industry: e.g. EC$24M in 2005 and just over EC$1M in 2011.

Likewise, in a recent Global Highlights interview, journalist Conley ‘Chivambo’ Rose talked about what he sees as a systematic attempt to “marginalize or close local black businesses if you do not support the Unity Labour

Party government.” He cites, as examples, Ras Miley who used to produce local-fruit flavored ice cream and the broadcast entrepreneur Bernard ‘Santo’ Joseph who lost his radio station - 100.5 FM. Noteworthy also, is the loss of Leon ‘Bigger Biggs’ Samuel’s aggregate mining and block making facility at Rabbaca.

Hence, we have witnessed since 2001 and under the leadership of a political scientist of ‘bright mind’, a significant reduction of African people’s ownership and control of the productive and progressive sectors of the economy: education, agriculture and manufacturing industry. Since this finding is hardly different from the conditions Dr. Gonsalves cites as reasons for underdevelopment in the post emancipation era in SVG, there must be, with immediate effect, a restoring of the book loan scheme, the introduction of history as a compulsory subject at all levels of our school system and the application of scientific ways to empower farmer’s organisations and entrepreneurs of every kind.

More directly is the need to cease and desist from sending subliminal messages that could affect the image of Africans and their descendants.

Underdevelopment not our heritage

Charade by our political leaders

The education system as it relates to the current newspaper debate among Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Oscar Allen and others on ‘The End of Slavery In SVG and Our Commemoration 2012’, is another point worth considering.

Dr. Gonsalves started this discussion when he published what Oscar Allen refers to as a “timely, informed but flawed” and “somewhat deformed” monograph on the topic. Allen, a community activist and farmer who strongly rejects the label of being among those of ‘bright minds’, went on to say that the story in Dr. Gonsalves monograph “… in many cases, … is told using the material and the voice of the master, colonizer and prime minister.”

In effect, Allen notes that Gonsalves’ storyline does not include the voice of those who were mostly affected.

Interestingly, and before Allen had expressed his views, another community activist, Renwick Rose, in his Searchlight column, had praised Gonsalves’ initiative for tabling his statement in the highest legislative body in the land. He praised Dr. Gonsalves even more when he states, “… Not many of our prime ministers are of this

DOES the government fear us, or do we fear the government? When the people fear the government, tyranny reigns. All elected members — the legislature - are our servants, NOT OUR BOSSES! The understanding and vision of our forefathers seem to have been lost somewhere along the way. Here we are, citizens from the OECS. We are supposed to be independent countries with governments that are expected to adhere to the principles of democracy, e.g. freedom for all. Yet, we live in FEAR! Why? The danger in all this is that much of the power that we have but have abrogated, can, some day, be used against us. I speak, particularly, of the political ideology of communism that can intimidate and hold a population captive and, in the end, allow a few dictators and a very small minority of their loyalists the sole ‘right’ to decision-making and opportunities to which we are all supposed to be entitled.

stated categorically his pledge to the people to diminish the power of the Prime Minister and to reform parliament to make it more responsive and responsible to people.

Ten years have passed. Have we seen any of that? NO! Just the opposite and in the end just CHEAP rhetoric! Now as we sit and watch these events (OECS sessions) unfold in real time on our television sets, does it not make us shudder at the arrogance of those leaders and the tremendous distance by which they have outrun their citizens. WHO GAVE THEM THAT AUTHORITY? Do they think they are our gods?

So as we sit in our living rooms every night but we fail to discern from among all the rhetoric and charades, that our leaders have taken control of our lives.

There is rapid transformation in the Middle East and Africa. People want and are demanding their freedom. As far as the events in Africa are concerned, is this the renewing of our forefathers’ vision?

We here in the Caribbean must take The recent charade note and learn from their life stories.

These are the lands of our fore parents, What prompted me to write this article is the recent (Aug. 2102) charade now our lands, and there is a clear in Antigua that they called the inaugural message directed at us from our brothers and sisters in Africa. session of the OECS Assembly, and It is clear that there should be no reflection on the rhetoric of the inauguration of the constitutional reform problem with an OECS or OAS union; in the OAS conference of Jan 20th 2002, there are many benefits, politically and economically, to be derived if we work in Barbados. together as one people.

At that OAS conference, our own However, what upsets me most is former Professor of the University of the having these ‘sessions’ without adequate West Indies and ALBA’s apologist, Dr. consultations aimed at garnering the Ralph Gonsalves, spoke about the modernization of the state, strengthening views of the masses.

What sense does it make for the of the judiciary and guaranteeing the elected opposition in SVG to boast about fundamental rights of citizens. He also

– Part one

OECS Union/Assembly when they haven’t highlighted the bondage in which Vincentians are held under the current regime? Do they really care about the suffering people?

Going back to the OAS meeting in 2002, at least Gonsalves at that time highlighted the political dynamics arising out of the disputed election of 1998.

Standing on our feet There is a vicious ideology here that should bring every decent and independent minded citizen to their feet.

The elimination by our government of the middle class and of the poor while the rich increase their wealth, is alarming. So we must strive, like the courageous people of Africa, to demand our rightful voice in the governance in the land of our birth.

People all over the world want to be able to look after their families, enjoy freedom of speech and their God given rights, not to be slaves and second class citizens in their land. It’s the duty of any genuine, caring politician (government and/opposition) to look out for the well being of their citizens, not to play diplomacy!

“WAKE UP VINCENTIANS - let us take a closer look at the dangers of the actions of our leaders of both the government and opposition parties as they build a false alliance to buttress themselves against their own people.

God, open our eyes to the truth and the reality of hidden pestilences that await us, our children and their unborn.

Concerned Citizen

Leisure

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) You need to do something that will make you feel better about yourself. Don't hesitate to sign up for lectures or seminars that will enlighten you. Implement your ideas into your projects at work.

Don't let your health suffer because of abuse.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) Don't let situations get out of control. You've been hurt before and could be again if you don't play hard to get. You can make career changes that may put you in a much higher earning bracket.

Be careful not to divulge secret information this week.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Use your intellectual approach to get the best results. Try to understand their point of view.

Spend time with friends or family.

You can expect changes at your work place.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) Spend some time with people who can shed some light on your personal situation. Don't be too quick to voice your opinion. Listen to others carefully. Don't let relatives stand in the way of your personal plans. You'll meet new friends if you try new activities.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Pamper yourself for a change.

Keep your cash in your pocket and offer them sound advice rather than your financial assistance.

Encourage the youngsters in your family. Visit friends who have not been well.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Organize all the responsibilities that have to be attended to and make sure everyone knows what to do. You can write beautiful love letters this week. New romantic partners will evolve through group endeavors; however, the association may not be likely to last. You must follow your desires and dreams.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) You can make new friends and get involved in new hobbies successfully. You can make wonderful contributions to any organization that you join. Do not get into uncertain financial deals.

Look out for yourself this week.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Do not let your mate annoy you; patience will be the key. You will have some problems with children, but if you are patient you will win their favor. You need to keep the peace and you will have to bend in order to do so. Stand up and propose your ideas, and you'll be surprised how many people will follow you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) You will find that valuable knowledge can be gained if you are willing to listen. You may be emotional and quick to judge others. Everything is moving quickly, just the way you like it.

You are best not to nag or criticize.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) A residential move may be in order. You will impress others with your initiative and ability to accomplish while on short business trips. Be prepared to lose friends or alienate other people if you insist on being stub born.

Don't hesitate to look for alternatives that will enable you to raise the kind of donations you need to do the job right.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) Don't hesitate to voice your opinions at a group meeting; however, keep your thoughts to yourself at home. Entertainment could cost you more than you expect. Your sensitivity toward those you love will capture their hearts Be aware of any deception on the part of those you deal with.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Uncertainties about your personal life are probable. You can make some money if you get involved in a conservative financial prospect that is presented to you.

Unfortunately, your personal life may suffer from a lack spare time.

Set aside any decisions regarding your personal life this week.

ACROSS 1. Three-piece __ 5. Unit of weight 8. Cape Cod’s ocean (abbr.)

11. __ Domini 12. Washington bills 14. Top-secret U.S. org.

15. Type of map line 17. Not Rep. or Dem. 18. Greek god 19. Assistants 21. Sunbathe 23. Singing syllable 24. “The __ Squad” 25. Fancy belt 28. Parisian female (abbr.)

32. CD-__

33. Actor’s signal 34. Charged atom 35. “__ Excited” (2 wds.)

37. Skirt edges 39. Pack animal 40. “Because!” preceder 42. Overplays a part 44. Cowboys’ show 47. Goatee’s locale 49. Boathouse item 50. Virginia county 55. Schuss 56. Wolverine’s group, with “The” (hyph.)

57. NBC nighttime host 58. Psychic’s

(abbr.) letters 59. Tippler 23. Those peo60. Takes ple refreshment 24. Modern diagnostic DOWN test (abbr.)

26. Painful 1. “My Gal __” 27. “A Boy 2. One, to Juan Named __” 3. Motel’s 29. Actor country kin Neeson 4. Roman 30. Investor’s garments risk 5. Beach bag 31. O’Toole’s 6. Burden rank (abbr.)

7. Actor Beatty 36. Fall into debt 8. Hydrochloric_ 38. Catcher’s 9. Prong padded 10. They woo spot colleens 41. Trick 13. Brown meat 43. Square’s 16. Irritates corner 20. “__ the 44. Bouquet Walrus” (2 member, wds.) often 21. Explosion 45. Acorn sound sources 22. Naval chiefs 46. Faucet leak

47. Female Egyptian ruler, for short 48. Subtle suggestion 51. Hotel units (abbr.)

52. Herbal beverage 53. Hamilton’s prov.

54. Numerals (abbr.)

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. 21.

More pannists trained the Sion Hill way

TWENTY-FOUR YOUNG PANNISTS graduated last Sunday, September 2, at the Sion Hill village hard court, after completing four weeks of training in the Sion Hill Euphonium Steel Orchestra’s annual recruitment programme.

The graduates represent the smallest turn out since the programme began in 1995; however, there was something to shout about.

It was the first training programme in which a junior player, 15-year-old Angelique Fitzpatrick, who started playing the steel pan seven years ago, had progressed enough to be the co- trainer to Jason James.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Rodney Small, the Sion Hill Euphonium junior band arranger, encouraged parents to use the steel pan and music in general, to complement their academics.

Small, who is in his last year of tertiary level studies at the Edna Manley School of Music in Jamaica, listed many of the benefits he has acquired from his ventures in the art form.

Among them, Small said he has been able to visit three quarters of the Caribbean islands to play the steel pan, and is yet to pay a cent for all of his travels.

Cultural Officer Anthony Theobalds, who was standing in for Minister of Tourism, Sports and Culture Cecil Mc Kie, and Luke Browne , a friend of the Sion Hill Euphonium , joined Small in extolling the benefits of being involved in the steel pan .

Meanwhile, Arnhim Eustace, Parliamentary representative for the area, registered his concern with the small number of graduates in the 2012 programme, and urged the band’s hierarchy to seek out the reasons for the low response.

The 2012 graduating class showed what they learnt with renditions of Michael Jackson’s ‘Ben’, ‘Many Rivers to Cross’ by James “ Jimmy Cliff” Chambers, and ‘Oh What a Night’ by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons .

Their performance got rousing applauses from those present.

The twenty-four graduates also received their certificates of participation which were presented by former Minister of Culture, Rene Baptiste.

Jason James, instructor of this year’s Training Programme.

The afternoon was complemented by two skits by the Agape Methodist Dramatists, who had the audience in stitches.

The Sion Hill Euphonium

Left: Angelique Fitzpatrick, belied her age to serve effectively as co-trainier. won both the junior and senior panorama titles at this year’s national carnival celebrations.

Graduates of the 2012 Sion Hill Euphonium Training Programme into one of their renditions.

V Read the signs, man

22. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. THE VINCENTIAN

Advice

Dear George, I MET THIS GIRL and fell in love with her, but I am not so sure she loves me like I love her. I am very serious about her and would like to make her my wife, but she treats the relationship like it is a casual one. Whenever I introduce her as my fiancée, she jumps in and says, “Good friend.” I have not confronted her about that, but it is eating me out. I do not know whether I have a fiancée or a good friend.

I have stopped looking at other women because I believe I have found my true love, but I still get the feeling that she still has an eye out for other men.

What I am saying is, I am not sure if she is fully committed to me or if she is just using me as a stop gap measure. I want to go on feeling I have a steady girlfriend, and that is the main reason why I have not asked her. I am afraid she would tell me she is not as serious about this as I am. I do not want to lose this girl!

Shy Guy, Dear Shy Guy, You are either in or out, and you ought to be clear as to where you stand with this girl. She has given you clues as to where the relationship is, but you choose to ignore them.

If she was indeed your girl and was serious about you, then I see no reason for her correcting you in saying “good friend” instead of fiancée.

Before you start thinking marriage or wife, get the basics out of the way as soon as possible. You need to know whether or not this woman loves you as much as you love her. After you have settled that question, then you can take things to the next level.

George

Strange behaviour by a doctor Dear George, I RECENTLY accompanied my wife to the doctor, as I sometimes do. This time, however, it was different, and the visit left me reeling with rage, shock and disappointment.

The visit was supposed to be a routine visit, for though she had quite a few questions for the doctor, she asked me to go with her so that I can help her to remember all the things she wanted to ask about.

We both entered the doctor’s office when her name was called, but he looked at me and suggested that I wait outside. I told him I would rather not do that, since I had some questions for him regarding my wife’s health. He insisted that I wait outside.

The discussion went on and there was a compromise; that I would leave the room when it was time for him to examine her. I did not respond to that as I did not think it necessary. When he was ready to examine my wife, he asked me to leave the room. I asked him what is it that he thinks he is going to see that I have not seen, and he replied that he needs for things to be kept private. He refused to examine my wife after I refused to move from the room, and I found that to be very,very strange. What’s all this?

Puzzled.

Dear Puzzled, I know doctors who have examined a spouse with the other present. The privacy question only comes into play if one individual requests that he/she be alone with his/her doctor at any point in the meeting or examination.

The recourse you have, if you so desire, is to lodge a complaint with the Medical Association if you believe this doctor’s practice to be unbecoming or unprofessional. There is always the option of choosing another doctor who better suits your needs.

George

A meddlesome sister Dear George,

Dear Disgusted,

MY WIFE AND I have had countless conversations surrounding other people meddling in our personal and marital affairs, and I thought she fully understood where I am coming from with my point of view.

In the past, she would come to me with a story such as, “somebody told me they saw you in a certain place....” I would always tell her “don’t tell me somebody said; call the individual’s name to me so that there can be no confusion or misinformation”.

Very recently she came back to me with a story that had me going nuts and has resulted in a total breakdown in communication. She began by telling me that “somebody” saw me with another woman walking in the street, and she believed this woman to be a woman I am involved with intimately. I asked her to tell me the name of the person who was talking to her, but she refused. Realizing I was serious, she finally told me. I was shocked to find that person was my sister. My sister had misled me and carried false news on me to my wife.

What made this all so weird was that I had introduced this woman to my sister as a good friend, and even brought her to my house once.

The day she came to my house, my wife was not there but my adult daughters were at home.

Now, why would I do all of this and then turn around and make efforts to sneak around with this same woman in the streets?

I am very surprised that my own sister would seek to involve herself in my marriage. Shame on her. I do not wish to speak to her again ever.

As far as I am concerned, my sister and my wife can live together from now on.

All married couples should follow the advice of keeping OTHERS out of their relationships and marriages. The minute you begin to be a sponge and suck up everything that is shot at you from any source, you are asking for problems.

Your wife should practise listening to you and no one else; she should not allow herself to be misguided by anyone whose aim might just be to dismantle whatever good thing you might have going.

Your sister should be the one to support your marriage, and if she thought she saw you in a compromising situation, she should have confronted you. Going

Disgusted.

directly to your wife without clearing things with you shows that she possibly has another agenda and one that is unhealthy for the relationship between you and her, and of course your wife.

You do not owe her any explanation as to your actions, and you need to tell her not to meddle in your affairs.

Your marriage has no future if your wife continues to be the wide receiver for information that has to do with you and your relationship.

There is no need to cut your sister from your life. However, you need to remind her where her boundaries are.

George

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. 23.

Business

MedCare representatives accepting their donation.

Donation time for the Liberty Lodge School for Boys.

Karib Cable gives back big time some of its “most valued customers” in an activity held on August 27 at its THIS YEAR, 2012, marks Kingstown headquarters. the 15th year of operation The celebrations for Karib Cable and continued on Friday Kelcom International August 31st, when the company made donations of groceries and associated items to two institutions here: MedCare Home for the Elderly and Convalescents, and the Liberty Lodge Boys Home and the Salvation Army.

And as though to outdo itself, Karib Cable, on the same day, made the overwhelmingly generous donation of three school buses to the Ministry of Education, just in time to meet the commencement of the new school year.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Time to spin and win with Karib Cable.

Nicole Bonadie-Baker, expressed her ministry’s Limited in St. Vincent and chose to begin the thanks for the Karib the Grenadines. celebrations by awarding Cable initiative, and

by KARISSA CLARKE

To celebrate the milestone, the company has a number of promotions and customer outreach activities in store for the public. It

Presentation of one of the school buses.

encouraged them to make this a more long term commitment.

She also expressed her hope that this will inspire other corporate entities to give back as well.

A number of draws in

ongoing Karib Cable promotions were also made on the day.

Vance Garraway, Karib Cable’s Marketing Executive, conveyed his company’s happiness to be able to give back to the community in such a

manner, especially on the occasion of their 15th anniversary, “as a cooperate entity we believe is our right to help these organizations as they provide a valuable assistance to the needy of SVG.”

V It is an excellent gesture: Jones 24. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. THE VINCENTIAN

Education

FRANK JONES, Principal of the St. Vincent Grammar School, has commended businessman Dominic Ross for donating some

furniture to the institution.

Ross, owner of Rick Nick’s Café in Paul’s Avenue, handed over 20 chairs and desks to Jones

Dominic Ross (left) and Frank Jones, Principal/SVGBGS, exchange a manly handshake at the handing over of the furniture.

last Wednesday, at the School.

Jones described the donation as “an excellent gesture,” adding that, “It underlines the kind of partnership that I have been encouraging parents to get into with the school”.

The Principal reflected on the “global economic decline,” and added: “We have to try our best to do as much as possible for ourselves.”

Grammar School, one of the oldest secondary institutions in the state, has an enrollment of 782 students served by a staff of 51.

Jones outlined that the furniture will be assigned to Form Two students. He admitted that there was a shortage of furniture at the school.

Ross expressed his

delight in being able to make the donation. He cited it as a testimony of his love for children and for education.

Ross disclosed being moved by the dedication of the principal to the nation’s education.

“He full of inspiration,” Ross declared.

“I see how he has the love for the children. He is like a philosopher,” Ross went on.

The furniture was

Students were more than happy to help with the transporting of the furniture to the classroom. made by local craftsman Quinday Jack.

“I feel good doing this,” Ross stated.

Shariel does Mountain View proud THE STUDENTS and staff of the Mountain View Academy have another reason to be proud of their institution.

Shariel Bowman, a 2012 graduate of the school, performed exceptionally, attaining passes in 13 CSEC subjects.

Her results consisted of 6 ones, 5 twos and 2 threes, and covered a subject range that included Mathematics, English, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Information Technology, Social Studies, Geography, Agricultural Science, EDPM, Home Economics and Spanish.

In an interview with THE VINCENTIAN, Shariel explained her preparations for the exams. “I studied a lot. Gave up time and I did a lot of reading even when the teachers did not,” she explained.

Bowman expressed that upon discovering her results she was elated but was also very surprised.

With strong interests in the field of medicine, and plans to become a doctor in the future, Shariel will not be attending the SVGCC as many of her colleagues, but will be going on to Trinidad to University of the Southern Caribbean (USC), to pursue an undergraduate degree in Biology in preparation for further studies towards a medical degree.

Gabriel Bowman, Shariel’s father, expressed his happiness with his daughter’s results both as a parent and teacher of the school. “I wasn’t surprised at all. She’s a hard worker and God has blessed her tremendously. It wasn’t a case of us in the family really pushing her, this is what she wanted to do and everyone at the school is also very supportive.

It’s just my wish that she remains focused,” an understandably elated Bowman said.

Mr. Bowman, a chemistry teacher

Shariel does herself and her school proud. at the Academy, commented that “while there was a decline in the school’s performance, the staff and students will be reflecting on this year’s work and evaluating how to surpass it.”

Shariel, who is still very much excited about her results, expressed her thanks to God, her parents Shawn and Gabriel Bowman, and to her teachers and close friends.

THE VINCENTIAN congratulates Shariel on her success, and wishes to see nothing but great things from her in the future.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. 25.

People

The inductees of the 14th White Coat Ceremony of the Trinity School of Medicine.

Trinity School holds White Coat Ceremony

by KARISSA CLARKE

SOME OF THE WORLD’S future physicians came one step closer to realizing their dreams at the recently held Trinity School of Medicine White Coat Ceremony.

The 13th White Coat Ceremony of the Trinity School of Medicine, held on September 3rd at 4:30 pm, at the Peace Memorial Hall, saw 58 of Trinity’s students go from being Pre-Med students to medical science students, having begun as members of the Class of 2012.

Following the arrival of His Excellency Dr. Sir Frederick Ballantyne and the singing of the National Anthems of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and USA, the ceremony was under way. Mr. Marcus Caine, Dean of the Pre-Medical Programme delivered the invocation, followed by a welcome by Dr. Douglas Skelton, Vice Chancellor and Dean of the Trinity School of Medicine.

Chancellor of the School, Mr. Steve R. Wilson, then welcomed all present and congratulated the premed students on their dedication thus far.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. St. Clair Thomas, encouraged all the students to remember that they “are studying in the best island in the Carribean,” and encouraged them to take advantage of all the opportunities afforded them.

Keynote Speaker, James M. Lawrence, MD, was introduced by Sir Frederick Ballantyne and shared with the students some of his thoughts on medicine and what it takes to be a doctor.

Lawrence, a professor of Clinical Medicine and an Associate Dean of Clinical Sciences, has also served at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital as Consultant in Rheumatology, as well as the Clinical Director at the Calliaqua Health Centre.

He shared anecdotes from his years as a practising doctor, but also had words of advice for the inductees.

“We all go into the profession wanting to help people. To always be good at what you do as a doctor, you just have to love humans; money shouldn’t matter; nothing else matters

James M. Lawrence, MD delivering the keynote address. because you just love humans,” he said.

Following his address, the 58 students, comprised of 15 percent Vincentians, 20 percent Canadians and 65 percent Americans, were presented with their white coats and robed by Dr. Sir Frederick N. Ballantyne, Dr. James Lawrence, Dr. Andreas Remann and Dr. James Coey.

Following this, the Oath of Geneva was recited by the students, led by Dr. Rosalind Ambrose.

The Pre Medical Programme entrants, a predominantly female batch of ten students, were also introduced.

A reception was held later in the day at Government House.

26. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. THE VINCENTIAN

Paul’s Avenue, P.O. Box 592, Kingstown Tel: 456-1821 Fax: 457-2821 E-mail: metrocint@vincysurf.com Website: www.metrocintsvg.com

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. 27.

Windward Islands’ (from left) Shaquille Browne, Ray Jordan, Irvin Warrican (manager), Kenneth Dember, Gidron Pope with the One Day Cricket champions trophy.

Bequia Basketball tournament concludes Above: Action in the second play-off match between Duke and East Blazers.

THE 14TH ANNUAL VITAMALT Bequia Basketball concluded last Sunday, 2nd September, at the Clive Tannis Playing Field, Port Elizabeth, Bequia.

Taking the three divisional titles which were at stake were Duke in the first division, Wizards in the second division and Young Wizards in the under16 division.

In the best of three final series, Duke defeated East Blazers 2-0; Wizards beat Blazing Heat 2-1; and Young Wizards overcame Titans 2-1.

Jonas King of Duke was the Most Valuable Player in the tournament, with his teammate Ishama Mc Kree, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Finals and the leading scorer and also had the most assists.

Keon Mc Fee of East Blazers accounted for the most steals, and Cregg Friday of Bequia Tech Rising Stars had the most block

shots.

In the second division, Derwin Simmons took away the overall MVP and the Most Improved Player awards, and had the most rebounds.

Blazing Heat’s Mark Browne scored the most points and had the most steals.

Jemuel Hutchins of Blazing Heat had the most assists, with Orlando Blugh of Wizards, the most blocks.

In the Courts Under -16 Division, Givin Forde of Dragons was the tournament’s MVP and had the most rebounds and the most blocks.

Sydian Warner scored the most points, Nicholas Lewis of Dragons had the most steals, with Kaicy Peniston of Hornets, the most assists.

The MVP of the play -off series was Jermaine John of Young Wizards.

Denilson Lewis, who in last

year’s tournament failed to score a basket, retuned this year to score 92, and was awarded as the Most Improved Player.

Also in the Under-16 division, Shamar Phillips and Adriana Raguette received special prizes for rookies who made their mark on the tournament.

The MVP of each of the participating teams were rewarded as well as the coaches of the three winning teams. The coaches were Seneca Mc IntoshDuke, Kelan Edwards- Wizards and Mickel Joseph- Young Wizards A record fifteen teams participated in the 2012 tournament which began on July 14th.

This year also marked the first time that the tournament had a title sponsor, through the St Vincent Brewery, using its Vita Malt brand.

Windwards: U-19 WICB 50 overs champs WINDWARD ISLANDS are the champions of the West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB) Under-19, 50over cricket.

Purposeful bowling, backed by a solid batting performance, saw them achieve a remarkable sixwicket victory over Leeward Islands, to win their seventh round match last week in Barbados, and secure the championship title.

The Windwards secured the title with 35 points, one ahead of Guyana’s 34. Jamaica placed third on 27.5 points.

The Windwards entered the match against the Leewards needing a win as well as Bonus Points to surpass Guyana.

On a lively Kensington Oval pitch, they dispensed with the Leeward Islands for 147 off 44.3 overs, with their four fast bowlers taking nine of the ten wickets, ensuring that they secured the Bonus Points.

Windward Islands then overhauled their target, led by a stylish 60 not out from 70 balls from Tarryck Gabriel, with 83 balls remaining. They closed at 148-4 off 36.1 overs.

Raymond Duncan, Coach of the Windwards team, said he was quite pleased with the efforts of his young players on the final day, and commended them for coming up big when it mattered.

Jamaica captain and all rounder Oshane Walters won the Most Valuable Player award with 142 runs and seven wickets.

Three-day U- 19 Tournament Meanwhile, Vincentian Kenneth Dember, who achieved a personal best and a record in the threeday Tournament, said while he never expected such achievement, he was happy with his efforts but expected more. He took match figures of 14 for 89 with, a record 8 for 44 and 6 for 45, against Jamaica.

Barbados topped the three-day table with 45.5 points followed by Guyana on 38 points and Trinidad and Tobago on 37 points. The Windwards finished fifth.

Barbados captain Shai Hope won the Most Valuable Player award on the basis of his three centuries in the tournament.

Duke – victors in the First Division.

Wizards – winners of the second division.

I.B.A.ALLEN

V

28. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

Ollivierre satisfied with Summer Camp Some of the athletes who were involved in the camp.

ACCLAIMED TRACK and field coach Michael Ollivierre is satisfied with the results of a four-week Athletics Summer Camp

which he spearheaded.

The camp attracted some of this country’s leading athletes and focused on conditioning

Parris eyes 2016 Olympics BRANDON PARRIS, one of this country’s leading middle distance runners, has set his eyes on competing in the 2016 IAAF Olympics, scheduled for Brazil.

In a conversation with THE VINCENTIAN, Parris recalled that he “was spotted by Godfrey ‘Fuzzy’ Harry while (he was) a student at the Thomas Saunders Secondary School (TSSS), and encouraged to develop an interest he had in track and field.

He was 13 years old at the time, and under Brandon Parris, top Harry’s guidance, he middle distance developed and successfully runner, has his goals competed, during his time defined and is at TSSS, in the National working towards Inter-School Track and achieving them.

Field Championships.

He also represented the TSSS in that institution’s historic participation in the Penn Relays, and this country in the CARIFTA Games, both in 2011. .

It was during his preparation for involvement in the Penn Relays that he met his present coach, Michael Ollivierre.

Parris said that following his participation in the Penn Relays in 2011, he took stock of his abilities and opportunities and set himself for doing well in sports and academics so as to position himself for consideration for an athletics scholarship.

He is currently a student at the Community College Division of Arts, Science and General Studies, where he continues to marry his academic pursuits with his involvement in track.

The young man is not fooling himself; he knows that he has to improve appreciably on his times if he is to qualify for the Olympics. And as a stepping stone to the Olympics, he hopes to compete in the World Junior Games in Canada, in 2014.

In the meantime, he however needs to improve on his time in an effort to achieve his goal to reach at the Olympics. He, however, pointed out that his first focus is on the World Junior Championship in 2014 in Canada aiming to get to the finals and win a medal which he believes can help him to get a scholarship.

Parris has competed at 1500 metres, but his preferred event is the 800 metres.

as well as strengthening and flexibility. It also gave particular attention to the hurdles and long jump events.

Fifteen athletes began the programme, but at the end the final week, that figure had increased to 75, which Ollivierre deemed “ a good sign.”

He was particularly pleased by the “high number of athletes from the outskirts of the capital, who journeyed to the Arnos Vale Playing Field in order to improve on their basic knowledge of the sport.”

Ollivierre also revealed that at the end of the camp, a number of athletes were identified

as having the potential to compete at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC), World Junior and CARIFITA levels. He hopes for continued support for these athletes whose names will be advanced to the local athletic body, along with a training regimen.

Ollivierre, who returned home some two years ago after a successful coaching tenure in Jamaica, and now conducts an ongoing coaching programme at the Arnos Vale Playing Field, said they have also identified “six athletes who can take part in the 2016 Olympics if properly prepared and

given the necessary support.”

Support for the camp came primarily from Team Athletics SVG, and he is hopeful that he can keep the athletes together and motivated.

He looks forward to staging another camp in December, and finds encouragement to continue after what he described as “the commitment and involvement demonstrated by the athletes and their parents.”

Ollivierre was assisted in the four-week camp by local coaches Rawlson Morgan and Rosmund Griffith.

Michael Ollivierre is encouraged by the results of a four-week camp he spearheaded.

Stories by I.B.A ALLEN

Action in one of the opening matches of the 2012 Barrouallie Association Netball Tournament.

Bagga Netball shoots off THE WESTERN UNION/VITA MALT Barrouallie Association Netball Tournament got going last weekend at the Kearton’s Hard Court.

Eleven of the fourteen teams registered in this year’s competition took part in the march past.

Following addresses by

Barrouallie and other sports officials, defending champions, Bank of SVG Valley Netters, clinched the Senior Net-o-Rama title, whilst Layou Orions clinched the junior title.

In the featured game, the Barrouallie Sports Association Executive defeated the

Barrouallie Select Team by a narrow two-goal margin, in an exciting match-up.

Western Union are sponsors of the Senior Division, with Vitamalt sponsoring the Junior Division.

Matches will be played at the Kearton’s Hard Court.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. 29.

Sports

World Cup fortunes WEST INDIES may spring a surprise and win the ICC T/20 competition which begins in Sri Lanka September 18.

Twelve teams in four groups of three start the showdown. Everyone expects that West Indies will advance to the Super Eight. They have Australia and Ireland in their Group.

T/20 is the most uncertain format in cricket, and it has been seen where unknown teams can get the stranglehold of many a well established squad.

The Super Eight stage will add to the unpredictability, and results at that stage will be no upsets.

The West Indies will have to be consistent. And, given the nature of our cricket and cricketers, it could be dazzling performances, or displays of dismal proportions.

There seems to be a code of fragility affecting the West Indies.

If things go right, it masks frictions in the unit.

There are grumblings that no Guyanese is in the team. Some argue that Narsingh Deonarine should have been included at Darren Bravo’s expense. There is the ongoing scenario with Ramnaresh Sarwan.

It is obvious to me from watching the West Indies perform, that there is friction, even rivalry within the squad. Individuals seem more concerned with representing their respective territories rather than having the interest of West Indies cricket at heart.

Regional supporters and media have inspired and instigated that pattern.

Media houses are more concerned with the performance of players from their territories, rather than what the team accomplishes.

If West Indies loses, as long as Gayle, Marlon Samuels or Andre Russell performs well, it hardly matters to the Jamaican media and supporters.

The same thing holds for the Barbadian media if Dwayne Smith or Fidel Edwards fires.

It will be a street fete in Trinidad and Tobago, if Pollard, the Bravos, Rampaul, Simmons, Badree, Narine or Ramdin click. If the team does badly, and the members from Trinidad and Tobago do well, there will be renewed calls for Trinidad and Tobago to go it alone in international cricket.

Many ‘big islanders’ are hurt by the fact that Sammy from St. Lucia has been entrusted with the captaincy.

Supporters from the Leewards will be patriotic as far as the West Indies flag is concerned, but Antiguans have not forgiven Denesh Ramdin for his response to Vivian Richards.

Ramdin’s ‘Talk nah’ taunt to Vivian Richards following his century in the third test in England, exposed the hollow nature of West Indies cricketers.

If Ramdin, who aspires to captain the West Indies, could be so naive, that highlights a lack of appreciation of the history of regional cricket.

Ramdin apologised, and that issue has been put to rest. But actions like those represent the tip of the iceberg.

The West Indies administration, with many irons in the fire, was reluctant to deal with Ramdin. But a proper body with respect for its stalwarts would have reprimanded Ramdin.

If West Indian cricketers do not show any respect for their past players, it shows that there is not much gratitude to those who have played their heart out for the region.

Sir Viv has a right to say what he feels. But he came in for some misjudgment at the hands of the regional administrators in the twilight of his career.

Ramdin may have been echoing that sentiment.

Action continues in TBPO Softball GOMEA BOMBERS recorded a comfortable 165-run win over Sunset Strikers in the National Lotteries Authority TBPO Softball Cricket Competition on the weekend, at the Dauphine playing field.

Gomea Bombers batted first and made 223 for 8 in 20 overs.

Ovando O’Brien made 52, Krisoff Gibson 38, Andre Woods 28 and Kendal Payne 20. Ian Bushay took 2 for 16. In reply, Sunset Strikers reached 58 for 8 in 20 overs. Kemron John took 2 for 10 and Bernard Bushay 2 for 19.

ASCO beat George Valley Saints by 62 runs. ASCO made 128 for 6 in 20 overs batting first.

Roger Gibson made 38, Sheldon Nanton 26, Clifford Williams 23 and Desron Bute 22. Andrew Hackshaw took 2 for 27, and Emerson Quashie 2 for 28. In

reply, Georgie Valley Saints reached 66 all out in 18 overs.

Zane Greaves made 14. Niko Robinson, Sheldon Nanton, Vernardo Primus, Jevon Nero and Rajiv Roberts took 2 wickets each.

Clinchers defeated Bangers by 9 wickets. Bangers batted first and made 87 in 19.1 overs.

Simeon Payne made 19. Corlon John took 3 for 12 and Molden Scrub 3 for 28. In reply, Clinchers reached 88 for 1 in 7 overs.

Donwell Hector made 51 not out and O’Keiph Andrew 19.

Gairy Construction Simple Boyz defeated Glen United by 37 runs. Gairy Contruction Simple Boys batted first and posted 106 in 16.4 overs. Eldon Morris made 25. Darren Henry took 2 for 26 and Korwyn Browne 2 for 28. In reply, Glen United reached 69 all out in 14.5 overs. Maxton

Hackshaw made 22. Desron Maloney took 3 for 8 and Stein Joseph 3 for 14.

The final scheduled game between Bank of SVG All Stars and Valley Boys was abandoned due to rain.

The competition continues this weekend when Gomea Bombers face Sunset Strikers from 1 p.m, followed by ASCO against Shot Callers from 3 p.m on Saturday.

On Sunday, Clinchers oppose Bangers from 9.30 a.m, Simple Boyz will play Glen United from 12.30 p.m, followed by Bank of SVG All Stars against Valley Boys from 3 p.m.

All matches are scheduled for the Dauphnie Playing Field.

I.B.A.ALLEN

Samuel strokes century in Masters 20/20 FORMER national Under-19 player Leon Samuel was instrumental in his team’s first win in the 2012 SVG Masters 20/20 cricket competition.

He cracked an aggressive century to lead Stanley Browne Stubbs Masters to a 143run victory over Da Silva La Croix Masters, in a match played last

Small Goal finals this weekend The Rose Hall Playing Fieldi s expected to be a buzz of excitement this Sunday as residents from the North Leeward area join with residents of Rose Hall, to witness the finals of the inaugural St. Vincent Brewery Small Goal Football Tournament.

Fonado Forces will square off against Troumaca in the Under-15 division finals.

However, all eyes will be on the senior division final which features a determined Winston Samuel of Rising Predators FC against Stars: one to watch in the never-say-die Sunday’s final.

Rising Stars.

Added excitement is expected to be created when the 2012 Guinness Street Ball Champions match their skills in a friendly against a Rose Hall Eleven.

Kenville Horne, organizer of the Tournament, says he is extremely pleased that the Tournament has progressed without any interruptions, and thanks all the supporters and the sponsor for “keeping faith in the effort.”

weekend at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

Samuel’s 125 was the competition’s first century in this year’s competition. His innings included 7 sixes and he helped his team to a commanding 204 runs for 6 wickets off 20 overs.

Kurt Joseph supported with 31. Amos Richards took 3 for 34 and Juney Teshiera 3 for 56.

DaSilva La Croix Masters were literally dismantled for 61 off 17.4 overs. Benedict Phillips hit 27.

In another weekend encounter, Joyette’s Auto Slater Development Pastures Masters defeated Glamorgan Masters by 53 runs.

Joyette’s Auto Slater Development Pastures Masters made 131 for 4 off 20 overs. Frederick Trimingham hit 34 and Lennox Grant 31.

Glamorgan Masters replied with 78 for 9 off 20 overs. Ffederick Trimingham took 5 for 5.

C.K.Greaves Vintage Arnos Vale Masters defeated Bickles Fun Masters by 81 runs.

C.K.Greaves Vintage Arnos Vale Masters made 158 for 5 off 20 overs. Monty Warner top-scored with 53 and McNeil Morgan hit 27. Bickles Fun Masters were dismissed for 77 in 19.3 overs. Lauren Baptiste made 24. Pat

Leon Samuel hit 125 for Stubbs.

Warner took 3 for 11 and Elvis Woods 3 for 14.

The competition continues this weekend when St Vincent Cooperative Bank Ptani play Bickles Fun at Arnos Vale Two, and Sion Hill oppose Glamorgan at the Arnos Vale One Playing Field.

Both matches are scheduled for Saturday and begin at 1.30 pm.

On Sunday, Rudy’s Electrical Barrouallie face Police from 10 a.m, while Ck.Greaves Vintage clash with Arnos Vale from 1.30 p.m at Arnos Vale one.

At Arnos Vale Two, also on Sunday, Computec Belfongo take on DaSilva La Croix from 10am, followed by Log Enterprises Kingstown against Joyette’s Auto Slater Development Pastures from 1.30 p.m.

I.B.A.ALLEN

30. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. THE VINCENTIAN

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 07, 2012. 31.

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EC$1.50

The Suzuki jeep lying on its hood behind the home of Ermine Stapleton.

The wall which residents say should be raised.

REPEAT ACCIDENTS WORRY RESIDENTS Sunday, August 2nd, Ermine Stapleton was A CERTAIN area in lying in her house.

Belmont, North Leeward, “Me na bin a sleep is proving to be something ‘cause anything pass, me of a recurring decimal as does hear”, she assured. far as vehicular accidents Her grandson, Marcus, are concerned. had just arrived home Reports are that there when suddenly, there have been at least five was a loud crushing incidents in the exact sound and she observed area. that her space saver had Driver Lennox crashed to the floor.

Huggins, a resident of She told THE Chateaubelair, and two VINCENTIAN that she other male occupants, was very frightened but Jeffery Stapleton and thought it was Marcus Sheldon Hooper, escaped who had stumbled on to what eye witnesses said the space saver. could have been a fatal However, when accident, when the Red Stapleton investigated, it Suzuki jeep, P450, in was not Marcus who had which they were kicked over the space travelling, ran off the saver but something else, road and crashed into a evidenced by the large house in the said area in crack in the wall.

Belmont, North Leeward.

She heard a knocking At about 4am last on her front door,

by KENVILLE HORNE

followed by a voice pleading for the house door to be opened.

She was so terrified that she could not find the door. It was Marcus who eventually opened the door, to behold a man standing in the doorway, his faced bloodied.

According to Stapleton, the man said, “Tek off me shoe.”

Marcus assisted the man who then asked to be taken to the hospital.

The discovery Still not aware of exactly what had happened, she ventured outside to see what all the commotion was about.

It was then that she saw the vehicle “resting” on its hood in the area

between the back of her house and the embankment, and two persons on the ground.

“One had bruises all over his face,” she disclosed.

Alana Stapleton, one of Ermina’s granddaughters, recounted that the driver had to kick the wind screen to get out, since the vehicle doors were jammed on both sides.

But while the driver sustained no serious injury, the other two occupants, Sheldon Hooper of Petit Bordel and Jeffery Stapleton of Chateaubelair, were taken to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, Kingstown, where they were still warded up to press time.

Huggins admitted

Published by The VINCENTIAN Publishing Co. Ltd, St. Vincent and the Grenadines;

losing control of the jeep.

Lennox Huggins, the driver of the vehicle, escaped unharmed.

Something must be done

Cyrus noted that when the road was reErmine Stapleton told constructed, it became THE VINCENTIAN that level with the wall that it was the fifth such was there before. incident that had “Me complained to occurred on her property. them, tell them what She is calling on the needs to be done, but government to erect a nobody nar study me; if back wall to avoid future is even a 2 foot wall to mishaps, since one day it prevent anything from could be a fatal coming over,” stressed experience.

Cyrus.

A similar sentiment In addition to causing was expressed by damage to the house and Stapleton’s neighbor, furniture belonging to Garnet Cyrus.

Ermine Stapleton, a According to the water main was elderly man who lives damaged by the alone, the area in careening vehicle, question is located at one resulting in the of the main points along disruption of the house the path of the Cross borne water service to Country Road, “so what residents. Police are is happening here is a investigating the wake-up call.” incident.

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