THE VINCENTIAN PDF-07-06-24

FRIDAY, JUNE 07, 2024

The disruption in service, VINLEC explained, was caused by a switchgear issue at one of our main plants but did not name the plant.

ST. VINCENT ELECTRICITY SERVICES LTD. (VINLEC), the sole provider of electricity (commercial and domestic) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, issued a statement on Monday, explaining the reason for the nationwide blackout on Sunday from approximately 6:30 to 10:45pm.

on Monday, June 3, 2024, took VINLEC to task for not “commenting sooner” after the problem that caused the blackout was rectified.

normal service, VINLEC made a release on Monday 3rd June that reached THE VINCENTIAN at noon, 14 or so hours after electricity service resumed.

However, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, speaking at a press conference in Kingstown

To VINLEC’s defence, the company issued a statement on its Facebook page during the time of the blackout, assuring the nation that its work force was attending to the matter with urgency.

Following the return to

In that release, VINLEC said, inter alia, “On Sunday, June 2, 2024, at approximately 6:30 pm, a service interruption affected all VINLEC customers on mainland

Continued on Page 3.

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves was infuriated by VINLEC’s tardiness in communicating with the nation.

Left: Dr. Vaughn Lewis, CEO/VINLEC was the obvious target of one of the Prime Minister’s tirades.

CXC reverses decision

THE CARIBBEAN

EXAMINATIONS

COUNCIL (CXC) has announced that it will not proceed with the suspension of four examination subjects following a wave of public concern and discussions with regional education ministers. The subjects initially considered for suspension were Agricultural Science (Double Award), Mechanical Engineering Technology (CSEC), Green Engineering, and Electrical and Electronic Engineering (CAPE). This announcement comes from

CXC Registrar/CEO, Dr. Wayne Wesley, during a press conference held on Tuesday. The CEO said that the council has rolled out a menu of new generation technology and science programnes, and while some are not yet at the desired demand, governments and the council will partner to build demand for the newly added programmes.

Several newly introduced programs include Entrepreneurship, Performing Arts, Physical Education and

Sport, Tourism, Animation and Game Design, Logistics and Supply Chain Operations, Digital Media and Financial Services.

“Accordingly, today’s deliberations with the Ministers of Education reinforce the need for a collective regional marketing thrust to promote the priority subject areas in STEM education and climate smart agriculture which are considered critical for the economic growth and sustainable development of the region”, the CEO added.

Not concerned about attendance

HEAD

OF WEST INDIES

CRICKET,

Dr Kishore Shallow said that he is not concerned about the low turn out thus far, at some of the games in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2024.

In this regard, the match played on June 2 between West Indies and Papua New Guinea played in Guyana, was referenced.

It was a Sunday morning, and an unknown team involved.

Speaking in radio on June 5, Shallow said, “I

think some 7,000 tickets were issued, but we probably had about half of that in attendance and I think one of the contributing factors, probably the biggest one, is the fact that it was on a Sunday morning.”

He further explained that the ICC had made the decision to schedule matches at that time of the day so as to, among other reasons, capture the peak period in England.

But he remained optimistic, noting that

that has been the trend in previous tournaments, with attendance picking up as the tournament continued into the Super 8 and Semi-Final and Final stages.

“But the early part of the competition where the lesser-known teams are involved, you would find lower attendance,” he said.

He reiterated that for now he was not concerned too much about the attendance, or lack thereof. (DD)

Information blackout irks PM

Continued from Frontpage.

St. Vincent. Our dedicated teams immediately initiated restoration efforts, and power was successfully restored to the entire island by 10:45 pm.

“The disruption was caused by a switchgear issue at one of our main plants. We assure our customers that we have deployed all necessary resources to address the issue and ensure the reliability of our service.”

“We understand the significant inconvenience caused by the islandwide outage and deeply appreciate the patience and understanding demonstrated by our customers during this time. VINLEC remains committed to maintaining a reliable power supply and providing exceptional service to all our valued customers.”

But Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, during the press conference as referenced, took umbrage with VINLEC for the period of time during which there was no communication (with the public) on the problem that had affected mainland St. Vincent.

The Prime Minister told the news conference that people were calling him during the blackout, making assertions that the islandwide loss of electrical service was due to factors related to the testing of the recently installed lights at the Arnos vale Playing Field.

Dr. Gonsalves cleared the air on this saying that the testing of the lights had nothing to do with the issue

at hand and in fact, testing was being conducted that very Monday. He disclosed that he had been in contact with VINLEC’s CEO, Dr. Vaughn Lewis, making it known to him that information about a system failure as well as information after the failure had been dealt with, should be released immediately after the system failure is known and rectified. Notwithstanding VINLEC’s tardiness, as implied by the Prime Minister, he thanked the stateowned company for the statement but reiterated that “something should have been said fairly promptly last evening.”

He concluded by returning to the question of the testing of the lights at Arnos Vale having something to do with the blackout, saying, in part, to those who were allegedly sharing this misinformation on social media platforms, “… stop this foolish thing. The lights were not tested yesterday or last night….”

On a related note, the workers at VINLEC continued to demonstrate their expertise and their understanding of the importance of the service which they are responsible for generating and maintaining, by effecting a return to power to essential national services like the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, within an hour after the blackout began. They, the workers, took to their tasks well into the night of Sunday and the early hours of Monday to fulfill their responsibilities as workers in an essential service.

An empty stand at the Providence Stadium, Guyana, for the West IndiesPapua New Guinea match.

Visitor was looking for a woman

Stories: HAYDN HUGGINS

VISITORSMAY NOT ONLY BE ATTRACTED to these shores because of natural beauty but also because of the lovely women.

A 31-year-old restaurant chef from Martinique pleaded guiltyon Monday, to four charges of illegal entry into this country. He had given a statement to the police saying that the boat left him behind after he went to purchase items and look for a woman.

The Martiniquan, Christopher Francois Lubin, was fined on each charge, but no removal order was made, given the facts and circumstances of the case.

Lubin’s attorney, Grant Connell, in his mitigation plead at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Monday, asked Senior Magistrate Tamika McKenzie to impose a financial penalty, and to allow Lubin to leave the state without imposing a removal order, which could hinder his legitimate return to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The lawyer assured that Lubin was willing to pay his passage back to Martinique and that he could leave in two days.

one of the two men charged with robbery and wounding of Delarnos Joseph.

The Magistrate granted Connell’s request, but issued a stern warning to Lubin after imposing the fines.

McKenzie told the Martiniquan that she had the privilege of visiting his ‘beautiful’ country many years ago, and she had to go through all the procedures.

According to the Magistrate, a visa was required to travel to Martinique, but now all you need is a passport.

“You can’t go looking for a woman and leave yourself exposed. Look at where you are. Your job might be in jeopardy because now you have convictions”, she told Lubin, who nodded in agreement.

Lubin was unable to speak English and had to be assisted by an interpreter.

“I am encouraging you to do the right thing next time”, McKenzie told the defendant.

Lubin was fined $450 forthwith or two weeks in prison for entering the state by boat at Cumberland, and disembarking without the consent of an immigration officer; $250 or two weeks for entering the state without a passport; and $150 forthwith or one

week for entering the state other than at a port of entry.

He was reprimanded and discharged for knowingly and willingly allowing himself to be landed as a prohibited immigrant.

The Facts

The facts presented earlier showed that around 2:15 p.m., May 29, officers from the Rapid Response Unit (RRU), headed by Inspector Nolan Dallaway, were on stop and search duties along the North Leeward public road when they saw a vehicle coming from Cumberland, and heading in the direction Chateaubelair.

The lawmen signalled the driver to stop and he complied.

The officers approached the vehicle, identified themselves as police officers and informed the occupants of their duties. The defendant, who was a passenger, was questioned and gave his name and address as Christopher Francoise Lubin of Martinique. He told the officers that he had arrived here one week before on a boat named ‘Lambi’.

Nothing illegal was found on Lubin, but he was taken into custody and

Robbery, wounding accused granted bail

TWO MENwho were remanded for bail review on robbery and wounding with intent charges have been granted bail.

Jevan Dallaway, 22, and Diazhawn Jack, 19, both of Diamond, were each grand $15,000 bail with one surety, on their return to the Serious Offenses Court on Wednesday. The men are charged jointly with wounding Delarnos Joseph, 39, of Lowmans Windward, with intent. They are also charged with, being armed with a piece of wood, robbed Joseph of EC$910 in cash, a black ZTE cellular phone valued at EC$200, a gold plated Michael Kors wristwatch valued at EC$800, a black cap valued at $70, a blue short jean pants valued at EC$80, total value EC$2,062;

and at the time of so doing, and in order to do so, put Joseph in fear of being then and there subjected to force. Both offenses were reportedly committed at Diamond on April 23.

When the men initially appeared before Senior Magistrate Colin John at the Serious Offenses Court on May 21, they were denied bail, after Prosecutor Renrick Cato indicated that only one item was recovered and the police were continuing investigations into the matter.

The Prosecutor expressed concerned that if the men were released on bail then, they could hinder the investigations. He asked for one week for the police to complete their investigations.

However, when the men returned to Court on Wednesday, Cato said the Prosecution was no longer objecting to bail but asked for suitable surety and conditions.

As part of their bail conditions, Magistrate John ordered no contact with the complainant, and that they report to the Stubbs Police Station every Monday.

The matter has been adjourned to August 13.

handed over to the immigration authorities. He was cautioned, interviewed, and volunteered a statement in writing, saying that he arrived here on May 29 and was left in St. Vincent when the boat returned to Martinique.

According to Lubin, “The Captain left with another person to do the immigration. I left to see what I could purchase and to look for a lady. When I got back, the Captain and the other person were not there. He said he communicated with locals, and they got somewhere for him to stay.

Lubin said, in the statement, that they cleared immigration in Martinique, but he did not know whether this was done in St. Vincent.

Connell, in his mitigation plea, said Lubin came here to inquire about conchs. He got off the boat and was left in St. Vincent.

“He assisted the authorities the best he could. He is extremely remorseful. He travelled to other islands before, and complied,” the lawyer said.

THE VINCENTIAN understands that Lubin left here for Martinique by plane on Wednesday.

Edinboro man on murder charge

EDINBOROresident

Michael ‘Cricket’ Simmons is behind bars awaiting an August 13 court date in connection with the May 22 stabbing death of Lenny ‘Raycon’ John of Pauls Avenue.

Simmons was not required to enter a plea when he appeared at the Serious Offenses Court on Monday, after being charged with John’s murder. He was unrepresented.

Senior Magistrate Colin John remanded Simmons and adjourned the matter.

Michael Simmons being taken away from the Serious Offence Court last Monday.

The 58-year-old John was admitted to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital on May 22, reportedly following an altercation at North River Road, Kingstown, in which he sustained a stab wound to the chest. He later succumbed to the injury.

Sex predator gets 17 years plus

A 46-YEAR-OLD MANwill serve a total of almost 18 years behind bars for attempted unlawful sexual intercourse and indecent assault involving his two daughters, ages 5 and 7, at the time of the ordeals.

Justice Brian Cottle yesterday (Thursday) at the High Court 2, sentenced the accused to 13 years, 10 months and 17 days on the first of

three counts of attempted unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13, and two years on each of the other counts in relation to that charge. Those sentences will run consecutively.

He also received sentences of three years on each of two counts for indecently assaulting one of the girls, she being under the age of 15. Those

will run concurrently to each other, and concurrently to the sentences he received for attempted unlawful sexual intercourse. This means that the accused will serve a total of 17 years, 10 months, and 17 days in prison.

The man committed the offenses on separate occasions between July 31, 2019, and December 1, 2021.

A nine-member Jury found him

guilty on May 10, but sentencing was adjourned. He was also charged on three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13 in connection with the same matter, but the Jury was undecided on those charges.

Jevan Dallaway,

Attorney Carl Williams represented the accused pro bono, while Crown Counsel Maria Jackson-Richards led the case for the crown.

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The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Managing Director: Desiree Richards

Editor: Cyprian Neehall

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Mailing Address: The Vincentian Publishing Co. Ltd., P.O. Box 592, Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Editorial

Our Politics has its own Morality?

IF MEMORY SERVESus correctly, it was Basdeo Panday, former Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, who announced to the world, given his understanding and experience of politics in his native land, that "politics has a morality of its own."

This column had taken a different position with its assertion that there is no morality in our politics.

It must have been that Panday, having viewed national affairs including politics from the high seat of government, as had his colleagues throughout the region, preferred to speak of the politics which they help to form and perpetuate, as having its own morality - its own tenets of what was good and what should be avoided.

If the deduction is correct, then if at all our politics has its own morality, it would be one cultivated by those who make such a claim.

It follows, therefore, that Panday and his prime minister colleagues would have understood their politics as operating within its own moral framework, the goalposts of which active politicians are wont to shift conveniently, and in fact have done so repeatedly as our history supports.

And if it is that our politics operates within its own moral framework then this means that our politics is removed from conventional ethical standards and could well come over as being ambiguous.

Panday’s argument could well be interpreted as an acceptance of inherent practices in the political manoeuvring which others would refer to as ‘politricking’.

It is interesting to note that this issue of morals in our politics resurfaces when our region is fraught with a sense of lawlessness, escalating violent crime, corruption, leaders of questionable ethical standards, and social, political and economic challenges, not to mention environmental.

If politicians and political leaders don’t recognize that their politics is not guided by a genuine moral compass, countries in the region are likely to fall into a world of disillusionment.

We need only to look at world history to understand the consequences of moral bankruptcy — destruction of conventional ethical standards in governance.

A ‘rule of law’, one that legitimized

A Culture of Hate

licentiousness and the likes, catalyzed by the emperors’ who disregarded moral principles, led in great part to the fall of the mighty Roman Empire.

Hitler and Stalin’s tyrannical rule and quests for personal aggrandisement and race supremacy led to corruption and eventual collapse of the selfish ambitions which they sought to impose on their people.

On the other hand, 20th century leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Mohandas Gandhi were what some would call the epitome of the power of moral leadership. Mandela's ensured that a spirit of reconciliation and justice paved the way for South Africa's transition to democracy; Gandhi's adherence to non-violence inspired a nation to achieve independence through peaceful means.

The examples of these two men, drawn from different cultural backgrounds, put spend to the notion that politics operate within its own morality, and demonstrate the universal importance of the role of morals in governance… in genuine leadership of people.

While our politics undoubtedly has its own distinctive challenges and ethical dilemmas, this does not give any real credence to the belief and attendant practice that it functions within its exclusive moral framework. This is fundamentally misguided.

This is a time, in our own backyard, when we prepare to up the political rhetoric that will characterise the campaign leading up to another general election.

It is as good a time as any to implore our politicians and political leaders to demonstrate genuine care, respect and dignity towards themselves and more importantly the people. They must not use our institutions — e.g. parliament, to encourage a misguided sense of morality. We must demand that our politicians, and for that matter leaders in all the realms of human endeavor, recognize and live their duty to serve the people, by advancing moral, ethical and spiritual values, as the cornerstone of good governance.

In this way, they will be remembered in history as having contributed to nurturing a society on the virtues of integrity, compassion and justice.

HAVE WE EVER STOPPEDto think about whose faces Leonard da Vinci used when he was painting “The Last Supper”? One story goes that the first version included the faces of his friends to depict those he loved. He also used the face of someone he hated to represent Judas. The story continues to say he was not satisfied with that painting, and it was not until he replaced the hated man’s face with some other nondescript person that he was finally happy. The moral of the story is, don’t let hate consume you.

Today, I’d like to address an issue around us. It’s so thick you can cut it with a butter knife. It’s called hate. If we don’t recognize this current “hate climate”, we will end up looking, speaking, and acting on everything through the lens of hate. I cannot believe we can’t see it, even knowing it’s happening to us.

In the interest of full disclosure, I hate writing this article. I want my articles to be positive and hopeful. I want to be objective and constructively critical when necessary, but most of all, I want to encourage us all to be optimistic. You would think no one wants a steady diet of negative and divisive stuff. But media ratings show us a different picture. These days, hate, conflict, strife, and war sell more than love, truth, unity, and peace. Why?

Our people are addicted to the “red meat” of hate. Listening to how the Prime Minister speaks of and at the Opposition Leader is disheartening. I am not so naive as to think they should love or not attack each other. The problem is people who fight dragons long enough become dragons themselves. And while these gentlemen may know where and when to stop, those who follow them may not.

Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Lawlessness is increasing, and most people are numb to the constant news of political attacks

by our elected officials. Politics consumes some of us so much that we see freedom through the lens of lawlessness. People with different viewpoints can get along by finding a balance between them. We can have intelligent discussions and negotiations on topics of common interest. But when intelligent discussion deteriorates into negative emotions-based living, people start separating and betraying one another. That is the power of hate.

Then there are the “neutral innocent observers”, who come along and pour fuel on the fire of hate, making good things bad and vice versa. Then comes lawlessness, where the end justifies the means, and you hate anyone or anything that is not for you or your cause. Guess what? When we start hating, we stop thinking.

Did you know physical changes in our brain occur when hate is activated? According to a study conducted by Drs. Semir Zeki and John Paul Romaya, everyone hates the same way. They conducted a study in 2008 to investigate whether the emotion of hate was rooted in some consistent biology. They found the premotor cortex is one part of the brain that springs into action when people have feelings of aggression. When we hate, at least part of us prepares for a physical attack. When we hate, we become obsessive. We lose perspective, and no amount of logic or truth will change us. A young man on the basketball court recently reminded me of an old saying as he left me chasing his shadow. His version went like this: “Hate the play, not the player, Pops.”

Be wise. Build a bridge over the troubled waters of hate and disagree with each other without adding fuel to the fire of hate. Get over it, for the love of country. We can do better.

Horatio.

Spiritual Baptist Holiday: An open letter to P.M. Gonsalves

Dear PM:

DO NOT ALLOW yourself to be made a ‘jackass’ by the so-called Baptists in SVG. You are the most booklearned person in our nation. Spiritual things belong to spiritual people. The law is spiritual according to Romans 7:14. And remember, Yeshua said in Matthew 5:17 that He didn’t come to abolish the laws and prophecies of the prophets.

To take matter of

whether we should have Baptist Holiday in the month of May to the cabinet and the public, would be foolish of you as a trained lawyer.

Nowhere in our nation’s history was any of the divided factions of the so-called Spiritual Baptists established in May. The first Spiritual Baptist Organization established here is under Act No. 16 of 1968, assented by R.E. Baynes Ag. Governor, 24th July

1978. The second was under Act No. 10 of 1983, assented by Sir Sydney D. Gun-Munro, Governor General, on the 22nd of April, 1983. It is worth noting that there are many more wayside Baptist factions, some even have headquarters in foreign countries.

May 22nd, 1951: It is the day when the Converted Faith (which was outlawed under the British 1912 Shakerism Prohibition Ordinance)

was registered as the Christian Pilgrim Faith (CPF), under Section 2 of the Marriage Ordinance, Cap 151 of the revised laws of St. Vincent. On that said day, the late McDonald Williams was declared the first CPF marriage officer.

By and large, we trust your wisdom Mr. P.M.… taking the matter to cabinet and the public. We will be more than glad for you to start the discussion now by having

In support of the billboards

IAM WRITINGto express my support for the recent initiative by the New Democratic Party to erect a billboard displaying the number of homicides committed in our country. While some may view this as a controversial move, I believe it holds several significant merits that deserve recognition and support.

First and foremost, this billboard serves as a powerful tool for raising awareness about the critical issue of violence in our society. By prominently displaying the number of homicides, it captures the public’s attention and brings the gravity of the situation to the forefront of our collective consciousness. Such visibility is essential for galvanizing community action and fostering a sense of

urgency to address this pressing problem. Moreover, the billboard acts as a catalyst for government accountability and transparency. It publicly highlights the stark reality of our nation’s crime rates, thereby putting pressure on law enforcement and policymakers to take more effective and immediate measures to combat violence. This transparency can lead to better policy-making, as officials are reminded that their actions or inactions are being closely monitored by the public. Additionally, this initiative promotes community engagement and discourse. By presenting hard facts in a visible and public manner, it encourages citizens to engage in

conversation about the root causes of violence and potential solutions. This can lead to greater community involvement in crime prevention efforts and fostering a collaborative approach to making our neighbourhoods safer.

The billboard also serves as a somber memorial to the victims of violence. Each number represents a life lost, and a family affected, reminding us of the human lost behind the statistics. This can inspire compassion and solidarity among citizens, motivating us to support the police and work together to prevent further tragedies.

Finally, the initiative underscores the New Democratic Party’s commitment to tackling crime head-on. By taking this bold step, they

demonstrate a willingness to confront difficult issues transparently and proactively; a quality that is essential to effective governance.

In conclusion, while the depiction of the number of homicides on a public billboard may be unsettling, to some, it is a necessary and impactful strategy for raising awareness, promoting accountability and fostering community engagement.

I commend the New Democratic Party for their initiative and hope it serves at a catalyst for meaningful change in our society. I urge the government to see it in that light and halt its removal.

Yours faithfully,

Eric Samuel

Deafening music in vehicles

EVERY time I hear a passing vehicle blasting music on the road, and I am not talking about minibuses only, I wonder about two things: Is the playing of music to such loudness in vehicles against the law? And like Aunty G, I ask, why is nothing being done about it?

The government and their supporters, big and small, and even the Police Force would want us to believe that we are not a Third World country; and how we might be small in size; but, we can punch above

our weight class and therefore, can match up to developed countries. What a joke!!! Yet they all, in the face of this inconsiderate act (loud music), continue to cast a blind eye — no, sorry, in this case, they continue to cast a deaf ear. If it is that we turn our eyes and ears to a breach of the law as it relates to noise, how can we still wonder why crime is out of hand? My grandmother used to tell us that all bad things start small before they reach to full bloom and then we complain. This

is a case that we have allowed the bud to blossom, grow into a big tree, and now want to cut it down — a case of the horse bolting, as long time ago.

The police, meanwhile, stop you at very inconvenient times of the day, searching for licences and insurance. They even want to stop you for the tint on your vehicles which they also have on theirs. Why can’t they, with the law on their side, take action against these vehicles/minibuses that continue to deafen us

with the loud music they play?

Is it that we are not deploying our traffic police properly so that the guilty parties always seem to get around traffic stops?

Brooks

the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs give an independent public statement on the records and functions of the Registered Spiritual Baptists and the Christian Pilgrim Faith in SVG.

Please note, Mr. P.M., the Christian Pilgrim Faith, established on the 22nd May, 1951 and incorporated in the Parliament in March 2011, is opposing any Baptist Holiday in the month of May. We welcome a wide range of public discussions to stop the blind from leading the blind.

My bit on Ivan

OÊNeal

THANK YOU for granting just a small space to say something about the late Ivan O’Neal. I met Mr. O’Neal for the first time not long after the 2020 general elections. He had just lost another attempt at the polls but what struck me when I approached him on the street, was how calm he was in the face of defeat.

When I asked him how he felt losing again, he said something to the effect that even if he lost, if he convinced one person that we need to change our attitude, then that would be a victory.

We got into talking a bit and I found out that one of the basic problems he had with the politics was that it was no different from what it was dating back to the Joshua-Cato days.

No one was prepared to be different so that they could help change the attitude of our people. We parted ways that day with a promise to keep in touch but not before he handed me a manifesto of his Green Party. I must be honest and say that contact between us after that was far and wide apart. But I kept on reading his articles in the newspapers and what I can say is that Ivan O’Neal was not a hypocrite; he called it the way he knew and saw it. Many people would have written him off as being weird and not making sense but how many of these people ever took time out to really get to the bottom of what he wrote about and what the man was really about?

Ivan O’Neal was courageous and remained humble to the very end. Can’t say that about other persons who lead or want to lead us. Always in his green, this was an indication of how much he believed in and was committed to the principles of a Green Government, of which I will go out on a limb and say the majority of Vincentians is ignorant.

Rest in Peace, Mr. O’Neal. You tried to make a difference and who knows, maybe sometime down the road what you said all through the years would come to pass.

Bert M.

Christian Democrat

The Canadian Lorraine Friday is unfit to lead in SVG

The issue

LORRAINE FRIDAY, the President of the Opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), does not possess the fitness to offer himself to lead St. Vincent and the Grenadines in account of the acknowledged fact that he has been and is, by and his own choice as an adult, a citizen of Canada, even though he was born in Bequia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

According to him, he has his Vincentian passport in his “back pocket” and has in his “front pocket proudly” his Canadian passport. He actually proclaimed all this, in these very words, in the Parliament of SVG. Thus, Canadian Lorraine Friday, in the process, has been contemptuous of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Vincentians.

All right-thinking Vincentians know that anyone who aspires to lead SVG cannot be permitted divided loyalties between SVG and another country. If you want to lead SVG you cannot have one foot in Trudeau’s yard of Canada and another foot in the land of Chatoyer! Your commitment and loyalty to SVG must be absolute. You cannot place an each-way bet on our SVG and foreign Canada; that is to say, you cannot gamble on SVG and if lose you run way to Canada. Dog does run away, cat does run away, and Friday will run way too. This renders him unfit for leadership in SVG! This Canadian Lorraine Friday must stop this insult to SVG and Vincentians

This fundamental question of public political morality and fitness to lead has come to the fore with the Canadian Lorraine Friday’s act of disloyalty to SVG because of his pronouncement of his allegation of the lack of public safety in SVG with its “high crime problem” as evident from the placement by the NDP of a massive billboard, not-too-far from the airport on the main public highway, on the road to Leeward, on the way to Sandals Resorts. This act of pulling down SVG is central to the Canadian Lorraine Friday’s continued effort to mash down any progress in SVG. People remember, for example, his silly, desperate, and unpatriotic last-minute letter in February 2017, to the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA) to try and stop the opening of the Argyle International on the ground of safety concerns. A complete rubbish letter! This Canadian Lorraine Friday repeatedly shows that the has no commitment to SVG and Vincentians.

Unacceptable, untenable, incurable

In Jamaica, there is a similar situation of dual citizenship of the Leder of the Opposition, Mark Golding, except that Friday’s situation is far worse. Mark Golding was born in Jamaica of Britain parents, so he acquired his British citizenship by descent; Friday got his Canadian citizenship and passport by his own voluntary act and has so subjected himself voluntarily to the power and authority of Canada; Friday put himself under allegiance to Canada.

The NDP and the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) led by Prime Minister Andrew Holness of Jamaica have fraternal relations, and are both in the pro-imperialist International Democratic Union (IDU), led by the Republican Party of Donald Trump, of which the Caribbean Democratic Union (CDU) is a constituent part; both the

NDP and JLP are active members of the CDU. Friday has attended the JLP party conferences and has hugged up Andrew Holness in brotherly solidarity. In other words, Friday and Holness are bosom-buddies, at least politically!

Holness has made it clear that it is “unacceptable, untenable, and incurable”, for Mark Golding as a British citizen and a holder of British passport (even as he has his birthright Jamaican passport) to offer himself as the alternative Prime Minister of Jamaica. Holness insists that whatever the constitutional or legal considerations at play, it is immoral and wrong for a potential Prime Minister to have divided national loyalties. He is firm in his conclusion that such a person is unfit to led an independent country.

Holness goes further and contends that even if Golding gives up his British passport now and renounces his British citizenship, the egregious wrong committed by Golding is “incurable”; thus, according to Holness, Golding’s political unfitness for the highest executive office, persists. After all, he can at any time renounce his renunciation; so, Holness’ reasoning goes.

Most right-thinking Vincentians would agree that on this matter the reasoning of Holness is even more compelling and unanswerable when applied to the case of his political buddy, the Canadian Friday from Bequia; after all, as we reiterate, Friday got his Canadian citizenship and passport by his own choice as an adult; and Friday continues to poke Vincentians in the eye arrogantly with his proclamation that he has his Canadian passport “proudly” in his “front pocket”.

Stand down Friday!

If the Canadian Lorraine Friday has any sense of political decency and political morality, he will abandon his quest to lead. Not only should he follow the advice of Prime Minister Holness of Jamaica, he should listen and act in accordance with the treasured opinion on this matter of Dr. Raulson Nembhard, a priest, author, and independent commentator from Jamaica.

In an article written in a newspaper, The Jamaica Observer, on Thursday May 30th, 2024 under the caption “Stand down, Golding”, Dr. Nembhard, got to the heart of matter as follows:

“And what about your [Golding] dual citizenship status and wanting to be Prime Minister of Jamaica?

“––Something smells rotten in the State of Denmark when one considers that someone who has allegiance to a foreign power would seek to exercise authority over the people of another nation. Many of us are calling this immoral. It just does not sit well. For this reason, I do not believe that any dual citizen should sit in the Parliament. If you are not bearing the heat and burden of the day, you should have no right making laws for those who have to. It is an essential moral question which cannot be easily shove aside.”

Well said, Reverend Dr. Nembhard! This, too, has long been the reasoned opinion of Frank Da Silva, a local political commentator.

Indian Arrival Day – A National Event

(Address by Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Godwin Friday, at an event held by the Indian Heritage Foundation in Calder Village)

THANK YOUfor inviting me again to take part in this important celebration. Make no mistake about it, Indian Arrival Day, including the related activities, is a national event.

Naturally, it is special for people of East Indian descent. But it is more than just a celebration for East Indians; it is for all of us. It is part of all of us. To think otherwise would be to disregard history on the one hand and, on the other, to fail or refuse to embrace fully the possibilities of the present and the future.

We are a young nation made up of all races and many cultures. This is a cause not for worry but for celebration, for now diversity means not division, but strength. Under colonialism, it was not so. During that time, our ethnic and racial differences were seen as fissures in the social structure to exploit for political gain.

They were exploited by British colonialism and wedges were deliberately driven between us to divide and conquer our people. Today, having survived that process, we must always reject it. We must now use our diversity for its more natural purpose. That is, to give us strength, vitality, and enriched beauty.

The tapestry of our nation every day grows more vivid, more and more displaying all its beautiful parts and wonderful textures with increasing detail and historical accuracy. We embrace that process with confidence and accept that we must play our small part in it. Generation after generation, we must advance that project. It is our generations’ turn. So, count me in.

We understand why we are here today. We are here not only for history but also for the future. We come together to commemorate the arrival of East Indians on our shores. As lowly labourers they came, but with hopes and dreams transcending their immediate circumstances.

The hard work, intelligence and skills of the generations that followed brought those hopes and dreams to reality. Through their energy and fortitude, they worked to build a better future for themselves and their descendants. They built businesses, they established communities, and made amazing contributions to our society.

Today, the accomplishments of persons of East Indian descent and the contributions they have made to nation building are many and farreaching. This is a day to acknowledge and honour those personal accomplishments, for collectively they have helped to build our country.

The history of the Arrival, the economic forces that drove it, and the hardships encountered by those who made the journey and those who, for one reason or another, stayed after their indentureship is becoming increasingly familiar to us, thanks to the work of historians like Dr. Fraser and Dr. Thomas and the loving dedication of members of the Indian

Heritage Foundation to ensuring that the right stories are told and the significant events and contributions are acknowledged and remembered.

So, I wish once more to commend the SVG Indian Heritage Foundation for continuing to do the important work of reclaiming and rebuilding Indian culture in SVG. The future must be brighter than the past. I value greatly what you do and will in whatever way I can assist in your plans and your projects.

My friends, we must always embrace our diversity. Further, we must continue to appreciate the profound contribution of the Indian community to creating a country that promises to deliver a good quality of life for everyone living here.

We come together from different backgrounds, with different voices, and different perspectives and embrace the opportunity to build a brighter future together. We know or ought to know that bridges are vital and effective in this ongoing work of nation-building and working together with our different backgrounds we can achieve great things.

The Indian community, the Garifuna, peoples of African descent, European and middle eastern ethnic groups all contribute in important ways to the vibrant multicultural society that is now SVG.

We all share a simple precious hope: that of a better, brighter future for ourselves and our children. We can achieve it by hoping together, by working together and by sharing together what we make of this country.

I am filled with hope because I see the bright possibilities in you and in the work you do, in our young people all over and in our resilient and beautiful Vincy people. In other words, all around us, there is good reason for hope. It is only for us to harness it and transform it with action. So, let’s get it done!

Our Top 5 Priorities

We are clear on our top five (5) priorities. They are to: create more and better paid jobs, build a better economy that provides opportunity for all; make our country safe again, provide healthcare you can trust and improve our roads and infrastructure.

Vincentians need a government that is defined by action not talk, and one that takes responsibility for its action. Under a New Democratic Party (NDP) government, you will see the tangible progress that we will make day by day, week by week and year by year.

Over the coming weeks, we will discuss in detail each of these priorities. Our aim is to be clear with you, the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as to what and how the NDP will deliver real and lasting progress on these key issues.

We have a tremendous opportunity to become a country that delivers for all our people, regardless of political affiliation and provides opportunities for young people, and allows our wonderful ambitious people to achieve their dreams here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Developing and maintaining a Customer Service Culture

“To achieve consistently terrific customer service, you must hire wonderful people who believe in your company’s goals, habitually do better than the norm and who will love their jobs; make sure that their ideas and opinions are heard and respected; then give them the freedom to help and solve problems for your customers. Rather than providing rules or scripts, you should ask them to treat the customer as they themselves would like to be treated — which is surely the highest standard.” ~ Sir Richard Branson (Born 1950) – English business magnate.

CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCEis considered foundational to successful businesses. This statement is accurate in relation to multinational companies as it is for the small “mauby shop” enterprises. People like to do business with companies that provide good quality products and services and where they feel welcomed and appreciated. Such individuals are ready and willing to be a repeat customer and to tell others of their positive experiences. Dissatisfied and disillusioned customers also share their experiences with others. This has become relatively easy to do with the proliferation of online platforms.

Excellence in customer service serves as the magnet that attracts and retains a company’s clientele. Sir Richard Branson, co-founder of the Virgin Group, which today controls more than 400 companies in various fields, has identified this as being critical to his company’s success. Many other successful businesspersons have identified customer service as being the most significant aspect of their business. It is therefore not surprising that the more accomplished Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) who have brought companies from the brink of disaster championed corporate turnaround by refocusing their respective company managers to value the importance of excellence in customer service. CEOs who readily come to mind are those of Lou Gerstner who championed IBM’s turnaround in the early 1990s; Anne Mulcahy who steered Xerox from the brink of bankruptcy in the early 2000s; and Carlos Ghosn who rescued Nissan from a disastrous end around that same period. These individuals insisted that the individuals within their respective enterprises needed to refocus on excellence in customer service. They fostered cultures where individuals committed the time, effort, and energy to accomplishing this.

Good internal customer service is directly linked to the provision of excellent external customer service. Organizational cultures where staff members respect and appreciate each other and where individuals value their contribution to the company’s or department’s overall performance are likely to experience much greater success than those enterprises where there is discord and/or unresolved conflicts among the workforce. Relationships matter. Cordial relationships among coworkers are likely to contribute to building and retaining lasting relationships with customers; in many cases, it has a spill-over effect; attracting repeat customers and encouraging them to testify of the benefits derived from the positive interactions and outcomes. W. Edward Deming (1900-1993), the American economist, industrial engineer, and management consultant reminds us that, “Profit in business comes from repeat customers, customers that boast

about your product or service, and that bring friends with them.”

Excellent customer service goes beyond merely pleasant greetings, warm smiles, and the provision of quality products and services; it also endeavours to create memorable experiences that generate warmth and fosters loyalty and trust. Dr. Maya Angelou (1928-2014), the American poet and civil rights activist, reminds us that, “I have learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Interacting with customers in a manner that makes them feel appreciated and accepted will go a long way to making them realise that they are valued.

Exceptional customer service is about understanding and fulfilling the needs of the customer. Steve Jobs (1955-2011), the American businessman, inventor and co-founder of technology giant Apple Inc., highlights the importance of this when he said, “Get closer than ever to your customer. So close that you tell them what they need well before they realize it themselves.” This statement also implies that staff members need to be very familiar with their industry and the products and services that they provide. Sharing knowledge about the product or service, and showing how they can benefit, will undoubtedly generate confidence and respect for the staff members involved and, by extension, the enterprise.

Excellence in customer service often requires active listening, empathy, and a genuine desire to assist. Customers are often able to detect this relatively easily and quickly. They appreciate it when staff members portray the desire to assist in helping them to locate a product or obtain a service, provide product recommendations, offer guidance, and/or seek to resolve a complaint. Staff members who focus on meeting and surpassing customer expectations approach every interaction with attentiveness and a commitment to finding solutions.

Over the years, companies like Ritz Carlton, Virgin Atlantic, and Southwest Airlines have created and maintained corporate cultures that enable their respective enterprises to consistently deliver superior customer service. They have become icons of customer service excellence having established clear communication channels; implemented known standardized systems, structures, and procedures; and having empowered employees to make informed decisions focused on excellence in customer service. It should be remembered that customer service excellence is not limited to improving sales or enhancing profits. These become “by products” of the customer service excellence culture. Customer service is about creating and maintaining lasting relationships that are not limited to an individual transaction. Leaders and managers of enterprises that have attracted and nurtured staff members who are customer-focused readily discover that such individuals play a pivotal role in their success. They help to develop and maintain the customer service culture.

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

ANC humbled in South Africa’s elections

THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (ANC) was humbled in the national elections of May 29, 2024, thus ending its domination of South Africa’s politics, which was won after the celebrated 1994 elections in which Nelson Mandela became president. The ANC’s demise was largely expected as credible charges of arrogance, corruption, incompetence, and neglect of the majority Black population resonated with voters.

The ANC vote tally dropped a dramatic 17 points from 57 percent of the votes cast in 2019 to just over 40 percent last week. Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto Wesizwe Party, named after the ANC’s former armed wing, holds huge political symbolism because of its role in fighting for the end of white minority rule was the biggest winner. Zuma’s MK party won an impressive 15 percent of the votes in its first attempts at the polls.

The election result returned the former president and ANC leader to centre stage in South African politics. Zuma stepped down as South Africa’s president on February 18, 2018. His resignation followed years of scandal and internal dispute. He became the face of what many in South Africa called ‘state capture’, where he allowed wealthy business owners to wield massive political influence.

In many respects, the biggest surprise in the South African election was the failure of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), led by Julius Malema, to improve its fortunes after garnering 10 percent of the votes in 2019. At its 10-anniversary party celebration on July 29, 2023, the EFF packed to capacity the FSB Johannesburg stadium, indicating that it will be a serious force to reckon with. Malema, half-jokingly, told the media that Zuma’s MK stole his party’s votes. In a nod to the possibility of an alliance of sorts with the Zuma forces, Malema said that both MK and EFF were relatives.

It’s difficult to fathom what EFF did incorrectly, that explains its stagnant performance in the elections. Malema and his economic freedom fighters were by far the most principled and consistent defenders of the most deprived and vulnerable section of the South African population. We are confident that the American security agencies and the Israeli zionist did everything to ensure that the EFF did not gain more traction.

South Africa’s Democratic Alliance won just over 21 percent of the votes. It is a right-wing grouping that emphasises maintaining the status quo, in which the local and foreign white elite continue to control and dominate the country’s wealth, economic resources, and privileges.

I became suspicious of the ANC’s agenda for change after reading Naomi Klein’s 2007 classic Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. In the book, Klein spoke of Thabo Mbeki, Nelson Mandela’s successor, describing himself as a Thatcherite. The former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher famously declared that ‘there was no such thing as community.’ She believed that people must pull themselves up by the bootstraps. All the while, the conservatives were enriching the British ruling class as she gutted the state-owned companies. Thatcher privatised essential sections of the economy such as the railroads, steel, airways, airports, gas, electricity, telecommunications and water. With such ideas dominant among key leaders of the ANC, it is a small wonder that so little attention has been paid to the poor and vulnerable in South Africa. There is now a black

political bourgeoisie.

With the elections over and all the parties collecting less than the 50 vote count necessary to form the government, South Africa now enters a phase of relative uncertainty. The ANC, with 40 percent of the votes, needs to seek out a coalition partner or parties to form the next government.

South Africa has a feverish atmosphere as the parties offer proposals and make demands. Zuma’s party is demanding that former president Cyril Ramophosa step aside and not be in the running for president. Julius Malema maintains that while his EFF is prepared to discuss South Africa’s political future, it will have nothing to do with the conservative Democratic Alliance. The Democratic Alliance labelled EFF the biggest threat to South Africa’s democracy. Malema claims that labelling is unforgivable. The EFF is also demanding that Floyd Shivambu, its deputy leader, be made finance minister in any coalition government.

The ANC is proposing to lead a government of national unity. Such an arrangement may be in the nation’s best interest. South Africa, like SVG, has a massive crime problem. As one analyst said, ‘Everywhere in the country, crime is what people talk about. It deprives South Africans of living a full life. It has sucked the soul out of the country.’

The electricity problems are mounting, and there are frequent blackouts. On top of this are the high unemployment rate, which is listed at 35 percent, the dismal state of the economy and the dire conditions faced by the vast majority of the African population. They remain mired in poverty after 30 years of the official end of the racist apartheid regime and South Africa’s experiment with democracy.

The period between now and the next elections is fraught with dangers for South Africa. Would the ANC follow other liberation movements across Africa, such as the South West Africa People’s Organisation of Namibia, The Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola and the National Front for the Liberation of Mozambique that disregard their promise, disappoint and whither away into political insignificance as people-centred movements for real change?

Will factional violence overtake the country? Zuma has already made what some view as ominous remarks. ‘They must not try us,’ Zuma said, referring to the election commission’s refusal to halt the announcement of election results until a recount of ballots in some areas. Will leaders across the political spectrum put aside their many differences and commit to snuff out corruption and address the pressing problems confronting the nation? Will impoverished South Africans become radicalised and demand a more significant share of their country’s enormous riches?

Nothing short of a radical transformation of the South African economy would facilitate the solution to many of the issues plaguing South Africa and the rest of the continent. In the meantime, we wait to see how things unfold in South Africa.

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

Water? ⁄ Blackout!!!

I WAS FORTUNATEas an Emergency Communications First Responder, to be among decision-makers last week Thursday, May 30, 2024, as we looked at the “State of Readiness – Continuity of Government in the aftermath of a major hazard”, organized by NEMO, our Emergency Management Office/Organization… a well-organized meeting.

That meeting revealed some serious lapses and I am certain that there will be some positive action in the near future as it relates to the connection of water tanks at schools, which are designated emergency shelters. It was revealed by the Director of NEMO that since 2021, huge water tanks had been placed at several schools but were NEVER connected, so that when we experienced the recent shortage of water, some of these schools were forced to close for lack of water. It is unfortunate that this announcement was made after the cameras recording the opening session were removed. However, two major concerns raised by participants was the waste of water due to leakage and how that must be controlled, because statistics provided by CSWA showed how on average 1 million gallons of water goes unaccounted for on a daily basis. So, 20% of the water CWSA supplies everyday is wasted or used by unmetered users.

Another participant raised the

concern that we are surrounded by water, so why should we suffer from water rationing when portable desalination plants can be deployed at strategic locations to augment and supplement riverine sources of water during dry spells. That participant noted that Mustique is almost entirely dependent on desalinated water, projects that could be replicated in all the inhabited Grenadine islands using solar energy to offset overhead costs.

Developed countries in the middle east also use desalinated water successfully. St. Maarten and Curacao nearby have been using desalinated water for the last 60 years without any destruction to the marine environment. Grant funding for water projects is relatively easy to access as water is a BASIC human right, endorsed by the United Nations.

Blackout!!!

Last Sunday evening, June 02, 2024, almost all of mainland St. Vincent except the Argyle International airport was thrown into a state and period of darkness, caused by a “switchgear issue” according to an official release from VINLEC circulated online. Now the question arises: How does a switchgear function, and how can a switchgear malfunction impact the ENTIRE mainland except AIA and environs? I

am not going to guess, but instead wait on VINLEC to explain how their ‘gear’ failed to ‘switch’ properly and in the process, inconvenienced customers, with the exception of those who have back-up generators or renewable energy solutions.

Now all international airports MUST have their own generators that are independent of the national grid, but which are connected to the grid as a matter of protocol and necessary, especially when AIA is servicing their generators. So, one can understand why AIA never lost power. So nuff respect to the electrical maintenance staff at AIA. Now is also an opportune time to remind all householders that they must consider the use of renewable energy solutions,

so that in times like these, albeit rare, but which can and will occur during the hurricane season, that you can NOT be left in the dark … literally. As radio operators, during the blackout we were busy testing our emergency equipment as well as keeping in touch with each other should any emergency arise requiring an urgent response.

Let me use this opportunity to call on all Vincentians to get some back-up lights powered/recharged by solar or wind energy. So, when your relatives sending barrels please ask them to send some solar lights so you cannot be left in the dark next time.

Contributed by: Donald De Riggs

None so Blind as

those who would not see

by ANTHONY G. STEWART, PhD

THE VISUALLYimpaired live among us and we must facilitate their existence and not put stumbling blocks in their path. Rather, we must adjust to make their lives easier. The prevalence of lifestyle diseases has made us more prone to blindness. Eating a healthy diet in combination with exercise may help us stay healthy and reduce the incidence of blindness.

Ordinary participation in activities will go a long way in making the blind feel accepted and loved. Those who have accepted their condition seem to adjust well and are more likely to display a sense of wellbeing.

One such individual is Gracelyn Holder affectionately called “GayGay”. She maintains her fence that protects her garden where she grows the traditional corn and peas. She has a variety of fruit trees including yellow plums, red plums, pomegranates, noni, sugar apples and mango. A small herb garden provides her with seasonings and mint for teas.

She does not miss church and enjoys accompanying the services with her harmonious guitar and the rhythm of her “shac-shac”. She adds value to the worship service. Sometimes the congregation is treated to her melodious singing. There is no doubt that she is a blessing to her community and is a woman of vision.

Many of us have two

eyes yet we do not see that our surroundings reflect who we are. Our home needs a few minutes of housekeeping every day to maintain orderliness, but we ignore the cry. Our children need newspapers, books, libraries and librarians to guide their reading practice, yet we distract them with electronic gadgets. This is one course our community college should design to fulfill this need. With the knowledge that many students do not have the kind of support needed at home, the work done at school must be comprehensive. They must learn, revise, practise and be tested during the school hours. The subjects they do must be done every day. English A, Math, Biology, Chemistry and Physics should give them the academic grounding for their future learning and careers. They also need skills that they can use to employ themselves and others as they learn to live and to make a living. Why must we continue to turn out students with inadequate reading, reasoning and practical skills?

A simple reading test administered in our courts would expose our inadequacies. How long will it take us to learn that begging and freeness are not sustainable development goals?

When lands were distributed in Union Island as part of reparation for the descendants of slaves, they came at a price. The opportunity of land ownership was provided. Islanders worked, paid for the lands over a long period of time and received their title deeds when the last penny was paid. Current family members may have to complete the balance of payment to properly claim the land. This form of reparation can only be described as visionary.

So many aspects of our country’s existence require visionary leadership. Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Prov 29:18

USA Eye Care Mission visits SVG

IN 1925,Helen Keller addressed a Lions Club International Convention and challenged Lions to be “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.” Decades later, Vision has become one of the five core areas of service for the organization, the other four being: Diabetes, Hunger, Environment and Childhood Cancer.

In fulfilling its commitment to address Vision problems, the Lions Club of KingstownSVG welcomed a 25member mission of Eye Care specialists from the USA, for their annual Eye Care 4U project, which ran from May 26th-31st, 2024.

During that period the team, comprised of highly skilled ophthalmologists, optometrists, surgery technicians, nurses and other related professional/volunteers, performed vision screening clinics and surgeries.

The team successfully performed 101 cataractrelated procedures and corneal transplants at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH), all at no costs to the patients. This notably included a corneal transplant on both eyes (bi-lateral surgery) for 11-year-old Shandean Brackin.

Moreover, over 750 persons received free eye care/vision screenings, as well as blood pressure and glucose monitoring at the designated medical facility locate at the Community College Villa campus.

Several outreach programmes were also facilitated including one at the St. Benedicts’ Day Nursery and Children’s Home. A home visit was also conducted to a 103year-old lady of Kingstown Park. Follow-up visits and

referrals were recommended where necessary, and reading and distance eye glasses provided free of charge.

Each person was also provided with a pair of sunglasses.

The annual collaboration has facilitated numerous ophthalmological interventions for patients over the years. Additionally, the medical teams, over the years, have made several tangible donations

including eye glasses to patients, and medical equipment and supplies to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

The May 26th-31st, 2024 visit of the USA Mobile Medical Mission to St. Vincent, in partnership with the Lions Club of KingstownSVG and the Ministry of Health, was the 48th such visit.

The members of the Lions Club of KingstownSVG and the hundreds who benefited from the

mission extend heartfelt thanks to the members of the Mobile Medical Mission for their selfless and professional service.

Special thanks are also extended to sponsors: BOSVG, GECCU, St. Vincent Brewery Ltd., East Caribbean Bottlers Inc. (ECBI), Wilson’s Enterprises, St. Vincent Corrugated Containers and to the individuals who in their own way contributed to the success of this mission.

Person waiting patiently to be seen during the prescreening process.

Right: Several students of the Richmond Gabriel University benefitted from hands on training in eye screening.

Right: Eye screening conducted by Dr. Melissa Kleman.

Karen heads for Slovenia

WHILE THIS COUNTRYwill be basking in the promotion it would have earned from hosting matches in the 2024 ICC Cricket World Cup, and the staging of what is expected to be another ‘bumper’ carnival, one Vincentian will be preparing to participate in another type of endeavor that will not only advance her in her area of specialty, but will also introduce this country’s wealth of talent and potential to a whole new market.

Karen De Freitas, founder and primary designer of SoKa Fashion will embark on a twomonth artistic residency at the Rog Centre (also referred to as Center Rog) in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in the summer of 2024.

The Center Rog, located in the heart of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, is said to be the “biggest creative hub” in the European Union, where those who enroll in the programme can create

“anything they can think of” either by themselves or with the help of skilled tutors/mentors.

The pathway to Slovenia

Karen’s pathway to the Slovenia opportunity was opened as a result of her participation — May - in the ‘Fashion in da House’ fashion show, held at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Havana, Cuba.

The event, which brought to one catwalk the creativity of designers from Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Guyana, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, was organized as part of the European Month in Cuba by UNESCO, under

the programme Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, the Caribbean and the European Union through Culture and Creativity.

The designers, a carefully selected group, were engaged in, among other activities related to the discipline, a Fashion Design Contest dubbed ‘Made in the Caribbean’. Karen, the lone representative from SVG, was among those whose fashions advanced her as one of the finalists.

And while the top position escaped her, she came in for Special Mention by a jury/panel of judges, comprised of the ‘Who’s Who’ of fashion connoisseurs from Nigeria, Slovenia, Spain and Cuba. This put her among the top four designers of the sixteen who presented work at the

Show as mentioned.

Reacting to her Special Mention accolade, from an unquestionably prestigious panel of judges, and the experience as a whole, Karen told the media, “It has been an amazing experience to be in Havana with other young Caribbean designers, exchanging experiences and learning from each other. “I am very glad that the jury valued the sustainability of fashion as I am committed with my brand to support my community, mentoring young entrepreneurs and young women through my brand and creating jobs for artisans and craftsmen.”

presented her first contemporary collection under that name.

The brand is described as one “.. that embraces femininity and local culture,” according to its profile.

According to that profile, the SoKa brand, “provides ready-to-wear designs through a West Indian lens and works to redefine beauty standards by empowering women to celebrate their heritage.”

About Karen and SoKa Fashion

Karen De Freitas holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design from the Parsons School of Design, New York. She is the founder, creator and designer of SoKa, and is also a technical Clothing and Textiles Instructor at the Kingstown Technical Institute, where she is known “to use pop culture, traditional fashion, and her experience to inspire students.”

And with her philanthropic intentions at the front of her life’s endeavours, Karen founded Project Pink, a nonprofit organization which raises funds for cancer patients in her native St. Vincent and the grenadines and Grenada.

As far as the SoKa fashion brand is concerned, it was launched in 2015 when Karen

Soka has so far appeared at Brooklyn Fashion Week, Bermuda Fashion Festival, the Collection MoDA Jamaica and was featured in magazines such as Guap Magazine UK, Ugly Magazine, getting the cover of Seven Tribes Magazine and Bassculture Magazine, an interview done with Essence Magazine, and has been seen in Harper’s Bazaar Serbia and Vogue.com.

Soka has been named one of the top 10 Caribbean Designers and recipient of the Caribbean Style and Culture Awards for Excellence and Fashion Innovation.

Fortified with that proven background, Karen will take up her attachment in Slovenia.

THE VINCENTIAN wishes her nothing but the best ‘in that foreign land,’ and feels assured that she will do herself and her country proud.

A glimpse of what designers from the region presented recently on a catwalk in Cuba.

Right: Karen De Freitas, founder and primary creative of SoKa Fashion, an authentic Vincentian brand.

Karen De Freitas (right) from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, won the Jury’s Special Mention in the UNESCO Fashion Design Competition Made-InThe Caribbean in Havana, Cuba.

Right: Havana, which is gradually being accepted, has become the Caribbean capital of fashion.

Shallow clears the air: One person for the job

ONE CATERERwon the bid to provide food services for the hospitality aspect during the T20 World Cup Cricket matches that will be played here.

Dr Kishore Shallow, President of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) cleared the air on the matter after several local caterers and chefs expressed outrage over the awarding of a contract to one local entity.

Dr. Kishore Shallow, President of CWI, gave an in-depth explanation as to how the service of a caterer was determined.

According to Shallow, while speaking on BOOM radio on June 5, the facts were that 10 caterers would be involved in providing food and beverage during the scheduled T20 World Cup games that will be played here.

And this number was consistent with the number of caterers that won bids in the other venues throughout the Caribbean.

Seven caterers were being used in Guyana, 8 in Trinidad, 10 in Barbados, 9 in St Lucia, 7 in Antigua and 10 here in St Vincent.

The WICB President explained that caterers were contacted and asked to submit proposals.

“In fact, there was a request to actually tour the kitchens of these service providers and tasting was also suggested,” Shallow explained.

There were those who declined, and that was absolutely okay, he added.

Regarding the hospitality aspect, Shallow said that 6 caterers were shortlisted — two initially pulled out saying that the job was out of their depth and two did not submit quotes and were disqualified.

Of the remaining two, one caterer won the bid. And one caterer was sufficient for the job, Shallow said.

He explained that in some of the other venues, multiple caterers were selected to provide services for hospitality.

“But in the case of St Vincent and the Grenadines, we have limited boxes, so the hospitality boxes as you know, the boxes are upstairs the Frank Thomas Stand...and then you have the President’s suite so we do not have the numbers like let’s say Trinidad or Barbados,” Shallow explained.

Then there was the issue of accreditation and the actual kitchen space, according to Shallow there was insufficient kitchen space for more than one caterer to operate.

“So, there was rationale for what took place,” he added.

According to the WICB President, the decisions made regarding the procurement and recruitment must be able to withstand scrutiny.

“And I am quite confident that the process for recruiting catering in St Vincent and the Grenadines and similar to other countries, the process was very comprehensive and one that could withstand scrutiny,” he said. (DD)

The renovated Arnos Vale Playing Field is expected to provide enhanced accommodation and service for spectators.

South Africa: ANC in a dilemma

UP TO THE EARLYhours of the Wednesday evening, South Africa was locked in uncertainty with respect to which party or coalition of parties was going to form that country’s government.

The African National Congress (ANC), which had formed a majority support government since it won the first all-race general election in 1994, after the fall of the apartheid system, garnered a considerably reduced 40% of the vote in the May 29, 2024 general election.

Though this ensured that the ANC remained the most popular single political party in South Africa, its 40% accorded it only minority status in parliament. It means, therefore, that if it chooses to govern as a minority party, it is not assured parliamentary support for its choice of president and legislative plans.

According to South Africa’s constitution, its parliament must meet to elect the South African president within 14 days after the election result is declared.

As it stands, the ANC President, Cyril Ramaphosa is the incumbent President of South Africa and it is expected that he will once again be nominated by his party for the post.

In the situation, the ANC has but two choices: go it alone as a minority government or find a coalition partner to secure a majority in parliament which will support its choice of president and legislative plans.

If it gives consideration to identifying a coalition partner, one option would be to strike a deal with

the second biggest party, the centreright Democratic Alliance (DA), which won 22% of the vote.

However, a BBC analyst said this would be politically risky, as many inside and outside the ANC accuse the DA of trying to protect the economic privileges the country’s white minority built up during the racist system of apartheid — this the party denies.

Further to this, ANC chairman Gwede Mantashe has gone on record as saying that the ANC’s black empowerment policies are nonnegotiable, suggesting that he has ruled out a coalition with the DA.

Alternatively, the ANC could work with two radical parties that broke away from it - former President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party which took just over 14% of the vote or Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) which commanded 9% of the vote.

The three parties, ANC, MK and EFF, together are said to enjoy close to 65% of the black support but according to some observers, this does not bring them any closer to forming a coalition.

President Ramaphosa has made it clear that any coalition agreement would have to be within the framework of the current constitution.

This position sets it at variance with the MK and EFF, both of which want to see certain constitutional amendments.

The MK, for its part, wants the constitution to be torn up so that South Africa becomes an “unfettered parliamentary democracy” - something the ANC has ruled out. And the EFF is demanding a constitutional amendment so that white-owned land can be expropriated without compensation.

South Africa’s governing African National Congress (ANC) is faced with a tricky dilemma as it looks to play its

The Julius Malema-led EFF has kept the issue of land and jobs on the national agenda making it uncomfortable for the SNC which it accuses of failing to deliver on those two counts. (Photo Source: The Citizen, SA)

part in determining the future of the country. Could the way out of this dilemma be a Government of National Unity (GNU)?

According to IMF estimates for

2024, South Africa is Africa’s largest economy with a nominal GDP of US$373.233 billion. (Reference: BBC, AP, The Citizen, Reuters)

The recently formed MK party of ex-President Jacob Zuma, pictured waving to supporters on Election Day, May 29, caused a shock by coming third in the election. (Credit: Emilio Morenatti/AP)

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, center, speaks to reporters after voting in an election seen as his country’s most important in 30 years. (Credit: Jerome Delay/AP)

B.Y.C. hosts Public Speaking Competition

ON SATURDAY, JUNE 01, 2024,the Port Elizabeth Chapter of the Bequia Police Youth Club hosted an in-house Public Speaking Competition at the Bequia Anglican Primary School. The competition was divided into three segments.

In the first round, the participants spoke on the given topic, “Can we normalize childhood, please?” In the second

round, they spoke on a topic of their choice, and in the final round, they had to deliver an impromptu speech. The competition was keenly contested, but in the end, Aiden Dennie was adjudged the overall winner, with Azarra Gordon and Kafiya Simmons placing second and third, respectively.

Isis Hutchins won the impromptu category, Azarra Gordon captured

Restaurant; Best Chosen Speech - Dinner for two at Plantation Hotel; Best Given Speech - Lunch for two at Spring Hotel. The National Coordinator of Police Youth Clubs, Sgt. Stephen Billy, attended the event and remarked, “The

competition brought out the best in the children. This is one of the ways in which the police youth club is nurturing the minds of the young people of our nation. We have to constantly engage them and encourage them to be model citizens.” (Source: RSVGPF)

the Best Chosen Speech, and Aiden Dennie won the Best Given Topic.

The competition was fully supported by members of the Bequia Community, who donated several valuable prizes to the winners as follows: 1st place - One Samsung Galaxy Tablet, one trophy, and $50.00 EC; 2nd placeOne Chromebook, one trophy, and $40.00 EC; 3rd place - One notepad, one trophy, and $30.00 EC; Best Impromptu Speech - An allowance at Jack’s Bar and

English-Jacob moves up in Toastmasters

VINCENTIAN JACQUI

ENGLISH-JACOBShas

been elected as Division C Director in Caribbean Toastmasters. This post had two (2) candidates at the election, which recently took place at District 81 Toastmasters Conference in Trinidad. During her election speech, Jacqui stated: “I have dubbed my ten-year Toastmasters journey as: standing the “TEST of TIME.” Because I have passed my TEST in numerous club leader roles, and as a Club Coach. TEST in my English dictionary stands for Toastmasters Executing Success Together! During my TEST as an Area Director, TIME took on new meaning–Toastmasters In Movement Everywhere! Yes, I stood the TEST of TIME as I supported the Area to finish strong.” Jacqui will commence her duties on July 1st. Her main responsibility is to lead and support Division C through the supervision and support of the Area Directors. Division C comprises

Toastmasters clubs in Barbados, Dominica, St. Lucia and St. Vincent & the Grenadines. District 81 has eleven (11) divisions spread over twenty (20) Caribbean territories.

The Immediate Past Area Director for the clubs in St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Jacqui attained her Distinguished Toastmaster Award in 2023. She expresses gratitude to everyone who has supported her along her Toastmasters journey. Toastmasters throughout the Caribbean extend congratulations to Division C Director Elect Jacqui English-Jacobs.

About Toastmasters International

Toastmasters International is a worldwide nonprofit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., the organization’s

lie

membership exceeds 358,000 in more than 16,800 clubs in 143 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators and leaders. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org. Follow @Toastmasters on Twitter. (Submitted by: Toastmasters, SVG)

Jacqui English-Jacobs is excited about her new position and is prepared to face up to the challenges that

ahead.

Sgt. Stephen Billy, National Coordinator of Police Youth Clubs.

Aiden Dennie spoke his way to becoming the top speaker.

Azarra Gordon copped second place.

Kafiya Simmons took the thid spot.

A view of the Carrefour de l’Aéroport area on June 3rd, where daily activities have resumed. More people are now

Haiti showing signs of rebounding

Even as some area shows signs of revival, the streets are still empty near Haïti’s National Palace, a once bustling meeting place.

Photo Credit: Arnold Junior Pierre/Haitian Times

MOST MAJOR INTERNATIONAL NEWS AGENCIESstill functioning in Haiti are reporting Portau-Prince, the capital city of Haiti, is showing signs of revival.

The reports say that since May, more people are on the streets, public transit stations are bustling with Taptaps and minibuses, and merchants are displaying their goods to eager buyers.

Indications are that residents are cautiously resuming their daily activities after months of violent gang attacks.

Haitian Times quotes Jonas (not his real name) a lottery seller in the Turgeau neighborhoods, a few meters from the Champ-deMars, as saying,

“From last week of May to this Monday, June 3, there has been a noticeable decrease in gunshots,” said. Jonas vividly remembers the terrifying days when armed attacks terrorized the neighborhood where he carries out his economic activities. He said he witnessed a day when bullets shattered his neighbors’ windows and armed individuals attempted to assassinate a police officer nearby

where he resides in the Poste Marchand neighborhood Recently, though, schools have reopened, and the streets are once again filled with students in uniforms. Commercial banks are operating in communes like Delmas, Pétion-Ville, and some neighborhoods near downtown Port-auPrince. Currency exchange offices have resumed business.

Despite some banks reopening, security concerns persist, and many branches in the downtown area remain closed. The streets that once housed many banks are marred by litter, and the roads are in disrepair.

As per the caution from one street vendor, the capital might be showing signs of recovery, but this is not uniform. (Source: Haitian Times)

visible on the streets, and merchants are displaying their goods to potential buyers.

Public transport stops for buses have relocated from the downtown neighborhood of Portail Léogâne, near the general hospital, to a new station located in onceresidential areas.

In a quandary

Dear George,

MY BOYFRIENDof 2 years has asked me to marry him and he is talking about a December wedding.  Under ordinary circumstances my answer would be an immediate yes but now I’m not so sure. You see, two months I slept with my boss. It was a case of needing more money on my salary .. a case of survival.

Since that mistake, the word on the street is that my boss could be HIV positive. I asked him about it and he denied it. If I test positive for HIV I know it’s over with my boyfriend, and if I tell him what I did and should I test negative, I also know it’s over. Is it not safer for me to go get the test and once it’s negative just continue like nothing ever happened?

Complicated

Dear Complicated,

Yes, you can choose not to disclose your dark secret to your boyfriend should you test negative for HIV, but how is that going to absolve you of the guilt of cheating?

You cannot or rather should not attempt to build a marriage on such shaky foundation. Your boyfriend deserves to know what he is about to get into. Open up to him… level with him… put the cards on the table face up… coming clean should count for something.

Honesty is still the best policy and if you two were meant for each other, so it shall be.

George

Cut your losses

Dear George,

BEFOREleaving for the high seas and expecting to be away for a year, I bought a car for my woman.

George, on returning home after my stint, I walked into a situation where she not only sold the car but sold it to her EX. She refused to tell me how much she sold the car for.

People are whispering to me that this man has been driving her to work almost every day. I don’t know if she sold or gave

the man the car but what is eating me is she sees nothing wrong with what she did and wants to sweep it under the carpet. I need answers and she’s not giving any to me.

Suspicious and Hurt Dear Suspicious and Hurt,

Your lady friend has been unprincipled and disrespectful. She has left enough room for you or anyone else to assume

that she and her Ex are in this together. If not why would she be interested in selling something that was gifted to her? The fact that he has been driving her to work seems to suggest an arrangement made between them.

You are best advised to cut your losses and move on. Remaining in this semblance of a relationship will in the long run cost you much more than the price of a car.

George

A wife’s strange reaction

Dear George,

I CHEATED on my wife for a number of years and only last month did she get wind of the fact. I expected her to be upset but it was quite the opposite. Instead, she is so extra nice to me, for example cooking meals she knows I like.

When I approached her to talk of the situation, she quickly shut me down saying that she understood men have to do men stuff.

George, my wife is just too nice and it’s killing me. I would have preferred her to curse me out for cheating. I’m very uneasy and need to know what should be my next move.

Nervous Wreck

Dear Nervous Wreck,

You are being haunted by your guilt and if you are to truly mend your ‘cheating ways’, you must engage your wife on the issue. She has to be very hurt and could be struggling with mixed thoughts. The onus is on you to show her that

you’ve changed - not by talking but by action. It will take time for her to fully trust you again but it is possible. Get to work immediately and make up your mind to stay the course.

George

Leisure

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20)

Try not to upset others with your plans. You’ll find it difficult to control your emotions. Look before you leap. Keep tabs on your spending.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21)

Think about your priorities. First find out if they’re married. You will be up and down emotionally. You can help a close friend find solutions to personal problems.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21)

Don’t blame others for your own stubbornness. Be up front if you don’t want to be embarrassed. Use discretion in your dealings and refrain from making verbal promises of any kind. You will be highly entertaining when in contact with your lover.

CANCER (June 22-July 22)

Someone may be trying to damage your reputation. Find out all you can; secret enemies may lead you astray. Your partner may blame you for everything. Business conducted in your own office will proceed smoothly.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22)

You can learn valuable information if you listen and observe what others are doing and saying. You need to keep the peace and you will have to bend in order to do so. Try to calm down emotionally about personal financial matters. Unrealistic promises will only get you in trouble.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23)

Overindulgence will be a problem if you are out in a social setting. Opportunities to pamper yourself may unfold. You will meet a person who may turn out to be more than just a friend. You need to get down to basics with regard to yourself.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23)

You need an outlet that will not only stimulate you but also challenge your intelligence as well. Talk to others about your plans. You may feel a need to make changes to your legal documents. People you live with will not be terribly happy with you regardless of what you do this week.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22)

You will be accident prone if you aren’t careful this week. Be sure to sidestep those who are eccentric or unpredictable. Try not to be too harsh with loved ones; there will always be two sides to an Issue. Don’t take offense at comments made by coworkers.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21)

Get involved in philosophic groups that will enlighten you. A need to express yourself may come out in creative ways. You need to fulfill your needs and pre sent your talents. Focus, and concentrate on yourself and your future.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20)

Rewards for past good deeds will be yours. You will tend to overeat this week. Get busy. If you’re feeling uncertain, spend some time alone and reevaluate your motives as well as your needs.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19)

Sudden changes concerning coworkers may surprise you. Don’t point your finger unjustly at others. Make changes regarding your status in society. Don’t be afraid to make a move if you aren’t happy with your emotional situation.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20)

ACROSS

1.Alias initials 4. Polluted air 8. Far’s partner

12. None whatsoever

13. Illinois neighbour

14. Begrudge

Look into attending seminars that can expand your perception. You may want to get involved in some kind of creative group. Not everyone will be pleased with your plans. You should be able to tie up loose ends this week.

15. Explosive (abbr.)

16. Occupy 17. Load

18. Billy and nanny 20. “Mutt __ Jeff” 22. Concorde’s inits.

23. Snake sounds

27. Bowler and derby

30. __ Andreas fault

31. Bad (prefix)

32. Hebrew judge

33. Emcee Don

35. Wind direction (abbr.)

36. Reaction to an IM joke

37. Clean air gp.

38. Listen

39. Franklin __ Roosevelt

41. Male sibling, slangily

43. They replaced LPs

44. Octet number

47. Whip

50. Stumble 52. Canola product

54. Cornflower or baby

55. Theater section

56. Woods’s org.

57. Murray and Peerce

58. Oversized pitcher

59. Use thread

DOWN

1.Toiling insect

2. Double-decker checker

3. Choir member 4. Prepares flour

5. Not dry, as cake

6. Harry Potter’s pet 7. Round Table knight 8. Unites metals 9. __ manner of speaking (2 wds.)

10. Movie-athome format (abbr.)

11. “__ of the Tiger”

19. Mule’s father

21. Padre’s son 24. Hook’s right hand

25. Smooth over 26. Winter vehicle

27. Retained 28. Healing plant

29. Embezzler’s cash source

30. Mrs., in Mexico

33. Hang fire

34. Missionary

38. Grab greedily

40. Pains

41. Tan

42. Less green

45. Skips

46. Buster Brown’s

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

canine

47. JFK’s veep

48. Pie __ mode (2 wds.)

49. Before Mon.

51. Argument

53. Judge’s expertise

Arnos Vale gearing up for ÂD-DayÊ

The transformation of the Arnos Vale Stadium is said to have cost in excess of $38 million.

Below: Last weekend, the net bowlers selected to assist visiting teams in the T20 World Cup were allowed to test out the new surface – pitch - at the Arnos vale Playing Field.

Mitres return to the top

INTER- ISLAND/DHL

MITRESwere last Saturday, June 1, crowned Division One League champions of the Bank of SVG/FLOW National Netball Tournament.

Regular champs during the last fifteen years, Mitres beat Maple Netball Team, 53-43, to formalize their return to possession of national Netball silverware.

THURSDAY,13th

June, 2024 is an historic one for cricket in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The transformation of the Arnos Vale Stadium is said to have cost in excess of $38 million.

It is the day this country hosts its first ever official fixture in an ICC T20 World Cup, with Bangladesh set to clash with The Netherlands in a Group D match, at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

And Government officials, cricket officials and those charged with overseeing intensive renovation work at the Arnos Vale Playing

Field, with less than a week before match day, are satisfied with the progress and confident that the facility will be ready.

During a recent visit by Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, accompanied by Deidre Mayers Project Coordinator and Michael Findlay Chief of Mission

of the Local Organizing Committee, Dr. Gonsalves said, “I am pleased. From the report I received we are on target.”

saw off X- Ceed, 51-39. When the 2023 tournament took place, X- Ceed and Mitres were the only teams in Division One.

Mitres last tasted title ownership in 2018 and on their way to returning to that status in 2024, dethroned On Trac X- Ceed that champed in 2019 and 2023. There were no national tournaments in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Mitres went into last Saturday’s match needing to win, as a defeat would have given XCeed the title on goal differential.

Before last Saturday’s title, Mitres had defeated National Properties Netters, 37-27, then

The two dueled in four matches, with X- Ceed triumphing 3-1.

Reflecting on this year’s Division One League title race, Mitres’ Captain- Kaywana Charles, noted that it was all planned out.

“Our players were more physically fit this year, because we have some players who are training with the national team, and mentally we have been building each other’s confidence… These were the major differences

in this year’s tournament for us”, Charles proffered.

Charles, whilst underscoring that they were rebuilding, indicated that they “went hard”, to regain the number one spot in the league format of Division One.

After last Saturday’s decisive Division One match, Mitres joined Sion Hill, the Division Two winners, Dutch Lady ClinchersDivision Three and Police Youth Club Blazers, winners of Division Four, as Divisional Champions. With the league titles determined, the Knock-Out competition is in progress.

The 2024 edition is set to conclude June 19.

He noted that all the lights (new addition to the facility) are up and are being tested and a trial match is to be played to test the lights. He also shared that the persons who were involved gave the assurance the grass will come through in a few areas.

“On 14th June, our first night match, this thing is going to be buzzing. This is the place where everybody will be centred on and people of SVG will be very proud, all the stakeholders who have been involved. What we are talking about is 38 million EC dollars and six months of managing the contractors, which is a phenomenal effort at Arnos Vale 1, 2 and Sion Hill and some additional work at Cumberland. Everybody must be complemented”, he added with a noticeable tone of pride in his voice.

Project Coordinator Mayers admitted it “has been a long journey in a short space of time… I think we have achieved a lot.”

Regarding the transformation of the outfield, credit, she said, must go to the

The electronic Display Board – a welcomed addition that brings the Arnos Vale Playing Field in line with what exists in most international cricket fields across the globe.

contractors for the work they have done.

She noted that the display and electronic scoreboard had been tested during the day and early evening and “everything was perfect.”

There were some delays with the commissioning of the lights but that has been rectified and they are up and operational, she added.

Patrons/spectators are asked to note that there will be a new access south of the High School fence. The main entrance will be assessed by VIPs, matches officials and players.

Findlay was unhesitant in declaring that the transformation “has been fantastic, and credit must go to Deidre Mayers, the contractors and all who are involved in this project.”

I.B.A. ALLEN

Division One National Netball Champions- Mitres.

HKF announces busy programme

THEHairouna Karate Federation (HKF) will be going at full throttle for the next four months, as participation is certain in regional and international competitions.

In addition, there are local activities planned.

The HKF will break ground when Aaron Mc Donald becomes the first Vincentian to compete in the World Karate Federation Caribbean Karate Federation Championships in Curacao, July 8 to 14, 2024.

Mc Donald, the current national Under-15 Kata champion, will compete in the Male 14 to 15 Kata.

Following his outing in

Curacao, he will journey to Guyana to join up with his fellow Vincentian karatekas, to comprise a blend of first timers and deadened karatekas, for participation in the Karate Daigaku World Cup, July 15 to 21.

Set to make their debut are National Under-10 male Kata champion Liam Bollers, along with Under-10 male Kumite champion Xonte O’Brien.

They are joined by Under10 female champion Cahya Bascombe and Under-12 female Champion Amiyah Bascombe, as well as newly installed black belt recipientRishaud Roache, who is also

the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Under-21 male Kumite champion.

The Vincentian team is completed by Terrance Providence and national senior male champion and Caribbean silver medallist Claude Bascombe Jr.

In addition to the outings in Curacao and Guyana, the Hairouna Karate Federation is

looking favourably at being part of the 2024 Commonwealth Karate Championships scheduled for Bangladesh in September.

And locally, the HKF will host, for the first time, a “Summer Camp” during the August school vacation, aimed at sensitising the community about the sport and building its membership base in the process.

SVG strikes gold in Bocce Competition

SPECIAL Athletes

Utica Smith and Natasha Doyle came away from the Inaugural Regional Caribbean Bocce Competition, hosted by Special Olympics Cayman Islands, May 22-26, clutching gold.

Smith struck gold

in the singles when she disposed of her Aruban opponent, 7-6.

She admitted that it was a “close match” but she remained focused and determined and that saw her through to victory.

Doyle, meanwhile, finished 4th after going under to a Bahamian, 13-6, in

the third-place playoff. Smith and Doyle later teamed up for the first time since they played together as a Bocce team at World Games 2015, in Los Angeles, California, USA, to take the Division 1 Doubles title, with a comfortable 13-6 score line.

The team was

Swimming programme targets the youth

YOUNGpeople who reside in Kingstown and its environs and are interested in learning to swim, now have an opportunity so to do. The opportunity comes through a Grassroots Programme conducted at Indian Bay every Saturday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Lead instructor - Gary John indicated to THE VINCENTIAN, “At present we have sixteen, from both genders, ranging from age 4 to 15, but there are spaces for a few more.”

coached by Helen Ashton, who said the duo played “very well” together.

“They had some challenges in terms of their strong opponents, they however, were able to stay focused, work together, concentrate especially in the Doubles and achieved the aim of them getting a gold.”

Athletes from 17 countries around the region and the USA competed in the Singles.

I.B.A. ALLEN

Conducted under the auspices of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Swimming Federation, the Grassroots Programme, which initially got going in Owia, aims at simply teaching the youngsters the basics of swimming as a life skill.

In his explanation, John said, “We are about teaching the ‘youths’ how to swim, as many of them go to the beach, hence, we are teaching them basic safety skills and are using the beach, instead of a pool per se,” John explained.

And, according to the experienced swim coach, the programme has pitched its catchment drive to include areas which do not have beaches.

“We have a few from Sharpes (Kingstown), some from Pole Yard (Arnos Vale), while some are from Sion Hill,” John indicated.

John recognized that the primary aim of the programme is to teach a life skill, but he is

hopeful that some competitive swimmers would emerge.

The Grassroots Programme is sponsored by Tropical Shipping.

Participants are bussed to Indian Bay and are provided with refreshments.

Grassroots Swimming Programme in full effect at Indian Bay. Chief instructor - Gary John is standing.

Warriors retains Softball T20 title

From Page 22.

Title holders Kombat Warriors walked away with $2,000.00, a trophy and one case of Hairoun Beer. For their effort, Fairban United received $1,200.00 in cash, a trophy and one case of Hairoun Beer.

Top individual performers: Dave Duncan of Fairbane United — most runs with 145; Danroy Fergus of Kombat Warriors — leading wickettaker with 17; Glendon James of Fairbane United - MVP of the tournament with 110 runs and 8

wickets.

The F15 Softball Cricket Tournament executive and organizing committee are grateful to the sponsors of the tournament: Massy Stores, SVG Tourism Authority, St. Vincent Brewery (Hairoun), Teachers Co-operative Credit Union, Digicel, General Employees Co-operative Credit Union, East Caribbean Bottlers Inc. (Sipz water, Zess Cola), Flow and Global Distributors.

I.B.A. ALLEN

Aaron Mc Donald Rishaud Roache Amiyah Bascombe

Terrance Providence

Double gold medallist Utica Smith.

Utica Smith teamed up with Natasha Doyle to take gold in the Division 1 Doubles.

Fever pitch

BY THE TIMEyou read this, the International Cricket Council Men’s T/20 World Cup will be fever pitch. The Super Eight will shape up. It is safe to say that is too early to say who those are. Just as a reminder, there are twenty teams placed in four Groups of five. They are: Group A: India, United States of America, Canada, Ireland, and Pakistan.

Group B: Namibia, Scotland, England, Oman, and Australia. Group C: Afghanistan, West Indies, Papua New Guinea, Uganda, and New Zealand.

Group D: South Africa, Netherlands, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.

Having seen the results of matches played thus far, there continues that measure of intrigue that surrounds every game. There will be cases when the writing is on the wall. But like any other aspect of life, cricket fits into the saying, and with its ups and down, there are stages in life when strange things happen.

Tables turn in unexpected fashion, and you wonder how did it happened.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines has its cultural imprint. We have a way of making fun of ourselves. It seems like part of our DNA. Perhaps the experience of slavery leaves us with that sense of uncanny indifference.

Vincentians seem intent on the Group matches. They are anxious to see what happens at Arnos Vale. It will be normal introduction when Netherlands and Bangladesh meet at the Arnos Vale Playing Field at 10:30 that morning. By that time, the area will have something of a novel outlook. All the decorations synonymous with contemporary cricket in the Caribbean will be on display. Vincentians in the diaspora will be pleased by the sight of their homeland.

An array of Broadcast partners adds to the exposure the multi-island state will benefit from. Innovations at Arnos Vale, notably lights and the electronic scoreboard enhance the ground, already touted for its beauty.

There were delays in the preparation, caused by a number of factors. Suffice it to say that in typical Vincentian pattern, everything is place, in time for the June 13 edition.

The Super Eight segment will be a high end sporting item. With times shifted to 8:30 p.m. for those matches, Arnos Vale will re-establish as a trend setter.

That emerged in the 2007 when Australia credited their meetings at Fort Charlotte as inspiration to their success.

The semi-finalists will be determined here. It is possible that they can be in the final.

When the mockery, scorn, and contempt have settled, we could look at how this exposure serves as a platform for our youngsters to get used to international requirements.

The foundation has been laid. St. Vincent and the Grenadines has stepped up a notch on the regional calendar. It is not just a place of enchantment. There are resources and facilities that can provide satisfaction to those seeking that moment of relaxation, or a glimpse or feeling of what tranquility is.

The pity is that coming for the cricket will not allow the time to explore the hidden treasures of the state.

With the cricket coinciding with the burst of the carnival festivities, another genuine Caribbean showpiece, there is ample reason to make St. Vincent and the another part of your unlikely destination.

Vincy Heat opens against Bonaire in CNL

FOLLOWINGtheir Concacaf World Cup Qualifiers outings this June, there will be no respite for the St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Vincy Heat, the country’s senior men’s Football outfit, as they will continue their training for the Concacaf Nations League (CNL).

In their quest for honours in the 2024-2025 CNL, the Vincentians will kick off their Group A campaign of Tier B, in an away fixture against Bonaire during the September window.

Vincy Heat is set to have their home match against Montserrat also in that window.

In the October window, the Vincentians will renew acquaintances with El Salvador in home and away matches.

The remaining Group B engagements see Vincy Heat away to Montserrat and Bonaire in the reverse fixtures in November.

According to Concacaf, the matches involving Vincy Heat, are slated to take place between September 5 and November 17, 2024, but these dates are to be confirmed.

When St. Vincent and the Grenadines competed in the 2022-2023 CNL, they finished with a 3:3 win/loss ratio.

The win columns saw them defeating Belize 21 and 3-0, as well as a 4-3 downing of Bermuda.

However, the Vincentians suffered back to back losses (1-4 and 2-3) to French Guiana and 1-3 to Bermuda in an away fixture.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ best showing in the CNL was in the inaugural Tournament in 2018/2019, when they placed second to Suriname, and was one win away from an automatic place in the Concacaf Gold Cup.

Kombat Warriors – repeat winners of the F15 T20 Softball tournament.

Fairban United had an impressive debut finishing second.

Warriors retains Softball T20 title

KOMBAT WARRIORS retained their F15 T20 Softball Tournament champion title when they recorded a 11-run win over Fairban United in the finals, played last Sunday at the Richmond Hill playing field.

In a match reduced to a 10-overs encounter after a late start due to rain, Kombat Warriors posted 80 for 7 in their allotted 10 overs. Captain Romano Pierre top scored with 39. There were two wickets each for Akron Walker, Adolph Adams and Glendon James.

Debutants Fairban United replied with 69 for 6 from 10 overs. G James hit a top score of 41 not out. Donaldson Harry and Peters took 2 wickets each for Kombat Warriors.

Fitz Hughes Primary are champions

FITZ HUGHESGovernment emerged champions of the 3rd Edition of the Westwood Methodist School hosted All Leeward Primary School Athletics Championships, which was held last week at the Cumberland Playing Field.

They ran away winners with 322 points ahead of seond placed Troumaca Government School with 225, and Barrouallie Government School in third position with 189 points.

The Barrouallie Anglican School took the 4th place with 157 points, Spring Village Methodist were 5th on 129 points, with the Westwood Methodist and Rose Hall Government sharing the 6th position on 72 points each.

Representatives of the first three finishers take the podium, (from right): Barrouallie Government School, Fitz Hughes Government, and Troumaca Government School.

Vincy Heat Starting XI that faced Grenada May 26, 2024 in Carriacou.

No need for Public Health Emergency

From Backpage.

And given that the ‘Vaccine Mandate’ resulted in “in hundreds of public sector workers losing their jobs,” according to Boucher, that developments since then have proved the government’s action to be wrong and unjust, that the vaccines have been universally deemed to be ineffective, and given that persons have been known to have succumbed to health complications as a result of being vaccinated, Boucher appealed to Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, his government and the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Simone Keizer-Beache, “to seek forgiveness for the law.”

AI REAL ESTATE

THE SVG PUBLIC SERVICE UNION’S(PSU) press conference of Tuesday 28th May, threw open a number of issues, one being government’s continuing failure to discontinue what Elroy Boucher, President of the PSU, referred to as a public health emergency.

Boucher insisted that the government had done nothing to “remove” this emergency even though

the World Health Organization, a year ago, had declared the COVID-19 pandemic over, that pandemic being the cause for the emergency in the first place, and that the world had come to accept the ineffectiveness of vaccines.

According to Boucher, it was under ‘cover’ of the public health emergency that the government moved and

obtained parliamentary approval for the Public Health (Amendment) Bill 2021 (S.R. & O No. 9 of 2021), making way for what was commonly referred to as the ‘Vaccine Mandate’.

Those public servants (including teachers) who refused to be vaccinated as per the ‘Vaccine Mandate’ were, effectively, dismissed, though this was refuted as Boucher referenced, when the Minister of Health, St. Clair Prince, went on record (Hansard) as saying “… the government never fired anybody.”

The legitimacy of the Amendment was challenged in the High Court. The Court ruled that the mandate was “unlawful, unconstitutional and void,” and that the workers fired under it never ceased to hold their posts.

Of course, as Boucher recognized, the government has appealed the judgement, and a decision is still pending.

There were ongoing protests against the dictates of the Public Health (Amendment) Bill 2021.

The PSU President also recognized that since the WHO declaration and the ruling of the High Court that the mandatory

DOMINICA: TWO VINCENTIANS ON COCAINE TRAFFICKING CHARGES NO NEED FOR PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY

TWO VINCENTIANnationals have been denied bail by the Magistrate’s Court in Roseau, Dominica after they were arrested and charged with drug trafficking offenses.

According to the online publication Nature Isle News Service (NINS) of June 5, the men - Phillon Kevin Joseph and Jamel Cordice Delpeche both reportedly of Clare Valley, are charged with possession with intent to supply cocaine to another.

The incident is reported as having taken place on May 20, 2024, in Delice, Dominica, and involved 573,000 grammes of cocaine.

The NINS reports that the men, who are represented by Wayne Norde of the law firm of Norde & Lambert, opted for a high court trial hence they were not required to enter a plea.

The matter was adjourned to September 25, 2024, at La Plaine for the commencement of the preliminary inquiry.

The prosecuting team headed by police Sergeant

Boycott Yankey told the court that since the men were arrested at a hotel, and did not have a fixed place of residence in Dominica, they were a “flight risk” and granting them bail “was not in the interest of the state.”

He further contended that “the police were also in pursuit of another individual, allegedly another Vincentian, and granting the men bail would hinder the investigations.”

vaccine rule has been discontinued for “certain category of workers.”

However, he was adamant that the mandate was effectively still in place, especially for healthcare workers. He speculated as to why the government still has the country under a public health emergency for COVID-19 and part of the public service under the ‘Vaccine Mandate’ when, “People are just free going about their business.”

Continued on Page 23.

Sgt Yankey also reminded the court of the seriousness of the offense and its prevalence in the Dominica society.

However, their lawyer - Wayne Norde rebutted, stating that not being nationals of Dominica was not enough not to grant them bail and that they were “CARICOM” nationals.

In handing down her decision, Magistrate Pearl Williams stated that being apprehended at a hotel was enough grounds to hold that they had “no

In Dominica, the maximum penalty for drug trafficking and importation is $150,000.00 or three times the street value or a term of imprisonment not exceeding 15 years but not less than seven years.

significant ties on the island,” and after considering all the relevant information from the prosecution and defense lawyer the court ruled that bail is denied. (Source: Nature Isle News Service)

St. Clair Prince, Minister of Health, told Parliament that the government fired nobody.