ECCB TO PLACE CAPS ON BANK FEES
by DAYLE DA SILVA
AT LONG LAST, persons here will get some redress as it pertains to the fees being charged when doing transactions of one kind or another with local banks. This with the passing of an Amendment Bill to the Banking Act in Parliament on March 6. Minister of Finance Camillo Gonsalves, who moved the motion for the
Bill, said that among the provisions being added to the Banking Act, the amendment now allowed for the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) to place caps on the fees that banks impose on customers.
Back in 2022, Timothy Antoine, Governor of the ECCB, outlined measures to be taken to address the issue of bank
fees and charges.
Account holders, especially personal account holders, have been crying out for some time about the number of charges and the amounts affixed while not receiving commensurate interest on their accounts.
Governor Antoine said the ECCB was mindful of the concerns and had taken steps to prepare legislation to set up an ‘Office for Financial Conduct’ which he said will provide guidance and in some cases mediate and resolve issues that arise in respect of bank fees and charges.
A Basic Bank Account
Other provisions of the Bill include financial inclusion for all.
“Many of us complain about in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and across the region of how difficult it is to open a bank account,” Gonsalves said.
The revised Bill introduces the concept of a basic bank account, which he explained was free to open, and will not attract charges for deposits or withdrawals, but will attract interest and will not
be subjected to a minimum balance requirement.
It may be subject to a maximum balance however, because it was a basic account and it will not have an associated chequing or overdraft facility, the finance minister explained.
As such, owners of these accounts will not be able to conduct other types of large transfers and the like, he said.
Other measures
The Amended Bill, according to Gonsalves, is a shared set of amendments for members of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) to ensure that banks operated under the same set of rules and regulations.
The other provisions include the modernization of the scope of services offered by banks and now permitted licensed financial
institutions to engage in activities that they were not under the previous Act.
A provision strengthening the ECCB’s oversight powers over banks through the currency union, Gonsalves explained was a process of guidelines for banks that may be affected by the ECCB’s actions.
And the other major provision is the improvement of data protection, consumer protection and market conduct supervision.
“What this legislation does is insert into the Act consumer protection provisions and introduces market conduct supervision which is the regulatory process that would ensure financial consumers are protected from unfair business practices and helps to maintain the integrity of the financial system,” Gonsalves said.
Easterval
with them gifts and toys to be given as prizes for the participants of the races. The sports were mainly athletics but there were also netball, round dodge and cricket. The men organized All Fours and Dominoes. The ladies delighted in beach picnics because it was a time when they met with friends and family from overseas. The island’s economy got an economic boost with all the foreign exchange coming in.
Easterval was also a time to highlight the cuisine that was both unique to Union Island as well as representative of St. Vincent and the Grenadines as a whole.
dance was done to signal the official meeting of the two families. The wedding was usually on a Tuesday with much feasting. The wedding party usually attended church on the following Sunday and ate together again.
by ANTHONY G. STEWART,PhD
EASTERVAL,a unique Union Island festival traditionally involved mainly sports and cultural activities. It began with Stevedores, Union Island port workers living in Trinidad coming home during the Easter holidays. They brought
Above: Like every Caribbean Island Festival, Easterval now features a street party (jump-up) component with live bands or DJ music.
Sometimes the season was chosen to have a wedding and this was done the traditional way. There was the meeting up where the cake
Easter was also a favorite time for family reunions and these enhanced and complemented the Easter festivities. The opportunity was also taken to erect head stones to mark the burial places of beloved ancestors. But the glue that held everything together was the Easterval.
Because of Union Island’s ties to Trinidad, the steel pan enjoyed sporadic appearances at the festivities. When Lenox Charles introduced basketball, the young people took a liking to it and the game became one of the main attractions in the Easterval. Tournaments were organized among local clubs from which an Island team was chosen to compete against invited teams from neighboring islands.
Basketball, involving regional participation, was an integral part of the programme in the early years of the Easterval festival.
Then came the beauty contests. Queen shows were organized to display the beauty and talent of our young ladies in competition with invited participants from neighboring islands.
The cultural shows involved traditional dance, drumming and singing. The play highlighting historical folklore was an attraction.
Church services on Sunday were well attended and sometimes choir festivals and concerts were featured.
The festival was supported with a government subvention that complemented the gate receipts. Some sponsorships of specific events were usually secured. This allowed the organizers to break even.
Of late though, promoters have sucked most of the juice out of the festival. They gain much financial benefits by organizing high priced parties but contribute little or nothing to the Easterval Committee. These parties may carry names such as Black Pearl, Fire Fete, Wet Fete, Pool Party, Cast Away and White Party.
The restaurants and drinks vendors make much money feeding the hungry vacationers who have no time to cook.
Government funding has dwindled if it has not dried up completely. It is only fair that the party promoters and vendors make a reasonable contribution to the Easterval Commitee. After all their success is
because of the festival. The president should not be saddled with personal debt on account of the work done on behalf of the organization. The promoters have a moral obligation to liquidate this debt.
This year there will apparently be no festival because squatters still occupy the Ashton Hard court venue. The police lived there first and when they moved out, builders moved in. The Hard court needs to be repaired. Our people need to come out to play again. Those who lived in the facility, need to lead the way in restoring it.
Easterval was a time when residents of Union Island welcomed home family and friends from overseas.
The Miss Easterval Pageant, with participation from neighbouring Caribbean territories, became one of the major attractions of the modern day Easterval festival.
There was a time when the season of Easter/Easterval was used to have a traditional wedding that included the cake dance, an African ancestral practice, handed down through the generations from the days of slavery.
All Inclusive Fetes, usually wellpatronised, have become the ‘hallmark’ of the modern day Easterval festivities.
V News 3
DR. RALPH GONSALVES, the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, has declared his willingness to surrender his U.S. visa to facilitate the continued presence of Cuban doctors in his country.
This follows the US government’s announcement about visa restrictions for public officials from countries benefiting from the Cuban labour export programme.
Dr. Gonsalves was speaking at an opposition Peoples National Party (PNP) forum at the Errol Flynn Marina in Port Antonio, Portland, Jamaica, on Sunday.
In a bold stand for healthcare in the Caribbean, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines expressed his willingness to sacrifice his U.S. visa to maintain the presence of Cuban doctors in his country - medical professionals who play a vital role in the local healthcare
PM ready to give up US visa PM Drew tight-lipped on ECCB scandal
system, particularly like delivering essential services like hemodialysis at the Medical and Diagnostic Centre.
Dr. Gonsalves’ declaration comes in response to recent announcements by the U.S. government.
The U.S. now aims to restrict visas for foreign government officials, particularly targeting those who support or benefit from Cuba’s extensive medical program. This includes current and former Cuban government officials and individuals involved in the Cuban labor export initiative featuring medical missions. The policy expansion signals potential repercussions not just for officials but also for their immediate family members.
The presence of Cuban doctors in St. Vincent has been critical to providing necessary medical care, especially considering the
limited local resources. The Prime Minister underscored this during his speech, emphasizing that the loss of these professional services could have dire consequences for the population. The hemodialysis treatment currently provided for 60 patients at the Medical and Diagnostic Centre could be jeopardized without the support from the Cuban health brigade.
“If it is determined that you have to take away my visa and Eloise’s (his wife) visa, I want to say this publicly. I’m not looking for a fight with anybody, but we have to be honest and open about the hemodialysis, which we do in Saint Vincent at the modern Medical and Diagnostic Centre with these 60 persons. We told the Cubans there: I will not be able to offer that service. So, does anybody expect that because I want to keep a visa, I will let 60 persons from the poor and working people die?
Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister, in addressing a PNP Forum in Jamaica, declared that he was prepared to give up his US Visa to allow Cubans to continue working in SVG.
It will never happen.”
He indicated a readiness to challenge perceived injustices from foreign powers while defending what he sees as a humanitarian initiative beneficial to the SVG people. In this regard he referenced: “The Secretary of State of the United States of America has issued a statement that countries, which are complicit in his words, with trafficking persons involving Cuban professional, will lose their passport, their visas, and their families,” and stated that his country was not in any way involved in the exploitation of
any Cubans, comprising doctors and engineers, and that the Cubans themselves are not involved in any such practices.
“Now, I know we are not involving any exploitation of Cuban workers, and I know that the Cubans are not involved either, the Cuban government. I know the arrangements, and I believe that the Secretary of State is a good and decent man. And if he knows the facts, I’m sure that he will understand that we are not involved in that”, Dr. Gonsalves said. (Nationwide 90FM, Jamaica)
Editor’s Note: The following is taken from the St. Kitts-Times of March 7, 2025.)
ST. KITTS AND NEVISPrime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dr. Terrance Drew, has opted to withhold any direct comment on the spiraling controversy surrounding the astronomical cost of the official residence being constructed for the Governor of
Dr. Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, headquarters of the ECCB, has not been drawn into making a public comment about the million-dollar ECCB Governor’s residence.
the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB).
The unfolding scandal has ignited public outrage and political tension across the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU).
The issue erupted into the spotlight this week after a leaked letter from St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, addressed to the Chairman of the ECCU Monetary Council, surfaced in the media. The explosive correspondence raised pointed questions about the exorbitant price tag attached to the lavish residence project, which has reportedly ballooned to millions of dollars.
However, when pressed for a response on the matter, Prime Minister Drew remained guarded, stating only that the ECCB Monetary Council and the ECCB would issue an official statement in due course.
His silence has fueled widespread speculation and mounting calls for transparency from both the public and opposition figures, who view the unfolding saga as a glaring example of fiscal mismanagement at the highest levels.
The lack of accountability surrounding the project has sparked a regional firestorm, with many questioning whether the ECCB leadership and its governing council are acting in the best interest of the people they serve.
As the scandal continues to unfold, the region awaits the much-anticipated statement from the ECCB Monetary Council – and whether it will provide the answers the public demands or simply add fuel to the flames of discontent.
22 months for firearm possession
by HAYDN HUGGINS
A BEQUIA/BELVEDERE MAN was sentenced to 22 months in prison on Monday for firearm possession. However, the 28 days spent on remand was deducted from the sentence.
Chief Magistrate Colin John handed down the penalty at the Serious Offense Court.
Akeem Boyea had initially pleaded not guilty to possession of a 9 mm pistol without a license but changed
his plea to guilty when the matter was called on Monday.
The facts showed that around 12:20 a.m. on October 26, 2023, police were on mobile patrol at Belvedere when they observed a man dressed in dark coloured clothing, including a hoodie Jacket.
The police stopped the transport and disembarked. They approached the man whom they recognized to be Akeem Boyea.
One of the officers, dressed in plain clothes, identified himself as a police officer and requested a search, to which Boyea consented. Nothing illegal was found on his person, but a search of a black Lacoste one-strap bag that he was carrying around his neck revealed a black 9 mm pistol.
The officer showed the firearm to Boyea and cautioned him. Boyea stated that
Glen man on toy gun charge
AGLEN RESIDENTwas granted bail on Monday when he appeared at the Serious Offenses Court on an imitation firearm possession charge.
Osborne Jack has been charged with, that without lawful excuse, in a public place, he had in his possession an offensive weapon, to wit, an imitation firearm.
The offense was reportedly committed at Arnos Vale on March 6, 2025.
The charge was laid under Section 76(2) of the Criminal Code, Chapter 171 of the Criminal Code of the Laws of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Revised Edition, 2009.
Jack pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Colin John and was granted $1,500 bail with one surety.
The matter has been transferred to the Serious Offenses Court.
the gun was for his protection and that it was fake. The offense was pointed to him, and he was arrested.
The 9mm pistol is said to be one of the more popular handguns, legally or illegally possessed.
The gun was examined by ballistics expert Station Sergeant Julian Caine, who found it to be in good working condition, capable of firing 9 mm ammunition. When cautioned in the presence of Justice of the Peace Joel Woodley, Caine refused to give a statement. He also refused to initial the exhibit.
Massy Food Store/Supermarket, Arnos vale, the target for a 16-year-old thief.
Another Massy
theft: 16-year-old guilty
MASSYFood Sores here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines continue to prime targets, it appears, for shoplifter of all ages and sexes.
The latest nefarious act against the local investments of the Trinidad and Tobago headquartered TransCaribbean Corporation, was inflicted at their Arnos Vale outlet, on Febryary.6, 2025.
The report reaching THE VINCENTIAN said that a 16-year-old student of Brighton, was expected to be sentenced yesterday, Thursday March 6, after he pleaded guilty to the theft of four bottles of Hennessy
Cognac, from the place and on the date referenced above.
The value of the four bottles of the Hennessy Cognac was given as $1,051.67.
Interestingly, the report also disclosed that the four bottles were stolen on two separate occasions on the same day.
The student appeared before the Kingstown Magistrate Court on March 3, 2025, and pleaded guilty to the charge of theft. He was remanded in custody until yesterday when he was expected to be sentenced.
Tour Guide charged with theft
KEVIN ALLEN, a tour guide of Greiggs, could well be looking for alternate occupation given that he now carries a criminal record.
Allen trump up the record when he appeared before the Kingstown Magistrate Court on March 7, 2025, and pleaded guilty to two charges of theft.
He was sentenced to a prison term of two and a half months however, his sentence was suspended for eighteen months.
The court heard that on March 5, 2025, police arrested and charged Allen, a 23-year-old Tour Guide of Greiggs, with two counts of Theft.
According to investigations, the accused stole one (1) black Samsung A10s cellular phone, value $814.00ECC — the property of Coreas and Hazell Inc. He was further charged with the theft of one (1) Samsung A12 cellular phone, value
$399.00ECC — the property of Soniesya Charles, a 30-year-old Security Guard of Barrouallie. In Addition to his suspended prison sentence, Allen was fined $1670.60 ECC, $500.00 ECC to be paid forthwith with the remaining balance of $1170.60 ECC to be settled by March 31, 2025.
If he defaults, he will spend one year at His Majesty’s Prison.
Mr. Justice Winston Anderson
Justice Winston Anderson will assume duties as President of the CCJ in July 2025.
- New CCJ President
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE
WINSTON ANDERSON, Judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has been selected as the next President of the CCJ to replace outgoing President, the Honourable Mr. Justice Adrian Saunders, who will officially retire from office on 3 July 2025.
Mr. Justice Anderson is a citizen of Jamaica and Barbados. He obtained his Bachelor of Laws in 1983 from The University of the West Indies (The UWI). In 1984, he proceeded on the Commonwealth and Chevening Scholarships to Cambridge University, England and graduated in 1988 with a Doctorate in Philosophy majoring in International and Environmental Law. Also, in 1988, he was called to the Bar
of England and Wales, as a Barrister of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn and was called to the Bar of Barbados in 1989. Mr. Justice Anderson rejoined The UWI’s Faculty of Law as a lecturer in 1988 until 2003. During his tenure he served as Deputy Dean, Head of the Teaching Department of Law, and UWI Senior Lecturer in Law.
On 15 June 2010, Mr. Justice Anderson was sworn in as Judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice and is very active in the fields of judicial education and judicial reform. He is currently Chairman of the CCJ Academy for Law.
The decision to appoint Mr. Justice Anderson was made at the 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM
held in Barbados from 19-21 February 2025 with the Heads accepting the recommendation submitted by the Regional and Judicial Legal Services Commission (RJLSC). The RJLSC is an independent body responsible for the hiring, disciplining, and setting of employment terms and conditions for Court staff and Judges. In terms of the President of the Court, it submits a recommendation to the Heads of Government who then vote to select the President. A successful candidate must receive threequarters majority vote.
Mr. Justice Anderson was selected after a competitive process in which applications were received from six males and one female candidate from various Commonwealth states
including Barbados, Botswana, Jamaica/Barbados, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka.
Speaking of the selection, President Saunders congratulated Mr. Justice Anderson stating, “Justice Anderson’s wealth of experience, intellectual rigour, and dedication to the rule of law have significantly contributed to the development of the Court’s jurisprudence. His leadership will undoubtedly strengthen the CCJ’s commitment to delivering justice of the highest standard and furthering its mission to serve the region with independence, fairness, and integrity.”
It is anticipated that Mr. Justice Anderson will be sworn in as CCJ President on 6 July 2025 in Jamaica, thereby becoming the fourth to hold that post, the other being: Justice Michael de la Bastide who took up the mantle when the CCJ was established 2005 and served until 2011; Justice Michael Dennis Byron who served from 2011 to 2018; and Justice Adrian Saunders who served from 2018 and will retire in 2025. (Source: CCJ, Protocol Unit)
Trade & Industry
Flour Mill to boost Capacity
EXACTLYtwo (2) years after breaking ground, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines headquartered East Caribbean Group of Companies, ECGC, the leading exporter of flour, rice and animal feeds in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, OECS, has announced the completion of its new state-of-the-art flour mill, which will revolutionize regional flour production, from its headquarters in St. Vincent & the Grenadines.
Modern Design & Automation
ECGC says that this significant investment strengthens its position as a market leader in the region and instantly makes the OECS region a more competitive and efficient flour producer. The company broke ground March 1st, 2023, and after February 19th, commissioning, ECGC successfully transitioned to full independently staffed operations, in the new Mill March 3rd, 2025.
The impressive four-storey mill, designed by renowned Turkish firm Alapala, and equipped with cutting-
edge automation technology from Brazilian manufacturer Sangati, surpasses the capacity of existing plants in St. Lucia, Grenada and Barbados. This expansion significantly boosts ECGC’s production capabilities, ensuring greater efficiency and competitive pricing for customers across the OECS and Barbados.
CEO at ECGC, J. Robert Cato stated, “This Easter 2025, households, bakeries, hotels and restaurants throughout the region will be enjoying delightful baked goods made with flour from our new mill. This investment underscores our commitment to delivering high-quality flour at the best possible value to our customers.”
Efficiency and scale
Cato added, “We have built the biggest, most efficient, largest capacity flour mill in the Eastern Caribbean and no one will beat us on value to customer.”
He added, “This 5.5 million USD investment boosts our capacity by 35%, reduces electricity usage by 15%
and we get more flour extracted from the wheat milling process in less time,”
With the completion of the new flour mill in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, ECGC is not resting and is pursuing strategic expansion and partnerships to further expand its footprint across the region.
The new ECGC Flour Mill (Building) that was constructed by local contractors Sea Operations Ltd. with design work by
The company is exploring storage opportunities in St. Kitts & Nevis, Dominica, Antigua & Barbuda and St. Lucia, to establish new state-of-the-art warehousing to support feed and flour distribution centers. With the continued warming temperatures in the region occasioned by climate change, ECGC is moving towards climate-controlled warehouse investments with its distributors across the OECS.
“We are engaged in promising discussions with governments, private
sector stakeholders and investors across the OECS,” explained Cato. “There is significant capital which is attracted to these markets, and we have gauged that there is enthusiasm for investment in these key locations, which will allow us to better serve our customers and enhance our operational scale.”
This expansion strategy reinforces ECGC’s dedication to meeting the growing demand for flour and animal feed in the Caribbean while contributing to the economic development of the region. The new mill will be celebrated with an official ceremony in the second quarter of 2025. (Submitted by ECGC)
CARIFORUM-EU reviewing rules of origin
CARIFORUM Senior officials recently met with counterparts from the European Commission to continue discussions on the simplification of the rules of origin that govern trade in goods, under the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
The discussion took place during the Third Meeting of the Joint Working Group established to review the EPA Rules of Origin, chaired by, Ms. Margaret Ventura, EPA Coordinator, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade a representative of Belize the current Chair of CARIFORUM.
Under the CARIFORUM-EU EPA, CARIFORUM States can export their products duty free, quota free to a European Union Member State.
To benefit from this preferential treatment, companies from CARIFORUM States must prove that their products are manufactured using processes and or inputs that have been agreed with the EU. These conditions are usually referred to as originating criteria or Rules of Origin. They are contained in Protocol I to
Sean Tayloe, Trade in Goods Specialist CARIFORUM-EU EPA Implementation Unit, making an intervention at the meeting.
the EPA. The Cariforum Directorate is based at the Caribbean Community Secretariat, Rurkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana.
Turkish firm Alapala.
Tribute to Louise Charles – a heroine in the women’s movement
THE CARIBBEAN ASSOCIATION FOR FEMINIST RESEARCH AND ACTION (CAFRA) is deeply saddened by the passing of LOUISE CHARLES OF VERMONT, ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES. As CAFRA extends condolences to Louise’s family, we also take this opportunity to let you, her friends and mourners, know why we make this Tribute. LOUISE played an active part in building this outstanding regional women’s organization. –
CAFRA was founded on 2nd April, 1985, and its first major Project was the “Women in Caribbean Agriculture Project”, which commenced in 1988 in the countries of Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Researchers were carefully selected to gather the relevant information that would lead to making visible the contribution of women in Agriculture in both the Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) and the Gross National Product (GNP). In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Louise was a Key Informant on the status of agriculture in the Vermont Valley where she had her farm lands. She was a valued respondent throughout the information gathering period. Vincentian Researcher Ancelma Morgan Rose can attest to her being available for various workshops, and readily supplying insights from her own experience as a woman in Agriculture.
Ancelma writes thus about Louise: “She said that the Family should take comfort in the fact that she has made a positive contribution to the agricultural sector in this country and has left a good legacy which her loved ones and others can emulate. I met Louise in 1988, when I was an assistant researcher to the team of researchers
who were assigned with the tasks of gathering data in the first ever Women In Caribbean Agriculture Project, sponsored by UNIFEM which has been rebranded as UN Women. She was one of the respondents of that Project, while we the researchers had to live in the communities to observe their day to day activities and the important role that they played in their productive and reproductive duties. It was an awareness building exercise and also an important lesson for us as researchers and the respondents. In that way we got a better understanding of the important role played by women and the fact that most of these contributions are not recorded in the Gross National Product (GNP). Up to that period no sex disaggregated data was available. The
reproductive activities done within the home were not considered as work.
Louise was a stalwart, and an advocate for women’s right to inclusion. She spoke freely about some of the discrimination she and others had faced over the years as a female farmer. She had highlighted the gender biases that existed with regard to land tenure in that many women, although they had access to the lands that they farmed, had no title to these lands. She also spoke of the sexploitation many women faced by their male counterparts in exchange for labour on the farms. She also mentioned the importance of swaplabour because many of these women were engaged in subsistence farming and as a result they didn’t earn enough to pay others to assist
them with work on the farms”.
Through this Research, CAFRA charted its way into other projects addressing women’s issues, and representing women at the local, regional and international levels in CARICOM, the Commonwealth and United Nations. Sister Louise continued her advocacy as a member of the Committee for the Development of Women (CDW), the National Representative Organisation of CAFRA, and as a Member of the National Council of Women (NCW).
She was a Delegate to the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, China in September 1995 — almost thirty (30) years ago. The Beijing Platform for Action for the Advancement of Women is the outcome document from that Conference and
Louise made her contribution to that narrative.
Through this Tribute we honour the life and work of Louise Charles. As one writer says, “They are not dead, who live in our hearts, and are known by the footprints they leave behind. Louise has left positive footprints — May she Rest in Peace.
Nelcia Robinson Former Coordinator of the Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA).
Louise Charles – a stalwart in the women’s movement.
Managing Director: Desiree Richards
Editor: Cyprian Neehall
Telephone: 784-456-1123 Fax: 784-451-2129
Website: www.thevincentian.com
Email: thevincentianpublishing@gmail.com
Mailing Address: The Vincentian Publishing Co. Ltd., P.O. Box 592, Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Editorial
ECCB Governor’s Residence: ‘If the truth be told’
HAD OUR PRIME MINISTERnot jumped into the cup that was already steaming with that Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) Governor’s Residence ‘secret”, we might never have been made privy to what appears to be yet another one of those undertakings in our name, that would have slid by us with little or no fuss. Typical!!!
Thanks to Dr. Ralph Gonsalves for his letter addressed to Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Chairman of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Authority (ECCA), and to our friend who leaked that letter to the media, in the interest of transparency and accountability, watchwords of so many of our policymakers that decorate out political and governance landscape. The media have since taken ‘the leak’ to interesting and deepening proportions.
As per a KN Whoop source, information has arisen subsequent to the leaked correspondence, that the original estimate given for the cost of what is now purported to be an EC$22 million Governor’s residence, was as low as EC$11 million as advanced by a reputable Quantity Surveyor.
Further KN Whoop investigation unearthed that the bidding process that followed “acceptance” of the original estimate, threw up estimated costs varying through EC$14.7 million, EC$20.3 million, EC$20.5 million to EC$21.3 million. Are we to assume that a review of the original estimate was conducted, and on the acceptance of same that the estimate costs were rounded off at EC$22 million, using the highest bid as the base?
Whatever, all reports point to the undertaking to be estimated to cost EC$22 million all taken, with a rumoured Olympic-size pool or something not far off included in the ‘plan’.
The controversy has erupted leaving in its path a myriad of questions and concerns for the OECS. To ask those questions, to raise those concerns are our legitimate right so to do as citizens, taxpayers, consumers, whatever, of the OECS which the ECCB serves.
Why, after the project was so welladvanced, did Dr. Gonsalves choose to open Pandora’s box? The project didn’t start yesterday. Are we to assume that the Bank has no oversight (where’s the ECCU) and instead it is allowed to run willy nilly
Another sign our Police need help
with our finances doing what it pleases, when it pleases and for how much it pleases?
Is this revelation by Prime Minister Gonsalves a ‘hint’ of a change of heart on his part as far as what he now thinks of Governor Timothy Antoinea man he said himself, of “whom he had once admired for his intellect and Christian virtues, including prudence”.
He goes further and calls for consideration of whether Governor Antoine’s leadership is “tenable in all the circumstances,” tantamount to saying that the current, ‘could-dowithout’ circumstance warrants a review of Governor Antoine’s tenure and consideration for renewing/reviewing that tenure.
Why the attack on Antoine when it can be safely assumed, unless the ECCB has been a mauby shop all along, that the decision to construct a residence for the Bank’s Governor and the expenditure therein, (whether its EC$11 million or EC$22 million) must have had the approval of some body tasked with oversight of the Bank’s operations? It would follow that if there was/is an oversight body inherent in the operating structure of the ECCB, that that body would be the Eastern Caribbean Currency Authority, on which our Finance Minister and the son of the Prime Minister sits?
Was there no communication and if there was none, are we going to be sold on the explanation that some ethical consideration ruled against any exchange between Prime Minster/father and Minister of Finance/son?
Come on, come on, this is no time, and it is grossly unfair, to isolate the Governor and target him as the main culprit when in fact he is not, so to speak a ‘corporation sole’.
The blame for this extravagance, what Dr. Gonsalves described as “an absolute sandal” must be apportioned without any attempting to lessen its impact, squarely on the chests of those who comprise the ECCA.
Dr. Gonsalves’ call for “immediate action to prevent further damage io the bank,” pales in the face of the Governor’s Residence project insensitivity to the challenging socioeconomic times in the OECS basinspiraling cost of living, spiraling crime. The damage is done with a slim chance of repairing it.
I INITIALLY DID NOT INTENDto address this matter until I viewed the video. I believe we all know which video I am referring to–the one showing Mrs. Barnwell’s arrest. I approach this issue differently today, setting aside the urge to wait for the “other side of the story.”
I won’t engage in an internal debate with myself, weighing the pros and cons or right and wrong. The events in that video should raise serious concerns for many, including myself. I understand that there are varying perspectives on this issue, but I am writing this to those who may feel apprehensive after witnessing the footage. Please know that you are not alone in this sentiment.
I feel compelled to express my position clearly: The approach used by members of law enforcement is raising alarms for many of us. There appears to be a growing tendency to exercise excessive force, which seems to stem from frustration with their ability to address serious crimes in our communities. This is concerning and raises important questions about public safety, the right to free speech, and preserving our way of life.
In past experiences, we were taught to gather peacefully and respectfully, and the idea of anyone asking for personal information should not automatically escalate into a public disturbance. I saw nothing on the video to suggest the lady was causing any disturbance.
If you’ve been to Kingstown recently, you may have seen members of the Special Service Unit carrying “long guns” while on patrol. The presence of such weapons of war on our streets is alarming to me. However, we are not alone in this new phenomenon. You can visit some other Caribbean islands, especially during the tourist season, and you will see the same. Some are more visible than others. Are we at war?
As we try to improve the relationship between our police and community, a show of military might is not the way.
Most encounters with the police during their regular duty will not require force but diplomacy. So, what do they need to know? Our police need to be trained in the art of conflict resolution and how to deescalate tension between our people and the police. Here are some key elements of de-escalating conflict that
our police should consider incorporating into their training: active listening, maintaining a calm demeanor, using empathetic language, respecting personal space, offering options, speaking slowly and avoiding confrontational body language, and trying to understand the person’s perspective. For every call the police receive, the goal must be to reduce tensions and gain voluntary compliance through communication rather than force.
Unfortunately, in this video, none of these tactics were on display. Some of the things we heard on the recording were precisely the opposite. So next time, Officer, please use your words, not your muscles. Ask openended questions to understand the situation at hand. On that day, your actions did not show a willingness to understand the problem; in fact, it seems clear that you came to the scene to arrest someone. And that you did. I will not go on lecturing you and the rest of the police department on conflict resolution or any other basic human decency behavior. You can get that from various sources other than me, and I am not naive enough to think you will listen to me anyway.
So, I share this with our people: Do not assume that when the police show up in a situation you are involved in, they are there to resolve the issue; they are there to arrest you if you do not comply with their demands.
To those officers looking for tips to help on the job, I shared these tips with my staff some years ago. Some of them may still apply. If you’re in a situation where there’s no immediate danger, here are four essential steps to keep in mind:
* Look at the situation: Consider whether there’s any risk or if things could get out of hand.
* Stay calm: Keeping cool can help prevent the situation from worsening. Your emotions can affect how the other person behaves.
* Be patient: Give the person plenty of time to share their thoughts. Sometimes, just listening can help everyone calm down.
* Ask for help if needed: If you feel unsafe or overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to call for backup.
These steps can help ensure that interactions are handled smoothly and safely.
Horatio
The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Satan and the Most High government
WHEN THE RIGHTEOUSare in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked beareth rule, the people moan. (Proverbs 29:2).
This is the Divine way for PM Gonsalves and the nation to judge good governance. It takes a wicked leader to transgress wholesome laws and oppress and victimize its citizens. It is the highest form of iniquity. It is a demonic mindset against the working class of this country if a government has to go to the law, to prevent civil servants from feeding themselves and their families.
As regards the government vaccine mandate, is it the citizens’ money that the government pays handsomely to lawyers to suppress the workers. Is this compatible with the British Garifuna genocide on Balliceaux?
The Most High is going to hurl the ULP leader and government out of power (if there is no repentance), and they will be forgotten. He will take other people, though poor and despised and unpopular, and install unto them power and wisdom, and they will prosper and establish a righteous government that will bring about justice, unity, and peace in our beloved Hairouna.
Christian Democrat
Fetes promoters for government
I MUST AGREEwith the first part of your editorial of last week. The NBC Staff, and I noted you said staff, deserve all the praise for organizing another successful LOVE BOOGIE. And as you said, Mr. Editor, we must not forget the promotion that caught the entire nation by storm – young and old, man and woman, every chick and child. Well, it seems, we have to think seriously about what we do very well in our country. The NBC Staff leads the way, but is one thing, generally speaking, that we do well in this country and that is, to promote and organize concerts and fetes. When last have you heard about one of these
events that ‘bus’?
When the promoters ‘done’ with the minds of their intended patronage, the money for the tickets, money for drinks, money for new outfits regardless of how very little it takes to go to some of these fetes, money seem to drop out the sky. Tell the same people to find money to do other things like buy schoolbooks or even to give to some charity and is like pulling teeth, as ‘de ole’ people used to say.
These organisers have a lot of things to attend to in getting the concerts/fetes going. They have to attend to the logistics (and thanks Mr. Editor for explaining what this means) like
Venezuela is wrong
COULD YOU imagine Venezuela slamming other countries for it moving against vessels operating in Guyana
waters, vessels that have the permission to do so?
How could you ever think that you are in the right when you have
PEOPLE ARE ASKING:
* Are some of our merchants and large food operators practicing ‘shrinkflation-, i.e. the process of items shrinking in size or quantity while the prices remain the same, like decreasing the number of chicken wings in bag but not changing the price?
* Could somebody please explain what is holding back the naming of our next National Hero?
* How much longer must we wait for the government to introduce a System of National Honours?
* Is there an Appeal Court judge in the region who is a dear and close friend of the wife of a sitting PM?
* Can the past students of the Richmond Hill Government School and other schools that were transformed into secondary schools file a legal claim for deprivation of an alma mater?
* If the NDP wins the next election, would Senator Shevern John be made the Minister of Sports?
* Is there any plan, by the ULP or the NDP, to expand our road network to accommodate the drastic increase in the number of vehicles on our roads?
* Who really owns all those trucks that carry the AECON logo?
* Was Marlon Samuel a member of the DVG delegation to the 48th Caricom Summit held in Barbados?
* Are works at a state-owned entity being remunerated accordingly for having to work six days a week, i.e. more than 40 hours a week?
encroached on another country’s sovereign territory?
As far as I am concerned, Venezuela is wrong, wrong and wrong for having moved into Guyana waters and threatening whomever Guyana has authorized to be there.
Our region is a zone of peace. We will not allow any country to bring any kind of threat into our midst and not condemn it.
That is why, Mr. Editor, CARICOM has condemned Venezuela regardless of how many individual Heads of Government might want to genuflect to Venezuela because they think they are benefiting from some deal under ALBA. I am yet to see how oil from Venezuela has helped to bring down my electricity bill. It is clear that our Fuel Surcharge has
nothing to do with all the oil concessions we were supposed to be getting from Venezuela.
If Venezuela has any respect for international law and what was agreed at Argyle, it would accept that it has no legal right to enter into Guyana waters and harass and intimidate anybody or vessels in those waters.
And by the way, who is protecting these gangs who recently attacked and injured six Guyanese soldiers?
We must remain strong in our (CARCOM) support for Guyana against a country that has the largest oil reserves in the world but seems to want to increase that at the expense of Guyana’s newly found oil fields.
James.
technical things (sound and lighting), transportation, décor, musicians, licensing, bar management, and security. These require special skills — management skills and many of the people who handle these have never seen the grounds of any university.
That is why, Mr. Editor, it wouldn’t be a bad idea if we got some of these concert/fete promoters and organisers to run our government. The thing is that these people deliver, which is something we cannot say that our elected members of parliament do regularly. At the end of every five years, we follow the same routine
and for the next five years we complain… things hard.
I don’t hear the people who go to these fetes complaining when the fete done. So, what do we have to lose by changing the people who we put to govern our national affairs?
Ah know this might sound like a joke but what you think we doing for the last five years? I gone.
Charles, Edinboro
Cutting USAID Aid
FOR THOSEwho don’t know, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provides non-military aid throughout the developing world. It is, in our case, a benefactor of our Basic Needs Trust Fund that has provided assistance to constructing and equipping preschools, as one example.
Arbitrarily stopping all USAID payments means an end to programmes such as those fighting malaria (500,000 children under the age of five die each year — approximately 1 per minute), water projects, agricultural projects, democracy projects, anti-diarrhea projects (diarrhea kills a lot of children), food relief and education projects to name a few.
The reduction in aid also extends to funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. This programme has saved an estimated 25 million lives worldwide in the last 21 years.
What Trump is doing to people’s lives here and around the world is immoral and against all that the USA stands for.
Trump said ”radical lunatics” are running USAID; I think they are running the White House.
And with Trump cutting aid to small fledging island states like our, will the Chinese and Russians fill the void.
Paul, Jamaica.
Welcome home Balliceaux
ON MARCH 4, 2025,the quiet publication of a second declaration in the Government Gazette heralded a revolutionary act of nationalism, historical reclamation and justice: The Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines had acquired the island of Balliceaux, and returned that sacred site of tragedy and triumph to the Vincentian people.
This is no small feat. From the date of the exile and imprisonment of Garifuna warriors and their families on Balliceaux almost 230 years ago, the island has been a possession of foreigners. In the four and a half decades since Saint Vincent and the Grenadines reclaimed our independence from the British, Balliceaux has been a stubbornly visceral reminder of the powerful lingering legacies of colonial exploitation and injustice. Our persistent calls for reparatory justice for the genocide committed against our indigenous people are anchored in the colonial killing of almost 2,500 Garifuna people on Balliceaux.
When the British arrived in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, they immediately recognized the Kalinago and the Garifuna (whom they called the “Yellow Charibes” or the “Black Charibes,” respectively) as a threat to the money-making potential of our country, and set about to eliminate them.
The effort to eliminate the Garifuna was earnestly led by Sir William Young. Young was a British colonial administrator, owner of enslaved Africans, and the president of a commission whose job was to sell lands in Grenada, Tobago, Dominica, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Long before wars with the Garifuna and the ultimate genocide, Young zeroed in on the fact that the existence of the Garifuna on Saint Vincent were an impediment to his ultimate purpose: to sell their land. Writing to London in 1765 — three decades before exile to Balliceaux — Young complained “That the Charaibs are altogether uncivilized, and the Blacks particularly of an idle untractable disposition,” that their scattered villages “interfere much with the laying out of plantations for sale” and that the course of action that would be “the safest and most for advantage of the colony” would be to “offering at the same time other lands in Bequia, where they cannot be hurtful, in lieu of those they quit; but not permitting them to take up any land again in any other part of St. Vincent’s.”
Even though Young’s initial effort to move the Garifuna to Bequia was overruled because the island lacked rivers and fresh water, he never abandoned his idea of forced relocation of the true owners of Vincentian patrimony. Indeed, it is ironic that, in 1765, Bequia was deemed too inhospitable to the Garifuna, but that by 1796, the colonial powers were willing to imprison humans on the far more desolate island of Balliceaux.
Six years after his original relocation plan failed, Young proposed a plan to “reduce [the Garifuna] to obedience” by sending a “sufficient military force” to build roads through Garifuna land, relegating them to “lands for their subsistence,” and “to sell the remainder.”
Our history records that that, for years, the Garifuna consistently and creatively resisted this British attempt to “reduce them to obedience,” and that the resistance led to the outbreak of the so-called Second Carib War. William Young realized that the unconquerable spirit of the Garifuna would resist any attempt at colonial subjugation. Recognizing that the Garifuna would not peacefully succumb to British
intimidation, or accommodate themselves to white supremacy, Young presented London with a stark choice:
“[We] declare the sole alternative to be that the British planters, or the Black Charaibs, must be removed from off the island of St. Vincent’s.”
This is where Balliceaux enters the national consciousness. The colonial government in Saint Vincent and the planters who coveted Garifuna land decided to exile the indigenous inhabitants of this island. British historian Charles Shephard records that “inhabitants held a general meeting with the Governor to discuss the measures proper to be adopted towards the Caribs, when it was proposed that the small island of Balliceaux… should be appropriated for their temporary reception.”
The British tried to move the Garifuna to Balliceaux, with promises that “they would be supplied with a sufficient quantity of provisions and water for their support, and in their ultimate removal they would be furnished with every convenience necessary and essential to their future existence.” Again, our ancestors resisted.
The son of our slain national hero Joseph Chatoyer was among those who rebelled against this plan of forced relocation. When soldiers arrived at his village to “persuade the Caribs to submit,” young Chatoyer led the villagers into the forests around Grand Sable. The Garifuna again took up arms, and when a platoon of 30 British soldiers went to subjugate them, they met 200 armed Garifuna warriors, who declared “that they never would submit to the English, and that they did not revolt so much from the prospect of death as from the idea of submission.”
These warriors, and hundreds more like them, were all heroes in the anticolonial and liberation struggles that forged the indomitable Vincentian spirit of resilience and resistance. That spirit survived genocide, and has survived through the centuries, as a bequeathment of the Garifuna to their modern-day descendants here in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The British took up a policy of surrounding Garifuna villages with military personnel and starving the inhabitants into submission. They would then capture these hungry and weakened people and forcibly relocate them to Balliceaux. A British doctor named Dickenson noted that the majority of the Garifuna were in an “emaciated state” when they arrived — weakened and susceptible to disease. Dr. Dickenson also observed that Balliceaux was inhospitable to life, and that the British promises of adequate food were false. Dr. Dickenson bluntly stated that the island was “by no means favorable to the comfort and convenience of its new inhabitants, who regard the luxury of immersion in fresh water, an indispensable necessary of Health. Neither does Baliseau afford those fruits and vegetables which constitute a principal part of the diet of these people.”
What happened next was a crime against humanity. Dr. Dickenson tallies 2,412 deaths among the so-called Charibes over five months of imprisonment on Balliceaux: 12 in August
in September
It’s time to end violence against women and girls
(Excerpts of Laverne Velox’s presentation at NDP Women’s Arm Conference)
A SEX OFFENDER is a person who has committed a sex crime. The majority of convicted sex offenders have convictions for crimes of a sexual nature. Some of the serious crimes which result in a mandatory sex-offender classification are sexual assault, statutory rape, child sexual abuse, buggery, incest, and rape.
On December 1, 2017 the Searchlight Newspaper reported that St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) may soon have legislation that will allow names of sex offenders and perpetrators of domestic violence to be published. This was disclosed by a former Minister of Social Development, during a news conference, held on November 27, 2017 by the Ministry of National Mobilization and Social Development, to launch a 16-day campaign in SVG to end violence against women and girls.
He said then that discussions were ongoing to have perpetrators of domestic and sexual violence tagged and they would be published as soon as the requisite legislation came to the fore…It’s now March, 2025. Once again, the ULP Government has failed. It has failed the victims of sexual offenses by not using the legislation to protect them against predators and abusers.
The Ministry of National Mobilization and Social Development is currently headed by a woman, who in my humble opinion, should be championing the cause of victims of sex crimes and advocating strongly for a sex offenders registry. Some empathy is required from the minister then the expectation is that it will be followed by real action. Not the usual lip service talking for talking sake. The sexually abused women of SVG need to be protected…the girls of SVG need to be protected and the boys of SVG need to be protected. Children are being robbed of their childhoods and forced to grow up too quickly because some insecure men who cannot relate to adults took away their innocence. We need a Sex Offenders Registry now!
I can assure you that a Dr. Godwin Friday led New Democratic Party (NDP) Government will establish a Sex Offenders Registry so our women, our girls and even our boys can be safe from sexual predators in their communities. Sometimes naming and shaming them is the way to go. Let’s not forget that sexual violence, for the victim, can result in but not be limited to: guilt, shame, self blame, embarrassment, fear, distrust, sadness, vulnerability, isolation, self loathing and suicide.
The NDP is cognizant of all the ills associated with being a victim of a sexual offense and we pledge to do everything possible to eliminate or drastically decrease the incidences of this scourge in the short term. I’d also take this opportunity to laud the relentless efforts of Mrs. Nailah JohnPrince to have a sex offenders registry established in SVG.
Age of Consent
The age of consent in SVG is 15 years. My personal view, which I’m
confident is shared by everyone here, is that 15 years is too young for a ‘child’ to give consent to having sexual intercourse. You noticed I stressed child because at this age she should be immersed in her school books contemplating CSEC. A child of 15 years is not eligible to make NIS contributions far less indulging in adult activity which can alter her life forever. Here I refer to pregnancy/abortion and sexually transmitted diseases. At 15 years, which child is psychologically ready for motherhood? She’s not employed so there’s the possibly more hardship on poor and vulnerable families to provide for a baby.
Are we paying attention to the number of 15-year-olds that go ‘missing’ ever so often? You know why? They legal! They have no consideration for their parents who are sick with worry when they go missing. The entire nation worries about them then they surface a few days later like nothing happened. That’s because they don’t know their danger. When parents don’t know where you are or who you’re with they don’t know where to look, or who’s responsible for you. The men who encourage you to run away from home don’t love you. They’re using you for their personal gratification and to satisfy their sick carnal desires. What causes this behaviour from our young girls? You’re not doing well in school. Every school aged child needs to know that the NDP has a plan for you even if you’re not academically inclined. You will have the opportunity to learn a skill so you can earn a living. Honestly. Don’t be lured by the promise of a cell phone, eyelashes or a weave... Maintain your dignity! Love yourselves. Think about your future.
The incoming NDP Government under the astute leadership of Honourable Dr. Godwin Friday will review the age of consent legislation to protect our young girls from sexual violence and sexual exploitation.
Sexual offences in relation to children
Children under fifteen years of age cannot in law give consent to sexual intercourse and a wide range of other sexual activities. They are however vulnerable to sexual violence and sexual exploitation.
It is a criminal offence for anyone to have sexual intercourse with a child who is under fifteen years of age. This is commonly known as statutory rape. It is also a criminal offence for a person to attempt to do so. There are stringent penalties for offences against children, even more so where the child is under thirteen years of age. If a parent or guardian of a child causes or encourages that child to be sexually abused, that parent or guardian commits a criminal offence and may be imprisoned for seven years. The penalty for having sexual intercourse with a girl who is under thirteen years of age is imprisonment for life. If a man or boy has sexual intercourse with a girl who is above the age of thirteen years but below the age of fifteen years, he may be imprisoned for five years.
Unsung Heroes: Quiet forces behind positive changes
“In our world of big names, curiously, our true heroes tend to be anonymous. In this life of illusion and quasiillusion, the person of solid virtues who can be admired for something more substantial than his wellknownness often proves to be the unsung hero: the teacher, the nurse, the mother, the honest cop, the hard worker at lonely, underpaid, unglamorous, unpublicized jobs.”Daniel J. Boorstin (1914-2004) American historian at the University of Chicago.
AS THE CITIZENSof St. Vincent and the Grenadines prepare to celebrate National Heroes Day on 14th March 2025, there is understandably a focus on individuals who have made a significant positive contribution to the nation’s history. The name Joseph Chatoyer, national hero of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, is especially lauded and revered at this time of year. This prominent 18th century Garifuna (Black Carib) chief played a pivotal role in resisting British colonial rule during the First Carib Wars in 1772. This uprising was well planned and implemented. It resulted in the British having to sign a treaty in 1773, making it the first time Britain had been forced to sign an accord with non-white people in the Caribbean since the 1739 Maroon treaty in Jamaica.
However, it readily became evident that the British were not honouring the terms of the 1773 treaty and, as a result, Chief Chatoyer and his brother Duvalle again rallied their forces to resist the British encroachment in 1795. Supported by the French, the Carib warriors advanced along the coast to rendezvous with their French allies at Chateaubelair on the Leeward coast of mainland St. Vincent. They then proceeded to Dorsetshire Hill and strategically positioned themselves for the attack on the British-held capital, Kingstown. However, the British forces, led by General Ralph Abercromby, launched an attack on the Black Carib position at Dorsetshire Hill on 14th March 1795. The British historians noted that Chatoyer was killed by Major Alexander Leith in a skirmish on that day. Devoid of Chatoyer’s leadership, the Black Caribs were subdued and surrendered by October 1796. Many of the Black Carib survivors were deported to the island of Baliceaux in transit to their final destination of Roatan in Honduras.
Vincentians are justly proud of our National Hero, Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer. We recognize his many successes against a military force that was better equipped than his own. However, his fortitude and strategic leadership gained him the respect and admiration of many throughout the years. That being said, there are many individuals whose efforts and prowess go unnoticed; individuals who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make significant differences in our lives and society. These are the unsung heroes whose accomplishments may never be chronicled but are carved into the fabric of society through the lives that they have impacted. We applaud the sanitation worker who, although drained and tired, commits to the timely removal of our garbage. We note the teacher who remains after class to offer extra help and encouragement to a struggling student.
Our unsung hero may also be a healthcare worker who commits to providing tender care to the sick and indigent. We are grateful to the volunteers who serve at the hurricane shelters seeking no recognition or praise. We appreciate the lone aging farmer who struts to the mountain early in the morning to plant, care for, and harvest the sweet potatoes, eddoes, and dasheen that adorn our Sunday plates. We note the missionaries who leave the comfort of their homes and many of the conveniences that make life easy, to introduce the gospel to communities that would otherwise not know of God’s grace and His mercy. These individuals embody the essence of selflessness as they commit to others and, in doing so, strengthen the fabric of our society.
We admire and recognize these unsung heroes. They are not driven by the desire for financial reward, fame, or recognition. They are motivated by a genuine desire to help, support, and improve the lives of others. Their dedication, determination, and humility are what make them truly astonishing. They do not seek compliments but pursue along the path to their noble dreams and ambitions committed to impacting lives for the better. They know that their influence is extremely valuable although often unseen.
We all have opportunities to impact the lives of others for good. Each of us, with a commitment to intercept with positive intent, can touch the lives of others, especially the young, and be considered as an unsung hero also. We are reminded of the words penned by Helen Keller (1880-1968), the blind and deaf author and lecturer, who said, “The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.” Each of us, regardless of how insignificant we may perceive ourselves to be, can be heroes to those around us as we walk the moral highroad of integrity, honesty, courage, perseverance, kindness, gentleness, peace, and so on. We need no big titles to do so. We do not have to achieve outstanding academic credentials or possess a string of letters behind our names. We do not have to be members of a club or a prestigious profession. We do not have to be parliamentarians or hold high offices in business or government. You and I, with our “tiny pushes”, can add value to the lives of those around us. We are presented with numerous opportunities to influence the lives of others daily; to be someone’s hero. The true measure of heroism is not in the recognition received but in the positive difference that we have on the lives of others, creating hope in the hopeless and inspiring the failed to try again. In doing so, we readily discover that we can be that quiet force behind positive changes.
Send comments, criticisms & suggestions to julesferdinand@gmail.com
Imagine the Global South without Cuban assistance
FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY, Cuba’s medical missions have been a beacon of hope, a lifeline to the forgotten and forsaken across the Global South. Cuban doctors and nurses have brought healing, compassion, and solidarity from rural clinics in Jamaica and the Caribbean to remote villages in Africa and Latin America.
Yet, in an astonishing display of hypocrisy and imperial arrogance, Marco Rubio has dared to smear this noble effort as ‘forced labour.’ Lord Jesus, what is this Rubio saying?
Is this ignorance or deliberate deception? Has Rubio ever set foot in one of the struggling clinics where Cuban doctors work tirelessly to save lives? Has he ever spoken to the communities that would be left to die without their presence? Or is he so blinded by his commitment to empire that he cannot see the suffering of the poor?
This is not merely an insult. It is an act of calculated cruelty, a direct assault on those most in need. Rubio’s words are not just a lie. They are a US visa weapon aimed at dismantling one of the few global healthcare systems that prioritise human dignity over profit. This is the same brand of American deceit that covertly sneers at our nations as ‘sh***’ while ensuring that we remain shackled to their overpriced pharmaceuticals and predatory medical systems. And who benefits when Cuban doctors are driven out? The poor? Or the rapacious private healthcare industry that thrives on their suffering?
Rubio – a man whose servility to empire is rivalled only by his lust for political favour – dares to criminalise Cuban doctors. At the same time, his government upholds a global health apartheid that rations care based on wealth and geography. Where was Rubio’s outrage when Big Pharma refused to share life-saving COVID-19 vaccines with the developing world? Where was his voice when US sanctions strangled medical aid to Venezuela, Iran, and even Cuba itself?
But even more disgraceful than Washington’s wickedness are the Jamaican sycophants who bow, scrape, and grovel, pretending that this vicious assault on our healthcare lifeline is somehow principled policy. Have we no memory? Are we so eager to please our imperial masters that we will abandon those who have stood by us in our darkest hours? The true allies of the Caribbean people are not those wielding American visa sanctions as weapons against the sick and vulnerable.
Cuba’s medical missions are not just a service. They are a moral triumph. For decades, Cuban doctors and nurses have worked tirelessly in some of Earth’s most wretched spaces, often at great personal sacrifice. They have healed the sick, trained local healthcare workers, and saved countless lives. Does he care? Or does he only care about pleasing the same warmongers who would rather see us beg than stand on our own feet?
I know this not from theory, but from lived experience. Cuban doctors and nurses helped my fellow Jamaicans at the woefully underresourced Port Antonio Hospital to save my life more than once. Is that forced labour, Rubio? Or is it what real humanity looks like?
This is not “forced labour”; this is solidarity. It embodies the Cuban Revolution’s commitment to humanity,
which has endured despite decades of relentlessly brutish US sanctions and hostility. What kind of nation punishes doctors for healing the poor? What kind of leader weaponises lies against those who save lives? Cuba’s medical missions are a testament to the power of compassion over greed, of cooperation over exploitation. They are a rebuke to the neoliberal order that treats healthcare as a commodity rather than a human right.
Rubio’s attack on Cuba’s medical missions is not just an attack on Cuba; it is, by design, an attack on all of us in the Global South who have benefited from their generosity. It is an attack on the principle that no one should be left to suffer or die simply because they are poor or live in a so-called “sh***” country. Rubio, what exactly do you propose as an alternative? More IMFimposed austerity measures that gut public healthcare? More suffering?
Jamaica–and CARICOM–must not cower. We must not allow Rubio’s lies to go unchallenged. We must not betray the Cuban doctors and nurses who have stood by us in our time of need. Are we a people of dignity, or are we content to be Washington’s lapdogs? Do we value our sovereignty, or will we let empire dictate who gets to save our lives?
Cuba’s gift to humanity is not for sale. It is not a commodity to be traded or a weapon to be used in geopolitical games. It is a lifeline, a beacon of hope, and a reminder that another world is possible.
I have seen Cuban compassion firsthand. I have witnessed the power of solidarity and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of relentless US government malevolence. Cuba’s unwavering commitment to the Global South is a moral triumph, and Rubio’s disgraceful attack on it is yet another imperialist crime against the most vulnerable. But will we remain silent? Will we let empire dictate our reality? Or will we rise, defend our allies, and proclaim that justice, not servility, defines who we are?
Rubio’s is the voice of empire, dripping with hypocrisy and arrogance. It is the voice of a man who would rather dish out harm in US State Department shovelfuls to see the poor suffer than acknowledge the humanity of those who seek to heal them. But it is also a call to action, a reminder that we must stand firm in our commitment to justice, compassion, and solidarity.
Jamaica and CARICOM must rise to this challenge. We must defend Cuba’s medical missions, not just for what they have done for us, but for what they represent: the belief that healthcare is a human right, that no one should be left behind, and that another world is possible. Are we ready to fight for this truth? Or are we too busy bowing to our masters?
Cuba’s gift is a testament to the power of compassion, solidarity, and hope. It is also a rebuke to the imperial arrogance of men like Marco Rubio, who would rather see the world burn than acknowledge the humanity of those who seek to heal it.
Rubio’s is the voice of empire. But it is certainly not the voice of the American people. And it is most certainly not the voice of justice.
Send comments, criticisms & suggestions to jomosanga@gmail.com
A Guest column by DENNIS MINNOTT
What Trump 2.0 could mean for the Caribbean Region
by RAHYM R. AUGUSTIN-JOSEPH(Mr.)
About the writer: Rahym AugustinJoseph is the 2025 Commonwealth Caribbean Rhodes Scholar. He is a recent political science graduate from the UWI Cave Hill Campus and an aspiring attorney-at-law. He can be reached via rahymrjoseph9@ gmail.com.
The article that follows is an extract from a longer article that was first published in the Caribbean Trade Law and Development Journal.
ON NOVEMBER5th the Caribbean watched with bated breath, the outcome of the US Elections, knowing that the results of the global superpower, would have significant and decisive implications for the future of the Caribbean, because of America’s tremendous influence and leadership in global multilateralism. Of course, the common refrain is that ‘if America coughs, the Caribbean catches the cold.’ Notwithstanding, both the candidates lacking any particular and comprehensive plans for our region particularly in the trafficking of illegal firearms which is causing havoc in our streets, the Caribbean watched with a keen eye.
But, as it was clear that Donald Trump had won the US Presidency, for the second time, Caribbean leaders such as Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Andrew Holness, Philip J. Pierre, Philip Davis and others, posted their congratulations, in signs of diplomacy,
most noting that their countries remain committed to strengthening the close and enduring friendship and partnership with the US. The diplomatic niceties however could not obfuscate the questions they have, and the Caribbean people have about what it would mean for us and the stability or instability of the global international order.
As such, what will Trump 2.0 mean for the Caribbean?
Immigration
Trump’s immigration policy, according to him would see the largest domestic deportation operation in human history of millions of illegal immigrants.
For the Caribbean, and Haiti in particular, this is troubling, because Trump’s inward-looking policies will devastatingly affect all who flee from war, climate crises, strife, political upheavals and the collapse of their states in search for a better life or the American dream, which has sustained the economic prosperity of America. This use of excessive force against already vulnerable and marginalised populations is testament of Trump’s disregard for human dignity and rights.
Of course, it is easy for us to sit in comfort and say that ‘they should enter legally now or that they should return to their countries.’ That is a privileged position as our countries are not facing the life-threatening issues that Haiti and others do, requiring
individuals to flee, as a condition of survival. Who feels it knows it!
But have we for one moment, considered that it is also a global responsibility to ensure integration of displaced peoples, in tandem with our humanitarian and civil rights requirements, particularly in circumstances where the US has also contributed towards this destabilisation and has an opportunity to cure these wrongs? At least in Haiti’s case for certain. But, Trump may only compound the problem, making the work of the Expert Group more difficult, if he refuses to assist, but also if he increases his Haitian animus. Remember his eating the animals’ comments, and how they were poisoning the blood of America, ignoring the diversity of America.
What is even more certain is that Trump may not provide support for the improvement of the Haitian state, such that migration is an option, and not a necessity.
It will also now become almost impossible to gain a legal path to citizenship, as even those who have become citizens by marrying an American citizen or their child is a ‘dreamer’ are at risk of deportation, thereby further decreasing their quality of lives causing migration issues for the Caribbean.
The implications for the Caribbean are a general sentiment of fear of migration and lack of belonging as they search for a better life, and a concomitant fear by those who voted
for ‘closed borders’ of all who are not of the blood of America i.e., also Caribbean peoples. But, more directly, if there are Caribbean peoples who are ‘illegal immigrants’, working and providing remittances to their families back home, one can potentially see a massive reduction in the country’s remittances income, which contribute towards healthcare, education among other areas. The reduction will exacerbate poverty, which has wider economic impacts for the Caribbean economy. Further, there may be deeper fiscal and political strains on other Caribbean countries which would not be able to handle this sudden migration flows.
Already, there are reports in mainstream media which suggests that certain Caribbean countries such as the Commonwealth of Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and Grenada have all denied the Trump’s transition teams proposals to deport migrants to these third countries, recognising the inability and difficulty to deport them to their home states. These countries have probably already made an analysis of the political, fiscal and ‘security’ constraints of this proposal and determined that their country is unable to handle this influx. But, even without a determination by these Caribbean leaders, there are international human rights considerations which should have been assessed prior to such requests being made. But this request and its attendant failure necessitates a rethinking of this policy position to deal with the immigration issues in a manner which is respectful to international human rights norms and laws, which ensures human dignity and protection.
One would have to continue to follow these developments to see the extent to which this American offshoot of the ‘British Rwandan scheme’ which met its demise in the courts and with the election of Sir Keir Stramer would extend to other parts of the world. It would be interesting to see where next will President Elect Trump turn to house the ‘deportees’ and what the American people who have voted for such immigration policies believe of the early indications of this policy failure?
But, these issues of immigration should never be divorced from the underlying race relations, which as a region whose population is predominantly black should still be of concern to the Caribbean, particularly as President Trump in his last term was apathetic in his condemnation of these incidents which sparked the BLM and is ignorant and tone-deaf to institutionalised racism in the United States.
The Caribbean region as a whole through their political leaders need to engage the President on the abovementioned.
Schools uplifted by Taiwanese assistance
ON FEBRUARY 27TH, 2025,the Taiwanbased charitable organization “TX Foundation” held a series of ceremonies under the leadership of its president, Mrs. Liza Lin.
Together with CEO Ms. Freda Miriklis and secretary Ms. Anna Hsieh, they attended three ceremonies: the completion of a culinary vocational classroom and equipment at West St. George Secondary School; donation of assistive devices for visually-impaired at Fair Hall Governmental School; a science laboratory and equipment inauguration ceremony at Troumaca Ontario Secondary School. The total value of the donations amounted to nearly USD 110,000.
Hon. Curtis King, Minister of Education, along with H.E. Fiona Fan,
The spanking new science laboratory at the Troumaca Ontario Secondary School.
Ambassador of R.O.C. (Taiwan) to SVG co-hosted these three ceremonies, which were attended by senior educational officers as well as the principals and hundreds of teachers and students from three schools. Hon. Keisal Peters, Minister of Social Development and Hon. Carlos James, Minister of Tourism, respectively attended the ceremony at West St. George Secondary School and Troumaca Ontario Secondary School, witnessing the donations.
Ambassador Fan expressed appreciation for the charitable efforts of the TX Foundation in retrofitting classrooms and donating educational equipment. She emphasized that this Taiwanese foundation helps to foster mutual understanding and interaction between the people of Taiwan and SVG. The bilateral friendship will endure, and she encouraged the students and faculty of the schools to actively apply for Taiwanese government scholarships to pursue degrees in Taiwan in the future.
The
dully
Minister King appreciated that TX Foundation practically
School.
improved the education in SVG in representation of SVG government. He underscored the importance of technical and vocation educational training (TVET), hoping students to acquire proficiency in a particular field through education. He believed students from these three schools would keep TX Foundation in mind when using classrooms and equipment.
The TX Foundation has previously made donations to schools and hospitals in Asia, South America, the Caribbean, and Africa. Last year, they headed to the Caribbean, announcing projects of donating educational equipment in countries such as
Suriname, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. The classroom retrofitting and equipment donations in Saint Vincent were part of this project.
(Source: Embassy of Taiwan, Kingstown)
SimplyHelp Foundation makes another donation
Some of the equipment, supplies and assorted items that comprised the
H.E. FIONA HUEI-CHUN
FAN, Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on behalf of the SimplyHelp Foundation handed over donations of supplies to Hon. Keisal Peters, Minister of National Mobilisation, Social Development, at West St. George Secondary School on 27th February, 2025.
Hon. Curtis King, Minister of Education and National
Reconciliation, Officers from Ministry of Education, over 150 teachers and students, and people affected by Hurricane Beryl were invited to witness. Roughly 200 participants were present.
The donation, equivalent to a 40-foot container of equipment and an assortment of items, including shoes, toys, sport equipment, nutrition supplements, wheelchairs, etc., was estimated to value over US$66,000.
Amb. Fan gave her special thanks to SimplyHelp Foundation, a non-profit charity organization located in Los Angeles, California, USA, founded by TaiwaneseAmerican businesswoman Ms. Tina Bow. In addressing the ceremony, Amb. Fan said that Taiwan and SVG have enjoyed 44 years of unbroken, profound friendship and robust
collaboration across various field.
She underscored the fact that the collaboration has impacted the health, agriculture and education sectors, and in this regard, made special mention of the construction of the Arnos Vale Acute Hospital (AVACH), introduction of young farmers to advanced smart agriculture, and Taiwan’s scholarship programme.
SimplyHelp Foundation’s generosity and contributions over the years have strengthened that bilateral relationship, Amb. Fan acknowledged.
Hon. Peters expressed appreciation for SimplyHelp Foundation’s generosity. She cited that no sector has been excluded from the Taiwan-St. Vincent and the Grenadines relationship, and recognized the fruitful achievements as a result. (Source: Embassy of Taiwan, Kingstown)
Photos courtesy Embassy of Taiwan, Kingstown
Aids for visually impaired students in the Special Education programme at the Fair Hall Government School.
H.E. Ambassador Huei-Chun Fan addressing the handing over ceremony.
From left): Ambassador Fan, Ministers Peters and King, and Reps. Of SimpleHelp Foundation at last month’s donation exercise.
donation.
remodeled and
equipped culinary vocational classroom at the West St. George Secondary
Animal Cruelty and Human Violence
THIS LAST WEEK there was a lot of outrage being expressed on social media and radio programs concerning a video featuring some police officers in plain clothes, with sticks, standing over a dog. While two officers appeared to holding down the dog, which appeared to be already incapacitated, one the two officers seemed to have his hand at the dog’s neck. Shortly after, the animal was seen to be put into a bag and thrown into the back of a pickup vehicle. There were two other live dogs in close proximity to where this activity was taking place.
Eyewitness reports allege that the dog cried out in agony when it was hit, and that a number of other dogs were killed similarly, put into bags, and thrown into the back of the same pickup truck, in what appears to have been an ‘eradication’ exercise. It is common knowledge there has been a recurring problem of fleas and dog bites associated with some stray dogs that frequent the tarmac area in the vicinity of the schools located there, and the issue had become a political talking point.
Police aggression
Around the same time this video was being circulated last week, another video was making the rounds on social media. This time it featured a young woman filming herself at the offices of the Service Commission while apparently seeking to formally tender her resignation as a teacher. It was not long before the video was obscured by some police officers arriving on the scene and immediately proceeded to aggressively remove her from the facilities.
The scene that played out was captured by the audio of that tape. The young lady featured in the video, according to some reports, may have been experiencing post-partum depression, which could have been the cause of her ‘acting out’. Whatever the circumstances there are numerous ways that situation could have been handled or deescalated without the involvement of the police.
Reports of acts of aggression by the police against members of the public
are common. Many of these reports involve situations that could have been dealt with differently and without the use of force. It begs question: are the police being used as the ‘go to aggressors’ to quell any disturbance or situation regardless of the circumstances? And who would have given the order to kill the animals, and why did the officers choose to do so in such a violent manner? The one element that is certainly present in the handling of both scenarios is the lack of empathy for the victims by the police.
Change of attitude needed
The authorities need to change the manner in which they handle these types of situations. In the case of the dogs, the problem could have been handled more humanely had the authorities engaged the assistance of the VSPCA to remove the animals from the area in a more humane manner. That didn’t happen because there is zero support for the work of the VSPCA by the government. Added to the complexity of the situation is that the recently introduced ‘Dog Law’ contains little or no protections for the animals. Therefore, when some iguana hunters killed my dog in my yard a few months ago by shooting it in its neck with a pellet gun at point blank range and injuring another in similar fashion, they were not committing a crime that could trigger any serious attention by the authorities. The ease at which this act was carried out suggests that the young men who committed that act of violence against my dogs are no strangers to other criminal activities.
In handling the matter involving the young female teacher, one would expect that human resource personnel are engaged at ministerial levels to handle these kinds of situations involving the public. All it would have entailed was a small amount of diplomacy by engaging the young lady in the privacy of an office and allowing her to air her grievances while reassuring her that her concerns
would be addressed. Right there the situation would have been deescalated. Instead, the police officers chose to deploy brute force to an otherwise nonthreatening situation. The common thread that exists at the core of those scenarios is the total lack of empathy for the victims involved.
Many among us are critical of animal rights activists, arguing that we should be less concerned about ‘dumb animals’ when many among us are suffering. To this, it is important for those persons to understand that although not all animal abusers go on to abuse humans, the two are not mutually exclusive. We also have a moral responsibility to defend the rights of the vulnerable, defenseless, and voiceless human beings and animals among us.
are employed to keep the peace, not to wage war against innocent citizens, and certainly not to perpetrate such acts of violence and cruelty against defenseless animals. There is reason to be outraged!!
by Marlon Mills
The issue of institutionalized aggression on the part of the police in the manner they go about their duties is very troubling. It puts into question the role of police officers and the kinds of orders that are being handed down to the rank and file of the force, and how it affects their overall mental health and wellbeing. Police officers
We have had our fair share of reports of police aggression/high-handedness. (Photo is not of local police officers)
A man beating a dog with a stick as captured in a painting of 1848. Are we locked in the past?
I was ignored
Dear George,
MY GIRLFRIENDwon a free cruise for two. When I asked her when she would want us to book, she responded: “Who us?”. I told her that I assumed it would be both of us going, only to hear her say she was not sure whom she would be choosing to go along with her, but she might take her sister.
We argued about it, but she held firm. How could she not consider taking me along with her? I’m wondering if she has plans to take another man and is just using her sister as an excuse. If I find out that it is so, I’m taking my exit from the relationship. This is giving me sleepless nights.
Suspicious.
Dear Suspicious,
Your petty jealousy is what is
causing your sleepless nights. So, what if she chooses to take her sister and not you? Isn’t she entitled to some time away from you?
Be happy for your girlfriend; she has a great opportunity to strengthen the bond between her and her sister.
If you cannot trust your girlfriend to be away from you for the duration of a cruise, how do you plan to trust her for the rest of the years you two might have together?
Trust is very important in a relationship and if you are having trust issues, it could be you are not ready for a healthy relationship.
George.
Rumours about being HIV+
Dear George,
I BROKEup with my boyfriend about two years ago and he promised to make my life a living hell. I dumped him for being unfaithful. Since we broke up, he has been spreading rumours that I am HIV positive but he is not. Because of these rumours, I cannot find a man. He has sent text messages to the men who have shown interest
in me. I have had myself tested and have my printout to prove I’m clean but that does not matter to him. How can I get him to stop doing this terrible thing to me?
Frustrated Ex.
Dear Frustrated Ex,
One sure way to put a stop to this is to take legal action against your Ex for defaming you. Let
him answer to this; let him present the proof of you being HIV positive. It is sad and shameful what he is doing but continue to be strong and affirm yourself. You know there is nothing wrong with you and you will survive this desperate effort to damage your character and reputation. Hold your head up!
George
Trust makes a difference
Dear George,
MY BEST FRIENDcame to me with a story that my boyfriend slept with her and that she was sorry for falling into his trap, and how her conscience would not allow her to sleep knowing what she did. She said he even told her that she satisfies him in bed better than I do. All I asked her was if he wore a condom and she said yes.
George, I did not have to confront my boyfriend because I trust him completely.
About a week after the conversation with my best friend, I heard from a friend of hers that she had made the whole thing up, just to get me to leave my man. I hope
she is reading this. Still in Love.
Dear
Still in Love,
Hats off to you for understanding how important it is to trust your partner, and not to entertain third party information regarding your personal business/relationship.
Nipping that in the bud was the correct approach and you did so in an unusual but very effective style. Always keep in mind that there are people out there who are after what you have and would stop at nothing to get it.
George
Leisure
ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20)
Help elders in your family. You have your own family to consider as well. Go after your professional goals. Do not get involved in joint financial ventures. Be aware that minor accidents or injury may prevail if you are preoccupied.
TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21)
You can easily impress others with your generous nature. Emotional relationships will be plentiful if you attend group activities. Take care of the needs of elders in your family. You can continue to forge ahead if you make a few long distance calls pertinent to closing pending deals.
GEMINI (May 22-June 21)
Try looking into new ways to make extra money. Be cautious handling tools, machinery, or dangerous objects. Look out for yourself this week. Make some notes regarding the changes that you should make.
CANCER (June 22-July 22)
Socialize with friends, but don't overspend on lavish entertainment. Let them know what your intentions are. Hold your temper and refrain from doing anything that might cause injury. You will have a tendency to exaggerate, which will lead to major confrontations with loved ones.
LEO (July 23-Aug 22)
Be careful to avoid wrong doings. The emotional state of peers may cause a problem for you. Travel opportunities must be taken advantage of. You need to get out if you want to meet potential partners.
VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23)
You can get a promotion if you put in a little extra detail. Update and review your personal investments. You can find out interesting information if you get a chance to talk to people you respect. Get more involved in group efforts at work.
LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23)
Minor health problems will flare up if you don't take care of yourself. You need to do something energetic and different. Take care of any pressing health problems. Sudden romantic connections may be short lived.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22)
Offer consolation, but don't give them any direction. You may have personal problems, but professional duties might be pressing. Consider selling your homemade crafts at the flea market. You may have problems with those you live with.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21)
A passionate encounter with your mate should help alleviate that pent-up energy. Don't exhaust yourself or minor health problems will set in. You may be out of sorts If you have been extravagant or have let children or friends take advantage of you financially. Take whatever time you can to get to know each other all over again.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20)
Plan to visit friends or relatives. You can discuss your intentions and ideas with your colleagues or friends this week. Do not yield to children or relatives when they really don't deserve it. Don't allow your lover to take advantage of your good nature.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19)
Beware of colleagues who don't have your best interests in mind. Spend some quality time with your lover. Daydreaming will be your downfall. Your own small business on the side sounds pretty lucrative.
PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20)
Be prepared to have relatives or close friends introduce you to new and exciting individuals. You could easily lose your temper at work. Don't push your opinions or ideas on others. Your emotional attitude with respect to your status and direction in society may be unrealistic. Don't bang your head against a wall.
ACROSS
1.Blank 5. Driver’s ID issuer
8. Rickles or Knotts
11. The “A” of “A-Rod”
12. Shad __ 13. Group of raked leaves
14. “__ Ha’i” 15. Cause disaffection
17. Critical examiner 19. “Casablanca” role
20. Green and pekoe
21. Shelley work
22. British potato chip
24. Consecrated
28. __ Paulo (Brazilian city)
29. Very wide shoe width
30. “I’ve __ enough!”
31. Peeved
34. Dreads
36. Berlin’s land (abbr.)
37. __ cuts 38. “__ keep”
40. Runway’s spot
43. Soaking 45. Impresses
46. Ship parcels
47. NYC transit org.
48. Soak through 49. Mommy’s three
50. __ capita 51. Betting term
DOWN
1.Rum cake
2. Actor Ladd 3. Connection 4. Outcasts
5. Lady’s garment
6. Majority 7. Kitty doc 8. Loud noises 9. Gymnast Korbut 10. Born 13. Loses color 16. Excursion 18. Bark snappishly 21. Juan’s “rah” 22. 1860
Piercing spot
Dentist’s degree (abbr.)
Always, poetically
Was a girlwatcher
Bark
Representing
City on the
Fourteen records fall at IPSAC semis
FOURTEEN RECORDS were rewritten when the semifinals of the 2025 National Lotteries Authority Inter-Primary Schools’ Athletics Championships (IPSAC) were staged on Wednesday, March 5, at the Diamond Track Facility.
The records include six individual marks and eight in the relays.
Among those reset was the Under-11 Girls 100m, which is in the hands of Azaiah Richards of Questelles Government, as she bettered Skylah Francis’ 2022 effort of 11.81s, lowering it to 10.71s. Clifford Phillips of Stephanie Browne
Primary timed 10.27s in the 11-13 Boys 80m, eclipsing the previous
Cato eclipses National Under20 TJ record
J’AVIAR CATO has signed his name in the record books, as the new holder of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Male Under-20 Triple Jump record.
This, when he registered 15.22m at the Corporate Are High School Championships in Jamaica, last Saturday, March 8, 2025.
Competing for Jamaica College, Cato, apart from setting a national record, took gold at the championships held at the Ashenheim Stadium.
It meant that Uroy Ryan’s 15.02m established in 2022, has been dashed.
best of 10.31s, done by Chrisroy Stowe of Paget Farm in 2023.
Also, Canouan Government’s Tre’on Cato holds the Under-9 Boys 50m record, as his 7.98s made history of Aaron Francois’ 8.03s of 2023.
Meanwhile, Tiana Duncan of the St. Mary’s RC is the custodian of the Under-11 Girls 300m, as she clocked 49.23s, beating Katriel Bailey’s 2023 effort of 50.36s.
Similarly, Elton Sandy of Kingstown Preparatory stopped the clock at 46.64s, erasing the 47.60s ran by Mark Dells in 2023, for the Under-11 Boys 300m.
the six records.
Kingstown Prep’s lot include the Under-11 Boys 4 x 80, which the quarter lowered to 45.89s, from the 47.24s set by Stephanie Browne in 2022; the Under-11 Boys 4 x 150m, that was reduced to 1:28.56, from 1:31.97 done in 2022 by Stephanie Browne; and the 11-13 Girls 4 x 200m, setting a new mark of 1:59.15, from the previous best of 2:02.30, accomplished by Stephanie Browne in 2022.
Stephanie Browne is the new holder of the 1113 Boys 4 x 80m. The record now stands at 42.97s, which erased the 44.26s, set by Questelles Government in 2023.
Tiana Duncan of the St. Mary’s RC will take a record run of 49.23s in the Under-11 Girls 300m, into the finals.
Cato who has already made Team Athletics SVG’s qualifying standard for the Triple Jump for this year’s Carifta Games set for the Hasley Crawford Stadium, Trinidad and Tobago, over the Easter weekend (April 19 — 21), had double delight at the championships.
On Saturday, he recorded 7.21m in the Long Jump, surpassing the minimum 7.10m, according to Team Athletics SVG’s A standard for the Carifta Games.
Cato who will be attending his third Carifta Games aiming for a podium finish.
In his debut year in the Bahamas, 2023, Cato placed fifth in the Under- 17 Long Jump, and in 2024 in Grenada, he was sixth in the Under-20 Triple Jump.
Joining the records parade was Clifford Phillips of Stephanie Browne, whose 39.40s in the Under-13 Boys 300m dumped the 40.76s of 2023 done by Henley Bushay.
Relay records
As for the relays, Kingstown Preparatory was the front runner, accounting for three of
Stephanie Browne also added the 11-13 Boys 4 x 200m record, with a 1:52.04 clocking, dismissing Paget Farm’s 2023 time of 1:52.07.
Putting their names on the list was the Kingstown Government School.
That school’s 48.54s in the Under-11 Girls 4 x 80m, outstripped the 2023 mark of 48.57s of
Tiana Duncan of the St. Mary’s RC will take a record run of 49.23s in the Under-11 Girls 300m, into the finals.
Stephanie Browne, claimed in 2022.
The Kingstown Government also took the Under-11 Girls 4 x 150m, with a time of 1:32.57 extending by some distance the record held by Stephanie Browne, when that school timed 1:36.50 in 2022.
And Lowmans
Windward Anglican’s 38.10s in the Under-7 Girls 4 x 50m, eclipsed Questelles’ 38.99s ran in 2023. The 2025 IPSAC finals are slated for March 19, at the Diamond Track Facility. Kingstown Preparatory are the defending champions.
Snagg gets Level 1 Squash certification
VINCENTIAN-
JULES SNAGG was among ten coaches who were part of a three- day World Squash Federation (WSF) Level One Coaching Course in Jamaica, March 7 to 9, 2025.
Snagg, along with a coach each from the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands, as well as seven from the host country, were part of the certification course held at the Liguanea Club, in New Kingston.
Sponsored by the Federation of Pan American Squash, the course was facilitated by Colin White, a World Squash Federation and European Squash Federation Level 1, 2 and 3, certified coach and tutor.
The objective of the course was to increase the number of certified coaches in the region., an objective that is shared by President of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Squash Association- Amber Glasgow.
“We are always faced with a
Jules Snagg (left) during Friday’s session of the Level One Coaching course.
significant challenge when our national coaches migrate. While our players having been trained under these coaches, the absence of a certified coach leaves gaps. So, to prevent this from reoccurring, we have prioritised coaching education and certification, to ensure continuity with our athletes’ development,” Glasgow posited and committed
her Association to increasing the pool of certified coaches.
Glasgow views Snagg’s recent certification as a great boost to the association’s Youth Development programme, as he is an integral part of that process.
Snagg joins Jada Ross and Jason Doyle, who in 2024, received their Level One certification.
Vincy Heat/Grenada draw Friendlies
Koby Mingott put Vincy Heat ahead in the 42nd minute of the second game.
VINCY HEAT, this country senior men’s football team preparing for their important Gold Cup Qualifiers against Jamaica, drew 1-1 in each of their two recent international friendlies with Grenada.
Both matches, the first on Thursday 6th March and the second on Sunday 9th March, were played at the main Arnos Vale Playing Field.
In a modest display of football by the local team in front of relatively small crowds, it appeared that the Vincy Heat players were on a mission to first impress the coach rather than securing victory. In the first game, Keston Williams scored in the 81st minute for the
visitors. An own goal in the 83rd minute handed Vincy Heat the equalizer for a 1-all draw at full time.
In the second game, in which St. Vincent and the Grenadines dominated possession, Koby Mingott put the host ahead in the 42nd minute. A conversion by Lukus Ankis from the penalty spot in the 62 minutes levelled the score which remained 1-1 at the end of full-time.
Vincy Heat had several opportunities to regain the lead in the second half, and Grenada threatened late in the game, but neither side could find a breakthrough before the final whistle.
Both teams will now turn their attention to upcoming competitive fixtures.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ next match is on March 21 when they face Jamaica National Team, i.e.
Reggae Boyz, in a Concacaf Gold Cup Qualifier beginning at 7pm at the Arnos Vale playing field. The return leg is slated for March 25, at Sabina
Park, Jamaica. Grenada will resume their 2026 World Cup qualification on June 4 against the Bahamas.
The Vincentian and Grenadian national football teams have now met
in 26 previous matches, where the scales are very even with nine victories for each team with eight draws.
Vincy Heat eyes Jamaica encounters
AN EVALUATIONof the two international friendlies against Grenada, finding the right blend of players and an intersquad match, are just some of the plans, Head Coach of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Senior Men’s Football TeamEzra Hendrickson has mapped out ahead of the Jamaica clash. (See accompanying article)
Lots
Ezra Hendrickson – Head Coach of Vincy Heat is now tasked with coming up with the right mix for the encounters against the formidable Reggae Boyz of Jamaica.
Hendrickson and his technical staff had a look at the locally based players in two friendly matches versus Grenada, March 6 and 9, as they seek to find the right mix of overseas and locally based players.
In a summary assessment of the matches, Hendrickson pointed out the need to be more clinical, as both matches ended in 1-1 draws.
“The ball movement at times was good (but) we have to be more clinical in the box. We created chances in both games, not half chances, clear chances but won’t put away in the six-yard box,” Hendrickson analysed.
Noting the importance of the matches, the Coach noted, “These games were for us to look at the local guys who have been training for the past couple of months, seeing who is going to lay claim to a spot when we face Jamaica. So, when the foreign base comes, you get the right mixture to mesh to pick a team.”
As far as a priority area of work in the coming
of ‘seconds’
for TT Junior team
ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINESfinished second overall in the LQ Classic Junior Table Tennis Tournament, held from the 7th to the 9th March, in Grenada.
St. Lucia emerged overall champions winning all the categories except the U13 and U15 boys singles.
The Vincentians captured those titles: Macahlie Hazelwood took the U15 Boys title and OranJay Williams the U13 Boys’.
Twelve-year-old Loukhya Premraj belied her age by taking second place in both the U19 and U15 Girls’
singles.
She then teamed up with Jessica McCarter, who finished 3rd in the U19 Girls singles, to take second place in the Open Doubles for Girls.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines took second and third places in the Boys’ Open Doubles through Lamont Gregg and Machalie Hazelwood, and Terence Ashton and Kimoni Shoy respectively.
Romano Spencer, coach of the SVG team, said the players returned home with their heads held high.
“The players went into the competition calm and
days, Hendrickson said, “We have to work on our speed of play. It has been five months since we last played together, so it will take guys a couple of days to get back into the frame of things. We need to be on the same page going into the Jamaica match.”
An inter-squad simulation match is set for the Arnos Vale Playing Field, this Friday, March 14, 2025.
According to the Head Coach, “The plan is next Friday, 7pm, on the 14th, just like we will play on the 21st, we will have an inter-squad scrimmage to continue to give guys games, and to make sure we are ninety minutes fit. It is a matter for us to pick the coaching staff and I to pick 24/25 players who we think is the right mix”.
The winner of the ties between SVG and Jamaica advances to the Gold Cup finals in the USA, June 14 to July 6.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines reached the Gold Cup in 1996.
confident, looking to put in some work and get results for the training they put in at home. This is a fairly young team in both age and overseas competition experience. However, with this being their 2nd outing except for Jessica McCarter, the more the
players are exposed to overseas competition, Table Tennis in SVG has a bright future.”
Meanwhile, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Table Tennis Association will conduct another round Junior ‘selection matches’ on March
15 and 16, 2025.
The process is aimed at selection of a team to participate in the Caribbean Youth Table Tennis Championships in Barbados, April 20th - 26th, 2025.
I.B.A. ALLEN
I.B.A. ALLEN
Action in the 26th meeting between SVG and Grenada, played at the Arnos Vale Playing Field, March 9, 2025.
The SVG contingent to the 2025 LQ Classic Junior Table Tennis Tournament. Top performers were Macahlie Hazelwood (extreme right), OranJay Williams (2nd from left front) and Loukhya Premraj (2nd from right front).
Centuries galore in Regional 4-Day Cricket
A TOTALof eight centuries were scored as Windward Islands Volcanoes, Barbados Pride, Guyana Harpy Eagles and Trinidad and Tobago recorded victories in the 4th round of the Cricket West Indies four-day cricket Championships, which concluded last weekend.
At the Darren Sammy Cricket Stadium in St Lucia, host Windward Islands Volcanoes beat Leeward Islands Hurricanes by an innings and 60 runs.
Volcanoes
Ryan John also had a century, 109 for Volcanoes.
clocked up 480 in their lone innings - Shadrack Descarte 119, Ryan John 109, Kenneth Dember 75 not out. Fast bowler Oshane Thomas took 4 for 66. Gilon Tyson, 5 for 45, and Ryan John, 4 for 42, proved to be Leewards undoing. They closed on 195, West Indies openers Mikye Louis getting 84. Justin Greaves’ 67 managed to take the Leewards’ second innings to 225, Shadrack Descarte taking 3 for 58, and John helping himself to another 2 wickets.
Kensington Oval in Barbados. Scores: Pride 428Roston Chase 122, Jason Holder 39 and 28 without loss; CCC 262 - Damel Evelyn 110,
Joshua Bishop crowned his allround prowess with 102 for West Indies Academy.
Kieran Powell 45, Roston Chase 5 for 70, and 93; Akeem Jiordan 50, Kamil Pooran 36, Jomel Warrican 5 for 59 having had 3 wickets previously.
At Sabina Park, Jamaica, Guyana Harpy Eagles beat Jamaica Scorpions by 214 runs. Scores: Jamaica 44, Ronaldo Alimohamed, 6 for 17, and Mial Smit, 4 for 21, combined to humble Jamacia to a first innings total of 44, and 274 Kirk McKenzie 147, Brandon King 53 ensured they did better in their second innings of 225 - Gudakesh Motie 4 for 69, Ronaldo Alimohamed 3 for 43, Veerasammy Permaul 3 for 50. Guyana’s first innings featured 116 from Kelvon Andersons and 61 from Matthew Nandu 61 with Odean Smith returning 5 for 67. Tamarie Redwood 2 for 110, Marquino Mindley 2 for 36 and 193 for 3 declared. Tagenarine Chanderpaul 74 and Anderson 50 not out helped Guyana to
Shadrack Descarte made 119 for the Windward Volcanoes.
declare their second innings at 193 for 3. At the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antiqua, Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) beat West Indies Academy (WIA) by 125 runs. Scores: West Indies Academy 268 - Joshua Bishop 102 and Carlon BowenTuckett 71, Yanic Cariah 3 for 37, Khary Pierre 3 for 66, and 152; Ackeem Auguste 30, Bryan Charles 6 for 47; T&T 304Joshua DaSalva 120, Khary Pierre 42, Johann Layne 5 for and 241 Cephas Cooper 55, Yanic Cariah 54. Kelvin Pitman 4 for 48, Rivaldo
Joshua Da Silva, TnT Captain/Wicketkeeper batsman has helped himself to three centuries in his last three consecutive matches.
T&T take Women’s Super50 title
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO(T&T)
beat Barbados by 7 wickets to take the 2025 edition of Cricket West Indies (CWI) CG United Women’s Super50 Cup, which concluded March 7.
Barbados, crowned champions in the previous edition of the Tournament, was held by the spin attack of T&T to a mere 71 all out from 29 overs; Asabi Callender accounting for 26 of that total. Retired WI off spinner Anisa Mohammed took 3 for 17, Skipper Karishma Ramharack 2 for 12 and Amrita Ramtahal 2 for 5. T&T eased to 75 for 3 from 23 overs - Djenaba Joseph 28.
Guyana beat Jamaica by 82 runs to take the third-place play-offs. Guyana registered 182 for 8 from 50 overs, the highest total for the final round of matches, with Realeanna Rrimmond getting 71, Cherry-Ann Fraser 47, Neisha-Ann Waisome taking 3 for 25 and Roshana Outar 3 for 27 for Jamaica, who replied with Jamaica 100 from 31 overs: Waisome
21, Nyia Latchman 4 for 15.
Windward Islands defeated Leeward Islands by 71 runs to finish 5th in the six-team table. Jannillea Glasgow, 50, contributed in the main to Windwards’130 from 34 overs. Davronque Maynard, 4 for 20, returned the best figures for the Leewards. The Leeward ladies had no answer to Afy Fletcher’s leg spinner, 5 — 12, and managed a paltry 59 from 21 overs - Shawnisha Hector 24.
Afy Fletcher continued to weave her leg spin magic with another 5 wicket haul (5/12).
All matches were played in St. Kitts.
Stories: I.B.A. ALLEN
Clarke 2 for 23, Johann Layne 2 for 35 and 241; Cephas Cooper 55, Yanic Cariah 54. Kelvin Pitman 4 for 48.
Trinidad and Tobago CWI CG United Super50 Cup Champion.
Still no answers to KingÊs removal
From Backpage
There being no Magistrate available at the time, he asked Justice of the Peace Kenneth John to sign the document, which John did.
Deputy CoP Joseph said he had no knowledge of the identity of the police officers who went to the prison to collect King or who sent them.
When THE
VINCENTIAN asked Prosecutor Pierre on February 25 why the Prosecution withdrew the immigration charges, he said it made no sense continuing the matter because King was already removed from the state.
Senior Immigration Officer Veronica Harry told the inquiry on Monday that the Chief Immigration Officer Beverly Walker told her
that she (Walker) acted on instructions from the Attorney General (AG) to withdraw the charges.
But when THE VINCENTIAN contacted Attorney General Grenville Williams, he denied the allegation and made it clear that “the withdrawal of charges
lies squarely within the Jurisdiction of the Direction of Public Prosecutions (DPP)”. UP to press time Wednesday, efforts by THE VINCENTIAN to reach the Royal St. Lucia Police Force by phone were unsuccessful.
AI REAL ESTATE
STILL NO ANSWERS
TO KING’S REMOVAL
Vincent and the Grenadines, in defiance of a Court order on February 12.
King, who was facing four immigration charges, had pleaded not guilty to the charges when he appeared at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on February 12, and Prosecutor Shamrock Pierre objected to bail. Senior Magistrate Tammika McKenzie upheld his objection and ordered that King be remanded until February 24 for bail review.
However, when the matter was recalled on February 24, King could not be produced, and the Court heard that he was removed from the state.
This development prompted Magistrate McKenzie to conduct an inquiry to determine who gave instructions for King to be removed and how it was done.
However, to date, pertinent questions surrounding King’s removal are still unknown, notwithstanding the release by the RSVGPF, dated March 7, 2025.
The release stated, “During the time of his (King’s) detention, the RSVGPF received credible information from the Royal St. Lucia Police Force that Mr. King was wanted in that country (St. Lucia) in connection to several heinous murders.
A warrant for the arrest of Mr. King, issued by the High court of St. Lucia was dispatched to the authorities in St. Vincent and the Grenadines”.
The release added that, “In an effort to facilitate the suspect’s appearance before the High Court in St. Lucia, Mr. King was repatriated back to his home country”.
by HAYDN HUGGINS
UP TO PRESStime Wednesday, pertinent questions remained unanswered, even after the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force’s (RSVGPF) recent response to the removal of St. Lucian national Chester King from St.
The inquiry was held on February 24 and was expected to continue the following day but was discontinued on that day, after McKenzie granted an application by Pierre to have the charges withdrawn under section 68 of the Criminal Procedure Code based on instruction from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The release continued, “Although some missteps were made during the process, none of them were done out of disrespect for the Court. This was done purely out of the exigency of the situation, and the national security concerns associated with the presence of the wanted suspect in St. Vincent and the Grenadines”.
During the March 24 inquiry held in relation to King’s removal, Supt. of Prisons Dwayne Bailey told the Court that the prison acted on a production order for King to be handed over to the police, so that he could be sent back to St. Lucia.
Bailey said that he had had
CDC GETS NEW CEO
RODNEY SMALLhas been officially appointed the new Chief Executive Office (CDC) of the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC). Small’s appointment was announced by way of a statement by the Minister of Culture, Carlos James, and put an officially stamp to the ‘word’ that has been circulating her for some time.
There was no indication by the Minister with respect to when Small’s appointment will take official effect, but given that the previous CEO, Ashford Wood, had vacated office late
last year, it would not be far-fetched to assume that Small has already taken up duties.
Small, a graduate of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, Jamaica, comes to the CDC’s highest administrative position from the Department of Culture where he was the Coordinator of Creative and Culture Industries.
He is also the sitting president of the Youlou Pan Movement, head of the National Commission on Crime Prevention (NCCP) and deputy chair of the Prime Ministerial Advisory
Council on Youth
The position of CEO of the CDC — a Statutory Corporation since 2002 — was advertised in the local media. Whether Small has since resigned his position in the Department of Culture or whether some arrangement was made for his transfer, was not disclosed.
Rodney Small is an active, highly esteemed exponent of steel pan music.
information that King was wanted in St. Lucia for “attempted murder”.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Frankie Joseph told the inquiry that he authorized the preparation of the production order after he was contacted by the Prison boss.
Continued on Page 27.
Chester King is ‘believed’ to be in police custody in his native St. Lucia, where he is a person of interest in “several heinous murders”.
Prosecutor Shamrock Pierre said he was acting on instructions from the DPP to withdraw the immigrationrelated charges against Chester King.