THE VINCENTIAN PDF-20-10-23

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023

VOLUME 117, No.42

Welder freed Page 4

www.thevincentian.com

Windward Family Page 11

Bishop’s hosts exhibition Page 14

CWPPS for World Food Day 2023 Page 14

EC$1.50

The Claude Samuel story Pages 17-18

SKINNY FABULOUS’ CONSIDERED FOR GRAMMY NOMINATION

by KENVILLE HORNE VINCENTIAN SOCA STAR, GAMAL ‘Skinny Fabulous’ Doyle’s album “B.A.D.” has been considered for a Grammy nomination.

The album was submitted for consideration in the Best Global Music category.

B.A.D. (Beyond a Doubt), is Six-time SVG Soca Monarch winner Gamal Doyle’s first ‘Skinny Fabulous’ Doyle. official album and was released On October 11, 2023, the first round earlier this year. There are 23 songs on the album and some of voting for the 2024 Grammys began and voting ends on October 20. The of the tracks include various 2024 Grammy nominees will be well-known Caribbean announced on November 10, 2023. artistes.

By the end of January this year Doyle, in an Instagram post B.A.D., was streamed over 1,081,374 on Sunday said, “I grew up times on Spotify after its release on looking at the Grammys as just a motivational fairytale, a January 13, 2023. At one point it was goal that was improbable but at number one on Apple Music, iTunes and Spotify. worth shooting for In February, “Come Home” a song nonetheless. Today, however, 10 months after the release of by Skinny and Nailah Blackman placed second in the Trinidad and my album B.A.D., I’m super excited to have a body of work Tobago (T&T) Road March race with a that’s up for consideration for total 106 plays, beaten only by Ian “Bunji Garlin” Alvarez “Hard Fete” a Grammy nomination.” which played a total of 135 times at different judging points.

The cover of Doyle’ first Doyle is a six-time winner of the album B.A.D. (Beyond a national Soca Monarch competition in Doubt).

St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

2. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. THE VINCENTIAN

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News 3

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. 3.

Act accordingly⁄ urgently THE ST. VINCENT AND GRENADINES GOVERNMENT has endorsed the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) call for Israel and Hamas to stop killing each other.

That position was taken October 13.

The matter of peace in the Peace seemed possible in the early 1990s when the Oslo Middle East accords were signed. returned to the spotlight Gaza last Wednesday. highlights the need for “a Saturday October 7.

The statement just and lasting peace in Action by Palestinian released from the Prime which every state in the militants in Gaza killed Minister’s Office here, area can live in security.”

Israeli citizens and It notes that soldiers and others taken points to the United Nation’s Security Council “successive governments captive.

Resolution (UNSCR) of Israel, more Israeli forces are adopted November 7, particularly those responding with bombs, 1967 (please see headed, or unduly one of which caused the document below).

The influenced by right-wing death of nearly 500 Vincentian government and ultra-nationalist persons at a hospital in

A map of Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. (Sky News) forces, have refused repeatedly to ensure the practical implementation of a just and lasting peace.”

The Vincentian position is that “Israel

has imposed a veritable colonialism including a harsh settler-colonialism and a forceful, illegal occupation of Palestinian lands, which has given rise to intense Palestinian resistance and a brutal Israeli response.”

St. Vincent and the Grenadines echoes CARICOM’s “abhorrence” at the recent attacks and counter-attacks and their savage nature.

A need for “urgent, just and merciful intervention by the United Nations Security Council to assist in bringing hostilities to an end and to ensure that international humanitarian law is upheld in Gaza for the sake of humanity,” has been presented by Vincentian authorities.

Israel was created in 1948. It expanded June 1967 with capture of the Golan Heights from Syria, the West Bank

including West Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt.

A Camp David Accord in 1979 saw Israel handing over Sinai to Egypt. They have annexed East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights and have vowed never to return them.

The Oslo Agreements of 1993 was expected to finalize a deal.

CARICOM made its position known. The wording, meaning and interpretation of the Resolution is has thrown up varying versions and leave it open to misunderstanding.

The Vincentian statement outlines that three of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council —USA, Britain and France, in view of their unwavering support for Israel “bear an especial responsibility to facilitate an immediate cessation of hostilities and to insist on the upholding of international law.’

Body found at Lauders POLICE WERE SAID TO BE ON THE SCENE in Lauders where the body of a male was discovered on the morning of October 19.

Up to press time on Thursday, police said that the circumstances causing the death of the individual was unknown and that investigations are said to be ongoing.

The discovery of the body follows up on the shooting death of Delarno ‘Smokes’ Patrick in Layou.

Patrick became the 42nd homicide for the year after he was shot and killed during the early hours on the morning of October 15. (DD)

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4. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. THE VINCENTIAN

Court

Welder freed The sanctity of life of sword slaying charge

Jason Isaacs (left) and his lawyer Kay Bacchus-Baptiste after he was freed of murder.

Stories: HAYDN HUGGINS JASON ISAACS, a Campden Park man who was accused of causing his fellow villager’s death by plunging a sword into his chest about four years ago, walked away free from the High Court on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old welder of Mahoe Village, Campden Park was acquitted after a 12-member mixed Jury found him not guilty of murder, as well as the lesser charge, charge of manslaughter, on which presiding Justice Brian Cottle also gave the Jury directions.

Isaacs was charged in connection with the July 27, 2019, stabbing death of 36-yearold Michael ‘Jaro’ Browne. Both men lived on separate hills in the same community and had a longstanding dispute that resulted in Michael’s death.

An autopsy conducted by surgical pathologist Dr. Ronald Child showed that the victim died from a stabbed wound inflicted by a sharp instrument which went through his stomach, spleen, apex of heart and back.

The doctor said that if the weapon was a sword, the force will be ‘least moderate’.

The Crown’s case relied mainly on the evidence of Michael’s sister, Eden Browne, and his niece, who is Eden’s daughter.

Eden told the Court that on a faithful day, she was home in Mahoe, where she, her daughter, and two brothers resided in the small upstairs and downstairs house. Michael was upstairs while she was downstairs, and her daughter was outside washing.

When Isaacs came onto their premises, “he come up in the yard with a sword. I was holding him back. His brother Jason and stepfather were there, but none of them helped me”, Eden recounted.

She said Isaacs got away from her, went upstairs, and killed her brother.

Eden, demonstrated to the Court a plunging motion with her hand, showing how Isaacs pushed the sword through the top half of the door which was

open. She then heard her brother fall on the wooden floor, ‘bladem’, and say ‘Oh F… man”, following which Jason left with the sword.

Eden said when she went upstairs she saw her brother lying on the ground gasping, and there was blood under his body.

She said she did not see Michael with anything in his hand. She recalled hearing an argument between Jason and Michael earlier that day. She said her brother was upstairs by the window, and Jason’s stepfather, and his brother, who had a cutlass in his hand, both came over.

“Jason came last and kill me brother infront de door”, she insisted.

When asked by Jason’s lawyer Kay Bacchus-Baptiste, undercross examination whether Michael told Jason and Orlando (Jason’s brother), “All you mother dey with young boys. I brushing all you mother”, and threatened to kill Jason and his family ‘one by one’, Eden replied that is not true. She also denied that Michael was accusing Jason and Orlando of brushing their mother.

Eden’s daughter corroborated her mother’s story, except that she added that Jason held Michael by his neck, pushed the sword through him, pulled it back out, and then went down the road laughing. The sword was never recovered, though Jason had identified a bushing area to the police where he said he threw the sword.

Jason claimed, in his evidence that Michael was always harassing him and his family.

In his evidence from the dock, Jason said he acted in selfdefense.

“I was home, Michael started cursing me saying “he was going to kill me and my family one by one”.

Both men were on separate hills but could see and hear one other.

“He (Michael) said me and my brother was brushing my mom”, Jason recalled. He said he (Jason) took up a sword going to warn him, and his (Jason’s) stepfather spoke to him, but Michael continued cursing and threatening to kill him and his family.

“I went in the road. He started making noise saying, “You (Jason) come over here to get dead now”. He had a screwdriver

and scissors in his hand, saying, “You Jason come ley me kill you now”.

“I went up the road, but he continued to threaten me. I was walking towards him, and he pushed me. He was backing back telling me, ‘Come up, come up’”.

Jason said that when Michael reached his door, he (Jason) turned away to leave and Michael attempted to jump on him. He (Jason) raised the sword in self-defense and Michael ran into the sword and got stabbed accidentally.

Jason said he had gone to warn Michael in relation to what he was saying about him and his family and he had no intention to kill him.

Under cross-examination by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Karim Nelson, Jason admitted that on the day in question, he wanted to put Michael in his place and to show that he was not afraid of him.

But when Nelson suggested that Jason wanted to show Michael that he (Jason) was the ‘badder’ man, Jason replied, “No please”.

Nelson pointed out that Jason had said in his evidence-in-chief that Michael had once attacked, and stabbed him, but the Prosecutor suggested that Jason never reported that to the police because he wanted to show Michael that he could have handled it on his own.

Nelson also referenced the evidence in which Jason said Michael had attempted to rape his mother and sister on separate occasions, but Nelson contended that there was no evidence of this, and Michael was never taken to court on any charges of attempting to rap Jason’s mother or sister.

Jason said, under crossexamination that he was intoxicated that day, and lost control. He did not recall seeing Michael’s niece, or her mother there. He said he had the sword down, and was telling Michael to stop harassing him and his family. He said Michael was armed with a scissors and screwdriver.

Jason called his mother, his sister, and calypsonian Vivian ‘Icome’ Miller to support his case.

The Prosecuting team also included Crown Counsel Maria Jackson-Richards.

WHILE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTION told the Jury on Wednesday that nobody had the right to kill Michael Browne like a dog because he was perceived to be horrible, defense layer Kay Bacchus-Baptiste contended that her client, Jason Isaacs was just fed up after years of harassment.

Nelson and Bacchus-Baptiste were delivering closing arguments in the case of the Campden Park resident who was found not guilty of murder and manslaughter in connection with Karim Nelson the stabbing death of his fellow (Photo Credit villager Michael Browne.

Michael was horrible, but does ANN) that mean you should pursue him to his home and stab him, kill him like a dog”, Nelson told the Jury on Wednesday.

“I know this is difficult for his (Jason’s) mother, because he is her son, and we understand that. She told the police she asked him (Jason) what he go over there (Michael’s home) for and Jason told her, I chook him, but I don’t know if he dead. She never told the police anything about Michael running into a sword. She told the Court that Jason told her Michael had a scissor, a screwdriver, a cutlass, and an ice pick.

Nelson added that Jason told the police “I was wrong to go after Jaro (Michael) with the sword, but he (Michael) was too ‘out of timing’, and I got fed up.

“In no part of his statement did he say anything about an ice pick, cutlass, and scissors. Clearly, there is some fabrication here to build a story to convince the Jury that it was self-defense”, Nelson said.

The Assistant DPP said that Jason walked for about 20 minutes through difficult terrain, with a sword to warn somebody when he could have stayed where he was and warned him.

Nelson told the Jury, “Do not allow their (defense) tactics of smearing this man (Michael) to lead you down a path to saying he is a bad man, so who cares”.

But Bacchus-Baptiste, in her submissions contended, “It is not as simple as that. What actually happened that day, is that Jason was fed up. This man (Michael) was harassing his family for years.

“On that day Jason was in his home drinking alcohol. This man (Michael) for over an hour telling him that he and his brother was brushing their mother.

Bacchus-Baptiste said, “We are not saying that because he (Michael) was a bad man Jason had the right to kill him, but Michael left his home, came down in the road and was still telling him things.

She described Jason as a man of good character.

The Assistant DPP said he (Jason) could have warned him from home, but he did. He told the police, “I did not want to go after ‘Jaro’ with the sword, but he too ‘out of timing’. I can’t take it no more. He pulled a screwdriver at me. I held up the sword, and he ran into the sword”.

According to the lawyer, “This is not a murderer sitting there. This is a good man. This is a wellbehaved man sitting there. He said he did not want to do it, but circumstances made him do it. The deceased was irking him on, and the accused was trying to get him to cool out”.

Bacchus-Baptiste told the Jury that Michael Isaacs had 15 previous convictions, including one in 2008 for wounding with intent for stabbing a woman in her eye with a scissors. For that, he was sentenced to ten years in prison. He was also sentenced to 18 months at the Serious Offences Court for wounding. They (Crown) want you to convict him on the dismal performance of Eden Browne. They picked out two witnesses who were relatives of the deceased. All the other people, around, they did not call them. The defense had to call them.

Bacchus-Baptiste quoted legendary rapper Tupac as saying, “Ain’t a woman alive who could take my mama’s place”.

Jason had no previous convictions.

The records of both men were admitted into evidence.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. 5.

Court

Lawyer: Conviction records not reliable DEFENSE Lawyer Bacchus-Baptiste is issuing a warning for conviction records to be stamped and signed by the police.

“You cannot rely on conviction records”, Bacchus-Baptiste told THE VINCENTIAN on Wednesday shortly after her client Jason Isaacs was freed of murder, and manslaughter in connection with the July 27, 2019, stabbing death of fellow villager Michael Browne.

Bacchus-Baptiste said that when the Crown opened its case on October 11, they disclosed to the defense a conviction sheet of 11 convictions for Michael Browne from 2000 to 2008, and during the trial, the Crown asked the Court to admit that record into evidence.

But Bacchus-Baptiste said she objected because the record was not stamped or signed by the police, but her objection was overruled.

The lawyer said she asked the Crown to check the record again because her investigations showed that something was wrong. She contacted the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and was subsequently handed a conviction sheet for Browne with 15 convictions, and what was previously left out included a major conviction of wounding with intent in 2008, stemming from an incident in which Browne used scissors to stab a woman in her eye.

He was sentenced to ten years in prison. He was also convicted at the Serious Offenses Court in 2007 for wounding, and sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Bacchus-Baptiste underscored that

after he completed his ten-year sentence, he went back in for burglary.

“So when they (Crown) were saying he was clean from 2008, he was in jail for ten years. My warning to them is to have conviction sheets stamped and signed by the police. “I was hopping mad that morning. Look what they left out, the worst.

In her closing arguments, BacchusBaptiste highlighted Browne’s conviction record and pointed out that four of his 15 convictions, including the major one were initially excluded when the Crown disclosed Browne’s conviction sheet to the defense, and it was only after her research, that the Crown added those that were left out.

“Clearly they were trying to sanitize him”, the lawyer told THE VINCENTIAN and she believed that highlighting the issue in her address to the Jury may have helped her case, had she not, the case would have taken on a totally different perspective.

“I am delighted that Jason is free because I am a mother, and to have a man harassing your mother for years without proper satisfaction is very painful. I am very happy that the Jury acquitted him of both murder and manslaughter, and he could go home to his grieving mother. I want him to try as much as possible to control his emotions so that he won’t come before the Court again”.

The lawyer lauded the Jury saying that it was a complex case involving various defenses. “I think that justice was served”, she declared. (HH)

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6. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. THE VINCENTIAN

Views The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

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

The Claude Samuel story WE ARE DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO PUBLISH in our pages today a story of an “Unsung Civil Service Pioneer”, Mr. Claude Samuel of Hope. We believe that his story will be news to a significant portion of our readership given its historical dimensions.

We lead by applauding the brilliant early educational achievements of Mr. Samuel. Firstly, his award of a scholarship from a country school under the shadow of the volcano.

Secondly, his stellar performance at the St. Vincent Grammar School where, at the end of year four of his five-year scholarship, he sat the Senior Cambridge Examination and came away with not one, but two certificates! The only rare Grade I School Certificate and the much sought-after London Matriculation exemption. Absolutely fantastic — all at fifteen years old. A clear example of academic excellence way back in 1949!

Mr. Samuel’s first venture into the world of work failed because he was not yet 18. He, however, found it fit when he got the opportunity to train as a dispenser (the popular term then for a pharmacist). At the end of that training and with another certificate under his belt, no job prospect in view, and living and boarding in Kingstown, Mr. Samuel entered the civil service as the default option. As he indicated, a job in the banking sector was simply not on.

Mr. Samuel’s career reflects broadly the effects and interactions of the various political and economic forces that were at work locally, regionally, and globally following the end of World War II (his own scholarship being a prime local example). The establishment of the UWI (1948), the CDB(1970), and the various constitutional changes in the British Caribbean countries leading up to independence — all these were bound together by the buzzwords “economic development”.

Regional governments started to look beyond the provision of law and order and general administrative services. Here in St. Vincent, the government set up the Agricultural and Co-operative Bank (1969), the National Provident Fund (now the National Insurance Services) (1970), and the National Commercial Bank (NCB) (now the Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines) (1977) — all three

It is time to step up for Haiti

of which were headed by Mr. Samuel.

Of these, only the NCB can be said to be truly his ‘brainchild’ as his 1967 paper attests and clearly, has been the highlight of his pioneering career.

As we celebrate our 44th anniversary of Independence, the achievements of the BOSVG will be among the several things to be celebrated, and rightly so, since the bank has absorbed in its growth, the then leading commercial bank that had offered to share its foreign exchange operations with the NCB. That Mr. Samuel’s advice was accepted and his other actions regarding our banana export earnings, would have led to a diminution of foreign exchange earnings for that bank, and it was only a matter of time before it was no longer worthwhile for them to remain in business.

We ought therefore to recognize and celebrate the vision of Mr. Samuel in showing how we can take a largely unknown colonial institution tucked away in the Treasury and refashion it with new life to become the centerpiece of our local financial infrastructure fit for purpose today.

But the question arises! How much of this is known by the general public or the staff of the BOSVG? We suspect that the answer is not much, which is unfortunate. And public recognition of Mr. Samuel? We do not recall ever seeing his name listed amongst the awardees of ‘Honours’ from the Queen. When one looks at the historical record of these awards over the past, it is difficult to understand how Mr. Samuel never qualified for consideration.

We note too that for some time now scholarships have been (and continue to be) granted by the bank. Do these awardees know of Mr. Samuel and his own scholastic record in those early years? Then there is the ‘youthful visionaries’ campaign being conducted through the bank’s annual calendar issues. What about the original “youthful visionary”?

There must be some things we can do to publicly recognize and honour Mr. Samuel’s pioneering work, beyond the award of a plaque of recognition as presented to him as the bank’s First General Manager, in November 2009.

Continued on Page 9.

ON THE 2ND OF OCTOBER, the United Nations Security Council announced a multinational mission to Haiti. Notice this time, they did not call it a peacekeeping force. This decision came two years after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Kenya will lead the mission, apparently at the behest of the USA. Meanwhile, Antigua, the Bahamas, and Jamaica have pledged to support the initiative so far.

While I agree that we need to help bring peace and order to Haiti, I am not sure that a non-French/Creolespeaking force of over one thousand police officers will achieve this goal. I am unsure of the plan other than the initiative was sanctioned for twelve months. Will we have elections before or after the force leaves, or is this simply to sure up the unelected government of Ariel Henry? This default government, propped up by the USA, has no mandate to govern the people and is the source of much of the discontent and violence. Siding with Henry may seem like the safer option right now, but relying on the staying power of an illegitimate ruler is usually a bad bet.

There will be no lasting peace in Haiti that is secured by some outside lead peacekeeping forces. No matter how well-intentioned the Kenyan-led mission may be, it is just another mistake by the international community and the United Nations Security Council. How many times are we going to do this? The solution must come from within. How many times are we going to see these feeble, halfhearted attempts to bring peace to a sister Caribbean nation?

For years, Haiti has been treated as a failed nation that needs help from all and sundry. And every time we step up to support it, it is strategically labeled to support a government that was illegitimate from the onset. It is unrealistic to think another international intervention will bring a different outcome, especially this one that is underfunded and only passively supported by the majority of the world’s power circle. No interventions should happen without a complete humanitarian and economic aid plan in preparation for a legitimately elected government. Before any troops set foot on the ground, a temporary transitional government should be installed with a definite timeline. Any intervention at this time will be viewed as support for the current illegitimate

Henry administration. In order for any intervention to succeed, it has to be accepted and welcomed by the people.

I will not venture into a deep historical recap of the life and time of Haiti because I think many of us have a reasonably good understanding of their struggles. I did not know until recently that Haiti had to pay France 100 million Francs plus interest in exchange for their independence in 1825; this cost of freedom was paid in full in 1947. An economist recently estimated the cost of Haiti’s independence to be about $21 billion U.S. dollars. Many attribute this burden on the nation as the root cause of poverty and political unrest. Haiti’s GDP is the lowest in the Caribbean, about $1,150 per capita. In 2003, the Haitian president officially asked to be repaid, to no avail. In an unrelated gesture, the World Bank and the French government forgave a U.S. $ 36 million debt in 2010, and the French government forgave U.S. 77 million in debt in 2015.

For those of you who say reparation is an unreasonable expectation placed on people today who have nothing to do with slavery, I ask you to think of the case of Haiti and answer the question, why not? What did Haiti get from France that was worth $21 billion?

Haiti will rise again, I say. So why is it essential for us to get it right in Haiti? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the colonial powers of our past and modern imperialism to do the right thing. Before we install another puppet government in Haiti, let us all pledge to protect the country’s natural resources for the benefit of the people of Haiti.

Did you know Haiti has an estimated oil reserve that is greater than Venezuela, according to some estimates? They also have sizable deposits of gold and copper. The most valuable mineral deposit in Haiti is that of Iridium. Haiti has the secondlargest deposit of this rare mineral, which is used in the production of aircraft engines and other equipment used in high-heat and corrosive environments. And get this: it is valued today at three times the value of gold.

So you see, my friends, we must get it right in Haiti for the sake of a people that has been marginalized and dehumanized for the last three hundred years.

Horatio

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. 7.

Letters

Bartering BARTERING is the exchange of goods or services without using money. This practice needs to be explored fully as we try to navigate these trying times. It is known that we all have equal amounts of time, though some of us are occupied with various tasks. Having this option, however, may help to alleviate some of the difficulties we face. It is an honorable means of conducting business, once both parties agree to the terms and are well satisfied with the outcomes. In some realms, the practice is more common than we think.

Some lawyers and surveyors possess much land because their clients

were unable to pay the fees and agreed to give land instead. Some communities practice rotational harvesting so that the manpower is provided to harvest each farmers crops collectively.

When Union Island produced Farine, the farmers took turns to reap, scrape, grate, wring, and parch the cassava.

Some communities have a time bank where individuals can store their hours of help and retrieve them later when they need some kind of service or product.

This arrangement reduces the necessity for the indignity of begging as

everyone has something of value that is needed by someone else. The Susu, though not essentially a bartering product, is convenient in allowing members’ resources at no interest. Some organizations have revolving funds that members access at no interest which they repay.

When Samaria was under siege (2 Kings 6) two women decided to eat their children. They ate the first child but when the second was to be eaten, he was hidden by the mother. Many are sacrificing their dignity and their children to meet the challenges of the time.

A cease-fire to end all wars

If bartering is taken seriously, we may very well find honorable ways of exchanging goods and services with dignity.

Anthony Stewart

alive. We support this wholeheartedly!

The foregoing facts lead us, quite Continued from Page 8. inadvertently, to the provided the ‘idea of the institutional happy conclusion that bank’, and Mr. Cato (as arrangements from For starters, we consideration should be only he could) gave his foreign to local hands. suggest that the given to the award of a authority to go ahead.

Thus ending forever scholarships and ‘Living National Hero’ to Our Independence in another colonial link. bursaries be named after 1979 was largely related Mr. Samuel.

God’s willing, Mr. Mr. Davis, Mr. Samuel, We salute you, sir! “Res to political decisionSamuel will attain the age and Mr. Cato Ipsa Loquitur”. making regarding our of ninety (90) years on (individually and/or in a affairs — both domestic 28th February 2024. To suitable combination). An and foreign. What date, he has not been attractive booklet with a remained unchanged was deemed fit to receive an brief story of these the nature of one aspect of Honour under our individuals, be our financial (monetary) existing system and these commissioned to be given infrastructure — the are not given to each recipient of an commercial banking posthumously. However, award so that they know system. (Mr. Samuel’s current thinking where it all started. And a 1967 paper refers). What regionally (and photograph of Mr. Samuel the establishment, increasingly current to be placed alongside growth, and development practice) is for awards in that of Mr. Cato, now of the NCB have done has any modern honour hanging in the bank’s been to transfer the system — to be made to foyer. Mr. Samuel ownership of those persons while they are

The Claude Samuel story

WE ARE NOT out of the war zone of the attempted invasion of Ukraine by Russia which ended up in what we will call a global war. We have seen Hamas, officially an Islamic/Sunni Islamic political and military organization governing the Gaza Strip of Palestine territory and a resistance movement.

Hamas brutally attacked and killed over 1,400 on the border of Israel and Gaza and held almost 200 hostages, with about 2,700 killed in Gaza.

Israel is retaliating mercilessly with over 2 million Palestinian people being fired on. They are faced with no electricity, clean water, food, hygiene kits, and medicine. Think of civil society, Egypt has not opened its border to 140 sq. miles, with many trucks upon trucks bordering Gaza, so that assistance or humanitarian needs can be met. This violation of over 2 million people’s human rights exists. Where is the power of the United Nations?

This is week two of such a mess.

Looking at the war zones, the prophecies of Ezekiel 38/39 tell of the Russian/Ukraine war and Amos about Israel and Hamas. Our duty is to seek and establish the IAM government on earth where tribalism, racism, man-by-man exploitation, samesex marriage, and all other moral and divine wrongdoings are punishable.

We join with CARICOM and all concerned for a cease-fire in the conflict involving Israel and Palestine and reiterate the call for the Caribbean to remain a zone of peace.

Christian Democrat

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8. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

We pledge to work with the diaspora

THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY (NDP) recently concluded a successful visit to United States of America and Canada.

The delegation was led by President of the NDP, Honourable Dr. Godwin Friday.

It also included Member of Parliament Daniel Cummings, Senator Shevern John, PRO Lavern King and caretaker for East St. George, Lavern Velox.

The team held two Town Hall meetings. One in New York and the other in Toronto. The theme of the meetings was ‘Hope for Home’. At the meetings, Vincentians were informed by members of the team, of the failure of the ULP government, the sad state of the country’s economy, the deplorable condition of the infrastructure, the escalating crime situation, poor healthcare and the high unemployment among young people.

Public Relations Officer of the NDP, Lavern King, listed some of the broken promises of the ULP in her presentation at the Toronto meeting.

She said, “The ULP said it would reduce the interest rate on student loans. They have not. They said that they would make the book loan scheme better. They have not. They said that they would implement community crime prevention techniques and rehabilitation programs. They have not. Also, in the ULP’s manifesto, they said that they were going to build apartments for sale, especially to young professionals, at Pembroke/Buccament. I can tell you that hasn’t happened. More and more young professionals are frustrated that they can’t get a job and further do not know if they will ever become a homeowner. Many young people are starting their own families within their family homes, and this is not because they are lazy but because most of them are either unemployed or underemployed.

Further, the ULP told us that they were going to support more cultural and creative professionals with PRYME grants - well it seems like there isn’t a dime left in the PRYME fund, because it has been a while since we have heard about that program.

The government ‘hides up’ who they give grants to. It makes me wonder.

Why are they keeping secret with who get grants? Is the PRYME grants being used to peddle funds to party supporters of the ULP and not being awarded based on merit? There are more questions than answers when it comes to the PRYME grants because accountability and transparency are foreign concepts to the ULP.” The members of the team used the opportunity to communicate the plans and policies of the party, which it will implement when it forms the government. Dr. Friday presented the plans to tackle the escalating crime situation in the country. He also outlined his economic plan to rebuild the economy. The economic plan is built on the four pillars of economic development. They are agriculture, the new economy, the blue economy and tourism.

Members of the team expressed their appreciation to Vincentians in the diaspora for the vital role they play to the development of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. However, it appears that the ULP does not appreciate the important role that most Vincentians in the diaspora perform. Some members of the

diaspora are ridiculed and ostracized by the ULP, and are labelled as ‘Dog Walkers’ and ‘Internet crazies’ by spokesperson for the ULP. While some Vincentians in the diaspora may have different political views and support different political parties at home, we must appreciate the fact that they contribute significantly to the economic development of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

An NDP government will work closely with the diaspora. There are hundreds of Vincentians abroad who are qualified in various disciplines, such as, information technology, medicine, engineering, and other areas. Their expertise is welcomed by the NDP; as we seek to create a knowledge-based economy. We look forward to the diaspora playing a major role in training, teaching and investing in information technology and its development as a sector. We welcome the investment from the diaspora in local business, which will improve trade between St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the diaspora.

We also see the diaspora having a positive impact on our health care system. We anticipate working with the diaspora.

Urgent action needed to tackle crime The New Democratic Party (NDP) is calling for urgent action from the government following the homicide that took place Saturday night (14th October, 2023) in Central Leeward.

We have now equaled the record of 42 homicides, which was set last year with almost a quarter of the year remaining. This is a grim milestone for St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

These 42 deaths are a tragedy for our country. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of every single victim. We should never have reached this milestone. The government has stood by and allowed this to happen.

Months ago, they told us they would have got it under control. Everything they do is too little, too late. We need to get on top of this right away.

Statistics show that St. Vincent and the Grenadines has one of the worst murder rates in the world. This country is among the top three countries with the highest murder rate per capita.

The NDP has provided a range of proposals to the government to tackle the growing homicide rate. These include, introducing community policing, seek better international cooperation to target the sources of weapons entering the country, establish a forensic lab and greater investment in the Justice System. The government has repeatedly ruled out meeting with the Opposition to discuss any of these measures.

This cycle of violence must stop.

The government seems unable to get control of the escalating crime situation. The Prime Minister should relinquish his role as Minister of National Security and allow someone who has the time and ability to get on with the job. It is time for the government to stop playing politics and implement effective measures to manage the crime situation.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. 9.

Views

Delayed Gratification

“The ability to discipline yourself to delay gratification in the short term in order to enjoy greater rewards in the long term, is the indispensable prerequisite for success.” - Brian Tracy (born 1944) – American author and motivational speaker.

MANY WILL AGREE THAT TODAY’S SOCIETY is impatiently demanding instant gratification. Too many individuals appear to be programmed to demand immediate rewards and instant satisfaction for their various wants and needs to be met. This is in stark contrast to this article’s focus – reinforcing the need to cultivate the discipline to wait for a larger, more valuable, outcome in the future. This is considered critical for the student who needs to maximize his/her grades and therefore will not be distracted by those who seek to have him/her engage in activities that will redirect their thoughts and energies. It is equally important for the athlete who is required to train in order to maximize his/her performance.

It is also a priceless discipline for the teenager whose body is in transition to adulthood and must deny the urges to be sexually active and the resulting physical, social, emotional, and spiritual pitfalls that are often associated with such behaviours. These scenarios all call for self-restraint regardless of the intensity of the desire to do otherwise.

They beckon the wise and prudent to imbibe the wisdom that such responsible actions will stimulate personal growth, success, and overall well-being.

Such a disciplined approach to life and living does not happen by default.

Parents, teachers, and other concerned adults have the awesome responsibility and privilege to nurture such positive traits in our wards. Dr. Walter Mischel (1930-2018), the Austrian-born American psychologist in personality theory and social psychology, conducted experiments at Stanford University in the 1960s to highlight the importance of delayed gratification. The experiments, now referred to as “The Marshmallow Test”, involved presenting children with the choice of eating one marshmallow immediately or waiting for a while and receiving two marshmallows as a reward. His research confirmed that those who were able to delay gratification and wait for the second marshmallow had better life outcomes in terms of academic achievement, career success, and overall feeling of self-fulfilment.

Education, in its truest sense, prepares individuals for life and for living. Instilling self-discipline is critical in this process. Delayed gratification is essentially about building self-control and self-restraint.

It beckons individuals to resist impulsive urges and to make choices that are aligned with long-term goals.

Retaining a focus on our long-term goals (and avoiding the distractions that will appear) is invaluable in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, pursuing higher education, dedicating the time and effort needed to excel at a demanding career. The discipline developed through learning to delay gratification enables the individual to better control their impulses and to make decisions that generate and sustain greater rewards. It must also be appreciated that self-control skills

play a significant role in strengthening the moral resolve of individuals. The temptations may be great to engage in unethical practices but the resolve to do and to be right will always pay greater dividends in the end. We are encouraged by the wisdom shared by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) when he noted that, “The time is always right to do what is right.” Such a resolve engenders strength of character and fortifies the individual to avoid succumbing to compromising principles in search of instant gratification or ill-gotten gain.

The biographies and autobiographies of many successful individuals in business, government, and society reveal that their success required patience and persistence.

Many got to the pinnacle of their careers after having experienced failures and disappointments. This is as true for the accomplished academic as it is for the successful athlete and the victorious politician. It is equally true for the outstanding musician as it is for the business magnate. They testify that the road to outstanding achievement is often paved with hard work and delayed rewards. The ability to resist the allure of immediate pleasure is often a prerequisite to successful outcomes.

Delayed gratification is foundational to achieving great things.

Journalists who interview successful athletes, students, and business persons regularly discover and report how critical delayed gratification was to their respective successes. Dr. John Demartini (born 1954), the American best-selling author, reminds us that, “Great geniuses are willing to pay the price.

They’re willing to make sacrifices for their dreams. Instead of partying with their friends, they spend hours practicing, studying, and preparing.

They give up pleasure and entertainment and face their fears and doubts. They do whatever it takes.

There’s nothing wrong with that, because pain and pleasure always come together as a pair.” It is okay to forego short-term discomfort for longterm gain … but it takes a disciplined mind to do so.

The print and electronic media regularly promote instant gratification. Many businesses design and develop promotions to entice buyers to engage in compulsive buying as they make products and services readily available. However, delayed gratification remains a formidable and transformative notion. Individuals who commit to its principles readily discover that they are less impulsive, exercise greater self-control, achieve long-term goals, and are conscious of creating and maintaining their emotional well-being. They become disciples of the process, and like Zig Ziglar (1926-2012), the American motivational speaker and author, they caution others to, “Be careful not to compromise what you want most for what you want now.” Delayed gratification is foundational to the pursuit of long-term goals, peace, and happiness.

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

The way out of the Palestine/Israel mess I STUMBLED ON A THOUGHT in my Plain Talk segment on Boom FM last Monday. Asked by Bing Joseph what I perceived to be the solution to the conflict between Palestine and Israel, I said the creation of a single state for Palestinians and Israelis. I make no claim to originality. I must have read it somewhere. Since then, I was forced to find support for my idea because a few people met me and claimed I was a dreamer.

Patrick Lawrence, the brilliant independent journalist argues ‘Among the Western democracies countless unsayables, the greatest of these is that the state of Israel, founded on injustice 75 years ago, is a failed experiment. Instead of jubilee celebrations, it is ethnic-cleansing a helpless population–a monstrous memorial to the six million whose names it was intended to honour. In the same way, no one in Washington or among the European vassals can say what needs to be said about the long record of America’s “unconditional support” for Israel: It is the gravest foreign policy failure–among many, of course–in the postwar period.’

These thoughts ran through my mind when Bing asked about solutions last Monday. Evidently, we cannot continue this way. The cycle of violence, pain and suffering is too raw, too frequent and far too great. How do you lie about babies being beheaded in the demonisation of your Palestinian ‘Enemy’ and then turn around and bomb a hospital, killing over 500 people?

A friend asked me last Tuesday what happened to the two-state solution to the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, and I told him that idea never has a chance. The ‘solution’ was to give Israel a state and regularise a splintered existence for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

Interestingly, David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, knew there were problems with his idea of the Jewish state. ‘There is no example in history of a people saying we agree to renounce our country, let another people come and settle here and outnumber us.’ He went ahead anyway. Between 1947 and 1949, over 750,000 Palestinians were driven from their homes. Thousands were killed as they were chased from hundreds of towns and villages to make way for Jewish settlers. Today, the children and grandchildren of many of these refugees live in Gaza.

Edward Said, the erudite Palestinian intellectual, wrote a piece for the New York Times titled, The One-State Solution.’ He opined, ‘It is time to question whether the entire process begun in Oslo in 1993 is the right instrument for bringing peace between Palestinians and Israelis. It is my view that the peace process has, in fact, put off the real reconciliation that must occur if the hundred-year war between Zionism and the Palestinian people is to end. Oslo set the stage for separation, but real peace can come only with a binational Israeli—Palestinian state.’

I had read Said before and went in search of his ideas. The Oslo Accords sprung the idea of a two-state solution.

Edward Said was not impressed.

‘Oslo–to its great discredit, made the inevitable mess worse. It consigned the Palestinians to non-contiguous

specks of land, about 10 percent of the West Bank and 60 percent of the Gaza Strip. The more that current patterns of Israeli settlement, Palestinian confinement, and resistance persist, the less likely there will be real security for either side.’

Said continued: ‘Palestine is and has always been a land of many histories; it is a radical simplification to think of it as principally or exclusively Jewish or Arab. While the Jewish presence is longstanding, it is by no means the main one. Other tenants have included Canaanites, Moabites, Jebusites and Philistines in ancient times, and Romans, Ottomans, Byzantines and Crusaders in the modern ages. Palestine is multicultural, multiethnic, and multireligious. There is as little historical justification for homogeneity as for notions of national or, ethnic and religious purity today...’

‘The initial step is a very difficult one to take. Israeli Jews are insulated from the Palestinian reality; most of them say that it does not really concern them…. My generation of Palestinians, still reeling from the shock of losing everything in 1948, find it nearly impossible to accept that another people took over their homes and farms...’

‘I see no other way than to begin to speak about sharing the land that has thrust us together in a truly democratic way, with equal rights for each citizen. There can be no reconciliation unless both peoples, two communities of suffering, resolve that their existence is a secular fact, and that it has to be dealt with as such…’

‘The beginning is to develop something entirely missing from both Israeli and Palestinian realities today: the idea and practice of citizenship, not of ethnic or racial community, as the main vehicle for coexistence. In a modern state, all its members are citizens by virtue of their presence and the sharing of rights and responsibilities. Citizenship, therefore, entitles an Israeli Jew and a Palestinian Arab to the same privileges and resources. A constitution and a bill of rights thus become necessary for getting beyond Square 1 of the conflict because each group would have the same right to self-determination; that is, the right to practice communal life in its own (Jewish or Palestinian) way, with a joint capital in Jerusalem, equal access to land and inalienable secular and juridical rights. Neither side should be held hostage to religious extremists.’

There is wisdom in these ideas, but no one wants to accept their fundamental truths. This sad reality is reflected in the fact that in the aftermath of the most recent Palestinian uprising, the West mindlessly lines up with Israel’s murderous assault on Palestinians, offering proof to their benighted thought that Israeli life is worth more than that of a Palestinian.

But alas, the Palestinian/Israeli conflict offers palpable proof that there can be no lasting peace without meaningful justice. Equal human rights are the only antidote to war.

Only a single democratic state can end the violence.

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

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10. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. THE VINCENTIAN

International Relations/News

Bilateral cooperation between S.V.G. and Morocco dubbed "Global Partnerships Unveiled" THE GOVERNMENT OF SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES and the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco established diplomatic relations on 10th August, 1988. Morocco has a population of approximately is 37,457,971 inhabitants.

The capital city is Rabat.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines shares a deep-rooted relationship with the Kingdom of Morocco that has flourished since the countries established diplomatic ties. This alliance is a testament to a friendly commitment to cooperation and friendship. The Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco, which is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, is strategically located in Saint Lucia. The current Ambassador is His Excellency Abderrahim Kadmiri.

In the African region, Morocco has proven to be a steadfast ally in the realm of agriculture, fostering ongoing cooperation. Notably, a significant milestone was reached in April 2022 when Saint Vincent and the Grenadines received a substantial shipment of 3,204 sacks of fertiliser from Morocco.

master's, and Ph.D. degrees at esteemed Moroccan universities.

In 2023 alone, four outstanding Vincentians embarked on this transformative journey, with Morocco generously covering tuition, airfare, and providing a monthly stipend.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Saint Vincent Training and the Grenadines and the Kingdom of Morocco, In the spirit of this there has been reciprocal newfound collaboration, visits by officials from the Kingdom of Morocco both nations. In July of hosted a delegation from this year, Dr. The the Ministry of Honorable Ralph E. Agriculture of Saint Gonsalves, Prime Vincent and the Minister of Saint Vincent Grenadines, who and the Grenadines, led benefited from a high-level delegation invaluable vocational on a visit to Morocco training in Morocco. The which followed, in delegation returned on January 2023, the visit October 11th, 2023. of a delegation from the Further reinforcing this Kingdom of Morocco to partnership, a delegation Saint Vincent and the of senior officials from Grenadines to engage in the Ministry of Health is discussions regarding the departed for Morocco on new Roadmap for October 14th, 2023, to cooperation. participate in the The partnership training. between Morocco and St. Vincent and the Scholarships Grenadines serves as a compelling example of Since 2013, the how collaboration, Moroccan Government shared goals, and mutual has unwaveringly offered respect can foster a scholarships, enabling brighter future for Vincentian students to nations across the globe. pursue undergraduate, (Submitted) On July 21st, 2023, a groundbreaking development unfolded as both countries penned a comprehensive Roadmap of Cooperation Programme spanning 2023-2025. This roadmap paves the way for enhanced bilateral cooperation across several areas, including agriculture, health, tourism, and diplomacy.

Increase in Fuel Surcharge rate on October bills THE ST. VINCENT ELECTRICITY SERVICES LIMITED (VINLEC) wishes to advise customers of an increase in the Fuel Surcharge rate applicable on bills for October 2023.

The new rate is $0.6530 per kWh, which is an increase of $0.11 from the previous month’s rate of $0.5419 per kWh. This change in the Fuel Surcharge rate is a direct outcome of the rising fuel costs incurred by VINLEC in September, coupled with a decrease in electricity generation at the hydro-stations due to unseasonably low rainfall.

Customers are reminded that the cost of fuel used in electricity generation is determined by

international market rates, and the Fuel Surcharge represents the cost of fuel required to produce electricity.

VINLEC remains dedicated to providing reliable, safe and highquality service to our customers. We continue to encourage customers to employ conservation methods where possible, to help mitigate the impact of high fuel costs.

Customers who have queries are encouraged to contact the Customer Services Department via email at customerservices@vinlec.com, telephone 456-1701 Ext. 237, 238 or via Facebook — facebook.com/VINLECSVG. (VINLEC)

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. 11.

Literary Arts

Windward family

ALEXIS KEIR IS A LONDON BASED WRITER of Vincentian heritage whose new book WINDWARD FAMILY was published in February in the UK

by Thread Books https://www.hachette.co.uk/titl es/alexis-keir/windwardfamily/9781909770713/ As the website describes, the book is based on the lives of people from St. Vincent who have left the island over generations, only some able to return, from George Alexander Gratton to his own parents.

Renowned Vincentian author H. Nigel Thomas described the book thus: ‘Brilliant writing.

Informative. Profound.

Thoroughly researched. This is a book written in lyrical cinematic prose. I reread many passages strictly for their beauty. It complements lived experience with history in its depiction of the Vincentian immigrant experience in Britain. But above all else, it valorizes the rituals that make it all family, community, humanity possible.’ on the whole, and rejoices in Alexis Keir works for the

Alexis Keir

NHS and lives in London. His book WINDWARD FAMILY exploring the lives of people

who, over generations, have travelled from the Caribbean island of St. Vincent to England. It was published by Thread Books in February 2023. Alexis’ parents came from Saint Vincent to the UK in the 60s and raised their family in Luton, but Alexis, his sister and his brother lived in St. Vincent for a period as children. The book has been described as ‘a beautiful ode to

migration, love, and all that we do for family.”

Alexis began writing WINDWARD FAMILY when he was chosen as one of the 2019 cohort for the Spread The Word London Writers Awards. Subsequently, he was selected to join the London Library’s Emerging Writers programme. His writing has also been published by The Caribbean Writer and The Selkie and he is a member of the Writers for St. Vincent group who raised funds for the island following the 2021 eruptions of the La Soufrière volcano. (Contributed)

V Layou prepares for Best Village Competition 12. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. THE VINCENTIAN

News

community like painting the walls where it need painting; AMONG THE COMMUNITIES cutting the side road when it competing for the Best Village need cutting; and also, our Award during this year’s 44th lighting up — that’s a big, big Anniversary of Independence, thing for us in Layou.” will be the Central Leeward He reported that town of Layou. According to preparations were going quite President of the Layou well stating back then, “From Development Committee, Mr. this weekend, we will be in Cecil Lynch, Layou is right on our full gear whereby we see target where the competition is the villagers coming out in concerned. their numbers, start cleaning During a recent newscast their areas and so on and you about two weeks ago on NBC know, things are happening Radio, Mr. Lynch intimated, and [on] Saturday we will be “Layou Development having a drive-through to help Committee, as you rightfully, to sensitize the folks down state is an organization that there of what happening and was formed, for the asking the folks to come out development on a whole for and do their part and let’s Layou.” He expressed the idea make this thing happen.” that it was fitting then, that If the National the group should be able Independence Committee has enhance the community and its way, there would be many develop it where possible. other communities currently “Over the years,” he stated, in full gear to put the finishing “we have been beautifying the touches in a number of areas

by GLORIAH...

within their communities, so as to claim the coveted award.

There are a number of prizes up for grabs. According to Mr. Ashford Wood, Chairman of the Independence Committee, the categories are as follows: Best Kept Surroundings; Best Flower Garden; and Best Community Spirit. These will be judged separately and tallied scores will arrive at the community which should receive the Best Village Award.

First place winner will receive $5,000, second prize $3,000 and third prize $2,000. To be given to communities also will be wheelbarrows, shovels, cutlasses and other cleaning implements.

The Committee has also chosen to play its part by placing figurines in various locations across St. Vincent and the Grenadines in

commemoration of our Independence celebrations.

Two such figures are located at the Sion Hill intersection and at the western entrance to the Joshua tarmac.

The welcoming sign positioned at the western entry to the E.T. Joshua tarmac ushers in all things Independence this year.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. 13.

World Food Day

BishopÊs College Kingstown host mini agriculture exhibition

THE BISHOP’S COLLEGE KINGSTOWN hosted its annual World Food Day Celebrations and Mini Agricultural Exhibition last Friday, October 13, at the Bishop’s College Hard court under the theme: “Water is Life, Water is Food. Leave No One Behind”.

During the opening ceremony, Principal of the Bishop College Kingstown, Insa PrinceDuncan reinforced the The newly formed group Kiwanis, donated farm tools to the school to help importance of further their Agricultural Science programme. agriculture and expressed thanks to what products they have to actually conserve those who made the event possible. water. We have OSV, we have CWSA and Lisa Jacobs the agriculture teacher at the school more,” said Jacobs.

Principal of BCK, Insa Prince-Duncan said that World Food Day is an important occasion Guest speaker, Kelise Wilson from the and wanted to ensure that the students are Central Water and Sewage Authority spoke on Kiwanis, a newly form group in SVG. Speaking on involved. She said that water is life and currently the importance of water to health. She implored the the group, Nikala Williams said the organization is the country is experiencing a heatwave. “We want students to drink water and to practice water new to SVG, but it has been around for over a 100 the children to understand what it is to be healthy; conservation. years. She said the main focus of the organization is we want them to understand what it is to conserve The exhibition also witnessed a donation by the to change lives, especially those of children. Among water, so we have different businesses showcasing the donated items was a wheelbarrow, shovels, water boots and brooms for the school’s agriculture program.

Fifth Form Agricultural Science student, Kellia Horne said that exhibition is important because it give students an insight into local businesses and how they operate.

“It gives local businesses the exposure by coming Baliene House (Blue) out and showing us the products they produce. It being responsible for the could be organic or it could be inorganic …. We provision of Legumes, know how profit making agriculture is. So it is very and Duvernette House important for us as students to have an (Yellow) providing understanding of how the agriculture sector works,” Staples. said Horne.

Meanwhile, Charlotte A number of businesses also took part in the House (Green) provided exhibition by advertising and selling their products Fats and Oils, Teachersand the exhibition also witnessed a Parade of Food from animals and Careers, presentation of prizes to winners of the Parents Teachers’ Best Science Career Competition and a presentation Association- Fruits. on the benefits of the featured Exhibition Chairperson, Staged under the crop/produce (Coconut). theme: “Water is life; Let Ms. Felecia Alexander us Grow, Go and Glow”, an extract from the national theme, “Water is Life, Water is Food, Leave No One Behind”, the food exhibition, was seen as an advancement of what the students do in class.

In explaining how they arrived at a format, Ms. A section of display tables at the food exhibition.

Felicia Alexander, Chair of the Organising Committee shared, “We often teach the topic of food THE C.W. PRESCOD PRIMARY School observed groups in our school, so we thought that having World Food Day (WFD), last Monday October 16, them get a practical would be great.”

2023, with a food exhibition, emphasizing the Alexander added that it was more than an dietary guidelines for St. Vincent and the exhibition.

Grenadines.

“In addition to the display of the various foods, The exhibition staged on the Grammar School Playing Field, adjacent to the school, featured foods we had the cooked products which the students were able to sample, thus giving them a taste of the from the six categories.

Responsible for providing the items were the four products as some may have never eaten them”, VV Virgin houses, as well as teachers and the school’s Parents Alexander said.

Satisfied with the overall execution of the Coconut Oil on Teachers Association. display.

Soufriere House (Red) displayed Vegetables, with activity, Alexander said that her committee will be maintain that new format going forward.

CWPPS focuses on dietary guidelines for WFD

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14. FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 2023 . THE VINCENTIAN

Business/Youth

Flow offers support to UNÊs ÂAct NowÊ Campaign

the wider global community.”

Flow will also host an internal team-driven community event that focuses on improving the connectivity of underprivileged communities throughout St. Vincent and the marked the 7th Office in St. Vincent and Grenadines, and the anniversary and the half- the Grenadines through company will fund a way point since the a communications nationwide community adoption of the 2030 campaign to drive group competition geared Agenda for Sustainable awareness of the SDGs towards achieving one of Development, Ms. among the Vincentian the Sustainable Quammie noted that population.

Development Goals there was regression on “The Act Now among others.

SDG progress because of initiative is a pivotal “From the top of our the COVID-19 pandemic, moment for Flow as we organisation, our the Russia/Ukraine continue to expand our company is committed crisis, the volcanic global presence while wholeheartedly to the eruption and other remaining dedicated to goals and outcome of the exogenous shocks that providing innovative SDGs by these bold affected the national solutions to connect pledges we have made to economy and livelihoods people, organisations, the regional and global of Vincentians. businesses and community where we “Therefore the communities,” said Hull. operate,” added Hull.

Wayne Hull (fourth from left), Country Manager, Flow St Vincent, with #ActNow Global “We are very excited Country Coordinators Lafleur Quammie (center) of the United Nations Ms Quammie thanked Campaign was developed to launch this Development Coordination Office and Nicole Trudeau of UNICEF. They are Flow St. Vincent for to empower people to act partnership with the UN joining the campaign and joined surrounded by stakeholders representing UNESCO, UNWOMEN, for the SDGs, raise Country Office here in UNDP, WFP, and UNFPA following the launch of the ‘Act Now’ campaign. reaffirmed the United awareness of the SDGs, St. Vincent and the Nation’s committed LEADING Sustainable Development sector initiative, was and build a movement Grenadines, supporting support to private TELECOMMUNICATIONS Goals (SDGs). formalized during a for change,” she the “ACT NOW” entities in fulfilling their PROVIDER FLOW has This will prioritize, recent meeting under the explained.

Campaign for the UN 17 Corporate Social established a partnership among other things, leadership of La Fleur As part of the newly Sustainable Development Responsibilities and the with the United Nations equality, environmental Quammie, the UN’s formed relationship, Goals. We are aligned national development Barbados and Eastern safety, and connectivity Country Coordination Flow will promote and and committed to priorities of St. Vincent Caribbean in support of across St. Vincent and Officer for St. Vincent support the work of the supporting a sustainable and the Grenadines. the UN global #ActNow the Grenadines. and the Grenadines, and UN and its Country future for our society and (Flow) Campaign – an initiative The partnership, Wayne Hull, Country aimed at promoting urgent which is part of a UN Manager, Flow. action towards the sub-regional private While September 2023

TSSS takes ECCU inaugural Quiz THE FOUR REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE Thomas Saunders Secondary School outdid their opponents to win the inaugural Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) School Quiz.

Part of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) @40 celebrations, the virtual quiz was held last Thursday, October 13, 2023.

The quartet of Ashanka Bellingy, Jeremariah Diamond, Leah Andrews and Caleb Morris, amassed 15,668 points to lead the Vincentian educational institution to the coveted title.

The TSSS students responded correctly to 17 of the 20 questions.

Second was the Immaculate Conception Catholic School of St. Kitts and Nevis, with 13,684 points, as they got 14 of their 20 items correct.

Completing the top three places was the Charles E. Mills Secondary, also of St. Kitts and Nevis. They tallied 12,246 points, answering correctly 12 of the 20 questions posed to them.

The three top places will receive $1,500, $1,250 and $1,000, respectively, among other prizes.

Below: From left: TSSS winning quartet: Caleb Morris, Leah Andrews, Jeremariah Diamond, Ashanka Bellingy.

The Quiz featured questions from the ECCB organisations inclusive of the Monetary Council, D-Cash, geographical points of the eight ECCU countries, Caribbean Music, Nobel Laureates, regional icons in sports, music and academia and Caribbean culture and history.

Apart from the top three winners, schools from Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada and St. Lucia participated in the quiz.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. 15.

Feature

Unsung Civil Service Pioneer – the Claude Samuel story

CLAUDE CLIFFORD SAMUEL was born in Chateaubelair on the 28th of February 1934. He was the third child and first son of James and Estella Samuel. He attended the Chateaubelair Methodist Primary School from which he won a scholarship to the St. Vincent Grammar School, awarded by the late Hon. H. A. Davis, O. B. E, then Parliamentary Representative for the Leeward district in the then Legislative Council. This was one of four additional scholarships (out of a total of eight) given in 1945 in honour of the Allied Victory in World War II. In 1946 Claude entered the St. Vincent Grammar School and applied himself to his new learning environment. His progress was such that by the end of his fourth year at age fifteen, he sat the Senior Cambridge Examination and was successful in obtaining the only Grade One certificate in the examination for that year; 1949. On the basis of the quality of the passes; two distinctions (Latin and Chemistry and Credits in six other subjects). Claude applied for and successfully gained exemption from the London University matriculation exam, this result was a rare occurrence. This was the globally popular LM examination which, until 1934, was the approved standard for the biennial Island Scholarship.

In 1950 Claude entered the Sixth Form and commenced studying for the Higher School Certificate, a two-year program, but with his scholarship in its final year and his family’s inability to fund his living and school expenses for another year, Claude had no choice but to leave school. He was sixteen years old. In anticipation of this outcome, Claude had attempted to get employment in the Oil Refining Industry in Curacao, for which he had the necessary qualifications, but failed in his efforts to do so since he was not yet eighteen years old, a mere sixteen months away. So Claude had to return to St. Vincent.

Claude’s ambition was to become a doctor and he had confirmation from the newly established University College of the West Indies, a college of London University, that he qualified for entry. The estimated cost of the course at Mona was given as Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00). This would have been “a mountain to climb” compared to the “hill” he faced to complete the Higher School Course.

So, still, with medicine in mind, Claude obtained a place in the new intake of students at the Central Dispensary of the then Colonial Hospital, now Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, to pursue the three-year course in pharmacy. The Chief Dispenser was Mr. Benjamin Richards, who was the father of Claude’s school colleague Errol Richards, who had been his companion to Curacao. Errol was already eighteen years old and was able to stay.

In December 1953, he successfully completed the course but could not

find employment as there were no vacancies. So Claude had to seek employment somewhere as he was not living with family. In spite of his excellent Senior Cambridge certificate, Claude never gave thought to applying to Barclays Bank for a job. He was well aware of their existing employment policy and had the experience of seeing certain boys who had left school in 1949 and earlier, moving into those jobs. Claude entered the General Clerical Service as a Class III Clerk in January 1954.

Claude’s first posting was to the Charitable Department, a subdepartment of the Labour Department under C. G. “Pat” Huggins, Labour Commissioner. His immediate boss was Mr. Vivian T. Young, the Public Assistance and Probation Officer. It was around this time that the approved school for boys was established at Fairhall with Mrs. Wilson from the UK and Mr. Leonard Providence, former Headteacher.

The Public Relations Office was the other sub-department under Mr. Huggins, with M. G.F. Jack and then Mr. J. V. Alves as Public Relations Officer. These offices were all under one roof and had a certain amount of fluidity of staff movements. So Mr. Samuel had the experience of producing the Government newspaper “Challenge” and producing and presenting the weekly Sunday evening radio program for broadcast on Radio St. Vincent, operated from the home of Mr. Weston Lewis in Middle Street.

Other civil servants like Frankie Thomas, Moultan Williams, and Jean Duncan were also involved.

Mr. Samuel was then transferred to the Government Office with Mr. Arthur King, the Government Secretary. He was posted in the Personnel Division with Mr. Frankie Thomas as Chief Personnel Officer.

In August 1958 Claude got married to Ms. Barbara Ollivierre, a staff nurse at the Colonial Hospital. This was the culmination of a relationship that started while he was a pharmacy student.

In 1962 Mr. Samuel was selected by the Administrator, Mr. A. F. Giles, to attend the Overseas Service Course at Oxford University, UK. This was an annual course sponsored by the Colonial Office for new UK entrants and existing young officers from the Colonies. There he had the opportunity to attend lectures in law, politics/government, and economics with an examination in the last.

Success in this course enabled him to get a fully funded scholarship from USAID to read for a degree in economics at the University of the West Indies in 1964. His L.M. exemption of 1950 would have applied.

So here was Claude at age 30, married with two children, Malcolm and Herbert, at last getting the opportunity to pursue a university degree fully funded. Claude was accompanied to Mona, Jamaica by his

wife Barbara and their two children.

During the school holidays, Mr. Samuel was able to secure temporary employment in the Jamaican Civil service and was encouraged to stay on after graduation but the early signs of political conflict were showing and Claude never really felt the urge to stay then he had a vision which he had started to work on by 1966.

Mr. Samuel graduated in 1967 with a BSc. Econ. Degree. On his return to St. Vincent, he was appointed Assistant Security of the Ministry of Finance under Mr. Cecil Jacob as Financial Secretary.

Second Entry Within months of returning to St. Vincent, Claude completed and submitted to the Administrator a paper titled ‘The Government Saving Bank - A suggested new role.’ This was an unsolicited paper not required by course requirements nor by the government. It was simply to suggest a way we could go in our development and to show that he had learned something that could be of benefit to his country. It was acknowledged as a thoughtful and useful paper.

In January 1969, Claude was appointed Manager of the Agricultural and Cooperative Bank set up to lend to the agricultural and fishing sectors with the help of a Canadian Consultant. A few months into 1969, Claude was selected to work along with a British Advisor, Jimmy Jordan, to set up the National Provident Fund (NPF), in conjunction with his substantive post of Manager of the Agricultural and Cooperative Bank.

When the NPF came into being, in January 1970, he was then formally appointed its first Executive Director.

Mr. Samuel continued in the position under less than satisfactory conditions until early 1973 when he left on secondment as an Economist at the newly established Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in Barbados, during the last year of Sir Arthur Lewis’ Presidency. Mr. Leonard Robinson, a St. Lucian, and Mr. Samuel were the first two young economists from the OECS who went to the CDB on secondment. Mr. Samuel was succeeded by Mr. Godwin Daniel holding dual positions at the Bank and the NPF. With the political developments taking place throughout the region; a reformed East Caribbean Currency Authority (without Barbados) came into being and Mr. Cecil Jacobs, the Financial Secretary, here was appointed as Managing Director. As a result, Mr. Samuel was recalled to take up the post of Financial Secretary in an acting capacity in November 1973. The so-called ‘junta’ government of Mitchell/Joshua was then in power.

This alliance fell apart in 1974 and after the December elections, the Labour Party was returned to power.

The belated efforts by Premier

Claude Samuel Mitchell to have Mr. Samuel appointed to the post had failed and the Public Service Commission appointed Mr. C. I. Martin to the post. Mr. Samuel reverted to his grade as a Permanent Secretary and was posted first to the Ministry of Communications and Works and a few months later to the Ministry of Education.

It was at this point in Mr. Samuels’ career (mid-1975) that he learned of the plan of the government to literally implement the recommendation in his 1967 paper. As reported by Mr. Samuel, it would appear that a report dated 18th December 1974 by Mr. H. T. W. Pepper, Fiscal, and Tax Consultant under the auspices of the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation, helped to give some impetus to the bank’s initiative.

It is interesting to note that #2 of the Mr. Pepper’s term of reference stated: “The review should cover other matters such as national savings and any other points which may be referred for consideration by the Government”. In his short preliminary visit in August 1974, the Mitchell/Joshua government was in office but by 10th December 1974 a new government with Mr. Cato as Premier was in place. This is what Mr. Pepper said (inter alia) in his report:

Savings Bank “THE Government Savings Bank has been/subject of various Reports and proposals among which was the excellent definitive Paper prepared by Mr. Claude C. Samuel in September 1967, at a time when the Bank had been going downhill for some years.

Little has actually been done about the various suggestions made.

The writer had made a brief survey of his own before being made acquainted with the earlier reports and had reached broadly similar conclusions.

The position of the Savings Bank is desperate. The downhill velocity having reached a breakneck pace.

Continued on Page 18.

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16. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. THE VINCENTIAN

Feature

Unsung Civil Service Pioneer – the Claude

Samuel story Continued from Page 17.

A few simple steps taken now could possibly arrest the decline and revive the fortunes of the Bank and thus indirectly make more money available to Government.

A similar story of decline of the Government Savings Bank is encountered in most small countries, often because rates of interest have become outdated but mostly because no effort has been made to drum up business.”

Following an agreement with Prime Minister Cato to take on the assignment the timing to start the preparatory work was set for 1976 after Mr. Samuel had taken an already planned vacation leave. One of the critical matters in the new venture was the foreign exchange operations.

Mr. Samuel said that P. M. Cato had told him of the suggestion made by the local manager of Barclays that they (i.e. Barclays) could handle the foreign banking aspect on a shared basis. Mr. Samuel said he advised Mr. Cato that the new bank would not be a ‘proper bank’ if this offer was accepted and advised against it pointing out that all that was needed was to set up correspondent banking relations with foreign banks in London, New York and Toronto and he foresaw no difficulty in doing so. As it turned out Mr. Samuel’s advice was accepted and on opening day 4th June 1977 the National Commercial Bank (NCB) had the critical links established with reputable banks in London, New York and Toronto. The directors of the bank had Mr. Cato, Prime Minister, as Chairman, three other Ministers of Government, and Messrs R. E. Baynes and S. N. Ballantyne, and the Financial Secretary. The presence of Ministers of Government on the Bank’s Board of Directors was not what Mr. Samuel was expecting given our constitutional arrangements, but it is what he got.

Mr. Hubert DaSilva (ex-Royal Bank of Canada) who was in place during the preparatory stages became the Assistant Manager. He was succeeded

by Mr. Julian Francis (ex-CIBC) following Mr. DaSilva’s resignation.

The takeover of the accounts of the central government and statutory bodies went smoothly by and large. A weakness in the bank’s foreign exchange accounts was solved when Mr. Samuel realized that the economy was being ‘short-changed’ by the weekly cheque from banana sales in the UK that was coming to the bank in EC Dollars. He then advised the St.

Vincent Banana Growers Association (BGA) to instruct Geest to pay for the bananas in pounds in London to the bank’s account with its correspondent.

This was immediately converted to US Dollars and immediately became an earning center for the bank in the short-term currency market. This continued all through the 80’s and 90’s. It is no wonder that Barclays wanted a piece of the action from the start! It also started the decline in the fortunes of Barclays Bank.

The bank, even in those early years, gave much-needed support to the GECCU and the SVTCCU — two new entrants into the non-bank financial services sector.

In 1982 Mr. Samuel was inscribed as a Fellow of the Economic Development Institution of the World Bank following attendance at the November-December Course in Washington D.C. Following the elections of 1984 the Labour Party was defeated by the NDP headed by J. F. Mitchell as prime minister. The bank was reorganized and Mr. Samuel retired from the service, after 31 years of service.

There is an area outside of banking on which Mr. Samuel left his indelible mark. It has to do with the Government Messenger Service. When he joined the service in 1954, the messenger service was predominantly of the male gender except for Miss Emily at Grammar School and Miss Quammie at Girls’ High School.

When Mr. Samuel assumed his first management position in 1969, the question of the messenger arose. Mr. Samuel said that he wanted a female in the role, explaining that he had experienced this arrangement in Jamaica’s civil service in which he worked during holidays in Jamaica.

PM Cato liked the idea and the slow death of the Male Messenger Service started. Ms. Myrna Bramble became the first female to be appointed in the Civil Service. There was no announcement or fanfare - a female replaced a male as they retired or died - no more Innis, Moses, Clarke, Matthews et al.

When the ULP returned to office in 2001, Mr. Samuel held two positions; Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vinlec (2001-2004) then Chairman of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) (2004-2010).

Mr. Samuel’s 1976 paper can be found online at https://issuu.com/hasamuel/docs/the_g overnment_savings_bank__paper_written_by_cla

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. 17.

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18. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023 . THE VINCENTIAN

Advice

Broken trust Dear George, MY WIFE and I have been married for almost 3 years and we have been trying desperately to have a child since. My wife almost managed to convince me that I was the one who had a problem and threatened to leave the marriage if I could not get her pregnant. She showed me fake papers showing that she was fertile and I believed what I saw.

George, my wife is a very beautiful woman and I love her dearly. I brought up the idea of adopting a very young baby, but she rejected that idea on the basis that she wanted to experience being actually pregnant.

She raised the idea of inviting another man to get her pregnant and us raising the child. A girlfriend of hers recommended one of her male friends from Trinidad. This guy came to our house 3 nights a week for a period of two months and slept with her solely for the purpose of getting her pregnant and yet nothing happened.

We went to Trinidad after that and stayed for one month and repeated the process.

George, one day just before we returned to SVG, I happened to walk in on them while they were at it just to make things a bit more exciting and I was shocked to see the man was wearing a condom. Of course I immediately questioned it and he confessed he was wearing it for his protection and had been wearing it all along. He admitted that it was all arranged that way and he was my wife’s secret lover all along. All that time we were trying to get pregnant,

she was on birth control pills. There was nothing wrong with my ability to get her pregnant in the first place.

Now that I’m on to her, she is begging me to forgive her and to give the marriage another chance. I cannot trust her again. She is saying that marriage is for better or for worse but I told her while she may be right, I now know better.

Deeply Disappointed Dear Deeply Disappointed, A good marriage cannot thrive if it’s built on deception and lies. From the get go, once it became evident that there was a problem producing a child, both of you should have made a decision to be tested in an effort to pin point the problem. You instead chose to shoulder the blame. It will be an uphill and herculean task to rebuild the trust that was shattered in the relationship. Of course the decision would be yours to make.

It must be noted that once deception can be proven, it is valid grounds for divorce, but you may want to give yourself sometime to calm down and process the events in question. You will have to make that all important decision in the end, determining whether the marriage is worth saving. You can engage the services of a counsellor/therapist to help you arrive at a decision you can live with.

George

Caught in the middle other of stealing his girl.

While all of this was I AM CAUGHT smack in going on, a good male friend of mine the middle of a quarrel approached me and between two brothers. asked why I would want Both brothers have to be engulfed in a war taken a liking towards me, but I chose one to be between two brothers my lover. We have been when he can take me going for five months. It away from it all. He made me an offer that is just happened that we hard to turn down but I broke up and the other brother seized his chance am feeling as though I would be abandoning the to be with me. After 2nd brother who I’m three months the first presently going out with brother decided that he now. wanted me back.

It has caused both of Confused them to be at loggerheads. The first Dear Confused, brother is accusing the

Dear George,

Put ego aside

The reality is you can only choose one individual to be with and that would be the one who is most compatible to you and the one whom your heart yearns for. It seems as though you will need to give yourself a little more time than what you are allocating now to make a sensible decision. Once you are clear on what you want then it should not be too difficult to see whether it exist in any of these men.

George

Erectile dysfunction can be caused by a number of things. The way to address this is not by avoiding the Dear George, issue. You should be comfortable enough to have a frank discussion I HAVE not been able to satisfy my with your wife. Seeing a doctor would wife sexually. It is now taking forever be a good move to rule out any to gain an erection and if I do get it, medical issues. The next step would it does not last too long. My wife is be to see a psychologist as the pretending not to notice but I suspect problem can be psychological in it’s of concern to her. Lately I have nature. Whatever it is, it is necessary chosen to avoid sex simply because to have an ongoing conversation with I’m running out of excuses why I your wife so you can have her support cannot rise to the occasion. What to help you through this. Put your ego should I do now? aside and take the bull by the horn and deal with this as a team.

Urgent Cry

Dear Urgent Cry,

George

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. 19.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) You will have the discipline and fortitude to accomplish what you want this week. Try not to take others for granted. Tempers could get out of hand this week. Personal alterations will be in your best interest.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) Friends from your past may come back into your life. You will have a problem dealing with groups. You won't be able to keep a secret. You are exceptional at presenting your ideas.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Don't blow situations out of proportion. Unexpected events may be upsetting. You are best to stick to yourself this week. You need to do your own thing and work on making yourself the best you can be.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) You can make major gains if you talk to your boss about your findings.

Talk to someone you trust if you need advice about broaching the subject. Consider applying for a job in another part of the world.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Avoid getting involved with married individuals. The experience will be good. You will feel compelled to do some traveling. Contracts will not be as lucrative as you think.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) Emotional relationships will be plentiful if you attend group activities. You will be able to work in fine detail and present the best possible proposal. Taking on too much won't help the situation.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Resist any idle chatter. Renovations to your domestic scene will pay high rewards. This is a great day to beautify your living quarters or to entertain at home. Communications with loved ones may be strained.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Don't believe everything you hear.

Try not to take everything so seriously. Consider making residential changes; either moves or renovations could payoff. Take care of any pressing health problems.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) You will be able to make changes regarding your living arrangements.

Pleasure trips will ease the tension between you and your mate.

Residential moves will be hectic and may be unsatisfactory.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19) Socializing or travel will lead to partnerships. Your best results will come through business trips. Passion will be your only answer. Organize your day well if you wish to accomplish all you set out to do.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) You must not let others talk you into doing things that will probably limit you financially at a later date. This is a good day to check out your investments. You will upset your partner if you have spent money on things that aren't necessary.

ACROSS

6. Former trade 1. Look up to agreement 7. Stubborn people 7. Arizona 12. Western hero city 14. Synthetic fabric 8. St. George 16. Erode state 17. Baked Italian dish 9. Italy’s ___ 18. Type of dog di Como 19. Ezra Pound, for on 10. Sicilian 20. Figure skater mount Thomas 11. Looked 22. Partial sterilization over 32. Crabby quality 13. Melted 33. Food in Exodus cheese 34. Geneses 14. Defenses 35. Lift, so to speak 15. Spanish 36. “Tidal” singer, Apple port 37. Unreserved 21. Hospital 40. Not operating within rooms normal standards 22. Corral 42. “That’s ___!”

23. Org. 43. Haul line taker 24. Dictation 48. Like 25. Industry magnate 55. First name in a 26. Starfleet Academy Beatles hit grad.

56. Destructive funnel 27. Compadre 57. Go-between’s 28. Gripper business 29. Prefix with structure 58. Cut corners 30. “Ninja Turtles” 59. One of a reporter/cohort dispatcher’s April tools 31. Informant 60. Judge 32. Sukiyaki ingredient 35. Famous architect DOWN 37. Essential part of ants-on-a-log 1. Perplexed 38. “Wheel of Fortune” 2. Lentil sauce, var. buy 3. Tags or tarsals 39. Types of inferential 4. Showy, colorful plant statistics 5. Penguins’ milieu

41. Fog, mist, or steam 43. Zip 44. “Three Sisters” sister 45. Garden intruder 46. Hindu queen 47. Latch ___ (adopt

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Changes at home will be necessary.

Don't jump too quickly regarding an investment that appears to be good.

Your sensitive, affectionate nature will capture the heart of anyone you are attracted to.

enthusiastically) 49. Crumb 50. Dr.’s orders 51. Travel brochure listings 52. In the wee hours 53. Summer quaffs 54. Towel holders

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20. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. THE VINCENTIAN

Central Double Win in Schools Football

Central Leeward Senior team and defending champion. trashing the Petit Bordel Giants.

Delanzo Dickson opened the score first for the Warriors in 40 minutes, followed

by Shane Miller 3 minutes later.

Petit Bordel’s Akeem Nichols pulled one back in Action between Central Leeward and Petit Bordel Giants. the 52nd minute, to give the North Leeward fans some hope. That hope was however dashed, when Central Junior team won the opening game.

Masranny Harry scored soon after Stories by I.B.A. ALLEN the restart. Kyle Derrick put his name on the score sheet in the 63rd CENTRAL LEEWARD JUNIOR and Seniors football teams got off to a winning start in minute, and Ronaldo Chambers Action between Bishop’s College Kingstown and Central Leeward the 2023 Inter Secondary Schools Football scored, seconds before the final Secondary. whistle.

Shield Cup Tournament, with victories in both categories when the action kicked off on Sunday at the includes Afiya Thomas, in 52:45.90 seconds and the Petit Bordel Campden Park Playing Kennisha Welcome, Secondary was 3rd in 53:57.60 seconds.

Kesian John, Ayah Defending boys’ champs, the Georgetown Field.

Stapleton, Anella Secondary could only muster 4th place, In the first Warner, Royal-lee ahead of Central Leeward in 5th, followed encounter, Central Solomon, Akayla by the St. Vincent Grammar School, Bethel Leeward Warriors Hamblett, Alia High School and Thomas Saunders avenged their 2-1 McDowal. The respectively. loss to Bishop’s remaining teams were The next event on the Inter Secondary College in the last from the West St. Schools Athletic calendar will be the Crossseason’s George Secondary, Country Run, on Thursday, October 19th, at championship game, Georgetown Secondary, the E.T. Joshua Tarmac. by beating them 2-0.

Buccament Bay Jordan McKenzie Secondary, opened the scoring in Sandy Bay the 24th minute, and Secondary and Jolanso Charles Dr. J.P. Eustace The Central Leeward Secondary School girl’s champion secured the win with Memorial. an 84th minute goal.

A new winner THE CENTRAL LEEWARD Secondary Last year’s senior emerged in the Boys category, when finals had to resort to School and Troumaca Ontario Secondary the Troumaca Ontario Secondary emerged winners of the 2023 Inter penalties, for the crossed the line first with a team Secondary Schools Road Relay on last Warriors to be comprised of Shacique Hooper, Thursday. crowned champions.

Central Leeward successfully retained the Zimron Baptiste, Michael Duncan, This year, Girls’ title in 1:17:29.00 seconds, beating out Henreek-k Francois, Zichri however, Central Hephurn, Ajay Delpleche. They the Troumaca Ontario Secondary, who was Leeward took the eclipsed the record by finishing in 2nd, in 1:20:13.00 seconds, and the Girls’ victory with a 52:22.20 seconds. The St. Martin’s High School in 1:22:34.00 seconds. Central resounding 5-1, Secondary School took the 2nd spot Troumaca Ontario Secondary boy’s champion Leeward was powered by a team that

Central, Troumaca Takes Inter Sec Titles

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. 21.

Sports

SVG champs ECVA U23 MenÊs Title ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES beat St Kitts and Nevis 3-2(25-18, 24-26, 27-25, 23-25, 156) to win the Men’s Under-23 title of the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) tournament last Sunday night, October 15, 2023 at the Indoor MultiPurpose Facility in Tortola.

Apart from champing the title, St. Vincent and the Grenadines earned a place in the Pan American champions.

It was sweet revenge for the Vincentians who were beaten by the Kittians 3-0 (25-22, 2516, 25-22) when the two met in the preliminary round.

Following that early SVG’s Under-23 Male Volleyballers. lost to St Kitts and the Nevis, the Vincentians and Nevis’ Aziel Belle was the Best picked themselves up to win all their Opposite, with Mervin Mingo of matches thereafter.

They beat St. Lucia 3-2, (23-25, 22- Dominica, the Best Digger and Best Libero.

25, 25-15, 25-22, 15-13). Antigua and Barbuda as well as Saba, 3-0 (25-7, 25-9, 25-13).

A 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-19) win over Dominica, resulted in St. Vincent and the Grenadines heading into the final.

Awards St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ CaptainJamaar Cropper was the MVP of the Tournament.

Cropper was the Best Scorer and joint Best Outside Hitter, along with Rio Jaden Victor of St. Lucia.

Another accolade gained by St. Vincent and the Grenadines was secured by Shadron Delpesche, who pouched one of two Best Middle Blockers award. The other was copped by Malcolm Christopher of the British Virgin Islands.

St. Kitts and Nevis’ Elkreen Morton was the Best Server, with Rajheem Meulens of St. Maarten the Best Receiver and Kyle Fontaine of Dominica, the Best Setter.

Meanwhile, St. Kitts

MVP- Jamaar Cropper.

Dominica placed third, St. Maarten — fourth, with St. Lucia docking in fifth and host the British Virgin Islands- sixth.

Completing the list of placings were Grenada- seventh, Antigua and Barbuda- eighth; Saba — ninth and Anguilla — tenth.

Calli Ballers trump Brighton League

CALLI BALLERS WON THE 2023 earning a trophy and $200.

Brighton Football League that ended last Calli Ballers got the winner’s trophy Sunday, October 15, 2023, at the Brighton and $2,800, Glen United got a trophy and Playing Field. $1,500, with third place- Enhams Two Calli Balllers beat Glen United 4-2 on earning a trophy and $1,000. penalties, after both drew 3-3 in Ten teams participated in the League. regulation time.

Trailing Glen United 31, Calli Ballers stretched the contest forcing the match into penalties.

For Calli Ballers, Reon Bradshaw, Z’ Maar Saunders and Delquan Kirby were the goal scorers, while a brace from Zeddy Millington and a single strike from Zavier Delpesche, accounted for Glen United’s tally.

Reon Bradshaw- MVP of the Final, with Curlon Joseph of Enhams Two was the top goal scorer with ten goals. Joseph collected a trophy and $250.

The Most Disciplined Champions- Calli Ballers Team was Enhams One,

Most goals- Curlon Joseph (right) accepts his rewards from President of the SVGFFCarl Dickson.

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22. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

SVG sends four to Pan ItÊs getting hot Am Games

THAT COULD be anything. It might be heat that is concern. It might be the intensity of the bombing in Gaza, or anywhere Palestinians may be found.

In other instances, it might be the pressure mounting on the senior national football squad.

They slipped from the top of the group, eclipsed

by French Guiana who rolled them over on two occasions.

The performances are nothing to be ashamed of. These are matters on the normal course of the calendar.

The extra heat comes from ICC World Cup action. The race is on for four semifinal berths and the way things are panning out, anyone could win some money.

Yesterday Thursday saw the India/Bangladesh clash. Bangladesh seems to enjoy coming against India. They cherish the thought of an upset and would love to see it in this World cup. India and their fans are up for any contest and with points vital, India will not want to deflate their home support.

Australia and Pakistan battle in today’s fixture.

Saturday’s double header sees Netherland and Sri Lanka in the first clash. The Dutch will believe that after their victory over South Africa, the journey could get more exciting. Sri Lanka is yet to win a game and are anxious to prove that their qualification was no fluke.

England and South Africa feature in the other showdown. Both have reasons for rebounding.

They featured on the wrong end of upsets at this tournament.

England believed there were points for the taking when they met Afghanistan. It turned out differently and Afghanistan secured their first points.

South Africa caused heads to turn in their first two games. When they had Netherlands reeling in a match reduced to 43 overs, there was the belief that the game might have been over quickly. When it did, it was Netherlands with the champagne bottle.

Netherlands recovered to 245 for 8. Even then, the rampaging South Africans were expected to run over that total. They fell for 207 with one delivery to be bowled.

New Zealand avoided any such trauma when Afghanistan thought that they were in for another break through. New Zealand held firm, piled up 288 for 6 and sent Afghanistan packing for 139 off 34.4 overs. Next Monday’s clash sees Pakistan and Afghanistan in a neighborhood clash.

Tuesday Bangladesh and South Africa meet.

The final is set for Sunday November 19 following two semifinal encounters. Those will be between the top four contenders from the 10 teams that lined up.

There are many a heart tingling fixture at stake. With the tension that is accompanying each encounter, it will boil down to a matter of nerves. Who maintains that more steely resolve will find themselves in good ted come final day.

The fringe elements are many and varied. The regional Super 50 is raging, and preparations must be ramping up as it closes in on the ICC T/20 World slated for the Caribbean and the USA next year. Vincentians are awaiting that fixture with great anticipation. It has been some time that international cricket been in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. And when it ccomes, Arnos Vale ought to be looking different.

Kennice Greene ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES will be part of the XIX edition of the Pan Scarlett Hadley American Games set for Santiago, Colombia, from October 20 to Meanwhile, Nikolas Sylvester November 5, 2023. and Kennice Greene are the two Representation will be in swim-mers selected. Sylvester is Athletics, Sailing and Swimming. listed for the 50m Freestyle, the Darren Morgan will be St. 100m Breaststroke and the 200m Vincent and the Grenadines’ lone Individual Medley. track athlete, as he competes in Greene has the 50m and 100m the 100m. Chester Morgan is the Freestyle and the 100m Butterfly coach. to contend with.

The athletics events are slated Swimming takes place from for October 30 to November 4.

October 21 to 24. Kyle Dougan Breaking new ground for St. travels as the Swim Coach.

Vincent and the Grenadines is The Pan American Games is Sailing, with Scarlett Hadley the world’s third largest multicompeting in the ILCA 6 class. sport Games. The 2023 edition Sailing takes place on will see over 8000 athletes from November 4 and 5, with Jenny North, Central and South Trumble travelling as Coach.

America, as well as the Caribbean Darren Morgan competing for honours.

Bullock Hits Century in TBPO TROY BULLOCK hit his first century this season to help his team Clinchers comfortably defeat Advent United by 247 runs, in the National Lottery Authority TPBO T20 Cricket competition last weekend at the Dauphine playing field.

Scores: Clinchers battted first and made 321 for 5 in 20 overs.

Troy Bullock 102 not out off 42 balls- with 15 6s and 1 4s. Nyron Ballantyne 53, Oheyan Toby 46, Donwell Hector 29 and Vincent Cupid 26.

Bowling for Advent United: Dennis James gained 2 wickets for 36 runs. In reply, Advent United reached 74 all out in 14.1 overs. Rueben Ross made 41 and bowling for Clinchers: Troy Bullock was 5 wickets for 28 runs.

In other results, AIA Reload beat East Kingstown by 56 runs.

Scores: AIA batted first and made 114 for 7 in 17 overs. Romel Olliviere 34. Bowling for East Kingstown: Jerrell Edwards got 2 wickets for 25 runs while Javon Seales got 2 wickets for 29 runs. In reply East Kingstown reached 58 runs all out in 11 overs.

Bowling for AIA Reload: Sylvano Greene 3 wickets for 13 while

Nkosi Toby got 2 wickets for 21.

Kombat Warriors defeated Dauphine United by 82 runs.

Kombat Warriors batted first and made 145 for 4 in 15 overs. Romano Pierre 52, Trevin Baptiste 33, Kamari Browne 27. Bowling for Dauphine United: Kendall Payne 2 wickets for 17 runs, Mclean Browne 2 wickets for 31 runs. In reply, Dauphine United reach 63 all out in 14.4 overs. Bowling for Kombat Warriors: Kamal Jackson 4 wickets for 12 runs while Donaldson

Harry got 3 wickets for 9 runs.

Simple Boys beat Dr. Thomas Injectors by 90 runs. Scores: Simple Boys batted first and made 182 for 6 in 17 overs.

Travis Cumberbatch 86, Kentish Phillips 20. Bowling for Injectors: 2 wickets for 32 runs. In reply Injectors reached 92 for 6 in 17 overs with Wendell Corridon, 22.

I.B.A. ALLEN

Troy Bullock hit a match-winning 102 not out for Clinchers.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023. 23.

Classifieds

4444

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023

VOLUME 117, No.42

www.thevincentian.com

EC$1.50

ÂSMOKESÊ GUNNED DOWN IN LAYOU

by KENVILLE HORNE

A LAYOU MAN who allegedly chased down a gunman after he shot and killed his friend last month was himself shot and killed in his home town last Sunday.

Delano Patrick aka ‘Smokes’, a 33-year-old labourer of Layou was on his way home when he was shot multiple times by a gunman.

The incident occurred around 1:00 a.m. on Sunday in Middle

Street, Layou.

According to a police report, Patrick was transported to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) for medical treatment, but later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead about 2:00 a.m. by a Medical Practitioner.

“The Crime Scene Unit of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force processed the scene and

retrieved items of evidential value,” the police report stated, adding that, “The RSVGPF expresses its deepest condolences to those negatively affected by this fatal incident.”

Residents in Layou said that they believe the killing of Patrick is linked to the shooting death of Jovani Baptiste, a twenty-nine (29) year old construction worker of Rose Place, which occurred

Delano ‘Smokes’ Patrick brings to 42 the number of homicides here.

on Thursday, September 07, 2023, in Buccament Bay. “He used to work down by the Buccament Bay Resort recently. He and Luch (Jovani) were like best friends. I hear he even run down the gunman who kill Luch,” said one resident. The source also shared that Patrick was a

pallbearer at Jovani’s funeral recently.

The death of the Layou man brings to 42 the number of homicides in St. Vincent and the Grenades this year, matching last year’s record.

EVERYTHING VINCY EXPO PLUS 2023 - READY TO ROLL With logistics already mapped out and frames for booths already positioned, the tarmac will shortly be transformed into an expo community.

The stage has actually been set and patrons could expect to be excited by what it will unfold. will boast over two hundred and forty Persons attending the participants. The Everything Vincy Expo activity’s main aim is to Plus 2023 should, stage the largest according to Invest SVG, networking event that expect a treat of brings investors, awesome proportions. business people and The extravaganza, which prospective clients is scheduled to be staged together in one grand at the northern end of location. the Arnos Vale tarmac Ms. Nyoka Cupid of from October 26 to 29, Invest SVG, speaking on

by GLORIAH...

business and open doors to incredible investment prospects.”

This 2023 staging of the expo promises to be an expanded version of anything it has been before. Invest SVG has NBC Radio earlier this outlined the diverse week reported that range in participation as: patrons can expect to “At the Everything Vincy encounter opportunities Expo Plus 2023, you can for connecting with expect a diverse range of suppliers and others who vendors representing can open doors to different industries and incredible prospects. sectors like food and “This is not your beverage, art and craft; ordinary expo,” she said, of course, tourism and “... you can expect an hospitality; technology explosion of opportunities and innovation; to connect with the agriculture and farming; suppliers, any health and wellness; institutions that really education and training; supercharge your and financial services,

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

and government and public services as well.”

To add to this great store of vendors, a Guyanese contingent will also feature in a more impactful way that ever before, in terms of its vendor numbers and the variety and quantity of products to be showcased.

Ms. Cupid expounded, “We are rolling out the carpet for our friends from the broader region with a special spotlight from the amazing vendors coming all the way from Guyana.

Personally, I believe it is an opportunity for cultural exchange, collaboration and

discovering new horizons, as the ‘Plus’ implies.

Vincentians need to get ready to reach, don’t wait, because the Everything Vincy Plus is back and it’s bringing you more space, more energy and even more vendors.”

She encouraged all Vincentians to visit the Everything Vincy Plus Expo with, “So, please, let’s come together, let’s support one another and let’s take memories that will last a lifetime at the Everything Vincy Expo Plus 2023. Get ready to be a part of something extraordinary. We do hope to see you there.”

Printed by the SVG Publishers Inc., Campden Park.