THE VINCENTIAN PDF-21-02-2025

GHS STUDENTS FLEE FROM FLEAS

The “temporary facility” that houses the Girls High School has become a favourite ‘hang out’ for stray dogs.

NOT FOR THE FIRST TIME since they relocated from their Murray Road, Kingstown location to “a temporary facility” at the southern end of the runway of the decommissioned E. T. Joshua Airport, students of the “prestigious” Girls’ High School were forced to hastily vacate the Arnos Vale facility.

And, to ‘throw cold water”, so to speak, on the saying that lightning does not strike in the same place twice, the students were made to flee their classrooms, on yet another occasion, because of another flea invasion.

By 10.00am on Wednesday morning, the school’s Principal, Mrs. Latoya DeRoche-John, was sending a WhatsApp message to parents, informing them that “… due to unforeseen circumstances… school will be dismissed early

today,” and advised that they make arrangements to have their children picked up early.

The message also informed that school will remain closed for the balance of the week and that instructions (classes) will be conducted online, a measure that the school has continued to use especially for assigning homework. No mention was made in the notice to parents of the flea invasion/infestation which, THE VINCENTIAN was made to understand, was brought to the attention of principal and staff at the very beginning of the school day. in fact, parents who are known to THE VINCENTIAN, shared that their daughter managed to telephone them long before 10:00am, urging them to

“pick me up … fleas biting me up… and they

even in my shoes.”

As referenced in the opening paragraph, this

Students gathered outside the main section of the Girls’ High School in discussion about their plight.

is not the first time that fleas have caused the Girls’ High School and the adjacent Thomas

Saunders Secondary School to be evacuated.

Continued on Page 3.

NOTHING WRONG WITH AG’S CANDIDACY: OTHER ELECTION NEWS

byDAYLE DASILVA

PRIME MINISTER DR. RALPH GONSALVEShas defended the selection of Grenville Williams, this country’s Attorney General, as the Unity Labour Party’s (ULP) candidate to contest the South Leeward seat in the upcoming General Election.

He said on radio on February 16, a day after Williams’s unanimous endorsement. that there was nothing wrong with the Attorney General being selected as a candidate.

“We have a law which we have put in place which in due

course...public servants will be able to get leave in order to campaign,” Dr. Gonsalves said.

“Obviously, the selection of the candidate cannot be done in that narrow window, it has to be done sometime before,” he continued.

Legislators here passed an Amendment to the Representation of the People Act back in October 2024 allowing public servants to contest elections and suffer no loss of employment or their benefits.

Continued on Page 3.

Grenville Williams copped an unanimous endorsement from the ULP South Leeward Constituency Council on his second effort.

SMSS goes chess-ing

by GLORIAH...

THE ST. MARTIN’S SECONDARY SCHOOL(SMSS) will launch its Chess Club on 5th November, 2025.

In addition to widening the choice of sports available to the student body, this new initiative, given the nature of the sport, is aimed at fostering critical thinking, strategic planning, and problem-solving skills among its students.

The club will function under the motto, “SMSS Chess Club–Shaping minds, one move at a time”.

The move to formalizing the sport and the club began when students observed two of their

international Chess Tournaments, lent the school his chess sets for the boys to use, while they awaited the arrival of sets for the school.

And the rest was history. The students came out in droves. The journey towards perfecting the basics of the sport began and its was not uncommon to see a number of students sitting around two players either as supporters or as eager players anticipating a challenge. It was through these endeavours that the idea of forming a club was born.

training both teachers and students.

The SMSS Chess Club, through weekly training sessions, practice matches, and mini-tournaments, reflects the school’s commitment to nurturing well-rounded individuals, preparing them to face both academic and realworld challenges with confidence.

recognizes the following for their kind assistance towards procuring chess sets: First Choice Enterprises; Mustique Company; the Central Water and Sewerage Authority; Ms. Zlene Ibrahim; the Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Overseas Engineering and Construction Company (OECC).

Valley teen.

teachers - Ms. Marneen Olaivar and Ms. Brinicia May - practising a board game during lunchtime and after school.

Sometimes, a coach was present providing training. These teachers were practising to enter the 2024 Chess Olympiad that was to be held in Hungary.

The boys’ enthusiasm was recognized and several of them willingly consented to learn the game.

Retired Justice Brian Cottle, a leading member of the Local Chess Association and himself no mean chess player who has represented the country at regional and

The International Chess Federation Master (FM) and local Chess Champion Chinedu Benjamin Enemchukwu has assisted in

And as the date for the Club’s launch draws nigh, the members of the club, the school’s staff and management

And with enthusiasm mounting by the day, an inaugural school tournament could well be held by April 2025.

Clare Valley teen shines

Backed by his knowledge gained through intensive research and supported by a few dollars, Joshua Bruce, a 5th form student of the Buccament Bay Secondary School, created a remote operated boat that caught the attention of many young people in his community. In an interview with THE VINCENTIAN Newspaper, the teen said that, in order to make his boat, he had to order a few parts and “take apart a remote-control car, remove the motors, secure an engine and glue them together to make the steering mechanism .. then I used a controller.”

As for the actual boat (body), Joshua said he used the material found inside the upper part of a refrigerator’s door, which he described as the stiffer part.

“I marked out the part that I wanted, cut it out, then sanded it. When I was ready for the inside, I took a hot knife and marked out the shape of the boat, then cut out the inside. Then I sanded it down and painted it,” said Joshua.

He told The Vincentian Newspaper that it was easy for him to get the remote to send the messages to the boat, for he applied the knowledge he had of sound engineering.

He said that he had

tried making a propeller for the boat but was pleased when one arrived with the engine he had ordered.

The boat moved effortlessly when Joshua and his friends tested it in the river and later in the sea.

Joshua said that his teacher promised that if he could make the boat work, he would get full marks.

“As you can see it works fine. I have to take it to school now on Monday, then carry it to the beach in Buccament and let my teacher see it for herself,’ Joshua told The Vincentian Newspaper one day before he submitted his project.

He said the

The boat moved effortlessly in the river when Joshua and his friends tested

inspiration for building boats stated at a tender age.

“I started at a young age, for I was always attracted to boats…. . So, I said maybe I should make some model boats to keep in my room.

That’s when I started building them,” Joshua revealed.

His success has made his community proud,

not to mention his parents. For his part, Joshua has his eyes set on becoming a sound engineer. He is limited by the fact that sound engineering is not part of his school’s curriculum, but he is encouraged by his engagement in electrical studies which the learning institution offers. (KH)

A keen contest between two students ensues.

Enthusiastic student-players pose with newly acquired chess sets.

Joshua Bruce – a is a living and shining example of the talents/creativity that exist among the youth of SVG.

it.

Let’s play some chess guys: a lunchtime engagement!

V News 3

GHS students flee from fleas

Continued from Frontpage.

Readers will recall that the schools were closed for several days in April 2024 and as recent as January of this year, to allow for “thorough fumigation”, following flea invasions.

It would appear that the flea invasion/infestation will be a worrying reoccurrence given the number of stray dogs that have made the schools and their immediate environs their habitat.

At least one report was made of a dead dog that was discovered under the Thomas Saunders Secondary School, and that it remained there for a few days, seemingly because no one or government agency wanted to take responsibility for removing the carcass.

Another report spoke of a dog finding it convenient to deliver a litter of pups under the Girls High School.

Whether it was this dog or not, a confirmed report stated that a stray dog bit a female

teacher of the Girls High School in October last year. If something is not done soon to deal effectively with the stray dogs that roam the vicinity of the two schools concerned, and find their way on to the actual compounds, then we might as well have

to turn the “temporary school facilities” into homes for dogs. Then we can say, “We gone to the dogs.”

Below: “We are gone for the day,” Students leaving the school compound last Wednesday.

Nothing wrong with AG’s candidacy: Other election news

Douglas Slater (right) did in 2021 and 2005, but which David Browne and Dr. Minerva Glasgow failed to do in 2010 and 2020 respectively.

Continued from Frontpage.

“We have seen difficulties involved in persons like Arthur Williams, Grafton Isaacs, Emery Robertson, P.R Campbell, Carl Joseph and that is why we have sought under the ULP to have public service attorneys general, not political ones,” Gonsalves said.

Attorneys General appointed today are not permitted to speak in (our) Parliament, although there are public service attorney generals in other countries that are allowed to, the prime minister further explained.

And in making a ‘connection’ between the candidacy of Dr. Kishore Shallow, the NDP candidate for North Leeward, and Williams, Dr. Gonsalves pointed out that the difference

between the two was that Shallow’s position as the President of West Indies Cricket was a unifying position across the region.

In the same way as the Director General of the OECS, or the President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) or the Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies.

He said that he was not suggesting any perfidy on the part of Shallow, but suspicions will arise in such circumstances.

Williams’ candidacy

Williams was selected as the candidate for South Leeward in the expected General Elections of 2025, by a Conference of the South Leeward

Constituency Council of the ULP, held in Vermont, on Saturday 15th February, to be it.

It was not the first time that Williams was offering himself as a candidate for the Constituency. He withdrew in favour of Attorney Jomo Thomas as the ULP’s candidate in 2015. He was then Head of the Financial Intelligence Unit.

In fact, the South Leeward constituency has escaped the ULP since it last won it in 2005, when medical doctor- Douglas Slater contested and won for a second time.

Dr. Slater was replaced by farmer David Browne for the 2010 general elections. He lost to the NDP’s Nigel Stephenson.

Since then, Stephenson has taken the seat beating Thomas in 2015 and Dr. Minerva Glasgow, former Deputy Directors of the NIS, in 2020.

As such, Williams will be the fourth ULP candidate to contest against Stephenson.

Looking ahead to elections

And while as of Monday 17th February 2025, the NDP had named a full slate of candidates for the expected 2025 General Elections, the ULP is yet to give any clear indication as far as its candidates for the three Kingstown seats, (though it is likely that Luke Browne will contest the East Kingstown seat once again), South Windward and the two Grenadines seats.

Unless there has been a recent change of heart, Dr. Grace Walters will contest the North Windward seat on a ULP ticket. replacing incumbent representative Montgomery Daniel.

Prime Minister and Political leader of the ULP- Dr. Ralph Gonsalves gave a detailed explanation of why there was nothing wrong with the Attorney General being a candidate in a general election.

Dr. Kishore Shallow’s candidacy on an opposition NDP ticket, has attracted detailed sustained and expansive attention from Dr. Gonsalves as to why he should not be a candidate while serving as President of CWI.

The 2020 general elections results were officially declared in favour of the ULP with nine seats, representing 49.59% of the popular vote, to the NDP’s 6 seats, representing 50.33% of the popular vote.

Grenville Williams will attempt to win the seat as his colleague Dr.

Mother gets suspended sentence

Stories: HAYDN HUGGINS

A 34-YEAR-OLD MOTHER of two was spared immediate jail time at the Serious Offenses Court on Monday, for possession of ten rounds of .22 ammunition without a license.

Dianza Dublin was sentenced to one year in prison, but the sentence was suspended for one year.

It means that the execution of that sentence is delayed, allowing the offender to remain free in the community on condition that she does not commit any further offenses within a year.

In the event that she commits a crime during the year, the original prison sentence can be activated and she may be required to serve the time in prison, in addition to whatever penalty she receives for the new crime.

Chief Magistrate Colin John handed down the penalty on the Rose Place woman, a caterer, after she pleaded guilty to the charge.

The facts showed that Dublin was arrested during the execution of a search warrant at her Rose Place home around 2:30 p.m. on February 16. She consented to the search.

Nothing illegal was found on her person, but while searching a blue handbag hanging from the bedroom partition, Constable 468 Dymion Forde found ten rounds of .22 ammunition in a transparent plastic bag in the handbag.

When Forde showed his findings to Dublin, and cautioned her, she replied, “Officer I don’t know about that”. She was taken to the Central Police Station and was charged.

In mitigation, Dublin’s attorney Grant Connell told the Court that the ammunition was not brandished or found in a public place.

before

was apprehended.

Connell added, “You could look at the ammunition and see that it was there (bedroom) for quite a while.

“If you have ammunition hanging in a bedroom for years, it cannot be compared with someone on the bloc with ammunition for sale”.

But Prosecutor Renrick Cato said that Dublin told the police she had no knowledge of the ammunition, so how could the Court know how long they were there?

Connell rebutted, “Being not aware does not mean that it was not there for years”.

The lawyer continued, “Someone with ammunition in a bedroom cannot be compared with someone with criminal intent”.

He requested a suspended sentence.

The Chief Magistrate raised the question of whether a suspended sentence was applicable in cases of firearm or ammunition possession.

Connell expressed the view that it was applicable for both firearm and ammunition possession.

However, Prosecutor Cato said that while section 30 of the Criminal Code stated that a suspended sentence was not applicable in cases of firearm possession, that section did not speak to the issue of ammunition, making a suspended sentence inapplicable in this case.

But while Cato did not agree that a suspended sentence should be imposed in this case, he had no problem with a fine.

The Prosecutor pointed out that the Court must consider the situation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines with regard to firearm-related offenses, and that a strong message must be sent to offenders and would-be offenders.

Cato said the maximum

penalty for firearm or ammunition possession is $25,000 and ten years in prison. He noted that there could be a custodial sentence or a fine, and a person could be fined and confined.

Both Connell and Cato agreed that Dublin did not fall under section 30 of the Criminal Code since she was not found in possession of any firearm, but Cato insisted that a suspended sentence was not appropriate in the circumstances.

But according to Connell, if a fine was imposed and the woman was unable to pay, she would go to prison.

“Filling our jails with everybody found with a firearm or ammunition is not going to affect crime”, he opined.

Connell listed several cases in St. Vincent and the Grenadines where suspended sentences were imposed for firearms and/or ammunition possession. He highlighted Dublin’s good character, genuine remorse, no previous convictions, and that she pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

The Chief Magistrate concluded that a suspended sentence was appropriate, in the circumstances.

In coming to his decision, he applied the sentencing guidelines, considered the new penalties for firearm or ammunition possession, Dublin’s early guilty plea, she not having any previous convictions, and that the ammunition was of low calibre.

Dublin was initially charged along with her sister Keticia Dublin, a 33-year-old Auxillary Police of Cemetery Hill who was also an occupant of the house when the police executed the search warrant. She, however, pleaded not guilty and the Prosecution withdrew the charge against her.

Four on gun, ammo charges

A WOMANwas among four persons who appeared at the Serious Offenses Court on Monday on firearm and ammunition possession.

Alicia Mason, an 18-year-old resident of Ottley Hall, along with C, D’Nelson Lewis, a 22-year-old vendor, Caswald Providence; a 19-year-old, and Jermaine Spencer, a 22-year-old, all of Rose Place have been charged with illegal possession of a Glock 21 pistol, and eight rounds of .45 ammunition.

The four were arrested following a police action at Rose Place last Sunday.February 14.

The quartet pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Colin John at the Serious Offenses Court on Monday.

They were each granted $10.000 bail with one or two sureties, and ordered to report to the Central Police Station every Wednesday and Friday between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

The matter has been adjourned to March 18.

Defendant commends Chief Magistrate

AMAN who appeared at the Serious Offenses Court Monday on a marijuana charge has urged Chief Magistrate Colin John to “Keep up the good works”.

The defendant, Hezekiah Fraser of Paul’s Avenue was fined $180 to be paid by March 3 or three months in prison after pleading guilty to possession of 419 grams of marijuana with intent to supply.

On leaving the dock, Hezekiah told the Chief Magistrate, “Thank you very much, and keep up the good work”.

The Magistrate thanked him.

Fraser was found in possession of the marijuana during a police search of a bag he was carrying in Kingstown around 4:20 p.m. on October 11, 2024. He had consented to the search, but when the police approached him he dropped the bag and attempted to run.

Nothing illegal was found on his person, but the bag revealed a brown taped package with marijuana.

When cautioned, he told the police, “Officer is old weed”.

Fisherman fined for cocaine trafficking

A 36-YEAR-OLD FISHERMANof Lower Questelles/Owia who dropped a shopping bag containing cocaine while running from the police, about two weeks ago, was fined a total of $16,000 on Monday.

Hollis ‘Pargy’ Young was ordered to pay the court $6,000 for possession of 5 kilos (5,539 grams) of cocaine with intent to supply and $10,000 for possession of the drug for the purpose of drug trafficking.

Young is to pay the $6,000 in three months, or go to prison for one year, and the $10,000 in 9 months, or spend one year behind bars.

Chief Magistrate Colin John handed down the penalties at the Serious Offenses Court after Young pleaded guilty to both charges.

The facts showed that around 5 p.m. on February 6, Sergeant 509

Irackie Huggins acting on information headed a party of Narcotics personnel for duty at the Grenadines Wharf, Kingstown. The officers were placed in strategic positions, so that they could profiling persons coming off the Bequia Express Ferry.

About 7 p.m., acting on further information, Sergeant Huggins took the officers to Little Tokyo where he again placed them in strategic positions.

Within half an hour, based on further information, they went to the Massy Stores area at Stoney Ground, where they again took up strategic positions, keeping an eye out for a male suspect wearing an orange hat.

While there, Huggins received certain information. As a result, he contacted PC Mathias and had a conversation with Corporal 624 Lewis of the Special Services Unit (SSU). They told him that the man in the orange hat had evaded them, but they retrieved a red shopping bag containing several packages he dropped while running. The officers handed over the shopping bag with the rectangular packages to Huggins.

Narcotics Unit and SSU officers

made checks around the area for a slim man wearing an orange had, dark long sleeve jersey, short dark-coloured pants, and black slippers, but the search was unsuccessful.

Later that night, the officers went to the Narcotics base, taking along the shopping bag and its contents. The packages were counted and amounted to seven.

They were cut open revealing a whitish substance resembling cocaine in five of them. They were weighed and amounted to 5,539 grams (5 kilos).

The other packages contained board.

On February 7, Huggins continued investigations into the matter and obtained video footage from the Police Control Centre. He analyzed the footage, and noticed four men, one fitting the description of the man they were looking for. Huggins ascertained his name to the Hollis Young aka Pargy of Lower Questelles/Owia. He was arrested and when informed of the report, admitted to the offense.

When shown the packages, Young said, “Officer dat is de red bag and dem ah de seven ting way bin in it”.

A search of Young’s home revealed nothing illegal.

Prosecutor Renrick Cato told the Court that the value of cocaine is about $25,000 to $30,000 per kilo, and the Court had the option of imposing a fine of three times the value.

But the Chief Magistrate said that he was not going to apply that option.

Young’s lawyer Grant Connell mitigated that the defendant was currently pursuing two CXC subjects online.

Connell admitted that cocaine was a ‘wretched drug’, and unlike marijuana was not produced locally. He, however, noted there was a lack of sophistication in the concealment of the drug and that Young showed genuine remorse and had no previous convictions.

Young told the Court he owns a small boat and makes about $1,000 per week doing spearfishing, but had applied for a programme at U.W.I. Young had pleaded not guilty to the charges when he initially appeared at the Serious Offenses Court last week, but changed his pleas to guilty on returning to Court on Monday.

Hollis Young evaded the police for some time

he

AMAN WHOwas shot in the arm during an incident that claimed the lives of Lowmans Leeward residents, Kelorn Baptiste, 38, and 23-year-old Johnny Holder in the Petit Bordel mountain on November 7th, 2024, was transported in critical condition to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, after being shot in the neck on Thursday 13th, February.

According to a police report, on February 13, police responded to an anonymous tip regarding a shooting in the

Bonhomme, Stubbs. Upon arrival, officers discovered that Kevin Matthews, aka ‘Alkaline’, a 29-year-old labourer originally from Petit Bordel, had sustained a gunshot wound to the right side of his neck. He was transported to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, where he remains in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

With this latest shooting, people are saying that Matthews can count of two lives

from what seems to ne nine that he has.

According to the police reports on the November shooting, three men sustained multiple gunshot injuries after they had been approached by two masked gunmen, who had opened fire before fleeing the scene.

Two of the three men were fatally shot, while Mathews said that he was able to escape death by jumping over an embankment. He, however, suffered a gunshot injury to his

ÂAlkalineÊ shot again Grenadian national arrested for drug offences

A SEARCH warrant executed in Richmond, Saint Vincent, has resulted in the arrest and charging of a Grenadian national in connection with controlled drugs.

On February 13, 2025, officers from the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) and Chateaubelair Police Station executed a search warrant at a dwelling house in Richmond occupied by Tevin Bernard, a 35-year-old farmer of Grenada. During the search, officers discovered 6,810 grammes (approximately 15 lbs) of cannabis inside the house and later found 120 cannabis plants under cultivation at a separate location in Craiggie-bun Mountain.

Bernard was subsequently arrested and later charged with possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply and cultivation of cannabis.

Additionally, immigration authorities have been notified and are conducting investigations into Bernard’s entry into Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The defendant is expected to appear before the Serious Offences Court today, February 14, 2025, to answer to the charges.

The RSVGPF urges members of the public to report instances of illegal entry into the country. While not all undocumented individuals are engaged in criminal activity, it is essential that authorities are aware of

Kevin ‘Alkaline’ Matthews for the second time in three months, escaped what was for all intents and purposes, an attack on his life.

Following the shooting incident in November, Mathews began to spend more time on the Windward side of the island out of fear for his life, according to a resident from his home town of Petit Bordel. (KH)

Tevin Bernard, a 35-year-old farmer of Grenada, seemed to have been practising his profession here in SVG, with the wrong intent.

all persons residing within the state. Information from the public plays a crucial role in ensuring national security and preventing potential risks.

Assault/theft charges for security guard

MORE QUESTIONS have arisen with respect to the reliability and character of persons employed as security personnel and watchmen.

This as police arrested and charged Kendol Trimingham, a 64-year-old Security Guard of Collins, on February 16, 2025, with the offences of Assault and Theft.

Investigations revealed that on February 13, 2025, the accused allegedly assaulted Bianca Hadadway, a 38-year-old Farmer of Mt. Pleasant, Mesopotamia, by slapping her to the left side of her face several times, which resulted in her falling to the ground, causing actual bodily harm.

The accused was further charged with stealing three hundred and eighty -five ($385.00 ECC) dollars in cash, one (1) black Samsung A20 cellular phone valued at $500.00 ECC, and one BOSVG card bearing the name Bianca Hadaway- the property of the virtual complainant.

Collins appeared before the Kingstown Magistrate Court on February 17, 2025, and pleaded guilty to both charges. He was remanded in custody until February 19, 2025, for sentencing. A restitution order was place on the phone and cash.

Martinique filmmaker highlights slavery

Patrick Baucelin, award-winning French filmmaker introducing his film ‘The Colour of Slavery’.

THE PRACTICEended nearly two hundred years ago in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. A sequence of actions in different Caribbean countries, saw the fading away of a practice which amounted to racial discrimination.

That story is resurfacing as a reminder of the past, with Patrick Baucelin — a native of the French Caribbean Dependency of Martinique, and an independent audiovisual director and producer (filmmaker) is putting on the agenda. He authored, produced and directed a 90- minute awardwinning documentary film “The Color of Slavery”, released in 2023, which several uppersecondary school students of History, cultural activists, teachers and other education officials had a chance to attend a screening of on Tuesday 18th February, 2025, at the UWI Open Campus SVG.

Darrel Williams, Principal of the Union Island Secondary School served as interpreter for Baucelin.

The film, shot in Martinique and Dominica through, used reconstructed scenes, with different characters, and leads the view in a discovery of the destiny and the life that was reserved for the more than 14 million captives from various African countries, for the sole purpose of exploiting them in plantations — the heart of colonial slavery.

Baucelin is proud of the 68 awards that the compilation has received for 2024.

Education Minister Curtis King, was among the viewers last Tuesday, and expressed delight with the presentation, which he sees as a tool of enlightenment for today.

Principal of the Union Island Secondary SchoolDarrel Williams, served as Chairperson for the proceedings and also as interpreter for Baucelin.

The French filmmaker is not resting on his laurels. He eyes the Oscars and he is moving in that direction with a documentation dubbed “Middle Passage”, that will be filmed in Benin, Africa. (WKA)

Section of the viewing audience at last Tuesday’s showing.

Boucher warns about taking away rights

President of the Public Service Union (PSU), Elroy Boucher, said it was disheartening to learn of the judgment by the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal, which favored the government in what is referred to as the Vaccine Mandate case, and declared that no government should have the power to take away the people’s rights.

Last week Wednesday, February 12, the Eastern Caribbean Appeal Court ruled that the Minister of Health was not obligated to consult the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) before ordering that public sector workers take a COVID-19 vaccine; and ruled by a vote of 2:1 in favour of the government’s appeal against the ruling by High Court Judge, Hon. Justice Esco Henry.

Justice Esco Henry

had ruled March 23, 2023, that the government’s vaccine mandate “breached natural justice, was unconstitutional, unlawful, procedurally improper, and void,” and ruled in favour of the public servants who had brought a case against the Public Service Commission, the Commissioner of Police and the Ministry of Health, for wrongful dismissal.

This ruling was seen as fantastic news for the dismissed workers who were seeking to be reinstated. However, their joy was short lived, as the government announced it was appealing Henry’s judgment.

Speaking to SVG TV last week after the Court of Appeal’s ruling, Boucher said, “ I am

really disappointed, quite depressing on this consortium, what has happened there. It’s an issue not just for us, it is not just the workers who have been displaced and have been suffering for so long.”

He went on to say, “… It is an issue of the rights of Vincentians being taken away by a government and the ruling has now given them the strength to say that they were correct in doing that. So this matter has profound implications for the entire country, and based on the advice of the lawyers, we (Public Service Union) will decide on a course of action.”

Boucher reiterated that the issue was a matter of concern for every Vincentian and declared, “No government

Justice Esco Henry’s ruling in March 2023 was an indictment against the government.

ever, must have the right or the power to take away your rights, none.”

On the basis of the ruling, Boucher proffered that it meant, “If there is a public health emergency at any time, regardless of the nature of it, they (government) can determine what course of treatment you take, against your

Elroy Boucher, President of the PSU, was defiant in the face of defeat.

will. That is very profound and very serious and very frightening…. we have to fight for the rights of every Vincentian against that. Because every Vincentian is going to be affected.”

Boucher said that the rights of workers must be protected, and it is concerning to note the precedent set by the

Appeal Court’s ruling. The PSU, the SVG Techers Union and the Police Welfare Association have called a joint press conference for Monday 24th February, 2025. They are expected to present a unified position going forward as far as a response to the Court of Appeal ruling is concerned. (KH)

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

Speak up!!! Speak out!!!

AS THE 2025 GENERAL ELECTIONS approach, it is incumbent on every fair-mined citizen to oppose, to speak up and to speak out against any attempt to railroad our democracy.

Even before the official election campaign season begins in earnest, we are already experiencing an environment of intimidation. There is on record a deliberate attempt to discourage if not bar at least one opposition candidate from participating in the political/electoral process; or to have that person vacate a position of Caribbean-wide influence if he is to contest the general election here.

If the truth be told, the referenced tactic is as old as authoritarianism — which if left to fester is likely to breed increased threats of public humiliation, character assassination and use of state-aligned agency and operatives to silence dissent. Thank God we have not descended to such depths… or have we?

Back to the opening plea: Even if it is not a case that our democracy is threatened, it is still our duty to safeguard its continuance regardless of how much we might thing it is riddled with shortcomings.

In safeguarding our democracy we would want to ensure that the election campaign does not descend to a state where political thugs and operatives, very much like Trump’s army that converged with ill-intent on Capital Hill in the USA, are emboldened by the knowledge that they will be no consequences for their nefarious actions.

Further, we must be ready to deal with dirty tricks, smear campaigns, especially against those who may be critical of the governing regime.

But, in the face of the stupidity as represented by the fore-mentioned, we must call it out for what it is — an assault on the right of individuals to participate in, contest elections freely and fairly.

We would be genuflecting to the whims and fancies of those who would threaten our democracy (or to those who feel they have a monopoly on our democracy) if in the face of any assault on our fundamental freedoms, we remain silent and retreat to a corner of deafening silence.

Religious organizations

and professional associations in particular, especially given a situation where our trade unions, women and youth organisations might have been neutralized, have a duty to be the moral guardians of our nation.

If there is but an inkling of intimidation, of creating unnecessary fear, by any force — governing or otherwise - the people must step forward and push against such tyranny.

Religious bodies, for want of emphasis, cannot in the face of any attempt to poison our democracy, remain silent, indifferent. If they do, then they compromise the very basis of their teaching and mission to the world — to speak out against wrongdoing, like any attempt to debar a citizen from participating in the political/electoral process.

It would be like music to the soul if we could add the trade unions to the voice against any tyranny that threatens our democracy. But given that that they have all forgotten the decades-old struggle to protect the right of workers, they have failed miserably to recognize that a political system built on intimidation and fear will inevitably lead to further oppression.

If any government succeeds in suppressing political participation today, what is to stop it from suppressing workers’ rights tomorrow?

Is it too much to ask that trade unions to move towards reembracing the tenets of their very being and stand like the bastions they once were, against any threat to our democracy and any citizens right to participate fully in the political/electoral systems? The very essence of our move to democracy was embedded in the trade union movement, lest we forget.

If a government or for that matter any sports, cultural organization is truly confident in its popularity, it should welcome competition. Are we seeing the opposite?

There comes a time in the life of a nation when silence is no longer an option, when the failure to speak out against injustice is itself an act of complicity.

Let’s play Ball. Maybe?

BEFORE I GET INTO THIS, let it be known that I have no dog in this fight. It’s cricket, after all, or is it? But for the love of country, why are the Prime Minister (PM) and Cricket West Indies (CWI) President selling us so short that it feels like we are playing cricket at the Jaycees Playground? For those still mourning the loss of the National Youth Council, Jaycees is a service organization that helps young adults develop leadership skills and community involvement.

Why are we being subject to this public shaming exercise between you two? I heard you, Mr. PM, a few Sundays ago, “…. not saying anything or accusing anyone from SVG for why we did not get any of the upcoming cricket games.” Putting Dr. Shallow on blast in public like that is bullying.

The strange thing about the comments from both of you is that you are acting like the only two hotels we have in SVG are Holiday Inn and Sandals. You both used these two hotels to justify why we were not selected. You both agreed Sandals is too expensive and does not allow children, and the Holiday Inn is not a full-service hotel. I am calling on both of you, on behalf of all the other hotels in SVG, to show some respect for the millions of dollars invested in this industry. And to keep the cricket metaphor going, stop putting “Mouth before Country.” We have had cricketers from around the world visiting us before we had these two hotels.

According to Dr. Gonsalves, we could make arrangements for food if they stayed at the Holiday Inn, and according to Dr. Shallow, the nearby restaurant did not stay open long enough. To both of you, I say poor excuse. You have a needs improvement on the performance matrices. Anybody who’s ever parented or worked with kids knows this: If we say the first thing that comes to mind to our kids, they’ll be in therapy for life. You know to take that pause and think carefully about what you want to say when they’re getting on your last nerve. We must do better. Please take a deep breath and allow the second or third thought to surface before speaking; they are usually more intelligent and sometimes might even show integrity. We must all resist the temptation to become an SVG Trump.

So, please help me understand what we missed and why. What was the

process the SVG Cricket Association had to pursue to be considered for a game or two? How many hotel rooms did we have to make available to CWI? What was the guaranteed maximum price per bednight? What level of security was we expected to provide? Who was to provide transportation to and from the facility for the teams? Were we expected to make practice fields and other workout facilities available? Who controls the gate fees? Were we expected to guarantee minimum attendance levels? In short, what would it have cost us to host these games? What kind of government support did the local cricket association request? What was the economic value of the package? Mr. PM, your attack on Dr. Shallow would have been worthy of a conversation if presented in those terms.

But, choosing to say he should have to give up his job because he announced his intention to compete in the upcoming local election is petty. By that logic, when can we expect you to announce the replacement of our current Hospital Administrator?

As for you, Dr. Shallow, a simple statement from your public relations office thanking everyone for submitting applications to host the games would have been sufficient. That statement should have acknowledged that while all the facilities met the qualifications, not everyone could have received a game on this tour. That should be followed by a private meeting with the no-selected facility managers or sponsoring nation to explain where they fell short and what can be done next time to ensure a greater chance of success in the next bid.

In addition, CWI’s lack of transparency regarding how fields/counties are selected is partly to blame, and it explains why both SVG and St. Lucia feel slighted during this process. And for that, Dr. Shallow, as its president, you must carry some of the responsibility for this cloak-and-dagger process. By the way, we already had term limits. It’s called a general election.

Horatio.

Our Churches not doing enough

I AM CERTAIN none of us can count the number of times, especially since independence, that we have referred to ourselves as a Christian nation –believing in the same God and Saviour. I tell you, we claim to be so Christian that you would swear we are the most Godfearing people on His earth.

And let us not forget the number of churches we have in this little four-byfour country with just over 100,000, people. We have so many churches that we even have churches that have been started by individuals who have no connection to any other churches. Sorry to have to say it, but it seems once you could quote scriptures, you

qualify to be a pastor and a church leader.

So, we are Christian and we have nuff churches. We pray to and worship one God. Yet our country is full of evil, and I am not just talking about the violence; I am also talking about the hate that has overtaken us. We no longer talk things over. We cuss one another and become enemies and all the while our children notice all of this. God help our children. And by the way, our politicians have to take a lot of the blame for dividing us and creating this hate.

All of this is happening despite the presence of churches in almost all of

our communities. And now most churches have radio and television programmes so there is much preaching and competition for souls. The Word of God is with us 24/7 yet, the moral and social problems continue to plague us like it’s nobody’s business.

This tells me, and I know many of you will condemn me for this, but this tells me the Churches are having very little if any effect on the hearts and lives of the people living in communities. What they preach in the churches is not having any impact in terms of tackling the problems outside in the real world.

I also want to say that it is time the leaders of our churches stand up against what they know to be evil… whether it is the violent crimes among our youth or misbehaviour by our government, opposition or whosoever. Churches and church leaders cannot continue to sweep evil and wrongdoing under the carpet. And if any of you are playing party politics, stop it. We cannot expect our politicians to untie us, perhaps our churches can since they speak of the same Saviour and Lord.

Hope for the future Marijuana Mischief

I CONSIDER myself an independent voter. That is to say that I am not a member of any of the two leading parties and therefore, I am not committed to vote for one or the other.

In fact, while I voted for the ULP in 2015, I voted for the NDP in 2020 because I thought then that the ULP was taking us for granted and that they had resorted to certain measures which I considered to be harsh and not in the interest of the people.

Following the 2020 election, I became rather despondent with what was happening politically, and I came to the conclusion that neither the ULP not the NDP was deserving of my vote.

I remained with this mindset until the entry of Dr. Kishore Shallow into the political arena. I dare say that since his entry I have begun to listen to the politicians once more and I am very impressed with who Dr. Hallow is and what he brings to the table.

In Dr. Shallow I see hope for the future. I see him ushering in a new era in our politics, one that will take us out of the ‘nastiness’ in which we have found ourselves.

But while I am impressed with Dr. Shallow, I am yet to be convinced that I should cast my vote in favour of the NDP. This does not mean that I will vote for the ULP.

Name withheld on request.

PEOPLE ARE ASKING:

* Is any Appeal Judge in the region a dear and close friend of the wife of a sitting P.M?

* Why are the authorities are not dealing with the vexed problem of loud music in public transportation?

* When are the authorities going to do something about those blinding (white) lights that more and more vehicles are installing?

* Any idea how many serving police officers own mini buses currently plying our roads?

* When are we going to equip the police with devices to record vehicles’ speed and the amount of alcohol in driver’s system?

* How much longer do we have to wait for the government to give National Awards to its citizens?

* Who are we to believe in the ongoing saga about who paid for that jet that flew Vibz Kartel into and out of St. Vincent and the Grenadines? Are persons involved in this saga taking us for fools?

* How many, if any, Vincentian pannists are playing with steelbands involved in the 2025 Panorama in Trinidad and Tobago? Does anybody know the exact figure of Trinidadian pannists who played in our 2024 Panorama?

CANNABIS, Ganja, Grass, Hash, Pot, and Weed are some of the common names for cannabis sativa. It may enter the body through smoking, vaping, eating or drinking, or as an oil rub. Its use may alter the senses and cause altered sense of time. It changes mood and alters body movement and changes thinking patterns affecting capacity to solve problems and to remember. It increases appetite. It may cause problems with brain development. Those who start using marijuana as teenagers may have trouble with thinking, memory and learning. It can cause breathing problems and pregnant mothers who smoke will affect their babies negatively.

to stop using it may experience irritability, insomnia, anxiety, cravings and decreased appetite. Medical marijuana is used to treat nausea caused by chemotherapy, weight loss in AIDS victims and epilepsy in children. Research on other uses as medicine is being done.

Marijuana is addictive and those who are trying

WI players canÊt bat

IWANTto take off a little on what Charles of Edinboro had to say about our West Indies Cricket team not qualifying for the ICC Champions Trophy.

I want to say that I was not surprised that we didn’t qualify. Like any West Indian, I am always disappointed when our team fails to come up to scratch, whether it is losing a test, ODI or T20 series, as well as qualifying for one of those ICC world championships.

I know a lot of people, including your Vineyard Columnist who always seems to make an apology for our shortcomings, will take me to task for saying this but I must say it: Our batsmen can’t bat or they need some going telling.

I bet if we told our top order batsmen that if they lose their wickets for below par scores that get a good old fashion Caribbean whipping that they would wake up and apply themselves.

I say, until they learn how to apply themselves and learn how to play both spin and fast bowling, especially spin bowling, I will continue to say they can’t bat.

How often have we been on the path to victory when our batting collapsed? We did this against Pakistan, Bangladesh and South Africa recently.

And before I forget, our players must be told, if they don’t know already, that they have to take responsibility. They just can’t go on depending on a few players. It’s a team effort. And we must regain that killer attitude if we are to get anywhere, again, in world cricket.

Our batsmen must stop faltering to deceive.

Although some farmers are licensed to grow marijuana locally many people find themselves before the court charged with growing and selling it illegally. Legalizing the drug seems to give the impression that recreational use is acceptable.

Besides the detrimental physical effect on the body, some have developed mental illness. The social effect however, is life changing. The small community of Union Island records:

1. Basketballers thrown out of their career in Canada and USA

2. Oil Rig workers disbanded in USA

3. Students thrown out of College in the USA

4. Applicants denied entry into the US and British armies

5. Soldiers expelled from the US army

6. Applicants denied entry into public service in the US and Canada

The disadvantages far outweigh the very limited benefits of marijuana use. Young people are well advised to stay away from its cultivating, trading and use.

Anthony G. Stewart, PhD

James Adams

Vaccine Case: Government’s stance vindicated

THE ISSUE

ON FEBRUARY 12, 2025, the threemember Court of Appeal, in a majority decision, overturned the decision of the High Court Judge in the COVID-19 Vaccine Case and ruled in favour of the government of SVG. The Presiding Judge of the panel of judges, Eddy Ventose, in a brilliant and incisive judgment which befits his status as one of the leading experts in constitutional and administrative law in the Caribbean, dissected clinically and overturned the underwhelming judgment of the High Court judge Esco Henry who had ruled in favour of the public servants. The highly-esteemed, learned, and experienced Justice of Appeal Paul Webster concurred with the judgment of Justice of Appeal Eddy Ventose. The dissenting judgement, of far less persuasiveness and authority, was delivered by Justice of Appeal Gerhard Wallbank, a sound judge whose special expertise is the field of commercial law.

The conclusion of Justice Webster’s concurring judgement is telling. In straightforward language he wrote:

“My overall conclusion is that it is unfortunate that the actions of the employees resulted in their deemed resignations from their employment. However, the Government was faced with a drastic crisis of unprecedented proportions that was causing significant health issues and loss of life. Measures had to be taken to address the situation. In the circumstances that were prevailing during the pandemic the measures that were taken were not disproportionate, unconstitutional, ultra vires, or procedurally unfair. Those who chose to not comply, no matter how conscientious their objections, had to deal with the consequences of their noncompliance.”

Most reasonable persons, including the vast majority of Vincentians, agree with Justice Webster’s conclusion. In victory, the government is not gloating; its response has been measured, conciliatory, and all-embracing.

Plainly, the position of the government has been vindicated. Throughout the COVID public health emergency, the government acted sensibly, maturely, wisely, and in a balanced manner to protect health, lives, and livelihoods. The public sector unions have indicated their intention to appeal the decision, as is their right, to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

GOVERNMENT’S REASONABLENESS AND WISDOM

From the very beginning of the COVID pandemic (2020-2021), the careful, wise, balanced, and nuanced approach of the ULP government was evident in its management of the risks. In these respects, and more, the Court of Appeal lauded the government for its efforts. It is to be remembered that the government, unlike others in the Caribbean, never declared a State of Emergency under the Constitution which would have deprived people of their fundamental rights and freedoms; the government never closed the country’s borders; and we never locked the country down. Indeed, it was the NDP opposition which demanded, hysterically, in Parliament in April 2020, that the government employ

“draconian Chinese methods”; they charged, falsely, that Ralph was more interested in saving the economy than in saving lives.

Most of the persons who were in the forefront of opposing the use of masks or refusing to be tested for the virus because the test was allegedly too invasive, are the very ones who later opposed the taking of the vaccine.

As the hospitalisations piled up, the deaths increased, and the variants of the virus became more dangerous, the government introduced sensible, balanced, lawful, and constitutional measures to require frontline workers (health workers, teachers, police, immigration, airport and port workers) in the public sector to take the vaccine on pain of being deemed to abandon their posts after ten days absence without leave, unless the Public Service/Police Service Commission determined otherwise; this “abandonment rule” was in place since 1969. What was the government to do? Allow the virus to rip, injure health, and kill people willy-nilly? It had to take “special measures” in all the circumstances.

Overwhelmingly, the vast majority of the front-line workers took the vaccine. Except for the teachers, almost 100 percent of all persons in the other categories of frontline workers took the vaccine; some 95 percent of the teachers took it. The government and people of SVG are satisfied that the “special measures” protected health and saved lives and livelihoods.

WERE THE MEASURES “DRACONIAN”? NO!

The “special measures” for the frontline workers were decidedly not draconian. What the opposition NDP was asking for in April 2020 and the immediately succeeding months would have been “draconian”, “Chinese-style”. Justice of Appeal Eddy Ventose addressed this matter of the “special measures” being “draconian” as alleged by the public sector unions and the jurist Wallbank, and concluded that they were not; he demolished their reasoning exquisitely in a thorough examination of Rule 8 of the Special Measures. This rule reads as follows:

“8(1) An employee who without reasonable excuse fails to comply with rule 4 or 5 (presentation of negative COVID test result and proof of vaccination) must not enter the workplace and is to be treated as being absent from duty without leave.

“8(2) Regulation 31 of the Public Service Commission (PSC) Regulations applies to a public officer who is absent from duty without leave under subrule (1)”.

Regulation 31 of the PSC Regulations states under the rubric “Abandonment of Office”, states that:

“An officer who is absent from duty without leave for a continuous period of ten working days, unless declared otherwise by the Commission, shall be deemed to have resigned his office, and thereupon the office becomes vacant and the officers cease to be an officer.”

The people of the Southern Grenadines are suffering

IN JULY OF 2024,St. Vincent and the Grenadines was struck by Hurricane Beryl. The Southern Grenadines bore the full force of the storm, suffering widespread destruction. Most homes and businesses were reduced to rubble, and the livelihoods of countless residents were disrupted. Seven months after, life has not returned to its prehurricane normalcy.

Most people in the Southern Grenadines are dissatisfied with the slow pace of the rebuilding process by the government. But, a private developer on the island of Canouan has been singled out for high praise from the residents of the Southern Grenadines. His contribution has been particularly significant in addressing immediate needs, with a primary focus on the restoration of housing, specifically the crucial rebuilding of house roofs in the primarily affected islands of Canouan and Union Island.

The government has also promised financial assistance to support the affected communities, but its implementation has been hampered by delays, creating challenges for those most in need. The slow distribution of financial assistance has left many individuals and families struggling to cope with the consequences of the storm.

Parliamentary Representative for the Southern Grenadines, Honourable Terrance Ollivierre, expressed his frustration about the situation at a recently held Town Hall Meeting by the New Democratic Party in Union Island. The following are excerpts of Mr Ollivierre’s presentation:

“Seven months after Beryl, are you satisfied with what has been happening to you? We sat in the parliament of St Vincent and the Grenadines and we supported the Supplementary Estimates of 2024. In that budget, $136.4 million was approved for you the people who suffered from Hurricane Beryl. Not only for the people who lost their houses but also to make sure that the people who lost their livelihoods will also be taken care of.

When you look at what is happening in St Vincent and the Grenadines, especially in the Southern Grenadines, I ask, if it wasn’t for private investors where would we in the Grenadines be? Where has the money gone? Where has the money gone? The government got money to help the people. Why are you not helping the people? Look what is happening in Ashton. Houses are being restored; roofs are going on. But what is happening to Clifton? For which the government has responsibility, nothing at all! And, you claim that you love people.

After the passage of the Supplementary Estimates in parliament, we asked for a say as to how the money should be spent. We were told that this is not a unity government. It means that we in the opposition have nothing to do with the matter. No money comes to the members of the opposition. The government has all the money. I recall, Dr Friday and I made a frantic plea to help the people of the Southern Grenadines. Nothing much was done

for the people of the Southern Grenadines. If it wasn’t for the investor, Canouan would have been in the same state. When it comes to Union Island, it is a shame!

I have never seen so much grief on people’s faces. I have never seen so much disappointment on people’s faces. Some of the contractors have said that they are not working for the government anymore because they are not being paid. How do you expect them to continue to work, if they are not being paid? How will they pay their workers if they are not being paid? So, they can continue to work to assist the people of the Southern Grenadines. It is a burning shame. But you are coming down every week giving people the impression as if you are doing myriads of things in the Southern Grenadines.

Today, there are so many people who do not have any place to live. They do not want to go to the mainland. But you have these model houses that came from England and they are not being distributed. Why don’t you give them out because people don’t have places to live. Now, you are saying that people must learn to help themselves. I want you to help them with the millions of dollars that the government has.

People are suffering. You cannot be treating poor people like this. The people who suffered the most are the poorer class of people. And the people from Union Island who are staying on mainland are suffering too! What do you want them to do and why do you have them on the mainland? The proper process would have been to go around and document the issues that are affecting the people and do what you can to assist them. I repeat, work is moving on in Ashton and I must say thanks to the private investor who has shown intertest in the Southern Grenadines.

Further, some of the children who attended school on the mainland have returned. The others want to come home because they want to be where they are comfortable and where they are accustomed to. You said that one of the schools would have been finished by February but no work is going on at the school presently. Work is taking place at the other school. But, when will it be completed? Why are we suffering? What are you doing with all the money? Why aren’t you helping all the people of the Southern Grenadines in order to get a better life?

I was reliably informed that the authorities were given instruments that could house 2500 people of the Southern Grenadines. And, they were asking why weren’t these given to the people, so that they can set up themselves and be comfortable. But you have your plot. You carried them up on the mainland. I want to tell you; Grenadines people don’t change their minds. We don’t care what you give us. We are going to vote you out.”

The Role of Adversity in Achieving Success

“We may encounter many defeats, but we must never be defeated.” - Dr. Maya Angelou (1928-2014) - American poet and civil rights activist

We may sometimes unwisely wish that our journey through life was not periodically punctuated by challenges, disappointments, and adversity. However, a closer analysis of the challenges that we have encountered and overcome would reveal that they contributed to our eventual success — we are stronger than we originally thought we were. The meditation may also reveal that our survival was possible because others rallied around to support our efforts through words of encouragement, providing a helping hand, or through prayer. We were never alone.

Adversity plays a vital role in the journey toward success. It often serves the dual purpose of being a challenge and an opportunity for growth. Our various wilderness experiences can be traumatic and quite frightening. However, we may discover that it is often through overcoming adversity that we develop the determination, resilience, and coping mechanisms needed to accomplish our goals. We understand and can testify that success is seldom a straight path; there are detours, setbacks, disappointments, failures, accidents, and abandonments that shake us to the core. Some of these tectonic situations may even cause us to examine our purpose and/or to question our reason for being. The resulting self-examination may reveal that, as difficult as the test may appear, there is reason to hope. The crisis situation may unearth multiple dangers but amidst these there are also numerous opportunities for personal growth. Epictetus (died 135 AD), the Greek stoic philosopher, reminds us that, “The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it.”

Problem solving and critical thinking can emerge and/or be enhanced as individuals seek to cope with life’s varied challenges. Such situations often force us to adapt and to discover coping mechanisms that lessen or remove the trauma that emerge from life’s adversities. Such individuals refuse to give up or give in to their perceived failures or foibles. With a strengthened resolve, efforts are made to create and/or sustain the mental toughness and agility that are considered vital in achieving the desirable positive outcome.

Individuals who examine adversity with objectivity may often discover that the exercise prompts them to innovate and be creative. The example of the Wright Brothers readily come to mind. Wilbur Wright (1867-1912) and Orville Wright (1871-1948), the American aviation pioneers generally credited with inventing, building, and flying the world’s first successful airplane, encountered many challenges and failures as they experimented with various wing spans and curvatures between 1900 and 1903. By 1909 the brothers had conducted many flights in the United States of America and in Europe. American President William Howard Taft (1857-1930) bestowed awards on the brothers when they visited the White House on June 10, 1909. Their persistence paid off. Their refusal to give in to adversity resulted in their carving out a place in aeronautics history.

History is rife with examples of

individuals who were challenged by limited resources or seemingly insurmountable challenges but continued to pursue their noble dreams with passion, regardless of the odds. Some of the world’s most accomplished innovators and entrepreneurs have arisen from environments marked by poverty, personal hardships, physical deficiencies, emotional trauma, mental illness, drug addiction, and other personal hardships. They were not daunted by their struggles. Moreover, many used their challenges to energize their commitment to excellence in a variety of disciplines. They have left legacies that inspire others to persist against great odds knowing that it is possible to achieve great success and ground-breaking achievements. Many biographies and autobiographies reveal that adversities can provide a sense of purpose. There is value in honing a focus on the talents and abilities that exist and how fostering a proactive and can-do attitude can lead to and sustain great achievements. Many testify of how they confronted hardships with a determination to energize them in the pursuit of their noble dreams and ambitions. Some have noted that their focus on seeing the best of themselves and the best in others enabled them to retain the drive to outstanding positive accomplishments regardless of life’s detours and disappointments. Viktor Frankl (1905-1997) the Austrian neurologist, psychologist, and holocaust survivor, in his best-selling book, “Man’s Search for Meaning”, highlights the mental focus that is needed to survive adverse physical, mental, and emotional adversities as those existed in the German concentration camps during the second world war (19391945). Nelson Mandela (1918-2013), in his book titled “Long Walk to Freedom” chronicled many of the atrocities that he faced prior to and during his 27year prison sentence in South Africa’s apatite regime. In spite of the adversities faced and the cruel and inhumane treatment that he received; Mandela retained his focus on creating a better South Africa than the one that had been so unkind to him. The social rights activist, politician, and philanthropist was known to have said, “Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that adversity shapes the character of those who encounter it. Adversity beckons us to develop coping mechanisms while imbibing the wisdom that comes from desirable qualities such as patience, empathy, kindness, thankfulness, compassion, and the virtues that make individuals and societies strong. As we pursue our noble dreams and ambitions, we gain a better appreciation for the role that adversity has played and will continue to play. Those situations that we may have previously considered to be stumbling blocks are now viewed differently … they are stepping stones to a greater sense of accomplishment and happiness.

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

A new dark age

THE BILLIONAIRES, Christian fascists, grifters, psychopaths, imbeciles, narcissists and deviants who have seized control of Congress, the White House and the courts are cannibalising the machinery of state. These self-inflicted wounds will cripple and destroy the tentacles of power. And then, like a house of cards, the empire will collapse.

Blinded by hubris and unable to fathom the empire’s diminishing power, the mandarins in the Trump administration have retreated into a fantasy world where hard and unpleasant facts no longer intrude. They sputter incoherent absurdities while they usurp the Constitution and replace diplomacy, multilateralism, and politics with threats and loyalty oaths. Agencies and departments created and funded by acts of Congress are going up in smoke.

They are removing government reports and data on climate change and withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement. They are pulling out of the World Health Organization. They are sanctioning officials who work at the International Criminal Court – which issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes in Gaza. They suggest that Canada become the 51st state. They have formed a task force to “eradicate antiChristian bias.” They call for the annexation of Greenland and the seizure of the Panama Canal. They propose the construction of luxury resorts on the coast of a depopulated Gaza under U.S. control, which, if it takes place, would bring down the Arab regimes propped up by the U.S.

Donald Trump’s regime is a reflection of the moral, intellectual and physical rot that plague a diseased society.

Christian fascists, who define the core ideology of the Trump administration, are unapologetic about their hatred for pluralistic, secular democracies. They seek, as they exhaustively detail in numerous “Christian” books and documents such as the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, to deform the judiciary and legislative branches of government, along with the media and academia, into appendages to a “Christianized” state led by a divinely anointed leader. They are avowed racists, misogynists and homophobes. As the death spiral accelerates, phantom enemies, domestic and foreign, will be blamed for the demise, persecuted and slated for obliteration. Once the wreckage is complete, ensuring the immiseration of the citizenry, a breakdown in public services and engendering an inchoate rage, only the blunt instrument of state violence will remain. A lot of people will suffer, especially as the climate crisis inflicts with greater and greater intensity its lethal retribution.

The near collapse of our constitutional system of checks and balances took place long before Trump’s arrival. Trump’s return to power represents the death rattle of the Pax Americana. The day is not far off when Congress will take its last significant vote and surrender power to a dictator. The Democratic Party, whose strategy seems to be to do nothing and hope Trump implodes, has already acquiesced to the inevitable.

The question is not whether we go down but how many millions of innocents we will take with us. Given the industrial violence our empire wields, it could be a lot, especially if those in charge decide to reach for the nukes.

The dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) – Elon Musk claims is run by ‘a viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists who hate America’ – is an example of how these arsonists are clueless about how empires function. Foreign aid is not benevolent. It is weaponised to maintain primacy over the United Nations and remove governments the empire deems hostile. Those nations in the U.N. and other multilateral organisations that vote the way the empire demands, who surrender their sovereignty to global corporations and the U.S. military,

receive assistance–those who don’t do not. Foreign aid builds infrastructure projects so corporations can operate global sweatshops and extract resources. It funds “democracy promotion” and “judicial reform” that thwart the aspirations of political leaders and governments that seek to remain independent from the empire’s grip.

USAID, for example, paid for a “political party reform project” that was designed ‘as a counterweight’ to the ‘radical’ Movement Toward Socialism (Movimiento al Socialismo) and sought to prevent socialists like Evo Morales from being elected in Bolivia. It then funded organisations and initiatives, including training programs so Bolivian youth could be taught American business practices once Morales assumed the presidency, to weaken his hold on power.

The client states that receive aid must break unions, impose austerity measures, keep wages low and maintain puppet governments. The lie peddled to the public is that this aid benefits both the needy overseas and us at home. However, the inequality these programs facilitate abroad replicates the inequality imposed domestically. The wealth extracted from the Global South is not equitably distributed. It ends up in the hands of the billionaire class, often stashed in overseas bank accounts to avoid taxation.

Meanwhile, the 30 million Americans who were victims of mass layoffs and deindustrialisation lost their jobs to workers in sweatshops overseas.

The U.S. disbursed nearly $72 billion in foreign aid in fiscal year 2023. It funded clean water initiatives, HIV/Aids treatments, energy security and anti-corruption work. In 2024, it provided 42 percent of all humanitarian aid tracked by the United Nations.

Humanitarian aid, often described as ‘soft power,’ is designed to mask the theft of resources in the Global South by U.S. corporations, the expansion of the footprint of the U.S. military, the rigid control of foreign governments, the devastation caused by fossil fuel extraction, the systemic abuse of workers in global sweatshops and the poisoning of child labourers in places like the Congo, where they are used to mine lithium.

I doubt Musk and his army of young minions in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) –which isn’t an official department within the federal government – have any idea about how the organisations they are destroying work, why they exist or what it will mean for the demise of American power.

Once the dollar is no longer the world’s reserve currency, something the dismantling of the empire guarantees, the U.S. will be unable to pay for its huge deficits by selling Treasury bonds. The American economy will fall into a devastating depression. This will trigger a breakdown of civil society, soaring prices, especially for imported products, stagnant wages and high unemployment rates. The funding of 750 overseas military bases and our bloated military will become impossible to sustain. The empire will instantly contract. It will become a shadow of itself. Hypernationalism, fueled by rage and widespread despair, will morph into a hate-filled American fascism.

The array of tools used for global dominance – wholesale surveillance, the crushing of civil liberties including due process, torture, militarised police, the massive prison system, drones and satellites – will be employed against a restive and enraged population.

The devouring of the empire’s carcass to feed the outsized greed and egos of these scavengers presages a new dark age.

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

Guest column by Chris Hedges

Resisting societal corrosion in SVG

IT WAS SO PAINFULLY sad that even as we were gathered there to idolize one of our leaders, Robert Milton Cato, who was, in fact, the one who had led us in our independence from Great Britain, we could not escape the reality, that he was the author of the traitorous debilitation of

the democratic spirit of our land when he called our armed forces to ‘mash-up’ a peaceful demonstration by this nation’s teachers in On November 14, 1975. This debilitating politically corrosive element is still distinctly traceable in the leadership of this once

blessed land. On that sad day, teachers who had given dedicated service to their people were treated as criminal gangsters; they were arrested by heavily armed policemen and thrown into dirty cells. The case of Mrs. Yvonne Francis-Gibson has been historically documented. She was a strong societal player who had always played a useful role wherever she resided. She was thrown into a cell which was faecally smeared. A young student was killed by Police tear gas. That this corrosive element of arrogance in political leadership still exists today, is traceable in the agony in which

dedicated citizens serving as teachers, police officers, and nurses are being abused today because they refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine! Hundreds of individuals have had their planned futures severely impacted by the heartless persistence of our political leadership which has been acquiesced to and accommodated by those individuals and organizations, who because of their stature and seemingly sincere persona, had been expected to play a strong role in defending the interest of the citizens of our young democracy. There are some issues

that have been on our nation’s agenda for some decades now. One of them has been naming national heroes, but after all these years of ‘yapping’, there has hardly been much progress. I am of the view that given the distinctly high profile that Chief Joseph Chatoyer or ‘Chatoyer Joseph’ our national hero has historically set, it would be difficult to find others in our society today who could be identified as fitting that profile.

Several years ago I suggested that we could have a system where we honourably name and

recognize those citizens who have given outstanding service to our country. Impressive busts of these individuals could be displayed on the wall surrounding the property of the magnificent St. Georges Cathedral in Kingstown our capital.

Three persons whom I think could fit the bill now are Dr. J.P. Eustace, Mrs. Norma Keizer, and Mrs. Peggy Hull. I venture to suggest that we could describe the ladies so honoured as ‘Fleurs precieuses de la patrie’ - ‘Precious flowers of our land’.

A recipe for disaster

by Carden A. Michael

IT IS SAIDthat a gift blinds the eyes; if that is so, it can also muzzle the mouth, sealing lips that should be speaking truth to power.

And so, I must proceed with this warning: it is a recipe for disaster when church leaders and

religious figures entangle themselves in the pockets of politicians. Especially when it brings comfort, status, and luxury–many will toss aside spirituality and ethics like worthless relics of the past. They will declare these moral pillars as obstacles to progress and conveniently dismiss them. They will turn a blind eye as corruption spreads like a disease, saturating the land with injustice and oppression. They will stand in silence as unscrupulous men rise to power, upholding the wicked and condemning those who dare to speak out. They will preach submission to the oppressed, declaring that corrupt leaders are divinely sanctioned and that the poor must bow, obey, and accept their fate.

In a system ruled by devious men, nepotism and corruption become the norm. The game of predator and prey unfolds, where the weak and vulnerable are forced to comply with the dictates of tyrants. Justice is trampled underfoot, upheld only by those who have been silenced, misled, or conditioned into blind obedience.

By any means necessary, one must conform–or face the wrath of vindictiveness and victimization. In a democracy poisoned by tyranny, someone must expose the leeches and parasites that feed on the nation’s lifeblood. Someone must summon the courage to do the unthinkable, to shine light into the shadows where corruption hides.

If a nation is to thrive, the

parasites must be removed. The bloodsuckers must be stopped. Someone must confront wickedness, demand righteousness, and propel progress far and wide.

In this political culture, I have seen vultures soaring high, circling the living dead. I have witnessed a system designed to trap the poor in a web of dependency, turning them into slaves at the feet of their political masters. This is no accident–it is a well-orchestrated strategy, carefully crafted to keep the masses subdued. The intellectual elite, well-versed in psychological manipulation, know how to condition the minds of the people. They are master players in a ruthless game, skilled in the artistry of deception and thievery.

How, then, can peace reign when demagogues and bureaucrats rule through fear and tyranny?

How can justice exist when those in power enforce inequality?

How can there be fairness when politicians are slicker than rats, whispering lies while looting the treasury?

And how can they claim progress when there isn’t even a level playing field?

Yes, it is a recipe for disaster when church leaders betray their sacred duty and align with the oppressors. It is a recipe for disaster when those who should be shepherds of the people instead become enablers of corruption. And so, when the church calls freedom fighters “troublemakers,” we must ask: Who truly stands for righteousness, and who has sold their soul for thirty pieces of silver?

LeRoy Providence

ÂNuffÊ things happening at Youlou ArtsÊ

EVEN AS YOULOU ARTS FOUNDATION (YAF) moves to bring the curtains down on its ‘Any Three Artists’ Show, it is already well into preparation for hosting another edition of ‘Home’.

‘Home’ is Youlou Arts annual women show held each year beginning in March. This year it will open on Saturday, March 15 from 4 to 8 pm and run until the end of August.

This year the welcoming reception and craft show will be held on the same day.

Not only will ‘Home’ feature art from local women artists but it will also provide the opportunity to hear, through recordings of women’s voices, and see, through,

unbound books of eight pages that captures drawings, paintings and writings, how those recorded and whose works are displayed, see and think about ‘Home’.

‘Home’ also marks the first time Youlou Arts will be collaborating with an

international non-profit based in Gibraltar.

Yet Another Happening

And in keeping with its mission to bring the visual arts to the forefront and unearth artistic talent and nurture the creative spirit in children in the process, Youlou Arts will once again join with last year’s sponsor- the St. Vincent Cooperative Bank Ltd., to stage a Visual Arts Competition for secondary school student between the ages of 12 and 16.

The deadline for submission of entries is May 31, 2025 and must be done through the school’s art teacher. Attention will be paid to the following criteria: creativity, interpretation of the theme, originality and proper use of medium.

Winners will be awarded cash prizes as follows: first - $500, second - $400 and third — #300. There will also be two honorable mentions prizes of $100 each. All winners will be announced in early September and work from the competition will be featured at the Youlou Art Gallery during October and November. Meanwhile, the public is asked to keep in mind that the first ever Volcano Festival titled , “Ash And ResilienceHighlighting The Beauty Born From

Volcanic Power”, will be held at the UWI open campus on Saturday, April 5 from 10 am to 1 pm.

For more information about events call the Youlou Art Centre 457 4493, Whatsapp 497 7811, or email:youlouartcentre@gmail.com.

(Source: YAF)

The Annual Women’s Craft fair will be held as part of the welcoming ceremony for the event entitled ‘Home’.

About Youlou Arts Foundation

Established in 1999 by St. Vincent artist Camille Saunders-Musser, the Youlou Arts Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization created to develop, promote and preserve the arts and culture of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Youlou Arts Foundation is striving to build community. We are obsessed with bringing the visual arts to the forefront. We spend our time planning events, classes and competitions to encourage the arts to flourish in our nation. It is

not easy work but if the arts are going to prevail, it is necessary work. And so we continue with great effort, hope and longing that the public will support our efforts.

It is the mission of Youlou Arts Foundation to bring attention to the visual arts in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The arts play a very important role in society.

The organization seeks to get the “Vincy” public excited about the visual arts and realize the value it adds to the community.

Fine works of local artists are on display year round at the Youlou Arts Centre, Indian Bay.

The first ever Volcano Festival, with promises of unique and compelling presentations, is set for April.

Pastor Clarke remembered

by CARLYLE DOUGLAS

BISHOP NOEL EVERARD

CLARKE, a well-known Pentecostal Pastor, died on Sunday, January 26, 2025. He was 74. He was the founder of the Layou Miracle Church, and in addition to his pastoral duties, Bishop Clarke served as

Governor General’s deputy.

Persons of all walks of life would remember Clarke as the co-founder and co-host of the weekly religious television broadcast “Encounter”. He together with so-host Bishop George Frederick, endeared themselves to the Vincentian public with their stoic theological and biblical

Here are some samplings of those expressions:

Colin Velox, Layou Miracle Church Member for 24 years recalled the political discussions he had with the deceased, the formation of the trade school and clinic. He also recalled the Bishop saying, “If he can force the gospel down your throat, he would do it because he knows the good it will do for you”.

Cordel John-Campbell, Teacher at the Layou Government School, a Seventh-day Adventist, remembers Clarke honoring teachers at the Layou Government

School and recalls when he first came to establish his church in a wooden building in the Plan Area, forty years ago.

Willis Williams stated he had known Clarke since the 80s as his wife and Mrs. Clarke worked together at the National Commercial Bank. He recalled the Bishop being gifted a bottle of wine and refused to be seen in public with it to preserve his image. (Source: API)

Apollo Knights, CEO of the NTRC and a relative of Pastor Clarke, remembers Clarke as always being of humble character and being a gentle soul. “He a passion for the lord,” Knight said.

interpretations. Known for having impetus to many churches across, Bishop Clarke settled in Layou when he founded the Layou Miracle Church and also a trade school that catered to the young people inLayou and its surrounding communities. Bishop was accorded an

Alston Becket Cyrus, calypsonian/performing/ recording artiste, stated he was classmates at Timmy School with his deceased’s brother Chester. He noted that while the negative allegations might abound, he will speak of the positive things he has done - especially for the young people - like the trade school. Becket noted that living in relatively close proximity to the park, Pastor Clarke would have heard every sound check. Cyrus extended condolences to the family with God’s riches blessings.

Official Funeral. Official Viewing was held at the temporary Parliament Building in Calliaqua on February 13, and the official Funeral Service was held at the Layou Playing Field. February 14.

The VINCENTIAN, took the opportunity to solicit views from members of the public as to how they remembered Bishop Clarke, fondly referred to as Pastor Clarke.

Fitzroy Hamlet, aka GiB of Chateaubelair, remembered Bishop Clarke as a” Church Planter” and doing the great work in the Kingdom of God. “May God rest his soul and deepest condolences to the family,” Hamlet expressed.

Stacia - Food Vendor, CEO of Mop of Taste and a member of the Layou Miracle Church for 15 years, remembered his

loving kindness, always helping persons in distress and tearfully extended condolences to the family.

Kasey Member of the Layou Miracle Church for 15 years, said Bishop Clarke was like a second Dad and found his memory to be inspirational. She also extended condolences to the family and urged them to keep the faith.

Layou Resident Woody, a former member of the

Church, remembered Clarke passing him with speed on Rillan Hill as he was anticipating a ride. They remained friends in spite of that incident. Woody also expressed condolences to the family.

Millicent Quashie in expressing condolences to Pastor Clarke’s family expressed the hope that his son would “pick up the cross and follow his Father’s footsteps.”

Camelus, aka Bishop, a former member of the church, remembers Clarke as a disciplinarian who worked hard in Layou especially in the trade school, and extended himself outside the community. He classified Clarke as a true apostle.

Bishop Noel Clarke.

Pan Celebrated:

Thousands attend Panorama Semis

THE TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO MINISTRY OF TOURISM, Culture and the Arts said over 28,000 people attended the 2025 Panorama Semi-Finals at the Queen’s Park Savannah on Sunday February 16, 2025 , proving that the country’s national instrument is going from strength to strength.

In a statement, the Ministry said the 2025 edition of the National Panorama Medium Conventional Bands Semi-Finals recorded some of its highest numbered attendance in recent memory during a Trinidad Carnival season.

The semi-finals saw communities of supporters and culture-lovers descend on the nation’s capital for an energetic day of fun, festivities and fanfare.

The Ministry said the allday cultural affair hosted a

staggering 28,300 steelpan supporters, with a breakdown of each section as follows:

* North Stand: 5,100 people

* Grand Stand: 4,100 people

* Drag West: 13,000 people (estimate)

* Greens: 4,100 people

* Off-Stage: 2,000 people (estimate)

Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, Randall Mitchell, said he is pleased that this joint stakeholder effort comfortably and seamlessly welcomed tens of thousands of attendees to celebrate Trinidad and Tobago’s National Musical Instrument, the Steelpan.

Mitchell said the event was “well-organised, wellmanaged and incident-free”.

“The clear appetite and unyielding appreciation for the Steelpan by the general public is a symbolic reflection of

Panorama as a generational cultural staple - a communitydriven experience involving people from all walks of life.”

He also facilitated a walkthrough of the Queen’s Park Savannah last week alongside key stakeholders and extended his gratitude to all state agencies and private sector partners involved in the ongoing efforts to ensure that Carnival 2025 is a safe and enjoyable experience for both residents and visitors.

Mitchell also emphasised that the successful planning and logistics would be impossible without a

coordinated, multi-agency team effort.

“As we move into the height of our world-class Trinidad Carnival experience in the coming days, I commend Pan Trinbago President Beverley Ramsey-Moore for her innovative leadership that continues to reap big rewards for the organisation and the nation-at-large. Such efforts reinforce the backbone of Panorama in celebrating communities-in-action. Together, we remain committed to highlighting the dynamism of our culture to the world perennially, while

showcasing the very best of ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’. This will always be our national product of pride and purpose.”

The Ministry said the Queen’s Park Savannah will once again welcome steelpan lovers from near and far for the highly-anticipated National Panorama Finals on Saturday 1st March 2025. More information is available at www.mtca.gov.tt, www.ncctt.org, www.pantrinbago.co.tt, and the agencies’ respective social media platforms. (Loop News, Guardian)

Below: One of the stands at the Queen Park Savanah packed to capacity. (Credit: TTMTCA)

–ÂA Vincentian starÊ CAPTAIN HUGH MULZAC

CAPTAIN HUGH NATHANIEL

MULZAC was born on Union Island, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in

1886, and served on ships around the world from 1907 on, earning an English Second Mate’s

certificate by 1910. He served on the deck of several American commercial vessels during

World War I and took advantage of a citizenship offer made to foreign nationals who had been so

employed, becoming an American citizen in December, 1918. He served as an officer on the Yarmouth in Marcus Garvey’s Black Star Line in 1920 and earned a master’s unlimited license in Baltimore in January, 1921, the first black man ever to so qualify. Though he could now captain vessels of any size, he was denied any such opportunities for the next twenty-two years in American shipping due to racism, and typically had to work as a steward throughout the 20s and 30s.

When the United States entered World War II, he doubled his efforts to work in his hard won rating. After countless rebuffs and rejections, Captain Edward McCauley, Deputy Director of the Wartime Shipping Administration, met with him in person, and offered him the captain’s post aboard a Liberty Ship (i.e. ships that were part of the Merchant Marine, which was independent of the Armed Forces) then being built, which would be named the SS Booker T. Washington.

The WSA, however, wanted him to recruit an all-black crew. Though his decades-long dream of a captain’s post was in sight, Mulzac later said of this moment:

‘How could I explain to Captain McCauley that, for possibly the noblest of reasons, he was preparing to launch a Jim Crow ship in the

very name of democracy? There isn’t a colored officer anywhere in the world who would fail to recognize such an act as prima facie evidence of discrimination in America… .’ He told him:

‘…Captain, I appreciate your goodwill and your offer. And let me say that I can get enough colored sailors to man one ship, five ships or 10 ships. But it would, in my opinion, be wrong, for they would be Jim Crow ships. That’s what we’re fighting against, and for me to lend my name to such a project would be wrong.’

To his surprise, a few weeks later, Captain McCauley formally requested that he serve as the ship’s captain, with a crew of his choosing which would be “mixed, consisting of colored and white officers and seamen.”

The SS Booker T. Washington was launched on September 29, 1942, christened with a champagne bottle wielded by singer Marian Anderson with a crew including “Two Danes, a Turk, five Filipinos, a British Guianan, a Honduran, two British West Indians, a Norwegian, a Belgian, and sailors from thirteen states of the union.” Captain Mulzac later wrote. His ship eventually carried more than 18,000 soldiers overseas through waters filled with U-boats and under skies filled with Luftwaffe fighters, along with vital war supplies, and occasionally, Axis prisoners of war.

Captain Mulzac eventually served five years as its skipper, but when racist and antiunion forces in American shipping reasserted themselves after the war, he spent the 1950s fighting to have his credentials restored, finally succeeding in 1960 and serving again on ships in his 70s as a night mate.

Captain Mulzac’s full story, and the full story of the SS Booker T. Washington, can be found in his 1963 autobiography ‘A Star to Steer By’. (Source: Library of Congress Blogs - Posted by: Matthew Barton)

SVGTCCU continues support to SVGS

THE SVG TEACHERS COOPERATIVE CREDIT UNION LTD. (SVGTCCU Ltd.) is proud to continue its long-standing partnership with the St. Vincent Grammar School (SVGS), by extending sponsorship to the tune of $10,000 to support the school’s 2025 sporting activities. Over the years, SVGTCCU Ltd. has played an integral role in fostering student-athlete development, particularly by assisting the school’s participation in prestigious events such as the Penn Relays. This latest sponsorship reaffirms our commitment to youth empowerment, sports excellence, and community development.

This sponsorship is more than just financial support–it embodies SVGTCCU Ltd.’s core values of social responsibility, community engagement, and personal growth. We believe in the power of sports to shape well-rounded individuals, instilling teamwork, discipline, and perseverance–qualities that extend beyond the playing field.

By investing in the students of the St. Vincent Grammar School, we are investing in their future and the broader development of our nation. The Credit Union remains dedicated in demonstrating its philosophy of “People Helping People,” ensuring that students have the resources they need to excel both in sports and in life.

(L-R): Mr. Collin Sam Principal of the SVGS accepts cheque from Mrs. Melissa Yorke Nicholls Marketing Manager of the SVGTCCU.

This investment strengthens our enduring relationship with the St. Vincent Grammar School, reinforcing our mission to uplift students, schools, and communities. As a memberfocused financial institution, SVGTCCU Ltd. is committed to creating opportunities that foster positive outcomes in academic, athletic, and personal success.

The SVGTCCU Ltd. looks forward to continuing our support to students across St. Vincent and the Grenadines, helping them unlock their full potential and ensuring that together we can build a brighter future. (Submitted by SVGTCCU)

SVGAMP public performances planned

FOLLOWINGon from the launch of its songwriting and music production workshops, November 2nd, 2024, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Association of Music Professionals Inc. (SVGAMP) is pleased to announce the upcoming dates for several public performances.

Supported by the Government of Canada, through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), the free public performances from February 21 to March 1, 2025, aim to raise awareness about sexual and genderbased violence through the arts.

Performance dates and locations are as follows:

* Friday, February 21, 2025, at 6:00pm: Georgetown Square;

* Sunday, February 23, 2025, at 5:00pm: Heritage Square, Kingstown;

* Friday, February 28, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.: Rose Hall Square, Rose Hall[1];

* Saturday March 1, 2025 The Curator’s House, Botanical Garden.

SVGAMP can also report that over the course of three months, aspiring Vincentian musicians and performers participated in a series of workshops facilitated by gender awareness activist Ancelma Morgan Rose, Dr. Cleve Scott, Maxwell ‘Tajoe’ Francis,

St. Clair ‘Mitch’ Lewis, Grantley ‘Ipa’ Constance, Robert ‘Patches’ Knights, and Selwyn Patterson.

These workshops. which covered mainland St. Vincent from Kingstown to Fancy, introduced a diverse cohort to aspects of songwriting, composition, stagecraft, and studio production.

Critically, project participants identified ways to use their music and performances to address and dismantle harmful cultural norms and attitudes towards gender.

I addition, several workshops have been held throughout St Vincent and the Grenadines. The sessions covered aspects of songwriting, stagecraft, studio production following discussions on issues of attitudes towards gender.

The Canada Fund project will conclude with a series of live performances spread across several of the communities which hosted the workshops. SVGAMP, under its newly elected executive, invites members of the public to attend the public performances outlined below and demonstrate your support for a St. Vincent and the Grenadines in which all feel safe, valued and supported!

Vaccine Case: Government’s stance vindicated

Continued from Page 11.

So, in paragraph 90 of his judgement on this issue, Justice of Appeal Ventose, states:

“It is not whether in all the circumstances Rule 8 was “too draconian”, for that question does not first establish how Rule 8 is “draconian” and reaches a conclusion on Rule 8 before the completion of the fourpronged proportionality test. Nowhere in the jurisprudence applied by the Judicial Committee [of the Privy Council] is there any reference to whether or not a law is “draconian” as a threshold test in the proportionality analysis.”

Thus, before anyone goes off to say “draconian”, let us apply the proportionality test. The “four-pronged proportionality test” referred to by JA Ventose is derived from the Privy Council judgement in De Freitas v Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture (1998) and buttressed by that final court’s judgement in Suraj v AG of Trinidad and Tobago (2023). This test involves four elements: “Whether (i) the legislative objective is sufficiently important to justify limiting a fundamental right; (ii) the measures designed to meet the legislative objective are rationally connected to it; (iii) the means used to impair the right or freedom are no more than necessary to accomplish the objective (whether less intrusive measures could have been used); and (iv) whether having regard to these matters and to the severity of the consequences, a fair balance has been struck between the rights of the individuals and the interests of the community.”

On the analysis of the law and the facts, the majority of the Court of Appeal held the “special measures” to be proportionate. As applied to the issue of any alleged loss of pension benefit, the issue arises not from Rule 8 and the application of Rule 31, but from the pensions law itself. Thus, on the pensions matter, “the issue of the payment to the respondents of adequate compensation within a reasonable time does not arise.” As JA Ventose puts it: “The pension benefits to which they are entitled exist and do not magically disappear.” The answer to this is to be found in the Pensions Act itself.

MAIN FINDINGS OF THE COURT OF APPEAL

The main determinations of the Court of Appeal were as follows:

“The factual finding by the trial judge that Minister of Health acted ultra vires in that he did act on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) in making Rule 8, was ‘plainly wrong’. This was a huge take-down of Justice Esco Henry.

“Those rules that were not made on the advice of the CMO, the Minister had the lawful power to make them under the relevant section of the Public Health Act.”

“Rule 8 does not usurp any of the functions of the PSC and the trial judge erred in finding that it did.”

“The fact that a person may fall generally under a category of persons who are not entitled to a pension under the pensions law, assuming this to be true, cannot be a basis for a finding that the law is unconstitutional for creating

the circumstance within which a person may fall that would disentitle them to a pension.”

“There was no evidence that any of the respondents [the civil servants] had earned the right to a pension that is protected under Section 88 of the Constitution of SVG.

“Rule 8 was plainly a proportionate means of protecting the public health interest in the circumstances of a dangerous COVID-19 virus. For these reasons, the respondents’ claim for constitutional relief falls ‘in limine’ and should have been rejected by the trial judge.”

“The issue in question is whether Regulation 31 satisfies the requirements of fairness –––- Having not availed themselves of the option of seeking from the Commission a modification of the communication concerning their abandonment of their offices, the respondents cannot now argue that there was a breach of natural justice.”

“It cannot be said that either the Commissioner of Police or the Commission acted on the authority of the Minister of Health in applying Regulation 31 which was only triggered by non-compliance with Rule 8 by the officers to which it was applicable –––The learned trial judge was wrong to conclude that the letters issued to the respondents for breaching Regulation 31, for failing to comply with Rule 8, contravened sections 77(12), 77(13), 84(6), and 84(7) of the Constitution.”

“The learned trial judge was wrong to hold that the Amendments Act was unlawful for contravening the separation of powers doctrine [under the Constitution].”

PM ADVISES THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES TO RETURN TO WORK

Immediately following the Court of Appel judgment, our Prime Minister again reiterated his plea to the public employees who had abandoned their jobs to return to work without any loss of pension benefits under the pension law. Comrade Ralph has been urging this from day one. Now, the public sector unions and lawyers are urging the public employees to follow that advice. You can return to work and continue your case to the Privy Council, if you wish.

Meanwhile, the opposition NDP is floundering for a position. Is it the NDP asking for the public employees to get their full salaries, retroactive, for the period after the employees had abandoned their jobs? If that is the NDP’s position, it would come at a cost to the government of over $30 million in back salaries alone. Are the rest of the working people to suffer because of the failure/refusal of 250 employees to comply with lawful regulations? Is that the position of the opportunistic NDP?

And what has become of the leaders of the public service trade unions who had urged their members not to return to work? Remember their advice: Do not take the bait of returning to work: No bait, reinstate! Silly politics by the union leaders and bad advice to them by the NDP and others have put the affected workers in a bind. Fortunately, Comrade Ralph is offering them a way out. Will they take it? We’ll see.

No more sexual advances

Dear George,

FOR WELL over 9 weeks now my wife has not made one sexual advance to me.  There was a time when I would have made an issue out of it but not anymore.

She has noticed that I have stopped bothering her about it. I’ve gotten her out of my system and feel nothing sexual for her anymore. If this was what she wanted to achieve, well she has done so.

I know where to go when I need my sexual pleasures and it’s nowhere close to her. This was all her doing and I hope she can live with it.

No Longer Interested.

Dear No Longer Interested,

You are going about this all wrong and you need to immediately check yourself before it gets to the point of no return.

‘Alone

Dear George,

What is glaring in this case is the lack of communication. Both of you need to communicate your feelings and opinions on the issue.

This lack of sexual interest on your wife’s part could be attributed to several things such as menopause, absence of intimacy in the relationship, unresolved issues in the relationship, etc. Making the decision to step outside of the marriage to find sexual pleasure is a sure recipe for disaster.

Have that talk with your wife; let her know how you are affected and hear from her as well.

George.

time’ is essential

IHAVE given my wife everything she needs, but the one thing I asked of her in return, I cannot get.

All I ask of her is to set aside one day of the week where she would focus on me and me alone - no cell phone, no friends coming over, no TV. She finds that request to be “highly unreasonable”, and sees no value in it.

I think she is selfish and I find myself losing interest in her slowly but surely. What do you suggest I do in a case such as this? I know what I want to do but I know you are not going to agree with me.

Wondering What’s Next.

Dear Wondering What’s Next,

According to what you have explained, I do not find your request of your wife to be unreasonable at all. As a matter of fact, in successful relationships couples do set aside a specific time of the week or day as ‘alone time’.

That is more than enough reason for your wife to see the value in these one-on-one sessions, with no distractions.

Keep on doing what you are doing, keeping in mind that a good marriage is always under construction.

George.

Forgiveness can heal

Dear George,

MY BOYFRIENDof two months did something to me for which I can never forgive him. He took me to “a friend’s” 30th birthday party. It was during the party I learned that the birthday girl was in fact his girlfriend of three years, and she was also carrying his child.

She even thanked him in her thank-you speech, going as far as to say she was carrying his child and how proud she was to do so.

I have sent him packing since and promised never to forgive him.

Hurt Beyond Words.

Dear Hurt,

Be thankful that it was just two months and no more that you wasted on him. That said, you should and probably will get to the place to forgive him.

Forgiving him is what you will have to do to free yourself of unnecessary burden, and this does not mean you should remain with him. Not to forgive can affect your health long term. Time does heal all wounds, eventually.

George.

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20)

You have the power! Making a small compromise at work can put you in a better bargaining position. An electric eye–to–eye connection could lead to an ongoing love story. Another piece of a money puzzle falls into place – be patient.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21)

To get noticed in business, be firm about what you want. Opportunity knocks loudly, but you need to believe in your ability. Don’t be bamboozled by a business matter, a solution could be closer than you think. Love news is in the stars.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21)

Believe in yourself. Don’t let self–doubts hold you back. Consider the possibility that you can have it all. Making a change at work can make a world of difference. To attract the love of your dreams, cast your wishes to the universe.

CANCER (June 22-July 22)

Keep love and work separate. Love is to be cherished, and business is business; don’t let an emotional issue cloud your judgment. Your best advice is your own wisdom. Careful money planning can place you in a good position for the future.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22)

Your career is about to climb sky high with your hard work paying big bucks. Don’t get involved in other people’s drama. Mind your own business. Love stars are strong, but get real about a situation. Be ready to meet someone halfway.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23)

You’re in the zone! You can get just about anything you ask for, but you need to be proactive. An opportunity to get more involved will be challenging but satisfying. To win someone’s heart, allow yourself to be vulnerable and show your sensitive side.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23)

Love alert – you heart has a mind of its own! If it’s time to set a certain friend straight, do it from the heart. An ‘attitude–adjustment’ can improve your relationships tenfold. A small sacrifice at work can rocket your career sky high.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22)

You are moving into a busy phase at work, and you will need to get organized. Think big and stay positive. You’ll soon reap the rewards of your efforts. Resist the urge to splurge, keep a cash reserve handy for a rainy day. Love and friendship go hand–in–hand, you can’t have one without the other.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21)

If you keep secrets, keep in mind that there will be consequences. Changes at work may seem inconvenient, but in the big picture they will be beneficial. Your personal life gets an overhaul. A deep realization leads you to the next step.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20)

If you keep secrets, keep in mind that there will be consequences. Changes at work may seem inconvenient, but in the big picture they will be beneficial. Your personal life gets an overhaul. A deep realization leads you to the next step.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19)

The power is in the silence! Don’t be drawn into people’s opinionated views. Before you agree to a financial deal, get professional advice. Love will tap on your heart when the time is right. Stay focused on your highest level of importance.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20)

Open your heart to love. Don’t let a past emotional hurt get in the way of a good thing. At work, watch out for someone who may not be as sincere as they act. He or she could have a hidden agenda. It’s now possible to solve a money issue.

ACROSS

1.Lass’s companion

4. Curved entranceway

8. Chomp

12. Dwight’s nickname

13. Mob VIP

14. Author Leon

15. Like a royal estate

17. Gangplank

18. Wimps

20. Obtain (from)

23. Main course

27. Sidestep

28. Pack animal

29. Stately tree

30. Coal hole

31. New York time (abbr.)

32. Poor community

33. Baseball’s Mel

34. Owned

35. Small, as eyes

36. Sadat’s predecessor

38. Puts a hex on

39. Inquiries into lost packages

41. Sch. for

officers 44. “The Abbott and __ Show”

48. Appear

49. Popular diner dish

50. Atmosphere

51. Interchange

52. Former partners

53. Attentiongetting sound

DOWN

1.Gloss recipient

2. Wanted poster inits.

3. Dover’s state (abbr.)

4. Busy 5. Heighten

6. Accountants (abbr.)

7. Most hallowed

8. Break, like a balloon

9. George Gershwin’s brother 10. Actor Allen 11. Seer’s gift

(abbr.)

16. All kidding

19. Naval officer (abbr.)

20. Fiend

21. A Peron

22. Raves

24. Take deep breaths, e.g.

25. Escape

26. Television awards

28. Tack on 31. Otalgia

32. Feeling 34. Not him

35. Origins

37. Bang one’s foot

38. Governor Ventura

Gently persuade

Ship’s letters

42. Baste

43. “Tell _-story” (2 wds.)

45. Fold (over)

46. Fleur-de-__

47. Table scrap

BlueChip takes SVGCC Basketball title again

BLUECHIP ACADEMY

for the fourth straight year, has championed the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College Invitational Basketball Competition.

Last Friday, February 14, 2025, BlueChip Academy was not in a loving mood, as they defeated Playaz Academy 62-44 at the hardcourt of Villa Campus.

Led by Player of

BlueChip Academy clinched its 4th hold on SVGCC Invitational Basketball.

Sports Coordinator laments lack of support

ROXELL JOHN,Sports Coordinator of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College, has lamented the unfulfilled promises of support for the staging of its annual Invitational Basketball Competition.

John, addressing the Awards and Closing Ceremony of the 2025 edition at the Villa Campus Hard court, on Friday, February 14, said that the competition, its fifth edition, had to depend on the goodwill of some committed persons to see it through to the end.

“Last year, at this very stage, we had promises of officiating courses to enhance the quality and have extra persons to come and give of their time, unfortunately that did not materialize..,” John bemoaned.

In the absence of promised help, John noted that he had to rely on a group of faithful officials.

“We would love others committing their time to assist where they can…,” John reinforced.

He told the Closing Ceremony that without the services of Rakeal

Wales and Krista Bailey, the tournament would have been stretched to be completed.

John reminded those present as well as those following the live stream that the tournament, with all its good intent, was without a title sponsor.

“This is a tournament that is not sponsored by any other entity other than the St. Vincent (and the Grenadines) Community College - six or so thousand dollars outside the provision of

ice which we get from French Verandah, and the live streaming which we do not pay for”, the SVGCC Sports Coordinator reiterated.

John, though, broke good news, revealing that the college was willing to purchase new kits for the 2026 edition.

At the closing of the 2024 tournament, John had stated that the authorities were reluctant to replenish the uniform stock, based on the conduct of the players.

SVG U20 Girls off to Qualifiers

THIS COUNTRY’S U-20 Women’s football team left the state last weekend for Nicaragua to compete in the 2025 Concacaf U-20 Women’s Championship qualifier. The local U-20 girls will face Jamaica on February 20, Nicaragua on February 22, and St. Kitts & Nevis on February 24. The playing squad comprises: G-riesa Joseph, Hyeisha Thomas, Ettrisha Jeffery, Azumi Quow, Denisha

the Final- Maxron Dublin, who poured in 24 points, Keagan Hackshaw- 22 and Marques Thomas who contributed 18 points, BlueChip Academy gave Playaz Academy no snippet of a change in hands of the title, as they were in charge at the end of each of the quarters.

Zwayne Fisher- 16 points, and Aquando Henry- 11, were the best scorers for Playaz Academy who again had to settle for the runnerup trophy and medals.

BlueChip got to the final, with a 67-38 dumping of Associates Combined in their

Roxell John, Sports Coordinator of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College, did not hide his hurt that the Competition was without a title sponsor and that commitments to assist otherwise were not fulfilled.

Thomas (left), best offensive player, Maxron Dublin (right) one of the most improved players.

semi-final match up, while Playaz Academy outclassed ASGS All Stars, 75-16. Associates Combined took the third place, beating DASGS All Stars, 40-35. Johathan Medford- 18 points was the high hand for Associates Combined and for DSAGS All Stars, Temal Gopaul had 17 points.

Following the final, the various awards were distributed.

The teams’ MVPs were Camerom WilliamsDASGS Mavericks, Temal Gopaul- DASGS All Stars; Kimesha Antoine- Associates Combined, Zwayne Fisher- Playaz Academy and Marques ThomasBlueChip Academy.

The MVPs of the playoff matches were Xander Hackshaw, Aquando Henry and Jonathan Medford.

Adjudged as the Most Improved Players were Ethan Isaacs, Marlon

Scott Jr. Jonathan Medford, Kaymal Gopaul and Maxron Dublin.

The Best Defensive Player was Zwayne Fisher and Marques Thomas, the Best Offensive Payer. Meanwhile, given honorary mention were Maxron Dublin, for his defensive work, and Zwayne Fisher, for his offensive prowess.

Taking the newly introduced category of Sports Spirit Award was Chad King- Crick, with Anthony Hazel copping the Most Steals award.

Woods, Kellisha Bowens, Samaaya Connell, Nailah Kydd, Rebekah John, Kyante Warren, Jenicia Jackson, Cherish Laborde, Amunique Edwards, Nevaeh Richards, Leona Barrow, Kacy Browne, Zoniah Harry, Stephanie Hunte, Vinesha Johnson. The management team

includes: Shelly Browne - head coach; Zeyanna John - assistant coach; Travisha Diamondgoal-keeping coach; Shevon Smith — physiotherapist; Tonicsia Baptiste — manager;

Chad King- Crick took the Sports Spirited Award.

Rex Pollard — physical trainer, Stephanie Providence — Doctor; Yosiah Dascent head of delegation.

I.B.A. ALLEN

Marques

SVG U20 Women’s football team and team officials.

Antrobus, Doyle ride off with victories

LUCKY ANTROBUSand Gabriel Doyle chalked up wins last Sunday, February 16, 2025, as the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cycling Union held a 24- mile road race.

Antrobus topped Category One, as he was first to reach the finish line at Argyle.

Antrobus’ winning time was 1:24.31.05. Trailing Antrobus was Zefal Bailey, who stopped the clock at 1:24.52.10 and third was Maxim Alvis — 1:36.29.37.

Meanwhile, Doyle beat Martin Bollers in Category Two, as the two duelled for honours.

Doyle crossed the cones at the finish line, after riding for 1:36.01.39. Bollers’ time was 1:44.45.96.

Doyle effectively was third overall, as he finished ahead of Alvis.

All cyclists received a small cash token.

The race started at the decommissioned ET Joshua Airport along the Windward coast to Colonaire, before returning to Argyle.

Next on the calendar of the SVG Cycling Union is a three-stage event at the end of March.

Arnos Vale misses out

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

(SVG) will not be hosting any of the matches of Australia’s tour of the West Indies scheduled for later this year.

Word of this came after indications were that the multi-island state would have been included in the Australians itinerary.

Reasons that have been advanced for the SVG’s exclusion by extension the picturesque and modernised Arnos Vale Playing Field include cost efficiency, commercial potential, and cricketing strategyrather than political considerations.

The Australians tour includes three Test matches (now slated for Barbados, Grenada, and Dominica) and a fivematch T20I series which will be hosted by Jamaica (two games) and St. Kitts and Nevis (three matches)

But despite missing out on the Australia tour, there is at least one opportunity opened to SVG for hosting international cricket this year, to wit, the 2025 South Africa Men’s A team tour of the West

Netball trio heads for Jamaica

The Arnos Vale Playing Field is now on par, as afar as its facilities are concerned, with any cricket field in the world.

Indies, which includes two Test matches and three One-Day matches.

Arnos Vale Playing Field is also slated to host West Indies vs. New Zealand Men’s T20Is in July 2026.

Further ahead, Arnos Vale is set to welcome England Women for three T20Is against the West Indies Women in 2027.

Mary Ann Fredericks leads a trio of SVG Netballers for participation in Jamaica’s netball tournaments.

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES’ top Goal Shooter - Mary Ann Frederick leads two male netballers who will take their skills to Jamaica, as they compete in that country’s National Netball setup. Frederick will don the colours of Rockerz Sports Club in the Premier Division of Netball Jamaica’s Divisional Tournament.

Joining Frederick are male netballers - Akeil Bute and Dorian Layne.

Both are set to play in the Men’s Netball Association of Jamaica (MNAJ) InterCaribbean Male Premiership.

Bute will represent Vikings Netball Team, the defending champions, while Layne is in the roster of Jaguars.

The trio are coming off standout performances in 2024. Frederick was named the Most Accurate Shooter of the 2024 ECCB International Netball Tournament, held in St. Lucia, while Bute was the Best Defending Player at the 2024 Americas Netball Men’s Championship held in St. Kitts and Nevis, at which Layne was named the Most Accurate Shooter.

Lucky Antrobus

Gabriel Doyle

Akeil Bute is set to play for Jamaica Champions Vikings.

Dorian Layne will hope his shooting prowess will life the Jaguars up the standings.

Sports V

Sporting combination

IT IS KNOWNthat to be a successful athlete, there has to be a good physical coordination about the body. It is known that adaptability to sports comes naturally. But some persons don’t appreciate the seriousness of the athletic part of any sporting discipline.

Sports men and women in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the sixties and seventies were known for their all-round ability. It was common to see national teams especially football and cricket where the squads were almost indeed similar.

Names like Douggie Doyle, Douglas Cambridge, Jeff Bailey, Samuel ‘Sparrow’ Duncan (one football match), Fred Trimmingham, Michael Findlay, Lennox John, Colville Browne, Carl Glasgow, St. Clair ‘Rabbit’ Warner, come to mind without much soul searching.

By today, hundreds of other prospects will surface. Besides the number of persons who played both cricket and football at a national level, many displayed skills beyond those dsicplines.

One might be surprised at the versatility that Vincentian and indeed sports personalities worldwide seem to display.

Table tennis is also a sport that helps with coordination. Persons at the highest level of West Indies cricket are known to have improved their game, their reflexes, because of their involvement in table tennis.

Besides those intertwined disciplines, there is the basic requirement that many talented sports personalities overlook. That is athletics.

St. Vincent and the Grenadiers has a natural environment conducive to the production of top level sport performers, that surrounds running. For to be an athlete, there has to be a high degree of preparation.

The talent could be traced. But consistency and a dedicated approach must be part of the training regime.

Some footballers may possess the greatest amount of natural skills. But coordination of movements, and environmental awareness are attributes that can advance the individual.

Sporting organisations have to find ways to instill into their trainees, the importance of coordinated exercise.

It will be beneficial to the country if there is a methodical approach to preparation for sporting events/activities.

Whatever the discipline, administrators must make sure that trainees get full benefit of techniques suitable to and necessary for their participation.

Coaches must work together and identify areas that can improve their athletes whatever the discipline they take part in.

Michael Holding made the transition from being a 400 metre track runner to be one of the world’s best fast bowlers. His athleticism contributed to his success as a bowler.

The trail abounds with instances of similarly versatile athletes. Serious efforts must be made to employ the athleticism shown to ensure that individuals benefit.

There are well trained and enthusiastic coaches here. There is need to ensure that the reservoir of talent is harnessed, nurtured and produced in a coordinated fashion.

When there are training programmes, coaches must be part of the outfit. That goes for the disciplines. The sporting foundation is a platform for national development. The direction a country leads its population must be healthy. The surest way to keep a strong population is strengthening the sports training regime.

CWI 4-Day Round up

TRINIDADand Tobago Red Force’s middle order batsman Jason Mohammed set himself up for inclusion in the record books, when he smashed his third century, a double century, in as many matches of the 2025 CWI Regional 4-day Championship.

Mohammed scored 204 not out against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes, to follow on his 176 against the CCC and 103 against the Windward Islands Volcanoes.

The Red Force—Hurricanes match ended in a draw but not before the former had posted a first innings of 529 for 5 declared, inclusive of Mohammed’s 204 not out, Joshua De Silva 153, and Amir Jangoo 60. The Hurricanes replied creditably with 433, West Indies opener Mikyel Louis 110, Kadeem Henry 100, Karima Gore 68, with Khary Pierre 5 for 93, Yanic Cariah 5 for 103 taking all the Hurricanes’ wickets. Trinidad took to the crease for a second time, ending on 191 for 3 when the match was called, but allowing enough time for Da Silva to crown himself with another century, 100 not out, and Cephas Cooper 52.

At the Kensington Oval, Barbados Pride beat Jamaica Scorpions by 9 wickets.

Scores: Barbados 293 - Jonathan

Drakes 108, Leniko Boucher 55, Brad Barnes 6 for 94; and 121 for 1; Drakes 52 not out, Kraigg Brathwaite 47 not out. Jamaica 231Odean Smith 50, Jevor Royal 43, Chaim Holder 3 for 66; and 180Javelle Glenn 66. Jamel Warrican 3 for 42.

At Guyana National Stadium, the Guyana Harpy Eagles and West Indies Academy match ended in a draw. Scores: Guyana 254 - Ronaldo Alimohamed, Jediah Blades 4 for 37, Zishan Motara 3 for 37; and 44 for 4. West Indies Academy 249 - Joshua Bishop 54, Rivaldo Clarke 50, Veerasammy Permual 6 for 75.

The Windward Islands Volcanoes and Combined Campus and Colleges (CCC) played to a draw at Windsor Park. Scores: Windward Islands 248Gian Benjamin 49, Kenneth Dember 49, Akeem Jordan 5 for 52. CCC 216 - Damel Evelyn 53, Johann Jeremiah 40, Derel Cyrus 5 for 71, Kenneth Dember 3 for 68; and 60 without lossDamel Evelyn 37 not out.

At the end of three

Jason Mohammed recorded his third straight 100 + score when he smashed 204 for Trinidad and Tobago Red Force against the Leeward Hurricanes.

rounds of matches the following is the points standing: T&T Red Force 55 points, Leeward Islands Hurricanes and Barbados Pride 50 points each; Guyana 45; Jamaica 33, Windward Islands Volcanoes 16; West Indies Academy 4,

T&T Red Force’s Joshua DaSilva did himself and his country proud with centuries (152 and 100 not out) in each innings against the Hurricanes.

and Combined Campus and Colleges without a point.

Jonathan Drakes hit 108 and 52 not out for Barbados against Jamaica.

Neil Williams T20 Round Up

ARNOS VALE2, Keegan’s Bequia beat Strike Eagles by 29 runs.

Scores: Bequia 146 for 2 from 15 overs.

Cosmos Hackshaw, 85 not out, Jarrell Edwards, 41 not out, propelled Keagan’s Bequia Eleven to a 29-run victory over Strike Eagles at Arnos Vale 2, in one of last weekend round of matches in the Neil Williams T20 Cricket Competition. Bequia posted 146 for 2 from a revised allotment of 15 overs, to which Strike Eagles

replied with 117 for 7 from 15 overs, Akron Walker leading with 29 not out and Terron Campbell taking 2 for 23 and Jenry Ollivierre 2 for 18.

Also at Arnos Vale 2, Police 2 outplayed Victors 2 by 56 runs. Police 2 -100 for 3 from 8 overs, Dwayne Richards 39 not out, Kimron Strogh 29; Victors Two 56 for 2 from 8 overs.

Flow Radcliffe beat Victors One by 7 wickets. Scores: Victors One 108 for 8 from 20 overs - Newton Browne 29, Wesrick Strough 3 for

32; Flow Radclife 109 for 3 from 9 overs - Romano Pierre 33 not out, Deron Greaves 29, Kadir Nedd 24, Jordan Charles 2 for 42.

Victors One disposed of GJ’s Auto Imports Super Sixers by a whopping 102 runs. Scores: Victors One 196 for 2 from 17 overs. — Dave Duncan 84 not out, Donwell Hector 69 not out; Super Sixers 94 for 7 from 15 oversDonalson Harry 34 not out., Anthonio Barker 4 for 13.

Stories: I.B.A. ALLEN

AT

Classifieds V

Guyana to investigate attack on six soldiers

From Backpage

The dispute over the Essequibo, which makes up two-thirds of Guyana’s territory and has been claimed by Venezuela for more than a century, began with the Paris Arbitration Award of 1899, which granted sovereignty over the area to what was then British Guiana.

Decades later, Venezuela declared the award null and void and signed the Geneva Agreement of 1966 with the United Kingdom, which established a commission to resolve the historic dispute, but it never materialized.

Guyana, which cites the 1899 award, is committed to resolving the territorial dispute through the process initiated at the International

Court of Justice (ICJ). (Varied Sources)

UPDATE: Senior Guyana Government sources have revealed that Guyana has received information from neighbouring Venezuela, that at least three of the suspects in the shooting of six Guyana Defence Force soldiers in the Cuyuni river have been arrested and are now in the custody of the Venezuelan military.

AI REAL ESTATE

GUYANA TO INVESTIGATE ATTACK ON SIX SOLDIERS

GUYANA’s President Irfaan Ali said Tuesday that Guyanese authorities are investigating an attack on six soldiers on the Cuyuni River, in the north near the Venezuelan border.

“We are taking this very seriously, … even if it is an armed gang or one of those organizations that operate on the Venezuelan side of the border, this is serious because they fired on ranks in uniform,” President Ali said.

The Guyana Defense Force(GDF) said the soldiers were allegedly ambushed on Monday by masked gunmen from the Venezuelan side.

One Guyana newspaper reported that the soldiers were shot and injured by members of Venezuelan notorious Sindicato gang. This has not been confirmed or denied by any authoritative source in Guyana.

The Sindicato has been allowed to roam freely in Guyana’s hinterland and from time to time its members have harassed, robbed and killed Guyanese.

The six Guyanese soldiers were taken to a hospital for treatment.

“Let us get the assessment, and then we will discuss our

The opposition People’s National Congress Reform has called on the Government to urgently review and ramp up Guyana’s security and defence arrangements along the Guyana Venezuela border.

procedure, which is important for the protection of our men and women in uniform and also our sovereignty,” President Ali said.

Guyana’s army chief, Omar Khan, said two of the wounded soldiers were in critical condition.

The GDF said it responded immediately to the attack and engaged the assailants.

“The GDF has been mobilised to reinforce its presence in the area, ensuring the security of its personnel and safeguarding the territorial integrity of Guyana,” the GDF statement said.

The GDF said that it remains committed to protecting its borders and will take all necessary measures to address any threats to national security.

The attack comes amid a territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana over the Essequibo, an area of approximately 160,000 square kilometers.

The dispute escalated after Venezuela approved a unilateral referendum in

December 2023 to annex the region, which Guyana has controlled since 1966 and whose dispute is in the hands of the International Court of Justice.

At the beginning of February, Venezuela described the Essequibo as an area of “very high strategic importance” and said that a Venezuelan authority would be elected in this area “for the first time” in the regional

REFEREES ASSOCIATION WITHDRAW SERVICES

THE ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES REFEREES ASSOCIATION (SVGRA) has withdrawn its services from the ongoing St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation’s National Club Championships.

The decision was predicated on an incident last Tuesday night, February 18, 2025,

at the Victoria Park, that resulted in a physical altercation between President of the SVG Referees Association- Elron Lewis, and an Assistant Coach of the Awesome Football Club- Keon Peters.

A statement from the Referees Association stated that the physical altercation incident followed a verbal abuse of Lewis by Peters, that led to Peters’ ejection from the Awesome FC’s bench, during their encounter with Camdonia-Chelsea.

Keon Peters was at the perpetrator’s end of the physical altercation and could well be disciplined otherwise.

The statement noted that Peters was issued a red card for his “insulting and abusive language and conduct in the technical area”.

Citing the non-presence

of security personnel in the technical area, the release said, “At the match there was no police presence near the technical area where the first attempt to attack a the fourth official (Lewis) occurred.”

Detailing the second incident, the release said, “Shockingly, around 50 minutes after the game, the said coach launched a violent attack from behind, using an unknown object to strike the 4th official, causing a cut below his (left) eye”.

Lewis made known to the VINCENTIAN that even if an amicable settlement reached at a meeting with officials of the SVG Football Federation (SVGFF) that was set for Thursday, February 20, 2025, the Association’s members

will not be officiating on matches this Saturday and Sunday, February 22 and 23.

Physical abuse of match officials is not new to the SVGFF’s National Club Championships.

Included among the publicized incidents was an attack on Johmal Allen during a match between Layou and Richmond Hill in 2014 at the Campden Park Playing Field, that left Allen with “bites” about his body.

Rohan Primus suffered lacerations to the face from a player of the Greiggs club, while officiating in a match between Greiggs and SV United in November, 2022, at the Chili Playing Field.

And the SVGRA had cause to withdraw its services in

elections on April 27.

For Guyana, the declaration violates the Argyle Agreement signed on Dec. 14, 2023, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, in the presence of international mediators, which commits both nations to refrain from escalating any conflict or disagreement arising from the territorial dispute.

Continued on Page 31.

Elron Lewis, President of the SVG, was the target of an attack that precipitated the decision by the referees to withdraw their services.

October 2023, when Lorson Lewis was attacked during a quarter final match of the Male Under-17 division, between Largo Height and Layou.

President Irfaan Ali (left) seen here speaking with one of the wounded soldiers, in the company of Guyana’s army chief, Omar Khan, and Army Registrar Notoya Lewis Frank. (Credit: Stabroek News)