WORLD CUP SECURITY BILL UNREASONABLE
Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, PM and Minister of National Security, has been assertive about having a problem with security (police) bill for services related to the ICC World Cup.
PRIME MINISTERand Minister of National Security
Dr. Ralph Gonsalves said that he finds it difficult to accept the amount that has been submitted to him for payment of members of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, for security duties during the ICC’s T20 Cricket World Cup in June.
Speaking on radio on October 13, Gonsalves said that he had asked
the Commissioner of Police (Ag,), Enville Williams for a realistic document in terms of payment because the number he received amounted close to EC$800,000.
“Apparently what happens, there are some persons who, when the LOC (Local Organizing Committee) were discussing the issue security, I don’t know if they felt all this thing
was going to be borne by Cricket West Indies,” Gonsalves said.
According to the Minister of National Security, some persons indicated that they worked 20 hours a day, expecting to be paid between EC$200/hr., for higher ranking officers, to EC$100.
“So, I asked the question while these persons were performing these [duties], somebody working 20 hours a day, were they not being paid for that month?” he
continued.
Request for a reasonable assessment
Dr. Gonsalves made it clear that he was not saying that the police ought not to get paid for providing security at the international sporting event.
“I told him (CoP) to give me an assessment, you know. He says that it is a ticklish one...and I say well, it may be ticklish, but you have to advise me,” Dr.
Gonsalves said and questioned “.. how can I take 20 something thousand dollars to pay a senior office for example?”
“If you work 20 hours a day on West Indies Cricket in security, surely you cannot give an hourly rate as if you are a lawyer when you have your salary
Continued on Page 3.
Below: Enville Williams, Acting Commissioner of Police has been advised to “wheel and come again” with the security bill he presented.
INDEPENDENCE PARADE 2024:
Kimya Glasgow launches new Fragrance
“THIS SERENEand picturesque Nirvana House, Spirit of the Valley in Queensbury, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, venue, nestled within the lush landscapes of the Vermont valley, provided the perfect backdrop for the launch of a new fragrance, “Paradise’.”
So wrote Neeka Anderson Isaacs in a report on the launch of ‘Paradise’, a creation of Vincentian designer and perfumer Kimya Glasgow.
Kimya Glasgow is one of SVG’s foremost fashion designers specializing in authentic Caribbean Style, featuring Vincentian & Caribbean ready-to-wear clothing and accessories.
The launch was held on October 6, 2024 during a private event, attended by a select group of influential women, each making strides in their respective fields.
Guests included: Neeka Anderson Isaacs, journalist and healthcare advocate for endometriosis; Laferne Fraser, psychologist, former Miss SVG and head of the SVG Beauty Shows
Committee; Caricia Taylor, entrepreneur and senior marketing officer at the St. Vincent & the Grenadines Tourism Authority; Rae-Dawn John, entrepreneur, wellness advocate, yoga instructor and owner of Free Spirit SVG; and Norlann Gabriel, an investment banker with First Citizens Group.
Paradise’ is Glasgow’s second fragrance and is described as an “… intoxicating mix of citrus, floral, woody, and spicy notes,” that “tells a story of contrast–balancing peace and and vibrancy, tranquility and pulsating energy, much like the Caribbean itself.”
Neeka Anderson Isaacs in her report on the lauch, wrote further: “‘Paradise’ is more than a fragrance–it is a celebration of Caribbean beauty and an extension of Kimya’s sustainable, slowfashion brand, Kimya Glasgow. The event emphasized not only the art of perfumery but also intentional living and entrepreneurship, embodying Kimya’s mission to empower women through sustainable luxury.
The event also marked the beginning of the digital launch for the fragrance, which is anticipated to extend the reach of the product “beyond the island to a global audience.”
In her remarks, Kimya shared her vision for the fragrance:
“With ‘Paradise’, I wanted to create more than just a scent–I wanted to capture the magic, serenity, and beauty of the Caribbean. It’s my love letter to our islands, and I hope it allows women everywhere to experience the warmth, allure, and
‘Paradise’ represents a continuing quest by
Glasgow to extend her reach while remaining true to her roots.
essence of this region.”
“Paradise’ is available locally at select retailers including Common Ground (Kingstown & Bequia), The Trend (Kingstown), Purple House (Mustique), and Bequia Threadworks. It can also be purchased online at kimyaglasgow.com. (Source: Report by Neeka Anderson Isaacs)
Kimya
V News 3
Continued from Frontpage. already,” he contended.
The Prime Minister said that he told the CoP that if that was the amount that he had to pay, then he would have to go to Parliament with a Supplementary Appropriation Bill and tell the country what he was asking for approval.
“I am not begrudging anybody any money you know, but I want everybody to be reasonable.... I can speak more you know, but I don’t want
to speak more,” Dr. Gonsalves said.
Dr. Shallow on the issue
When the issue of the outstanding payment to the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) for service rendered during the hosting of ICC 2024 T20 Cricket World Cup matches broke, Dr. Kishore Shallow, President of Cricket West Indies (CWI) told THE VINCENTIAN in an interview, that it was his understanding that the government
had accepted the responsibility to pay for security provided by the police, as part of the host agreement.
“However,” he said, “[it was] not uncommon with significant spending, which is not unique to governments. Expected processes have to occur,” He advanced this as contributing to the delay in honouring the payments.
In more recent contact with Dr. Shallow, he clarified that as far as the ‘security bill’ for the World Cup was concerned, it was the responsibility of the government of each host country.
Independence Parade 2024: An
evening affair
World Cup security bill unreasonable OOPS!!!
He went on further to say that no issue has been brought to CWI’s attention about security payments in other countries.
Dr. Kishore Shallow, President of CWI, clarified very early that the security bill for the ICC World Cup was to be borne by the government.
show commencing at 4pm.
The event, in keeping the with overall Independence Anniversary theme, “45 Years of Togetherness, Prosperity, and Perseverance!”, will include the usual speeches and will conclude with a grand fireworks and light display.
The shift in time (of day) could well be partly the result of a request made last year for a change.
ON OCTOBER 27, 1979, the very first Independence Day Military Parade began on the stroke of midnight.
Forty-five year later, on Sunday 27th October, 2024, the military parade will be held in the early evening, beginning at 6pm, but will be preceded by a pre-parade
Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves had indicated then that he had received a request from the then parade commander, Superintendent Benzil Samuel, for a switch from 8 am to 5 pm.
Supt. Samuel cited the heat as a major concern. Carlos James, Minister of Tourism and Culture made the formal
announcement of the change during a press brief on October 14.
In introducing the change, the Minister described it as an opportunity to breed new life into the event, so as to enhance the experience of participants and spectators alike.
“We intend to focus on showcasing modern creativity, multi-media displays, a more inclusive celebration where we will marry both the military aspect of the parade with our traditional cultural performances from our talented and creative Vincentians,” James said.
A new addition to this year’s event according to the Tourism and Culture Minister would be the inclusion of the public to the ‘Toast to the Nation’.
That event was traditionally a private affair but this year all
will be invited to give a toast to the nation.
Superintendent Junior Simmons, Commanding Officer for the 2024 National Independence Day Parade, promised that this year’s event “was going to a spectacle…. One with a difference.”
He assured that rehearsals were going well, and the troops were ready and invited the nation to come out on Independence Day evening “because the 7 armed and 10 unarmed guards, they have something special in store for you.”
Following the military parade, Vincentians will be invited to stay around for the cultural aspect of
the event which is expected to feature traditional cultural performances including dance, including traditional dance, and a variety of musical genres.
ON PAGE 5of our issue of Friday 11th October, 2024, we carried an article with the headline “Small business operators in train”.
In the article, reference was made to the small business operators participating a workshop, “a collaborate effort involving the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the National Development Foundation (NDF) and the Centre for Enterprise Development (CED).
We acknowledge having made an error with reference to the Centre for Enterprise Development being a collaborator in facilitating the Workshop.
For that we apologise to all the parties concerned, and assured you that there was no illintent on our part.
Do accept our apology and best wishes.
Tourism and Culture Minister
Carlos James sees the shift as allowing for innovations in the overall programme.
Right: Supt. Junior Simmons, Parade Commander, promised some surprises.
Unprecedented sentencing in ganja case
Stories: HAYDN HUGGINS
SENIORMagistrate Colin John may have set a precedent in the sentencing of persons for marijuana possession and cultivation on when, on Tuesday, he reprimanded and discharged a man who admitted that he was cultivating marijuana.
The Magistrate’s decision to reprimand and discharge the 35-yearold Clare Valley resident, Lenroy Caine, came following a sterling mitigation plea from Caine’s lawyer Ronald Marks, and a response from Prosecutor Renrick Cato.
Caine had pleaded guilty to cultivating nine mature marijuana plants.
But the Magistrate said that after considering the amendments to the Drug (Prevention and Misuse) Act, the policy of the government with regard to how marijuana is viewed and treated in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the sentencing guidelines, and the submissions by the Prosecution and the defense, he concluded that Caine should be reprimanded and discharged.
Events leading to arrest
The facts showed that Caine was arrested after Sergeant 490 Shawn Chandler and other police officers of the Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant, in respect of controlled drugs, at his home at Clare Valley around 11:50am, on October 10, 2024.
During a search of a room which Caine told the officers he occupied, the Sergeant found a transparent ziplock bag containing plant-like material resembling marijuana.
Chandler pointed out the offense of possession of controlled drugs to Caine, and cautioned him, to which Caine replied, “Officer is a small smoke”.
Chandler then asked him if he had a medical problem and if he had a medical cannabis Patients Identification Card (PIC). Caine replied, “Officer me na ha a medical problem, but I suffer from back pain, ‘cause I get shoot, and I smoke weed to
ease the pain”.
Caine then showed a medical cannabis PIC to Chandler who checked it and saw the number being LP834220 82500.
Caine told Chandler that he buys ‘weed’ from the pharmacy and from other persons around.
Chandler told him that being a holder of a medical cannabis PIC does not grant him the privilege to buy from persons who are not certified, and he asked Caine to accompany him to the back of the yard.
Caine complied, and the officer saw plants there resembling marijuana plants.
Chandler reminded Caine that he was still under a caution, and he replied, “Officer I plant few plants cause the government says persons can plant, so I plant to smoke and sell”.
Chandler told him the Medical Cannabis I.D does not grant him that right, and it’s an offense to cultivate marijuana.
The officer pointed out the offense to him, but Caine said nothing.
Chandler uprooted each plant in the presence of Caine and another officer and showed them to Caine, who replied, “give me a chance please”.
Chandler informed him of his right to legal representation, and he replied, “Officer, once I know how much I have to pay, me go pay”.
He was then arrested and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) along with the marijuana, and then to the Narcotics base.
Based on instructions from the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Caine was not charged with the loose material, found in the room which amounted to 139 grams, but he was charged with the cultivation of the nine plants.
Defence’s Mitigation
In mitigation, Marks, in requesting that Caine be reprimanded and discharged, told the Court that Caine sought to comply with the law by applying for the Medical Cannabis Patients I.D which would allow him to buy marijuana from persons with medicinal Cannabis licenses.
The lawyer noted, however, that what Caine did not do was to apply for a Medicinal Cannabis License which would have allowed him to plant, harvest and keep marijuana for medicinal purposes.
The lawyer expressed the view that there needs to be more education on the issue and that Caine’s failure to apply for a Medicinal Cannabis License may have resulted from that lack of information and education.
Marks said that the situation is exploited by some foreigners who are making millions of dollars from the industry, while the poor man is being ‘dragged’ before the Courts on marijuana charges.
“It’s taking up the Court’s time, and the Court’s resources and basically it’s a waste of time”, said Marks, a former government senator.
“We have to take steps either to regulate it or to make it legal”, he added. He thinks that this would assist with regard to young people
being more cooperative, and not being disgruntled with the police, as well as a reduction in the crimes surrounding the illegal marijuana trade.
A prisoner sitting in the prisoner’s area shouted, ‘Weed better than rum and tobacco and all dem ting’.
But a police officer on duty quickly maintained order.
Marks in continuing his mitigation pointed out that among the amendments made to the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Amendment Act (2018) are provisions for persons caught with 56 grams (two ounces) of marijuana and under not to be incarcerated, but instead fined a maximum of $500 and be subject to other measures, including being given educational material, counselling, and rehabilitation care. He also referenced two laws passed in parliament on December 11, 2018, one to establish the Medical Cannabis Industry here and another offering amnesty to traditional marijuana growers to facilitate the process towards the legal industry.
Marks suggested that there may be a need for further adjustments to the existing laws.
Prosecution’s response
But Prosecutor Cato did not agree with Marks that Caine should be reprimanded and discharged, though he acknowledged that the defendant pleaded guilty at the first available
Senior Magistrate Colin John may just have set new parameters in relation to ganja related cases.
opportunity and cooperated with the police.
Cato said that based on his information one plant amounted to about two pounds resulting in the nine trees amounting to 18 pounds.
He noted that the value the court has been using is $350 per pound, and the Court has the power to impose a fine of three times the value.
But Marks said that he was involved with many persons who had been doing consultations here, and he pointed out that those plants would amount to far less than what the Prosecutor is suggesting.
Though Caine was not freed of the charge, the penalty could be considered a landmark decision, as marijuana cultivation carries a maximum penalty of six years in prison and $4,000 in the Magistrate’s Court, while in the High Court the maximum penalty is 25 years behind bars and $1.5 million.
The records show that persons have received severe penalties for such offenses.
Lawyer: Prosecution wasting time
ATTORNEY Grant Connell has accused the Prosecution of ‘wasting time’ with the case involving four Trinidadians facing drug trafficking, conspiracy, and immigration charges.
Isaiah Phillips 23, Jayron Abraham 21, Damian Baptiste 29, and Shaqheim Bolah 21, all farmers, are jointly charged with possession of 180,960 grams (240 pounds) of marijuana with intent to supply and for the purpose of drug trafficking at Petit Bordel on October 3, 2024. They are also charged along with Tevin Matthews of Petit Bordel, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with conspiracy to traffic marijuana. That offense was reportedly committed between February 1 and 4, 2024 at Petit Bordel.
Connell represented the Trinidadians on their return to the Serious Offenses Court on Tuesday, October 15, but they were unrepresented when they appeared in Court on the two previous occasions in connection with the matter.
Prosecution Renrick Cato told the Court on Tuesday that he was still awaiting all the statements from the police, in connection with the matter.
Connell indicated that he had not seen the exhibits. He noted that on his way to the Court, situated on the upper floor, he had seen some marijuana downstairs, and asked the Prosecutor whether those were the exhibits. The Prosecutor’s response was not clear to THE VINCENTIAN.
Connell continued, “These are
Trinidadians, they are not Vincentians. We have enough financial stress up here already. Trinidad has oil”.
Referring to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Connell added, “Things hard, police can’t even get their money. I don’t know why the Prosecution wasting time with this matter”.
Attorney Grant Connell, not for the first time, accused the Prosecution of ‘dragging their feet’ instead of expediting a matter.
When the Trinidadians and the Vincentian first appeared at the Serious Offenses Court, the Trinidadians pleaded guilty to the drug-related and conspiracy charges and said they had an explanation. They also indicated that they had requested Connell’s services, but Connell was not available, and Senior Magistrate Colin John entered a not guilty plea for them and adjourned the matter to October 9.
The Trinidadians were denied bail while the Vincentian who pleaded not guilty to the conspiracy charge was granted $25,000 bail with one surety, with conditions.
When the men returned to Court on October 9, Prosecutor Devon Bute said Connell would not be available Continued on Page
Lenroy Caine (right) and his lawyerRonald Marks outside the Serious Offences Court on Monday.
BAICO judgment expected
THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED JUDGMENTin the case brought against the Government of Trinidad and Tobago by British American Insurance Company Limited (BAICO) policy holders from the Eastern Caribbean will be delivered on October 22.
According to a ‘Notice of Delivery of Reserved Judgment’ issued by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on October 14: “the judgment in the Originating Application filed on behalf of the Claimants herein on 18 October 2021 will be delivered on Wednesday, 22 October 2024 at 1:00 pm Trinidad and Tobago time by video conference.”
As per a recent release from BACOL, On July 13th, 2021, the British American and Clico Policyholders Group (BACOL) filed a lawsuit in the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to seek compensation from Government of Trinidad and Tobago (GORTT) of the monies owed to the British American Insurance Company Ltd (BAICO) Policyholders, after the GORTT failed to include them in its settlement offered to other Caricom Policyholders.
This action is rooted was rooted in an earlier, 2015, decision by policyholders from Grenada and Antigua Barbuda to form a pressure group to approach the Court, after the collapse of British American Insurance Company and the subsequent payout by the GORTT to certain policyholders in the CARICOM region
The Hearing of Originating Application occurred on April 29 and 30, 2024 after which President of the CCJ, Justice Adrian Sauders announced that the court would be taking time in delivering a decision on the matter.
During that hearing, King’s Counsel Simon Davenport, representing the claimants, argued that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago carried out bailout measures to rescue CL Financial and British American Trinidad and Tobago (BAT) following the collapse of the Trinidadian
company in early 2009 and the same protection was not offered to the policyholders of BAICO.
The claimants further alleged that the defendants took further steps to disadvantage them compared to the steps taken in relation to policyholders of BAT.
This action, Davenport argued, amounted to discrimination on the grounds that the action was in breach of Article 7 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC).
However, Senior Counsel Deborah Peake representing the defendants responded saying that the facts and matters of the claimants’ claims fell out with the RTC and the jurisdiction of the court.
She added that the Trinidadian Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CL Financial and that only three local subsidiaries were being considered and that 39 others, including BAICO were not included.
This assumed that BAICO was under consideration and that $36 million of the proposed $100 million payout to shareholders was paid as a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank was denied, therefore, the claimant’s case was not grounded in reality. (DD)
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
A Culture of violence
IS IT AN OVER EXAGGERATIONto
say:
That our country is engulfed in a wave of violence? That as a result, our families, our communities are being destroyed by this violence. That the faith which we proclaim to guide our very existence is being tested by this violence?
A reflection on the recent wave of ‘untimely’ deaths — seven over the period Sept. 27 to Oct. 05, including that of a 13-year-old, is enough ground on which to deduce that there is a culture of violence that persists in our land.
Add to this the record number of 55 homicides counted for 2023 and this only serves to give credence to the perception that we walk amidst a culture of violence.
Put another way, our faith, our very being as a people in search of a true ‘Vincentianness’, are being tested, and we have an obligation to respond.
So, let us first admit that violence – in our homes, our schools and streets, our nation –is destroying our lives, dignity and hopes. Fear of violence is paralyzing and polarizing our communities. The celebration of violence in much of our media, in our music, in how we express ourselves is poisoning our children, the next generation, and we appear dumb and dumber as far as addressing this issue is concerned.
But worse, beyond the violence ‘in our streets’ is the violence in our hearts. Hostility, hatred, despair and indifference are at the heart of a growing culture of violence. Verbal violence in our families, communications and talk shows, on social media and public platforms dedicated to political posturing and so called ‘piccong’, contribute to a culture of hate, a prerequisite for a culture of violence.
And for those who are wont to deny it, the expressions of gay abandonment as played out at our fetes and festivals like carnival, are not far removed from easily imagined scenes of pornography which assault the dignity of women, relegating them to unequal and degrading status as pawns or marketable commodities. All of this contributes to violence against them.
To be trite, our social fabric is being torn apart by a culture of violence that, at the worst, leaves children dead and families afraid in their homes. Is it that our society is becoming numb to human loss and suffering? Our nation, founded on a commitment to equality and prosperity for all, has become haunted by death, imprisoned by fear and caught up in the elusive pursuit of protection and political patrimony rather than harmony and happiness.
But if the truth be told, it doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, it wasn’t always this way. And we can turn away from violence; we can build communities of peace, but we must recognize that it begins with a clear conviction: respect for life.
Respect for life is not just some fancy slogan; it is a fundamental moral principle that emanates from our respect for the dignity and worth of the human person. It is an approach to life that values people over things, not the materialistic yearnings which we encourage through our brand of national development that, in the long run, categorises the people as mere commodities.
Respect for human life is the starting point for confronting a culture of violence. That is what we must commit; that is what we must be convinced that our leaders, our aspiring leaders are preparing to ‘die’ for before allowing them to wield any influence over us.
We cannot afford to ignore the moral and human costs of so much violence in our midst.
This brief reflection is, so to speak, a call to conversion and a framework for action. It proposes neither a sweeping plan nor specific programmes, for these must be informed by a common purpose, not by some narrowly defined political agenda.
All effort must be made to facilitate and enrich a national dialogue on how best we can overcome the violence— physical, and in our hearts that is tearing our nation apart.
Words cannot stop weapons; statements will not contain hatred. Yet commitment and conversion can change us and together we can change our culture and communities.
What do I want for Independence?
I HOPE I am not too late. This has been the story of my life but as some would say, it is better to be late than never. But seriously, I will start my wish list this year with what has become a running joke, whenever someone is asked this question in a public setting. I wish for World Peace.
I will not hold it against you if the only two wars you can name are the Israeli-Palestinian war in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war in Europe. After all, these two wars consumed about 50% of the evening international news on local radio and TV. The number of people who died on these two battlefields is now close to two hundred thousand. The global economic impact of these two wars was about 19 trillion dollars in 2023.
The biggest irony between these two wars is their similarity; put in its simplest form, the two aggressors (Russia and Israel) in these wars each invaded another country or territory, yet most of the world’s official positions on these wars are the exact opposite. We all seem to agree that Ukraine has a right to defend its territory and push the Russians back. To that end, we will send billions of dollars to help them do so. While in the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, we are sending billions of dollars to Israel in support of their destruction of Gaza and the killing of people who have been fighting and asking for their homeland for over seventy years.
Most of us are too occupied with our daily struggles to realize how many warring nations we have worldwide. Do you know that we have over 92 countries currently involved in conflicts beyond their borders? One hundred and ten million people are refugees due to violent conflict, according to the Institute of Economics and Peace.
So, you understand why I am asking for World Peace, from our World Boss. But keeping it real and bringing it home, I expect our Primary Minister (PM) to say he is ready to make nice with our (his) people.
1. I am hoping he will be willing to call off the unnecessary fight between himself and the government employees over the “Covid-19 vaccine”. If we genuinely care about our children, we should get some of our best teachers back in the classroom. Our test results speak volumes about this issue.
2. I expect a new initiative to keep our nation safe. The PM will announce a new war on crime and the formation of a New Task Force to address the crisis we are facing. With the new standards being one murder per week on average, we must do better. I expect him to boldly say he will do everything he can to bring that average down before the end of the year – our new standard.
3. I expect another round of payments to those displaced by the losses they suffered due to the devastation from Hurricane Beryl.
4. I expect to learn of the progress of the plan to relocate the folks from Pole Yard, Arnos Vale.
5. Of course, we will hear of the onetime bonus for civil servants and a half to one percent pay increase to be effective sometime in the middle of next year, to minimize the impact of the cost-of-living increases and the increase in NIS contributions this year.
6. Then we will get the announcement of another Sports Ambassador, this time with a twist. No, it will not be Mr. Shallow. It is likely to be Miss Moloney. The twist this year will be that she will receive a stipend as long as she remains active in her sport. This will be how we reward, support, and recognize our world-class athletes in the future.
Things I do not expect to hear about in this year’s independent message include no new revenue-generating ideas for the government to pay for these goodies. We will not hear about an increase in items that are no longer subject to the VAT taxes. We will not get an explanation for why locally grown produce is subject to VAT when sold by one of our local supermarkets with no visible “value addition” other than repackaging. Cutting the callaloo bush and putting it in a plastic bag is not value-added. We will not discuss any progress towards developing a new living wage standard. I do not expect to hear about a systematic programme to provide ongoing maintenance and repair to our schools and an initiative to provide psychological counseling to our children in schools.
Looking forward to hearing your address this year, Mr. PM.
Horatio.
School-leavers and (no) jobs
I DON’T HAVEthe exact figure at hand, but I am certain that close to 1,000 students leave school each year with the hope of entering the job market. I was once such a student.
Unfortunately, I am finding out the hard way that things are not as rosy as they are made out to be. The truth is there are not many jobs that are available. The workforce offers very limited opportunity for a person like me who can’t afford to go any further as far as my education is concerned, at least not yet.
The situation is that the average student who leaves school at the end of a school year will look for a job that fits with their education. I have found out that such positions are very few. To say the least, this disappointment is disheartening and leads to feelings of uncertainty about the future.
I would be a fool not to realise that the lack or shortage of jobs and worse, the lack or shortage of jobs offering adequate wages and career advancement are the result of a weak economy. And that the size of the
Taking refuge in a church
A RECENT conversation with a friend resident in Fort Lauderdale, Florida threw up an embarrassing stigma for which, it seems, we Vincentians have become notorious.
According to my friend (and this is his opinion) we are now NUMBER ONE in the world for violent crime, in particular gun-related crimes and murder. I’m afraid to research the actual facts for fear of its outcome.
And while I pondered on what my friend had to say, I was further awakened to our reality with the news that two Sundays ago, someone ran into the Grace and Truth Church in Layou during service, to avoid being shot.
This incident has not been reported in either the print or the electronic media, nor have I seen it anywhere on any social media platforms.
However, it was confirmed by a church member though it is yet to be
confirmed by the police.
As I reflect on this incident, I recall the lyrics of Alston Becket Cyrus (Hon. D. Litt) and like him, long to “… live my life without fear, freedom to go anywhere.”
Our gun crime situation has undoubtedly reached the realms of a Category 5 hurricane that won’t go away.
That someone sought refuge, in a church, from the bullets of another, is a miracle that the matter went no further, and no one was physically injured. But the psychological scars can be easily imagined.
Are we developing a ‘herd immunity’ to these heinous crimes without realizing their long-term effects and consequences?
Heaven Help Us!!!
Carlyle Douglas
economy cannot accommodate the number of people entering the job market which is already filled with people who have been unable to find employment long before I would have left school.
Because of who I am and how I was brought up, I was able to turn to my other skills (deejaying) to occupy myself and earn something. I may just be one of the lucky ones. There are many others who will not be able to do this, and these are the youths who will be tempted into other areas.
Let it not be said that the Education Revolution is not good. It is just that those who came up with the idea must now accept that the Education Revolution does not end with how many subjects you have and how much you are qualified. Just thought I would share my situation and how I see things.
Still Searching
Parents canÊt
run away
THE DEATH of a 13year-old boy, if nothing else, has got to be a wake-up call to our nation, a nation that, I must say, I was taught to believe was the “Land of the Blessed”. I tell you, Mr. Editor, if we mourn the untimely death of this 13-year-old, an infant whose throat was slashed and a child who was thrown to her death allegedly by a relative, we have to ask ourselves: What has gone wrong?
In a way I think we
St. Vincent football vs El Salvador
IWAS A SPECTATOR at both games Thursday (Oct. 10) and sent an email to the (Football Federation highlighting certain things I felt could be improved, not just to do with the game but the infrastructure of the Federation itself. The response: “email received.”
This attitude confirms my suspicion that there is a lack of knowledge and leadership within this organisation. I note that there is a party-boy attitude to the game from players and their coaches as well as the organisation. The understanding of running football starting from grassroots to
professional football is sadly lacking. The understanding of football as a progression from learning the game, the rules, the regulations, the discipline, the code of conduct for players, coaching staff and anyone linked to the Federation, is nonexistent.
I realise that a lot of supporters come for a party as opposed to understanding the game and what it entails but to progress to the bigger occasions. To do so, it is necessary to be aware of what is expected of not just the players, coaches and officials, but also the paying public. The loud and quite often offensive
played even when the players are going through their warm-up routine before the match, sails over the head of the resident DJ, whose music at times befits house parties for the slackest in society.
There needs to be an understanding of what is expected on the international stage and especially nowadays, where everything is scrutinized. We need to make the adjustments quickly to avoid becoming a laughingstock.
I am happy the team won but they need to look at their celebrations as excessive that can cause problems during away fixtures. A competent official could have punished them for the subs entering the field of play and for all who left the field completely in the process holding up play. This will certainly not be tolerated in other countries.
Let’s hope for progress in all directions for
know what has gone wrong. So, if it is that we know what has gone wrong, we need to be part of the effort to change it, to fix it and not just simply blah, blah, blah about it.
Yes, I believe that we have to return to teaching the good things we learned from our parents. We must ask ourselves as parents if we are taking the time to teach our children about respect for others, to help them to understand the basic rule, “Do unto others as you would want them to do unto you.” We have to take the time to teach them about what true friendship is, about kindness, loyalty, understanding courage and learning how to disagree without getting
into a violent confrontation.
You see, Mr. Editor, I think the problem with our youth today falls in our lap. As adults we are failing them and if we fail our youth, we will never build a true and fair nation.
As parents, we must work with our schools and churches to help to reclaim the morals that will produce a peaceful and secure society.
Let us as parents, own up to our shortcomings.
‘A Parent’
Fix the roads – We deserve better
I WRITEwith deep concern about the way members in communities are treated with disdain when it comes to the road situation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
I walk and sometimes I drive through communities and all I see is shame written all over the streets. The Taiwan Embassy said they have given the government monies to fix all the bad roads. I am asking: Where has the money gone?
According to ‘Poorsah’, “In the hairy bank” or is it in the new hospital building bank? Inquiring minds would really like to know.
I am asking that the area representatives do something better and let it be a lasting and joyful memory for the people in the communities. Imagine a road in Fountain was abandoned for such a long time that villages had to buy sand and cement to fill in the deep “gutters” - the number of potholes which can cause accidents to the safest driver.
There is also poor drainage in
communities, that has resulted in ponding. The ministers are aware and do nothing. Isn’t this frustrating for community members? One of the Ministers told me he can’t fix all the roads.
How can we vote for a representative who only looks to us for votes when election is near? It’s like a father who has abandoned his child and waits until he wants something, or the child is successful, he only shows up.
We want to be treated better than how we have been treated for many years now.
Bad roads cause frustrated drivers, accidents and increases wear and tear on our expensive vehicles with their high insurance and increased licence.
I am really fed up!!! We, the citizens of St. Vincent and the Grenadine deserve more than this. We deserve milk in our bush tea sometimes.
Yvette Gittens
music
future games so we can all indeed be proud of the national team as it was in the years gone by.
Sonja Arthur
Leadership: Energy and Will, Vision and Skill
GETTING GOOD THINGS DONE
IN UPLIFTING OUR LIVES,living, and production, it is essential to get good things done. This is true in every area of human activity by people from all walks of life. In the matters of government and politics leadership is vital in getting good things done. Top quality political leadership is what drives transformative change, in the people’s interest, to better immeasurably the lives and living of the people in any nation. To be sure, there are persons elected to top leadership positions who tinker here and there and manage this or that little thing, but nothing much changes for the better; they are really not fit to lead at any time, especially challenging times of times of urgency. To do mighty things, in the people’s interest, you need a transformative leader in the mould of Comrade Ralph.
Admittedly, leadership alone cannot effect transformative change for the better, but it is the crucial driving force. The transformative leader, among other things, must function within a quality collective group of other leaders, bolstered by an effective organisation, and in tandem with an informed and supportive people. This is what you get with the ULP government.
To be transformative, as distinct from tinkering here and there, demands that the leader possess in abundance energy and will, vision and skill. These attributes contribute greatly to ensuring that the leader is a deliverer of “the goods”, alter the conditions of the “ancien regime”, build better and stronger sustainably, and in every material respect lift the country higher. A leader of energy and will, vision and skill, not only inspires the people but draws out of them that which is of high quality, goodness, and nobility; oft-times to draw out of them high quality, goodness, and nobility which they [the people] may not as yet know that they possess.
Leaders who are mere tinkerers, not propound thinkers and doers of mighty deeds, have no dynamic thrust; no depth, very shallow. They are instinctively conservative and not progressive; at best they manage, oft-times poorly, what exists; they are satisfied with stasis which leads inevitably to backwardness and suffering; indeed, such leaders are poor in every way; they are invariably lazy and eat the bread of idleness; their minimalist actions and grave inactions invite political instability; they tend to look forward to a past that never was, an illusion which raises to the lips a cup of bitterness and gall; in short, they engender a country of “look behind”, a future that is behind them. It all ends in grief, pain, and suffering for the people. This is the leadership type that you find in someone like Lorraine Friday in the opposition New Democratic Party.
COMRADE RALPH: THE TRANSFORMATIVE LEADER
Comrade Ralph is a transformative leader and deliverer of better, by far; he has demonstrated the requisite qualities of leadership of the highest order; currently, in our challenged times of urgency he shows it mightily; and his energy and will, vision and skill ensure a continuation of the transformation and consolidation for the better, in the future. And of all time, only the future is ours to desecrate; to avoid the desecration of the future, our nation requires the quality, ongoing transformative leadership offered by the Comrade and his team, buttressed by a
quality organisation of the state administration delivering good governance, and in communion with the people.
The alternative provided by the opposition NDP is weak, lazy, vacillating, visionless, unskilled and inexperienced in the art and science of governance. They constitute a brigade of “grumpy old men”, Friday, Leacock and Cummings, for example; an awful team of little or no merit or promise, no coherent or uplifting policies or programmes, backward to the core, leading to a dead-end. The NDP’s leader is NOT possessed of a sufficiency of energy and will, vision and skill; and he has no enduring link to the people; a Canadian, through his voluntary act, with his Canadian passport “proudly” in his front pocket, and his Vincentian passport merely in his back pocket.
Inside of the bowels of the NDP, there are more than mutterings that Lorraine Friday is not up to the leadership taskat-hand. He is not even in charge of his party which consists of a rabble of wannabe electoral elites stuffed with opportunism, personal gripes and complaints, vainglorious personal pursuits, malice, anger, bile, and a thirst for power; they hunger for revenge against ULP leaders, activists, and supporters.
TRANSFORMATION FOR THE BETTER
Since the dawn of the 21st century, nearly 24 years ago, the ULP government under the transformative leadership of Comrade Ralph has successfully embarked on a quest to alter, fundamentally, for the better, in the people’s interest, the inherited colonial/amended colonial economy which existed from 1763 (the year which marks British colonial conquest and settlement of exploitation) to the end of the 20th century (the terminal period of the NDP regime) – a total of 237 years.
The ULP’s quest has been, since 2001, to build a modern, competitive, many-sided, post-colonial economy which is at once national, regional, and global; every word here is pregnant with real meaning. In a mere generation, the ULP has altered the economic paradigm of the previous 237 years, for the better. That paradigm shift, a transformative process, is still ongoing, is being refined, and consolidated in fresh hope, faith, and love, daily, in the people’s interest. It has been, and is, an amazing journey, unprecedented in our country, and with dazzling speed and effectiveness, despite many challenges, and contradictions, arising from the process itself, the nature and unfairness of the global political economy, and the vulnerabilities of a small island developing state, amidst its strengths and possibilities. The colonial/amended colonial economy revolved around the following critical foundations: (i) An unlimited supply of cheap, unskilled labour; (2) a low level of applied science and technology in the production processes; (3) subsidies at home and preferential market treatment for exports, mainly agricultural products (centrally at various times: sugar, arrowroot, cotton, banana); (4) a governance apparatus largely unresponsive to the people’s concerns; and (5) foreign relations tied unequivocally to the colonial inheritance and modern imperialism/hegemony.
NDP- The Only Hope for SVG
(Excerpts of President of the NDP Honourable Dr Godwin Friday’s Address at his party’s Annual Convention)
WE HAVE A ONCEin a generation opportunity to remove the ULP government and bring change in our country. But to win, it will take all of us. We must bring hope back to our people. Hope is the fuel that propels us forward. When things don’t look so bright, it is hope that keeps us going. When at first, we don’t succeed, we try again, and again, and again until we achieve our goal.
As I said earlier, our goal is to win the next general election. How do we do it? We must have a message that addresses the needs of our people. And, the NDP has that message now.
We must have great candidates that motivate the voters. We have selected three new candidates: SW (Andrew John), CL (Conroy Huggins) and NL (Dr. Kishore Shallow). They and our other candidates are working hard for you. And we will work even harder because we cannot fail.
Working Together
To win, we must work together. There is no other way. We must win to bring the change we need in the country. Nothing else will do. Whatever is in our power to do to win, we must do it. I am sure you agree with me. We have an election to win. It is not won yet.
All of us have a part to play to make us win. Let each of us play our part. Let’s help each other to play our part. We all want the same thing: to get rid of this ULP government; a government that is ripe with corruption, known for nepotism, and that is out of ideas. Our great EG Lynch was so right when he called the ULP one encyclopedia and a bunch of copy books.
Now, the encyclopedia is old and shabby and out of date. The answers that our country need cannot be found there. And the copy books remain empty because over the years they were held by a bunch of dunces.
Now when the NDP is attracting capable and committed candidates, the ULP can’t do that. They are out of gas and running on fumes. That is no way to run a country. We can’t afford to continue like this, because we see the harmful results and the people suffer.
Crime is out of control - Record numbers of murders year after year; people being gunned down in broad daylight; children are murdered; homes are broken into, even churches are robbed; farmers’ animals and produce are stolen daily. In opposition, the ULP said they would make the country ungovernable. They have delivered on that promise- one of the few they have fulfilled. How sad, and we are all paying the price for their mismanagement.
Cost of living is out of controlEvery time you go to the grocery store or the hardware store or the general store, you get a shock from
the way prices are going up and up! The ULP government has no plans to help our people to cope. Instead of providing relief they raised taxes again in the last budget–a budget that most ministers and even the Prime Minister did not defend in the budget debate! I mean how can we have a budget–the most important statement of the government and the PM and ministers did not get up to address it? They cannot be serious! This was not government; but a dereliction of duty. This was not looking out for you; it was taking you for granted!
The NDP has a plan to help you with the high cost of living: i Reduce VAT from 16 to 13 percent.
ii. Review customs duties and port charges to reduce and eliminate them where possible.
iii. Pay year-end bonuses to public servants, teachers, nurses, police, and people on public assistance, paid for by CBI.
iv. VAT free shopping days before the new school year starts and at Christmas season, for everyone.
v. Cut student loan interest rate to 4.5% (available to new and former students) with no payments required until you get a job or up to 6months after graduating.
vi. Loans at 4.5% interest for fisherfolk and farmers to upgrade their equipment and techniques.
These measures will hold prices down and put money back in people’s pocket so they can afford to buy groceries, and school uniforms, and medicine, and gas to cook with.
Ralph has a speech to make in a couple of weeks, for independence. I urge him to adopt these ideas and implement them. It is clear he has no new ideas and his copy book colleagues, even less.
So, for the good of the country, I am offering these ideas. Implement them. I will do it but we are a year away from an NDP government and things are so bad, the people cannot wait. So do it for independence.
Now, I want to talk to our young people. Please join me to change things. What we have now is not working for you. Too many of you can’t find a job. When you get a job, the pay is so low you can’t make ends meet. We can do better. Join the NDP team. It is the only hope for SVG. Let us work together, hard and smart, and we will win. Everybody is saying they can’t take Ralph and the ULP anymore. Well, let us do something about it. Together we have the power to change things. Together we have the means to win.
I’m calling on all of you to come with me. The NDP cannot deliver this brighter future without your help. We are one people, one country, unified by our shared hope for the future. Together we will deliver this brighter future. Let’s get it done.
“Social Media: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”
“We expect more from technology and less from each other.” - Sherry Turkle (born 1948) a sociologist and bestselling author who has written extensively on social media and artificial intelligence.
IT IS OFTEN MIND-BOGGLINGto reflect on the rapid rate at which technology is advancing. Technology has progressed to the point where it is now relatively easy and inexpensive to connect with anyone, anywhere with comparative ease. Wi-fi and internet connectivity has significantly enhanced our ability to immediately communicate across the widest of geographic spaces. However, our review of its impact would reveal situations that we can accurately describe as good, bad, and ugly.
Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, Twitter, and LinkedIn, have revolutionized communication enabled people to connect and interact with family, friends, and acquaintances far and near. These have promoted relationships that might have otherwise faltered and failed. This connectivity can improve relationships, particularly for those who might suffer from bouts of social anxiety, depression, or feel isolated in their physical settings. Some individuals may discover that online interactions can serve as a rehearsal for in-person conversations, enabling users to express themselves more comfortably and confidently. In addition, these platforms have been most valuable in building support networks. This is especially appreciated by marginalized groups whose members can participate in communication exercises that create and sustain a sense of acceptance, belonging, and bonding. For some, it enhances written communication as users sharpen their skills in communicating clearly and concisely in messages and posts. However, social media has noticeably reduced face-to-face interactions and consequently retarded some aspects of verbal and non-verbal communication skills. In addition, the “emotional distancing” that is especially evident by those who regularly use social media as their preferred mode of interacting with others, appears to hinder the development of emotional intelligence. This may be especially noticeable among some of our younger proteges. The overreliance on online communication, if unmanaged or uncontrolled, can have a negative impact on how individuals interact with each other and are socialized. For example, online interactions can sometimes feel less expressive and relatively superficial. Real-world interactions are essential for the establishment of deep and meaningful relationships. There is an ugly aspect of social media that we too seldom highlight — the aspects of hate speeches and cyber bullying. Teachers and school administrators throughout and beyond the Caribbean are recently becoming more conscious of the negative impacts that these appear to be having on some segments of our school population. One
negative social media posting has the potential to irritate, upset, and demotivate thousands. This is especially so when such postings are unwisely shared. The multiplying negative impact can create and sustain an emotional conflagration — destroying self-images and relationships from postings often fueled by jealousy and prejudices.
Based on the foregoing, we can appreciate that while social media has revolutionized communication and enhanced networking capabilities, it can affect the formation of valuable social skills and can fuel “social media terrorism” in our modern-day society. It is therefore imperative to appreciate that it has the potential to both enhance and hinder interpersonal abilities. In today’s fast-moving digital world, it is imperative that we make every effort to balance the online and offline interactions noting that an over-reliance on digital communication can hinder the development of critical social skills. Face-to-face interactions should therefore always be the preferred mode of communication whenever practical. This mode of communication enables participants to benefit from non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, tone of voice, and the observation of body language. Communication solely based on text-based communication can be misinterpreted and, depending on the extent of the miscommunications, can result in unnecessary misunderstanding and conflicts. As paradoxical as it may seem, recent studies (e.g., several articles appearing in American Journal of Epidemiology, Psychological Bulletin, and American Journal of Preventive Medicine) have shown that excessive use of social media can result in increased feelings of loneliness and a decrease in the ability to engage in meaningful, inperson interaction.
Concerns have also surfaced in relation to the instant gratification social media often provides. Some users who have grown accustomed to the perceived speedy responses generated on many of the social media platforms may become frustrated with the slower pace of real-life interactions, potentially leading to impulsivity and conflict in conversations among those who have not developed the patience and resilience in social situations.
In conclusion, while social media has significantly altered the landscape of communication, its impact on the development of social skills is multidimensional. It offers both opportunities for connection and challenges for reliable engagement. Balancing online interactions and faceto-face communication must be considered crucial for developing healthy social skills in the ever-evolving digital age.
Genuine independence, people’s ownership and control
Note: This piece, published November 2, 2023, is reissued with minor changes.
I WAS TAKEN ABACK by residual doubts about the viability and significance of our struggle for sovereignty and national independence. I had no idea that 44 years after achieving political independence, some people still believe we would have been better off with colonial overlords.
To be sure, I belong to a school of thought that believes that achieving political independence is insufficient. Many of us in the progressive movement despised ‘flag independence’ and the mere replacement of a white racist misruler with a black visage during the discussions on independence. The Trinidadian developmental economist Lloyd Best coined the term ‘AfroSaxon’ to describe such a person. The more foresighted and visionary among us demanded Genuine Independence, People’s Ownership, and Control.
Progressives were clear that in order to chart a meaningful and sustainable developmental path, we needed to first wrest political control from the colonialists who disrupted our independence course, destabilised our culture, dehumanised our people, and mercilessly raped and exploited our country.
We were so convinced of our country’s development potential that when former Prime Minister James Mitchell opposed our country’s transition to independence with the bogus argument that ‘associated statehood with Britain protects us as well as sardines in a tin,’ many laughed in his face and told him where to go.
As a result, it is disheartening to realise that there is nostalgia for our colonial past. The remaining colonies in our region, according to the argument, are better off economically and score higher on the social and developmental index. This argument ignores the reality that many colonies are similar to colonial showcases that arose in response to the regional independence movement that began in the 1960s.
The argument utterly ignores the fact that colonial officials hindered efforts to integrate the region and attempted to bring the West Indies Federation, which was created in 1958, to an end. More crucially, having ‘sucked the region dry,’ as former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Eric Williams put it, Britain has consistently failed to engage the region in a reparatory debate that will lead to true and sustained growth.
The criminal neglect of the Caribbean by past colonial powers has pushed post-independence regional authorities to borrow excessively, making the Caribbean one of the world’s most indebted areas.
Nonetheless, as we will see, inequality is quite significant in both independent and colonial states within the region. The white settler class completely dominated the business and social life in the colonial enclaves. As a result, metrics such as GDP and per capita income are misleading and do not provide a realistic picture of how the people in the region live.
The GDP measures the size of the economy and provides an insight into how well it is operating. However, the real GDP growth rate provides a
more accurate representation of economic health. Many individuals now recognise that economic growth does not always imply economic development. The same can be said of concepts like per capita income, or the amount of money earned by each individual in a certain country. SVG, for example, today has a per capita income of more than EC$8,000. However, our poverty and unemployment rates push past 40%. When all of this is considered, the vast majority of Vincentians can be classified as working poor. As a result, per capita numbers are inaccurate and do not reflect citizens’ actual circumstances.
Many of the colonies have superior infrastructure than independent countries, but this is because the colonial overlords in London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Washington have transformed the non-independent areas into playgrounds for their economic elites. It’s no surprise that people of all colonial areas can be found in large numbers as they seek greener pastures. Puerto Ricans, Guadeloupeans, and Martiniquais can be found in large numbers in the metropoles. Bermuda, Turks & Caicos, and the British Virgin Islands (BVI) have considerable numbers of residents from other islands looking for work and a better life.
Because they are accustomed to seeing individuals who look like them in positions of influence in politics and the economy, many Caribbean people assert strength and resolve in the metropoles of North America and Europe.
Conditions for indigenous peoples in colonies are comparable to those in independent countries. Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Cayenne, for example, have unemployment rates of 18, 22, and 23 percent, respectively. Life expectancy at birth is 83, 82, and 77 years, respectively. The life expectancy figures are not surprising given that all three civilizations have sizable white settler communities in comparison to primarily blackindependent countries. Metropoles watch out for their own.
There is also the need for preserving colonial remnants such as the Privy Council. Our judges are said to have gone to the same schools and knew each other. Proponents of this viewpoint overlook, downplay, or ignore a critical point: the law is rarely about friendships, but rather about class and political interests. British judges attend private colleges such as Eton and King’s College, same as our lawyers attend UWI or British institutions. They are no smarter than our judges. To suggest you’d rather have a stranger preside over your legal problem than a local judge is a sad reflection on our selfesteem. Such sentiments feed into colonial overlords’ beliefs that our people are subhuman and thus have inferior intellect.
Returning to the ‘halcyon days’ of colonial control demonstrates a lack of confidence and self-worth. Such viewpoints are based on an inferiority complex, which believes that others are superior to us in matters of state.
Onward to true independence, citizen ownership, and control.
This piece, published November 2, 2023, is reissued with minor changes.
Send comments, criticisms & suggestions to jomosanga@gmail.com
Stage set for World War 3
I
THOUGHTthat as sensible humans we would NEVER have witnessed another world war, but it seems we are not far away from one.
Within the last month or so the world has witnessed the escalation of bombings and resultant increase in the loss of life in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, even though the United Nations’ main goal was/is to prevent a re-occurrence of two devastating world wars. So, is the UN just a talk shop?
Another World War will be worse, as the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) have increased in sophistication and lethality (deadliness). The main culprits at this time are the US, UK, France, Russia, China and North Korea as they are some of the major missile and arms producers in the world, … there are other countries involved in making WMD, but these mentioned are the major producers of WMD’s, biological, chemical and electronic warfare (as witnessed with the pager and 2-way radio assassinations in Lebanon 3 weeks ago).
Man’s ego – good and bad
Humanity has achieved great progress in the areas of science and technology. We have landed robots on Mars and the moon; attempted to divert the trajectory of asteroids that are on a collision course with our planet; made scientific breakthroughs that can now disable and eliminate certain cancers using gene editing procedures; have super computers capable of processing terabytes and petaflops of information in seconds making AI possible. Despite all these advancements, we are hell bent on destroying each other over religious or political differences, or for oil, land and mineral resources that we met here and cannot take with us when our life in the body comes to an end.
But what is the cause of this global malaise or disease? Greed, political, religious and economic power, and the abuse of liberties and authority by people in positions of influence and leadership, and most of all ego. Everyone has an ego, and there’s nothing wrong with that, as some personalities exude a positive ego, but sad to say there are the egoistic persons who are selfish, scornful and evil. They only care about themselves and a few close to them… their ‘inner circle’. That is the nature of MANY in our world today.
electronic media is, no ifs or buts, the fulfilment of scriptural prophecy. The Bible is spot on with what is happening on planet earth today.
Let us all take some time whether we are Christian believers or not to read Matthew 24, written about 2 thousand years ago and see if what is stated in those verses is not our present-day reality. Verse 12 is also of particular importance stating, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall become cold’, and we are seeing that in our daily lives. Fortunately, that verse states that the love of many, but not all, shall grow cold. So those of us who are guided by the spirit of the Almighty Creator will still show love and empathy to suffering humanity.
We are the ones who are constantly praying for a world of peace, despite all the killings, rape, deceit, corruption, stealing, human trafficking, not unknown to SVG. Ah nah so!? The Prophet Ezekiel in chapter 33 issues a sharp warning to both righteous and wicked; v11.. “As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel? “
V12 “ ..Therefore you son of man, say unto the children of your people, the righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turns from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sins.”
There is hope
Yes, the Almighty is a fair and just judge and gives us a chance to repent and change, even after you have lived a worthless and cruel life, there is still hope of eternal life, like Saul, turned Paul. But that does not mean that you can live a lawless life without its consequences.
Finding guidance in the Bible
Now that we know the source of the evil we face daily, is there any way of reversing this trend of mass killings and tampering with this planet via geo and bioengineering, that among other things have this planet on the verge of physical and spiritual collapse? The answers are always in the Bible and what we see manifesting before our eyes via the
So, while the signs of the times ‘inna we face’, there is still hope for Christian believers who can be expected to be ridiculed, tortured and even killed, but those who endure to end will be saved. In closing, let me remind all souls that we were all there when the universe came into existence, but we are only manifested in the flesh now, but we won’t always be in the flesh. Therefore, we must be at peace with Almighty God first, then we will be at peace with ourselves and neighbours. And if we want to be reunited with our Creator after our life in the flesh has ended, then we must be spiritually connected to Him right now. Remember, you determine your destiny — Everlasting peace or everlasting suffering! … and you cannot say, you were not warned or given the opportunity to determine your destiny.
Postscript: Since writing this piece I have come to the conclusion that WW3 is already happening although benign…. the very fact that last week, two B-1 bombers originating in the US, refuelled twice while airborne, then escorted by Israeli fighter planes dropped their sortie over Palestine/Lebanon and returned to US in 22 hours, is ample evidence that the world has been drawn into the conflict. Russia has already declared its position in defense of Iran, and with a ‘disabled’ Russian ship in waters close to the UK packed with several kilotons of explosives, … any spark can turn this planet into a scene of gloom, doom and horror!
Contributed by: Donald De Riggs
Central, North Leeward: In need of proper representation
THE PEOPLE OF CENTRAL AND NORTH LEEWARDneed better representation.
That is the view of Conroy Huggins and Dr Kishore Shallow, the New Democratic Party’s
(NDP) candidates for Central and North Leeward respectively, in the upcoming General Elections.
They expressed the view as they made debut speeches at a NDP rally on October, 13 at the Petit Bordel Playing Field, North Leeward.
Taken for granted
Huggins emphasized in his address, “Central Leeward lacks proper representation.”
He was pleased, he said, to agree, after prayerful consideration, to the requests of the people for him to contest, though, he admitted, it was a tough decision.
According to the former teacher, after 30 years of representation under the Unity Labour Party (ULP), the constituency of Central Leeward was worse off.
“And I find that shameful.”
He addressed the notion that “Central Leeward people not voting ‘Bagga’ man,” with, “.. that is going to be a thing of the past. And from the day I stepped forward, there has been immediately an exodus from Labour.”
Huggins accused the ULP of not loving and respecting the people of Central Leeward.
The ULP, he said, ever since Sir Louis Straker won back in 1994, have taken the people for granted.
“… we are saying enough, no more,” and “… our plan is to take the nation forward with a leader that has the strength, energy, agility to take us forward,” Huggins said.
Huggins replaced Ben Exeter as the NDP’s candidate to contest the next general elections. Exeter contested unsuccessfully in the 2015 and 2020 General
Elections.
North Leeward pushed back
Dr. Shallow said that the situation was the same in North Leeward.
He recalled growing up in North Leeward saying that the people in those communities enjoyed a thriving economy.
However, he declared, North Leeward has been pushed back under the present administration.
“There was a time when you did not have to go to town to beg a job if you were from North Leeward. There was a time when people in town used to be happy when you come because they knew you came to spend your money,” Dr. Shallow said.
It was not by coincidence that all that had changed. It was a “well calculated” and “designed plan” and “carried out with great hostility,” he said.
“And now we have to accept that we have been treated in North Leeward as second-class citizens.”
But there was so much potential in the area for development in agriculture, tourism and sports, he cited.
The time was now for another kind of politics, Dr. Shallow said, and beckoned the people to put country before party politics.
“And the way forward is simple,” he suggested.
Dr. Shallow, presently the President of Cricket West Indies, replaces Roland ‘Patel’ Matthews as the NDP North Leeward candidate.
Matthews successfully contested the 2010 and 2015 general elections but lost by one vote to the ULP’s Carlos James in the 2020 elections.
(DD)
Conroy Huggins told the rally that since he accepted to be the NDP candidate in Central Leeward, there has been something of an exodus from the ULP.
Dr. Kishore Shallow made no bones about declaring that North Leeward has retrogressed under the ULP Administration.
The NDP Leadership and full slate of candidates were together for the first time, Oct. 13, since the announcement of Huggins and Shallow as candidates.
VINCI honors Renwick Rose
Story by NELSON A. KING US CORRESPONDENT naking@verizon.net
Editor’s Note: What follows is an abridged version of coverage dedicated to Rose.
THE BROOKLYN, New Yorkbased Vincentian-American Independent National Charities, Inc. (VINCI) on Saturday 12th October, 2024 honored and recognized prominent social and political activist and journalist Renwick Rose, among others, during its Anniversary of Independence and 41st Gala Luncheon at El Caribe Country Club on Strickland Avenue in Brooklyn.
New York City Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, the Haitian-born representative for the 46th Council District in Brooklyn, presented proclamations to the honorees, and a representative for Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, presented Congressional Citations to the honorees on behalf of the congresswoman, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who represents the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn.
VINCI noted in the souvenir journal that Rose, affectionately known as Kamara or Buelo, obtained his formal education at the Kingstown Methodist School and later at the St. Vincent (Boy’s) Grammar School, where he obtained his Senior Cambridge
Ordinary level and London A-level subjects.
“… he is a self-taught intellectual,” said VINCI about Rose, who taught at the Kingstown Preparatory School, the Teachers’ Training Centre and then at the Bishop’s College, Kingstown, before moving on, in 1973, to become an assistant accountant with the development Corporation.
He soon became a political and social activist, and founded the Black Liberation Action Committee (BLAC), a political organization that “made people aware of the causes of the problems that affected their lives, …and how they can better their living standard,”
VINCI said, adding that years later he founded the Youlou United Liberation Movement (YULIMO), which championed the cause of the poor, and called for genuine independence, people’s ownership and control.
During his activist years, VINCI said Rose organized many demonstrations, marches and rallies, as well as meetings throughout the country; led campaigns relating to liberation struggles throughout the world, including celebrations for African Liberation Day, Workers Day and International Women’s Day.
Eventually, Rose would lead YULIMO into a merger with two other entities to form the United People’s Movement (UPM), “where he (Rose) contested the 1979
General Elections as a candidate, VINCI said. Rose was selected as president of the St. Vincent/Cuba Friendship Society, coordinated the activities of cooperation between the two countries and organized scholarships for Vincentian nationals to study at universities in that country.
As a journalist, VINCI said Rose has produced several journals and booklets, managed and edited three newspapers, Freedom, Justice and Jusports, then became a columnist with The News and later the Searchlight newspapers; the latter of which he remains one of the main columnists.
Rose, VINCI said, became employed in 1989 with the Windward Islands Farmers’ Association (WINFA) as a program officer, with responsibility for coordinating exchange programs between the young farmers of Canada and the Windward Islands.
In 1996, he was appointed coordinator of WINFA and served in that capacity until his retirement in 2010.
During his 20 years with WINFA, VINCI said Rose became “a strong advocate” for the farmers of the Windward Islands on issues of international trade, and pioneered the Fair-Trade Initiative in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and in the other Windward Islands “where farmers had to produced environmentally-
friendly bananas, for which the supermarkets in England paid more; with the extra money going to help the farming community to support projects which were needed to further develop those communities.”
Rose was elected chairperson of the Banana Action Committee in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for the Restructuring of the Banana Industry, was appointed director and later chairman of the Caribbean Policy Development Centre.
With a career spanning over 40 years, as a teacher, political and social activist, and a journalist, VINCI said “Rose has remained committed in his quest for equal rights and justice, the rights of women.
Kamal Rose, Rose’s celebrated New Yorkbased chef nephew, accepted the award on his behalf. Rose was unable to attend the event.
Kamal read his uncle’s acceptance address in which he expressed “a deep humility and sense of gratitude.
“Your decision to make such an award to me is a most welcome one, and I view it as an indication of your own appreciation and the value of the lifelong work that I have been involved in for over half a century on behalf of the less fortunate people of my country,” Rose said. “People like me are not often honored by social organizations; and, for this, I want to thank you.
“Continue to do your work and do not be afraid to look outside the box for others who make such humble contributions,” he added.
Cordice up for another award
VINCENTIAN BORN JAMES CORDICEis no stranger to being on the receiving end of honours, awards and other accolades.
The Clare Valley native, now established as having spearheaded and facilitated the participation of Vincentian and Belizean school athletes in the prestigious Penn Relays, will, tomorrow, Saturday, October 19, 2024. receive from the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Association of Massachusetts, Inc. their 2024 Community Service Award.
The honour will be bestowed during the Association’s Annual Independence Gala to be held at the Annunciation Hall in West Roxbury, MA.
In a letter dated September 15, 2024 addressed to Cordice, and notifying him about the Association’s decision to honour him, President of the Association- Jennel James wrote: “This
honor recognizes your outstanding contributions through St. Vincent and the Grenadines organization of Pennsylvania then and Team SVG International, which has brought student athletes from St. Vincent and Belize to compete in the prestigious Penn Relays for over a decade.”
The letter went on to commend him for his vision, leadership and tireless efforts, and noted, “,,,your dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to the development of young athletes have had a lasting impact on both our community and the students you have mentored. By providing these athletes with the opportunity to compete on an international stage, you have not only showcased their talent but also instilled in them a sense of pride and ambition that will carry them far in life.”
The President continued, saying that Cordice’s work “represents the true essence of community service,”… and that his legacy has been a source of pride.
When THE VINCENTIAN reached
out to Cordice to congratulate him on his latest accolade, he first thanked the SVG Association of Massachusetts for recognizing his work and reasoned that they recognized that there must have been something positive about his endeavours.
This award, Cordice said, “was a special one,” in that he is “accepting it in memory of and in the spirit his mother who passed away recently.
“What I do in service to others, is because of what my parents, my mother instilled in me, and those values last a lifetime. What I do, what anyone does in service to others, is a consequence of the impact of what parents, the elders taught us,” Cordice shared.
THE VINCENTIAN congratulates James Codice on his receipt of this recent honour and says unapologetically, that he is deserving of this and any other that has or wull be bestowed on him, for his selfless service to the youth of his native SVG and Belize.
James Cordice is a former president and public relations officer of the Philadelphia-based St. Vincent and the Grenadines Organization of Pennsylvania (SVGOP).
Renwick Kamara Rose has dedicated his life to servicing the interest of poor and marginalized people/workers in SVG and the region.
Paper Committal sought in ÂBaggaÊ murder
by HAYDN HUGGINS
THE PROSECUTIONand defense have agreed to a Paper Committal Procedure for Jevonte John, a 21-year-old bus conductor of Barrouallie, who has been charged with the recent murder of fellow villager Jeffon Junior Norton.
Police reported that an autopsy conducted on Tuesday, October 15, showed that Norton, a 42-year-old contractor, died as a result of exsanguination (loss of blood) due to multiple stab wounds. He reportedly sustained the injuries at Barrouallie on Friday, October 11.
The men were reported to have been involved in an argument which escalated to a point where John stabbed Norton multiple times with a sharp object.
Norton was rushed to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
John had initially appeared at the Serious Offenses Court on Monday, October 14, in connection with the matter, but Senior Magistrate Colin John adjourned it to yesterday (Thursday) for an update, as the autopsy was not completed when John was taken to court on Monday.
John’s lawyer- Grant Connell had complained then that his client was charged before the autopsy was done, “so at this juncture, we don’t know the cause of death.
“I don’t know if they could recall this matter on Thursday. I don’t know when they intend to do the postmortem, or if they intend to
Norton, reportedly, was stabbed several times.
Lawyer:
Prosecution wasting time
From Page 4
until October 15, and he (Connell) asked that the matter be adjourned.
The Trinidadian pleaded guilty to four charges of illegal entry which was read to them for the first time on October 9, but the Magistrate adjourned all the matters to October 15.
The matters are now adjourned to October 27.
Jevonte John, 21 years old, is charged with the murder of Jeffon Norton who is twice his senior.
do one”, Connell said then, adding that all he had seen was a document about some injuries signed by the doctor at the Accident and Emergency (A and E) Department, and shown to him by the police.
Connell made it clear that he would most likely be seeking the Paper Committal route rather than an oral Preliminary Inquiry (P.I).
When the accused returned to the Serious Offenses Court yesterday (Thursday) Prosecutor Devon Bute told the Court that the autopsy was completed. He noted that Connell had requested a Paper Committal, and the Prosecutor asked the Court for a month’s adjournment.
“So you are agreeing with the Paper Committal”, Connell asked Bute, who replied, “I have been advised”.
John was not required to plead and was remanded.
The matter has been adjourned to November 18.
In a Paper Committal Procedure, witness statements and other relevant material to the case are reviewed by the Prosecution, Defense, and Magistrate following which the Magistrate makes a determination on whether there is sufficient evidence to commit the accused to stand High Court trial, while in an Oral Preliminary Inquiry (P.I) witnesses are called to give evidence.
Norton’s death marks the eighth murder recorded in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in just 12 days and the 38th homicide for 2024.
Jeffon
Prices to be cut in Martinique
AFTER MORE THAN SIX WEEKS of protests over the high cost of living on the French Caribbean island of Martinique, the local prefecture has signed a deal to cut soaring food prices.
Jean-Christophe Bouvier, France’s prefect in Martinique, said the deal with a number of groups including importers and distributors would mean a 20% average cut in prices for 6,000 key, imported products.
Martinique has been rocked by protests that have left four people dead in clashes and shops and businesses set alight or looted. Authorities in the French territory have extended an overnight curfew to next week.
The Rally for the Protection of AfroCaribbean Peoples and Resources, led by Rodrigue Petitot (pictured), has rejected the deal to cut prices on 6,000 food products. (Source: AFP)
However, the deal to cut food prices has been rejected by the group behind the protests.
Cut not acceptable
Food costs are about 40% more in Martinique than in mainland France and the Rally for the Protection of Afro-Caribbean Peoples and Resources (RPPRAC) is demanding that prices on the island are no higher than the mainland.
The RPPRAC says the agreement should cover 40,000 products, not just 6,000, and leader Rodrigue Petitot said it should be across the board rather than limited to 54 types of food. “We’ll keep fighting until we get our way,” Petitot told AFP news agency.
In a communiqué after a seventh round of negotiations on Wednesday night, the French prefect said the agreement reached would result in five significant measures “for a structural reduction in purchase costs... as well as a firm and mandatory commitment by big distributors to cut significantly their margins on the sale of products”.
How prices compare
About 80% of food is imported from mainland France, so the 360,000 people who live in Martinique have to
pay about �7.80 (£6.50) for a 250g packet of branded ground coffee that might cost �3.50 elsewhere. Butter can cost as much as �8.50 and households spend as much as 17% of their income on meat alone.
And it is not just food, where the price gap between France and Martinique has widened significantly in recent years. Phone and internet costs are a third higher, too.
Part of the problem is an old 9% import tax known as octroi de mer (dock dues) dating back to the 17th Century. Another is the large number of intermediaries involved in bringing products to the shops.
“It’s not right for a couple with a child to have to spend �250 on groceries every 10 days for basic food items,” another leader of the protest movement told French media.
Unrest in Martinique broke out on 1 September, prompting protests and roadblocks and a curfew in the capital Fort-de-France.
Riot police were sent to the island later in September, the first such intervention involving a mainland security force since 1959.
Earlier this month a number of police offers were wounded in clashes and a man was fatally wounded by gunfire during the looting of a shopping centre. (Source: BBC)
Protests against the high cost of living began at the start of September. (Source: AFP)
Heed the advice
Dear George,
IAM MARRIED now for 16 years and we are quite happy.
My world has been turned upside down recently when I received a call from an unidentified female, telling me I should go get tested for HIV. The call left me wondering whether I should take this seriously or if I should just discard it as a prank. I am also undecided about whether I should share with my wife. I do not want this to disrupt my marriage that is why I am leaning towards disregarding the message and moving on.
Anxious
Dear Anxious,
This is not something to push aside. The caller probably knows something you do not why she would advise you to get tested. Whether or not you have been sleeping around you should heed the advice. Getting tested is always a good thing and it is better to know your HIV status than not to know. Getting tested and testing negative would put your heart at ease. It is also very important to discuss this with your wife.
George
My wife was unfaithful
Dear George,
WHEN I LEARNEDthat my wife was pregnant, I was truly happy because we have been trying for years to have our first child.
Unfortunately, the word on the street is that she is pregnant for my neighbour. When I questioned her about it, she confessed and she was using birth control when we had sex but she didn’t when she slept with the neighbour. Worse, I got to further understand that my wife was also involved with the neighbour’s wife in that they were doing threesomes the whole time.
To be honest, I can’t deal with this and what
Can’t wait on him
Dear George,
MY BOYFRIENDis in jail and will be there for a couple years well.
I know I promised to wait for him but that was before I knew how long he would be there. I cannot wait that long.
As it is I have other guys who are interested in me and I’m tempted to move on with my life. I have also been hearing what happens to guys who go to prison and I don’t want him coming back to me with any disease.
Do you think I should tell him I cannot wait for him?
Unable to Decide
Dear Unable to Decide,
I think you have already made your decision. You were ready to wait for him if he was doing a short sentence so your decision not to wait had nothing to do with the perceived ‘going-ons’ behind bars.
You have every right to be with whomever you choose and should not feel guilty because you made a decision that serves your interest. The honorable thing to do however, is to let him know and remember, it is how you do what is to be done that makes the difference.
George
my mind is telling me to do is not good. I have been drinking the whole time and that is what has been preventing me so far but my head is still in a spin. Please, George, talk to me on this now please.
Instant Headache
Dear Instant Headache,
You need to immediately check in with a counsellor, perhaps at The Marion House. It would be a good thing to talk to a close friend and if ask them to accompany you. It is not wise to be left alone with your thoughts.
So far you have shown considerable restraint. You now need to use that same inner strength to get you to the next step which is to speak to a counsellor. You will quickly discover as you begin to speak with a counsellor the ability to think clearly so as to move forward in a practical way.
Feel free to reach out to me again if you find yourself stuck at any time.
George
Leisure
ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20)
Just be yourself! Anyone who can’t accept you for who you are just isn’t worth a second glance. There’s a window of opportunity to make your mark at work. It’s your time to shine, show your superiors what you’re capable of achieving.
TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21)
Warning; passionate moments ahead! A flirty affair can move to the next stage faster than expected. You may find yourself going head–to–head with a power player on the warpath at work; make sure you gain support from peers.
GEMINI (May 22-June 21)
Get straight to the point when telling someone how you feel; being too subtle could confuse matters. When looking for money advice, ask an expert who has a successful track record. Clear out the clutter at home and turn trash into treasure.
CANCER (June 22-July 22)
You like to be boss, but sometimes it’s good to relinquish control, especially with love and romance. Watch your spending, if you must have the latest and greatest work toys, look for a bargain. No one will know, except your bank balance!
LEO (July 23-Aug 22)
If you love what you do, your passion and drive can guarantee success in your career. Don’t let your life become boring, spice it up by injecting some frivolous fun. Be careful of listening to gossip about your love life, check the facts first.
VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23)
Take a calculated risk at the office –the stars give you the Magic Touch! You are entering a new phase in your personal life; it’s as if fate is on your side. If a potential love interest is giving you the green light, hit the accelerator – now!
LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23)
Lucky you, money magically lands in your pocket just when you need it the most. If an awkward situation at work is out of your control, don’t spend time worrying. Instead, concentrate on the mound of paperwork at your feet! Love vibes are hot.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22)
Everything has an expiration date; don’t hold onto something just because it’s easier. If someone at work is taking advantage of you, learn to say No, it’s time to put an end to it. Watch your stress levels. For love to work, start communicating.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21)
Hold on to some top–secret information a little longer. When the time is right it will have a greater impact. Break up your routine at work by approaching something in a different way, it promises to get the attention from those who count.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20)
If you don’t get the answer you’re looking for at work, then try again. Fate is destined to play its wildcard very soon, which means you’re in for an exciting time. Love–wise, friends play a larger part in your personal life than you realize.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19)
The tide turns with work; your dreams can come true. Draw upon your contacts, friends in high places can send your career rocketing to the stars. If you need to win over a sweetheart, be strategic or rely on your sex appeal, it’s worked before!
PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20)
Close the door, leave past love hurts behind and walk over the threshold into a bright new future. Today is the first day of the rest of your life; it’s a cliché, but true! When buying or negotiating a major purchase, don’t accept the first offer.
ACROSS
1. Small weight
5. Happy start 9. Frat letter
12. Irish Rose’s mate
13. Mrs. Dithers of “Blondie”
14. Spherical body
15. Pedestrian places
17. Basketball hoop edge
18. Respectful title
19. Tic-_-toe
21. Coat color
24. Cul-de-sac (2 wds.)
28. Pierre’s friend
29. Run suddenly
31. Jai _
32. No. to Pierre
33. Little tantrums
35. Get ready to shoot
36. Buffalo’s lake
38. Summer-job seeker
39. “_ Got Sixpence
40. Kelp
42. De Mille of dance
44. Address bk. line
45. Zoo animal
46. Common virus
48. Oil painting
54. Rowing implement
55. Eager
56. Heidi of “Project Runway”
57. Summer (Fr.)
58. Suckers
59. Chooses
DOWN
1. _ grill
2. Stat for Andruw Jones
3. Give help
4. Reagan appointee
5. Blemish
6. Reaction to an IM joke
7. Biblical ship
8. Atkins no-no
9. Fine China
10. _ Lanka 11. Computer co. initials
16. Uninhabited regions
20. Dental gp.
21. Striped
candies
22. Love (Ital.)
23. Small painting
24. Dehydrated
25. Diminutive suffix
26. Easily fooled
27. Roosevelt coins
30. Gambling stake
34. Speaks sharply
37. Woolly mama
41. Fitzgerald and Logan
45. Says further
46. Antagonist
47. Map marking (abbr.)
43. Car insurance spokescritter
LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION
49. A Gardner
50. Small bite
51. High mountain
52. “_ a cork in it!”
53. Dorothy’s aunt et al.
Historic win: Vincy Heat downs El Salvador
ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES Senior Men’s Football team, aka Vincy Heat, ensured that the over 6000 fans that thronged the Arnos Vale Playing Field, last Sunday night, Oct. 13, 2024, left the venue a happy bunch.
This, as they beat El Salvador for the first time in five encounters.
The historic 2-1 win came, as the two sides met in their second match in four days, in Group A of League B, in the Concacaf Nations League.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines went ahead in the 39th minute through Shakeemm Adams and held that lead until the 71st minute when Rudy Clavel equalised for El Salvador. The match then ebbed and flowed until St. Vincent and the Grenadines scored in the 88th minute, compliments a Diel Spring strike, to claim their historic win.
That was in stark contrast to Thursday, October 10, when the two met in their first match and St. Vincent and the Grenadines squandered their 2-1 lead, to be defeated 3-2.
In reverse order in the first match, El Salvador took first blood through Styven Vasquez in the 20th minute, to which St. Vincent and the Grenadines countered with a 43rd minute conversion by Brandon John.
The joy among the home crowd as Adams scored his
Goal fest in schools’ football
IT WAS A GOAL FEST in the latest round of matches in the 2024 Inter-Secondary Football Championship. In the nine matches played, a total of 48 goals was scored.
Troumaca Ontario, West St. George and Central Leeward secondary schools were in top form, each registering victories over their opponents in both the junior and senior divisions.
Troumaca Ontario beat Buccament Bay Secondary 4 — 1 in the Junior DivisionAaden Charles scoring a brace and Deamar Michael and Jevondre Victory 1 goal each. Alroy John converted for Buccament.
Troumaca seniors came out 1-0 winners over Buccament, Maldini Simmons being the goal scorer.
West St. George (WSG) juniors had a 4 — 1 win over their Emmanuel High Mespo counterparts. Kalan Williams had a brace and Raphael Durrant and Jaraski Bramble 1 goal each for WSG.
WSG senior s were in even better form when they outplayed the Emmanuel Senior 5 — 2, Yyler Lewis, Elricko Webb, Donte Enville, Zafi Davi and David Butler netted 1 goal each for the winners, and Calson Yorke and Josh Francois turning in for the losers.
The mighty Central Leeward Secondary registered a 6 — 0 triumph over Dr. J.P Eustace in the Junior Division. Jshan Samuel shone with a beaver trick and Reggie Barbour and Jahlanson
debut goal for St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the 63rd minute quickly turned sour as Santos Ortiz capitalized on a defensive and goal keeping error, to equalize in the 70th minute.
Hoping for at least a draw, glum faces took over, as Francis Castillo gave the visitors the go-ahead goal and eventual winner in the 87th minute.
Elated at the Sunday’s historic win, Vincy Heat’s Head Coach- Ezra Hendrickson said: “Anytime I can put a smile on my fellow country man’s face, I am happy to do that….”
Hendrickson disclosed that he and his charges were bent on reversing the outcome of the previous match.
“We were very disappointed on Thursday, …. so, we wanted to make sure that we corrected that, and they did.”
Hendrickson, who was part of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ 7-1 loss in their first match against El Salvador in 2000, in World Cup Qualifiers, admitted the Central Americans are a formidable unit.
“It is not an easy team to play against… They are not 80th in the world for a reason, but we fought with them, we stuck with them”, he related.
Whilst El Salvador is ranked in FIFA’s top 100, St. Vincent and the Grenadines is 174th on the current list.
Since taking over from then interim coach- Theon Gordon in August, Hendrickson has two wins, one draw and one loss.
“We are seeing improvement every game and as a coach that is very pleasing to me,” the Head Coach posited.
After last Sunday’s game, the Vincentians are on 7 points, two behind group leaders El Salvador on 9 points.
The other two teams in the
group, Bonaire and Montserrat, are on 4 and 3 respectively.
Bonaire who came into the October window on 1 point, defeated Montserrat 1-0 last Sunday at Arnos Vale, turning the fortunes as Montserrat won on Thursday, October 10, 2024, also by a 1-0 margin.
The November window takes place in El Salvador, as both St. Vincent and the Grenadines and El Salvador face Bonaire and Monserrat.
The winner of the group advances to League A of the next edition of the Concacaf Nations League.
Charles scored a goal each. Central Leeward continued their dominant form in the Senior Division encounter with a 5 — 1 victory over Dr. J.P. Eustace. Masranny Harry had himself a hat trick and there was one each for Barack Barbour and Shane Miller. Dr. J.P Eustace’s goal came through Shane Bynoe.
The Bethel High School juniors inflicted an 8 — 0 trashing on Petit Bordel Secondary, Maliki Hepburn scoring the second beaver trick for this round of matches, with
Action in the Inter-Secondary Schools Football Championship.
Kamron Ballantyne, Aaron Williams, Caden Small and Jamario Gibson helping themselves to a goal each.
Petit Bordel, though, turned the tables on Bethel High in the Senior Division with a hard-fought 3-0 victory, 2 goals coming from Deshod Simmons and the other from Terrence Williams.
Intermediate High School juniors trounced Thomas Saunders Secondary 7— 1.
Jomoni Douglas scored a hat trick, Jomayne Williams a brace, and Mario Taylor Jr. and Omarion Lyttle 1 goal each. Thomas Saunders’ goal came though Romano Hector. The Sandy Bay Secondary School was awarded victories in both the Junior and Senior Division when their opponents — North Union Secondary, failed to show up for the matches.
I.B.A. ALLEN
Shakeem Adams – scored in both matches against El Salvador.
Brandon John – opened the scoring for SVG in the first match.
Diel Spring – his winning strike in the second match was history-making.
Hooper living his dream
AFTER BEINGinvolved on the fringes of the Volcanoes, the Windward Islands Franchise cricket team, Vincentian Asif Hooper has finally been included in the final 14man squad.
The left arm spinner/all-rounder who captains FLOW Radcliffe in the Premier Division of local cricket, was included in the14member squad following impressive performances during practice matches at the Sion Hill playing field, ahead of the CWI Super50 Cup.
Asif Hooper, now that he has found his way into the regional squad, is looking to consolidate that position and even surpass it.
“It feels incredible! I’ve worked really hard to get to this point, so it’s both rewarding and exciting to finally be part of the Volcanoes team… and I can’t wait to contribute and make the most of this opportunity,” Hooper told THE VINCENTIAN. He shared that his main objective is to perform at his best and contribute to the success of the team.
“Whether it’s on the field or off, I want to bring value to every game and help push the team towards our goals. Personally, I also want to continue improving, learn from my teammates, and grow as a player throughout the tournament,” Hooper added.
Hooper needed no convincing that his call-up was because of “my hard work, consistency during the last four years in the Windward Islands tournaments, and the versatility I bring to the team.”
And as for his expectations as he anticipates competing against the best players in the region, the North Leeward resident said, “I have high expectations for the team and myself. We have a great mix of talent, experience, and determination, and I believe we’re capable of making a strong run in this tournament. The key will be staying focused, playing as a unit, and executing our game plan in every match.”
Hooper joins fellow Vincentians Dillon Douglas, Desron Maloney, Kenneth Dember, Darius Martin and Sunil Ambris (captain) as members of the Volcanoes squad.
I.B.A. ALLEN
Butler joins elite panel of umpires
DEIGHTON BUTLERhas been appointed to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) International (Elite) Panel of Umpires.
His appointment made him the first ever Vincentian to be elevated to this level.
Butler has had an outstanding journey both as a player and an umpire.
As a left-arm fast medium bowler and a useful lower order batter, he represented not only his native St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but his consistently outstanding performances for the Windwards Islands catapulted him to the West Indies setup, and he went on to play five ODIs and one T20 for the regional team.
He retired from Windward Island and international service in 2010, but he remained an active player at the local.
It was on his retirement that he took a serious interest in umpiring and became an active member of the Local Cricket Umpires Association.
According to a release from the
SVG Cricket Association, Butler, during the CG United Super 50 overs competition in 2023, marked a milestone of 50 List A matches officiating regional cricket.
Among his achievements are the enviable five straight appointments in the CPL Playoffs and four as on field umpire in the finals within the last five years.
Deighton Butler joins Barbadians Gregory Braithwaite and Leslie Reifer, and Trinidadians Zahid Bassarath and Joel Wilson as the only West Indians currently appointed at the ICC level.
THE VINCENTIAN extends heartiest congratulations to Deighton Butler on achieving another milestone in his cricket journey, and wishes a long and impacting service in role as a cricket umpire.
Deighton Butler’s résumés will include that he has been a standout (umpire) in the CPL for his decision-making accuracy. (Source: SVGCA)
Masters cricket round-up
THE 2024 MASTER CRICKET COMPETITION continued unabated on the weekend, Oct. 12 and 13.
At Stubbs: North East Masters defeated Cato Heavy Equipment Premium Products Glamorgan Masters by 121 runs. North East registered a formidable 235/4 off 20 overs: Deighton Butler 52 not out, Avistan Lawrence 50 not out, Renrick Williams 40, Elton Williams 33, Selwyn Caine 3/24. Glamorgan replied with 14 off 19 overs: McNeil Morgan 35, Jerome Dick 20, Lenroy Brewster 2/22.
Also at Stubbs, Stanley Browne Stubbs Masters won from North Windward Masters by 17 runs. Stubbs Masters totaled 123 off 15 overs, to which North Windward replied with 106 off 14.1 overs.
In Mustique, Mustique Company Masters had the better of Hope Pastures Masters, winning by 10 wickets in a match reduced to 15 overs because of rain. Hope Pastures put up 82 in their 15 overs: Aviston Lawerance 34 not out, Joseph Medford 3 for 8, Caswell Dorset 2 for 12. Mustique raced to 85 without loss in 6 overs: Drumo Toney 44 not out, Chadwick Carrington 37 not out.
At Sion Hill, Sion Hill Masters defeated Strokes Masters by 45 runs in a match also reduced to 15 overs because of rain. Scores: Sion Hill 85/7 off 15 overs - Glenson Pinder 31 not out, Francis Llewellyn 24, Ricky King 2 for 12, Hugh Toby 2 for 17; Strokes Masters 40 off 8.5 overs, Sylvester Vanloo 4 for 5.
At Cumberland, North
Police
by one
RSVG
18.2 overs, Parnel Browne 44, Gosnel
135
29, Salvan Browne 26, Fitz-Allen Lewis 4/17. After being set a reduced target of 108 off 16 overs, North Leeward stumbled to 109/9, Alfred Howe 26 not out, Silmore Alexander 4 for 16.
I.B.A. ALLEN
Leeward Masters defeated RSVG
Masters
wicket.
Police Masters closed on
off
Cupid
Vincy Heat digs deep
THE VINCENTIANsenior football team secured valuable points against El Salvador in the Concacaf Nations League match last Sunday, at the Arnos Vale Playing Field, to keep their hopes of a Gold Cup appearance alive. The Vincentians, spurred by goals from Shak Adams (38th minute) and Diel Spring (88th), beat El Salvador 2:1. Just over six thousand fans turned up, and their faith was not misplaced.
Many had witnessed the previous encounter at the same venue three days before. That match ended 3: 2 in favour of El Salvador. Some were of the view that the Vincentians squandered an opportunity, having recovered from a goal down to take a two/one lead. But our joy turned to sadness when El Salvador equalised in the 70th minute and secured the winner in the 87th.
How the Vincentians ran aground left many dumbfounded. There was speculations about the officiating when it appeared, to some spectators, that undue influence must have been exerted which affected the Vincentians’ flow.
The Vincentian goals in the Thursday game came from Brandon John in the 43rd, and Shak Adams in the 63rd. But that El Salvador equalizer in the 70 took a toll of the team’s energy and spirit levels.
That win on Sunday was outstanding. The local lads seemed to have fallen into a state of abandonment in the first game, after signs of brilliance, to draw level, and take the lead. But the unimaginable happened, and the Vincentians paid the price.
Sunday’s action was a turn around. There was composure in that game. Unlike the first match when El Salvador scored in the 20th minute, the Vincentians defended with gusto and the determination was evident.
Shak Adams proved his prowess with his second goal in two games when he converted in the 38th minute.
El Salvador did find the equalizer, but Diel Spring’s goal in the 88th minute sealed the deal. Some reports dub it as a shock, that the Vincentians held the El Salvadorians at bay.
I look at it as a magnificent rebound. There were signs that the Vincentians were up to the task from the first match, and ought to have taken full points from both game.
The fact that they were able to demonstrate their resolve in that second game is tribute to coach Ezra Hendrickson.
The speed and control in both games worried the visitors.
They are still top of the Group with nine points, with the Vincentians on seven. Another round of matches is scheduled for November.
The Vincy squad for Sunday’s game was Lemus Christopher in goal, Joseph Barter, Jamal Yorke, Najima Burgin, replaced by Chrevron McLean, Tristan Marshall, Shak Adams, replaced by Bishon Richards, Diel Spring, Kennijah Joseph, Cornelius Stewart, replaced by Sherwyn Alexander, Oalex Anderson, substituted by Azhino Solomon, and Steven Pierre, who gave way to Oryan Velox.
The other substitutes were Kevin Francis, Brandon John, Josh Stowe, Samir Bristol, Kyle Edwards, Tre Crosby and Justin Robertson.
Road Racing series gets going
THE FIRSTof three road races, dubbed the “Log Enterprises Supreme Bleach 10K Series”, got going last Sunday, October 13, 2024, in Georgetown.
Organised by Team Athletics SVG, Sunday’s race saw athletes making loops from the Caratal Bridge via the main road going south, before turning into the interior, and back to the bridge.
Divided into three categories, the Under-16s made three loops, the Under-20s did four and the Open category- five. In the Female category of the Under-16s,
Kesian John of High Performance led her club’s sweep. She timed 29:30.19, ahead of Ayah Stapleton29:30.97 and Afiyah Thomas in 29:31.66.
Kenneth Gurley bossed the Male Under-16 segment, as he blistered the field, with his 22:32.26.
Second was Rohan Lett- 23:54.09 and third was Verrol Thomas- 23:54.62.
The lone entrant in the Female Under-20 was Moesha Richards, who ran a time of 46:31.46
Among the Under-20 Males, Bresph Frederick took the first position in 30:31:13, Omario John was second in 30:23.53 and third was Israel Cumberbatch -31:29.17.
Taking the Open Females was Linda Mc Dowall45:49.46, with second placeSoreyna Miller, in 57:57.89
Alroy Barbour won the Male Open in a time of 38:34.07 ahead of Lawrence Arthur in 40:04.14 and Jeremy Phillips in 40:12.99.
Open Males winnerAlroy
The top athletes in each category received cash awards, in addition to a small supply of
SVG out of volleyball tournaments
WHEN THE ROLL call is taken at the 2024 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Women’s and Men’s tournaments set for the YMCA Sports Complex in St. John’s Antigua, between October 18 and 27, St. Vincent and the Grenadines will not be present.
Supreme Bleach. First place in the Under-16 collected $200, second place- $150 and third place- $100.
In the Under-20, the distribution was $300, $200 and $150, respectively, while the Open category, first place winner got $500, second- $300 and third$200.
The second race in the series takes place at Sion Hill this Sunday, October 20, with the grand finale set for North Leeward, on November 17.
Gary Matthias, President of the National Volleyball Association announced the withdrawal of SVG from the ECVA tournaments.
Confirmation of the country’s non-participation was made by President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Volleyball Association- Gary Matthias.
And a frank Matthias disclosed that the reason was simply: the Association does not have the “money”.
Matthias said that his organization had used up all its funding from the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Olympic Committee.
The President revealed, “It cost us just over EC $20,000.00 to help send the Under-23 Male team to the Pan American Championships in Suriname last month, and when we looked at the budget for the Senior ECVA tournaments, that amounted to about $60,000, monies that we don’t have”.
He said that efforts were made to source funding to facilitate the country’s participation in the upcoming indoor tournaments.
“We tried accessing some funds elsewhere from other sources, but that did not materialize, hence we made the decision to opt out”, Matthias added.
With St. Vincent and the Grenadines absent, the women’s segment of
the ECVA will now feature Anguilla, St. Lucia, Grenada, Bermuda, St. Maarten, and host Antigua and Barbuda contesting for the title. That segment serves off today, October 18.
Meanwhile, the Men’s teams who will go at it from
Wednesday, October 23 are: St. Lucia, Grenada, Dominica, the British Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, St. Eustacius, Bermuda, Saba, Anguilla and Antigua and Barbuda.
Despite the disappointment of missing out on the sub-regional tournaments, Matthias pointed to the players remaining active beginning with National Volleyball Championships, starting next month.
Kesian John, U16 winner.
Kenneth Gurley - Male U16 winner.
Open Females winner - Linda Mc Dowall.
Barbour.
BluffÊ road to be completed in 2025
From Backpage
“These particulars emerged following earlier consideration of significant realignment inland, where designs were developed by the St Lucian based company, FDL Consult Inc. and the Ministry of Transport and Works etc.,” Daniel said.
Those options, he continued, although more resilient, were much more expensive to implement, he noted.
But Dr. Friday, who has repeatedly raised the issue of the ‘Bluff’ project in Parliament, said that his hope was that the Minister would have indicated that the rehabilitative work was going to be completed sooner.
“Tourist season is
starting, the airport is down on that side — everybody has to pass there, the people travelling back and forth from Paget Farm to the harbour are fed-up,” Friday declared with a degree of anger.
“This was supposed to be done in February this year,” he continued.
The road is also the the only road access to the Fisheries Centre and the island’s primary desalination plane.
And by way of a supplementary question, he asked if the work being done now was temporary to which Daniel responded that it was.
According to Daniel, the Parliamentary Representative for the Northern Grenadines was fully aware that
there were three options with the first being a temporary but urgent fix, a medium-term fix and the other, long term.
He added that Dr. Friday was also part of the discussion all along.
Notwithstanding, who knew what, Daniel reiterated that the initial scope of work identified had changed because it was felt that the road needed to be wider and for a wall to be placed to stabilize the area.
“The scope would have changed tremendously, and therefore that is what it was. The scope has changed and the work went on longer than expected,” the Minister of Transport and Works said.
The rehabikliatation work at ‘Bluff’ has been on the agenda as far
back as 2016 so there was not much anyone could do to counter the ongoing claims of “disregard” and “discrimination” that residents of Bequia levelled against the administration.
A sum of $696,000 was said to be allocated originally for the purpose of realigning the road at Bluff and attending to additional segments of the La Pompe road.
AI REAL ESTATE
by DAYLE DA SILVA
RESIDENTSof and visitors to Bequia will have to put up with further inconvenience occasioned by an extension in the period of work originally designation for the rehabilitation of the area of road known as ‘Bluff’, part of the La Pompe main road.
The rehabilitative work being done on that section of road is now projected to be completed by the first quarter of 2025.
Transport and
There might have been an ‘underestimating’ of the amount and type of work to be undertaken to ensure the Bluff Road was properly reconstructed and reinforced.
NDP REITERATES SUPPORT FOR CIP ‘BLUFF’ ROAD TO BE COMPLETED IN 2025
Works Minister, Montgomery Daniel, in response to a question by Dr. Godwin Friday, Opposition Leader and Parliamentary Representative for the Northern Grenadines in Parliament on October
15, explained that the new completion date was as a result of changes made to the scope of work of the project. These changes included the reconstruction of a 35metre concrete
pavement, including drains, an upper embankment stabilization and concrete stair restorations, as well as the widening of the road.
Continued on Page 27.
Dr. Godwin Friday, Leader of the Opposition NDP, used the occasion of his party’s Convention (open session) to articulate his party’s support for the CIP.
THE OPPOSITIONNew Democratic Party (NDP) has reiterated its intention, should it win the next general election here, to introduce a Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme, that would grant foreign nationals citizenship in exchange for a contribution to the country’s socio-economic development.
This is in stark contrast to the ruling Unity Labour Party’s (ULP) stoic position against any such programme, as a means of raising revenue for the country.
Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minster and Leader of the ULP, has continually argued that CIPs are not sustainable and do not support economic development or help with budget financing.
But Dr. Godwin Friday, Leader of the NDP at his party’s open session of its Convention on Sunday 13th October, took umbrage with this view and the criticism that a CIP was only about “selling passports”. He invited the people to view that programme as one whose benefits will redound
directly to them.
And in what some observers said was direct pandering to the electorate, the NDP leader said that funds raised through a CIP would go towards, among other things, paying bonuses to public servants and persons on public assistance.
For those who fear that a CIP opens itself to abuse and the country to easy refuge for unsavoury characters, Dr. Friday assured that a NDP government “would keep a close eye on the programme” and that the CIP would “meet the highest levels of scrutiny.”
But he stopped short of sharing any details about how the NDP-CIP would operate.
It is anticipated that should the NDP form government and fulfill its promise to introduce a CIP, that it would sign on to the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) that the five Caribbean countries currently offering CIPs (Dominica, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Antigua & Barbuda) have agreed.