Vin pages 06 01 17 e reader for web

The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

FRIDAY,

JANUARY 06, 2017

VOLUME 111, No.01

www.thevincentian.com

NORTH LEEWARD MOURNS Onixcy Hamilton became this country’s 7th road fatality for 2016.

Stories by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY THE NORTH LEEWARD COMMUNITY,

more so the areas of Chateaubelair and Troumaca, have been thrown into a state of mourning. It comes with the death of Onixcy Hamilton, a 19-year-old Community College student.

He died when the motor vehicle PK 598 which he was driving crashed into a wall in the North Leewardtown of Chateaubelair.

Hamilton was reportedly returning to his home village of Troumaca when the accident occurred. Police reports are that the crash occurred about 2:25am December 31 2016.

Continued on Page 3.

Right: The remains of the vehicle that crashed and took the young man’s life.

TERRY BYNOE RELEASED WHEN ONE HEARS the name Terrance ‘Terry’ Bynoe anywhere in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, there is a section of the population that will associate it with some sort of protest.

Bynoe surfaced as a symbol of protest during the initial stages of developments on the Southern Grenadines territory of Canouan. That was in the late 1990s when construction of major facilities were going on there.

He was at the vanguard of a effort to ensure that his ‘people’s rights were not infringed’.

Bynoe remained off the radar until activities heightened in Canouan

around November 2015. The return of huge investments to the small island brought added agitation by residents on that normally tranquil base.

Bynoe’s most recent episode with the law flickered last Saturday afternoon. It included him being taken up by the Police, only to be released several hours later without any Continued on Page 3.

Right: Terry Bynoe (inset) has been at the forefront of Canouan residents’ fight to ensure that they have unimpeded right to all beaches in their island home.

EC$1.50

Carlos Harry-Wyllie, survived the crash.

2. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. 3.

News 3

Theft of livestock, produce still vexing THE THEFT OF LIVESTOCK and agricultural produce –praedial larcenycontinues to be a criminal activity that is of grave concern to law enforcement here.

Commissioner of Police (Ag) Renold Hadaway said that the police were working with the Ministry of Agriculture, and he wanted to re-assure farmers that they (police) were aware of the

situation as it currently exists.

The issue becomes even more vexing because although reports of theft are being made to the authorities, investigations into the matters are often stalled due to lack of evidence, or lack of witnesses.

Hadaway explained that the police have resorted to implementing stop and search operations to check on

individuals bringing agricultural produce for sale, in Kingstown.

Hadaway expressed a deep sentiment about the issue saying, ‘’….People spend a lot to invest on their farms and at the end they look for something reasonable coming out of it, and they are often deprived of this.”

He went on to disclose that there are people purchasing livestock and other agricultural produce, but who are not in possession of the requisite

documentation to do so.

The police will be checking such individuals from time to time, in order to ensure that justice is sought for some of the nation’s farmers, the Commissioner (Ag) promised. (DD)

Drive-by shooting under investigation POLICE ARE BREATHING a sigh of relief that the number of homicides recorded for 2016 did not rise above 40, this after a drive-by shooting that occurred in the Murray’s Village area last Friday.

Speaking to THE VINCENTIAN on Wednesday, Commissioner of Police (Ag) Renold Hadaway said that three persons luckily escaped being seriously or even fatally

wounded when they sustained gunshot wounds in the attack.

“We are investigating the matter vigorously to see if we can identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice,” the COP said.

Over the weekend, police issued a wanted bulletin for two men Colin David (left) and Jormano Tash were taken up Jormano ‘Small Man’ for question and subsequently released.

Tash and Collin ‘Cocoa Tea’ David - believed to by shooting. but were however have been the Hadaway said that the released pending further perpetrators of the drivemen were apprehended, investigations.

Hot FM heading for mayhem?

A POPULAR RADIO STATION here, Hot FM, is reporting that Fitz Huggins, this country’s Consul General in Toronto, Canada, is considering bringing charges against the radio station, for comments made during one of its Mayhem morning programme broadcasts.

The comment in question is said to have been made during a Mayhem segment in November 2016.

The radio station is also reporting that it understands that Huggins is readying himself to have his lawyers write the management of the station, in relation to what he deems to be defamatory statements made by one of the hosts of the Mayhem programme.

The radio station also reported that they had had indication that Huggins said he would donate any monies awarded him in a suit

against the station, towards building a house for a stricken family in Sandy Bay. This publication has been unable to confirm whether Huggins has any intention to sue the station, and has also been unable to ascertain the exact contents of the broadcast to which Huggins is reported to have taken umbrage.

North Leeward mourns Continued from Page 1.

Another passenger - Carlos Harry-Wyllie, a 21 year old Troumaca resident, remains warded at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital suffering from injuries sustained in the mishap.

The site of the crash has sent shock down the spine of even the most hardened observer. The vehicle was a mangled wreck.

Hamilton’s death rounded off the number of road deaths for the year 2016 to seven. This figure represents a drastic decline in the number of road fatalities compared to the previous year, 2015, during which 15 road accidents accounted for 25 persons killed on the road. That figure included the horrendous Rock Gutter incident in which seven persons died in one crash.

While the number of fatalities fell this year, there were more reports of accidents to the police than in 2015. Some 938 reports were lodged with the Police in 2016, while in 2015 there 845 reports.

Sergeant Henry Providence of the local constabulary is appealing to drivers to be “more careful in 2017.”

He determined that some accidents were happening “because of great carelessness.”

Sergeant Providence contends that there “has to be a collaborative effort from all concerned,” but that “road users have a responsibility to make sure they are safe.”

The Sergeant is also encouraging persons to report any acts of recklessness to the Police.

Terry Bynoe released Continued from Page 1. indictment against him. Whether he is to be subsequently charged is a matter of conjecture.

The Canouan native was apparently awaiting passage through the resort to get to a beach.

Bynoe has been at the centre of demands by the residents for unimpeded and unrestricted access to beaches on the island.

The issue has seen conflict, and there have had to be police intervention on a few occasions.

So far, however, the issue does not seem to be heading for any amiable settlement, and Bynoe, in his homeland, according to one school of thought, has been declared an unwelcome native.

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4. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Court

Thief caught in action A MAN WHO was caught using a bolt cutter in attempting to cut the padlock on the front gate to the Coreas/Hazells Drinks Division on Lower Bay Street, Kingstown on New Year’s Day, was jailed for three years on Tuesday.

Curtis ‘Selassie’ Joseph, 44-yearold labourer of Rockies, was caught in the act by security guards on duty in the area, around 3:15 a.m.

He was apprehended and handed over to the police. He was charged with attempted burglary.

Joseph, who was not represented by a lawyer, pleaded guilty when he appeared before Magistrate Bertie Pompey at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. He told the Court the bolt cutter was not his, and that there were two other men on the scene with him, but they fled.

Prosecutor Station Sergeant Elgin Richards requested a custodial sentence, stating that, “they keep coming and going and seem not to be learning anything. I hope this time he (defendant) take the opportunity to reflect and make changes to his life.”

Joseph has a long history of criminal offences, many for acts of dishonesty, and had recently been released from prison after serving a sentence.

“It appears that there is no hope of redemption,”, the Magistrate stated before handing down the penalty.

Morris Prescott (centre) pleaded not guilty to 12 charges of stealing money.

$90,000 bail granted in J.PÊs matter transactions between January and November 2016.

MORRIS PRESCOTT, the Justice of Peace Prescott pleaded not guilty to the (JP) who allegedly stole thousands of charges when he stood before dollars from an entity he headed, was Magistrate Bertie Pompey on granted $90,000 bail when he appeared Tuesday. at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court last Bail was granted on condition that Friday, December 30. he surrender his travel documents Prescott is charged on 12 counts of and report to the Vermont Police stealing monies amounting to Station twice weekly. Stop notices will EC$84,500 over a period of time, from also be placed at all ports of exit and the Buccament Wise and Prudent entry.

Friendly Society in which he held the Attorney Arthur Williams made an position of president. appearance on Prescott’s behalf.

The 57-year-old Vermont resident, The matter has been adjourned to who is also a teacher, is accused of March 17. stealing the money in different Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS

63-year-old on murder charge

A 63-YEAR-OLD FARMER of Lowmans Windward has been charged with murder after the victim succumbed to his injury at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital on December 28.

Augustus Glasgow has been charged with the murder of Ralph Garrick, 53, of Greiggs.

Garrick was warded at the Hospital after reportedly being struck in the head Augustus with a stone at Glasgow Greiggs on October has been 27, 2016. charged Glasgow was with initially charged with murder. causing him grevious bodily harm; but after Garrick died, the charge was upgraded.

Glasgow was not required to plead when THREE MEN ages 18, 22, and 24 were he appeared before taken before the Family Court on Magistrate Bertie Wednesday charged with having Pompey at the Serious unlawful sexual intercourse with a 14Offences Court on year-old secondary school student, she Wednesday.

A Preliminary Inquiry being a girl under the age of 15.

The incident is reported to have (PI) date has been set for occurred at the Grammar School March 22.

Calvert Buntyn jailed for two years.

Ottley Hall man jailed for ammo possession A MAN WITH a long string of criminal convictions had another added to his list on Tuesday, when he was convicted and sentenced to two years in prison for ammunition possession.

Magistrate Bertie Pompey handed down the penalty after Calvert Buntyn pleaded guilty to possession of one round of .45 ammunition.

The facts showed that around 9:20 p.m. on Old Year’s night, December 31, police officers on mobile patrol in Ottley Hall saw Buntyn, a resident of that community, acting suspiciously.

The officers stopped, conducted a search of his person, and found the ammunition in one of his pants pockets.

Buntyn told the court he found the ammunition and begged for leniency.

“Is over about ten years now I don’t mek dem kind ah trouble day. Me ha me young child,” he pleaded in mitigation.

Buntyn’s conviction sheet showed that his last conviction was in fact on January 20, 2014, and also revealed a long string of criminal convictions, including firearm possession and acts of violence.

In handing down the penalty, the Magistrate told him that the aggravating factors far outweighed the mitigating ones.

According to Pompey, the only mitigating factor Buntin had was his guilty plea.

Trio charged with raping minor Playing Field around 7 p.m. on December 24.

The men were not required to plead when they made their court appearance and were each granted bail.

They will return to court at a later date.

V CARICOM failing to accept its own certificates

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. 5.

News

VINCENTIANS are said to be among a group with CARICOM skills certificate, who are often denied the right to work in other CARICOM member countries.

Barbados, Grenada and the Bahamas have been fingered for failing to accept the intent of the certificates, and it appears that Jamaicans, Guyanese and Vincentians are at the top of the list of denials.

A recent report from CMC stated that the three countries listed above ‘are technically refusing to honour the intent of the certificate by demanding that, notwithstanding the document, an application for a work permit must be made, and the supporting qualifying evidence must be presented, regardless of the presumably verified particulars of a certificate holder’s credentials that are already established on that document.

It appears that the Guyanese are most affected, with immigration authorities in The Bahamas, Barbados and

Grenada stating outright that Guyanese nationals would not be able to take up employment in their respective territory, unless they go through the already established work permit application process.

Relaxation of this ‘tough’ stance applies only in the cases such as short term entertainment related jobs, brief journalism assignments, or short term cultural projects.

The legal and medical professionals, though, enjoy carte blanche entry and right to work.

A senior immigration official in Barbados is reported by CMC as saying that ‘it is a general policy, nonetheless, for Guyanese and other CARICOM nationals, to present a set of other credentials in order to substantiate the information that is on any CARICOM skills certificate, that they may have presented in pursuit of employment in Barbados’.

The official added,

Jean Larsen (2nd from right) – the 100,000th visitor to Antigua/Barbuda for 2016, at V.C, Bird Int’l Airport with (from left) ABTA CEO, Colin James; Tourism Cadet, Alicia Paul; Tourism Consultant Shirlene Nibbs, Greg Murphy and US Director of Tourism, Kim Jack Riley (Credit: Caribbean news Now)

Immigration – ‘free movement of people through CARICOM’ – is still far from reality. according to CMC, that Barbados will not accept the particulars on the CARICOM skills certificate, unless the country’s immigration authorities and the associated certifying bodies can actually see the qualifications for themselves, and are able to determine their authenticity and local academic equivalency.

It appears, yet again, that CARICOM has fallen on its own face. Those who felt that their CARICOM skills

Antigua and Barbuda welcomed the ‘Anthem Of The Seas’, the largest cruise liner to ever visit that twin island state, on Dec. 02, 2016. (Credit: Anu.gov)

Jamaicans, like most CARICOM nationals, have been encouraged to apply for the CARICOM Skills Certificates. certificate would make it easier to seek employment in any CARICOM country, will certainly have to think again. (Source: CMC)

CLICO Bahamas policyholders to get payback CARIBBEAN 360 NEWS is reporting that, ‘After being delayed for more than six months, about 300 anxious CLICO policyholders in the Bahamas will finally receive their payback in the New Year.

Payments totalling totaling $38 million would be made next month and would be dispersed by Government bonds . . . and not cash, Caribbean 360 quotes Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis as saying.

Halkitis explained that the pay back was delayed because of the impact of Hurricane Matthew which struck The Bahamas on October 6.

Back in March, the Perry Christie administration had signed off on 3,389 cheques in the first payout, totaling just over $11 million.

Halkitis explained that the 300 policyholders, who will get their money in January, were left out of the initial payment because they had not provided the necessary information.

In addition to the payouts, the finance official is hoping that ongoing work to establish a new company to manage CLICO policies will also be completed in January.

The company, called Coral

Insurance Company Limited, will only handle active policies.

“Coral Insurance Company will not take on any new business, but they will be responsible for holding those policies that remain active, and administering those,” Halkitis said.

The minister added that preparations were being made to ensure a sound structure.

“We are currently evaluating proposals received from entities that have expressed CLICO (Bahamas) was an interest in ordered liquidated on managing the February 23, 2009. (Internet insurance Photo) portfolio of Coral. Once Inset: Minister of State for selected, the Finance Michael Halkitis manager and emphasised that payout new board of would be dispersed by directors along Government Bonds. (Credit: with the Caribbean 360 News) business plan will be the payouts can be made,” he presented to the Insurance Commission for approval. We expect said.

(Source: Caribbean 360.com that to be completed by January so

Antigua-Barbuda records tourism milestone ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, for the first time in recorded arrivals history, welcomed its 100,000th visitor before the end of a calendar year. They did so on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2016.

The 100,000th visitor was American Jean Larsen, an artist and philanthropist, working with Pink Rock, a breast cancer survivor charity. She was traveling with her partner, Greg Murphy, on American Airlines from New York-JFK to VC Bird International Airport.

The surprised visitor was welcomed at VC Bird International Airport by a high level Tourism Ministry party, which included Minister of Tourism Asot Michael; CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, Colin C. James; tourism consultant Shirlene Nibbs; US Director of Tourism, Kim Jack Riley; and tourism cadet, Alicia Paul.

Larsen was showered with flowers and prizes.

The Antigua media reported that all of the passengers on the flight were treated to special music and dancers upon arrival, and received gift bags filled with local delicacies and a discount codes for island tours to complement their stays.

Michael shared his pleasure at reaching this landmark, “Today is a great day for Antigua and Barbuda as we mark a significant milestone and celebrate the end of a momentous year for our country.

Despite trends across the region showing a decrease in visitor arrivals and spend, our twin-isle nation is defying the odds and showing significant growth in both, including double-digit growth from the US market. Antigua and Barbuda is asserting itself as the new leader in the Caribbean.. .”

This milestone comes amidst rapid development in the tourism industry in Antigua and Barbdua, including on stream multiple new properties, breaking ground on new projects, the extension of Heritage Quay Pier that welcomed a Quantum class vessel, Anthem of the Seas, for the first time, and a variety of awards and achievements.

Overall visitor arrivals to Antigua and Barbuda have increased by a strong 7.42% year over year as of November, with numbers suggesting the year will end on a substantial increase with over 250,000 visitors overall. (Source: Anu.gov.org)

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6. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Diaspora

Garifuna celebrates 220th anniversary of Âforcible deportationÊ from SVG Chatoyer was killed on Mar. 14, 1795, the Garifuna people were forcibly deported from their native land of St Vincent [and the THE BRONX, New YorkGrenadines] to the island based Garifuna Coalition of Roatán, off the USA, Inc., a nonpartisan, Caribbean Coast of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt Honduras, from where organization, is urging they dispersed along the nationals and the New Atlantic coast of York Community to help Honduras, Guatemala, commemorate the Belize and Nicaragua.

220thAnniversary of the “However, 220 years “forcible deportation of later, not only have they the Garífuna People by the survived but have British from St. Vincent thrived, and many have and the Grenadines.” migrated to the United The group noted on States, becoming a vital Jan. 1 that the part of New York City’s deportation of the social and economic way Garifuna people took of life for the past eight place on Mar.11, 1797, decades, while with settlement in preserving their customs, Central America on Apr. cultural values and 12, 1797. beliefs,” the statement The 9th Annual added.

Garifuna-American It said New York City Heritage Month 2017 is currently home to the takes place from March largest Garifuna to April this year. population outside of “Two hundred and Central America, with an twenty years ago, estimated 200,000 living everybody wondered if in the South Bronx, the Garifunas were going Brownsville and East to survive as a people New York in Brooklyn, and live a long healthy and Harlem in life,” said the group in a Manhattan. statement. “Two years The group said after the paramount Garifuna-American Garifuna Chief Joseph Heritage Month

by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net; kingnaking210@yahoo.c om US CORRESPONDENT

“celebrates the great contributions of Garifuna-Americans to the fabric of the New York State and New York City.”

In recognition of their “great history and contributions,” Garifuna Coalition USA, Inc. said last April New York State Senator Ruben Diaz and New York State Assemblyman Luis R. Sepúlveda introduced an amendment to New York State Education Law to include the history of the Garifuna People.

“Garifuna-American Heritage Month provides an opportunity to recognize the significance of Garifuna’s

Garifuna cultural expressions come alive in New York during Garifuna Heritage Month – March. contributions to the quality and character of life of New York, and, through many events and activities throughout the month, for all people to gain a greater appreciation of Garifuna history and traditions, and of the role Garifuna-

of the 9th Annual Garifuna—American Heritage Month!”

The Garifuna Coalition USA, Inc. says it serves as “a resource, a forum, and advocate and a united voice for the Garifuna community.”

CAVUSA to hold first Annual Meeting THE CULTURAL ASSOCIATION of Vincentians in the United States of America (CAVUSA) will host its first Annual General meeting on January 27th, 2017.

The meeting, coordinated by SVG Diaspora Committee of New York (SVGDCNY), will be held at the Friends of Crown

Heights Educational Center, 671 Prospect Place, Brooklyn, NY, at 4.30 PM, and will focus on updating the community on the progress made by CAVUSA since October 2015, when its steering committee was put into place.

After the initial sip and chat, the opening ceremony will begin at

Vincy man caught in NY police sweep A VINCENTIAN MAN, 26-yearold Jeremiah ‘Romel’ Mattis, reportedly of DuBois originally, is among 35 alleged members of street gangs and crews charged (December 6, 2016), in 15 indictments in Brooklyn, New York.

The indictments cover a range of offences including narcotics distribution, weapons possession, burglaries, forgery and identity theft, but Mattis, according to reports, is charged under the broad category of financial crimes.

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together

Americans have played, and will continue to play, in New York’s society,” the statement said.

“The Garifunas have thrived by taking the best from their past glory to future success,” it added. “We invite you to join us in the celebration

with New York City Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill, confirmed that the charges are the result of a long-term investigation that relied on electronic surveillance, and exposed a multitude of criminal activities, from violent street crime to sophisticated credit card fraud.

The Acting District Attorney also disclosed that the investigation started in the fall of 2015 and focused on gang-related gun violence, narcotics sales, robberies and other criminal activities in Brownsville, Brooklyn, by individuals

associated with the Hoodstarz street gang and affiliated crews.

According to Gonzalez, the defendants targeted not only their neighbours — whom they attacked and robbed in their homes and on the street — but also strangers whom they had never met, stealing their entities to line their own pockets.

Mattis is known to reside in Brownsville, Brooklyn, the home turf of a gang which goes by the name the Hoodstarz street gang.

He is said to have made some inroads in the Rap Music landscape of Brooklyn, prior to his arrest.

6.00 PM and will feature anthems of the host country, United States of America and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The meeting will be chaired by the Deputy Chairperson of CAVUSA, Atiba Williams and will feature statements by SVG Consulate General Hon. Howie Prince, president of COSAGO Mrs. Laverne McDowald, chairperson of SVG Diaspora Owusu Slater. CAVUSA’s Committee of New chairperson, will address York (SVGDCNY) the Meeting. (Photo by Maxwell Haywood, and Nelson King) CAVUSA’s chairperson Owusu Slater. summary by general The organization will secretary Mrs. Francesca also present its 2017 to Sam. 2020 plan at the Since inception, Meeting.

CAVUSA has assisted Throughout the with launching Vincy duration of the function, Mas 2016 in New York; attendees will be donated trophies to CDC entertained with cultural for Vincy Mas 2016; and performances including spearheaded the steel pan, poem, dance, entertainment segment song, and refreshments at the very successful will be available. inaugural SVG Heritage The meeting will Awards held in New conclude with a York.

V COP (Ag), ÂCrackdown on illegal guns will intensifyÊ

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. 7.

Feature

by HAYDN HUGGINS THE ROYAL ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES Police Force (RSVGPF) intends to intensify activities in 2017 and beyond, as the organization continues its efforts to crack down on the holders of illegal firearms.

Acting Commissioner of Police - Renold Hadaway made this clear during an interview with THE VINCENTIAN on Wednesday.

Hadaway said that similar operations to that of Tifos (taking illegal firearms off the streets), and the general warrant executed in Kingstown to search for illegal guns, both conducted in 2016, will continue in 2017, along with other activities.

The top cop noted that in 2016 police removed

43 illegal guns off the streets, compared to 21 in 2015 and 34 in 2014.

“The figures show that the police are serious about reducing the number of illegal firearms on the streets”, he stressed.

Hadaway added that the police also intend to strengthen their community-based policing and to hold consultations with key stakeholders.

The Commissioner admitted that, “It is no comfort knowing that the 2016 figure of 40 homicides has surpassed the 2014 count of 38, which was recorded as the record year for homicides in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

“Each homicide, especially in a peaceful country like ours, harbours a degree of fear and apprehension among

law abiding citizens. It also impacts negatively on economic development, and questions the competency and abilities of the hardworking men and women of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police to properly police the nation.”

He pointed out that, from all reports and investigations, the main contributing factor for the upsurge in the homicide count, is activities associated with the illegal drug trade, which contributes to the prevalence of illegal firearms, leading at times to gun related offences.

According to Hadaway, the three years in which the homicide count spiked, 2017, 2014 and 2007, investigations have shown that most of those

homicides were drugrelated. Thirty-six were recorded in 2007.

The overall crime statistics were not at hand up to press time Wednesday, but the Commissioner said that from all reports, there has been a decline in crime generally in 2016, compared to 2015.

Asked whether he thinks the criminals are ahead of the police, the Commissioner said, “I don’t think they are ahead of the police”, but added, “The criminals always try to be ahead of us, and we are aware of this, hence every effort is being made by the police to curtail their operations, despite the many challenges we face.

“We are aware of the communities that pose the greatest challenges for law enforcement, and we continue to place

special emphasis on these communities.

“We also continue to strategise and put into operation those strategies that can best address the situation; but the support and cooperation of the public are critical in the fight against crime.”

Hadaway thanked the public for their support and cooperation over the years, and made the appeal for them to

continue in this vein in 2017 and beyond.

Twenty-nine (29) of the 40 homicides recorded in 2016 were gun-related, and up to press time, 28 were still under investigation.

Twenty-eight (28) of the thirty-eight (38) homicides recorded in 2014 were gun-related.

Twenty-five (25) homicides were recorded in 2015 with eleven being gun-related.

Police not sitting idly by “WE WILL NOT SIT ASIDE and let the criminals take over the country.”

So said Commissioner of Police (Ag) Renold Hadaway in reaction to the record number of homicides committed here in 2016.

He confirmed that number to be 40 — following the discovery of the bullet-ridden body of Dexter Carter last Friday, December 30, 2016, in the Brighton/Diamond area..

According to Hadaway, gun related crime continues to have a telling impact and is of serious concern to law enforcement authorities.

“As you are aware, we have struck a record high of 40, and it is an issue that we continue to look at, an issue that we must see how best we can

address. … It is our hope that as we move into the New Year, that such a re-occurrence will not be the case,” he told THE VINCENTIAN on Wednesday.

Hadaway admitted that the criminals were ahead, despite the efforts by the police to remain vigilant, and agreed that the police needed to be more proactive in their approach to fighting crime; that they must put mechanisms in place to lock-up the hot spots; gather intelligence so as to identify the perpetrators or likely perpetrators; and implement measures, within the confines of the law, to ensure that the crime situation does not get out of control.

“I know that the public would have been concerned during the

year, and they have all reason to, and we too have been concerned because people were getting to the point where they were worried about their surroundings,” he said.

Hadaway is optimistic that the (homicide) figure for 2017 is not going to reach anywhere close to that of 2016, and that the police will be maintaining its vigorous and robust approach as it relates to gun crime.

With respect to crime against visitors, the COP confirmed that he has been involved in consultations with various stakeholders from within the tourism industry, including the Ministry of Tourism.

He referred to incidents in the past when visitors were the targets of sometimes

violent crime, saying that tourists, when they are out in the wider communities, are vulnerable, and that criminals often tend to seize the opportunity to perpetrate crime — which has a negative impact overall on our tourism.

One bad experience can have an adverse effect on tourism, he posited.

The safety of visitors is an area that the police continue to list and act upon as a high priority.

He, however, urged visitors and locals alike to be careful when travelling across the country, especially if they intend to venture into areas identified as ‘hot beds’ for crime.

Hadaway made a further plea for assistance from the public in the fight

Renold Hadaway, Commissioner of Police (Ag), pointed to the need for the police to be more proactive in their fight against crime. against crime.

“We cannot fight crime without the support from the public,” he said.

The police rely on the members of the community to be the eyes and ears, he said.

The public should feel free to report matters to the police, he said, even as he recognized that some individuals had indicated that they were uncomfortable when it came to the issue of

confidentiality.

But he assured that the days when an officer may have exposed an individual coming forward with information were long gone. “[We] need to get the information from the public, asking for support, even from the media, to spread the message of reduction and better crime resolution,” Hadaway said. (DD)

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8. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Views The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Managing Editor: Desiree Richards Editor: Cyprian Neehall Telephone: 784-456-1123 Fax: 784-451-2129 Website: www.thevincentian.com Email: vinpub@thevincentian.com Mailing Address: The Vincentian Publishing Co. Ltd., P.O. Box 592, Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Editorial Being careful about FDIs IF THE TRUTH BE TOLD, the role of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in small island developing states (SIDS) is a new issue, relatively speaking.

The reasons for this lack of interest are unsurprising, given both the low volume of capital flows involved, and the general neglect of issues relating directly to SIDS in the mainstream theoretical economics literature.

Unquestionably, FDI represents an important additional source of investment capital for, and a potentially major contributor to, growth and development of SIDs. No right-thinking aspirant to national leadership would dare denounce a drive to attract FDI. Of late, especially in the Caribbean — SVG not excluded - tourism is often identified as a promising growth sector in SIDS, with some promoting it as the panacea, to the detriment of more traditional economic sectors.

Those who promote tourism as the new saviour of small island economies, advance the view that tourism offers one of the few opportunities for economic diversification.

Tourism has many linkages with other economic sectors, they say. And if integrated and linked accordingly into national development plans, it can contribute to the growth in all of the major economic sectors — agriculture (including fishing), services (e.g. transportation) and industry.

At present, the extent of tourism activities in SIDS varies widely between regions, as well as between countries within regions, e.g. the Caribbean.

Likewise, the economic benefits derived from tourism are diverse. But all in all, as far as the Caribbean region is concerned, tourism, in the main, has become emphasised as crucial to increasing gross domestic product (GDP).

Thus, the race to attract FDI into the tourism sector — the tourism plant with the hope that the local private sector would service and benefit in return, from a developed tourism infrastructure.

Therein lies the danger of bizarre consequences.

In our case, the two recent major tourism related undertakings supported

by FDI - Canouan and Buccament have faced problems of a varied sort of their own making, perhaps fuelled by the investors’ expectations predicated on what they would have been promised.

In the case of Canouan, the problems are fundamentally socio-cultural, since it can be argued that the basic living standards of people native to that island have shown marked improvement.

The struggle there is one for identity — by an island people proud of their

past and their island, who would not stand idly by and allow their culture, their traditions, their godgiving rights to be eroded in the name of development.

The thin divide between development and economic growth, and the erosion of people rights, patrimony and culture, comes into focus here.

One would think that we would have learned from the experiences of Mustique, but it appears that in our haste to attract FDI, we have lost sight of the very larger picture.

The case of Buccament is a case of haste is waste.

In our mad race to cultivate ancillary infra-structure and services to cater to an expectant increase in visitor arrivals as promised by the international airport, we have neglected our right and duty to conduct thorough due diligence.

The sensible thing to have done, so as to avoid what we now see as natural consequence of not doing our homework, was to have done a thorough study of the man who promised for the sitting administration, an opportunity to declare that ‘they were advancing the country on all fronts’.

Now we have a situation of a failed undertaking led by Englishman David Ames, a citizen of this country.

Ames arrived at the door of this country’s government, with a sordid past, plastered across the globe from the UK, to Thailand, to the Caribbean.

But we accepted him with open arms — gave him all the concessions that come with FDI, which he used to con his own English men and women.

And in the face of all of that, he left this country, “legitimately” according to the Prime Minister, failing to answer to charges of fraud and theft, and leaving dozens of workers the worse off for their labour.

Worse, contact was made with Ames by a senior Minister of the Government of this country, even as Ames claimed to have been in ill-health and unable to make an appearance in a Vincentian court, even after it is reported that an arrest warrant was issued for him.

We were, in fact, in touch with a criminal while that criminal was ‘on the run’ from our jurisdiction.

Is something amiss here?

Serious, impartial Vincentians will find it difficult to live this one down, FDI or whatever — economic growth and development notwithstanding.

We have got to be careful about to whom we speak, whom we welcome.

And as we look to the Peter’s Hope/Mt Wynn sale to a still unknown investor, we cannot be blamed for being wary of this expectant development.

Have we forgotten about ‘Once bitten twice shy’?

The Kenneth John Prize for Literature

by Dr. Richard A. Byron-Cox “The Searchlight” 27th February 2009 “MY MEMORY BANK RECORDS that Dr. Kenneth John first came to my consciousness at the turn of the 70s when he addressed a public meeting I attended as a treat, a rare night-out in days when I was ordered to bed before 9:00 pm. This memory-bank has an unflattering footnote, “But he can’t talk”. That conclusion had nothing to do with me knowing anything about oratory. But, as in many households of the time, the Joshua-Cato political tugo-war was a staple of adult discourse in my family. Then, Pappy Josh was the Apostle of the Poor, fuelling their passion for change with high-voltage rhetoric, empathic with their plight and galvanizing their hopes. Dr. Ken’s was sophisticated politics, (indeed Dr. Politics is finally with us -minus any sophistication), poorly suited for a largely uneducated populace who adored firebrands, which he was not.

Turning the cover into the 1980s, I meet one of the major signposts in my life - a political aspirant named Mike Browne. He, apart from pointing me to democratic socialism, (my political creed to this day), nudged me to the songs, lamentations and epistles of Kenneth John, known to you the reader simply as “This Week”. Mike emphasised, “Kenneth gift is not the spoken word, but the written. He writes beautifully.”

Rarely is a politician that truthful. “This Week” led me to discover Dr. John’s revelations, i.e his Flambeau work and doctoral thesis. Thirty years on, I still harbour my boyhood fancy that I can be the next Kenneth John.

In the 3 decades that I have been a student of his art, Dr. John covered virtually every aspect of Vincentian life.

There is no need to delay the reader with evidence to substantiate this. THE VINCENTIAN of those years bear living testimony. From my personal standpoint, these writings are important, not solely because they prove Dr. John to be our Shakespeare and Dickens combined. Here our master wordsmith transforms George Mc Intosh from a forgotten symbol in history, to the pre 1951 radical voice of the disenfranchised masses who never thought they would see the sunset of “Massa Day”. Our past 1951 political history from the trials of the Great Josh, to our transition from Cato to Gonsalves, with Mitchell and Eustace sandwiched between, is analysed most

meticulously, with emphasis on the lesson that should be learnt.

In recent times, Dr. John, a “Beaconist” to heart, ruffles the feathers of those who occupy the seats of political power in SVG, often making his pen a torch that sets these seats alight. He has regular skirmishes with many of Labour hangers-on, resulting in verbal blows; he giving as good as he gets. But it is not just with this gravy-train bunch that his words tear into the flesh of men. His pen forces many to duck, plead innocence, or accuse him of malice aforethought, and a litany of other evils.

Even his twin brother “Skinny”, must have swollen fat with anger, when Dr. John dared him to give up his “ivory tower” for the trenches of political battle. My own twin brother was exposed as “force-ripe” and half-baked when Dr. John, using classic colloquialism as words of correction, authoritatively instructed him “to wheel and come again”. And exciting times await, as the John/Williams duel is still to unfold. Dr. John has with swift dispatch advised that he would not take blazing heat lying down. And rest assured, once the written word is the weapon of choice, Blazer might be forced to crank up his flame. If the Doc is not “to out ‘e light”.

Through all of this, I have admired Dr. John’s crafty use of his Shakespearian genius to express and promote his political views. He is the only writer whose style and form can make all substances palatable in one way or the other. Many buy THE VINCENTIAN and immediately turn to “This Week”, including yours truly. It is this exceptional gift of composition, expressed in his huge body of meaningful work, that justifies the establishment of the Dr. Kenneth John Prize for Literature. Even if one agrees with Milton Cato that Kenneth John is a “Darm Foolish Man”, there can be no denying his rare mastery of writing in English, representing Vincentian excellence unsurpassed in this field before or since. This in and of itself, is a singular reason why we should pay him this just and due homage.

But there is another more salient reason for the establishment of this prize. Future generations must go Continued on Page 12.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. 9.

Letters

Stop the old talk

FORTY HOMICIDES for the year – 2016!!! Give ourselves a round of applause. We have broken the record.

Tell me, Mr. Editor, what more will it take for the Government of the day in SVG to admit that we have a serious problem? When will the Prime Minister, who has responsibility for National Security and the Police, stop referring to this scourge as something that is confined to a few misfits in our society, and admit that even if it is a case of the murders being committed by a circle of persons involved in the underworld, the fact that we have shootings and killings, almost willy nilly, affects all of us.

I did not leave my home either

on the Christmas or New Year weekend — not even to go to Church. And even as I remained indoors, I took extra measures to secure my family and property since, along with the increase in homicides, it appears that house burglary is also increasing. I understand there were at least 14 reports of either break-ins or attempted break-ins in one residential area, in one night.

Luckily there are many residents in that area who are licensed firearm holders, and the discharge of gunshots might have warded off the thieves. Is that what we want? To create a Wild West situation here?

I shudder to think that this lack of a real response by the

authorities to this situation of crime, is because those in authority, may be, have not been victims or targets of this crime wave.

It’s just like the LIAT situation, Mr. Editor. Some people are moved to write about how bad the LIAT service is, only when they are personally affected. It’s as though when others complain, they have been lying.

This is a New Year, and it’s time to stop all the old talk - all the blah, blah, blah. Time to get down to taking action where action is necessary.

Tin Smith

Security systems THERE WERE a number of incidents of crime in and around Kingstown in December. From what I gathered from conversations with some businessmen, the police have been relying on those who have security cameras trained on the streets, to provide them with footage of criminal acts. I gather, also, that businessmen in this situation have been responding positively to the police requests.

What is not certain as I write this, is to what extent the police have been able to use this footage to arrest those ‘caught on camera’.

This is the age of

heightened security.

Home owners and business people alike have seen it fit to spend hundreds of dollars to keep their properties and families safe. I never thought I would see the day when homes look like prisons. In days gone by, we left every window in our home open, went to market, and returned to find our home and contents still there. But that is the order of today.

My case here, though, is on behalf of the business people. In the absence of closed circuit TV provided by the state, and given how police the rely on private business

people, could the government not consider granting some concessions for the importation of these security systems by business people?

I cannot see any government, now or in the immediate future, installing closed circuit TV on the streets of Kingstown. There are other areas that will naturally soak up our finance.

But once the level of crime continues on the trend that we have seen in 2016, more and more business people will see it fit to invest in these costly systems.

One hand can’t clap.

Time for government to realise that it is the other hand that would make the clap complete.

Free up the duties on these security systems now.

Paul, Edinboro

How I remember Sir Dwight I AM NOT A NATIONAL of the OECS, but I consider myself a Caribbean national, of Trinidad and Tobago roots. But given that the Editor of THE VINCENTIAN newspaper and I go back a long way, I am obviously biased as far as which OECS publication I would use to pay tribute to an outstanding son of the Caribbean, Sir Dwight Venner.

Sir Dwight Venner first impacted my outlook on life when he was apparently fresh out of

University, long before he would impact the banking system in the region.

Mr. Editor, you will recall how we lapped up a paper he delivered at a Youth Conference hosted by the then Caribbean Conference of Churches (CCC), in Curacao, in 1972, I think. We were then, to say the least, young and impressionable, dabbling with the challenges of how youth could influence change for the better in our churches and our society in general.

Sir Dwight delivered a paper on ‘The Role of Youth in Caribbean Development’ and, as I sit here today, I remain convinced that that was a major contributor to framing the work of the Caribbean Ecumenical Youth Action, the youth arm of the CCC, which helped to shape so many of us.

Even then, he seemed to have had his finger on the pulse of the region, daring to extend a challenge to Caribbean youth to

begin to envision a Caribbean, one of which, he admitted, would be difficult to imagine then.

A lot of what he ‘predicted’ then, now influences the Caribbean in which we, the youth of the Caribbean in the 1970s, live and have come to accept.

I understand that Sir Dwight could be considered as the single hand that kept the EC dollar and the OECS economies intact. That is for others to judge. But I would not be surprised at all, given the man’s foresight, that this would be the case.

I say farewell to a man who helped form my impression of myself as a Caribbean person.

Men like Sir Dwight don’t pass our way too often, and I say thanks to the Almighty for having allowed him to pass in my lifetime.

Rest in peace, Sir Dwight.

J. Pantin Point Fortin Trinidad and Tobago

Feb.14, 2017: All Fools Day PM DR. RALPH GONSALVES, I am confused around the whole matter of All Fools Day in relation to its date, location and advancement.

All Fools Day is usually celebrated on the 1st April each year, in most western countries.

However, it appears that you have changed both the dates to the 14 February.

PM Gonsalves, let’s be realistic regarding the Argyle Airport Project. The project commenced, and ensured with one promise after the other about its opening date, etc.

Yet, there remain a few promises that you are yet to fulfil: 1. PM Gonsalves, February 14, 2017, you must provide the people of SVG with a licence that says international commercial flights can be operated in and out of the Argyle Airport; 2. You must land the (type of) aircraft which the airport is supposed to accommodate; 3. You must provide the nation with written indication of an entire year’s operation of Argyle Airport.

PM Gonsalves, persons don’t like being fooled, and I will be a damn fool to expect that the Argyle Airport would obtain a licence for international commercial flights, anytime soon.

So, go on Ralph. Celebrate All Fools Day at Argyle. I supposed Vincentians would have to settle for two All Fools Day in 2017.

May be, PM Gonsalves, you should man up and tell Vincentians that the airport would be opened to LIAT and Amerijet, and hopefully, in a few months or a year, international flights would commence there. That might be a ‘truer’ All Fools Day prank, if ever there was one.

Vincentians voted in support of an international airport, so perhaps they will vote for international flights to land at Argyle. Ha, ha, ha. On February 14, 2017, I will have a great All Fools Day laugh at the incompetent PM Gonsalves at the Argyle Airport museum piece.

Kadmiel McFee

New Year resolutions MANY OF US make New Year resolutions. Some of us make plans to eat less, save more, drink less; but let’s be honest: most of us fail to keep those New Year resolutions. I believe that we fail to keep our resolutions because we have no one keeping an eye on us; no one to account to when we fail.

That is why, as crazy as it sounds, I think we should get together as a nation and make a one collective resolution, i.e. to live better with each other. If we as a people come together and decide on this New Year resolution, we just might be able to keep it. You see, unlike the way it is with personal resolutions where we have only ourselves to report to, when we make national resolutions, we hold each other accountable.

So, for example: Could we resolve to be more mannerly to each other? Could we resolve to drive better on our roads? Could we resolve to not drink while we are driving? Could we resolve to tell the truth and not hold back half of it because of some narrow political reason? Could we resolve to visit a Home for the Elderly from time to time?

These things might appear to be small things, but it is the small things that matter in our daily lives.

Let us resolve to make 2017 the best year ever in our history. We can do it if we try.

Vincy to the Bone

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10. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

Moving forward in 2017

Introduction

BY ALL ACCOUNTS, Vincentians have had an event-filled 2016. Apart from the weather-related events in November 2016, the machinations of the opposition NDP, the unfortunate loss of life from criminal activities, and the industrial issues at Buccament and Ottley Hall, the country has done pretty well over the last twelve months.

Naturally, there is a lot to look forward to in the New Year, and Vincentians are all excited following the official announcement from Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, that the international airport will be opened on February 14th, Valentine’s Day. Daily on Facebook, visitors to the project have been posting great photographs showing the outstanding work that has been carried out at Argyle.

Clearly from that date, February 14th 2017, a new developmental era will be ushered in. The international airport will take the economic development of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to a new level. There are immense possibilities for tourism development, and investors will be happy that this project is now operational. Farmers are already looking forward to a new and faster way to get their produce to international destinations like New York, London and Toronto.

Our regional and international visitors will welcome the opening of the international airport.

International visitors will of course be happy that they can fly from international destinations without having to use the gateways in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.

Liat pilots will be happy with the fact that Argyle eliminates the issue of the downwind take off at E.T Joshua, and the difficulties when the wind speed is high. Of course, Argyle is designed to facilitate take off and landing in any direction.

has already informed the nation about the funds which will come from Kuwait, etc., for the road programme in 2017. Expect to hear announcements about further funding to repair infrastructure damaged in the heavy rainfall in November 2016.

Expect to hear more from the Zero Hunger Trust Fund as activities expand to reduce the level of hunger and poverty in the state. Expect also to hear more about the new city at Arnos Vale, as activities shift to the new international airport at Argyle.

The Construction Sector

While the Tourism sector will continue to play an important role in economic development in 2017, the construction sector will still play a critical role in terms of a stimulus for the economy, and the creation of employment. The Mt. Wynne/Peter’s Hope project comes to mind in this regard. When construction begins in 2017, the investors will be looking for labourers, carpenters, masons, plumbers and electricians.

There will be jobs in store for the skilled workers from Central, South and North Leeward constituencies.

And to think that there are persons who want to stop this project, and deprive Vincentians from this part of the State, from earning a living. How unpatriotic!

The truth is that St. Vincent and the Grenadines is poised for a construction boom, perhaps the greatest in living memory. It will be supported by an array of equipment from the international airport project, to include concrete batching plants, stone crushing facilities and an array of heavy duty equipment; along with a number of skilled technicians and 2017 professionals.

Let us remind you that in 2017, The public servants are in the work will be done on the expansion process of preparing the estimates of and relocation of Port Kingstown and revenue and expenditure for the 2017 the Cruise Ship pier and terminal budget exercise, but there are several building. And to this list, we must add projects which have already been work on roads and bridges, river and earmarked for this year. The sea defences, the continuation of the geothermal project will get rolling this housing development programme, and year, and there will be significant infrastructure development by state activity in the north east area of the agencies like Vinlec, the NIS, country, as construction and drilling National Properties and the CWSA. work gets underway. This project will be a game changer for the economic Conclusion development of the country, in terms of providing for a reduction in the cost All this is being pulled together by energy, and being an alternative the leadership of the ULP, under the source for businesses and industries. careful watch of Comrade Ralph.

Now that the construction work at While the opposition NDP is Argyle is closing down, the ULP floundering under its self imploding administration will embark on a leadership crisis, and the sabotaging major road construction and repairing of their vice president, St. Clair exercise. The plan is to use the Leacock, the ULP continues its equipment from Argyle to build and impressive programme of economic repair these roads as quickly as development.

The new leader, Dr. Godwin possible. Several roads have already Friday, has a leadership style that is been earmarked for attention, including the Belmont/Ginger Village already obsolete, and he is no match for the ULP, and the young brigade of road, and the roads in the Congo Saboto Caesar, Camillo Gonsalves and Valley area. Already the Minister of Luke Browne, among others. The Works, Senator Julian Francis, has people of St. Vincent and the announced that the stone crushing Grenadines have placed the future plant used at the Argyle project will development of their beloved country be located in the north west area, in the hands of the ULP, knowing that the ULP has been tried and probably around Richmond Vale. tested, and that the party will deliver.

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves

Crime and Criminal Justice THE YEAR 2016 was a record year for the number of homicides committed in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The illegitimate Unity Labour Party (ULP) regime has failed to deliver on its election promise ‘to be tough on crime and the causes of crime’. Instead, crime has spiraled out of control. The illegal ULP government is yet to implement an effective plan to manage crime. It will take the New Democratic Party (NDP) to effectively combat crime in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The NDP is strongly of the view that in order to effectively combat crime, the emphasis should be placed on identifying the likely causes of crime, and developing a strategy to remove those causes. The NDP is also cognizant of the fact that measures should not only be put in place to combat crimes committed at home, but also to join with other countries to prevent terrorists activities committed abroad. Therefore, we will continue to join in the fight against international crimes such as terrorism and its lifeblood, - drug trafficking and money laundering.

Therefore, recognizing the importance of developing and maintaining an effective criminal justice system to convict, incarcerate and rehabilitate convicted offenders; the NDP will implement the Spiritual and Social Redemption Charter as the prime mechanism in the prevention of crime; commission a review of existing research into the causes of crime followed by research in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to determine which of these causes are applicable to here. This will inform the strategies we introduce for combating crime; establish an effective probation service which can monitor and counsel ex-convicts to aid their rehabilitation into society; collect statistics on rates of recidivism in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, review measures that have proven successful in reducing the incidence of recidivism, implement those measures that seem likely to be effective in SVG, and institute a system to continually monitor the results.

We will also emphasize the importance of community policing by increasing the visibility of police on the beat and by organizing and arranging training in that aspect of policing; institute measures that will encourage regular meetings with the police and certain communities about the resolution and reduction of criminal conduct in those communities; develop a mechanism for informing victims of crimes on a regular basis about the status of the police investigation and where appropriate, the conduct of the criminal proceedings and the outcome of the case; improve the criminal law to secure convictions against persons who deliberately or recklessly infect others with serious sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, and promote the establishment and maintenance of a Caricom criminal records information system containing information about convicted criminals to make it easier for the police authorities in the region to ascertain whether a person was convicted of a crime elsewhere.

In addition, review the provisions of the Theft of Produce and Livestock legislation, with a view to introducing measures that will more easily and speedily apprehend and convict persons who steal livestock and agricultural produce; introduce mandatory prison sentences for the theft committed against yachtsmen, and more severe prison sentences for sexual offenders; establish small police out stations in locations where there is an appreciable level of conflict; establish a police website

providing information on known criminals and information about the crime situation throughout the country; reduce the prison population, by introducing measures to enable persons convicted of specific offences to serve their sentences doing community work in prison uniform, and review the drug trafficking and money laundering legislation in order to strengthen the provisions to secure convictions and increase the number of persons who are trained to investigate and prosecute white collar crimes.

Criminal Justice An effective and well-resourced criminal justice system enhances the chances of securing convictions against those who commit criminal offences. This system involves the police, the Director of Public Prosecutions, lawyers, the courts, magistrates, judges and the penal system. It is therefore of paramount importance that those persons and institutions mentioned are appropriately equipped to deal with reported crimes in order to ensure that the guilty are convicted and the innocent are set free. But most importantly, they ensure the maintenance of law and order and the preservation of the rights and freedoms of Vincentians. The NDP takes the maintenance of those rights and freedoms very seriously, and will introduce measures that will strengthen the criminal justice system.

This will be effected by conducting a comprehensive review of the laws of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; introducing measures that will simplify and improve access to justice; increasing the number of magistrates; revising the laws to increase the sentencing options that are available to magistrates and judges; expanding the High Court and improving its facilities; upgrading the forensic lab in order to expedite the prosecution of offences and to reduce the number of cases that are outstanding; reviewing the remuneration and method of promotion of police officers in order to ensure that promotion and remuneration are primarily based on merit; reviewing the Police Legislation to bring it up to date with the requirements for modern policing; and arranging for extensive training of police and prison officers especially in the field of information technology.

Furthermore, we will establish a Civilian Police Complaint Commission to receive complaints against police officers from both civilians and fellow police officers; establish a Young Persons Rehabilitation Centre for non-violent young first time offenders and for juvenile delinquents; introduce a rigorous rehabilitation programme that will be designed to improve the lives of inmates after they have left the prisons, and reduce the chances of them becoming recidivists, and review the remuneration of prison officers and the promotion system to ensure that their career growth is dependent on performance and achievement.

Our main resource is our people, and to have them constantly exposed to crime and violence instills fear, trepidation and despair. Crime deters investment and impedes worthwhile efforts to increase growth in the tourism and agricultural sectors of the economy. Undoubtedly, we need a new approach to fight crime.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. 11.

Views

Words that linger

“Words are powerful forces of nature.

They are destruction. They are nourishment. They are flesh. They are water. They are flowers and bone. They burn. They cleanse. They erase. They etch. They can either leave you feeling homeless or a way of rekindling pain and brimming with home.” Sanober Khan, resentment, even after the Indian poet and freelance writer. perpetrator apologises. This certainly does not mean that there are not WORDS CAN BE USED to heal or to hurt. occasions when we “forgive and Some may describe words as “windows forget” (i.e. we do not retain some to the soul”, noting that as they are feeling of ill will and/or spoken, the listener can get an disappointment in relation to the understanding and appreciation of the perpetrator). The bitterness could be thoughts being generated. However, assuaged, but the memory may this is not always the case. There are remain. We are thankful that in so some persons who are “gifted with many cases, the “bitter taste” that garb”, who can weave their words with resurfaces when we recollect the the distinct intention of deceiving the negatives that were spoken, could be listener. The wise among us will caution minimised and, depending on the listeners to be on the alert for magnitude of the infraction, individuals who craftily use words to tug eventually fizzle out over time. at our emotions and prejudices, in an Positive words also linger. Words effort to move listeners in a particular of comfort and encouragement can be direction. like soothing balm long after they Some politicians are gifted in this have been shared. This is especially regard, and can cunningly fuel latent so in relation to the written word. passions to rile followers, based on Letters, cards, and e-mail messages biases. Consider, for example, the can be stored and revisited on many statements that emerged numerous occasions to inspire and during the weeks leading up to the energize. We can use them to reboot just concluded Presidential elections positive emotions. The same is true of in the United States of America. those positive words that we commit Many of these utterances by leading to memory; the encouraging contenders, stimulated a number of utterances of a teacher who cheered prejudices that will undoubtedly us on as we pursued studies, even linger beyond the campaign season. when others may have given up on us; Prejudices based on colour, ethnicity, the wisdom we extracted from an nationality, religion, and so on. The athletics coach who described the “Pandora’s Box” of bigotries was process that we must go through en opened as a result of words that were route to outstanding performance; the spouted. They will linger - and many reassurance of a nurse or medical will fester. Time will determine just doctor who saw beyond the immediate how destructive these will prove to be. physical pain, to describe the relief The Old Testament book of that will emerge in the not too distant Proverbs cautions us about the “use of future; or the comforting words of a the tongue”. Proverbs 18:21 reminds friend who provided consolation that us that the tongue has the power of life is still worth living, after a life and death. We are reminded that traumatic divorce or death of a loved we can use the tongue (our words) to one. Words of comfort and hope heal or to hurt. Our words can be a linger. They help the healing process. source of encouragement or, if we so They aid the recovery procedure. choose, we could use our words to They mend. They bless. And we can maim others. We are reminded, bloom again. however, that words do not just Yes, words can hurt … and they happen. Our thoughts manufacture can heal. We should use them wisely. those utterances. We are, therefore, They can impact the immediate encouraged to meditate on positive situation. They do have the ability to thoughts if we desire to generate the influence thoughts, attitudes, and words that would emerge to inspire behaviours long after they have been and encourage noble deeds. We have uttered or written. Words linger! to be guardians of our thoughts if we They can last a very long time. We desire to be custodians of our words. should therefore be especially This task (guarding our thoughts) is cautious in relation to what we say made more manageable when we when we are angry. Emotionally make a concerted effort to limit the charged individuals are often tempted negative images that are infused to “lash out” at others — especially through the persons that we listen to, those who are perceived to have the television and Internet caused hurt or discomfort. It takes a programmes that we view, the videos disciplined and very mature that we look at, and so on. We are to individual to show restraint when be especially careful about the perceived to be hurt by others. persons we allow to become our Restraint should be perceived as a influencers and mentors. strength - not a weakness. This George Michael’s 1984 hit song writer is certainly not advocating that “Careless Whisper” provides some we appear dumb or soft when the useful lyrics that remind us of how words and actions of others affect us. words spoken by friends can linger.

The recommendation is that we He notes that, “Time can never mend cautiously consider our response so the careless whispers of a good that we ascertain whether our friend.” Hurtful words have a way of response will heal or hurt. We can be enduring for a long time. The old say assured that our comments will last “sticks and stones can break my beyond the moment - words linger. bones, but words can never hurt me”, give the impression that words do not Send comments, criticisms & hurt. However, words can, and do, suggestions to hurt. Memories of hurtful words have julesferdinand@gmail.com

The road to character RECENTLY I have been thinking about the difference between the résumé virtues and the eulogy virtues. The résumé virtues are the ones you list on your résumé, the skills that you bring to the job market and that contribute to external success.

The eulogy virtues are deeper. They’re the virtues that get talked about at your funeral, the ones that exist at the core of your being–– whether you are kind, brave, honest or faithful; what kind of relationships you formed.

Most of us would say that the eulogy virtues are more important than the résumé virtues, but I confess that family, friends and society demand that we spendmore time thinking about résumé rather than eulogy. Our education system is certainly oriented around the résumé virtues more than the eulogy ones. Public conversation is, too - the self-help tips in magazines, the nonfiction bestsellers. Most of us have clearer strategies for how to achieve career success than we do for how to develop a profound character.

One book that has helped me think about these two sets of virtues is Lonely Man of Faith, which was written by Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik in 1965. Soloveitchik noted that there are two accounts of creation in Genesis, and argued that these represent the two opposing sides of our nature, which he called Adam I and Adam II. Modernizing Soloveitchik’s categories a bit, we could say that Adam I is the career-oriented, ambitious side of our nature. Adam I is the external, résumé Adam. Adam I wants to build, create, produce, and discover things. He wants to have high status and win victories.

Adam II is the internal Adam. Adam II wants to embody certain moral qualities. Adam II wants to have a serene inner character, a quiet but solid sense of right and wrong–not only to do good, but to be good. Adam II wants to love intimately, to sacrifice self in the service of others, to live in obedience to some transcendent truth, to have a cohesive inner soul that honours creation and one’s own possibilities.

While Adam I wants to conquer the world, Adam II wants to obey a calling to serve the world. While Adam I is creative and savors his own accomplishments, Adam II sometimes renounces worldly success and status for the sake of some sacred purpose. While Adam I asks how things work, Adam II asks why things exist, and what ultimately we are here for. While Adam I wants to venture forth, Adam II wants to return to his roots and savor the warmth of a family meal. While Adam I’s motto is “Success” Adam II experiences life as a moral drama. His motto is “Charity, love and redemption.”

Soloveitchik argued that we live in the contradiction between these two Adams. The outer, majestic Adam and the inner, humble Adam are not fully reconcilable. We are forever caught in self-confrontation. We are called to fulfill both personae, and must master the art of living forever within the tension between these two natures.

The hard part of this confrontation, I will add, is that Adam I and II live by different logics. Adam I–-the creating, building, and discovering Adam–-lives by a straightforward utilitarian logic. It’s the logic of economics. Input leads to output. Effort leads to reward. Practice makes perfect. Pursue

self-interest. Maximize your utility. Impress the world.

Adam II lives by an inverse logic. It’s a moral logic, not an economic one. You have to give to receive. You have to surrender to something outside yourself to gain strength within yourself. You have to conquer your desire to get what you crave. Success leads to the greatest failure, which is pride. Failure leads to the greatest success, which is humility and learning. In order to fulfill yourself, you have to forget yourself. In order to find yourself, you have to lose yourself.

To nurture your Adam I career, it makes sense to cultivate your strengths. To nurture your Adam II moral core, it is necessary to confront your weaknesses. We live in a culture that nurtures ADAM 1, the external Adam, and neglects Adam II. We live in a society that encourages us to think about how to have a great career, but leaves many of us inarticulate about how to cultivate the inner life.

The competition to succeed and win admiration is so fierce that it becomes all-consuming. The consumer marketplace encourages us to live by a utilitarian calculus, to satisfy our desires and lose sight of the moral stakes involved in everyday decisions.

The noise of fast and shallow communications makes it harder to hear the quieter sounds that emanate from the depths. We live in a culture that teaches us to promote and advertise ourselves and to master the skills required for success; but that gives little encouragement to humility, sympathy, and honest self-confrontation, which are necessary for building character.

If you are only Adam I, you turn into a shrewd animal, a crafty, selfpreserving creature who is adept at playing the game, and who turns everything into a game. If that’s all you have, you spend a lot of time cultivating professional skills, but you don’t have a clear idea of the sources of meaning in life, so you don’t know where you should devote your skills, which career path will be highest and best.

Years pass, and the deepest parts of yourself go unexplored and unstructured. You are busy, but you have a vague anxiety that your life has not achieved its ultimate meaning and significance. You live with an unconscious boredom, not really loving, not really attached to the moral purposes that give life its worth. You lack the internal criteria to make unshakable commitments. You never develop inner constancy, the integrity that can withstand popular disapproval or a serious blow. You find yourself doing things that other people approve of, whether these things are right for you or not. You foolishly judge other people by their abilities, not by their worth. When you do not have a strategy to build character, not only your inner life but also your external life will eventually fall to pieces.

Which Adam are we determined to become?

Most of this column came from David Brooks’ best seller The Road to Character.

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

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12. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

Blood is running - SVG registers Record Number of Homicides

starve our country of REVENUE. According to the Leader of SVG THE ULP REGIME’S only achievement in state of SVG, and illustrate how badly destructive for our society and Green Party, Mr Ivan O’Neal BSc 2016 was to make SVG one of the most Gonsalves has mashed up our country. economy. The UN study says that high (Hons) MSc, MBA, allowing Taiwan dangerous countries in the world. From There is a massive gap between the murder rates destabilise societies and and the super-rich of Mustique and all reports, SVG suffered 40 homicides in rich and poor in SVG. A certain group drive away business and foreign Canouan to not pay about EC$2 billion 2016, and if this figure is computed as of people are earning millions a year, investment. in tax annually is stoking murders in per the murder rate of 2015, this country whilst others struggle with very low According to the World Bank, high SVG. would rank among the top 10 most incomes, and many have no income at murder rates undermine economic By simply abolishing these tax murderous countries in the world. all, as there is a very high level of growth and social development, and exemptions, we could quickly put Last year was a terrible year for unemployment. leave countries caught in a vicious ourselves on the path to solving the SVG. We had the highest murder rate Poverty and destitution are circle: high murder rates cause lower problems of a poor economy, high in our country’s history, and this is widespread throughout SVG. economic growth, which causes murder rates, wide income disparities, very worrying for the people of SVG. Thousands of households suffer insufficient economic and employment high levels of poverty, insecurity and Blood is running in SVG, and this insecurity every day, as they struggle opportunity, which causes poverty, underdevelopment, low levels of shows our country is in a dangerous to get water and enough food to feed insecurity and underdevelopment, human development and the lack state. their families adequately. Our which causes high murder rates, which of REVENUE. A United Nations (UN) study shows economy is weak, failing and causes…etc.

SVG needs that money now to start that there is a link between high underdeveloped.

In SVG, the root cause of the poor the process of significantly reducing murder rates and SVG has a low level of human economy, high murder rates, wide the murders. We need to break this development: countries with wide development — only about 1 to 2 per income disparities, high levels of unfair tax system immediately, income disparities are four times more cent of students each school year go on poverty, insecurity and without hesitation, for the sake of our likely to be afflicted by high murder to become university graduates. Our underdevelopment and low levels of people’s lives. Unless we do this, the rates than more equitable societies; education system is shockingly bad. human development, is the lack murder rate in SVG in 2017, could be countries with high levels of poverty, Impoverishment and a high murder of REVENUE. as high, or higher, than the murder insecurity and underdevelopment rate is a very odd strategy aimed at The billions of dollars of tax and rate of 2016. suffer from high murder rates; and attracting tourists. This paradigm customs duty exemptions given by countries with low levels of human alone shows the idiocy of the ULP Gonsalves to the super-rich in SVG Green Party development suffer from high murder leadership and the extent of their Mustique and Canouan under the www.svggreenparty.org rates. economic incompetence.

Mustique Act No 48 of 2002 and to Find us on Facebook and Twitter These three factors describe the The high murder rate is very Taiwan under the SVG Fish Act 2001,

Luke Browne is my Politician of the Year ACCORDING TO THE PUNDITS and in my own opinion, 2016 will go down as a very good year for the Luke Browne political brand. I have arrived at this conclusion after following closely the activities of this young man (and political developments in general) for the past 12 months or so, including the role he played in engineering the recent success of the Roseau Recreational Park in the VINLEC Nine Mornings Christmas Light Up competition.

The year started out with Luke receiving a new ministerial assignment. He hit the ground running and quickly banished into

extinction any idea that he was too young or in any other way, unfit for the job. He marshalled a competent administrative team like a seasoned leader of men from day one. I remember a speech that Luke delivered on the occasion of a reception at the Prime Minister’s residence in honour of the visit of the Director General of PAHO to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and it was pure class. I have never heard a better cocktail speech.

Luke also represented St. Vincent and the Grenadines competently on the world stage, including at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. It was a proud

moment for me as a Vincentian to see a fellow countryman more than hold his own in the international arena alongside the representatives of powerful nations. Minister Browne has made several major healthcare speeches, including his very recent speech on December 6, I think it was, at the opening of the renovated Mental Health Rehabilitation Centre, during the course of which he shared a very touching personal story about one of his sisters.

Despite his obvious facility with words, Luke Browne is not just a man of soaring rhetoric. There was a clipping on Facebook with him, as is his usual style, down in the

The Kenneth John Prize for Literature by Dr. Richard A. Byron-Cox (cont’d) Continued from Page 8. beyond present frontiers if we are to progress.

They need shining beacons to follow. Dr. Kenneth John one, for there is simply no better writing! The establishment of this prize would symbolise that Dr. Kenneth John’s spirit forms part of the winds beneath our wings, as we seek to soar to greater writing and literary heights, even as his soul prepares to take flight. (Yes, the ageing maestro recently reminded that he is in the departure lounge, boarding pass in hand). Admittedly, his is sometimes a very sharp-pointed pen, incisive and deadly as a cutlass sharpened back and belly. But the “crabs-in-a-barrel” mentality must not prevent us from seeing that when all is said and done, his real fault was too solid a conviction that the pen is mightier than the sword, and making this his philosophy for living.

Of course there is not a rat’s hole chance in hell that the present government would establish such a prize. I, therefore call on the School Of Continuing Studies, Lions Club and or the NYC to bring this to fruition. Indeed they would be fulfilling part of their charters, and for NYC, this would be a wonderful and Well-deserved appreciation to its first patron.

The view that SVG must always make of its finest, the symbols of aspirations that will inspire future generations cannot be challenged. And, with the national interest being a mere bridesmaid to that of the political party, this usurping wicked stepsister must not prevent national appreciation for the sterling contributions of Dr. John, who continues to inspire and move this nation with his words. And, lest we forget, “In the beginning was the word”. And that is the gospel; if you don’t believe me, just read the word of John 1.1.”

trenches and drenched with sweat with a team of workers preparing the grounds of the Mental Health Centre for the reopening. Mr. Browne clearly has a combination of brains and brawn.

Another highlight of the year was Luke’s appointment to the Chairmanship of three extremely important regional health institutions in the Caribbean: CARICOM’s Council on Human and Social Development, the Caribbean Public Health Agency and the Pan-Caribbean Partnership Against HIV and AIDS. Luke’s work in the Ministry did not mean the neglect and abandonment of his constituency. He continued a model education programme in primary and secondary schools; has spearheaded numerous self-help projects, including a substantial road repair project in Dorsetshire Hill valued at tens of thousands of dollars; persisted with the Luke’s Kids Club summer programme; played a leading role in disaster relief efforts; and was engaged in other worthwhile undertakings. I also notice a resurgence in his public commentary via newspaper articles and social media posts.

Perhaps the greatest testament to Luke’s work in the constituency this year, is the transformation he has brought about with the Roseau Recreational Park — he converted it from a dumpsite into a Recreational Park that just won the Nine Mornings Award for the Best Lit Garden

and the Best Nativity Scene, in its first year of entering the competition. This is a compliment to Minister Browne’s vision and foresight.

The year 2016 ended with Luke Browne well poised to take the East Kingstown seat which has been retained by the NDP, election after election since 1984, before Minister Browne was even born. The story of how he whittled down the leader of the opposition from a margin of victory of 467 votes in 2010 to a mere 149 in 2015, will never grow old. By this feat, Luke has amply demonstrated his political acumen, organizing ability and capacity to play in the big league.

Now that Arnhim Eustace, a man from my generation, has taken major steps towards a complete withdrawal from the political scene, it is hard to imagine that any newcomer would be able to withstand the force of the final assault that his young, efficient and energetic political titan called Luke will make on a seat that once seemed to be an impregnable stronghold of the New Democratic Party. I believe that there would be a bye-election in 2017, and that will be Luke’s moment to shine. In consideration of all these things, I vote Robert Luke Browne as my politician of the year.

OT (Editor’s note: ‘OT’ does not refer to “OT’ Mayers of Arwee Store fame)

V Vincentian on QueenÊs UK New YearÊs Honour Roll

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. 13.

People

Afro-Caribbean Education & Training Services, ACETS UK, (www.acets.info), a non-governmental educational and training institution operating in Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire England, since June 1990.

He worked in education in St.Vincent and the Grenadines as a school teacher. He also worked for the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, attached to Le-Roy Augustus the British Development Edwards, MBE Division in the Caribbean.

He has a wide LE-ROY AUGUSTAS knowledge, EDWARDS, a Vincentian understanding and national of Bellevue, experience of education, Colonarie, now a British community education, national residing in the United Kingdom, has been diplomacy and international relations as appointed a Member of it relates to government The Most Excellent and Distinguished Order of the and its functions, as well as political history and British Empire (MBE) in political employment and the New Year’s 2017 training, economic honours list. development, The British Prime entrepreneurship, health Minister, Theresa May, has recommended to Her and social care.

He worked as a Majesty the Queen, that visiting lecturer, with Mr Le-Roy Augustas Edwards be appointed a over 20 years’ experience, lecturing in Member of The Most social policy, youth and Excellent and community development, Distinguished Order. health and social care at Mr Edwards is no various institutions in stranger to recognitions and awards. In 2001 he UK, including the Nottingham University, was nominated for and accepted the Community the Nottingham Trent university and other Champion Award Department of Education educational institutions in the United Kingdom. and Skills UK. In 1998 Mr Edwards has a he was nominated for the Citizen of Honour Award long track record working in education and — Nottingham City training on a variety of Council. issues including equal Mr Edwards is opportunities, race and currently employed as cultural diversity. He Executive Director for

has a keen interest in Water and Environmental Issues; He is a member of the World Water Council in Marseilles, France, and is the Afro-Caribbean Education and Training Services permanent

representative to the council.

Mr Edwards travelled widely in his capacity, speaking at many high profile conferences including the World Conference against Racism held in South

Africa in 2001, the theme Unite to combat racism .

Equality, Justice and Dignity for all. He gave a presentation recently at Australia Health Professional conference; entitled “Health Inequalities a Way

Forward”. www.thegazette.co.uk We at THE VINCENTIAN would like to congratulate Mr LeRoy Edwards MBE, on his appointment, and to wish him all the best for the future years.

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. 15.

14. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

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Metrocint M etrocint c celebrates elebrates ÂŚ 48th anniversary iits ts 4 8th a nnive verrsary r METROCINT GENERAL EN INSURANCE COMPANY, established December b 31 1968, marked 48 years with its Annual Customer Appreciation Day, at the institution’s office in Paul‘s Avenue last Friday, December 30.

Here are some clients’ views on the nation’s first indigenous insurance company. what Uncle Metro has done for St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Uncle Metro also acquired THE VINCENTIAN Newspaper, which is the oldest publication in this state.

service is excellent. ance does. They are courteous, intelligent and know how to speak to people.

Elroy Nash: Retired

Ms. Desiree Richards, CEO of Metrocint General Insurance Co. Ltd., spoke of the company’s beginnings as being founded on the deep-seated sense of patriotism by its founder, Edgerton ‘Uncle Metro’ Richards.

I am with Metrocint General Insurance since I had the vehicle P 112. I never had a claim. I never get any worries with Metrocint. Uncle Metro gave me a concession. He always welcomed me. His daughter, and the whole company, appreciate me.

Antarese Dabreo (right) receives an award on behalf of Hutchinson and Hutchinson Construction Co. from Metrocint’s CEO – Ms. Desiree Richards.

ON DECEMBER 31, 2016, Metrocint General Insurance Company Limited turned 48.

And to celebrate the milestone, the company awarded six of their loyal customers for their years of support to the company.

The six included taxi operators Phyllis Peters and Percy Walker, Hutchinson and Hutchinson Construction Company, businessmen Leroy ‘Fly’ Edwards and Dennis Murray, and the St Vincent and the Grenadines Taxi Drivers Association.

Chief Executive Officer Desiree Richards explained that the company was started by her father, Edgerton ‘Uncle Metro’ Richards, a patriot entrepreneur: “whose motivation flowed from the veins

Percy Walker has been insured with Metrocint from day one. He is a cherished client of the company, and collects his award from Director Noreen Richards. the future, Richards told the many gathered at the Annual Customer Appreciation Day celebrations, which took place last week Friday, December 30. “It is with this consistent support that has said that you are not afraid to support this enterprising and novel local initiative.

That you are proud to be associated with Vincentian enterprise. That you believe that a local company was just as capable of performing in an area that was totally dominated by international companies,� she told the gathering, dominated by Metrocint clients.

Comments from those present were encouraging, and bestowed accolades and commendations for the service provided by Metrocint Insurance Company.

of his beloved country. “This deep-rooted patriotism gave rise to one of the most outstanding, daring, imaginative entrepreneurs of St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Metrocint stands as a symbol of his impassioned boldness, daring and Vincentian can-do spirit,�

Richards continued. “This deep rooted love of country was Phyllis Peters, a trendsetter in her own right, is another long and cherished client of Metrocint. She collects her award from Director Noreen Richards.

Continued on Page 16.

Hazel Beach: Life coach It is not just a company; it’s a family atmosphere.

It’s a culture. It was a vision that came to Uncle Metro. It transcends through the love, feelings and regard that people have for Uncle Metro. I felt his presence at this Customer Appreciation Day. It felt like a tribute to the man that had the vision.

Whenever I come here, I get good customer service. They are people-oriented and they make you feel that you are part of their family.

I believe in supporting local. I prefer to deal with locals than to deal with a company that has a foreign head office that has to wait for a report to make decisions.

Earl ‘Exposer’ Isles: Driver

Luke Browne: Health Minister I wrote a little bit of the history of Metrocint in the ‘Entrepreneurs of St. Vincent and the Grenadines’. Metrocint Insurance Company has stood the test of time. It continues to provide good services. It makes sure that the customers know they are appreciated.

Zenika Peters: Student

Dean Clouden: Businessman

Great company. It has contributed significantly to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. I have been insured with Metrocint General Insurance Company for over 15 years. I appreciate the services that they are offering.

Their customer Metrocint staff entertaining customers at the event.

Carmen Kelly: Retired Right: Leroy ‘Fly’ Edwards has had a long and unbroken relationship with Metrocint. Here he receives his award of recognition from CEO Desiree Richards.

Angus Martin collects an award on behalf of the SVG Taxi Drivers Association from Metrocint Director Mrs. Noreen Richards.

the love of the Vincentian people, which created a unique personal relationship between the company and its customers,� she said.

Over the years, the company has evolved to become the local leading

motor insurer, and manages to maintain that lead in a highly competitive market. “Our portfolio of business has grown consistently with the loyal support of our customers,� Richards admitted.

And the goal remains that of serving these loyal customers better in

They are reliable and very helpful. I have no problems with their services. I will recommend anybody to join them. May they go on for another 48 years.

Alma Ferdinand: Self-employed

Walter Joseph: Builder It is a home-grown company. I appreciate

They are very good. I sell VINCENTIAN Newspapers since 1995. Metrocint General Insurance Company is the owner of THE VINCENTIAN Newspaper. I appreciate the work that the Insur-

Customers at the Customer Appreciation event.

Julius Anthony: Retired I switched allegiance. I have been with this company since I was 18 years old. I have never had a claim.

16. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Metrocint celebrates its 48th anniversary recognized for years of patronpatronage, indicated why he has stayed with the company for so long. “… and I want to say to everyone, never give up on MetroMetrocint, they are here for you – stick with them.”

Another satisfied customer, Gershum Lewis, related the story of trying to find a company that had enough confidence Long standing client Dennis Murray – noted cycle and in him, as a motor vehicle enthusiast, receives his award from 21-year-old Ms. Desiree Richards. mini-bus operator.

“I have to from Pages 14&15.

14&15.

Continued from remember that Ian (Da Silva) was the only one who gave me a chance Dennis Murray, one of the six at 21 to drive a mini-bus…and I am

still here today, accident free,” Lewis said.

And Angus Martin, former President of the SVG Taxi Drivers Association, said that for a while, members were scattered, as far as their insurance coverage was concerned, but the drive soon arose to find a company that would provide a Stanley ‘Culture Man’ Walker, Walker kerr, popular welder and service to suit the ransport service provider r, was the winner of the Metro provider, Metro-Associ- transport needs of the Association’s membership. cint 48th Anniversary Hamper which he gladly accepted from Director Mrs. Noreen Richards.

“And we tried and we tried, and Metrocint was the only one who was drivers. able to do that,” he said, adding that According to Martin, the members considerintenmany other companies are considerare all pleased, and have no intening following the lead of the taxi tion of leaving Metrocint. (DD)

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. 17.

Arts

To SVG with Love from the YAF HAPPY NEW YEAR! Yes, it is finally 2017. As usual at the beginning of each new year, much is expected.

Youlou Arts Foundation (YAF) is positioning itself to do something which is very special for the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines The organization has been dreaming, planning and fund raising towards this effort for many years, and finally the nation will have a dedicated space for the visual arts.

The Youlou Art Centre will be publicly launched March 4th. It is a very exciting time for the visual artists in St. Vincent and the Grenadines; they will have every reason to be hopeful and excited.

The launching of the Youlou Art Centre, at Villa Beach, is an exciting, cultural event.

It means, finally the organization will have a home.

For 16 years, Youlou Arts has been offering a visual arts programme to the children of SVG. At the end of every programme, the art

supplies were packed up and stored in the Singer warehouse in New Montrose, a space graciously offered to the organization by Mr. Ian Veira. The supplies would be left there until the following year.

Having the Centre means the supplies can be used throughout the year. It also means art workshops can be offered to the public, not only to children but to adults as well. Visual artists will have a dedicated art space where they can show their work. The public can now come to the Centre and view artists work, and hopefully feel inspired to buy some art.

There is no question about it, the space is delightful, it is right by the sea and looks out to Young Island.

The hope is for the public to come and relax while enjoying the art and hopefully enroll in an art making workshop.

The expectation is for the public to frequently visit the centre and enjoy.

Starting in February, there are plans afoot to

Getting the children ready to create at one of the many visual arts programmes for children organised by the Youlou Arts Foundation.

The Youlou Arts Centre at Villa will provide a ‘home’ for the works of Vincentian artists and artisans. hold several workshops.

There will be an art workshop for CXC students. Ms. Sherika Sayers will be teaching this workshop. She will be teaching CXC students how to succeed in their art exams. This workshop will be meeting on Saturday mornings.

There will be a painting workshop led by Ms. Cecile Comblen, for children age 5 to 10. The workshop will also start in February. The day and time are to be decided.

Then on Monday, February, 20th through Thursday Feb.23rd, Ms. Hilary Aut,y a British jeweler who designs and

makes costumes for the stage, will be holding a series of workshops that week. She specializes in wedding tiaras, hair decorations and head dresses. She will be offering a total of four workshops, each one starting at 9:00 am to 1 :00 pm. These workshops are for ages 15 and up.

The public is invited.

On the actual day of the public launch, March 4th, there will be a fund raiser at the Art Centre and Gallery. It will take the form of a cocktail party, with an Art Show and Sale. There will be entertainment, food and wonderful “grab bags” for

The creativity of Vincentian children unleashed by the visual arts programme of the Youlou Arts Foundation on display to the children. sale. It promises to be an enchanting evening, by the sea. Tickets will be on sale in the coming weeks.

The public is encouraged to support Youlou Arts Foundation.

It is an organization which encourages and nurtures the arts in SVG.

During the coming weeks, there will be more information on the workshops and the launch.

Please keep checking the Youlou Arts Foundation Facebook page and the blog:youlouarts.wordpres s.com. (Contributed)

Nine Nights of Lights expanded in its second year to come; one that had its participants excitedly talking.

THE SION HILL PANBeginning from the area of the ROUND-THE-NECK players Curator’s House, the Sion Hill had arrived early. They had steel band played as they assembled themselves and travelled along the paved road practically retired the DJ as in the Gardens. The they filled the entire place procession were brought up by with the rhythmic strains of the eager followers of adults Christmas music on their and children, many of whom, talking pans. The audience for the very first time, was was steadily building: single able to experience a ‘jig’ adults, couples, families with behind a steel band — this one, excited children, and of course, fitting in well with foreigners from a variety of the spirit of the Christmas countries. Then the season. distribution of stick lights had That was only one night’s begun, each child receiving activity. This year, the one that could hang easily National Parks, Rivers and around the neck. The stage Beaches Authority (NPRBA), was set and the parade was which has responsibility for ready to begin. The night was the Botanical Gardens, Wednesday, 21st December; organized the second annual the location was the Botanical ‘Nine Nights of Lights’ at the Gardens; and the occasion, the Gardens. Last year’s activity ‘Steel Pan Night’ presentation functioned as a trial run, but in the ‘2016 Nine Nights of this year a marked Lights’. improvement was seen both in What followed was a sight the quality and arrangement to behold — an activity that all, of the lighting and the both locals and visitors alike, entertainment offered. will remember for a long time On Opening Night,

by GLORIAH…

Thursday, 15th December, Hon. Cecil McKie, Minister of Tourism, Sports and Culture, under which the NPRBA falls, expressed his pleasure at what he saw. “I’m so happy to see so many of you turning out here this evening,” he said, “This Nine Nights of Lights activity surely has great potential.” He promised the audience that as the years go by, all will see an expansion of the festival at the Gardens.

He lauded the organizers for the work they had put in to give the location such an excellent face, and wished that the activities and entertainment provided would be amenable to all.

The Nine Nights of Lights allowed for individuals and families to partake in activities like strolling and browsing, capturing of photos, bouncing castle jumping, and punch board guessing. It provided a drinks bar, and freshly prepared food was available for sale. The entertainment, which catered

The covered pond at the Botanical Gardens took on a whole new appearance when it was lighted. to total crowd participation, was themed each night, with involvement from Thursday 15th to Friday, 23rd December including: Opening Night; Caroling and Game Night; Dance Night; Lighted steps leading towards the open Gospel Night; pond at the Gardens.

Drumming and Storytelling Night; 6:00 and 9:00 pm nightly, the Movie Night; Steel Pan Night; National Parks, Rivers and Drama and Comedy Night and Beached Authority intends to Final Night; where all great continue its expansion in performances returned.

2017. Visitors could expect With the festival in the many more exciting activities Garden catching on and and interactive entertainment. providing activities between

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18. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Foreign Assistance

Open Campus gets two new PCs STUDENTS who utilize the library at the University of the West Indies Open Campus will be able to benefit from the use of two additional computers, compliments the Embassy of the Republic of China on Taiwan.

This follows on the donation of two laptop computers which were also sourced by the Taiwanese a few years ago.

Deborah Dalrymple, Head of the UWI Open Campus, St Vincent, explained that when Ambassador Baushuan Ger visited the campus for the first time, a formal request was not made. However, he picked up on a comment which was made that the institution’s library was in need of a laptop.

“So the ambassador was successful in getting two laptops donated to the school back in 2015,” Dalrymple said.

She added that the university was constantly trying to upgrade itself so as “to ensure that the resources of other UWI campuses regionally can be accessed locally.”

The school’s librarian, Patricia Baptiste, further explained that libraries were now utilizing technology that allows for students to remotely

search for the availability of books, and having the computers will further facilitate this process.

She expressed her gratitude, saying that the library was in need of the computers, seeing that those in use were very old.

According to Baptiste, the new computers will benefit the students tremendously.

H.E Baushuan Ger, recalled the conversation with Ms. Dalrymple, and that he had indicated then that he would have tried his best to outfit the library with some modern equipment.

The Ambassador, while making brief remarks, highlighted his country’s assistance to Vincentian students at all levels, and disclosed despite all that was being done, that they were constantly exploring ways to do more for students in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“Because education is very important, and we hope that with the addition of these two computers, people will have better access to the resources offered by the campus,” he said.

The computers are said to value EC$2,000.00 each. (DD)

Ambassador Baushuan Ger hands over computers to librarian Patricia Baptiste, in the company of Deborah Dalrymple - Head of the UWI Open Campus, St Vincent (back right) and Ronnie Daniel – Marketing Assistant – UWI Open Campus.

Taiwan continues assistance to rehab projects AMBASSADOR Baushuan Ger of the Republic of China (Taiwan) handed over to Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves a cheque of US$200,000 (equivalent of EC$537,640) on 28 December, 2016, to assist the second phase of the rehabilitation project concerning Majorca feeder road in Marriaqua and Java road and river defense in South Rivers scheduled to start in 2017.

The government and people of the Republic of China (Taiwan), taking note of the severe damage of the said roads and river defense during Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves gladly the April 2011 and December accepts cheque from Ambassador Baushuan Ger of the Republic of China 2013 floods, had previously (Taiwan). contributed US$608,642.59 (EC$1,636,153) in July 2014, The Embassy of the Republic of for the first phase of the China (Taiwan) recognizes the rehabilitation project. importance of the rehabilitation Prime Minister Gonsalves projects so as to minimize the affect expressed his appreciation to the on the daily lives and ensure safety government and people of Taiwan for of the people in the areas of their continued support to St. Marriaqua and South Rivers.

Vincent and the Grenadines in The Embassy expressed a various fields, including the field of keenness to witness a swift infrastructure. completion of the work.

The Taiwanese Government and people have been prompt and generous in their assistance to this country during times of disaster.

V A ValentineÊs ÂopeningÊ for the Argyle Airport

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. 19.

News

FEBRUARY 14, 2017, Valentine’s Day, is set aside for the ‘opening’ of the Argyle International Airport.

The construction of the Airport, the largest capital project ever undertaken in this country, was launched on August 8, 2005 by Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves.

Construction ensued thereafter and during the course of time (since 2008) there have been

changes in a date for commencement of operations, this until the disclosure which came late December 2016.

The airport project has not been without its fair share of detractors, from the get go.

However, a ‘Coalition of the Willing’ dubbed so

by Prime Minister Gonsalves and including countries like Cuba, Venezuela, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, Austria,

The Botanical Gardens is home to a variety of species of plant life.

Curator encourages locals to visit the Gardens VINCENTIANS ARE BEING ENCOURAGED to visit and use the Botanical Gardens more frequently in 2017.

The appeal came from Gordon Shallow, Curator of the Gardens.

Shallow noted that the Gardens can be used for a number of purposes and this is catered to by the availability of a number of different packages, at affordable rates.

The Botanical Gardens is the oldest such gardens in the Western Hemisphere. It was commissioned in 1765, and through the centuries has not only been a place of interest to locals but equally to visitors, botanists and horticulturists from across the globe.

The Gardens held its second of what is expected to be an annual ‘Nine Nights of Light-up’ during the 2016 Nine Mornings period. (See story on page 17 of this issue) for members of the public. This is in keeping with the new thrust of attracting increased local use of and visits to the Gardens.

Workers apply ‘finishing touches’ to the apron.

The Control Tower is in the background.

Malaysia and Turkey, have provided support to ensure the continuation of the dream.

The Argyle International Airport is predicted to enhance the nation’s economic position, and intended to bring the country in line with the demands of the The construction of the terminal building at the Argyle Airport was provided for by 21st century.

The runway at the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan). the Argyle Airport Operations at is 9000 feet long, with a Argyle will clear width of 150 feet. It is the way for built to facilitate 1.5 expansion at million passengers per Arnos Vale , the year, and capable of handling 800 persons at location of the E.T. Joshua peak hour. It caters for Airport which International and serves as tis Domestic flights, and is multi-island equipped with the most nation’s main modern facilities.

An official programme airport.

In addition to is being finalised for the Arnos Vale, there February 14 opening. are airports on Director of the Tourism Authority Glen the Grenadine Beache announced plans islands of Bequia, The runway at the Argyle Airport is said to be ready to Mustique, for a Charter from welcome jet traffic.

Canouan, and Canada to form part of Union Island. the opening proceedings.

(WKA)

No more turtle meat for Vincies VINCENTIANS WILL NO LONGER savour the taste of turtle meat, nor would local artisans be allowed to use the turtle shells (backs) for making jewellery.

As of Sunday 1st January, 2017, this country joined a long list of countries across the globe in implementing a ban on the killing of sea turtles and the collection and consumption of their eggs.

Sea turtles have been under threat of extinction for some time now, and the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines had given indication in November last year, that it intended to introduce a ban on killing sea turtles, as this country contribution to the effort to safeguard the turtle population.

As part of a national awareness campaign, Vincentians have been urged to adopt the slogan and practice dubbed, ‘No extinction in

my generation’, going forward from January 2017.

And, the country can expect to see heightened vigilance of the law banning the killing of turtles by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

But there will be a complementary effort to encourage turtle watching, with the Ministry of Agriculture Vincentians will have to learn how to and Fisheries working swim among the turtles rather than killing with the National Parks them for meat for their dinner tables.

Rivers and Beaches Authority, to effect a National Sea in popularity in many Small Turtle Conservation Programme. Island Developing States. There Already the rural communities is already much of this in the of Colonaire/Byrea and and Sandy National Marine Park in the Tobago Cays and officials and Bay have been earmarked as enthusiasts here are hopeful that designated areas for the this pastime could be reproduced implementation of Sea Turtle on mainland St. Vincent.

Conservation programmes.

Turtle watching has increased

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20. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Advice

Not an issue for disagreement Dear George, MY FIANCÉE and I want to get married sometime this year, but we are fighting over who should marry us.

Six years ago, she had an affair with this very man who is now an ordained minister and whom she wants to ‘bless us’. She says he is a ‘changed man’.

George, I do not care how much he has changed; I do not want this man anywhere close to me, far less pronouncing any blessings over our marriage.

I am wondering why my girl does not see things this way. Could there be something else in the mortar besides the pestle?

Suspicious Dear Suspicious, It is certainly not good for the two of you to be in disagreement over something so fundamental.

This is one argument your fiancée should not hold on to for a win. It seems only right that you agree on a neutral venue and minister to conduct your wedding.

That said, your fiancée does not necessarily have to have any lingering attachment to this man, but could be simply led by her naive way of thinking that her past with him should not affect what happens next.

Both of you ought to sit down again and discuss this more seriously, and if there is no meeting of the minds, then there is always the option of pushing back the wedding date until the light becomes green.

George

Ready to break Dear George,

Doldrums

I HAVE NO JOB, I have no idea how I am going to get one anytime soon. I was sent home from my last job with no explanation. I have four mouths to feed.

My wife is blaming me for not working. She insists that it was my fault why I lost my job. My two daughters have stopped attending school; and have gone their own way. They hardly sleep at home anymore.

People are telling me that my wife has been seen going in and out of a certain man’s house at weird hours of the night and day. I asked her about it. She told me I should mind my own business, and said something about how else do I expect the bills would be paid.

This is a family that I have given my life for and supported them right through. They never wanted for anything, and now, as soon as I am in a spot of bother, they have resorted to this.

I am at the point of breaking, and when I do, I hope nobody would ridicule me. I am just saying.

Dear Doldrums, It is clear that you need all the support that you can get at this juncture.

Support from your wife is most critical. Your children may be taking their cue from her response to your situation.

Do not give up on the idea of finding work and, at the same time, find someone to whom you can talk and from whom you can get support — say a counsellor.

Encourage your wife to go with you to get that supportive counseling. If she refuses, you should still go for it.

Maintain your integrity, and even in your dullest moment, you can still show that your principles and fortitude would never allow you to break under

pressure. Show that you can still love and care for your family, even in the absence of money.

The act of searching for work on a daily basis is demonstrating that you do care. Explore other innovative ways to feed your family, and do not take no for an answer.

George

A rub! What next?

Dear George, I WENT to my wife’s workplace to meet her, as she suggested. She was in her boss’s office and signalled to me to wait a bit.

As she was coming out, he was walking just behind her. Without thinking, it seems, he rubbed her behind. Neither my wife nor her boss noticed that I had seen this.

I waited to see if she would have objected to his action, but she did not, so I pointed it out. I asked him if he thought he had the right to rub her behind, and he denied doing so. I asked my wife why she allowed him to do what he did, and all she said was that was ok and “let’s go”.

Up until that day, I thought I could have trusted my wife. I can just imagine what takes place without my knowledge.

Disappointed Husband Dear Disappointed, Your wife should have given a more concrete response, and should not have dismissed the sexually inappropriate action of her boss. Her response to you certainly did not help the situation, and it would surely put thought of her fidelity in your mind.

This needs to be discussed in a very mature and adult way, and both of you need to agree on the expected standard of behaviour at work and wherever else. It won’t hurt for her to quietly seek alternative employment, in the interest of maintaining peace and calm in the marriage. Perception is always greater than the truth.

George

Leisure

ARIES (Mar. 21‐ April 20) Include friends and family members in your redecorating plans. Expressing your‐ self in novel ways should lead you down new avenues. Don't let your emotions interfere with moneymaking deals. Try to understand their point of view.

TAURUS (Apr. 21‐ May 21) Develop some of your good ideas.

Romance will be on your mind, and chances for ideal connections are in the works. Your attitude is changing rapidly and your plate is overloaded. You are best to be discreet.

GEMINI (May 22‐June 21) You may find it difficult to communicate.

Dealing with in‐laws or relatives will not be in your best interest. Make plans to mix business with pleasure. Dinner with clients or business associates should be successful. It's time to re‐evaluate your motives.

CANCER (June 22‐July 22) Family trips or projects should be on your mind. Wait and get all the information before consulting your boss. You may have been too nice to a friend who just wanted to take advantage of you. Do not invest in ventures that only appear to be lucrative.

LEO (July 23‐Aug 22) Weigh the pros and cons and make a decision that will change the conditions you've been living under. Update and review your personal investments. It is time to clear your decks. You are best to stick to yourself this week.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 ‐Sept. 23) Realize that you don't have to do every‐ thing yourself. Don't overlook that fact that someone you care about may be hid‐ ing something. You will feel compelled to do some traveling. You can make a big difference to children if you are under‐ standing of the difficulties they are expe‐ riencing.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 ‐Oct. 23) You can make personal changes that will enhance your reputation and give you greater self‐confidence. You're not your usual self this week. Take work home but be sure to spend some time with your mate. You should check out prestigious clubs or groups that have a cause you believe in.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 ‐ Nov. 22) Keep important information to yourself.

Do not jump to conclusions concerning your romantic partner. You may be fortu‐ nate while traveling. Get together with friends and catch up on reading and letter writing.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 ‐Dec. 21) Your intuition will be right on. Follow your feelings in matters pertaining to financial investments. Love relationships will flour‐ ish. Hidden matters are likely to surface.

Changes in your home are apparent, and you must be willing to bend if you don't want to find yourself alone.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.‐ Jan. 20) Keep on your toes when dealing with oth‐ ers. You will be full of energy and you need to find something constructive to do.

You can gain valuable cultural knowledge through dealing with foreigners. You need to get down to basics with regard to your‐ self.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.‐ Feb. 19) Don't be too confident that co‐workers are on your side. Good friends will give you honest answers. You may have the day off but your thoughts will be on your work and your cash situation. You'll be angry if those you live with aren't pulling their weight.

PISCES (Feb. 20‐Mar. 20) Don't make excuses. Groups and organiza‐ tions that indulge in social events to raise money will be conducive to meeting new and exciting lovers. Compromise if you have to, to avoid verbal battles. Direct your energy wisely.

ACROSS 1.Shade tree 4. Certain boxing wins (abbr.)

7. Advanced business degree (abbr.)

10. “__ Clown” (2 wds.)

11. Colin of “A Single Man” 13. Doter’s treatment (abbr.)

14. Salad __ 15. Complex 17. “NCIS” network 19. Gentle __ lamb (2 wds.)

20. Like sleepers’ eyes 21. Water __ 24. Like sore muscles 25. Strop 26. Fishing aid 28. Singer’s syllable 29. Wined and __ 30. Couple count 31. Spain’s cont.

32. Start of a tot’s song 33. Leg part 34. Kopell of “The Love Boat” 36. Removes weeds 37. Behave or

print precede 38. Flight height (abbr.)

39. Informal attire 44. Andrews, for one (abbr.)

47. Navigation aid 48. Lies in wait 49. Korean auto name 50. Green‐lights 51. Red, e.g.

52. Chicken product DOWN 1.Recede 2. Grassy field 3. Mad as a __ (2 wds.)

4. Family reunion guests 5. Supper morsel 6. Made apple sauce 7. NYC transit org.

8. Lunch counter letters 9. Air hero 11. Clenched hand 12. Expressed disapproval audibly

16. Mouse’s foe 18. Broker’s advice 20. Clean by hard rubbing 21. Puerto Rican city 22. Like a crooked cop (3 wds.)

23. Author C.S. __ 24. Snacked 25. Hawaii’s yellow state flower 27. Won __ soup 29. Lion’s den

visitor 33. Scale note 35. Abbr. in a real estate listing 36. Headwear 39. Insurance’s PPO alternative

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. 21.

40. Light furniture wood 41. Good times 42. Miner’s find 43. Alias initials 45. Holiday pudding fruit 46. Pack groceries

V Scott and May cop Police top Awards 22. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Honours

he did in 2016. “I feel I have to do much better than last year.

I am looking forward to taking the standard to a new level,” said Scott.

May was unable to attend the ceremony, held at Russell’s Auditorium,due to unforeseen circumstances.

Leading Seaman Marlon Simon also came in for high praises when he was awarded the coveted title of Coast Guard Officer of the Year.

He said he was surprised to have received the award, but admitted that he had worked and works hard consistently.

“My advice is that you should always try to provide a service more than what you are paid for,” said Simon. He used the opportunity to thank his mother, Gillian Simon, and Petit Officers Durrant and Francis.

Awards were also handed out to top performing officers at the various Stations, as follows: Sandy Bay — PC 130 Carolyn May; Georgetown PC 307 Shem Nanton; Colonarie — PC 960 Rohan Cobbler; Biabou - PC 425

Policeman of the Year –PC 198 Chislon Scott.

POLICE CONSTABLES 198 Chislon Scott and 130 Carolyn May have been awarded the coveted titles of Policeman and Policewoman of the Year, respectively, awards bestowed by the Royal St.Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force in conjunction with the Police Welfare Association.

Scott said, at the recent Police awards ceremony, that he was grateful for being recognized for the service he renders on behalf of the Royal St.Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force.

He said he was sitting in the audience when he heard his name being called for the prestigious award. “I was quite surprised!” said Scott, who was enlisted on September 22nd, 2011.

Coast Guard Officer of the Already he is challenging Year - Leading Seaman himself to work harder than Marlon Simon.

Retired Inspector of Police Bernard Haynes, who became something of a fixture of the RSVGPF Band, was recognised for his 36 years and more of service.

Retired ASP Sydney James, one of the leading investigators in the Caribbean, received commendation for his 35 years of unbroken service to policing in SVG. Sedan Searles; Mesopotamia — PC 344 Mattis Humphrey; Stubbs -PC 720 Delroy R. Williams; Calliaqua - PC 682 Lennon Toppins; Questelles — PC 926 Alfred Pierre; Vermont- Cpl 328 May; Layou- PC 802 Samuel; Barrouallie - PC 684 Williams; Spring Village - Pc 759 James; Chateaubelair - PC 34 Laro Adams; Mustique — PC 827 Cleveland Stephens; and Union Island - Pc 733 Rohan Holder.

The Divisional and District Police Officer of the Year awards went to: Central — PC 743 Kelorn John; Eastern - PC 130 Carolyn May; Western — PC 34 Laro Adams; and South Central — PC 682 Lennon Topping.

The Sports Award for Athletics went to AB Hamilton, and Cricketer went to PC Dember.

Detective Awards went to:

Glenford Gregg (ASP), who rose to become a Court Prosecutor before his retirement after 34 years, was also recognised.

CID — PC 134 Hadley Ballantyne; Special Branch — PC 121 Ronnick Douglas; Drug Squad — PC 219 Courtney Browne.

The officers who received Operational Awards were: Fire Department - Sgt 324 Mark Ellis; Special Service Unit - PC 198 Chislon Scott; Coast Guard - Leading Seaman Marlon Simon; Traffic Department — PC 672 Kyman Hall; Rapid Response Unit — PC 192 Douglas Ceaser; Telecommunication — PC 501 James; and Band — Cpl 652 Omaro Thomas.

Commissioner’s Award for Bravery went - P.O Holder.

Headquarters Award went to CPS (Beat and Patrol) PC 882 Shirlyn Gonsalves; Prime Minister Detail — PC 731 Eugene Henry; Prosecution Department — PC 817 Aliston Stapleton; Driver of the Year - Cpl 368 Keil Rodgers; and Traffic Warden Betheria Fisher.

The Dare award was presented to PC 832 Nadisha Browne; Headquarters — PC 84 Levon Murray; and Port — PC 340 Clint Da Souza.

Retirees recognized for their years of service were: Eric Browne (SOP) - 33 years 2 months; Glenford Gregg (ASP) - 34 years 11 months; Sydney James (ASP) - 35 years 6 months; Bernard Haynes (Insp) - 36 years 5 months; Delano Peters (S/Sgt) - 35 years 3 months; Anthony Humphrey(ASP) - 35 years; Aaron Francois (C.P.O) - 33 years 4 months; Fitzborne Chambers (C.P.O) - 20 years 10 months; and Lester James (PC) - 7 years 3 months.

Other Welfare Special Awards were presented to Wendy Bynoe in recognition of her contribution to the RSVGP Queen Pageant; Cpl 9 Browne in recognition of being the longest serving Executive of the Police Welfare Association; Sgt 111 Robertson - Past Chairman of the Police Welfare Association; Jacqueline Joseph, in recognition of outstanding contribution towards the RSVGPF 2016; and Adams Electrical.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. 23.

Call for change in schoolsÊ track and field meet Right: Woodrow Williams.

one day of finals.”

Williams said that overwork of the athletes can result in detrimental impact on their health, and can contribute to lifelong injuries.

“Last year, no fewer than twelve athletes were reported to have been deemed by the medical officials as suffering from overused injuries ... Are we being fair to them?”

Over-extension by athletes Williams inquired.

“It will be better to “The way we have interlimit the number of events school, it does not offer that an athlete can compete in, opportunity for the athletes to limit them... I will say excel, as everybody focuses on three individual events winning the overall and a team event ... That championships and not at way, we will expose more producing the best athletes for athletes, as we can find the games”, Williams some athletes who can proffered. run, but who do not get On the issue of overthe opportunity because working of athletes, Williams An athlete being stretchered off at the Arnos Vale Playing Field, lamented, “ You will find that we have this one person during a recent inter schools meet, a sight which Williams wants who is going to win one athlete will be involved in see reduced. everything,” he proposed. the 100, 200, 400, 1500, 4 X Williams also noted that 100 and 4x 400 or 4 x 200m, go through , because in first depending on the age group ... athletes, after excelling here Deciding on the finalists draw, it is a random draw in St Vincent and the You will have some ...But if we do that, it means Grenadines, are turned off participating in all of those His other recommendation having quarter finals , semifrom the sport, as he/she is not events, which is not has to do with the format of finals and finals; but our able to replicate such recommended... Unlike what is the selection of athletes for the structure now does not allow performances on the regional recommended by the IAAF final events. for that,” Williams noted. stage.

(International Amateur “The format of inter school Looking ahead to the 2017 Williams proposed that if Athletics Federation), you has to change... What we do Inter- Secondary Schools those athletes have to do the have pentathlon, decathlon right now, we run the top Games, Williams observed and heptathlon over two days; series of events, then the meet eight , the eight fastest times; that it does not augur well for must be spread “over two but our athletes are forced to but according to the IAAF the athletes’ preparations for consecutive days.” compete in these events over rules, all heat winners must regional meet, namely the

Junior Carifta Games.

“Inter- school is going to be on the 30th March, with Junior Carifta starting on 14th of April in Curacao. We have some athletes participating in seven events up to inter- school.

Do they have enough time to recover after that and peak again for Carifta?...At inter school, they will peak, then you have a little rest and come back and peak again,” the well learned technical official reasoned.

IF TECHNICAL OFFICIAL – Woodrow Williams had his way, there will be a turnaround in the way the annual Inter- Secondary Schools Track and Field Meet is run.

Williams wants to see a shift in the format of the schools’ top sports calendar event, inclusive of limiting the number of events per athlete, an extension from one day to two days.

Change of days In presenting another of his recommendations, Williams proposed, “ We may have to look at moving the games away from a school day and to have it on weekends, until we get a lighted field so we can run the meet into the evening ...”

He said that the Bethel High School and soon the Barrouallie Secondary, have taken the lead in this regard by having their meets beginning at 3pm, and going into the evening hours.

“The whole culture is changing and we have to change as well,” Williams concluded.

Persistence pays off for Kimorie Shearman WHEN NATIONAL SPRINT athlete — Kimorie Shearman embarks on his Athletics Scholarship at Wiley College in Texas, USA, it will be aa a result of persistence and perseverance.

Shearman, who competes in the 200m and 400m, has been making efforts to procure a scholarship for the past four years, even perusing the internet for likely opportunities.

A member of the ITDAT Academy,

Shearman said, “I was waiting since 2012, checking on schools, so when I got this e-mail that the coach was checking on me, I was overwhelmed, I was so happy.”

Getting his break at age 24, Shearman said that he never gave up search for that opportunity.

“Nothing happens before its time... I might think it is too late because of my age, but God has given me the ideal time, 2017 is the

right time.” Shearman analysed.

Being a strong believer in God, Shearman is advising other athletes who have unsuccessfully sourced US scholarships, to persist with their effors.

“Hold the faith, put in the work, put in the training eventually things will just happen for you... The most important thing though is trusting in God,” Shearman advised.

Shearman admitted to being helped by head of

the IT- DAT Academy, Michael Ollivierre, whose encouraging words strengthened his hopes.

“Ollivierre always told me to hold the faith , keep on going, and something will happen for me; and to him and the other members of the IT- DAT family, I am thankful,” Shearman related.

As he embarks on a new beginning in athletics as well as academic development, Shearman plans to take his experiences all round

to bear on his US sojourn.

He will major in Physical Education, coaching and teaching while at Wiley College.

Other than competing in local championships, Shearman has competed at the OECS Championships, Grenada Nationals, the Trinidad and Tobago Nationals, Barbados Nationals, CAC Games, Pan Kimorie Shearman American Games Festival and the in the 400m of 47.23 Commonwealth Games.

He has a personal best seconds and 21.21 seconds in the 200m.

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24. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

2017 Cricket Season bowls off

THE 2017 CRICKET SEASON opens tomorrow Saturday, January 7, with an exhibition game, commencing at 2 pm, at the Arnos Vale One Playing Field.

The exhibition match, a T20 encounter, the second year it is being staged, will feature a President XI, led by President of the SVG Cricket Association (SVGCA) - Kishore Shallow, versus a National XI, led by Donwell Hector. They will contest for the Lennox John Cup. As obtained last year, both teams will be comprised of senior and youth players, in addition to invitees. For the President XI, Minister of Health - Hon. Luke Browne, a former national and Windward Islands youth cricketer, will feature alongside Speaker of the House - Hon. Jomo Thomas, for the President’s X1.

West Indies fast bowler Kesrick Williams, who will be making his first appearance locally since his successful international campaign, will turn out for the President X1, and International and Youth Cricketer of the Year Gidron Pope, for the National X1.

The squads are:

President XI Kishore Shallow (Captain), Miles Bascombe, Alston Bobb, Luke Browne, Denis Byam, Deighton Butler, Dyke Cato, Lindon James (Wk), Ray Jordan, Jenry Olliviere, Kenroy Competition in the 2017 Cricket Season begins in earnest Peters, Jomo Kishore Thomas, Kesrick Shallow – against Victors Two Group 3 comprises Williams, with President of match-up at 2 p.m. All Guardian General Saints, Samantha Lynch as the SVGCA – games on this opening ASCO, Bequia Cricket the Coach. anticipates a weekend will be at the Association, French Verandah National XI heightened main Arnos Vale Playing SVG Community College, Donwell Hector competitive Field.

North Leeward and Belfongo.

(Captain), The preliminary round The two top teams from atmosphere Shaquille Browne, for the 2017 of the tournament will see each group from the Kenneth Dember, a record 18 teams preliminary round will cricket Deron Greaves, competing in three advance to a Super Six, round season.

Jerron John (Wk), groups. robin second round, from Javid Harry, Defending champions which the top two teams will Jeremy Layne, Othneil Lewis, Flow Radcliffe heads Group 1, contest the tournament’s Desron Maloney, Obed McCoy, which also includes Victors 1, Final.

Gidron Pope, Tijourn Pope, Combined Youths, Triumph Kishore Shallow, President Casmond Walters, with Cleton United, Strike Eagles and of the SVGCA, is excited about Burnett as the Coach.

Owia Stars, a newcomer to the progress his Executive has That game aside, the National Cricket. made since he took office, and Season’s competitions begin in The 2016 runners up is looking forward for a earnest on Sunday, January 8, Team Rivals, is the top seeded productive year. “On the back with opening matches in the team in Group 2, among of a successful 2016, I National Lotteries/ Neil Police, Smashers, Radcliffe anticipate a busy year for Williams 20/20 Tournament.

Too, Victors Two and another cricket. I expect major Defending champions Flow newcomer, R.W Sporting improvements in local cricket, Radcliffe will take on Triumph World SVG Community following the re-structuring of United from 10 a.m, to be College. the Premier Division. followed by the Team Rivals

on Sunday 8th January.

Additionally, the increased prize monies will be incentives to clubs and players to lift the competitive atmosphere, which is needed to take our cricketers to the next level”, Shallow said.

Shallow further stressed, “Off the field, we are going to continue to strengthen our relationship with Corporate SVG, and collectively I am hopeful that we can take our blessed country on the map through our sporting abilities; all in all, 2017 looks like it is going to be a fabulous year for SVG cricket, and I am truly excited by the prospects that lie ahead.”

Following Saturday’s match, there will be a ceremony to signal the official opening of the 2017 season.

I.B.A.ALLEN

Lennox John still has one ‘C’ on his agenda LENNOX JOHN, who spent the last nineteen years as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Windward Islands Cricket Board of Control (WICBC), says he will now have more time to spend doing the Lord’s

duty.

Having been stationed at the Arnos Vale Playing Field during that period in his substantive post, John ended his stint as the WICBC CEO last Friday, and the Board’s operation will

now move from Arnos Vale Playing Field to Dominica.

For him, though, everything has gone according to plan.

“I will now get more time to spend with the church’” John, who is a deacon with the St George’s Cathedral, stated.

John has given service to the SVG Cricket Association for 27 years, of which 17 were spent as president, and was also at the helm of the WICBC from 1991 to 2007.

On the wider West Indies administration landscape, John gave service to the West Indies Cricket Board for 24 years, from 1983 to 2007.

He quipped that his life of service has been characterised by the C’s — “Cricket, the Chorale (Kingstown), Carnival, and now the Church.”

An educator, having served as principal of the Bishop’s College Kingstown, where he presided over the halcyon days of the school’s netball team and steel band, and before that bringing a new lease of life to sports and other

extra- curricular activities to the St Vincent Grammar School, where he finally served as Headmaster, John acknowledged that it has been cricket which has expanded his resume thus far.

“Cricket has afforded me to travel to many places and serve in many capacities, including manager of the West Indies Under-15 team to the World Cup in England in 2000...,” John listed.

But on leaving the administrative side of the sport in a decision making position, John revealed that he had “no regrets.

“If I had to do it all over again, I would have done it the same way,” he noted.

He put everything down to perfect timing.

“I decided when I would leave the St Vincent presidency, when I was leaving the Windwards presidency, and now that I am leaving as CEO, and it has worked out well for me,” John stated, adding that the shift of the office of the WICBC from St Vincent and the Grenadines was also in

Lennox John sync with his timing as well. “ I don’t think I could have gone on any longer neither with my particular age now ...I had specific aims, and to have moved into this position has been good for me,” John outlined.

Staying on as the immediate past president, John, though, will still have some say in Windwards cricket, as the WICBC’s constitution makes provisions for his input.

He said that cricket has afforded him several honours, the latest being having the soon to be established cricket academy by the St

Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association Inc., named in his honour.

“It came as a shock to me, as I was not consulted, but I am really honoured,” John related.

He was one of three honorees at the Association’s gala dinner and awards ceremony which took place last November, at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

John said as he lessens his contribution to cricket, then his remaining energies will go to other spheres of life, namely, “the church”.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. 25.

Sports

Bottom Ranks

UP TO MARCH last year, the Vincentian senior national football squad harboured dreams of advancing to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. That depended on how we performed in matches against Trinidad and Tobago.

We were battling the odds, for having commenced the bid for a spot in the hexagonal in dazzling fashion, we flattered to deceive.

Oalex Anderson shocked the USA, and indeed the rest of the world when he opened the scoring in that encounter played in the USA. The Vincentians sank to a 1:6 loss eventually in that game. Worse was to follow. For whatever reason, whether it was the journey, or distance or time, Vincy Heat floundered miserably at home and suffered a 0:4 loss to Guatemala at Arnos Vale four days after the USA fixture. Hopes of progressing took a dive.

A reasonable display against Trinidad and Tobago ended in a 3:2 win for the Soca Warriors.

But the glamour ceased in the return leg in Trinidad, and Vincy Heat was beaten 6; 0.

By then, the dream was shattered and while it maintained some sense of pride, there was a feeling of betrayal or abandonment by the local Federation. Having been eliminated from the World Cup, one would have thought that the emphasis would have been on rebuilding in preparation for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

The hint was already given of an increased number of finalists for Qatar. The Vincentian federation treated the Caribbean Cup with scant regard and we squandered an opportunity of salvaging some pride or of keeping the flag flying.

By the time the World Cup qualifiers rounded off, the Federation appeared to have run its full course of uncertainty. We turned up a bizarre display against the USA on home soil and conceded another six goals to the Americans without finding the nets on our own.

The team managed some respect in the final encounter in Guatemala. Not that a 9:3 margin is anything of which to be proud. But the manner in which some of the Guatemalan goals came, suggested a mockery of officiating.

The Guatemalans were allowed to run roughshod over the hapless Vincentians. And Carlos Ruiz was given free rein to register five of his team’s goals.

That the Vincentians were able to convert, twice from Oalex Anderson and one from Nazir McBurnette indicated that all was not lost for the Vincentians.

We have suffered as a result of administrative complacency, and our ranking has fallen to its lowest.

SVG at 179, sandwiched between St. Lucia 177, and Bermuda 187 as far as Concacaf is concerned.

Costa Rica 17 on the global scale, heads the Concacaf zone, ahead of Mexico 18, USA: 28, Panama 58, Haiti 73, Honduras and Curacoa 75, Jamaica 77, Trinidad and Tobago 78, Guatemala 79, St. Kitts/Nevis 80, and Antigua and Barbuda 93.

Canada at 117, Nicaragua 124, Dominican Republic 128, Guyana 132, El Salvador 137, Puerto Rico 144, Suriname 150, Cuba 151, Barbados 155, Grenada 158, Aruba 160, Dominica 174 reveal a dismal tale.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines has normally made mockery of the rankings. There is a feeling however that the Federation remains unperturbed about the way things are with the national squad.

The affiliates don’t seem concerned either, even if it makes it harder for individual players to market their potential on the world stage.

So our football is allowed to meander without any signs of anyone anxious to reverse the trend.

SVGBF to re-activate courts in 2017 THE DORMANT hard courts across St Vincent and the Grenadines would be activated, and the executive of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Basketball Federation (SVGBF) plans to take the lead in this regard.

President of the FederationWayne Williams, in outlining his organisation’s plans for 2017, said that this is one of the priority areas to get Basketball going again.

“We have gone across the country assessing the facilities ...

We have realised that most of the courts do not have infrastructure and are under-used...We are going to place uprights at some of them,” Williams revealed.

The SVGBF president stated that former WNBA player — Vincentian-born,Sophia Young is doing her part in this respect, and has sourced some of the implements, which will be shipped to St Vincent and the Grenadines in due course.

Williams said that part of the jump start of re-invigorating interest in Basketball, was the pursuance of the 3 X 3 format which was rolled out in the latter part of 2016.

“Our 3 on 3, which was started during last year, was one of the ways in getting the sport back to the communities and getting it active again and whip up some interest... This month, a FIBA official should be in, and his task

will be to run sessions on that format,” Williams disclosed.

Williams noted that the sport has to begin again to build its base, which over the years has been lost to many factors. “..The Federation will be working hard on its youth and feeder programmes as we are part of the Long Term Athlete Development Programme which is being undertaken Action in the male by the National Olympic division of the 2016 Committee...We have to begin again to build a base, Schools’ Basketball final. and to do so we have to be The National practical,” Williams announced.

Schools’ “... We have been working Tournament, as closely with some of the well as the SVG President communities such as Glen, Community of the SVG Calliaqua and South Rivers College’s Basketball already, and will be looking to competition, are Federation utilise some of the coaches at the also carded for re- activated courts.” he added. early this year, and – Wayne The National Basketball head these would provide Williams. stated that his executive will be a barometer of the morphing its programmes to talent available, Williams said. include the national schools’ team. “ We are hopeful that we can “ With St. Vincent and the have national tournament as Grenadines set to host the early as April... As you know Windward Islands Schools Games the court at New Montrose has this year, we are going to take a been dug up... We have been proactive approach and begin to getting from some engineers the identify talents early to fill these best option, whether to concrete it teams, as it has been proven that or use asphalt,” Williams said over the years, Basketball has not with optimism. done well at these games,” The last national competition Williams proposed. was staged in 2015.

SVGBF reshuffles the executive pack THE EXECUTIVE of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Basketball Federation (SVGBF) has been forced to do some reshuffling because of “resignation and tardiness.”

This was confirmed by SVGBF’s presidentWayne Williams.

Since taking office 9th April last year, Williams revealed that elected Secretary — Gailene Gordon has resigned, having migrated.

Williams indicated that Sonja Lewis is the acting secretary, with the experienced Conrad Simon, filling Lewis’ role as Assistant SecretaryTreasurer.

Williams also noted that the two previous committee members — Avian Myers and Darron John - have been “tardy” , having missed more than two executive meetings without proper reasons.

“We have brought in Jennine Spring, who has been serving on several of our sub-committees, and are awaiting Clephas Glynn’s word, as the other committee member,” Williams stated.

John, Spring and

Glynn, a former SVGBF president, all attempted to make it on the executive when elections were held last April.

Reports are that the executive has had some internal fractures, resulting from the failure of some elected members to carry out their functions over the eight-month period since their election to office.

But Williams assured, “The Executive is still functioning, as we filled the posts at our last executive meeting.”

It has been a tumultuous recent period for the SVGBF. A planned extraordinary general meeting in late 2015 did not get a quorum. That meeting was called to replace then presidentJohn Sutton who had vacated the position, having migrated.

In early 2016, other attempts were made to effect the extraordinary meeting , but they hit a constitutional snag, resulting in an interim committee being

Elected SVGBF executive: (L-R): Karel Bramble, Augustus John, Sanjay Jiandani, Wayne Williams (President), Gailene Gordon, (resigned) Winston Snagg, Sonya Lewis.

Inset: Connrad Simon - new Assist-ant Secretary-Treasurer. installed in February, paving the way for the election of a new executive.

The meeting warranted the presence of Caribbean Basketball Confederation’s president , Barbadian — Glyne Clarke.

Elected were Wayne Williams — President, Karel

Bramble- First Vice President, Augustus John — Second Vice President , and Sanjay Jiandani- Third Vice President.

Placed in the position of Treasurer was Winston Snagg, Secretary- Gailene Gordon and Assistant Secretary- TreasurerSonja Lewis.

V

26. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Education

Dr. Erling Harry Scholarship Fund makes awards THE RECIPIENTS of the Dr. Erling Harry Scholarship Fund have been announced. They are Jael Browne and Ricklon Hutchinson.

Jael Browne is one of our recipients of the Dr. Erling Harry Scholarship Fund. She will be pursuing her degree in International Trade. She is from the Calder area, where she and her friends lead multiple non-profit programmes that provide moral support and guidance to young people in the community.

Ricklon Hutchinson is originally from the Grenadines, both Union Island and Bequia. He will be completing his medical degree from All Saints University and wants to specialize in Neurosurgery. He hopes to be able to help improve the medical transport system for the Grenadines, so smaller islands

in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines can get much needed medical care within a faster response time.

Given the increased number of impressive candidates for this scholarship, the Trustees of the Fund created three smaller scholarship funds for the following applicants: Calvon Charles of Enhams; Charmaine Cyrus of Long Wall; Judaja Prescott of Kingstown.

The Trustees, in a statement, thanked every candidate that applied, and also recognised those who shared this scholarship and spread the word.

Jael Browne The statement also expressed the view that “Saint Vincent and the individuals achieve their goals as Grenadines has a bright future with well as benefit the country as a whole phenomenal leaders ready to make in the future.” an impact. We hope these The Dr. Erling Harry Scholarship contributions help these amazing Fund was established to honour Dr. Erling Harry, originally from Biabou, St. Vincent, who became a prominent cardiologist in the U.S, and spent a great deal of his time and resources giving back to St. Vincent.

According to his children who established the Fund, “We wanted to continue that legacy by creating a scholarship in his name.”

Information on the Dr. Eerling Harry Scholarship Fund can be sought through webstireite http://bit.ly /DrErlingHarryScholarshipFund and applictions can be made to http://bit.ly/DrErlingOHarry ScholarshipApplication.

Ricklon Hutchinson

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2017. 27.

Classifieds

SHANIQUE, KAYSANIE ALVIS

MRS. LUVENIA CECILIA HENRY Glad Tiding Tabernacle Gomea Tuesday 3rd January, 2017 2:30 p.m.

FRED ALBERT GILLS

Gorse Apostolic Faith Mission Gorse Saturday 31st December, 2016 3:00 p.m.

PEARL MCMILLAN St. Joseph Catholic Church Colonarie Friday 30th December, 2016 2:00 p.m.

Layou Miracle Church Friday 30th December, 2016 2:00 p.m.

PAUL CARLOS TRAVIS SKERRITT

HAROLD DOYLE

Rillian Hill Community Centre Thursday 29th December, 2016 Service at 2:00 p.m.

St. John Church, Belair Thursday 29th December, 2016 Service at 3:00 p.m.

The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

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FRIDAY,

JANUARY 06, 2017

VOLUME 111, No.01

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“ISSUE THE FIATS,” LAWYER ECHOES

by HAYDN HUGGINS ATTORNEY KAY BACCHUS-BAPTISTE has written to Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) - Colin Williams, requesting that he rethink his decision to refuse her clients - Maxine Berkley, Vesta Hanson and Elgevia Parsons, all of Layou, in the Central Leeward constituency – fiats (permission) to bring private Criminal Proceedings against Winston Gaymes, Returning Officer for that constituency, in the December 9, 2015 general elections.

Bacchus-Baptiste had requested the fiats in a letter sent to the DPP, July 22, 2016, claiming that Gaymes counted ballots amounting to 321, which he knew or had reason to believe were not validly cast for ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP) candidate Sir Louis Straker and opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate Benjamin ‘Ben’ Exeter, contrary to Section 40 (F) of the Representation of the People Act, because by rule (40) (1), “Any ballot paper that does not bear the official mark shall be void and must not be counted”.

According to Bacchus-Baptiste, Gaymes swore to an affidavit, dated December 21, 2015, admitting that he counted ballots which were void because they did not bear the official mark.

Bacchus-Baptiste told THE VINCENTIAN on Wednesday that there was a flurry of letters with regard to the issue between the DPP and herself, culminating in the DPP’s letter on October 28, refusing the Fiats.

need not be considered”.

He outlined however that, “It is clear that upon a proper application of the public interest test that there ought not to be a prosecution”.

But in a letter dated December 21, responding to the DPP’s letter, Bacchus-Baptiste stated in part, “As a prosecutor/Director of Public Prosecutions, we insist that your duty is to the citizens of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and that you ought to make your independent investigations if it is reasonable to do so. You never requested witness statements from the applicants, and as a genuine prosecutor, nothing prevented your office interviewing the applicants or even requesting witness statements”.

She also wrote that, “It is passing strange that when you have to make a decision in matters of prosecuting anyone whose prosecution is not in the interest of the ruling Unity Labour Party government, you rule in favour of the interest of the Unity Labour Party regime. It is what it is”!

Not for the first time Attorney Kay Bacchus-Baptiste and DPP Colin Williams are The letter concluded, “Most at variance with respect to the responsibilities and duties of the Office of the persons opined you will never issue DPP. that fiat. My clients are convinced convict for the proposed charge”.

In his letter, the DPP concluded that all your defensive enquiries were He pointed out that, “The evidence that, “Upon an application of the Full a mere charade leading to your Code Test, it is apparent that there is is patently inadequate and weak; it is refusal. I urge you to rethink your of such poor and suspect quality that no reasonable prospect of conviction decision in the interest of justice for since, given the evidential weaknesses, one cannot be satisfied that a all, and issue the fiats”. reasonable prospect of conviction it is highly unlikely that a jury Section 69 of the Criminal exists in relation to Winston Gaymes”. properly directed in accordance with Procedure Code was amended, some He stated that, “Usually, once a the law, could reasonably be expected years ago, to require a fiat from the matter does not satisfy the evidential to be satisfied beyond reasonable DPP before Private Criminal Action test on the first limb of the Full Code doubt as to a guilty act on the part of could be taken against anyone.

Test, then the public interest limb Winston Gaymes, and to properly

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Printed by the SVG Publishers Inc., Campden Park.