THE VINCENTIAN PDF-09-04-20

THURSDAY APRIL 09,

2020

VOLUME 114, No.15

Coronavirus testing delayed Page 2

Owen Baptiste, adorned in a Red Cross shirt, similar to the one he donned before he plunged into his rescue heroics.

www.thevincentian.com

Closing court? Infected woman No way! locked down Page 4 Page 10

EC$1.50

Minibuses withdraw service Page 3/20

Squabble in Tokyo Page 20

GOOD SAMARITANÊS JOB THREATENED The minibus lay on its roof with injured persons trapped inside while residents stood idly by.

to the injured? He chose the latter.

“I got on the scene 5 minutes after OWEN BAPTISTE, a Security Supervisor the accident. Persons called out to me at the Argyle International Airport (AIA) while approaching the vicinity. I has landed himself in hot water with his noticed others were standing around superior, even as he performed lifelooking on but none of them wanted to saving duties. go and help,” Baptiste recalled.

Minibus HQ 851 had just gone over Then someone shouted, “…We need an embankment in Overland, during help here; people gone over in a van the afternoon hours of Friday 3rd yah.” That spurred him into action.

March, when Baptiste, a trained “I parked my car, took out my emergency responder, arrived on the overall shirt with the crescent of Red scene. Ironically, he was returning Cross, my gloves and PPE, including a (home) after attending a SVG Red makeshift board from my car,” said the Cross Society Meeting, as a volunteer Security Supervisor about his with that Society. preparation before venturing into the The vehicle plunged over an rescue. embankment and settled on its roof He rushed down the embankment some 50 or so feet below in a heavily and he could hear people in the grassed area.

Baptiste stopped his car and noticed wreckage screaming for help.

Residents of the area stood around the extent of the mishap. He was taking photographs and some even caught in a moment of uncertainty: complained aloud about contracting Should he continue on his way home the coronavirus, Baptiste noted.

(Sandy Bay) to get prepared for his “I was not scared. I have trained for 9pm shift at the airport? Or should he, as he is trained to do, offer assistance this in Jamaica and have done other

by KENVILLE HORNE

The remains of the minibus was towed to the Police Station in Georgetown. trauma and pandemic courses regionally and locally, including with the Red Cross,” a confident Baptiste said.

He wrote in a Facebook posting after the dust had settled, that he: helped persons out of the mangled

vehicle, taking some up fifty feet to the embankment; applied dressing from his first aid kit to cuts and bruises on the injured; and helped with making a makeshift stretcher.

Continued on Page 3.

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2. THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

News

Protocols to guide return of cruise ship workers PROTOCOLS have been established that would facilitate the return of Vincentian cruise ship workers.

This assurance was given by Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves. He made the announcement during the Debate on the Supplement

Appropriation Bill in Parliament last Tuesday.

According to Gonsalves, there was a group of Vincentian Royal Cruise Line workers, and the company requested that this country accept a charter with as many as 200 of these individuals.

Similar discussions were held with officials from Disney where there are a group of about 45 Vincentian nationals, and two other ships off the coast of Barbados with a little over 20.

All the workers wanted to come home, Gonsalves said.

“There are other Vincentians elsewhere, but these are the ones that were brought to my Royal Cruise Line accounts for as many as 200 attention,” he said.

Gonsalves explained Vincentian workers who are currently stranded that a clear policy outside of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. position with a medical cruise lines. quarantine — including protocol is in place to “The policy is simple; hotels or guest houses facilitate the return of where the individuals Vincentians who work on in principle we do not close our borders to our will be housed. nationals,” Gonsalves The workers will be told members of subject to another test at Parliament. the end of the 14-day But in light of the quarantine period, before current circumstances receiving the all clear to within SVG, the expected return home. protocol is that they will It was noted that of be tested prior to making the seven active COVIDthe journey home and 19 cases here, five were that it be understood workers in the cruise that even those who may ship industry. test negative for the “So there are strict Covid-19 virus, will still things which have to be be subject to a observed, and I give the mandatory 14-day assurance that I will quarantine period. insist on all of these so The other conditions, that as far as is humanly according to Gonsalves, practicable, there will be are that the cruise lines no adverse health be responsible for all implications for us,” costs associated with Gonsalves said. (DD) keeping the workers in

Local testing for coronavirus delayed THE ARRIVAL of Luke Browne, the PCR Minister of instrument used in Health, admitted the testing for the that that local novel coronavirus testing for the (COVID-19) has coronavirus was been delayed and still some way as such, therefore, this country is still off. (Photo Credit: WE FM) unable to conduct its own testing.

Luke Browne, Minister of Health, Wellness and the Environment, made the disclosure at a press briefing on April 3, and cited shipping restriction out of the USA as being responsible for the delay.

It means, for the time being, this country will continue to rely of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad and Tobago, for testing of samples taken from persons here.

There was, according to Browne, a ray of hope, in that a GeneXpert instrument was available here and that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)/USA had approved the use of a kit by that machine.

“We just have to get a sufficient number of kits and that should be possible fairly soon,” he said.

Browne further stated that health officials were exploring some leads as it related to rapid testing, saying that the Mustique Company Ltd had wired EC$176,000 to a company in Beijing, China, for the procurement of 10,000 rapid testing kits.

He also told Parliament on April 7, that the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) had given St Vincent and the Grenadines 400 testing kits.

“That is an important development in our road to testing,” he said.

But, admittedly it would be some time before this country is able to do its own COVID-19 related testing here, since the kits that were recently received were for use in the PCR testing machine, which was yet to arrive. (DD)

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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2020. 3.

News 3 Minibus Operators asked to reconsider

Senator Julian Francis, Minister of Transport, made a last minute appeal to minibus operators.

GOVERNMENT MOVED AHEAD with its plan to sanitize mini-buses Wednesday despite the plan by owners and operators to withdraw service.

Commuters were left stranded as a number of minivans were visibly absent on the roads on the morning of April 8, despite a plea from Minister of Transport and Works Julian Francis for the Vincentian Transportation Association (VINTAS) to reconsider a decision to keep off the roads.

Francis told a Sitting of Parliament on

Tuesday, that he had seen a release issued by VINTAS indicating that a decision had been taken for the withdrawal of service, as of Wednesday 8th April, as a measure towards helping to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The release also noted that VINTAS would have formally advised the government on its decision, however, Francis said in Parliament on Tuesday that he had not seen any such correspondence.

“The ministry has no official word,” he said.

“I want to ask them to reconsider their position on this matter,” Francis continued, even as he encouraged them (minibus operators and owners) to adhere to the advisory issued by the Ministry of Health, to remain off the roads over the Easter weekend.

The transport minister advised in particular, that they not accept any offers to transport individuals looking to attend large gatherings.

Package and regulations for Minibuses Meanwhile, Parliament on Tuesday, approved the

Supplementary Appropriation Bill for a sum amounting to EC$85 million, the estimated cost of the economic stimulus programme rolled out in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some EC$700,000 had been allocated to minibus operators and owners to compensate for the income loss as they comply with ‘social

distancing’ protocols.

This would be disbursed in monthly payments of $250.00 over a twomonth period.

Government announced on April 3 that it was now a requirement that minibuses carry a maximum of nine passengers, down from the licensed for 18 passengers.

The other arrangement agreed to was the sanitization of minibuses which would be done by the Public Health Department.

Minibuses serving the longer routes would be required to be sanitized every other trip.

Francis, though, disclosed that a time frame for minibuses

covering routes in and around Kingstown was yet to be decided.

A ticket issued after every sanitisation and displaying the time and other relevant information as per the last sanitization, must be produced every time the sanitization process is to be conducted, the Transport Minister said.

(DD)

Good Samaritan’s job threatened private vehicle to transport the injured to the Owia Health Clinic All this, he said, he and the Georgetown did amidst injured adults Modern Medical screaming, a baby crying Complex. and others standing idly It was during a period by taking photographs. at the Owia Health To add to this, Clinic that Baptiste said Baptiste said he used his he contacted his Continued from Front Page.

supervisor to say that he was occupied going back and forth with injured persons, from the scene of the accident and the Owia Health Clinic and the GMMC, and would be late for work.

To his surprise, the supervisor responded sharply telling him that “…if you ain’t show up for duty tonight….. don’t expect a job on Monday.”.

This prompted Baptiste to take to Facebook.

“I am just putting this out there that I have performed my duty as a First Responder, and am being treated as a Hypocrite from my Superior .... all those who came to the scene saw what I was doing to the best of my ability... note I had on my PPE.. taking every measure,” said Baptiste in his Facebook post.

He told THE VINCENTIAN that he loves to help people - a trait he got from his grandmother. “I am always happy to assist …

I was feeling happy that I can help,” he admitted.

Up to press time Wednesday, Baptiste was effectively still employed.

He was summoned to a meeting scheduled for that day and has since reported that he is awaiting action arising out of those discussions.

The accident According to a police release, several persons onboard the minibus sustained injuries. The majority was taken to the Georgetown Modern Medical Complex (GMMC) where they were treated and discharged.

The driver and a onemonth-old infant, however, were referred to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) where they were admitted.

The driver is said to be nursing a broken right leg, and the infant injuries to her face and hands.

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4. THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

Courts

Closing the Court is not the answer

at home because of COVID-19. He is also aware that some lawyers WHILE SENIOR MAGISTRATE Rickie have closed their offices, and the Burnett agrees that the COVID-19 Process Staff, who are responsible pandemic is very serious, and prefor serving summons, are cautionary measures have to be reluctant to go into the taken, he does not think that communities, for fear of closing down the Court is the interacting with persons who may answer. be infected with the coronavirus.

The Magistrate voiced his “I will like to be home like views on the issue during a sitting everybody else, but I have a job to of the Kingstown Magistrate’s do,” Burnett said.

Court on Tuesday.

Prosecutor Curlene Samuel “Whether we like it or not, the pointed out that, “All we seem to Court is an essential service. be doing now is arrests.”

“The last thing that you want is A number of matters have had for the criminals to know that the to be adjourned.

Court is closed down, or that the “Could you imagine if all the Court is on vacation,” he declared. Magistrates and Judges were to Burnett said there are some stay at home at the same time?” lawyers who feel they should stay he asked rhetorically.

Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS

“If I am to have my way, I will be home, Senior but is that the Magistrate right thing to do?” he Rickie Burnett questioned, would like to adding, “I don’t be home think that during this closing the Court coronavirusand staying at related period home is the but he answer.” considers his He made it job an clear, “We are essential not on vacation. service.

We have to get the job done.”

The Senior Magistrate wears protective gear to his sittings.

Prisoner bawls after another sentence BARRY ANTOINE, a 51-year-old farmer with a string of convictions, ‘bawled like a cow’ on Monday after receiving another prison sentence.

The Layou resident chalked up his 11th conviction at the Serious Offences Court, after pleading guilty to possession of 459 grams of marijuana with intent to supply at Belle Isle on Friday, April 3.

He was sentenced to four months in prison.

Before the penalty was handed down, Antoine, who was released from prison about two weeks ago, on completion of a sentence for firearm possession, begged the Court for leniency.

“I just come out ah jail, I don’t want to go back jail,” the unrepresented man pleaded.

But Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne made it clear that she will follow the sentencing guidelines.

In presenting the facts earlier, Court Clerk Atnel Ash said that around 5:50 p.m. on the date in question, two police officers attached to the Special Services Unit (SSU) were on patrol on the outer perimeter of the Belle Isle Correctional Facility, when they heard a noise coming from a nearby banana field. They entered the field and came upon the defendant with two black plastic bags in his possession. The officers requested a search, to which Antoine consented.

Nothing illegal was found on his person, but a search of one of the bags revealed what appeared to be marijuana.

The other plastic bag contained high leaf (tobacco), a lighter, wrapping paper, and a piece of paper with the name of a prisoner, Devon Baptiste, written on it.

When cautioned, Antoine replied, “Me nah ah carry weed gey no prisoner.”

He told the Court he had dropped off some cornflakes for Devon Baptiste earlier that day,

at the Correctional Facility, and subsequently bought a pound of marijuana to carry home. He said the piece of paper with Baptiste’s name on it was left back in the bag, that had the stuff he dropped off at the prison for Baptiste. He said, he ran into the banana field when he saw the police.

However, checks by the prosecution revealed otherwise.

Senior Prosecution Adolphus Delpleche told the Court that the information received was that Antoine visited an inmate at the Belle Isle Facility earlier that day, brought a bag with stuff, but he left that bag with the stuff at the prison.

Delpleche said Antoine left the area, returned with the bag containing the marijuana, as well as the bag containing the tobacco and the piece of paper with the inmate’s name on it.

“What you go back there for?” the Prosecutor asked Antoine, who replied, “Me nah go carry no weed for anybody.”

Delpleche stressed the seriousness of Antoine’s action, especially in relation to the security issue involved.

“It is extremely aggravating. It is a total disrespect for our

Barry Antoine now has eleven convictions to his name. security forces,” he asserted.

In highlighting the aggravating factors, the Chief Magistrate pointed out that Antoine was on the compound of the prison, with the name of an inmate written on a piece of paper in a bag with the other items.

“That is a breach of security,” she told him.

She also noted that Antoine had ten previous convictions, the last being for firearm possession, and was recently released from prison.

Browne said she found no mitigating factors in relation to the offence.

She did not consider a custodial sentence as a starting point, but added three months for each aggravating factor.

Antoine, however, benefited from a one-third reduction for pleading guilty at the first available opportunity which brought the sentence down to four months.

„I am here to work,‰ says Prosecutor

PROSECUTOR Curlene Samuel has assured that she would continue to get the job done, once the Court is sitting.

Samuel, who prosecutes at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court, was responding to comments made on Tuesday by Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett, that some lawyers feel they should stay at home because of COVID19, and that he is aware that those responsible for serving summons are reluctant to go into the communities.

Court Clerk Corporal David

Wright, who was also part of the discussion, highlighted the seriousness of the situation and the high risks involved.

But while Prosecutor Samuel recognized the seriousness and the risks, she declared, “We have a job to do. Until they say no more, I am here to work.”

She urged that the precautionary measures outlined by the Ministry of Health be followed, and reiterated, “Until there is further information, I am here to work.”

Mentally ill beats lover for sex SENIOR Magistrate Rickie Burnett was at a loss on Tuesday, in deciding what to do with a case of domestic violence involving a mentally ill couple.

John Wiltshire of Redemption Sharpes, an outpatient of the Mental Health Centre (MCH), admitted to beating his common law wife Veronica Haynes, also an out-patient of the MCH. The Court heard that Wiltshire was in the habit of beating Haynes for sex, and on March 30, around 9pm, he entered her bedroom and asked for sex.

She refused, and he began to beat her with his hands. She insisted that she was not giving him sex, and he went outside for a piece of 2x2 (wood) and started to beat her with it, insisting all the while that he must have sex. The woman did not give in.

Ashe reported the matter to the police, resulting in Wiltshire being arrested and charged.

Wiltshire told the Court that Haynes was his girlfriend, and their relationship started while they were both patients at the Mental Health Centre.

They have been living together for the past four months at his home.

The Senior Magistrate expressed the view that mentally ill persons are entitled to have intimate relationships too, as they are human beings, but considered the case before him to be special.

“I am sorry because persons come to Court for the Court to fix everything, but I am wondering how I could fix this one.

“Because both of them are special, they are going to go back to the same situation. He is going to beat her again,” Burnett opined.

Wiltshire said that March 31 was Haynes’ birthday, and he was going to give her some money for her birthday, because he had recently won one of the National Lottery games.

“I don’t want to trivialize the matter. The matter was reported to the police, but I am contemplating, reprimanding and discharging,” he Magistrate said.

“Mr. Wiltshire, don’t hit her. If you hit her again and come back before me, I would not reprimand and discharge you again,” he warned before reprimanding and discharging Wiltshire.

No bail for accused Glock holder THIRTY-FOURLejah YEAR-OLD Lejah Alexander still Alexander has the has an option of applying to attempted the High Court for murder charge bail, after being hanging over refused bail at the his head.

Magisterial level on two indictable charges.

Alexander, a resident of Glen, is charged with using force to compel Lyndon Glasgow of Questelles to go from Questelles to Lowmans Leeward.

Alexander is also charged with possession of a Glock .40 pistol without a licence.

Both offences were reportedly committed at Questelles on February 1, and are said to have stemmed from the same incident.

In objecting to bail, Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche said Alexander was on bail on an attempted murder charge when he reportedly committed these offences.

Delpleche added that Glasgow has expressed some security issues to the police, and certain arrangements were being made for him.

Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne upheld the prosecutor’s application, and told the accused he is free to revisit the issue of bail at the High Court.

The matter has been adjourned to June 30.

The attempted murder charge on which Alexander was granted bail, is in connection with a shooting incident at Middle Street, Kingstown last year.

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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2020. 5.

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

The road ahead IT TOOK ABOUT THREE WEEKS (Mar. 11 – April 01) for this country to move from one confirmed COVID-19 case to two.

Then, it took just about a week to move from two cases to eight, albeit one having recovered.

This recent acceleration must be cause for much unease or we must be in a drunkard stupor.

The recent trend should be more than enough reason for citizens to heed the repeated appeals to exercise personal responsibility, and for the authorities to take action — introduce measures appropriate to the potentially fatal onslaught of COVID-19.

If there are any positive sides to the COVID-19, it is the fact that all our cases (to date) have been imported (persons returning home from metropolitan centres), and the fact that there have been no fatalities. There is also another small bit of good news i.e. that there is yet no evidence of community spread.

Thus, there are those who would say that because of that, it must be that the situation is being well managed within the public health system.

The bad news is that the worst of this pandemic could very well be still ahead (of us).

And, not because we might be trailing most of our CARICOM partners in terms of numbers, means we should let down our guard and foolishly raise our hands in victory.

We would want to believe, therefore, that the public health sector is in full COVID-19 mode, particularly with the ‘spike’ between April 01 and 07.

And since that, there have been some dramatic developments. The primary tertiary level care institute — Milton Cato Memorial Hospital — has scaled back its services to a bare minimum; seaports of entry in the Grenadines have been closed; international and regional air carriers have ceased passenger flights into the Argyle International Airport; all airports are now operating on an adjusted —

severely cut — schedule. cruise and stay off visitors have all but dried up; some business and financial institutions have adjusted their opening hours; some minibus operators have withdrawn their services; commerce and traffic (vehicular and pedestrian) in capital Kingstown have slowed considerably.

In effect, the country is clouded in uncertainty — there is a sense that it is lockdown yet it is not. Government says, in the face of increasing calls for it to ‘lock down the country’, that it will do no such thing.

But we must tread cautiously. The lockdown of the entire society with restricted movement, only slows down the spread of the coronavirus; it cannot stop it.

Testing remains the only true and most effective and data driven way to stop the spread of COVID-019.

Israel and South Africa introduced some of the most draconian laws restricting movement and making quarantining mandatory. The spread of COVID-19 and resulting deaths have soared in those countries.

Admittedly, it is expensive to test people; but once the virus is detected, it will pay for itself with the saving of lives and the eventual resumption of economic activities.

Doctors now tell us that testing the blood for an increase white blood cell count will be a preliminary test to help identify people who need confirmatory test.

It is impossible to fight an enemy you cannot see. But testing locates the COVID-19 cases and can help us focus resources where they are needed. If we do not strategically test aggressively, our health system will eventually become overwhelmed by the COVID-19 health crisis.

Curfew and social distancing (impossible if I live with several people) and states of emergency only slow down the spread.

Shouldn’t elimination be the goal?

Beware “The Laws Delay” (First published in THE VINCENTIAN of Friday 2nd March, 2018) SOMETIMES, the length of time it takes to arrive at a final settlement especially in legal constitutional matters seems extensively drawn out, but must be borne for the sake of democracy. The alternative is stark, either you take time over infuriating delays or you “appeal to heaven” which is a euphemism for revolution which we discount altogether.

To advise further caution and patience to those bearing the hurt of the latest implication of the 2015 Petition case, we go back to the vernacular, “time longer than twine”, or you have to “crush ants to find their guts”, even as far back as Shakespeare’s day, we were counselled about the Law delays. Further back, we were comforted that the mill of the almighty crushes slowly, but exceedingly fine. In my own mind, I seriously believe that essential good will flow to those who exercise the necessary patience in this heart-rending trial. In this glorious battle for democracy, and that is what it really is. There are many heroes, some of whom bear mention, but many would be innocently omitted for obvious reasons. In our hearts, all will be respected.

From the start of the crisis which heated up at the turn-over of the 21st Century, Arnhim Eustace has been a tower of strength, never mind his stature and black complexion which somehow or the other has been squeezed-in as a contemporary issue.

He is the Black Moses who has led his people to the gates of the New Jerusalem.

Another name is Godwin Friday, the new Joshua who is not only animated by the inspiration of the dead Moses, but enjoys the zest and commitment of the “Living” Arnhim Eustace who stands squarely behind, and at time even before, his every move underwritten by the people.

In fact, Friday is a modern version of Arnhim, with all his adopted father’s qualities of methodology, accountancy, and fairness, though naturally weighted differently.

The other members of the 2015 “Dream Team” all have the same vision of national progress — the two VP’s St Clair Leacock and Patel Matthews and Chairman Daniel Cummings. The

party is so enmeshed in democratic principles that they can speak anywhere in SVG, any time, on matters of principle, socio-economic and political, for other members of the NDP. The outer ring of ‘heroes’ especially include the spokes persons- Margaret London, Luzette King, Bert François, Collin Graham, Nick Francis, Pastor Abraham, Keith Joseph and Patches Knights who has been battling without cease for a bright SVG from morning, since the Black Power days of OBCA in the 1960s!

Patches is now 70 years young, as fit as a fiddle, an uncompromising patriot awaiting the call to storm the citadel of Jericho!

Some columnists- Adrian Fraser, Keith Joseph, Kenneth John and Leroy Providence and Jules Ferdinand. Nor must we forget our lawyers, toiling for fruit in the unyielding vine—yard, especially Stalky John, Kay Bacchus Baptiste, Zita Barnwell and Maia Eustace: they are the front-line heroes of our gallant fight to defend democracy.

As far as the other side is concerned, let them enjoy their brief and hollow victory while they consider a dim and haunting future.

To begin with, they paraded power, forgetting that they run a one seat majority government, of doubtful legality for the past 7 years! When Compton’s party had a one seat majority, he went back in a matter of months to seek a new, comfortable margin.

But never Gonsalves!

At one stage, he preached that no-one should exceed two terms as Prime Minister.

At present, he has chalked four wins in a row, and is on his fifth shift.

There is abundant evidence to suggest that his present aim is to create a dynasty which will demolish all pretense to founding a Democracy. We must stop it, beginning with a public display that at present his regime is illegal and, secondly that no way would Vincentians tolerate, much less welcome and salute the destruction of their democracy.

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6. THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2020. THE VINCENTIAN

Letters

Avoid repeating the same mistake

THE ANNOUNCEMENT to buy computers for our school children AGAIN is a commendable one, but this time around, safeguards must be installed in these devices to avoid abuse.

When the first set of computers was distributed to school children, they were delivered tabula rasa, which turned out to be a foolish decision, especially for children and parents who were virtually new to computers. So they ended up being primarily entertainment devices.

Video games, porn … just about everything on these devices was the order of the day.

If you visit the IT Department of the Ministry of Education, you will see a mountain of these computers whose hard drives crashed by visiting virus- packed websites. Others suffered from physical abuse. The exercise seemed to have been one of destruction of a valuable LEARNING TOOL All in all, it was a total waste of money, and it hurts my feelings

to see that such a wellintentioned gesture by the Government and donors was exploited negatively by both students and parents.

Going forward, I want to ask the Ministry of Education to install offline dictionaries and encyclopedias to enable those students who do not have internet access, to complete their assignments at home.

Install learning materials directly related to the curriculum on these devices, and include apps similar to Zoom so that teachers

can interact in a virtual classroom environment with their students.

All work and no play make both Jack and Jill dull kids, so the inclusion of several math, reading, science and English Language games will create a balanced environment between entertainment and learning.

Additionally, the computers must also be programmed in such a way that when it is instruction time, all other programmes are put on hold, similar to when you are on a

WhatsApp or Skype call and a telephone call comes in, the WhatsApp call is put on hold.

In that way, the management of these computers becomes effective and meaningful.

If possible, ALL porn sites must be blocked, just like how Google and other services block abusive and offensive language.

If we want to encourage the use of these devices in a positive way, we must ensure these devices are not abused and overloaded with non-

essential programmes which are often loaded with computer viruses.

Once again, I close with the words of a song

by Protoje, “A WORD UNTO THE WISE IS ENOUGH”.

Donald De Riggs

Levi Latham for We are doing well National Hero KNOWN as the father of self-help, no one else seemed to espouse such an important inspirational national development concept. i.e. Self Help.

From Fancy to Union Island, communities were maximizing their usefulness to their limits. In those days, government provided materials, and technical support, and citizens provided the labour. We worked hand in hand to accomplish what we wanted. Even though resources were limited, we were not in a state of “learned helplessness,” that seem to characterize the apparent current malaise with so many on Public Assistance and unwilling to help themselves or others.

I imagine that Papa Latham would not stop anyone from repairing public roads. He would appreciate any contribution they wish to make and perhaps provide guidance and technical support.

Development cannot emanate from a single source. We all should nurture a climate of volunteerism, patriotism, care, and respect for our people, and our physical environment. Volunteerism can help to stretch our resources to the limit and enable us to accomplish more. It empowers the people and engenders confidence in our future.

Levi Latham, though an ordinary man, having demonstrated the capacity to inspire a nation to extraordinary possibilities and accomplishments, deserves to be a National Hero.

He gave us the vision to see what we can give rather than what we can get. Acts 20:35 says, “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Anthony Stewart, PhD

WHILE THE WORLD continues to battle with COVID-19 pandemic and a rising death toll, we have to be thankful that to date (Mon. 6th April) that we have had no COCID-19 related deaths.

This, however, must not a signal that all is clear, but rather one to continue to be vigilant and even up our precautionary measures.

We must give thanks to the Almighty God for

who are taking the situation seriously and observing the guidance.

The dedication and handwork of the Health Workers must be heralded.

And, regardless of which political party we support, unless we have hatred on our agenda, we must admire the astute leadership of the Prime Minister thus far. Of course, there would always be areas for criticism, but by and

large, he has given mature and astute leadership.

Finally, let us continue to pray, repent and turn to God. Let us continue to work together as one. May God bless this nation.

Kennard King

Technology canÊt replace teachers WITH THE COVID-19 pandemic erasing close to a third of the school year for our children, educational officials must be pulling their hairs out trying to figure out how they are going to make up for this lost instructional time.

Notwithstanding the efforts to use technology to reach out to the senior students at both secondary and primary levels, what we might be missing here is making use of an opportunity to evaluate the many

why we have to be careful with how things are sold to us.

OUR PRIME MINISTER often takes And it is always, ‘I have to look for credit for programmes that he would the $$$ to do this or that.” So where have met on the agenda, and it seems is the Minister of Finance in all this? he takes credit for everything under It bothers me that in this period of the sun that his government has national concern, national fear of the done. On the flip side, he never ever increasing threat of the coronavirus, wants to take responsibility for the that our Prime Minister would not see wrong that happens around him, or the need to forget about ‘politrickin’ the problems that he has created. and get down to be taking appropriate Take for example ‘his’ Stimulus action in this time of need.

Package and some of the things he And in this period of uncertainty, referred to in that (package). Some of we still find time to divide ourselves. I the things were already in the budget, am yet to see a national effort to e.g. PAVE. PRYME, and even the combat this threat. reduction in petrol prices.

Thomas These are just a few examples of

How things are sold to us

His mercies, love and compassion. The prayers of the churches must not be forgotten.

Sometimes we tend to take little simple things for granted. With this in mind, we must recognize and compliment JAX ENTERPRISE and GECCU for their initiative in having a pipe and hand washing liquid so located that the public can use them.

Let us not forget the population as a whole,

current trends in education, and maybe to pave the way for new educational practices to be tested.

Education leaders in other countries are coming to realise that the trend toward using technology to improve learning is not in the future any more.

Additionally, they are learning that putting the needed technology into the hands of all students comes at an extremely high cost.

More and more,

education leaders are coming around to accept that what is needed, and what is the most stable component in delivering the best education possible, is having a well-trained, creative teacher in the classroom.

Technology can provide information and processes for students to interact with our modern curriculum, but learning has always been a social process of comparing new information with what is already known and experienced.

Children need constant interaction with adults and other children to absorb new knowledge.

While our officials with determining how to make up for the lost learning caused by this pandemic, let us also begin discussing how our teachers will be trained and how our schools will be financed so they can prepare students to meet the needs of our rapidly changing world.

Education Graduate

marriages/sodomy, stealing, wife-beating, etc., which are sins listed in the Bible, we IF WE HAD heeded the Word of the invoke the wrath of God. Lord, we might not have had the It has been said, “What we learn coronavirus. from history is we do not learn.”

2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, Read Ezekiel, which tells over and which are called by my name, shall over again, particularly chapter 33, humble themselves, and pray, and how God disciplined his people who seek my face, and turn from their rebelled against Him and committed wicked ways; then will I hear from adultery and idolatry. heaven, and will forgive their sin, and God said if we turn from our will heal their land.” wicked ways, He, God, would heal our God gave us the freedom to choose land. There is a heaven and a hell. good or evil. When as a nation we Scoff, die and go to hell. As a nation choose to do evil, such as doing and/or and the world, repent and stand in condoning wickedness like abortion, the place of blessing. adultery, arson, assault, child abuse, divorce, drunkenness, incest, lying, Bro Carter murder, perjury, robbery, same-sex

The wrath of God

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“Rising stronger from the ashes of COVID-19” Decisive leadership needed to

Excerpts from the address to the nation on March 25th 2020, on the approach to the Covid 19 Pandemic Our government’s approach has been to follow the science; act prudently on the medical advice of the professionals in the Ministry of Health and Wellness; be guided by the sage advice of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the PanAmerican Health Organisation (PAHO), and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA); distil the practical observations from the experiences of other countries world-wide and shape responses appropriate to our circumstances; and ramp-up in either an incremental or accelerated manner our policies and practical measures to fit the fluidity or altering nature of the global, regional, and national condition in all their inter-connectedness.

The central fact is that Covid-19 is a serious disease to be addressed seriously and scientifically, not complacently but also not hysterically.

Proportionate responses are demanded always with urgency; and the changing level of risks is required to be managed sensibly and cautiously, avoiding both over-reaction and under-reaction. It is a balance not always easily achieved.

The received scientific learning and wisdom of the nature of Covid-19 is that it is not a death sentence like HIV/AIDS in an earlier period or more recently, Ebola. Some 80 percent of those who are infected by Covid-19 will have a mild infection and will recover well and in good time. Only a very small percentage of those who are actually infected will suffer significantly.

parties, to restrict the number of persons attending to a reasonable size, and to follow protocols of personal or social distancing as are reasonably practicable in all the circumstances. I urge all of us to follow the Ministry’s protocols; it is in all our interest.

6. An altered regime for the granting of sick leave for employees with flu-like symptoms or respiratory problems or Covid-19 infections has been established for central government employees. This regime is advisory for state-owned enterprises and the private sector. Employers are being asked, as far as is reasonably practicable, to organise their workplaces, shift systems or home-work regimes to better face the threat of Covid-19.

7. The array of oft-repeated personal hygiene protocols are advised to be scrupulously followed by individuals, families, at homes and workplaces.

8. An Isolation Unit is currently being set up and is scheduled for opening by mid-April 2020.

9. A flu clinic on St. Vincent and temporary isolation facilities (retrofitted containers) in the Grenadine islands of Bequia, Canouan, Union Island, Mayreau, and at Kingstown have been put in place.

Quarantine/isolation rooms have been identified for these Grenadine islands plus Mustique, and on St. Vincent.

10. The equipment, materials, and supplies for testing Covid-19 have been ordered and are due to arrive in St. Vincent and the Grenadines shortly. (i) Health Dimension Other materials and supplies to combat Covid-19 have also been So, in keeping with the fluidity, ordered and are also due to arrive unevenness, and evolving soonest. Until in-country testing circumstances of the interbecomes available, testing is being connectedness and many-sided impacts done at the CARPHA labs in Trinidad of Covid-19, the up-to-date or in Barbados, courtesy of that containment and management country’s government. framework for Covid-19 in St. Vincent 11. A hotline for Covid-19 has been and the Grenadines involves the set up. following: 12. Some forty (40) Vincentian 1. All persons who arrive from nurses and intern doctors have been, China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, USA, or are being, hired to strengthen the United Kingdom and membercontainment and surveillance at the countries of the European Union, hospitals and clinics, the ports of including the Overseas Departments of entry, hotels, and the hotline in respect France, and Canada will be of Covid-19. quarantined, automatically, at their 13. Twelve nurses and four doctors own expense, for 14 days. from Cuba, a gift from the government 2. Any person, arriving from the and people of Cuba, are due to arrive same named-countries or any other in St. Vincent and the Grenadines country, with symptoms of COVID-19 tomorrow for an initial 3-month period, will be isolated privately or in a public but which time period may be facility, and tested. Relevant medical extended, to assist us in containing protocols will further apply depending and managing Covid-19. on the outcome of the test but in any 14. The government has purchased event the isolation will be for at least the anti-viral drug, Interferon, from 14 days.

Cuba in sufficient doses to satisfy the 3. All educational institutions (pretreatment cycles for 50 patients. The schools, early childhood centres, OECS Pharmaceutical Procurement primary, secondary, post-secondary Service has also ordered additional and tertiary) have been closed one week prior to the Easter vacation, and supplies of this drug for St. Vincent continuing, until the start of the third and the Grenadines. The dosages of Interferon will arrive in a few days’ school term. time. The OECS has ordered more for 4. An advisory was issued for the cancellation of the Easterval in Union us, at our request.

15. Overall, the Ministry of Health Island and the Easter Regatta in Bequia. The organisers of Gospel Fest and Wellness, has taken several other practical measures, in its normal and have postponed the holding of this enhanced operations, to fortify our Festival from April to an unspecified battle against Covid-19, especially as date in the future. regards elderly persons, pregnant 5. An advisory by the Ministry of women, and other at-risk groups.

Health and Wellness has been issued Let us support the efforts of the for places of entertainment, social Ministry of Health and the governgathering, worship, or locales for ment, and play our part in the fight funerals, weddings, birthdays, or social against Covid 19.

manage COVID-19 (Excerpts of Dr. Friday’s Address to the Nation Pt. 2)

Economic Stimulus I wish to address briefly our economic plight. This aspect of the problem will need constant monitoring and adjustment of relief measures from time to time. While our first concern must be to protect life and health, we also have to look after the financial and material needs of our people and help them to manage for some time.

With the travel industry now at a standstill, our tourism sector has suffered a severe blow and it may get worse. This means difficult times are ahead for those who earn their living directly or indirectly from tourism– e.g. hotel/guest house operators and workers, restaurant operators and workers, entertainers, taxi drivers, tour operators and tour guides, craft vendors, market vendors and water taxi operators.

Governments in CARICOM and other parts of the world, have put in place various economic stimulus packages to help people employed in the tourism sector and other severely impacted groups. All of us are called upon to do our part to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and protect against disease. We will all make the necessary sacrifice. Those who are directly affected financially by loss of jobs or businesses need assurance from government that they will receive financial assistance.

Banks and other financial institutions here and elsewhere in the currency union have offered relief through deferred loan payments and waiver of fees for six months. Those who wish to use these provisions should be enabled to do so. Financial institutions and the government should make the necessary information available to them. Do not merely announce the measures. Put systems in place to help people who need them to have access to them.

I am also heartened to hear from the government that the NIS will play a role by providing some unemployment benefits. Every bit helps! In general, any economic stimulus package outlined by the government must meet the needs of the crisis. This requires a comprehensive and detailed assessment of our present circumstances, including our shortcomings to meet the growing demands of this pandemic. When we go to Parliament on April 7th, we will address the specific measures the government proposes and make additional recommendations as needed. For example, I believe that self-employed persons who have lost their incomes must also be given financial support.

Many people in the informal sector will also need income assistance and must be considered likewise. One measure that can provide relief to all persons would be to reduce the cost of electricity by 25 per cent for a specific period.

Finally, I have recommended to the government that the stimulus package designed specifically for COVID-19 relief be placed under oversight of a select committee of Parliament. This will inspire confidence that the funds would reach those most affected by the crisis, and it will signal to external donors that suitable measures are in place to

ensure accountability. I hope this recommendation is adopted.

Churches Governments around the world have implemented strict guidelines limiting the number of persons allowed to gather publicly, for weddings, funerals and other social gatherings, and for bars and night clubs. We must do similarly.

As a Christian nation, we have many churches and congregations throughout our country. Church leaders, I know you always want what is best for your congregations. I urge you to continue to take social distancing seriously. Some churches are making use of available technology to host online worship services, Bible studies and prayer meetings. If you are not already using them, consider doing so whenever you can. Our faith is strong, but we must couple it with action to fulfil our mission.

Prayer is our strength, always. But we recognize it most in difficult times, such as now. So, let us bend our knees and, as the Psalmist exhorts us to do, lift up our eyes unto the hills from whence cometh our help. He will not fail us!

My prayers and best wishes are with our sisters and brothers in our diaspora. Many of them are required to stay at home and incomes and jobs are at risk. Though we are separated by seas and oceans, we are in this fight together, and we will triumph together.

We can defeat COVID-19 We will defeat the coronavirus.

Medical science will catch up with it and conquer it. This too shall pass.

But, in the meantime, we need to protect ourselves and one another to have the best chance of being around when that happens. It will take every single one of us to implement the necessary steps to prevent the spread of this virus.

I hope with all my heart that we can reduce the impact of this global pandemic to a minimum in St. Vincent and the Grenadines; that we will avoid serious illnesses, death and long, severe economic hardship. I know you do too. We hope because hope gives us courage and strength to do all that we can. It promises a brighter tomorrow. However, hope is not a substitute for appropriate action. While we hope for the best, we must do all we can to prevent the worst from becoming reality, and to be ready if it does.

We are a kind and compassionate people. We know what it means to make sacrifice for the common good.

The pandemic calls upon us to do so now. Let us embrace the moment, so that one day soon, we will be able to look and be proud of our efforts.

Together, as One People, One Nation, we will overcome this appalling threat to human survival and to our Vincentian way of life. In the enduring words of our National Anthem, let us continue to believe together that “Whate’er the future brings, Our faith will see us through…”. May God bless us all and bless our beloved St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

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8. THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2020. THE VINCENTIAN

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Are the locusts coming?

“This is the worst locust attack we have seen since 1993.” – Falak Naz – Director General of Crop Protection and Pakistan’s Ministry of Food Security (The Economic Times – 18th March 2020) ONE OF THIS COLUMN’S UK-based regular readers has been kindly providing me with frequent updates in relation to the locust plague that has been recently devastating crops in the Horn of Africa, North Africa, the Middle East, and Pakistan. She anticipates that it may be only a matter of time before these winged insects arrive in the Caribbean.

Some readers may react by seeking to assure themselves that it is impossible for these airborne creatures to travel 5,000 miles across the Atlantic to visit with us. But they can.

And they previously did. The older readers may recall that in 1988 swarms of African locusts, aided by wind currents, crossed the Atlantic Ocean and created havoc for many populations in the Caribbean and neighbouring parts of South America.

They did it then … and can do it again. They have the capacity to travel across the African continent and, if weather conditions are favourable, can cross the Atlantic Ocean too.

Reports coming out of Africa confirm that during the last few months, the locusts have devastated crops in Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia.

They have been breeding at an unprecedented rate. As the locust plagues destroy the crops and other vegetation, they create chaos in the population, and result in thousands dying from famine and starvation.

The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), via their publication Locust Watch, anticipates that there will be “an unprecedented threat to food security and livelihoods at the upcoming cropping season.” The FAO describes the locust as “the most destructive migratory pest in the world.” The FAO anticipates that up to 20.2 million people living in East Africa can be affected by the food insecurity created by the ravenous swarms.

Locusts are a collection of certain species of short-horned grasshoppers.

They are members of the family Acrididae (approximately 10,000 species) that have a swarming phase.

These insects are usually solitary.

However, under certain conditions, they become more abundant and change their behaviour and habits to congregate in swarms. They are considered most destructive when they swarm.

The current locust plague in Africa should not be taken lightly. Kenya has reported that this locust plague is already their worst in 70 years.

Additionally, it is considered to be the worst in other regions of Africa in at least 25 years. The locust swarms can travel up to 90 miles in a day. These vicious eaters are presently consuming the equivalent of what 40,000 humans will eat in a single day, and threaten the food supply for millions of inhabitants. They strip all vegetation wherever they travel.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that the African locusts arrived in their nation in June 2019.

They have been multiplying since then. At the end of January 2020, the provincial Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government declared emergency in

nine southern districts as they seek to control the spread of the locusts. More recent communique reveal that Pakistan is now seeking assistance from China in an effort to quell their expansion.

Dr. Richard Munang, an expert at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and current African Regional Climate Change Coordinator, asserts that the hotter climates encourage the reproduction of the destructive locust swarms.

However, he advocates that wet weather also favour their multiplication. Dr. Munang noted that, “While climate change is a global phenomenon, Africa stands out for its vulnerability which is driven primarily by the prevailing low levels of socioeconomic development.” Dr. Munang proceeded to indicate that, “Persons living in poverty face compounding vulnerabilities to climate change impacts because they lack the resources to quickly recover from its effects. In this case, desert locusts are ravaging crops in the field before harvesting, wiping out livestock and wildlife feed, and with them savings, assets and livelihoods.”

As destiny would have it, just prior to my submitting this article to the Vincentian newspaper, Van Edmunds posted an article on his Facebook page entitled, “Bracing For the Second Wave of Locust Invasion — Skywatch Media”. The article highlighted the fact that the relatively heavy rains that fell in many of the East African nations in March provided ideal breeding conditions for the locusts there. Director Stephen Njoka of the Desert Locusts Control Organisation of Eastern Africa (DLCO-EA) asserts that, “The country remains under threat as long as the locusts are not controlled in the Horn of Africa region, where new swarms are continually forming.”

This article is not intended to drive fear among our local and regional populations. It is merely intended to alert us to the possibility of the locusts coming, and encourage us to take the necessary steps to combat them. We can benefit from the wisdom of Sun Tzu (545 BC — 470 BC). This accomplished Chinese general, military strategist, writer, and philosopher reminds us that, in anticipation of the enemy arriving at our doors, we must be wise enough to make sure that we are adequately prepared for the fight. While we may wish the enemy not to come we would be foolish to be lulled into a position of not being sufficiently prepared should the enemy appear.

Based on the foregoing, there is wisdom in having our local, regional, and international experts in the field consider the options that are available to us as we contemplate the probability of the arrival of the locusts.

It is not beyond us to cope with the invasion. However, adequate planning is critical. We must be proactive in this regard and be totally prepared should the locusts appear.

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

Unethical, Immoral, Illegal, Repulsive and Repugnant FOR THE ENTIRE LIFE of the Bolivarian revolution, beginning with the triumph of President Hugo Chavez in 1998, the American governments, as well as the rich and powerful nations of this world, have been violently opposed to the transformative process ongoing in Venezuela.

It mattered not that the revolutionary process, initiated by Commander Chavez, and admirably continued by president Nicholas Maduro, brought free health and dental care, free education, a literacy program that taught millions of ordinary people to read and write, built more than 3 million homes for citizens, and for the first time, in a century, since the discovery and exploitation of the nation’s enormous oil and gas reserves, used the income to satisfy the needs of the people of Venezuela.

We know that revolutions, premised on the radical transformation of the society, away from the rich and powerful ruling classes and towards the poor and marginalized, the weak and disadvantageous workers and peasants, will always be opposed by leaders, institutions and nations that are satisfied with the status quo, where as small, parasitic elite reign like mighty lords.

What has taken this American opposition to a new low is the vehement hatred that comes from these powerful forces. Who could believe that in the face of the Covid 19 pandemic, the American regime, led by Donald Trump, would ramp up an embargo against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Cuba and Iran, veto a US$5 billion loan to Venezuela which was requested to buy crucial medical supplies to aid in the fight against the pandemic, and compounded that refusal by taking their perfidy to an all time low by declaring Venezuela a narco-terrorist state, placed a US$15 million bounty on President Maduro and millions more on the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Head of the Armed forces and the Leader of the National Assembly?

Venezuela is a country with bountiful resources. Within its soil lies the largest deposit of oil in the world, a vast land and sea scape, abundant water, the rare mineral, Coltan which is essential in the manufacture of portable telephones, personal computers, automobile electronics and cameras, gold, diamonds and bauxite, among other precious metals. Left to function normally, it can easily pay its debt. Yet a supposedly neutral, independent body such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) refused to lend this long-suffering people the funds necessary to fight this dreaded disease.

Imagine further that the entire leadership of this fighting people is tarred with the nasty smear of narcoterrorism. The simple reason for this unjustified and evil action on the part of the Trump regime is that it has been unable to break the will of the Venezuelan leadership. It has tried hoisting the non-entity Juan Guaido on the people. Bribe, blackmail, assassination of the country’s leaders and all these attempts have failed.

Considering these failures, the US government is dusting off the Noriega option which was implemented in 1999 to justify the invasion of Panama.

Having failed to bring down the revolution, which is geared towards uplifting and benefitting the majority of Venezuelan citizens, the American government has taken its big lie to another level, falsely accusing the entire leadership of this proud and defiant nation, of drug trafficking so as to justify an invasion.

To be sure, this declaration by the Trump regime that the Bolivarian leadership of Venezuela is narco-

terrorists, is primarily intended to divert attention from the incompetence and ineptitude of the American government in the mishandling of the Covid 19 pandemic. Trump knows well that Americans defend their soldier sons and daughters, no matter how lousily the country’s leaders. In addition, 2020 is an election year and Trump is seeking re-election. He is looking for anything that will give him a lift in the polls and on which he can glide home to victory in November presidential elections.

But the narco-terrorist charge against President Maduro and the entire top leadership of Venezuela is refuted by persons who know well the situation in Venezuela.

Pino Arlacchi, Former Vice Secretary of the United Nations and Former Executive Director of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said a day after the charges were laid, ‘I have been dealing with the issue of drugs for forty years, and I have never encountered Venezuela. Before, during and after as Executive Director of UNODC (19972002), Venezuela has always been outside the main cocaine trafficking circuits.’

Trump’s Justice Department leveled the charges without a shred of proof or evidence against President Nicolas Maduro and other top government officials. Attorney General Barr argued that the President Maduro administration allowed the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to use the national airspace to transport drugs and ‘flood the U.S with cocaine.’

However, Pino Arlacchi, the long serving United Nations official said ‘There is no illegal drug trade between Venezuela and the United States, except in the ill fantasy of Trump and his associates’. Mr. Arlacchi cited two critical sources to augment his assertions. The first one is the most recent UNODC report on drugs, and the second the latest U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA document) dated December 2019, which neither one of them mentions Venezuela.

According to the DEA report, 90 percent of the cocaine introduced in the U.S. comes from Colombia, six percent from Peru and the rest from unknown origins. ‘You can be sure that if in that remaining four percent any hint of Venezuela’s involvement existed, it would not have gone unnoticed,’ Arlacchi noted.

The Trump regime’s policies towards Venezuela and by extension Cuba, Nicaragua and Iran, are not only repugnant and repulsive; they are immoral, unethical and illegal. They are essentially crimes against humanity. No one who believes in the right to life and the international law principles of Independence, sovereignty, noninference and non-intervention in the internal affairs of independent states, should remain quiet when countries are strangled and people are made to suffer and die because they choose a path to national development that does not fit into the whim and fancy of powerful states.

We must raise our voices in principled opposition to the smearing of leaders and the destruction of countries that are fighting to ensure a better life for their peoples.

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

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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2020. 9.

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ULP regimeÊs failure to invest in education is costing Vincentian lives THE ULP REGIME’S failure to invest in education and a university, is costing Vincentian lives. When the ULP regime first got into office in 2001, one of their first major projects was to build a new jail in North Leeward, the Belle Isle jail.

The focus was on locking people up; but what SVG desperately needed in 2001 — and still does to this day — is a world-class education system from preschool to university. With our own university and world-class education system, we would be able to educate and train our people to deal with anything that was a danger to our country.

The current coronavirus issue is a case in point, and illustrates the consequences of the ULP regime’s failure to invest in education and our own university.

Firstly, SVG does not have the human resource capability and technology to develop our own test for this COVID-19 virus. We are relying on other countries for test kits. The time delay in get testing kits is putting lives at risk.

We need a diagnostic test - done by taking a swab of the nose or throat, which would then be sent to a lab to look for signs of the virus’s genetic material — to test if someone has the virus. We also need an antibody test, to see if someone has already had the virus. This type of test works by looking for signs of immunity, by using a drop of blood on a device.

The fact that within SVG we do not have the capability to test for the virus and analyse the test swab to find out the test result, means that time is lost not knowing who has the virus.

The fact that SVG has to buy-in test kits and then send the test specimens to Trinidad to be analysed and get the test result, is putting lives at risk. The 5 to 7 day time delay in getting results means the virus will spread quicker,

as people who have the virus — knowingly or unknowingly — are freely wandering around the country and could be anywhere — on a bus, in the market, in a shop, etc.

Since 2001, the focus should have been on education and building our own university, so that we had the human resource capability and the technology to test and analyse within SVG. If we had that level of capability and technology, our response to coronavirus could have been quicker and better, and the risk of loss of lives reduced. Our response could have been different too, like that of South Korea.

By 29 February 2020, South Korea — which has a population of 52 million people - had recorded 909 new cases, but by 6 March 2020, new infections began to level off.

They have the human resource capability to develop their own test, make test kits and analyse test specimens. Test results are available within 24 hours. When the first cases were confirmed in South Korea, the government began to roll out its trace, test and treat approach - which has led to almost half a million people being tested for Covid-19 in a very short time. They were testing thousands of people a day.

Widespread testing in South Korea not only located infected people, it also allowed close contacts of infected people to be traced and people not showing symptoms to be identified and isolated.

South Korea has the technology to allow health officials to trace in detail the footsteps of citizens who test positive for the virus. They can pinpoint exactly where a person has been and send mass communications to people who may have come in contact with them. SVG lacks this human resource and technology

have been the focus, instead it should have been a world-class education system from preschool to university, to educate and train our people to deal with anything our country faces.

The money has always been there to capability, and so the virus has a do this, as it is conservatively greater chance of spreading and estimated that Taiwan owes SVG infecting people.

E$57 billion in Fish Tax avoidance for According to Warrant Officer Ivan period 2001 to 2019, and the ULP Bertie O’Neal, BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, regime is giving away hundreds of the ULP regime’s failure to invest in millions of dollars to the super-rich in education and a university is costing Mustique and Canouan in tax and Vincentian lives. A new jail should not customs duty exemptions.

Twenty ‘All Fools Days’ ago!

TWENTY YEARS AGO, our beautiful country SVG, after a period of heightened political activity when we came very near to having the blood of the people flowing on the streets, the NDP led by James Mitchell was thrown out of office (government) and replaced by the ULP led by Ralph Gonsalves.

The elections which came more than two years before they were due, were held on the 31st of March of 2001. The result, twelve seats to three in favour of the ULP, represented the strong disapproval by the populace of the exhibition of indifference and even seeming arrogance, with the way that the people of the NDP had been behaving since 1998. The NDP had lost their way!

The new prime minister and his team were sworn in on April 1st.

Many people expressed their concerns and disapproval, in view of the fact, that April 1st has been traditionally the time when the mischief of the prankster will, in most cases, draw merely a ‘chuckle’ from the persons targeted. So ‘All Fools Day’ in St. Vincent and the Grenadines can be said to be the day of the ‘Pranksters’.

On looking back on our lives as Vincentians over the last twenty years, have we benefited from the change of government in 2001? A good place to begin such an investigation, would be in the promises and pledges that the Gonsalves led ULP had made to the people, and to see the extent to which the programmes and policies they sought to implement, had been determined after careful consideration, of what was in the best interest of all the people.

Farmers will remember, that prominent among the thing the Gonsalves led ULP promised they were going to do, were the revitalizing of the Banana Industry and the repairing of the feeder roads. They have been traitors to those promises, but yet they were ‘bare-faced’ enough, that the Minister of Finance Camillo Gonsalves could declare in 2019, that agriculture was going to be the pillar of the economy. He was energetically supported by the Minister of Works, Julian Francis, who prior to that time, had been documented as not being convinced, that agriculture was still very important to the welfare of our land.

So on the basis of the bold pronouncements by Messers Gonsalves and Francis, farmers looked forward for serious work by our Ministry of Agriculture in 2019. But it seems their focus was on the promotion of the Medicinal Marijuana Project, from which they have already earned over thirteen million dollars in fees.

The statement in the Budget Address of 2020, relating to our agricultural activity in 2019, does not reflect that agriculture was the pillar of the economy, as had been touted by the Minister of Finance.

On page 7 of the address, it reads: “In 2019, St. Vincent and the Grenadines exported more livestock than ever before”…. I do not think that is accurate, for in the early 1950s, we shipped hundreds of small ruminants every week almost… “We cultivated more cocoa than ever before”, that statement can be challenged! One of the jokes in the address is found on page 8; it reads: “The government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines recognizes that 2020 presents a window of opportunity for Vincentian farmers and fisherfolk to capitalize on the exciting developments in the agriculture sector. As a result, we are significantly increasing the monies under the Farmers’ Support Revolving Fund, to allow our fisherfolk and farmers of livestock, poultry, banana, vegetable, arrowroot and other crops to enhance their capacity for increased production in anticipation of the coming opportunities. Budget 2020 provides $1 million to the Farmers Support Revolving Fund.”

If twenty persons in a cabinet, each of whom has been getting a salary and various allowances, even for entertainment, but they find it fair and reasonable to draw down sixty thousand dollars from “The Land” for their dinner, how much enthusiasm do they expect to generate among 8,000 farmers in 2020, with a $1 million revolving fund?

They seem stuck in their original game plan, Political - Hypocritical — Roguish — Arrogance — Undermining — Democratic — Decency; “PHRAUDD”.

Is it that the ‘All Fools Day’ game initiated in 2001 continues?

LeRoy Providence

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10. THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2020. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Infected woman on lockdown

AS MANY AS 64 PERSONS have been identified as having come into contact with the second individual who tested positive for COVID- 19.

According to Prime

Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, as of April 3, 40 of those individuals had been contacted or traced. The process of tracing the remaining persons was ongoing.

“No one of the 40 odd has had any symptoms of COVID-19, so that is good news,” the Prime Minister said.

Additionally, it has been determined that the

individual who was deemed to have had the most contact with the infected person, had no symptoms. However, as a result of the close contact, the medical authorities advised that that person be put in quarantine, Gonsalves said.

Case Number Two, a woman, was said to have arrived here on March 25, on an American Airlines flight from the United States, and was placed under mandatory self-

quarantine.

It was noted that the individual breached quarantine but has since been placed under lockdown and, because of her history, was under police guard.

The third case was an individual who came in from Barbados on March 18, the Prime Minister said.

“It was interesting to note that he had not come in from any country that required to be quarantined, but he appeared to have been somebody listening and had put himself in quarantine,” Gonsalves said.

At that press briefing, the Prime Minister said that, based on intelligence, it had been determined that there were 15 persons who were not following quarantine.

This Gonsalves said meant that we needed to adopt a ‘good neighbour’

initiative.

“Not to go snooping but to give information,” he said.

Of those 15 individuals, Gonsalves said that it was hoped that they will be dealt with in the court.

“If there are any who have not had a court order yet, or those who breach the order, then the law will deal with them.”

Under the Public Health Act of 1977, there is a provision that if someone willfully transmits a disease, they can be brought to court and fined EC$100 and sentenced to three months imprisonment.

But it would be up to the authorities to say to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) that they want to prosecute someone and because it is a summary offence, they have up to a year to file a case against an offender.

(DD)

Another isolation facility identified GOVERNMENT HAS IDENTIFIED a second facility which will be used as an isolation facility for persons showing signs of being infected by the novel coronavirus.

Indication of this was given by Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves at a press briefing on April 3.

He, however, stopped short of disclosing the location of the facility, citing the potential for security breaches by those being housed in the facility.

“The way some people behaving, that if I say where the facility is, they will go there and would want to burn the witches at the stake as they used

to do…we can’t function like that,” Gonsalves said.

Those who will be housed at the facility will be individuals who have symptoms. The severity of the symptoms will determine whether a person will be housed in the primary isolation facility being prepared at Argyle.

As of April 6, the Ministry of Health has indicated that there were 465 persons currently placed in quarantine.

“And there is going to have more people,” Gonsalves said, adding that the practicality of putting everybody under quarantine in one facility was not realistic. (DD)

Equipping and refurbishing a building at Argyle to serve as the primary isolation facility for severe/moderate cases of COVID-19, is set to cost $1.55 million.

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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2020. 11.

Easter Messages

Opportunity in crisis

diseases (Black Death: 1346-1350, Cholera: 1899-1923, Spanish Flu: A Crisis 1918-1920, Asian Flu: 1957-1958, Hong Kong FROM TIME TO TIME, our Flu: 1968-1969, Avian human abilities, potentials Flu: 2009, MERS, Ebola, and capacities are SARS). The present challenged by the vagaries COVID-19 is another of of life – happenings which such manifestations. Is it come upon us suddenly a blessing or a curse? Is and seem to challenge our it ‘a product of nature’ or very existence. However, is it ‘a test tube baby’? Is despite the bludgeoning this crisis or we experience, we tend to opportunity? Whatever rise from the ashes like we conclude, the virus is the Phoenix, emerging as having its day. It is we do, more enlightened, spreading rapidly and more knowledgeable, and the whole world is more humbled. At the shaking at the knees. O same time, it is not Christians, should we erroneous to say that we bow in fear, or prostrate tend, likewise, to become in faith? While scientists more humanistic – that is, around the globe work celebratory of human around the clock, many triumph rather than Christians and other acknowledging with persons of faith wage a renewed conviction belief battle in the ‘war rooms’ in a God who is close to and sanctuaries of the us, intervenes on our world. behalf, and interested in human flourishing.

An Opportunity Human history has been punctuated by If we believe that in surges of infectious, every cloud there is a contagious and deadly silver lining, if all things From the SVG CHRISTIAN COUNCIL

work together for good to those who love the Lord (cf. Rom 8:28), and if in every crisis there is opportunity, then we must address the question of what in the emergence of this virus is opportunity for humanity: individually, familially and socially.

Individually, a spiritual experience. The effects of the virus on a person challenges the individual to confront his/her deepest anxieties and fears: the problem of suffering, human mortality, and the afterlife. The COVID-19 pandemic offers an opportunity, then, to ponder on one’s relationship with God or the Divine, and to address the question of the ‘meaning of life’.

Familially, through LOCKDOWN (Not yet physically in SVG, but surely psychologically!), members now have more time at home, thus more time for conversation and bonding. Family

members may undertake to fast from the cell phone, thus creating time for play and for enjoying the gift of one another. Time may be given to reading stories and telling stories. Bring back the ‘Anansi Stories’; some children have never heard about the trickster from West Africa.

Engage with new ears the saying: ‘A family that prays together, stays together’? And integral to this is reading the Scriptures, since ‘Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ’ (St. Jerome).

Socially, this pandemic gives us the opportunity to practise the virtues of neighbourliness, human solidarity and the common good. The neighbour is the one who is close to me, and at the same time, the one from whom I must ‘physically’ and ‘socially’ distance myself. Like neighbourliness, human solidarity is extoled in

this time of crisis since we are reminded that ‘we are all responsible for all’. In this global pandemic, it’s all about ‘us’, not just ‘them’. The common good is the level we must achieve. All peoples everywhere are called to collaborate with civil authorities to ensure that the virus is contained and not propagated by anyone’s non-compliance. The present offers us an opportunity to work together across the divides of space and time, politics and religion, colour and class, race and social status, financial standing and educational background for the good of all. The health and wellbeing of each person/citizen is a priority. No one must go uncared for or discriminated against. In the end, if we take hold of the opportunities offered in this time of testing, we may emerge from our bunkers (LOCKDOWN!) a new

humanity bearing the scars of the virus but imbued with the hope of the resurrection.

Opportunity in Crisis In conclusion, we are reminded that the crisis created by the arrest, trial and crucifixion of Jesus pushed the disciples into LOCKDOWN (cf. Jn 20:19…’the doors were closed for fear of the Jews…’). Little did they know that it was this condition of LOCKDOWN which would occasion the birth of the Church through the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit.

From this perspective of ‘opportunity in crisis’ we catch a glimmer of hope, the virtue which inspires us to press on. This hope lies in Jesus Christ and the promise of resurrection. He, the Lord, has conquered sin, death and the grave. He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Behold, Man’s Redemption has been paid! passed over,” in memory of Jesus Christ‘s great deliverance, or Resurrection. Hence, Easter holiday is a festival associated with the observance of the resurrection of Jesus 1 PETER 1:3: says, “According to Christ which is being observed by God’s great mercy, he has caused us to Christians and non-Christians be born again to a living hope through worldwide. For Christians, the origin the resurrection of Jesus Christ from of Easter is simply the crucifixion of the dead.” our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on Let us join with all Spiritual that very first “Good Friday” and His Baptists and other religious bodies resurrection approximately 2,000 here in St. Vincent and the years ago.

Grenadines and the diaspora in According to the Gospel accounts, praising Jesus Christ for His Jesus Christ, the true Messiah who selflessness in sacrificing his life; was promised in the Old Testament showing His deep love for humanity. and was born of the Virgin Mary in Let me remind you that Covid -19 the New Testament was later crucified did not cancel out our Easter and resurrected at the time of the Celebration. Yes, there is a slight Jewish Passover. Since that difference than ever before in our astounding event, those who believe Celebration this year, but we will that Christ is their Messiah have continue to have tremendous hope, honoured that day and often happiness, prosperity, and abundance celebrated it with the traditional through God’s divine grace, not only Passover. St. Mathew 26: 1-2. Jesus for this year but for all eternity. May drank of the bitter cup of suffering and the beauty of Easter holidays warm pain both before, and while he hung on your hearts and bring peace and joy to the cross. His mission to come to this you and your family even in the midst earth to provide hope and forgiveness of Covid -19. of sins was completed for all times! St The term “Easter” comes from the John19:30 As he drew his final breath Greek word ‘Pascha’ which means “he on the cross, he uttered those From His Eminence The Most Reverend Melford Matthias Pompey Archbishop of the Spiritual Baptist Archdiocese SVG

redemptive words “It is finished” in Greek translation “Tetelestai” which comes from the verb “teleo” meaning “to bring to an end, to complete, to accomplish.” Jesus Christ has accomplished the task of paying the ransom for the sins of mankind.

Behold, Man’s Redemption has been paid!

Today I pray for the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change the things we can and wisdom to know the difference.

Given a press release earlier from my desk, I am not ordering a total lock down of our Spiritual Baptist Churches at this time, since the Government has issued just an advisory and not a ban to be enforced.

Pastors and Members are asked to follow guidelines as far as is possible, but once a ban is put on church activities, all churches are asked to respect the decision of the authority/Government. I have also declared three (3) days of prayers and fasting from Holy Thursday to Easter Saturday. Churches are also advised to avoid church invitations at this time where gatherings exceed 25 persons, example thanksgiving, baptism and such like. All members of the Spiritual

Baptist Archdiocese are asked to adhere to these instructions.

Finally, I need to make it clear to our nation that I am not supporting any alternative secular/materialistic activity to replace Carnival this year except those of a spiritual nature for cleansing and to give glory to Almighty God. I believe that God will protect and shield those of us who truly trust in him, from the Corona Virus, so we need not give in to fear at this time, for God has not given us a spirit of fear. Let us do all the necessary things we are asked to do by the relevant authorities, and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ would do the rest in protecting and shielding us from this fatal virus.

As we celebrate this Easter, let us remember in prayer those who are not well, especially those suffering from the corona virus, and offer our sympathy to those families who have lost loved ones.

May the miracle of Easter help you to feel the presence and power of God and may all your prayers be answered.

He arose a victor from the dark domain and he lives forever with his Saints to reign. HAPPY EASTER TO ALL.

12. THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2020. 13.

Service

Government to provide shelter for fire victims MINISTER of National Mobilization Frederick Stephenson says his government will be providing a shelter for some of the young women who have been displaced because of last week Monday night’s fire at their shelter, the Roman Catholic Church-run Guadalupe Home at Cane End, Marriaqua.

Speaking to reporters just across from the scene of the fire on Tuesday, Stephenson said 14 girls were housed at the Guadalupe Home, but two left earlier to be reintegrated with family.

He said that twelve girls were remaining, for whom care must be provided.

“I am here this morning with some other ministry officials. We are going to have some discussions with the members of the Catholic community who have responsibility for the Home.

We are gonna have a short discussion with them and we’ll see how best we can try to get the girls - some of them, hopefully, will be reintegrated with families. And the others, we, as a government, the Ministry of National Mobilization, will have to provide some form of a housing to take care of these girls who are here,” the government

minister said. Minister of National Minister Mobilization Stephenson Frederick said that Stephenson finding a place committed his and housing government to the girls will renting somewhere have an to house the girls impact on the as efforts have Social begun to re-build Development the Home.

Department, hence the ministry will have to increase the number of social workers and house mothers or caretakers will have to be employed.

The National Mobilization Minister said the government provides a stipend to the Guadalupe Home, and now “with this unfortunate incident, it will mean that we have to rent a facility.

“I don’t know how long the Catholic community will take to rebuild this facility. Later on, the Government will have to build a facility, but in the meantime we have to rent somewhere for these girls,” Minister Stephenson told reporters.

Trinity students give to Home for Girls ON TUESDAY, 7th April, Trinity Medical Science University handed over a quantity of personal items to Ms. Dannette Dowers House Mother of the Lady of Guadeloupe Home for Girls.

This donation came as a result of the devastation suffered when the Home was completely gutted by fire on the evening of Monday 30th March.

The Board of Directors of the facility issued a call (From Left): Trinity were Administrative to the general public for donations Assistants Nyasha Lewis (left) and Nasha of supplies that would begin to Neverson-Pitt (right) with House Mother restore some form of normalcy to Dannette Dowers at the handing over. the lives of the devastated young ladies.

Trinity’s Provost and Dean, Francis Trinity were Administrative Assistants Nasha Neverson-Pitt and Purcell PhD., immediately began Nyasha Lewis. They both expressed enquiries to ascertain what was required in the short term and, based satisfaction in being able to assist, and the hope that the donation would on that, a drive commenced among bring some form of relief to the girls. the student population.

House Mother Dannette thanked Dr. Frances Jack, Associate Dean Trinity and its students for their kind of Admissions and Student Affairs gesture. followed through on that drive.

She noted that the readjustment of Students were more than willing to the girls is taking some time. “They donate, especially given that Trinity Medical Science University maintains are trying,” she said, “they are trying to make merry. Once they are happy, a relation with the institution, I am grateful.” established through organized The House Mother also reported interactions with its student members that counsellors were still holding of the Trinity Chapter of the sessions with her charges.

Christian Medical Students Trinity Medical Science University Association. The Trinity student worked with the young ladies through pledges to be right there as the process towards rebuilding the Home scheduled visits, teaching various and reinstating its programmes skills.

Handing over the items on behalf of continues.

All contents of the building were lost and the interior structure and fittings were either badly burnt or totally destroyed.

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14. THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2020. THE VINCENTIAN

News

CDB gives US$140m to fight COVID-19

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) met last week and approved up to US$140 million to be used by the Bank’s Borrowing Member Countries, to tackle the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic and other shocks to their economy.

“The economic and social shock of the COVID19 pandemic will likely be severe in most Caribbean countries. There is the additional concern that the situation could be exacerbated in the near future, given our Region’s vulnerability to natural disasters, and with the hurricane season less than two months away. We, at CDB, stand ready to assist Caribbean countries to alleviate these shocks,” said CDB President Dr. Warren Smith.

Taking into account the high degree of uncertainty, it is expected that at least 1-2% could be shaved off previous estimates of global growth as a result of COVID-19. For the Caribbean Region, as a whole, the impact could be even more profound.

“The extent of decline of gross domestic product will depend on the duration of the pandemic and the effectiveness of the policy responses by the countries. Our goal is to ensure our Borrowing Member Countries get access to appropriate financing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to be their

Left: Dr. Warren Smith, CDB President, said the Bank’s goal is to ensure that its Borrowing Members get access to appropriate finance. partner in the post-crisis recovery,” said Dr. Smith.

CDB has responded to its Borrowing Member Countries’ need for assistance during this crisis by increasing the limit on its policy-based loans. These loans are designed to respond to exogenous shocks and to support economic growth and poverty reduction through policy reforms. Since the first policy-based loan in 2006, CDB has provided some US$875 million for such loans.

CDB is often the main partner that a number of the Borrowing Member Countries rely on for financing, technical assistance and policy advice during crises.

“The US$140 million allocation is the first of a package of assistance that CDB is developing to assist our Borrowing Member Countries to cope with COVID19. Our financing and technical assistance, during this period, will be directed mainly towards the most vulnerable within our societies and give the highest priority to strengthening social safety nets,” stressed CDB President Dr. Smith. (Source: CDB)

Sol says thank you with vouchers SOL EC LTD. (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), supplier of fuels, lubricants, bitumen and LPG, is recognizing those who, on a daily basis, leave their places of abode to go out of their way to provide health care to communities across the state.

The Company is especially recognizing those health care personnel who are currently on the frontline of the national effort to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, cause of the COVID-19 disease.

And to demonstrate this recognition and support, Sol EC Ltd (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) is contributing $10,000 XCD in fuel vouchers to the Ministry of Health.

The vouchers are valid from April 6, 2020 and are redeemable at all Sol service stations towards fuel purchases.

“We take our corporate

responsibility seriously and are mindful of the vital role that our products and services play in the communities in which we operate,” Steve Francis, General Manager of Sol expressed in a release made available earlier this week.

Francis added: “This is just our way of saying thanks and supporting those individuals helping others.”

Francis assured that “We (Sol) are committed to the health and safety of our team members, customers and the community as a top priority. We are focused on maintaining a continued, healthy work environment, and have taken extensive preventative measures to protect our staff and their families from exposure to the Coronavirus (COVID19), to ensure that we continue to provide our products and services safely to our customers.”

Steve Francis, General Manager of Sol, says his company makes it its business to give top priority to the caring for the health and safety of its team members, customers and the community.

Sol encourages communities to continue to embrace social distancing and proper hygiene practices, as we all play our part and support our medical heroes. (Source: Sol EC Ltd - St. Vincent and the Grenadines)

Leisure

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Concentrate on your career and on making money. Try not to donate to organizations if you can hardly afford to take care of yourself. Favors will be offered readily.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) You may get upset with peers or relatives. Get out and get active. Don't let the moods of those you live with get you down. You will reap the benefits if you put money into upgrading your residence.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) Look into real estate. Romance may be better than you ever thought possible.

Travel opportunities look positive, but be cautious while driving. You may want to take a serious look at your goals and objectives.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) You could lose a good friend because of it. You can do well on stage or behind the scenes, the choice is yours. You will be misinterpreted if you get involved in other people's problems.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) You may not see your situation clearly.

You may find that doing odd jobs around the house will be successful and appreciated by loved ones. It's a good time for long awaited relationships to begin.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Good friends will give you honest answers. Residential moves are evident.

Get together with people who stimulate you mentally. Be confident in your endeavors and others will believe in your efforts.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) You can make financial deals that will bring you extra cash. Look into joining groups that can give you hands-on advice about business. It's hard to stay mad if the object of the anger refuses to react.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) Relatives will not agree with the way you are dealing with your personal problems.

You need to be around friends and family. Don't let someone take the credit for a job you did. Don't overreact if your partner has a poor attitude.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) If you can put some work into home improvements, you should. You may need to lend an ear to an old friend.

Stretch the truth, and you may get blamed for something you didn't do. You will have the stamina and the know how to raise your earning power.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19) Don't take your frustrations out on the ones you love. You can make major gains professionally by completing projects on time. You will have the discipline and fortitude to accomplish what you want this week.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Travel for business will be advantageous.

Females may put demands or added responsibilities on you. Past partners are likely to reappear. Your outgoing nature will surprise others this week.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Your interests could lead you down avenues you never realized existed. The experience will be good. Family members may feel anxious if you make promises you don't deliver. New relationships could evolve through group activities.

ACROSS 1. Trot or jog 5. Medicine applicator 9. Combine numbers 12. Eye amorously 13. Scene-stealing Turner 14. Actress Remick 15. Bridge fee 16. Painting and sculpture 17. Comedic Aykroyd 18. Parking area 20. Frightening 22. Poisonous snake 25. Assistant 28. Horned mammal 30. Brisk seasons 34. Contend 35. Bath locale 36. Travel by ship 37. Lecture expert 39. Peevish cry 40. Title anew 42. June honoree 43. Shut 46. Unconventional 48. Music style 49. Midday 52. Tehran’s site 56. Eisenhower nickname 57. See 44-Down 58. Soda favorite 59. Patriot Franklin 60. Depend (on) 61. Maintained DOWN 1. Achieved 2. Of yesteryear 3. Feeling unwell 4. Narrate (a story) 5. Dark gray 6. Prolonged conflict

7. Picnic raider 8. Hunting hound 9 “M*A*S*H” star 10. Letter greeting 11. Contradict (a charge) 19. “I found it!”

21. Squeeze together 22. Circle parts 23. Mall business 24. Smoking item 26. Cinematic Dern 27. British tavern 29. Approaches 31. Housekeeping pro 32. 1492 craft 33. Winter transport 35. Six plus four

38. Less dull 39. Tie the knot 41. Ready cash 43. Nursery bed 44. With 57-Across, Cleveland backdrop 45. Completely

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2020. 15.

honest 47. Detective Tracy 50. Valuable rock 51. Squeak silencer 53. Trout eggs 54. Swiss summit 55. Mr. King Cole

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16. THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2020. THE VINCENTIAN

Basketball lagging, says Bishop FOUNDER OF THE BLUE CHIP Basketball Academy Kishon Bishop has taken a dim view of the current state of St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Basketball.

Speaking on radio last Sunday night from his adopted home in North Carolina, USA, where he is a Health and Physical Educator , the Campden Park native stated categorically that except for the Annual Basketball Tournament on Bequia, “… there’s not much right now for persons living on the mainland . ...There’s really no Basketball taking place at this time.”

Showing the significance of the Bequia Tournament, Bishop reasoned, “If you are in Bequia,

Bequia Basketball happens once a year…That’s, that’s playing wise ...

So, you’re telling me if it happens once a year for six weeks .. what happens to the other 46 weeks?”

Bishop, though, recognized that the Arnos Vale Basketball Club has hosted Invitational Tournaments in 2018 and 2019, and that Playaz Academy, founded and led by retired national basketballer Orlando Ferguson, “.. is doing a good job, and I hope that keeps growing, because we need more academies.. .”

Bishop added, “So the truth is there’s, but to be honest, I don’t have a place where I can go and say, let me check out what’s happening on a basketball landscape….If we

remove Blue Chip Basketball Academy, what is there still to get excited about with Basketball?”

To add more to his view that very little was happening for basketball, Bishop pointed to the fact that no one from the sport was nominated for any of the categories of the 2019 National Lotteries Authority National Sports Awards.

“If our Junior athletes are not nominated, then that shows me there’s really nothing happening...The other associations and other sports are miles ahead of us, as a whole”, Bishop lamented.

Bishop, however, admitted that he was aware of some work that is being done behind the scenes by the Rohan Providence led Executive of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Basketball Federation, and called on the executive to be more “public.”

Bishop is a former student of the St Vincent Grammar School. He represented St Vincent and the Grenadines at both the Junior and Senior levels in Basketball.

He founded the Blue Chip Basketball Academy, in 2017.

Last year, Blue Chip exported its first local talent, when Union Island resident Shad Thomas was recruited to attend school in North Carolina.

Right: Kishon Bishop

Williams keeps on training

Right: Keswick Williams, West Indies fast bowler working, working out… keeping fit while at home.

KESWICK WILLIAMS, Vincentianborn West Indies fast bowler, is still involved in some level of training despite the suspension of cricket leagues and competitions around the world, because of the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Williams admits that this period is a challenging one, but also contends that as a professional cricketer, maintaining his fitness level is

important.

“I continue to train, which involves running, to maintain my fitness level to required international standards.

When that bell rings, my coach must see evidence of my level of fitness despite the coronavirus outbreak”, Williams explained, adding, “I just have to be ready.”

Williams recognized that all in all, adjusting his regimen is not difficult,

saying, “I would not have been playing around this time… I would still be home training getting ready for probably a West Indies T20 series or the Afghanistan T20 series.”

What presents a difficulty if any, is the limited if any access to indoor training facilities. “ I can’t go to the gym as before, so … I try to go to train earlier at the Arnos Vale Playing Field before the crowd get there, and head home (North Leeward) at least three times a week,” he said.

Williams, considered a specialist West Indies T20 bowler, made his international T20 debut in 2016 versus Pakistan, in Abu Dhabi.

To date, he has played in 25 international T20 matches and taken 41 wickets at an

average 18.92 and an economy of 8.59.

He also played 8 ODI for the West Indies, in which he took a total of 9 wickets.

Apart from representing the West Indies team, Williams represented Chattogram Challengers and Rajshahi Kings in the Bangladesh Premier League; Toronto Nationals in the Global T20 Canadian League; Jamaica Tallawahs and St Lucia Stars, now St Lucia Zouls, in the Caribbean Premier League; and the Windward Islands and Combined Campus and Colleges in Regional Cricket Championships.

I.B.A.ALLEN

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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2020. 17.

Sports

Carifta Games still on the cards KEITH JOSEPH, General Secretary of the North American, Central American and

Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC), said that his organisation is holding hope that the 2020 edition of the Junior Carifta Games can still take place.

Joseph, addressing the matter on Team Athletics SVG’s website, stated: “We are hopeful that Carifta can still take place either in July or August 2020, in Bermuda...Everything hinges on the world successfully beating back COVID-19.”

The annual showpiece, which has been in place since 1972, should have taken place this Easter weekend, in Bermuda.

However, just like other sporting activities in the Caribbean and other parts of the world, the Games were Vincentian athletes, like these in photo, are asked to stay fit and safe.

Branch salutes athletes

RICHARD BRANCH, Chairman of the National Sports Council (NSC), showered high praise on our nation’s athletes as he recognized their achievements over the past year leading up to the 2019 National Sports Awards.

Branch expressed his sentiment as he delivered his remarks at the National Lotteries Authority/National Sports Council Sports Awards held at the SVG Community College Auditorium, Saturday 21st March.

“This year’s theme for the National Sports Awards -‘Forging synergies between Academics and Sports’ is a representation of our country’s pride for the number of student

athletes that have been awarded scholarships abroad. An unprecedented number of athletes have been given positive life offering opportunity to lift themselves and their families’ standard of living. We hope this recognition will encourage you to continue to invest your time and efforts to strive for greater goals in sports,” Branch said.

The Chairman added, “We hope you will continue to achieve excellence in your sporting careers and other areas in your sporting endeavours, which have been recognized, and we encourage each of you to work hard to be the top contenders for future annual awards. We also

Richard Branch, Chairman of the National Sports Council. implore you to be role models, through visible discipline, commitment and dedication, to the next generation of sportsmen and sportswomen…”

Branch also recognized and thanked the coaches who, he said, “carried out their duties despite the lack of resources while accepting the concept of balancing academics and sporting activities.

These coaches have been doing an excellent job of balancing these two critical ingredients for college admission.”

I.B.A.ALLEN

postponed indefinitely because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joseph wrote also that his organization was still planning for the other championships.

“World Athletics and NACAC are still hopeful that some of the season can be salvaged; 8-9 August 2020 has been set as tentative dates for National Championships around the world,” Joseph expounded.

Joseph is also the President of Team Athletics SVG; General Secretary of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Olympic Committee (SVGOC); Vice- President of the Pan American Sports Organisation (PASO); serves on the Association of National Olympic (ANOC) Committees Executive Council and the Commonwealth Games Association, as well as other portfolios regionally.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines was in an advanced state of preparations for the Carifta Games, with reports saying that a team was already selected, but not named publicly.

The country was looking to up on its 2019 performance in which it tallied

Keith Joseph three bronze medals: Ulanda Lewis in the Female Under-17 100 and 200m, Handal Roban in the Male Under-20 800m.

Harry pleased with athletes’ response THE PENN RELAYS have been cancelled, and there is still uncertainty Athletics Coach regarding the staging of the 2020 Godfrey harry has designed an Inter-Secondary Athletics alternative Championship, but training schedule for his coach of the Thomas Saunders athletes.

Secondary School’s track and field athletics, Godfrey Harry is not idle.

Harry is keeping regular date on his athletes through an alternative training schedule.

And to do this, given the prevailing conditions occasioned by the threat of the coronavirus, Harry described his method as “technology coming into play.”

Harry has devised training regimens for his athletes, especially those who would have earlier been selected to represent the TSSSS at the Penn Relays and the Inter-Schools Games.

The head coach was pleased that the athletes are buying into the alternative training schedule.

“They have been sending me videos of how they’re going so far,” he reported.

“The training ranges from beach, to hill sprints, field workouts,

road running and core work at home,” Harry explained.

And Harry is mindful of the safety factor amidst the effort to control the coronavirus, saying: “I have asked the athletes to avoid crowds while they do these sessions. We have also asked the parents to assist with supervision.”

All in all, the coach is pleased that he is “able to get them (athletes) to be committed by sending what they are doing. I will then send feedback — noting errors and suggesting adjustments. It is a win-win situation even without competition.”

I.B.A.ALLEN

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18. THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

Female athletes in our record books

NATASHA MAYERS, Bigna Samuel, Yvette Haynes, Marvette Collis, Jacqueline Ross and Linda Mc Dowall are all multiple holders of Female National Athletics records of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Mayers lays claim to the 100 and 200m records, both established in 2002, when she timed

11.09 seconds and 22.80 seconds, respectively.

In the case of Samuel, she has three records under her belt. The former middle distance runner, Samuel’s name is attached to the: 800m with a time of 2 minutes 11. 93 seconds set in 1993; 1500m in 4 minutes 20.78 seconds in

1994; 3000m - 9 Jenita Lewis’ minutes 31.57 discus seconds, also in record set 1994. in 1990 Meanwhile, looks Haynes holds the likely to records for the remain in 100m Hurdles the books (13.92 seconds for some achieved in 1992) time. and in the 400m Hurdles (58.89 seconds done in 1991).

Marathon best efforts.

Collis’ records are in Mc Dowall set the new the High Jump (1.73m) time in the 10K in 2016, and the Long Jump when she clocked 37 (6.21m), both done in minutes 53.60 seconds, 1994. and her Half Marathon Ross, the first female record stands at 1 hour to compete at Summer 27 minutes 41 seconds.

Olympics (Seoul 1988) Among the other for St. Vincent and the record holders is Kineke Grenadines, holds two Alexander, whose 51. 23 records: Shot Putt seconds, done in the (12.94m) recorded in 400m in 2014, remains 1988, as well as the the best nationally.

Hepthalon, when she Jenita Lewis’ 39.18m recorded 4847 points in in the Discus, done in 1991.

1990, is yet to be And, completing those equalled or bettered; so with two or more records too Shannique De is Linda Mc Dowall, who Shong’s 30.19m in the has the 10K and Half Javelin, flung in 2007.

c Staying with the field events, Nicklene Mc Lean’s name is fixed to the Hammer Throw record, with 43.14m done in 2016.

Joining the list is Adelaide Carrington whose 3 hours 18 minutes 44 seconds tops all marathon times.

Completing the records list are the 4 x 100m and the 4 x 400m relay teams.

TASVG marks World Health Day Concacaf suspends WORLD HEALTH DAY was celebrated last Tuesday, Mar. 07, across the family of the United Nations.

Here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, to mark the Day, Team Athletics St Vincent and the Grenadines (TASVG) paid homage to the Healthcare workers/providers of St Vincent and the Grenadines, and the entire global community, in marking the Day. In a release to mark the occasion, TASVG said that they “are very conscious that the novel COVID-19 pandemic has brought into focus the tremendous sacrifices being made everywhere, by doctors, nurses, midwives and all categories of Healthcare providers.”

The TASAG noted that “daily, they all put their own lives at risk in pursuit of saving the lives of others.”

In recognition of that selfless service, TASCG assured that “All of Team Athletics SVG, athletes, coaches, technical officials, administrators and volunteers, today, say a most sincere, thank you, to their medical fraternity, doctors, nurses, midwives, and they applaud the work they have done and continue to do for all of St Vincent and the Grenadines, including their stakeholders.”

Healthcare providers are at this time pressured beyond measure in the face of a silent enemy, COVID-19, the full dynamics of which they are all yet to understand, TASCG said in its release.

And, in marking World Health Day 2020, Team Athletics SVG called on all Vincentians to join with them in celebrating their Healthcare providers.

“Team Athletics SVG once more urge all their stakeholders to heed the advice of their medical fraternity and adhere to the established protocols aimed at enhancing their capacity to defeat COVID-19,” the Release concluded.

Curlan Francis, Yaka Farrell, Karen Richardson and Simone Nanton combined for a record time of 42.21 seconds for the 4x100m in 1998; while in 2019, the quartet of Odesha John, Annecia Richards, Keiffer Bailey and Tamara Woodley together clocked 3 minutes 48.08 seconds in 2019, to set the national record in the 4x400m.

its football schedule TOP FOOTBALLERS in the region will have to wait a bit longer to showcase their skills or event lift a winning trophy.

This is due to the suspension of Concacaf Nations League Finals, Road to Gold Cup Qualifiers and Flow Caribbean Clubs Championships.

The decision was mainly due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, which has caused the cancellation of many other sports.

In a circular letter to affiliates, Philippe Moggio, General Secretary of Concacaf wrote: “Following concerns about the spread of COVID-19 across our region and the world, we made the decision last month to suspend all of our competitions scheduled for March, April and

May 2020.”

Moggio continued: “The welfare of everyone involved in our competitions continues to be our first priority.

Given the ongoing public health situation, and following consultation with FIFA regarding the international football calendar, we have now made the decision to suspend the Concacaf Nations League Finals, which was scheduled for June 4th-7th 2020 in Houston and Dallas, Texas, USA. Concacaf-related competitions will resume “at the earliest available opportunity, pending decisions made by Governments and Public Health authorities regarding the safe resumption of international sports events. … We will discuss with stakeholders the format

Philippe Moggio, General Secretary of Concacaf, officially announced the suspension of the Concacaf schedule in a letter to affiliates. and scheduling options for these matches and competitions, and communicate further

details to Member Associations in due course…,” the circular letter said.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2020. 19.

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MINIBUSES

THURSDAY APRIL 09,

2020

VOLUME 114, No.15

www.thevincentian.com

EC$1.50

WITHDRAW SERVICES they face a higher than normal exposure to COVID-19, so they PUBLIC TRANSPORT here was thrown thought it wise to suspend their into a quandary last Wednesday when services to support the efforts of minibus operators withdrew their Government to prevent community services. spread.

The decision to do so was taken at a The decision to suspend the service meeting of the Vincentian will be reviewed on or before April 20, Transportation Association (VINTAS), VINTAS said. supposedly the successor to the But not all minibuses have vacated National Omnibus Association the roads.

(NOBA), held last Sunday at the Arnos On Wednesday, a minibus Vale Sporting Complex operator/driver, who plies the A release following that meeting Campden Park to Kingstown route, noted that its members had agreed told THE VINCENTIAN that only that because of the nature of their job, three minivans were operating that route.

Royron Adams, President (Ag) of the He said he decided to work because Vincentian Transportation “bills have to be paid,” but he noted Association (VINTAS), says the that even though he chose not to withdrawal action is in keeping with withdraw, the passengers were not supporting the national effort to coming and the police were still combat the spread of the enforcing nine passengers in a van. coronavirus and not about money.

“Police still a come on the scene and Stories by KENVILLE HORNE

WOMAN AND POLICE SQUABBLE IN TOKYO IT TOOK TWO units of police officers to apprehend a woman who was involved initially in a fight with another female in Little Tokyo last Monday.

The woman also put up a prolonged ‘fight’ with the law officers as she resisted arrest.

Persons who were witnesses to the event, said that the woman is currently a resident of Fairbaine Pasture but is originally from Rose Bank.

THE VINCENTIAN understands that the woman got into a tussle with another woman.

The police were called in to separate the women.

One account of what transpired, related that the incident got out of hand when the police attempted to speak to the Fairbaine Pasture

woman. She seemed to have taken offence to this and went into a tirade, cursing the officers and refusing to move on as instructed.

This developed into what can only be described as an open fight between the woman and the police, the source said.

Video footage appearing on Social Media showed the woman confronting the law men, kicking out at them and even pushing one of them.

The footage clearly showed a male member of the public lifting the woman and slamming her into the tray of a police transport, in front of plain clothes officers.

Before she was lifted into the police transport, the woman is said to have even gone under the transport to avoid being arrested.

The woman (sitting) resisted attempts by the police to apprehend her.

The woman continued with her tirade, lacing her critics with colourful expletives, and even complained that her purse had been snatched. She insisted she wasn’t leaving without it.

All this time, a large crowd had gathered, and the persons could clearly be seen to be ignoring health officials’ advice on social distancing.

The commotion is said to have overflowed into the crowd as friends and supporters of the woman verbally clashed with those who had called for her to go with the police.

The woman was subsequently released from police custody, but THE VINCENTIAN was unable to confirm whether or not she was charged.

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

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say nine in a van and the people them walking to town,” said the omnibus operator.

The operator/driver was reacting to the recently enforced requirement that minibuses carry only nine passengers, and not 18 for which they would have been licensed, in keeping with the appeal to practise social distancing.

Additionally, some minibus operators, claiming that VINTAS does not speak for them, have taken umbrage with government’s offer of $250.00-$$300.00 a month for two months as compensation for lost earnings occasioned by the reduction of passenger capacity.

But acting President of VINTAS Royron Adams reiterated that the decision to withdraw services has nothing to do with money, but rather about health, as there are now seven active cases of COVID-19 in SVG and over 400 quarantined persons.