THE VINCENTIAN PDF - 11-09-20

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER

11, 2020

VOLUME 114, No.37

Tablets still to come Page 2

www.thevincentian.com

Eleven new candidates Page 3

IMF issue warning Page 13

EC$1.50

Shame on us Page 14

Work permits denied Page 24

Chieftain Neptune New Democratic Party North Central Windward

Kay Bacchus-Baptiste New Democratic Party West St. George

Dominic Sutherland Unity Labour Party Central Kingstown

Laverne Gibson New Democratic Party East St. George

Israel Bruce New Democratic Party South Central Windward

Curtis King Unity Labour Party West St. George

Fitzgerald Bramble New Democratic Party East Kingstown

Dr. Mineva Glasgow Unity Labour Party South Leeward

Orando Brewster Unity Labour Party Central Leeward

Shevern John New Democratic Party North Windward Carlos Williams Unity Labour Party Northern Grenadines

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2. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

News

Tablets still to arrive

Finance Minister Camillo Gonsalves could do himself well if he clears the air on this issue, after exciting the expectations of so many.

IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, FINANCE MINISTER Camillo Gonsalves told a media conference that the

Government had identified sources of funding that would make it possible to purchase a tablet (computer) for each student enrolled in schools here.

At the time of making the disclosure, the number of laptops to be purchased was put at 30,000.

Gonsalves had said then that among the sources of funding were an unnamed Non-Government Organisation (NGO), the government of India and the World Bank.

Readers will recall that Parliament in April, a month or so before Minister Gonsalves’ announcement as referenced, had approved a sum of money for the purchase of tablets for Grade Six and secondary school students.

This was estimated to amount to 3,000 units and were to facilitate online lessons, especially for those students preparing for the CPEA and CSEC, which replaced face-to-face lessons that had been discontinued as a preventative measure against COVID-19.

The situation, as highlighted by Minister Gonsalves, was that not all students were equipped with devises that would allow them access to online learning, and therefore, government felt obligated to ensure that there was no “digital divide’ that would place the better off households at an advantage.

As far as the remaining tablets (computers) are concerned, this promise is still to materialize.

Schools re-opened here last Monday, and when the Minister of Education St. Clair Prince addressed the issue during a press conference this week, he said that shipping was the problem, and “the fact

Education Minister St. Clair Prince did little to assure that the tablets would arrive anytime soon. that the order is so large, there were issues sourcing all from one place.”

The uncertainty about when/if the tablets would arrive has aroused much disappointment among both students and teachers, the latter already put off by the fact that the devices did not arrive before school re-opened, so that they could familiarise themselves with them so as to be better able to guide the students in their use.

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lHE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020. 3.

News 3

Election battle lines drawn: ELEVEN NEW CANDIDATES ELEVEN NEW CANDIDATES are included in the list of thirty candidates that have been declared by the two major political parties, for a general election expected here before 2020 end.

The incumbent Unity Labour Party (ULP), aiming for a fifth consecutive victory, will field five new candidates: Curtis King — West St. George; Dr. Mineva Glasgow — South Leeward; Orando Brewster - Central Leeward; Carlos Williams — Northern Grenadines; Dominic Sutherland - Central Kingstown.

The New Democratic Party, which has been in opposition since 2001, has named six new candidates: Kay Bacchus-Baptiste — West St. George; Shevern John - North Windward; Israel Bruce — South Central Windward; La Vern Gibson — East St. George; Fitzgerald Bramble — East Kingstown; Chieftan Neptune — North Central

Windward.

As it stands, there will be three new elected members of Parliament when the votes are counted — one each in West St. George, Central Leeward and East Kingstown.

Interestingly, the West St. George constituency will be the only battleground that pits two new candidates against each other.

Newcomers Kay Bacchus-Baptiste (NDP) and Curtis King (ULP) will vie to replace the ULP’s Cecil Mc Kie, the outgoing representative for the constituency.

ULP’s Orando Brwester will face a returning Benjamin Exeter of the NDP in a runoff to see who will replace Sor Louis Straker in the Central Leeward seat; and Fitzgerald Bramble (NDP) will face a returning Luke Browne (ULP) to decide who will replace the NDP’s Arnhim Eustace as the representative for East Kingstown.

In the case of all the

other new candidates, their battles will be against incumbents as follows: Dr. Mineva Glasgow (ULP -new) against Nigel Stephenson - South Leeward; Carlos Williams (ULP -new) against Dr, Godwin Friday — Northern Grenadines; Dominic Sutherland (ULP new) against St. Clair Leacock - Central Kingstown; Shevern John (NDP new) versus Montgomery Daniel - North Windward; Israel Bruce (NDP new) against Saboto Caesar — South Central Windward; La Verne Gibson (NDP new) versus Camillo Gonsalves — East St. George; Chieftan Neptune (NDP new) against Dr. Ralph Gonsalves - North Central Windward.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines has had nine general elections since 1979, the year it became independent of Great Britain.

Of those elections, the St, Vincent Labour Party won one (1979); the New

Democratic Party four (1984, ‘89’ ’94 and ’98); and the Unity Labour Party four (2001, ’05, ’10 and ’15).

Whichever of the two major parties wins the 2020 general elections, that party will be the first to have won five general elections since the first election under Adult Suffrage in 1951.

Victory for the ULP will put it in a special category, i.e. the first party to have won not just five but five consecutive general elections.

The 2020 general election also marks

another significant change: Dr. Friday will go to the polls for the first time as Political Leader of the NDP,

against the more tried and tested Dr. Ralph Gonsalves who will lead the ULP for the fifth consecutive time.

Cummings: ‘Release Poverty Assessment Report’

Daniel Cummings, MP for West Kingstown, literally beseeched the Prime Minister to release the Poverty Assessment Report before the next election.

“MAKE THE REPORT PUBLIc — I dare you Ralph Gonsalves — make the Poverty Assessment Report public.”

So beckoned Daniel Cummings Parliamentary

Representative for West Kingstown, during this week’s edition of the opposition New Democratic Party’s (NDP) programme ‘Monday Night Live’, streamed on Facebook.

“There are angels who deliver good information, so I say to you Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, in Parliament you ... and do not want to release information that you are ashamed of,” Cummings said accusingly.

“It is damning…tell the people what the Poverty Assessment Report says before I Daniel Cummings do,” he continued.

According to the parliamentarian, he has been asking the government for some time now, to indicate when the most recent Poverty Assessment Report would be released to the public.

The last such Report as released in 2008.

Cummings fingered the government for being fearful of releasing the Report this close to the upcoming General Elections.

Background

Back where we began

Cummings, in fact, had raised the issue in the November 26, 2019 Meeting of the House of Assembly, when he asked Minister of Finance Camillo Gonsalves to explain why the Report, which was expected to be published in March 2019, still not available.

In his response then, Gonsalves indicated that the overall status of the Report was that data collection and processing were not complete in all sections, and there were one or two outstanding communities for the participatory poverty assessment.

He added that the analysis and production of the full report as well as the processing of all components were expected to be completed within a three-month period, following some outstanding fieldwork which was likely to extend beyond the first quarter of 2020.

According to Cummings, the last Poverty Assessment conducted by the NDP in 1998 suggested that the poverty level was 36 percent.

It went down to 30 percent in 2008, he explained — but based on information Cummings said he currently had at his disposal, the level was back up to 36 percent.

“And that was before this period of the COVISD-19 pandemic,” he quipped, “So, if you know what good for you Ralph, release the Poverty Assessment Report which was paid for by the people of this country,” he implored.

He said that he was giving the government a chance to do it on their own, as they would not like if he were to do it.

“I want to be fair. I asked twice…show the people the report,” Cummings beckoned.

(DD)

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4. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

Tributes

E.B. John remembered

by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net US CORRESPONDENT

THE FUNERAL SERVICE for veteran Vincentian broadcaster Evans Bernard ‘EB’ John is scheduled for Sept. 21, at the Kingstown Methodist Church, according to his sister, Celia Bramble, a retired Registered Nurse in Brooklyn, New York.

John was found dead at his home said Bramble.

Bramble told THE VINCENTIAN on Monday that tributes will begin at Kingstown Methodist Church on Sept.

21, at 2:00pm, the funeral service will follow at 3:00pm, and interment at the Kingstown Cemetery.

She said her younger brother was visiting St. Vincent and the Grenadines on vacation, from Toronto,

Tributes to Robertson – a stalwart

by HAYDN HUGGINS PRIME MINISTER Dr. Ralph Gonsalves on Tuesday, during a Special Sitting of the High Court, recognized the outstanding contribution made by Emery Robertson, to the legal and political arenas in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Robertson, who served as a Senator and Attorney General from 1984 to 1986, died on Thursday August 13th.

“I considered him my friend, even when we were on opposite sides of the fence,” Gonsalves said.

Gonsalves took the sitting through Robertson’s life as a politician and lawyer.

“From colonialism to internal self-government to independence, he served at the highest level,” the Prime Minister said.

The Vincentian leader said he got to know Robertson at the St. Vincent Grammar School in the late 1950s.

“He was two or so years ahead of me in school.

He was chronologically highly intelligent and active in all pursuits, and full of mischief like myself,” the PM outlined.

But Gonsalves’ relationship with Robertson developed further when he (Gonsalves) started his law practice here about four decades ago. His first law chambers was located in the same building in which Robertson’s was housed then. That building now houses the Housing and Land Development

Corporation.

“He taught me many things, and we developed a good relationship.

When he had clients at the lower end of the Emery Robertson was the food chain, he would send them recipient of glowing tributes by a number of his fellow lawyers. by me.”

Gonsalves described Robertson as a except in the heated (legal) battles in the “splendid” lawyer who, courtroom.” as a typical old school He pointed out that, attorney, mastered evidence and procedure “In Emery, the Bar has a stalwart and worthy both in criminal and person.” civil matters. He also President of the Bar mastered the common Association Rene law.

Baptiste said that even The PM said he was shocked when he heard though Robertson was of Robertson’s death, as firm in his views, he lacked arrogance and they spoke only a few was a very disciplined weeks ago, outside his individual.

(Robertson) Law Attorney Kay Chambers.

Bacchus-Baptiste would And according to always remember his Parnel Campbell Q.C, warmth and willingness Robertson would have to share. been next in line here Attorney Vynette for the appointment of Frederick was reduced Queen’s Counsel, if the to tears as she recalled rules governing that the memorable moments process had not of the close relationship changed. she and Robertson’s Campbell said that Robertson took objection daughter Samantha, also a lawyer, and to the new rules where one now has to apply for President of the Human Rights Association the position, and pay a (HRA) enjoyed, as well hefty fee, as opposed to as the enjoyable the old rules where the appointment was based relationship between the late Robertson and her on recommendation.

Robertson never applied, father Bayliss, an attorney, who couldn’t Campbell assured. be there for the special Campbell, whose sitting. relationship with Glowing remarks also Robertson dated back to came from attorneys their days at the St. Dwane Daniel and Maia Vincent Grammar School said, “Emery was Eustace.

The presiding judges a bright student. were Justices Brian Throughout the days I Cottle, Nicola Byer, Esco have known him, he remained a gentleman. I Henry and Angelica Teelucksign, as well as cannot remember him Master Tamara Gill. ever raising his voice

Canada, where he resided, when he was found dead at his home in Evesham, Marriaqua, on Aug. 19.

John was a former general manager of the National Broadcasting Corporation (705 FM Radio) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, from 1987 to 1997; ex-Consul General of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to Canada; and erstwhile Chief Liaison Officer for the sub-regional Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Farm Workers Program in Canada.

“I am deeply saddened by the passing of my brother,” Bramble said. “I am also comforted in knowing that he lived a remarkable life — a life of love and kindness, a life of courage and compassion, a life of humor and inspiration.

Sandra John, another elder sister who lives in Trinidad and Tobago, told THE VINCENTIAN that “to the many persons that knew and loved him, Evans Bernard John, or E.B., as he was affectionately known, from Mar. 13, 1951 to Aug.19, 2020, was so Evans Bernard John: 1951 – 2020 (Photo Courtesy: Celia Bramble) much more — diplomat, regional public servant, community that country, Sandra said. activist, cultural ambassador, sports After that assignment, she said enthusiast, calypsonian, mentor, John was appointed by the St. Luciafamily man and friend,” Sandra said. based OECS Secretariat as Liaison At the time of his death, she said Officer for the Seasonal Farm Workers her brother was working on his Program for OECS farm workers on memoirs, “describing his effort as ‘an Canadian farms. attempt to deal with the dash (-)’, connecting the date of his birth to the Other endeavours date of his passing.”

John had “a distinguished paramilitary career,” according to Sandra.

He joined the St. Vincent and the Sandra said that John started his Grenadines Cadet Corps while a working life of public service in 1969 student at the St. Vincent and the as a junior clerk at the Treasury Grenadines Grammar School, rising to Department, St. Vincent and the the rank of commandant, and was Grenadines. subsequently appointed Aide de Camp After short stints in various (ADC) to the Head of State, Sir Rupert departments, he ended up in the John, his uncle and St. Vincent and Public Relations/Information Service the Grenadines’ first Governor Department, “a move which would General, and was later appointed ultimately define him,” Sandra said.

John, Sandra said, remained in the commandant of the Auxiliary Police media-related field in St. Vincent and Force.

Sandra said her brother was also the Grenadines for over two decades. very active in community service, In 1972, he joined the state-owned especially so as a member the Lions radio station, which became the Club South, of which he became National Broadcasting Corporation president and Zone Chairman of Lions (NBC) radio, as an announcer. NBC was, at the time, the lone radio station Clubs in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

She said John was very active at At the time of John’s resignation in 1997, he was general manager of NBC, local cultural events, hosting many editions of the annual Miss Carival Sandra said.

Pageant.

After retiring from NBC, John was Additionally, she said he was “a invited to be a part of an emerging much-sought-after” MC at many radio station, WE FM, and later cultural events, and was “a passionate launched his own public relations advocate for local music and company. musicians.”

In 2001, John was appointed St. “Indeed, he fancied himself quite Vincent and the Grenadines’ Consul the calypsonian, having written and General in Canada, where one of his performed ‘The Handbag’, essentially a first initiatives was the launch of a programme, “Building Bridges”, among list of unlikely objects that could be found in a lady’s purse,” Sandra said. various Vincentian organizations in

His work’s journey

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020. 5.

Court

Serial shoplifter jailed Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS

Peter Da Souza had a number of previous convictions stacked against him.

A 53-YEAR-OLD SION HILL man who shoplifted several items from Gibson’s Building Supplies, Kingstown, on three occasions in August, could not escape the CCTV camera nor a five-month jail term.

Footage of Peter Da Souza removing the items, placing them in a book bag and leaving the store without paying, was recorded and led to DaSouza’s arrest.

Da Souza was charged with entering Gibson’s Building Supplies on August 25 and stealing three bib taps valued at $85.80 and one Comb Container lock set valued at $58.20. He was also charged with entering that store on August 24 and stealing one Comb kitchen tap valued at $77.28, and entering the store on August 28 and stealing four saw blades valued at $84.60.

Youth remanded on gun related charges NINETEEN YEAR OLD Rolando Cato were still allegations, the prosecution was remanded on Monday, after being was objecting to bail on the basis that denied bail on three gun related Cato may have a propensity for charges. offences of this nature.

The Ratho Mill man has been Cato was not represented by a charged with possession of a firearm, lawyer. without licence, make and serial The Chief Magistrate upheld the number unknown, possession of one prosecutor’s objection, but informed round of .38 ammunition, without Cato that he can apply to the High licence, and discharging a loaded Court for bail consideration. firearm in a public place.

The matter has been adjourned to The offences were reportedly October 12. committed at Redemption Sharpes on September 4.

Cato pleaded not guilty to all three charges when he was taken before Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne at the Serious Offences Court on Monday.

When the issue of bail arose, Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche informed the court that Cato had two robbery charges pending, allegedly involving the use of a firearm.

Delpleche added that while Rolando Cato – the latest to be charged for possession of an unlincensed firearm and ammunition. these charges

Da Souza pleaded guilty to all three charges when he faced Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne at the Serious Offences Court on Monday.

The defendant, who had 22 previous convictions of a similar nature, admitted to the court that he was on drugs, and requested counseling.

When Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpeche asked what he did with the items, Da Souza said, “I bought things to eat.”

The prosecutor then asked, “And to smoke too?”

Da Souza replied, “Yes, you could say dat.”

He begged the court to put him on a bond, but the Magistrate sentenced him to five months in prison on each charge, to run concurrently.

Within recent times, several persons have been caught shoplifting on CCTV cameras in various stores in Kingstown.

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6. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020. THE VINCENTIAN

Views The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

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

Editorial

Social media is abusing democracy TODAY’S POLITICAL CAMPAIGN IS, by and large, confined to social media platforms, thanks to COVID-19.

Because of that, supporters of all makes have the opportunity to do as much ‘campaigning’ for their party as the candidates would in normal circumstances.

And as this ‘new campaign’ unfolds daily, we can see two opposing mindsets emerging from this commotion: a minority that sees social media as a democratizing force that can be used to transform the way we conduct our politics; and those (majority) who see it as an opportunity to sling looseness as though it was the thing so to do.

There will come the time when we will evaluate the extent to which social media would have been responsible for an election victory or defeat.

And don’t be fooled: there is enough evidence here in the Caribbean to support the view that very skilled persons have manipulated these platforms, to win an election, but also to marginalize opposing opinions and even destabilize the election process.

All sides in our political milieu benefit from spreading falsehoods about their opponents, and in the process, undermine trust in the mainstream media.

Social media can certainly help to advance democracy and fair play in the political process, but it can also to be used for nefarious purposes. In fact, using social media has become such an abuse of privilege, that there is a growing impression that these platforms are increasingly becoming an enemy of democracy.

This follows on what seems to be an unencumbered pathway to spread misinformation on social media. And it is worth noting that it is easier to do this than to correct it.

Far too often the repercussions would have already inflamed social divisions, not to mention political divisions, before we realise the extent of misinformation and nastiness that has been spread.

Yet, admittedly, social media facilitates the swift spread of information, allowing citizens to easily get around restrictions in mainstream media. Social media allows rapid communication and offer activists new tools for organizing actions. The spread of social media should strengthen our democracy and fair play, but does it?

It is difficult to simply repress the spread of information on social media, but it’s equally difficult to repress the spread of disinformation. And yes, we have misused/abused the core feature of social media, i.e. the opportunity to spread information, to build democracy and combat the enemies of truth.

A savvy person or political party looking to discredit online critics doesn’t need to ban their speech. All they have to do, and we have seen much of this, is to respond with a deluge of false or misleading information, making it very hard for ordinary citizens to figure out what’s actually going on.

Before you blink, the falsehoods may have already embedded themselves in the collective consciousness Social media platforms by their nature allow politicians (through their sycophants) to marginalize opponents, consolidate their base, and exacerbate the social divisions that helped to lift them (politicians) up.

So much so, a politician’s use, or his/her guided use of social media, falls into two basic types: normal use and abuse. Normal use of social media is simply an online extension of typical democratic campaign tactics: paying for ads, spreading your message or uploading a campaign video to YouTube. Abuse involves the deliberate spread of false information, attempts to undermine faith in established reality and thrives on harassment and the spread of downright lies.

Normal use of social media can be equally helpful to all politicians. But the negative use of social media, as seemingly encouraged here, intrinsically advantages anti-democratic political factions over their opponents.

Stop spreading misinformation.

Of Political Heroes and Division (First published in THE VINCENTIAN of Friday 2nd September, 2016) LUZETTE WILL OF COURSE ignore the little fun poked at her ignorance of my birthplace in last week’s column. I make amends by seriously hailing Luzette as head of a four-some that is blazing the path to a regeneration of our depressed situation. Luzette King, Margaret London, Patches Knights and Igal Adams, aided and abetted by the likes of Hamilton, are doing yeoman service in helping to restore SVG to its pristine glory of being “Home of the Blessed”.

This week, I was pleasantly moved by the honouring by Coreas Hazells business place of three national sports heroes, two of whom had been selected by me on my piece on Bottom Town, namely ‘Gunny’ Hinds and Guy Lowe.

Incidentally, their glowing contribution was voiced by Mike Findlay, himself a sport icon of superlative measure. A great honour was paid to me some years ago when Mike selected me, of all persons, to present his citation on naming of the stand at the Arnos Vale Sport complex after him. I thank Heaven that Mike had successfully resisted all pressures to enter partisan politics.

Last Week’s article on Bottom Town had been somewhat rushed. Although necessarily abbreviated owing to shortness of space, there were some fatal omissions. I should have mentioned sporting heroes —George Hinds, Ali Munro, Tweety Spence, and Barney Jacobs, a football/cricketer before their times. Also a boxing champion, Mike “Ragglins” Harry.

Touching the spirit of generosity, I could have pointed out the shop-keepers Roberts and St Aurin Seymour who played their radios deliberately loud during cricket commentaries, so that many persons too poor to own a radio could hear commentaries on international sports, particularly cricket.

And there were characters aplenty in Rose Place, like Shorty Henry the dwarf-barber, “Tiger” Palmer, and above all Theodore “Dory” Culzac who danced around the park when SVG played, carrying a fish and breadfruit aloft, accompanied by a crowd of Bottom Town persons singing to keep the spirits of our own team at play.

That Bottom Town was not all poverty and squalor could be attested in the simple fact that the leading business place of Coreas had its four top executives living there: Messrs Newsome Duncan, Findlay, Ernest Gellizeau and Duncan “Darrow” Daisley. On the fringes atop Battery Hill lived Mr. Marshall of United Traders Limited. There were residences around the Park of Allan Gunn of Hazells and Stein Nanton.

CHINA OR TAIWAN The case is really simple, straightforward.

We have been an independent country since 1979.

The Labour Party of the Day chose to have

relations with Taiwan, rather than mainland China, from which Taiwan had broken away, but still mouth the concept of one China.

In 1982, the MNU of Ralph Gonsalves, in a public document, assailed SVG for its relation with Taiwan.

Ralph was then an orthodox communist when he formed part of the UPM in 1979. The body had first to proclaim a temporary compromise position of “socialist orientation”. Without allowing time to pan out, after our crushing defeat, Ralph called a meeting in which he suggested that we declare for immediate communism. That caused the break out of the DFM-EF faction.

By 1986, he had entered the by-election for East Kingstown following Eddie Griffith’s death.

His first candidate of the MNU was Cyp Neehall, now editor of THE VINCENTIAN, who indicated that he, rather than P.R of the NDP, stood for the ideals of the dead Griffith. From that point, it was clear that without formal recant, Ralph was all over the place without coherent philosophy, unless it was powerseeking at all costs.

It so happened in the international sphere, there was a confusion of ideologies as well, which Ralph may have reflected or even anticipated. So when he took power in SVG in 2001, it was easy for him to tighten the embrace with Taiwan desperate for friends in its diplomatic battles with mainland China.

It follows that it became over-generous to print with regimes that it personally championed rather than with the people. But the march of times was with China which grew in every sense by leaps and bounds, and as a result, liberated internally with technology, showing a decidedly human face.

So with the UN hooked on a one China policy and all countries consulting their own interest, which is the paramount principle in international affairs, the opposition New Democratic Party decided to do business with mainland China, if and when it forms government.

It is as a result of cold and calculated reasoning that Arnhim Eustace and company have decided to enter diplomatic relations with mainland China, regretful and thankful to Taiwan for all she has done for SVG, as a country and not a particular regime. In these matters, the whole, not a part must be satisfied: the head triumph over even the heart.

On this issue, the ULP seems to have forgotten, that in their books, there is no urgency, for they will be in power at least until 2021, and beyond if the NDP foolishly continues to be led, or misled, by Arnhim Eustace.

The immediate future contains some stinging surprises.

V Elections here and there

lHE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020. 7.

Views

MR. EDITOR, I had to get this one off my chest as soon as possible.

You know that I am a man who follows elections across the Caribbean. To date, we have had, for this purpose, four elections in the English-speaking Caribbean and not one has seen a defeat for the incumbent.

Skerrit was returned in Dominica, Harris won again in St. Kitts,

Rowley was returned in Trinidad and Tobago, and just last week, Holness was returned in Jamaica with a whacking majority.

Now, Mr. Editor, I don’t mean to be coming over as being in support on one party over the other, but shouldn’t we take note of what those four elections might be telling us? Is it that Caribbean people are no longer prepared to take a

chance with something new as against what they know they have?

Our situation is very much like the Jamaica situation. The last elections in Jamaica (2016) and here (2015) resulted in victory for the Jamaica Labour Party (JPL) and the Unity Labour Party (ULP)respectively, by one seat in each case. Mind you, the JLP took another seat after a by-

election.

The questions that I think are raised here are: Is the record of the ULP good enough for them to be voted back in this time with a clearer majority of seats? And given what we know the New Democratic Party is proposing (jobs, jobs and more jobs???), that they can unseat a party that has been in power since 2001?

If the second obtains,

ULP has failed the young people WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, there was always some politics talk in my home. When it didn’t come from my parents, it came from my two older siblings, who, i.e. siblings, represented very opposing views as to which party they supported. All of this helped to influence me when my time came to vote for the first time in 2001. To tell the truth, I did not vote in 2001; there was for me, too much ‘confusion’ in the air.

I was, though, prepared to give Dr. Gonsalves and the ULP my quiet support in the hope that maybe, they could turn things around for the young people especially. My position was that I would give

the ULP a chance to prove themselves, and I would look at their performance and then decide if I should vote at the next (2005) general election.

The “Education Revolution’ was to me very exciting since it promised to keep young people in school, see that they were trained, build a cadre of qualified young Vincentians, and find employment for them. However, as time progressed and ULP won again and again, I was not satisfied that they had fulfilled their promises to young people. In fact, I began to feel and see that they had failed the young people of SVG: unemployment rose by leaps and bounds; the

Mental Home was filled with young people; there was a marked increase in incest, sexual abuse including child molestation; deadly crime went spiraling upwards as it seems gang warfare was taking hold; and there was much talk of corruption in high places and even low offices, and even when certain public servants were caught with their hands in the cookie jar, many of them were simply transferred and some even promoted.

All of this, Mr. Editor, has caused me to rethink my decision to vote as I did in 2005, 2010 and 2015. It seems that politicians are very much guided by their

own selfish desires and ambitions, and care nothing about the people in a real sense.

I have not at this time been convinced that I should go to the polls, but for certain, I would think twice about putting my vote where it went in the last three elections.

A member of the ULP Generation

then we would have broken the recent trend.

I see where the leader of the opposition People’s National Party in Jamaica has said that he will resign as leader and therefore as Leader of the Opposition.

I wonder, Mr. Editor, whether Dr. Ralph Gonsalves is prepared to make a promise that if the ULP loses, he will

officially resign as its leader?

Then again, he has said that this will be his last time at the pools, but he might have said that with the confidence that he and his ULP would win again.

Something for him to think about.

Charles, Edinboro

Teachers’ action SCHOOL RE-OPENED this Monday. N0 matter what models we use as we proceed with face-toface teaching, we do so mindful of the fact that we are very much still in the COVID-19 days.

This, therefore, is no time to play around with our children’s welfare.

This is a time that demands that all stakeholders must be of one mind as we commit to serve our children.

One such stakeholder, a vital one we must agree, is the mass of teachers and their Union. This is no time for the Union to be threatening action — even though our Teachers Union president stopped short of saying what teachers might have in mind.

To be raising concerns, at this point in time that appear to me to have all been addressed, is to be playing games with the

welfare and lives of our children. This is no time for prognostication by the Union.

God forbid, but I would never want to be in a situation where I have to point my fingers at teachers. They are members of a noble profession, a vocation and should not allow any surmountable concerns they might have, to prevent them from fulfilling that noble profession/vocation in the classroom — where it matters most.

I thank all teachers who will continue this week to offer care and guidance to our children.

There is a time for everything under the sun and the moon. This is not a time for your Union to be encouraging any unnecessary action would interfere with setting the classroom process back on course.

Janice M.

The NDP still lagging I HAVE ALWAYS FELT that since the NDP could not even reverse the election results in 2010 to 8-7 in their favour in the 2015 election, i.e. by winning one more seat, then it would be a long time before they could see government. Now, as we are, so to speak, on the brink of another general election, am not encouraged that they can do it this time around.

First to begin with, the NDP failed to attract the electorate comprised of a sizeable number of young voters, when they carried on for far too long

with a leader that could not excite them. The leadership change came too late to disturb the apple cart so much so, Dr. Friday has been burning the candle at both ends to sell himself as a national leader.

And the length of time they took to fill their slate of candidate gave the impression that they were not prepared. They allowed the Election Petitions to sidetrack them and they forgot about very fundamental things like candidates.

And when we learned who made up the slate, it

seems that there were hardly any new faces, For sure, there were not many if any fresh, young, bright and exciting faces in their team. The NDP must check to see to what extent they have reached or are reaching the young people.

Also, the NDP advances a message of being ready and able to create jobs. They have even suggested ways in which they will approach this objective. This is all well and good even if it is a message we have heard before and I suppose, we will hear again. This

‘message’, though, raises certain doubts as it comes in the midst of a global pandemic during which many have lost jobs and income. The world economy and I dare say ours, are far from stable and will take quite an effort to restore to some normalcy. I wish the NDP well if they win and promise to hold them to this.

And if I may, Mr. Editor, leave a message for both parties: WE, the voters, are fed up of being fooled. WE are smarter today.

Observer

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8. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

Excerpt from the 2020 Budget Address on Tourism

Major fishing development for Central Leeward

THE DEBATE LEADING UP to the general election in 2020 is not yet in full swing, but already NDP candidates are dealing in a number of lies, especially as these relate to the economy and leadership. Today we reproduce the closing debate on the 2020 budget, which outlines a number of facts about the state of the country’s economy, and the general state of play in St.Vincent and the Grenadines.

(Excerpts of Ben Exeter’s presentation at a virtual Meeting)

for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

That path is bold and ambitious, building upon the strong foundation that we have built since 2001 and strengthened after batterings from external disasters — both natural and Introduction manmade. The limitations upon us are Between 1763 and the late 1990s, the real but possibilities exist for the further enhancement of our sustainable economy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines had, as its cornerstone, the development.

The progressive 2020 Vision of this export of a single agricultural product. government is clear, coherent and Over the centuries, the export crop comprehensive. We recognize that ours changed, from cotton to arrowroot to sugar to bananas — and the exploitation is not the only developmental strategy, of enslaved Africans was abolished, but but we believe that it is the right one for the remaining basic modes of production our times, our country and our people.

We reject austerity. We reject the crass and economic structures remained in commercialisation of our citizenship, place. and the race to the bottom of passport The substantial transition from subsidised monocrop agricultural export sales. We take note of, but not began in earnest 19 years ago, with the instruction from, institutions, indices and metrics that measure not progress, onset of the Education Revolution and but our fealty to neoliberal orthodoxy. the agricultural diversification around Our measures of development are bananas to now include root crops, people-centred, and rooted in Vincentian livestock, poultry, fish, cocoa, and coffee. history and experience. We count the A corresponding infrastructural reinvention has included a jet airport in rising numbers of educated, employed and home-owning citizens. We tally the Canouan, the Rabbaca bridge, a proliferation of low- and middle-income dwindling numbers of poor, indigent and hungry. We quantify investments to homes, the Modern Medical Diagnostic make us more resilient, improve our Complex, the Windward and Leeward infrastructure, and diversify our highways and the Argyle International economy. We weigh the ways that youth Airport. and women are empowered, and that Simultaneously, we grew our elderly and vulnerable are supported. economy, reduced inequality, improved We celebrate business growth, and we our healthcare apparatuses, strengthened our social safety nets, and link sustainable use of our landscape, seascape, people and the instruments of slashed indigence, poverty and our sovereignty to the interest of our undernourishment. Of course, our people’s humanisation. progress has not been linear. We have suffered setbacks and encountered The Naysayers obstacles, from natural disasters to the debilitating global economic and Of course, there will be dissenters financial crisis. The developmental and detractors. Ours is a robust challenges that we face remain democracy. We will consider numerous and formidable. But we are constructive critiques and adopt good undaunted, and God is Good. ideas as our own, in the interest of national development. But there will Vincentians better off also be rising cacophony of negativity from the propagandists and The fact is that the average opportunists who see every step forward Vincentian in 2020 is better educated, through the prism of their own narrow better compensated, better protected, self interest. Those naysayers will and better equipped to access and take advantages of emerging opportunities in proclaim that Budget 2020 is unrealisable. They will critique serious our rapidly-changing world, than the developmental proposals with the average Vincentian of the same age vacuous taunts of the primary school when we began our economic yards. But we are comforted that they transformation two decades ago. Our are the same naysayers who said the economy is growing. Taxes are lower.

Argyle International Airport was Wages are higher. There are record impossible; the Rabbaca Bridge was numbers of Vincentians with a job. impossible; the Education Revolution School and hospital funding are at record levels. Social safety nets are ever was impossible; and the Security Council was impossible. more robust. And the Budget is They will once again trot out their stronger.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is clichéd pronouncements of pessimism. indisputably on the right track. We have Let them talk. We will work. They will be heard but not heeded. Their made real progress. Our country is negativity will be but a raindrop in the stronger than it was in 2000 or 2010. ocean of our optimism, ambition and But we know that the job is not done. hope. Because we know that our country The task of development is never complete, and it is ever more precarious is heading in the right direction. We know that we are blessed with in the context of a Small Island visionary, experienced and Developing State on the frontlines of climate change, the neighbourhood of a compassionate leadership.

And we know that we are home to an hegemon, and the periphery of the global economy, and quite vulnerable to enterprising, creative and hardworking Vincentian people, who have always the vicissitudes of a global political faced challenges with resolve, with faith disorder and a profound unfairness of in God, and with an unshakeable the globalised economy. optimism that we can accelerate this process of economic transformation for ULP: a clear vision going forward the benefit of all.

Let us continue to build a better Budget 2020 considers our history, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Let our triumphs and our challenges in charting a transformative path forward us Lift SVG Higher….

TONIGHT, IS ABOUT THE EMPOWERMENT of our people. Tonight, is about how Dr Friday and the New Democratic Party (NDP) plan to empower you, the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines. We believe in policies that would teach a man to fish, so that they could be fed for a lifetime.

This is the philosophy of the NDP; one which seeks to empower and uplift its people. We are true to our motto of One Nation, One People, One Vincy.

The NDP is not simply focused on building concrete structures, but rather to build communities and build lives. The NDP plans to build the lives of the people of Central Leeward through the development of the blue economy. Our blue economy plan is designed to exploit our more than 200 nautical-miles of fishing zone, and gives our fisher folk, women and youth the kind of hand up that they need to live to their full potential. Our people are not lazy. Our people do not want to wait around at the end of the month to collect public assistance.

Our people need hope and a government that cares. They need support to get back on their feet.

Our blue economy plan will see the expansion of our fishing industry which will result in jobs and wealth creation for the people of Central Leeward. We will also make substantial capital investment by upgrading landing sites and the fishing plant in Barrouallie. Further, we will utilize technology to aid in catch management where we will be able to understand the demand for fish production and analyze the expected catch. By doing this, our fisherfolk will be better positioned to participate in our tourism and export markets in a meaningful way.

The worldwide estimated annual sale value of fish is over US$140 billion. We deserve a piece of that pie.

Our people have the necessary skills to be a part of this lucrative market.

And for those who do not have the skills, our blue economy policy will make available technical assistance, including training, scholarships and exchange programmes to ensure that we are more efficient, more productive, more competitive and more successful. An NDP government will provide much needed financial injection through low-interest loans and grants, concessions, and incentives for our people to purchase or lease vessels and power business start-up which will result in expansion and rapid growth.

The NDP will build a fishing industry that will enable our people to do more. We will build an industry where people are empowered to create wealth for their families. We are promoting policies that are transformative and not transactional.

Central Leeward, they will come saying that we are dreamers. Tell them yes. Tell them that we are dreaming of a better St. Vincent and the Grenadines. We are dreaming of the day when St. Vincent and the Grenadines returns to a prosperous

nation. Tell them yes, because dreams of freedom and equality are what spur revolutions. People of Central Leeward, we say dare to dream. We are about to have an empowerment revolution. A revolution where our people are given the support they need to live their true potential.

It is no longer good enough for St. Vincent and the Grenadines to have a catch-up plan. We can’t be looking to catch up to other neighbouring islands. We need to surpass them. In 2107, fishing accounted for 24.52% of Grenada’s export; for St Vincent and the Grenadines, it was a mere 4.78%.

St Vincent and the Grenadines imports twice the amount of fish than we export. Meanwhile, Grenada exports twice as much as they import.

Something is seriously wrong here.

This must change.

Our food security depends on a robust fishing and agriculture policy.

We need bold innovative plans that will see us leapfrog over other nations. We have been there before.

We can do it again. This new bold vision for us, is one in which technology is infused in every aspect of our lives–from government to tourism, education, health care, farming and fishing. Let’s make fishing and farming exciting for our young people, one where they could apply modern technology to their craft, for ultimate productivity and enhanced livelihood.

Grenada, St Lucia, Barbados, and Turks and Caicos Islands have Fish Fry festivals. What about us? A Fish Fry Festival in Central Leeward would help to make Barrouallie a tourism destination for international guests, and attract locals from the Windward side and provide much needed economic spinoff. We can seize these opportunities for growth and empowerment. Central Leeward will experience a revitalized economy, higher levels of employment and wealth, and pride of its people. This might be a dream now, but it will only remain a dream if this administration is permitted to remain in power.

When the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines stand up for equality, stand up for democracy and stand up for empowerment, then this dream shall be realized through your next representative for Central Leeward, Benjamin Exeter.

People of Central Leeward, hard workers of Central Leeward, single mothers of Central Leeward, youth of Central Leeward, dream big, make a difference. Our time has come.

Change is on its way. From South Leeward, throughout Central Leeward to North Leeward, we hear the chant for change. We hear the cry for change. I say to you that my NDP brothers, Roland Patel Matthews, Nigel, ‘Nature’ Stephenson and I hear your cries. We feel your pain, and we say that change is on its way. If you are over 18 years of age and you have not registered to vote, I urge you to go out and get registered and vote for the NDP, so we can make St. Vincent and the Grenadines working again.

V Active listening

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020. 9.

Views

“Of all the skills of leadership, listening is the most valuable — and one of the least understood. Most captains of industry listen only sometimes, and they remain ordinary leaders. But a few, the great ones, never stop listening. That's how they get word before anyone else of unseen problems and opportunities.”

— Peter Nulty, Fortune Magazine MANY INDIVIDUALS judge leaders by their ability to talk, their charm, their charisma, their ability to convey their vision and by how well they excite others to follow. While these are desirable leadership capabilities, the ability to listen is considered most valuable. The value of listening is highlighted in the Peter Nulty quotation that was used to introduce this essay.

This is also echoed in Dr. Maya Angelou’s useful observation that people may forget what we said or what we did, but they will never forget how we made them feel. Those feelings that she refers to are often linked to the times when we demonstrated empathy and made the time to listen. This is considered especially important when we are required to listen to individuals who are hurting or otherwise traumatised.

We (I include myself) periodically find ourselves engaged in conversations where we are hearing what is being said but not necessarily listening. Sometimes this may be due to the fact that we may not be interested in what is being discussed.

Occasionally, it may be the result of our having more pressing things to do. On other occasions, we may be juggling tasks or multi-tasking and therefore paying scant attention to what is being voiced. Morgan Scott Peck (1936-2005), the American psychiatrist and author of the bestselling book “The Road Less Traveled” reminds us that ,“You cannot truly listen to anyone and do anything else at the same time.” We are too often guilty of seeking to do other things while “listening” to others. Deborah Tanner, who is an author and professor of linguistics at Georgetown University, USA, reminds us that, “To say that a person feels listened to means a lot more than just their ideas get heard. It's a sign of respect. It makes people feel valued.” We value others when we dedicate the time and exert the effort to listen to them.

Bernard Mannes Baruch (18701965) was an American financier, stock investor, philanthropist, statesman, and political consultant.

Following his success in business, he devoted his time as an economic advisor to U.S. Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

He is recorded as having said, "Most of the successful people I've known are the ones who do more listening than talking." We can all benefit from enhancing our listening skills in our homes, schools, and workplaces. Dr. Stephen Covey (1932-2012), the American educator, motivational speaker, and author of the best-selling book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, reminds us of the need to engage in listening with the intention of understanding the other person(s) conversing. He noted that we too often listen with the intention of providing our insights in relation to the topic being discussed rather than

China and Taiwan seeking to fully understand and appreciate the point(s) being made.

Refusing to listen can have very serious consequences. History records that the tragedy related to the sinking of the Titanic on 15th April 1912 could have been averted if the radio operator onboard that ill-fated vessel, Jack Phillips, was listening. We are told that Cyril Evans, the radio operator on another ship, was feverishly seeking to contact the crew on the Titanic in order to alert them that they had encountered a most threatening ice field. However, Phillips was preoccupied with relaying passengers’ messages and rudely instructed Evans to be quiet.

Frustrated and disappointed, Evans hesitantly turned off his radio and turned in to bed. Shortly thereafter, the Titanic struck an iceberg. This unexpected disaster, occurred four days on the Titanic’s maiden voyage from Southampton in England to New York in the USA. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,500 passengers and crew members. Numerous analysts have provided a host of other contributing factors to the sinking of this great vessel. However, the Phillips’ inability or disinterest in listening must be factored in to the demise and destruction of what was then the world’s largest and most luxurious vessel.

Relationships in our homes, schools, workplaces, and churches can be so much richer and more productive if/when we make the time to listen to what others are saying or needing to say - listening with the aim of understanding the points that they are seeking to share. We can all benefit from the useful insights and wisdom that can be generated when we pause to provide listening ears.

Active listening will enhance our understanding of others and, in so doing, generate a greater appreciation of the thoughts that they convey. Our listening can have a calming or sobering impact on them and, in so doing, generate lots of joy in our lives.

We feel good knowing that we have contributed to the good in others.

Leaders, managers, teachers, parents, pastors, consultants, members of the medical profession, and therapists can all benefit from improved listening skills. We can also add our professions and names to this list of beneficiaries. But it takes discipline as we slow ourselves down to fully concentrate on and appreciate the thoughts that others seek to share with us. This is especially so when individuals may be expressing views that are different to our own. This calls for patience. This demands empathy. However, in the end, we discover that blending their insights with our own can significantly improve the tapestry of our thoughts — creating useful visions for problem solving and creating a platform for innovation and self-improvement. We all become wiser and better when we embrace the challenge to explore the possibilities of broadening our active listening skills.

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

AS THE ELECTIONS draw near, the debate whether we should have diplomatic relations with China or Taiwan will heat up. We take you back to our August 5, 2016 column which characterised the debate following the NDP announcement that it will disavow ties with Taiwan, and establish relations with the People’s Republic of China as a ‘tempest in a teapot.’

We argued then that tactically the announcement would have had more political impact had it come came before the last elections. With SVG reeling from difficult economic times, a compelling argument could have been made to the electorate to ‘try something new’ with the hope that the People’s Republic of China, with all of its economic might, could have injected a much-needed stimulus with offers of infrastructural, educational and other forms of assistance.

In a recent interview on Boom FM, Party Leader Dr Godwin Friday backed away from the proposed switch in relations from Taipei to Beijing, as was proposed by Arnhim Eustace. This development is unfortunate because SVG could do with an injection of developmental assistance which the Taiwanese refuse to offer.

The story of relationships with Taiwan has its roots in cold war politics. The communist revolution of 1949 in China chased the nationalist forces off the mainland to Taiwan.

The USA and other western countries immediately embraced the nationalists, and used it as a capitalist showcase against what was then sold as the failures of socialism in the Soviet Union and China.

The Labour Party of Milton Cato, as well as most of the developing world, followed the cold war mantra of the West, recognized Taiwan and established diplomatic relations.

Taiwan was projected as the sole legitimate representative of the Chinese people even though most Chinese lived on the Mainland.

All of this began to unravel after the secret visit of Henry Kissinger, the US Secretary of State, to Beijing in 1971. The USA established relations with China, broke relations with Taiwan and the dollar diplomacy started in earnest. Both Taipei and Beijing began aiding countries that will align with either side.

Currently, the People’s Republic of China has the diplomatic support of most of the independent nations in the world. Taiwan is recognized by only 14 of the 193 nations at the UN, with Belize, Haiti, St Kitts, St Lucia and SVG among them.

Taiwan and China are increasingly drawing closer. In fact, 40 percent of the foreign investment in China is believed to have an origin in Taiwan.

The pro-independence government of President Tsai Ing-Wen continues to press the independence claim, but leaders in Beijing have maintained that they will never allow such a move.

China continues its diplomatic offensive to win new friends and to further isolate Taiwan. Certainly, if this effort succeeds, the talk of independence in Taipei will certainly recede.

Four years ago, we argued that the NDP decision to recognize the People’s Republic of China may be a blessing in disguise to our government. ‘It may offer a unique

advantage to the government of PM Gonsalves to press the government of Taiwan for even more developmental assistance. Gonsalves, the skilled politician that he is, should see an opportunity to press for more assistance. The leaders in Taiwan may be hard-pressed to deny more assistance.’

Mr. Eustace’s announcement broke the hegemony which the Taiwanese held over our diplomacy in Asia. With both parties pledging their allegiance, Taipei sat comfortably with the knowledge that no matter what happened in our elections, relations were safe. Dr. Friday’s waffling on the issue has tightened Taiwan’s grip and weakened our negotiating power.

We see no benefit to the NDP or SVG in the change of position, and hope that the opposition party’s decision to downplay the switch is purely tactical.

All parties must now think just a little harder about the pros and cons of these relations. This must be a good thing, especially for those of us in SVG whose thought patterns on so many matters are staggeringly ossified.

This sad state of affairs is reflected in the politicization of all things and the ways in which people line up based on which party they support.

Gonsalves must be worried by the deep levels of anti-communist nonsense spewed by many of his spokesmen and women in their response to the NDP decision. The anti-communism reared its ugly head again when the coronavirus emerged earlier in the year.

Similarly, many progressives were equally sickened that some of the most backwards, reactionary and anti-communist elements, at the toss of a coin, jumped on the Beijing bandwagon. Only yesterday they were loudest in denouncing Gonsalves and the People’s Republic of China as communist, notorious for economic failure and wrecking economies. With the proposed shift by the NDP from Taipei to Beijing, China’s economic might and the supposed benefits that might flow were shamelessly touted.

Plain Talk had always maintained that the assistance our country received from Taiwan was much too low, bearing in mind that our county, for decades, remained a most dependable and stalwart supporter of Taipei. As a matter of principle, we have always advocated the establishment of relationship with the People’s Republic of China.

This was not an anti-Taiwan position. The argument was grounded in the fact that Beijing represents most Chinese people, was sensibly recognized by most independent nations and was the second-largest economic power in the world.

We have entered a new period in our conversation about our relationships with Taiwan and hopefully the rest of the world. The world is too complex a place for knee jerk, emotional responses. Statecraft demands much more. Plain Talk has confidence in a forward-looking, developing SVG. The critical question is; Are we are ready for the task?

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

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10. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

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ULP and NDP regimes - dreamers WHEN IT COMES TO SVG’S public finances, both the ULP and NDP regimes have shown that they are irresponsible and a bunch of dreamers. Both the ULP and NDP regimes have a history of throwing away millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money on projects that fail to produce a net return on the money invested.

This waste of SVG’s public finances has had catastrophic consequences for our country. We have had decades of high rates of unemployment, poverty and crime. The ULP and NDP regimes cannot be trusted with taxpayers’ money.

Let’s look first at the

financial incompetence of the NDP regime dreamers.

In 1993, millions of dollars were wasted by the NDP regime on the Ottley Hall Marina and Shipyard. This was a failed development project by the NDP regime that turned out to be a financial fiasco, and left our country with a debt of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Also in 1993, we saw the NDP regime waste millions of dollars building the Bequia airport. This airport has failed to bring in a net income and now lies unused and in an appalling state of

disrepair. This airport has cost millions to maintain and will need many millions more to make it operational.

In 1999, the NDP regime wasted tens of millions of dollars building the cruise ship terminal. The income from this project is peanuts and does not cover its running and maintenance costs.

These 3 examples alone clearly illustrate the NDP regime’s financial incompetence, lack of due diligence and why they cannot be trusted with SVG’s public finances.

Let’s look now at the financial incompetence of the ULP regime

dreamers.

For decades, the ULP regime has pumped tens of millions of dollars into LIAT and there has been no net return. LIAT has now gone bust and millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money have been lost by the ULP regime.

In 2012, the ULP regime wasted tens of millions of dollars building the Belle Isle jail, rather than investing the money into a science and technology university for our children. A jail, like the one at Belle Isle, could never and has never been an income earner for our country.

In 2017, the Argyle airport was commissioned and, not surprisingly, this has turned out to be a White Elephant. Even before COVID-19, the airport did not bring a net income into our country and costs more to run and

maintain than it makes. It drains money from our country as airlines have to be paid to fly to SVG. These 3 examples alone clearly illustrate the ULP regime’s financial incompetence, lack of due diligence and why they cannot be trusted with SVG’s public finances.

Both the ULP and NDP regimes are not prudent with SVG’s public finances. They tend to run recklessly headfirst into wasting millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money on useless projects, without doing a proper cost-benefit analysis to ascertain whether the project will lead to a sustainable net income for our country.

We cannot afford to have financiallyincompetent dreamers in charge of SVG’s public finances. SVG needs a change of government and a Vincentian Minister of Finance who is a

university graduate in both Accounts and Finance.

SVG needs a Green government. As SVG Minister of Finance, Warrant Officer Ivan Bertie O’Neal, BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, would abolish the Mustique Act 2002, cut ties with Taiwan and take back our fish licence. He would open ties with China and adopt structural change, using high quality education and our own science and technology university as the engine for the creation of thousands of new jobs and revenue, and focus on expanding the SVG yearly budget to $4 billion.

According to Warrant Officer Ivan Bertie O’Neal, BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, both the ULP and NDP regimes are a bunch of dreamers and financially reckless. They cannot be trusted with SVG taxpayers’ money. A Green government would create prosperity, revenue and thousands of new jobs.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020. 11.

Education

FOSH scholarship awarded

KACI-ANN PRIMUS is the recipient of the 2020 Friends of Sion Hill Inc. (FOSH) Scholarship award.

She will receive $800 annually for the next five years of her secondary schooling.

The 12-year-old, a resident of Sion Hill, is a former student of the Kingstown Preparatory School.

She was successful at this year’s sitting of the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA), and gained enrollment at the Girls’ High School.

According to President of the FOSH SVG Inc. Clyde Fitzpatrick, Primus best fitted the criteria, as she is also a member of the Junior Band of the Sion Hill Euphonium Steel Orchestra.

Fitzpatrick noted that whilst awarding the annual scholarships, “We also want to build community leaders persons who are involved within the Sion Hill community.”

Primus is the sixth recipient of the FOSH Inc. Scholarship Programme, which was started in 2017.

Fitzpatrick explained that while the organisation was able in 2017 and 2019 to offer two scholarships, it was unable to do so this year because the parent body, Friends of Sion Hill USA, was unable to host its usual fund raising events, because of the threats of the COVID-19 pandemic.

FOSH SVG Inc. was established in 2017, as the local chapter of FOSH USA.

Kaci- ann Primus (left) receiving her scholarship award from Jacqueline Browne – Secretary of FOSH SVG Inc.

Prince lashes out at ISPs ONE WEEK after Oswald Robinson, President of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Union, called out local telecommunications companies for poor internet service, this country’s Education Minister has followed suit.

St Clair ‘Jimmy’ Prince took a turn on the two primary Education Minister St. Internet Service providers Clair Prince has joined (ISPs), saying that the in the ‘calling out of’ Ministry of Education has Internet Service been involved in discussions Providers (ISPs) here. on the issue of poor service.

“I don’t know the extent to which they have responded, but there is no shortage of negotiation and cajoling and pushing with respect to that,” Prince said.

He continued, saying that it was his opinion that the providers operating here did not consider the Caribbean as an important part of the market.

“But we have to continue to talk to them until we get the kind of service that is required,” he said.

Robinson said, during a press briefing on Sept. 1, that there were IT laboratories throughout the country but no or poor internet service.

“What are the suppliers doing?” Robinson questioned.

He said that the poor service from the ISPs were to be blamed for the inability of some teachers to reach students who were forced to stay at home, following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

V A new Reorganisation Plan for LIAT 12. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

News

As the future of what was once LIAT is being crafted, a number of airlines have moved in to fill the void created by LIAT’s cessation.

IF WHAT THE CMC REPORTED IS WHAT was proposed, then the government of Antigua and Barbuda is prepared to underwrite up to 50% of the required capiltalisation for a reorganised LIAT. The CMC said late last week that it had obtained a copy of the new reorganisational plan and that Antigua and Barbuda is proposing to re-investment of EC$180 million.

The remaining $50% is expected to be shared by other private and public sector entities, including existing shareholder governments.

And according to CMC, Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne said in an interview with that news agency, that the reorganised LIAT (I974) limited would be different from a restructured entity.

“In a reorganised LIAT, creditors

will be asked to take a cut up to 100 per cent in some instances, but on average about 50 per cent. The staff we expect, a 50 per cent reduction in the staff liabilities because if they go to liquidation they will be lucky to get 10 per cent,” he added.

Already, the Barbados and St Vincent and the Grenadines governments, former shareholders in the airline, had in July agreed to sell their shares, to accommodate the new reorganisational plan outlined by Antigua and Barbuda. Dominica is the other major shareholder government.

As it stands now, the Administrator, appointed in late July, is the sole representative of what remains as the LIAT estate. All decisions involving the affairs of LIAT would be taken exclusively by the administrator and

not the directors, or shareholders.

The Administrator, Cleveland Seaforth, is tasked with the responsibility of reorganizing the company — LIAT (1974) Ltd., by cutting liabilities and realigning expenses. The administrator would have full powers to negotiate terms with creditors, including agreement to reduce sums payable.

He promised a report within 120 days of his appointment.

Debt write-off Meanwhile. Antigua News Room reported PM Browne as saying earlier this week that there has been no formal response to a request that governments write-off LIAT debts to them.

While Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines gave indication that he was prepared to write off more than C$14 million owing to his government, Browne said Gonsalves has not confirmed that by way of a formal response.

Neither, he said, has the other two (former) major shareholders — Barbados and Dominica — replied formally.

Browne, however, said that he was “pretty sure” that Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica will be writing off the arrears.

As it stands, LIAT has more than $300 million in liabilities and the assets, which are primarily travel assets, are estimated to yield a mere $20 million.

V IMF issues warning regarding the new port

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020. 13.

News

THEY MAY HAVE AGREED that the project is a Actual construction was originally scheduled to necessity, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is commence in 2020, but this has been postponed to warning that it could put a strain on public finances.

2021. Construction is expected to be complete by “The cost of building a new port, however, is quite 2024. large for a small economy like St. Vincent and the The Kingstown Port Expansion and Grenadines, amounting to nearly 21% of GDP. The Modernisation Project has already received new port will boost construction demand but also commitments of funding as follows: a US$110 put heavy pressure on public finances,” the IMF said million loan from the Caribbean Development in a May 2020 report.

Bank (CDB); approximately US$32 million from The report continued: “The main growth channel the CDB-administered United Kingdom is through the employment of unskilled labour, and Infrastructure Fund; and a $US43 million input by the impact from capital inputs is limited as these the Government of St. Vincent and the will mostly be imported. The long term growth Grenadines. impact of the port would hinge on the authorities’ For its part, the CDB is on record as saying that effort to strengthen St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ investment in port modernization in St. Vincent competitiveness, and foster private sector activity.” and the Grenadines will boost the efficiency of The IMF report also cited that “In the absence of cargo service, revitalize Kingstown, and enhance Port Kingstown as it is today, has been assessed as this investment (private sector), should there be the business environment while expanding being inadequate to serve SVG’s expanding structural failure at the existing port, significant employment opportunities and reduce poverty. commerce and trade. negative economic impacts would ensue.”

The project, a significant module of the Government’s vision, which will result in the modernization and expansion of Port Kingstown, is already taking shape, with VINLEC IS CURRENTLY ENGAGED penetration of renewable energy government having identified an area in a project that will see the generation, and reduce the harmful — Lowmans Leeward - for the installation of Light-emitting diode impact of the burning of fossil fuel construction of 47 housing units to (LED) streetlights, as a replacement for the production of electricity. cater to those families, who will be for the High pressure sodium (HPS) In 2017, the Government of SVG, and Mercury Vapour Lamps that are the Caribbean Development Bank displaced from the Rose Place on VINLEC’s Transmission and (CDB) and VINLEC signed a loancommunity, in order to accommodate Distribution (T&D) Network. grant agreement amounting to the project.

This is one component of a national US$6.026 million. The project that In fact, the process began some time project that is intended to address resulted from the agreement has ago with the removal of vendors from energy matters with a view to improve three components: the retrofitting of the sea wall in the area of Little energy efficiency, increase the 20 public buildings with energy Tokyo. efficient equipment; installation of a 400-600 kW Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Plant; the replacement of High Pressure Sodium and Mercury Vapour Lamps with more efficient Light-emitting diode (LED) Lamps.

VINLEC is providing engineering support for the Solar PV and street lighting components of the project, and is responsible for the removal of the existing street lamps and their replacement with LED lamps.

The installation of LEDs on VINLEC’s Transmission and Distribution network as part of this One of the new LED Streetlight along project commenced on June 22nd in the Endiboro mail road.

Campden Park and as of September enhance the lighting quality on the 1st, a total of 1400 lights have been roadway. replaced.

At present, LED streetlights along Additionally, the Government the main Leeward and Windward should see a reduction of Highways from Barrouallie to approximately 35-40 percent in energy Georgetown are being replaced. On consumption on its streetlight account completion of the installation along and a reduction in the operating cost the main highways, the teams will of streetlights to the Government. focus on continuing the installation Prior to June 2020, VINLEC had work within the communities. approximately 2800 LED lights VINLEC’s Transmission & installed across the country. These Distribution and Planning were installed over the past seven Departments are responsible for all THIS ‘APPEAL’ WAS POSTED (hung) the Lewis Punnett Home at Glen — is aspects of project management as well years, following the execution of a undertaken. on the perimeter fence of the Court as the assembly of the lights. The We hope that the reproduction of Yard on Tuesday 8th September.

LED pilot project in 2013. team is also ably supported by this ‘appeal’ would be such that it Even in its crude presentation, it The project also involves the Ruddy’s Electrical Contracting caught the attention of passers-by who would allow for easy perusal by our procurement of engineering consulting Company Limited with the readers, so that they, too, can make quickly concluded, on reading the services, as well as the use of installation aspect. their assessment of what the message message, that it was ‘an appeal for contractors for the design-supplyThe new LED light fixtures will purports. help’ from, perhaps, a resident of the install of the Solar PV Plant and the help to reduce the energy consumption It seems, after all, that a change of Poor Home. retrofitting of the Public Building. of streetlights, reduce the carbon physical location just might not have The Poor Home is now located in VINLEC anticipates that the emissions associated with HPS and made any real difference in the lives of what was once the Nurses Hostel streetlight component of the project Mercury Vapour Lamps; reduce the those who choose to reside at the Poor along the Leeward Highway, while maintenance requirements associated will be completed by the third quarter Home and for those who have no refurbishment of the original Home — with streetlighting and maintain or alternative in their twilight years. of 2021. (Submitted by: VINLEC)

VINLEC installing LED streetlights

An appeal for help

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14. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

News

Shame on us Vincentians

YES, SHAME ON US, THE GREATER the level of academic achievement and the related status and societal recognition; on those heads and shoulders rest the greater portion of the responsibility for that shame. After almost fifty years of our being responsible for the management of our own welfare, the evidence of decadence is overwhelming, irrefutable testimony that our leadership has been indifferent to the areas of responsibility which are elemental to the welfare of the people they are There’s no telling who is responsible for this unsightly state of undertaken to serve. affairs behind the St. Vincent Grammar School.

Look at the condition commit themselves to seem to have become so of our roads and drains speaking and acting, when throughout the state. Right in indifferent, that their there is evidence of any attractively clad ladies must our capital Kingstown, the negotiate choked drains at the violation of these principles. grass in the drains from Some days ago, I met one of Sharpe Street to the cemetery, entrances to their workplaces our distinguished citizens in when there is a shower of tells the story of neglect.

Kingstown and I was keen to rain. But people are not Even the perennially wellshow him some photos which complaining, so those respected business institutions had been taken just a few conditions days before, of the area at the become the back of the St. Vincent norm, and the Grammar School and the authorities Girls’ High School, exhibiting seemingly not the obvious neglect. He was driven by the enthusiastic; he said people commitment had been “talking a lot about towards the those matters and also about improved wellthe condition inside the being of the buildings themselves.” If that populace, are is so, responsible, mature quite citizens ought to speak and act comfortable in until the unhealthy situation the malaise. is remedied.

But those There is more to the persons in the society who have exhibition and demonstration of national pride than the been parented, exposure of our leaders on the taught, trained UN Security Council for two at whatever years! As a matter of fact, it level, to hints of hypocrisy and even recognize the recklessness with the use of value of the resources, when such basic adherence of needs cannot be addressed certain basic over so long a period, as is principles, “That almost derelict pole – standing evidenced in the road at the aimed at the valiantly in the drain next to our noble development of a back of the GIRLS’ HIGH Parliament Building - …. speaks volumes SCHOOL and the healthy and of the quality of management in our ST.VINCENT GRAMAMR peaceable capital. (Le Roy Providence) SCHOOL. society, must

The sidewalk along the back of the Girls’ High School and St. Vincent Grammar School begs for some attention.

A significant number of our citizens who had launched their careers between the 1950s and 1980s, are beginning to leave their ethereal abode; it is pitiable that they are not leaving for the next wave of citizens a platform which will be strong enough to cope with the debts we are leaving them to repay.

In those times, the documentation that we were the smallest nation to ever serve on the Security Council of the United Nations, will hardly be able to stir our national pride!

LeRoy Providence

A far from pleasing sight situation at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

The state of some documents at the all-important Registry in Kingstown.

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18. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020. THE VINCENTIAN

Advice

He has spoken

Dear George,

I AM IN LOVE with this guy for the past 11 years. I left St. Vincent 3 years ago for the United States in order to pave the way for a better life for both of us. Before I left, we made the decision to get married as soon as this COVID-19 situation was resolved.

About two weeks ago, I learned that a good friend of mine was now living with him and a wedding was being planned “soon”. All efforts to reach him, by phone, WhatsApp have failed.

This development is hurting up my head. Why doesn’t he just tell me that what we had is no more, and allow me to move on? Why are some women so wicked? This woman knows how far this man and I have come.

Left stranded Dear Left stranded, It seems obvious that your guy has moved on. He has already told you he has moved on, but you just did not interpret the coding.

At this point, you need to focus on your own personal development and move on as well. You cannot sit around waiting in vain.

Take a reset and start charting a new course for your future.

George

Two wrongs don’t ...

Dear George, THIS MAN has a beautiful wife and still going after my girl.

When I approached him on the matter, he said it was my girl who was coming after him, and that we would not be having this conversation if that was so.

I asked him what about his wife, and his response was there is nothing wrong with a man having two women.

It was then that I told him he wouldn?t be singing that song when I move in on his wife.

I know a lot of things about his wife that he does not know. I was just being a gentleman and giving him some respect.

Now that the battle lines have been drawn, let the chips fall where they may. Wicked man!

cannot successfully move in on your partner if she did not give him some access. You have had the conversation with the wrong individual.

This idea of getting

between your rival and his wife is not a good one and you should back down from it. Two wrongs cannot and will never make a right.

George

Do not close your eyes Dear George, MY BOSS HAS APPROACHED ME about having sex with her. My boss is female and so am I. I work at her house as cleaner/babysitter.

The thing is, her husband has no clue about that side of her. A few times she has brought other women to the house and would lock themselves in her bedroom for hours at a time.

And there is never a day that she hasn’t hit on me.

Her request is that if I have just one “session” she would triple my salary and bother me after that. I am tempted to do as she asked just to save my job, but there is still this voice in my head telling me not to do it. What do you say, George?

Should I just close my eyes and do it just this once, or stand my ground and risk losing my job?

Revenge seeker

Questions

Dear Revenge seeker,

Dear Questions,

I have not heard you mention having any conversation with your girl about this situation.

She would certainly be in a better position to give you clarity on what is happening. A man

Sexual harassment on the job or anywhere else should never be tolerated. No one should ever use their position of power or authority to intimidate or threaten their employees.

You may find that it is sometimes costly when you choose to maintain your dignity. At the end of the day, however, the satisfaction of having made that choice will be much more celebrated. Now is not the time to close your eyes and walk into something that is against your morals and conviction. You have a choice to make, but keep in mind that at the end of the day, you are the one who has to live with it.

George

Leisure

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Rest and relaxation will be more favorable than you think. Minor fevers or infections will develop if you're over-stressed. Problems with your boss could lead to unemployment.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) You could expand your circle of friends if you get involved in unusual activities.

You can make new friends who could turn into intimate connections if you join clubs or take creative courses.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) Be sure that you lay your cards on the table. You can put in some overtime and make extra cash. Passion is inevitable and commitments can be made during the heat of the night.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) You will enjoy travel and getting together with peers. Your mate, however, may not be too pleased with you. Cultural activities will prove to be quite enlightening for everyone.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) You will probably have to defend your mate. Do a little extra work at home.

You can bet officials will be waiting for you when you do. Get more involved in group efforts at work.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Do not push your opinions or try to reform your emotional partner this week. Take care of any medical problems if they've been troubling you.

New hair, new outfit, new you.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) Money may slip through your fingers.

A new relationship can be yours if you get out with friends. Make the necessary changes that will enable you to advance financially. Lovers may no be truthful.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) You can make adjustments in your domestic scene this week. Educational courses will be stimulating and successful. Your outgoing nature might work against you this week.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) You should not be concerned with coworkers who insist on spreading rumors.Be willing to listen, but don't be fooled. Relationships will be emotional this week.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19) Some of that extra energy you have stored up might just be put to good use. Don't expect others to live up to their promises and you won't be disappointed or find yourself stuck with delays.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) You may have the energy to clear up that mound of paperwork facing you.

You will be able to get good advice if you listen to close friends or relatives you respect. You need to take a break with the ones you love.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Disputes may start because of a lack of honesty. A second chance will result in good work. You can convince others to follow suit. You won't have to look for the action.

ACROSS 1. Falcon cousin 5. Nuclear unit 9. Away 12. Russian czar 13. Rotunda roof 14. Sticky gunk 15. Washed-out 16. Extinct 17. Haul 18. City rodent 20. Salt dispensers 22. Small apartment 25. Legendary boxer 26. “Who – that?”

27. Average condition 29. Complicated situation 33. Refrigerate 34. Passes over 37. Clear profit 38. Majority 40. Feline sound 41. Asian export 42. Have to pay 45. Identifying 47. Fakes 51. Soap portion 52. Do a sprint 53. Sketch 55. Laboratory evaluation 58. Feeling poorly 59. Singer Turner 60. Mystery-novel hint 61. Spring month 62. Obey (orders) 63. Holy song DOWN 1. Leg joint 2. Siren Gardner

3. tusked Alaskan mammals 4. Massage (tired muscles) 5. Say further 6. Sock ends 7. Nebraska destination 8. Army award 9. Leer at 10. Half of eight 11. Dense mists 19. Helpful suggestions 21. Cinematic Basinger 22. Enjoy a pool 23. Mexican dish 24. Grown acorn 28. Glass edge 30. With

completeness 31. Perceived 32. Antlered deer 35. Barnyard enclosure 36. Deck mop 39. Heavy weight 43. Diameter 44. Otherworldly

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020. 19.

46. Tennis event 47. Very proper 48. Hawaiian performance 49. Nothing but 50. Hardly crazy 54. Cash roll 56. Total 57. Five plus five

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20. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020. THE VINCENTIAN

Four teams relegated to First Division

Zidane Sam

FOUR TEAMS, CAMDONIACHELSEA, Bequia United, Greiggs and SV United, who campaigned in the Premier Division of the 2020 St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation’s National Club Championships, have been relegated to the First Division.

When the Championships concluded last Sunday, the four teams as referenced occupied the last four positions in the points table.

However, the relegation of the four was not a foregone decision, as several permutations loomed in the last round of matches on Friday and Saturday. One of Avenues United, Sion Hill, Awesome or SV United could have joined the other three which had already known their fate.

Avenues United kept their status in tact with a one-nil win over a determined Greiggs team, Erel Hector scoring

Layout United will campaign in the Premier Division and will look to recapture the days of the mighty Gladiators football team that came out of that community.

that all important goal in the 42nd minute.-In the second match of a double header on Friday, Awesome did themselves no good when they were held to a 1-1 draw by CamdoniaChelsea. Kendale Burke netted for CamdoniaChelsea in the 3nd minute and Tevin Thompson levelled for Awesome FC in the 47th.

This meant that SV United had to defeat Sion Hill to remain in the Premiership, leaving Awesome FC to return to the First Division, after a one-year stint.

Sion Hill though eased the tension for Awesome FC with a 3-2 win with their goals coming from Tyrese Dickson ( 35th min.), Karanji Alexander (54th min.) and Rohan Thomas Jr. (63rd min.).

SV United’s were scored

by Curtlon Jack in the 23rd and 56th minutes.

Layou United and Largo Height, winner and first runner-up respectively in the First Division, will campaign

Final Points Standings registered 21 goals which earned him a call up to the St. Vincent and the Top Goal Scorers Grenadines Senior Team’s training squad.

Despite being demoted Second to Sam was to the First Division, Avenues United’s Erel Greiggs left a mark on Hector with 17 goals, the Premier Division, as followed by BESCOZidane Sam was the Pastures’ Dequan Spring leading goal scorer. Sam who scored 12 times.

next year in the Premier Division.

World Cup Qualifiers pushed back A JOINT DECISION OF CONCACAF and FIFA means that St Vincent and the Grenadines Senior Men’s Football team’s (Vincy Heat) first round matches slated for October and November in the CONCACAF Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, will not now be played.

Instead, those Qualifiers have been pushed back to March of 2021.

Vincy Heat was slated to play Curacao in Curacao on 8th October and host the British Virgin Islands on 13th March.

Then in November, Vincy Heat was scheduled to be away to Guatemala on the 13th and meet Cuba here in St Vincent and the Grenadines on the 17th.

The deferral of matches was occasioned by health challenges posed by the many protocols associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

CONCACAF, in a release on Tuesday, noted: “Many parts of the region continue to have very challenging public health situations, and that has been a key factor in this decision”.

The release continued: “Additionally, several countries across the Confederation have travel restrictions and quarantine requirements, which would make international football involving 30 national teams extremely difficult”.

CONCAF assured that it had worked with FIFA to finalise a new schedule, beginning with the first round in March 2021, which will be communicated in due Kendale Mercury, Head course.

Coach of the SVG Senior The first round format of Men’s Football team, had the qualifiers involves the indicated in an earlier ranked team from positions interview that he was 6 to 35, placed in six groups Vincentians have to wait a bit longer if they are to witness comfortable with the new of five. format. this type of celebration from VincyHeat.

Only the winners of the groups will advance to the The three teams that emerge from Second Round, where the six will The teams finishing one, two and the Second Round will join the five top engage in a single elimination match three will punch their tickets to the as follows: Group A winner versus the ranked CONCACAF teams - USA, Qatar Finals, while the fourth place Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras and winner of Group F; Group B winner Jamaica - in a Round Robin Home and will head to an Inter-Continental Play versus Group E winner; and Group C Off for the possibility of CONCACAF Away Format. winner versus Group D winner. getting another spot.

V T20: Double wins for two

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020. 21.

Sports

Ozico Williams hit 40 and 63 in Strike Eagles’ successful weekend.

Stories by I.B.A. ALLEN THE 2020 EDITION OF THE Neil Williams T20 Competition got going last weekend with eight games.

Standing out were Strike Eagles, who had back to back victories on Saturday at the Stubbs Playing Field, and Guardian General Saints, who did likewise at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

In their first match which began at 10:00am, Strike Eagles quickly set aside Dominic Sutherland Lloyd Lewis Memorial Cricket Team (DSLLMCT). The latter took first knock and were held to 110 for 7 in 18 overs, to which

Chelson Stowe top scored with 66 in Keegan’s Bequia XI win over Victors Two.

Strike Eagles replied with 111 for 4 in 14 overs. Ricky King led the MSLLMCT batting with 32, and Keyan Dowers and Adrian Stapleton had 2 wickets each bowling for Strike Eagles. Ozico Williams, 40, Keyan Dowers, 30 not out, paced Strike Eagles to victory.

In their other match which began at 2:00pm, Strike Eagles proceeded to trounce Vee Jays Roof Top and Bar North Windward. The former eased to 176 all out in 20 overs - Ozico Williams, 63 off 37 balls, and Joey Liverpool, 36, shared a first wicket stand of 91 — then disposed of their opponents for 70 in 13.1 overs - Devon Charles

capturing 5 for 14.

On Saturday, Victors One went under to Guardian General Saints by a mere two runs, in a low-scoring encounter. Victors managed 100 for 6 in 15 overs — Miles Bascombe top scoring with 40 and Jeremy Layne and Jeremy Haywood taking two wickets each.

Saints replied with 102 for 7 in 15 overs, Layne leading with 34 not out and Luke Browne snaring 3 for 21.

Saints returned on Sunday to record victory over Police One. Led by 54 from Sunil Ambris who opened the batting, Saints closed on 175 for 9 in their 20 overs.

Lawman Gerald Gould

Salvan Browne hit 65 in Police Two’s humiliation of Northern Stars.

turned in figures of 3 for 26. Police One were humbled in their replay, coming to attention at 78 all out in 14 overs.

Only two batsmen managed double figures — Danson Andrews 39 and Parnell Browne 10.

Rayon Williams arrested five Police wickets for 24 runs.

Keegan’s Bequia XI, finalist in the just concluded First Division of the Men’s Senior Competition, continued their rich vein of form when they defeated Victors Two by 60 runs on Sunday, at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

Chelson Stowe’s 66 from 38 balls helped Bequia to 150 for 8 from 20 overs, with Zimron

Devon Charles bagged 5 for 14 for Strike Eagles against North Windward

Providence 3 for 32 leading the bowling for Victors Two, who replied with 90 for 7 in their 20 overs. Romando Mars made 31 and Jenry Ollivierre took 2 for 9 for Keegan’s Bequia XI. A day before at Park Hill, Pollard Investment North Windward held off FLOW Radcliffe by 8 runs. Pollard Investment North Windward managed 124 all out in 20 overs, Shem Browne 36 and Razine Browne 27.

FLOW Radcliffe’s lead bowlers were Othneil Lewis 3 for 18 and Richie Richards 3 for 33.

FLOW Radcliffe were stranded at 116 for 7 when their overs ran out — Browne returning to take 3 for 17.

Police Two took advantage of CJ MSDA Julius Anthony Northern Stars by 84 runs. Salvan Browne’s 65 pushed Police Two to 165 for 7 in their 20 overs, to which Northern Stars replied with a disappointing 81 in 15.4 overs. Salvan Spencer picked up 3 for 17 for Police Two. And Police One came away winners by 19 runs over Vee Jays Roof Top and Bar North Windward. Police One made 138 for 9 in their 20 overs of which Gosnel Cupid scored 47. Oneil Thomas’ 3 for 15 top the bowling for North Windward who replied with 120 all out in 19.2 overs. Kimali Williams had 3 for 22.

JG Tigress notches first win THE 2020 SVG CRICKET Association Female T20 Competition bowled off last Saturday.

The fixture for that day showed two scheduled matches. Only one was played.

The one that was played between JG Tigress and Sons and CJ MSDA Julius Anthony Northern Girls turned out to be a no contest of sorts, with the latter bowing in defeat by 10 wickets.

Northern Girls batting first, posted a measly 43

Action in the JG Tigress versus Northern Girls match that marked the opening of the 2020 T20 Female Championship. all out, with wickets falling to Isha Williams 3 for 8, Stacy-Ann Adams and Samantha Cain 2 for

accumulate their total.

4 each, and Glendeen JG Tigress and Sons’ Turtin 2 for 12.

Northern Girls batted for replied lasted 7 overs as they cruised to 44 all of 16.2 overs to

without losing a wicket.

The other match — United Survivors versus Radcliffe Girls — ended

with United Survivors being declared winners by default.

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22. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

Incredible THAT HAS BECOME MY MOST popular expression, rehashed from a Nicaraguan commentator who made the exclamation when Jamaica salvage an 89th minute goal in a Concacaf elimination match recently.

Nicaragua had secured a 3:2 away victory in the first encounter, and Nicaragua had taken their battle that far and seemed to be in a zone of safety. That goal sank the hearts of the Nicaraguans.

In these times of the new normal, anything can happen.

The way the St. Lucia Zouks stormed into the Caribbean Premier League T/20 Final is another of those unbelievable stories.

Imagine the affair over in 18.1 overs.

Guyana Amazon Warriors are known to be a power house in regional cricket. The Windwards, invariably come up short when playing against the Guyanese, whether it’s the four day, 50, or T/20.

What transpired in that second semi-final match is nothing short of the unbelievable. Guyana was dismissed for 55 in 13.2 overs.

If it wasn’t cricket, I would have doubted my eyes.

The Zouks knocked off the target in 4.3 overs without loss. Some cynics remarked about throwing in the towel as the final rites were being executed.

That set up a final with the Trinbago Knight Riders yesterday. That squad entered the final on a ten-game winning streak, and no one will question their invincibility.

But in tournaments, a team is likely to met a hiccup, somewhere. The Zouks would have hoped that the time had come for the streak to be snapped.

The Zouks would have celebrated their resounding triumph in the semis. But there is nothing to be gained in premature champagne popping. So, both teams would have approached the final with caution.

Commendations are in order to the organisers for spearheading the championship in the midst of the Covid outbreak. While the absence of live fans presented a still born image of regional reaction, everyone would have been grateful that there was at least some form of sporting entertainment.

By the time one begins reading this article, the game would have been over. So, there is no point belabouring what could have taken place. I have been accused of a leniency towards cricket and for overlooking other spheres of sporting discipline.

Without being naïve, or over zealous when it comes to North Leeward and its sporting agenda, I will monitor the performance of the Jules Anthony Northern Stars. Jules has departed, his legacy endures. There will be no more discussions and analyses of any and every agenda, be it sports culture, or politics.

Northern Stars, the squad which he nurtured, have returned to the Premier Division, where the nation’s top cricketers face each other. Their previous effort did not go the way they will have wanted, and they will have to prove themselves worthy of being in the elite.

North Leeward had another test of their suitability in the first encounter of this year’s Neil Williams T/20 tournament.

Perhaps they have not overcome the euphoria of the elevation and were outclassed by a Police outfit in their opening encounter.

North Leeward did relatively well to pull back the Police to 160 in their 20 overs. But they never found any bearings and faltered for 81. They have chances of redeeming themselves this weekend.

There is a tendency of complacency by sporting personnel. When it comes to maintaining consistency, there is a Caribbean shortfall.

But no one can condemn the North Leeward contingent for their efforts to persist. Perhaps the time will come when they will be rewarded.

Dark View champs NL Academy Tournament DARK VIEW FUTURE STARS emerged winners of the Jules Anthony Youth Academy Tournament, following a five-wicket win over Trinity Falls Young Striker in the final played last Sunday at the Petit

Bordel playing field.

Young Striker posted 94 from 18 overs.

Reshawn Lewis top scored with 34 while Kirtney Franklyn hit 30.

AJ Delpche was the pick of the bowlers with

Dark View Future Stars Champions

figures of 4 for 25 from 4 overs while Lebron Douglas took 2 for 20 from 3 overs.

Dark View Future Stars in reply raced to 96 for 5 from 14 overs. Orico Matthews most promising player.

Player of the finals A.J. Delpleche hit Kewonnie Matthews an unbeaten 38. He got good support from Most Promising Fast Dexroy Hooper 27 not Bowler; Jordan Charles out. Kirtney Franklyn Most Promising Spin Bowler; Dexroy Hooper — took 2 for 26.

Most Promising Individual awards Wicketkeeper/Batsman; were handed out as Orico Matthews and follows: Shey Ann Kimoni Shoy - Most Gaymes - Most Promising Players; AJ Promising Female Player; Kimoni Shoy - Delplesche - MVP of the tournament.

Most Disciplined Player; Deshad The Tournament was Simmons — Most sponsored by Roland Promising Batsman; Patel Matthews.

Gomea Bombers dominant in first outing.

COMPETITION IN THE 2020 NLA/TBPO T20 Championship began in earnest last weekend at the Dauphine playing field.

And former Champions Gomea Bombers provided the weekend’s most emphatic victory and the first century maker.

Terrence Patterson, in a brutal assault on a hapless Rangers United bowling attack last Sunday, recorded a not out innings of 103 off a mere 47 deliveries faced, and helped Bombers to an unassailable 234 for 4 in 20 overs. Rangers United batsmen never seemed prepared to mount any serious challenge and locked up hook line and sinker for a paltry 84 in 18 overs.

Raymond Sayers and Terrance Baptiste each had 3 for 15, and Kenton McFee 2 for 13 for Bombers.

In Saturday’s opening

match, Hard Hitters, who had been declared the best Turned Out Team at the formal opening, inflicted the first defeat of the Competition, when they dispensed with Fairbaine Chennai Strikers by 80 runs. Hard Hitters registered 162 in 19.1 overs - Niko Robinson 40, Collin Williams 36, Jimmy Providence 3 for 15, Darie Peters 3 for 20 and Kegan Cordice, 2 for 27. Fairbane stumbled and stuttered through 20 overs for 82 for 8.

Having no answer for Kerwin Williams, 4 for 22.

In the first of three matches played on Sunday, Dr Thomas Injectors beat C G M Gallenger Novice by 34 runs. Scores: Injectors 126 for 9 in 20 overs Javorn Nero 22 not out, Carlton Baptiste 3 for 14, Norlan Williams 2 for 27; Novice 92 in 17 overs - Norlan Williams

I.B.A.ALLEN

Kimono Shoy most promising player.

Terrance Patterson recorded the first century of the 2020 NLA/TBPO T20 Championship.

23, Winston Holder 3 for 15, Karramo McKie 2 for 8, Wendel Corridon 2 for 15.

Sion Hill Tallawah beat Sunset Strikers by 8 wickets. Scores: Sunset Strikers 111 for 7 in 15 overs - Oswald Soleyn 35, Denson Hoyte 2 for2, Alex Roberts 2 for 10; Tallawah 112 for 2 in 11.5 overs - Shamic Roberts 29 not out, Marlon Baptiste 26 not out, Denson Hoyte 24.

I.B.A.ALLEN

Shey Ann Gaymes most promising female.

AJ Deplche MVP of the tournament.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020. 23.

Classifieds

Obituary BRERETON, Margaret Lorna, 84, of St. Petersburg was called home on Aug. 31, 2020.

Margaret, born in St. Vincent, W.I., is survived by her devoted daughter, Alison, loving sister, Sheila Wilson of Miami, family, friends and faithful caregivers.

A Celebration of Life will take place post COVID-19 on Aug. 7, 2021.

LAWRENCE LEONARD BENJAMIN

LEOPOLD EDWARDS

MELVINA HACKSHAW

Sunday, 6th September 2020 Faith Spiritual %DSWLVW &KXUFK 1HZ 0RQWURVH Viewing: 1:00 p.m.

Service: 2:00 p.m.

Interment: .LQJVWRZQ Cemetery

Sunday, 6th September, 2020 6W -RVHSK 6SLULWXDO %DSWLVW Church Fountain Viewing: 1:00 p.m.

Service: 2:00 p.m.

Interment: Belair Cemetery

Sunday, 6th September, 2020 Barrouallie Evangelical Church Viewing: 1:00 p.m.

Service: 2:00 p.m.

Interment: Glebe Hill Cemetery ,5(1( ³7,1<¶¶ 5,&+$5'6 Saturday, 5th September, 2020 6W 3HWHU¶V 6SLULWXDO %DSWLVW Church 'DVFHQW &RWWDJH Viewing: 1:00 p.m.

Service: 2:00 p.m.

Interment: .LQJVWRZQ Cemetery

FREDERICK OLLIVIERRE Saturday, 5th September, 2020 6W 0DWWKHZV Anglican Church Biabou Viewing: 2:00 p.m.

Service: 3:00 p.m.

Interment: Biabou Cemetery

6+(0 /$1&(/27 %87( :HGQHVGD\ 2nd September, 2020 .LQJVWRZQ Chapel Service: 3:30 p.m.

AI REAL ESTATE Residential development in Belvedere lots at $17.00 p.s.f. Fairly flat to gentle sloping.

Campden Park 5 bedrm Property on 3,835 sq.ft.

5 bedrms, 3 bathrms.

Price for quick sale: $205,00.00.

(784)- 457-2087/(718)-807-4376 office (784)-493-9431/(784)-533-0431 whatsappcell donp@vincysurf.com

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER

11, 2020

VOLUME 114, No.37

www.thevincentian.com

EC$1.50

WORK PERMITS DENIED: PARENTS PROTEST public school.

the school was forced to be Advance notice removed from Further on the issue, St that location.

Clair ‘Jimmy’ Prince, But an Minister of Education, agreement asserted in a press was reached conference earlier this between week, that all major Government stakeholders knew well in and the other advance that there was to stakeholders be a merger between the that the Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves Pelican School and the school would waded in on the issue with a very Canouan Government be allowed to succinct explanation of the cause Primary. operate for a of the protest.

The Minister was year within responding to protest the state-owned facility, after which students of the action by parents of Pelican School would be absorbed into the Canouan students who attended the Government School.

Pelican School. They were The agreement, Prince said, was to have one The Canouan Government School where the school on the compound.

Pelican School was allowed to occupy the section protesting the requirement that their children be transferred to the Canouan Government School.

To have two separate schools - one government to the right. (Photo credit: testwpo5.tecnavia.co) However, Prince reiterated that parents knew of and one private — operating out of the same facility,

by DAYLE DA SILVA the new arrangement way in advance of the reruns foul of the Education Act, Prince explained. opening of school, and some parents had already Not only was that a problem, but there was also ACCORDING TO PRIME MINISTER Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, transferred their children. an issue of using different syllabi. the refusal by his government to grant extensions of The Pelican School, it was explained, was located “We told them that we would not be allowing it five work permits for some of the expatriates who on lands in the South that was given over for and we cannot do that,” Prince said, “and there was worked at the Pelican School in Canouan, triggered the development by Dermot Desmond. This meant that no objection to the construction of another school.” recent protest by some parents on that southern Grenadine island.

“If the Pelican School cannot exist, why am I giving you a permit?,” Gonsalves questioned in a radio address on September 4, alluding to the agreement that Pelican School would have by now, been absorbed into the Canouan Government School.

AS OF SEPTEMBER 3, 2020, haemorrhagic fever among that He would have considered granting the work children between the ages of 0-5 number. permit extensions if those concerned had years old accounted for 45% of the Given the rapid rise in cases, decided to work in other areas within education, 185 laboratory confirmed cases of the Ministry of Health has stepped but the government could not go against its dengue here. up its fogging schedule, since this policy and issue a work permit, the Prime This was disclosed by Tamara is the most effective communal Minister said.

Bobb, Epidemiologist in the manner to combat the mosquito “So that was the trigger for what transpired, Ministry of Health, Wellness and which carrries the dengue virus. so the persons are saying that work permits the Environment, as she spoke as a These mosquitoes are known to were denied, and some heard it and decided to guest on the VC3 Television’s breed in and near homes. protest,” the Prime Minister explained.

Round Table on Thursday 3.

Accordingly, the Ministry of According to Gonsalves, he had received an Bobb shared that the number Health is appealing to households email from Pignataro of the Pelican School on 185 represented an astronomical here to cover or empty all September 3, to which he responded by increase of 111 over the 74 cases containers so as to decrease likely reminding the investor of the terms which had that were recorded by August 25, habitats for the dengue virus been discussed and agreed back in 2018.

2020. carrying mosquitoes.

Among the terms agreed: the school will be This is by far the highest According to the Mayo Clinic, set up for public education and cater for a total increase for a nine-day period when USA, mild dengue fever causes a of 400 students; it will include IT and Science compared to previous years (2010 high fever, rash, and muscle and Tamara Bobb, Epidemiologist in the laboratories, library and auditorium; the and 2014) of dengue outbreaks in joint pain. A severe form of dengue Ministry of Health, did not hide the Montessori school will be open to all children St. Vincent and the Grenadines. fever, also called dengue fact that SVG has had a large free of charge and that the students will be And as of September 3, 62% of haemorrhagic fever, can cause increase in dengue cases in a very allowed to complete the academic year in the the cases have been hospitalized, severe bleeding, a sudden drop in short space of time. (Photo Credit: new school campus, to avoid disruption to their with two cases of dengue blood pressure (shock) and death. VC# Round Table Talk) curriculum, before being absorbed by the

Children among dengue cases

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