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FRIDAY,
SEPTEMBER 13, 2019
VOLUME 113, No.33.
www.thevincentian.com
EC$1.50
L-R: Hans King, General Manager of National Properties, with Bojan Kumer, Vice President (Hotel; Development- Caribbean and Latin America) Marriott International, after signing the agreement on Tuesday.
by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY
related. Owing to its natural beauty, THE CENTRAL LEEWARD DISTRICT of Kumer contends that St. Vincent and Mt. Wynne, has great bearing on this the Grenadines is the “perfect place country. Queen Elizabeth visited the Mt. for Marriott.” Wynne beach during her 1966 tour of He promises that, with Marriott in the Caribbean. That area retains 140 countries, and one million natural ruggedness evident as recent employees, the additional 300 work as last Tuesday. force at Mt. Wynne will be part of the However, the area is in for a new “largest hotel chain in the world.” outlook. That includes a 250-room Kumer sees Mt. Wynne as pivotal, hotel. While the Vincentian and he promises that the next time government is spending US $50M in he is in St. Vincent and the construction, the facilities will be run Grenadines will be for vacation. by Marriott International. Finance Minister Camillo Hans King, General Manager Gonsalves anticipates that the hotel National Properties, signed the will be opened in 2022. The agreement with Bojan Kumer, Vice completion will be a “jewel in the President (Hotel Developmentcrown of Vincentian and Caribbean Caribbean and Latin America), tourism,” Gonsalves asserted. In Marriott International at the Mt. charge of Economic Planning, Wynne Beach. Sustainable Development and Kumer confessed that he was Information Technology, Gonsalves “excited” about the project. He pointed to the Mt. Wynne venture as boasted about the inclusion of a first- having the potential of being the class meeting facility, and vowed to “epicentre of tourism development.” set a new standard as far as international requirements were Continued on Page 3.
2. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. 3.
News 3 22-year-old murdered in Kingstown
THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE for killing 22-year-old Tevin Williams is still at large. Police say they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting death of the Rockies resident. Williams also known as “Fatman” was hanging out with friends in the vicinity of the ACE Hardware Store, Kingstown, when he was approached by someone disguised in a hoodie, and shot in the neck sometime around 7:40 pm on Monday. The gunman escaped on foot. The deceased, who is
not a stranger to the police, has had quite a number of run-ins with the law. He was sentenced to three years in prison in 2015 at the age of seventeen after he had pleaded guilty to possession of a .38 revolver and three rounds of .38 ammunition. In 2018, he was remanded in prison for the attempted murder of Shawphil Moore of Enhams, after shooting him in the jaw. He also had a number of burglary charges to his name as recent as this year, and according to a reliable source, was recently released from
lock up. Most persons in the area around the time of the incident appeared tight-lipped when asked about Williams’s death. THE VINCENTIAN was informed that Williams was involved in a serious confrontation with someone last Saturday, but cannot speculate on whether his death was related to Saturday’s incident. “I had a feeling that from the things he (Williams) was talking on Saturday that somebody might kill him,” said one person who witnessed Williams’ display days prior to his death.
His death brings the murder toll to 12 and the number of homicides to 14, recorded in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for 2019. Up to press time, no one has been arrested or charged for the murder, but the police are soliciting information that will aid with the arrest and prosecution of the offender(s). Persons are asked to contact the Assistant Commissioner in charge Crime at 1784Tevin Williams was shot and killed under ACE 456-1339, or the Officer Hardware in Kingstown on Monday night. in-charge the Criminal Investigations strictest confidentiality,” Department at 1784-456- are comfortable with. “All information will according to a police 1810, or any Police report. (KH) Station/ Officer that they be treated with the
Mt. Wynne perfect for Marriott the sale of lands by the National Insurance Services and the General Employees Co-operative Credit Union (GECCU), are indications of the Central Leeward zone becoming a hive of activity. Gonsalves noted that, with the operations of the Argyle International Airport, the need arises for increase in room stock. He McKie thinks that thanked the Marriott Marriott adds value to the International for their Vincentian product, not “patience and goodwill,” least with its location. Its over two and a half years of accessibility to places within negotiations. range of a variety of Gonsalves pointed out Vincentian life. For McKie, Glen Beache, Chief that hotel operation is a the Marriott intervention Executive Officer St. specialised skill, and that adds meaning to the Vincent and the there was a “management Tourism Authority’s slogan: Grenadines Tourism contract” with Marriott. “SVG, the Caribbean you Authority, is confident that “They are coming to lend are looking for.” the job gets easier with their expertise,” the Finance Glen Beache, Chief Marriott. Minister outlined. Executive Officer St. His Cabinet colleague Vincent and the Grenadines Continued from Front Page. Cecil McKie was There is another hotel overwhelmed going on at Peter’s Hope with the with Black Sands Resort. package. He Gonsalves has no fears cites it as a about occupancy at the new “Marriott Marriott. He projected that marriage,” and Marriott’s embrace can be adds that his an incentive for its Ministry “frequent” guests. “endorses it.” The Mt. Wynne hotel will McKie is spawn activities in the hopeful that his surroundings. The Bank of portfolio St. Vincent and the “tourism, sport Grenadines has declared its and culture” fit willingness to provide into the financial services. Marriott Roads built in relation to extension. A section of the crowd at the ceremony.
Tourism Authority, traced the stages leading up to the signing. Beache is happy that the black sand at Mt. Wynne will remain. He welcomed the Marriott, and contended that “having Marriott makes my job a bit easier.” Beache’s hope is that the United Kingdom direct flight to the Argyle International Airport will bring more benefits to the country.
Dorsetshire Hill man found dead INVESTIGATIONS ARE ONGOING into the circumstances surrounding the death of a Dorsetshire Hill man. The body of Garfield Mofford, also known by ‘Yaba’, was discovered around 8:30 Wednesday morning outside the shack where the man was said to have lived. It has been reported that the body was discovered with his throat slashed. However, up to Garfield Mofford Thursday morning, police said that it had not yet been ruled a homicide pending the outcome of the post mortem. The homicide count for the year currently stands at 15, while 12 murders have been recorded so far for the year. Tevin Williams, 22-year-old resident of Rockies, was shot and killed shortly before 8 pm Monday in the vicinity of ACE Hardware in Kingstown. (DD)
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4. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN
Courts
Cyber crime case collapses Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS ALMOST two years after the state brought its first case under the Cyber Crime Act, passed in 2016, the prosecution has withdrawn the matter, after the virtual complainant showed no further interest in the case. The dramatic twist occurred on Monday. Pierre-Jack, a seamstress of Lower Questelles, who was 29 when the case was brought, was charged on four counts of libel by electronic communication. Pierre-Jack was accused of posting libelous remarks on her facebook page about her sister Crystal Pierre on January 30 last year, alleging that Crystal abused and tried to kill her own daughter. She also allegedly accused her sister of using stolen documents to sell their mother’s house, putting their mother on the street, and poisoning a pot of food to kill their family. Pierre-Jack had pleaded guilty to the charges when she made her first appearance before Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court in connection with the matter early February last year, and the case was adjourned for sentencing. She was at the time unrepresented. However, when she returned to Court the following Friday, the Senior Magistrate indicated that he had received a letter from
Attorney Kay Bacchus-Baptiste declaring her representation for Pierre-Jack, and indicating that the defendant would like to change her pleas to not guilty, as she had initially pleaded guilty on the prompting of the investigator Colin May. Pierre-Jack who was then asked to take the stand, told the Court that Corporal May had told her to plead guilty to the charges. Burnett had described this allegation as very serious, and indicated that it warranted an investigation. The charges were again read to the defendant, and she changed her pleas to not guilty. Burnett accepted the pleas. The matter was adjourned on a number of occasions at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court, but the case took another sharp twist when it was called at the Serious Offences Court on Monday. Crystal Pierre did not show up, but Bacchus-Baptiste indicated that the complainant had written the Court saying she had no intention of proceeding with the matter, and had also offered an apology. Bacchus-Baptiste said the matter was initially before the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court, and she was wondering why it was now before the Serious Offences Court.
When Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne asked Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche whether he had any knowledge of this development, Pierre-Jack Delpleche only informed the Court that the prosecution was withdrawing the charges. He gave no reason/s which he was not required to do. However, when THE VINCENTIAN later asked the Senior Prosecutor why the prosecution withdrew the charges, he disclosed that the complainant was no longer interested in the matter. The Cyber Crime Act was passed in parliament on August 12, 2016. Section 19(1) of the Act, under the heading, Libel By Electronic Communication, states that “Any person who uses a computer system to unlawfully publish any defamatory matter concerning another person with intent to defame that person, commits an offence”. Section 19(2) states that a person who commits an offence under subsection 1 is liable upon conviction to a fine of $50,000 or two years in prison, or both.
Ganja penalties too harsh
DESPITE recent amendments to the Drug (Prevention of Misuse) Act and the establishment of a modern Medical Marijuana Industry here, attorney Grant Connell thinks the penalties for marijuana possession are much too harsh. And farmers continue to face such penalties, despite a Marijuana Amnesty, soon to come on stream. Connell was mitigating on behalf of
his clients, Irwin Thomas, 56, of Questelles, who was charged with possession of ten pounds of marijuana with intent to supply, and Alvin Williams, 46, also of Questelles, who was accused of having four pounds of the herb with intent to supply. The men, both farmers, pleaded guilty to the charges at the Serious Offences Court on Tuesday. They were intercepted aboard a
speedboat by the local coast guard at Walliabou on September 4 this year. Connell said that his clients were marijuana farmers for several years, and were coming from the mountains with their goats and marijuana when they were intercepted. According to the lawyer, they were going to make a living for themselves. Connell said that if the law makers had any
Prosecution could have been embarrassed? ATTORNEY Kay Bacchus-Baptiste says that if the Cyber Crime case was continued against her client Catisha Pierre-Jack, a seamstress of Lower Questelles, it could have been a grave embarrassment to the prosecution, based on the line of defence she intended to pursue. The lawyer, who is also an opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) Senator, was speaking to THE VINCENTIAN minutes after the prosecution withdrew the charges at the Serious Offences Court on Monday. Pierre-Jack was charged on four counts of libel by communication, stemming from remarks she allegedly made against her sister Crystal Pierre on facebook, January 30 last year. It was the first case to be brought under the Cyber Crime Act, passed in 2016. Bacchus-Baptiste thinks the virtual complainant was wise not to show any further interest in the matter, and commended her for doing so. “I do not think this was an appropriate way to use the law in relation to Cyber Crime. “If she (defendant) had a problem with her sister, she could have taken it to the civil court”, the lawyer said. She expressed the view that in matters like this, where you have the overlapping of criminal and civil issues, it is a misuse and abuse of state resources to have them dealt with in this manner. “This case reinforces the wide public opinion that this law is intended for political purposes. “I have personally written to the then Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Colin John, and sent him copies of posts of persons slandering me on facebook, and I got no response”, the lawyer said.
(L-R): Irwin Thomas, Alvin Williams, and lawyer Grant Connell. interest in the poor, the first thing to do was to ease the pressure in relation to the penalties. He noted that under the new Medical Cannabis Industry Act, marijuana has the same meaning attached to it as in the Drug (Prevention of Misuse) Act. Connell said that it is sad that potential investors in the local Medical Marijuana Industry would be in possession of significant quantities of marijuana, while these original marijuana farmers must suffer for such small amounts. He noted that marijuana and cocaine carry the same penalties, which could be one of the reasons why such unreasonable sentences are handed down. “They take their fishing boat, charged them, and now they want you to drop the guillotine”, he told Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne. Connell later told THE VINCENTIAN that the law needs to be revisited in relation to the sentencing structure. “You cannot have
cocaine and marijuana on par. It’s like saying assault and murder carry the same sentence”. Connell noted that possession of cocaine with intent to supply, as well as possession of marijuana with intent to supply carry a maximum penalty, in the Magistrate’s Court, of seven years in prison and $500,000, and on indictment, 25 years behind bars and $5 million. He noted that
cultivation carries a maximum penalty, in the Magistrate’s Court, of six years in prison and $4,000,000, and on indictment, 25 years behind bars and $1.5 million. Connell made it clear that, “You cannot blame the Magistrates or the Judges. They are applying the law. You have to blame the ones who make the law and say they love the poor”.
Contractor on gun-related charges LESROY RICHARDSON, 36-year-old contractor of Mt. Pleasant will return to the Serious Offences Court December 9 on a number of gun-related charges. Richardson was granted $15,000 bail with one surety during his brief appearance at the Serious Offences Court on Monday. He is charged with possession of a 12 guage shotgun without license, possession of one round of 12 guage ammunition, possession of the firearm to endanger the life of Maxine McKie, 52, of Mt. Pleasant, and unlawfully and maliciously wounding McKie with intent. The charges reportedly stemmed from an incident at Mt. Pleasant on September 6. Richardson was not required to plea to the
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 , 2019. 5.
Regional
Warning: ÂZesser pillsÊ can kill! IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME. ‘Zesser pills’, the most recent hallucinogenic drug to find a niche in the North American market, has made its appearance in the Caribbean. The Trinidad Express reported last week that well-known antisubstance abuse activist Garth St Clair had issued a warning that ‘Zesser pills’, which he said were going for TT$100.00 each, were currently growing in popularity as a ‘party drug’. He warned that use of the drug could “cost you your life.”
The warning followed a video posted on social media, showing what the Express said was a number of people seemingly passed out outside the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, after a recent party/fete. The accompanying caption said the people consumed ‘zesser pills’. Last week, Asst. Supt of Police for the Central Division Wayne Mystar had also advised that persons should stay away from the dangerous drug. The ‘Zesser pill’, police said, is a combination of ecstasy and cocaine. Both drugs are dangerous
Clipping from a video, showing persons who allegedly used ‘Zesser pills’, when used alone, but passed out on the grass at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, combined they pose an after a recent party/fete. even greater risk. Like other hallucinogenic drugs, people, especially young people, use the drug for the euphoric “high” it produces, but, experts warn that the drug can result in heart attack, paranoia, strokes, seizures, coma and even death. The Express quotes St Clair as saying that the drug takes a long time to leave the system, prolonging the effect, and is even more potent when combined with alcohol. (Source: Trinidad Express)
6. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN
THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 , 2019. 7.
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8. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. 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
A disturbing saga ANOTHER DISTURBING ALLEGATION has been made by the Public Service Union (PSU) at a media briefing last week, reported on by this paper in the issue of September 6, 2019, that there is evidence that the Public Service Commission (PSC) is continuing to engage in “unfair practices” in granting promotions and the appointment of persons within the public service. It is not the first such allegation to be made against the PSC and, by extension, the government of St Vincent and the Grenadines. In fact, the matter had reached such a level that the PSU had taken the PSC to court. In December last year, the Eastern Caribbean High Court had ruled on the matter, indicating that the PSC had been in violation of a number of regulations as pertaining to the appointment and promotion of individuals within the public service. Significantly, Justice Esco Henry, on behalf of the Court, ruled that the PSC had failed to comply with the regulations in respect to promotions; that it had failed to observe principles of fairness, transparency and objectivity under Regulation 19. The PSC was therewith ordered “to establish and implement forthwith an efficient, transparent and effective performance appraisal and promotion regime within the public service”. One would have thought that, as a result of such a conclusive ruling, a process would have been worked out to ensure that the decision of the Court was respected and implemented, and that government and the PSC would find some amicable solution in consultation with the union. Sadly, that does not appear to be the case. The PSU contends that, as a responsible representative of public servants, many of whom have complained about what is perceived as injustice, it has been monitoring the situation. It has also written to the Public Service Commission asking for the union to be part of any committee established to resolve the situation. But, claims union leader Elroy Boucher, there has been no response, forcing the PSU to further consult with its lawyers. This is a most worrying state of affairs, as we approach our 40th anniversary of independence. We cannot take it lightly for, if the PSU’s allegations are correct, it means that there exists discrimination, for whatever reason,
in promotions and appointments in the public service. This must be unacceptable since it is tantamount to violating the rights of citizens, guaranteed under United Nations’ Conventions and our own Constitution. Secondly, if, as the union contends, there is “evidence” that such discriminatory practices still exist, it tells us that the order of the High Court continues to be flouted. This is a very serious matter indeed, which ought to be clarified, verified, and if true, rectified forthwith. Whether the apparent lapses are ones of omission or commission, they can only contribute to what the PSU describes as “low morale” in the public service. The irony is that the self-same “low morale” in the public service is one of the issues raised by the ULP in opposition as it pursued its successful bid to win the 2001 general elections. It would be a tragedy if we have returned to such a state of affairs, particularly as government has in fact implemented many programmes to benefit public servants. However, this must not be a justification or apology for any policy or lack of it which may, wittingly or unwittingly, facilitate, if not discrimination, then at least the appearance of it. It is a situation which ought to be addressed with dispatch, and calls for a collective, mature approach on the part of all three parties (PSC, PSU and Government) with the full support of public servants. There is too much lack of trust which bodes no good to any of the parties involved or to public servants as a whole. Discrimination in any form must be rigorously combated, especially by a people like ours who have suffered so greatly in this regard. If public servants feel aggrieved, then it is in the public’s interest that any such misgivings are investigated and clear policy approaches on such sensitive issues as promotions and appointments be understood by all. Grumpy or dissatisfied public servants are not the best implementers of fair policies, especially if they believe that they themselves have suffered from “unfair practices”. Let us take up the December call of the High Court for the establishment and implementation of “forthwith an efficient, transparent and effective appraisal and promotion regime within the public service”.
Au Revoir DPP Roger Gaspard (First Published in 2003) TRINIDADIAN-BORN DPP Roger Gaspard has completed his two-year term as Director of Public Prosecutions and officially leaves us as at end of August 2003. There is an uneasy sense of foreboding if not of impending doom felt by many at his departure. For Gaspard's stint can be best described as having brought to us as a breath of fresh air that enabled use to catch ourselves from the effects of political strangulation, and offered us the opportunity to reflect and take stock of ourselves in ensuring that the Rule of Law is preserved as a central plank of our political democracy. When push came to shove, the idea was mooted that the Government might rid itself of the turbulent DPP by firing him, with all compensations and perks duly paid up in much the same way as it had brutally cut down Jennifer Eustace and others at Vinlec with impunity. For the ULP, a monetary settlement is a ready panacea. The ULP hit team was painfully to learn that it was a different ball game with the office of the DPP, which falls in a specially protected category enshrined in our constitution. Frustratingly, they had to sit out the term, which has now come to an end. In all the circumstances, the Office of the DPP is now targeted by a ULP Government that is driven by a totalitarian philosophy. Already, Colin Williams has been strategically placed just outside the portals as Deputy DPP, salivating in the waiting room as he eagerly awaits his call. It is admitted that Colin Williams is a fine young man bearing many gifts - superb media man, sound sports announcer, respected carnival calypso critic, committed trade unionist and a promising lawyer. But Colin is admirably unsuited to perform in the DPP Office. He is permanently scarred with a built-in ULP bias, which he carries like a political lifesore. In any event, the ULP historical connections and varied points of contact during the last quarter century would make him politically suspect in a critical job that is peculiarly allergic to party political influences. A cursory examination of the horns would show how that cherished concept of justice being "seem to be done" would be vitiated by Colin Williams' appointment. To begin with, Colin was born into a Labour Party family, his father Carlton Williams being an admiring brother of Milton Cato. In the Labour Movement, Colin has served faithfully and long in the CTAWU
which, especially under cousin Burns Bonadie, has been a faithful friend and ally of the Labour Party. Over the past decade, Colin has among other things, been PRO of the ULP, appointed a ULP Speaker in the House, worked assiduously as a political campaigner and prospective electoral candidate, while serving at Dr. Gonsalves' elbow as a member of his legal firm. The cumulative effect of these badges is to make Colin Williams a ULP person of the deepest dye. Small wonder that the local Bar Association, under the presidency of Parnel Campbell Q.C., refused to support the preferment of Colin Williams to the DPP Office. And the current Bar, led by Nicole Sylvester, has frowned on the decision of the Legal and Judicial Service Commission, which may be requested to review the matter. After all, at its highest, the DPP virtually exercises the awesome power of life and death over our citizens. As far as is humanly possible, he must not bear the mark or taint of party-political affiliation, especially in this two-by-four politically claustrophobia State. Colin virtually wears his label on his sleeves. We should not tempt fate. Normally, we might have been directing criticism at the holder of another important post that affects the practice of local democracy. Blazer Williams, our Chairman of the PSC, unsuccessfully contested elections twice for the MNU, which was led by Dr. Gonsalves. Indeed, he served the MNU as Secretary, Deputy Leader and Editor of its journal. Like Colin, up to the last elections, Blazer operated out of Gonsalves' legal chambers. Yet, by comparison with Colin's, the appointment of Blazer pales into insignificance. At one end, our constitution plugs a hole in preventing the easy dismissal of a DPP not in sync with the Government. It is suggested that his appointment at the other end should have the prior blessings of a public hearing before a representative of the commission charged with his hire. As to Roger Gaspard, he walks proudly out of his stint in SVG. He stood his ground and challenged the usurpers where weaker minds would have rolled over. Instinctively, the Vincentian public warmed to their champion. Gaspard's will surely be back one day having attained higher heights. For as calypsonian Scakes Alleyne has noted, "all unfair games must be played again". That is why I confidently wish this adopted son "Au Revoir"- till we meet.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. 9.
Letters
Please don’t kill our profession! AFTER ALMOST eight years, there shouldn’t have been anything preventing the enforcement of the Architects Act 2011 (Act). However, at present the only thing that is prohibiting the implementation of the Act, is for it to be printed in the official Government Gazette. For any bill to become law, it must be signed by the Clerk of the House then assented by the Governor-General and published in the Government Gazette. In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the regulation of some professions is in place and active. The architecture profession is supposed to be regulated by an Architect Registration Board (St. Vincent and the Grenadines Architects Council) which has its own Architects Act, and the key roles of the Architect Registration Board are to register architects, conduct disciplinary investigations, pursue unregistered use of the term architect, accredit programmes of study and inform the public on architectural registration issues. The Board has a
responsibility to the public, users of architectural services, the built environment industry, and Architects who employ graduates. We are at a crucial time in this country’s development, where we see the need for all professions to be properly regulated. A good regulatory environment is an essential foundation for nations to make their country a great place to work and live and to protect their environment. Regulators are a key lever to encourage innovation across the economy and foster productivity growth. Good regulation helps to make countries healthier, cleaner, more prosperous and safer, while supporting innovative solutions to the challenges faced, and thereby serves the interests of all citizens. In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines at present, the negative effects of this regulatory absence are evident primarily in the construction industry, where there seems to be a free for all approach allowing anyone and any organization/firm to
Song Sheet THE EDITOR: One cool afternoon I decided to go for a walk in the Fenton mountain area to see what was going on because I heard that bridges are being built in the mountain. As I travelled along, I looked at nature and I saw the trees clapping and bowing down, birds singing and farmers working; it was a beauty to look at. Then I asked myself a question. What must I write in the papers? All things ran through my mind, and I heard a voice in my ear “Song Sheet”. I began to question myself, ‘what about song sheet’? Then it came clear to me that many people are singing a lot of songs, but the songs are not of God. Song sheet: 1. Political — the worst sheet; today they’re in and tomorrow they’re out, leaving you along the way. 2. Pulling down song sheet — make people worse than before. 3. Immoral song sheet, sinful and corrupt, it is a dangerous sheet. 4. Devious — we are dishonest, we speak out of two corners of our mouth. 5. Divide — a song that plays a major role on radio stations and politics. 6. Polygamy — we want more than one wife or husband, it’s a sinful practice. 7. Material things — we crave for it so much and forget God. God’s Song Sheet: 1. Prepare to meet God. 2. Be content with what you have until God says more. 3. Perseverance — don’t give up. 4. Patience and endurance. 5. Thanks to God. 6. Serve — He calls us to serve others. 7. Love crowns all. Bishop Ezekiel Creese Faith Word Ministries
design, bid and implement projects. The local trained architecture professional is then left to compete with inexperienced, untrained and sometimes foreign individuals or firm/organization. Within the construction industry, the architects are the only ones that have a regulatory body in place with its own Act. I therefore make this appeal to have the Architects Act 2011 officially gazetted and thereby enforced, with the hope that it will be a catalyst for other professions to do the
same. Please don’t kill our profession! What does it mean to be a regulated profession? -There are many occupations whose members claim to be professionals. In this context, an important distinction is whether the profession is a ‘regulated profession’ or not. The most common definition of ‘regulated profession’ is that the profession has a governing or regulatory body that is sanctioned by law to govern or regulate the profession. Being recognized by the state as a regulated
profession, is seen by many as the demarcation line between being a ‘real’ profession and being just another selfdeclared profession. No profession wants to be marginalized and, in the same sense, no architect wants to feel marginalized after dedicating years of academic study, with further years of practical experience before he/she can be entrusted with the title of Architect. It is in the interest of everyone to have the Act of SVG to have this Act officially gazetted! Please enforced. don’t kill our profession! Secretary, SVGIA It is in the best interest
Test Cricket and the West Indies YOU WILL forgive me, Mr. Editor, but I have to get this one on cricket off my chest. Somebody said to me recently that the only format of cricket that means anything to cricketers, their country’s cricket organization (like the SVG Cricket Association) and the International Cricket Council, is the T20 format. That is because, my friend said, these T20s bring in the most money through gate receipts and TV and radio broadcasting rights. My friend went on to ask me if I haven’t noticed how Test Cricket is dying, i.e. how nobody going to see Test Cricket anymore. Now, that is when I opened my mouth and told him to stop right there. I then asked him if he has not noticed the crowds that come out in India, Australia, England, New Zealand, even South Africa, to watch Test Cricket. I told him that his observation can stand up only in the West Indies, and it will remain so until we find a team that could challenge the other Test-playing countries. We are so low down the order among Testplaying countries that no one wants to invite us to their countries. Once upon a time, the world wanted us to play in their countries. Now, we might end up like SVG and the AIA who have to pay the airlines to come here; we might have to pay countries, to
come to the West Indies to play us in Test cricket. Then again, I told my friend that the ICC has introduced a system of arriving at a champion test playing country. It will be played over a
period of time among all Test-playing countries, so I suppose win, lose or draw, we’ll get some test cricket in the West Indies. Charles, Edinboro
PS. Since writing this, I note that the West Indies have once again gone under to India, Time for a true, true, shake-up.
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10. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN
Views
The Education Revolution marches on
Introduction IT’S THE MONTH of September 2019, and the word on the lips of most Vincentians, is education. Parents are talking about education for their children as they determine what’s next for them. Teachers are talking about education as they survey the expectant faces in the classrooms, ready for learning. And children are talking about education as they prepare to receive knowledge and skills, to take them to the next level. All this is possible because of the work of the ULP administration, under the leadership of Dr. Ralph Gonsalves. The ULP has transformed the delivery of education, in terms of access, spread and quality, by tailoring the current process, for living and production. It is an accepted fact that the Education Revolution, the flagship programme of the ULP administration, has touched the lives of every single Vincentian, every single household, and every single family, from Fancy to Union Island. Since 2005, when the ULP delivered universal access to secondary education, this national policy has been like a clarion call for all young Vincentians, calling them to get an education, calling them to gather intelligence, calling them to begin to participate more fully, in the socioeconomic development process of the country. As Vincentians, we have come to the realization that we are a magnificent component of our independent authentic Caribbean civilization, with the knowledge that there is scope for even further ennoblement. At the campuses of the University of the West Indies, we number more students than all countries save and except the host country. Our students rise every year to become valedictorians at graduation exercises at the UWI. The truth of the matter is that the Education Revolution has touched the lives of entire families in the State, for the better.
which is applied at some of these schools. That process is complete, but that has triggered another concern. Clearly, there is not enough supervision at our schools, particularly in the period close to the end of term. Our students, if not supervised, tend to get into mischief, and will sometimes get involved in acts of vandalism. Thankfully, the Ministry of Education is devising a strategy to deal with this.
The Canouan Secondary School Of particular interest to the nation, was the opening of the new secondary school on the Grenadine island of Canouan. There has been a lot of discussion on this development, as members of the public debate the pros and cons of this matter. Nevertheless, secondary school education has been established on Canouan, and the students there, don’t have to travel to the mainland, or to other Grenadine islands, to further their education. So now, there are secondary schools on Bequia, Canouan and Union Island, and they will function just as good as the other secondary schools in the State. It is important to note that in the seventeen years of the NDP administration, 1984 to 2001, no consideration was given to have a secondary school on Canouan. Indeed, leading members of the NDP, including their President at the time, James Mitchell, felt that this venture was not feasible. So, the people of Canouan, who placed their political future in the hands of the NDP, had to turn to the ULP, a party that they did not support, to get secondary school education on the island, for their children. The NDP should be flogged literally, at the polls, for trying to take credit for this development. It’s a shame and a disgrace!!
The New School Year 2019 to 2020
The Future
It follows, therefore, that the government will pay great attention to aspects of the Education Revolution, as it marches on. One important aspect relates to the condition of our education facilities, as they exist in the State. Last month, after careful analysis and evaluation by education officials, the government released some EC$6.5 million, to repair 93 educational institutions in the state. Some institutions will get a major facelift, for example the Calliaqua Anglican Primary School. In this regard, the government has arranged temporary classroom facilities for the children at this, all within an 18 day period. This is truly remarkable. A similar situation has affected children at the primary schools in Park Hill and New Grounds. It is important to note that in the three examples mentioned above, that the ULP administration held Town Hall meetings with the parents of the students, to get them involved in the decision-making process. So there was consultation, something that the opposition NDP doesn’t know anything about. Apart from the facelift process, the ULP administration had to provide furniture for a number of schools, consequent upon the lack of care
It is clear that the Education Revolution has been a spectacular success, but as always, more needs to be done, and the ULP administration will not stand on its laurels. At the moment, education officials are working towards three goals, namely, (1) establishing more assuredly, a well-managed, effective and efficient education system that focuses on quality, relevance, living and production; (2) promoting further standards of excellence and professionalism; and (3) promoting further community involvement, and opportunities for continuing education through adulthood. There is an enterprise surrounding the Education Revolution. Every day, the country has to move over 45 thousand students and teachers from their homes to their education institutions, within a particular time period. This means that the public transportation system has to be very active and competent. This competes with another eight thousand public servants, and a similar amount of private sector workers who are trying to get to work on time. This is truly a great interaction which takes place daily, and the ULP administration ensures that this is done smoothly, with little fuss. What a government!!!!
Challenges confronting our Education System THE NEW ACADEMIC school year has begun, and the myriads of problems that have plagued the education system for the past eighteen years have remained. It would appear that the Unity Labour Party (ULP) regime does not have the capacity to solve the problems and implement creative innovations to adequately improve the teaching learning process in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. At the beginning of every academic year, there is the perennial problem of the delay to the reopening of some schools. While there has been an effort by the government to renovate some schools this year, the quality of the physical environment remains a concern. This environment significantly affects students’ achievements and teachers’ performance. It is still a daunting task and downright depressing to be teaching and learning in those classrooms where the physical conditions are poor and lack the stimulating teaching aids that are required. Further, there are many undiagnosed learning difficulties which are not detected at an early stage. We have no system for identifying those students who may have a specific learning difficulty. Without targeted remedial education, some children may fall behind their peers in numeracy and literacy skills development. It is time for a unit with the responsibility for detecting and addressing learning difficulties be established, in our quest to achieve positive outcomes in literacy and numeracy. A system of tracking and charting students’ progress in literacy and numeracy must be implemented to guide the remedial and improvement programme. The high rate of repetition and dropouts is a major concern for us in the New Democratic Party (NDP). In comparison to the other countries in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), St. Vincent and the Grenadines not only has the highest repeaters at the primary and secondary levels, but its numbers are far higher than those of the other islands of the OECS. Additionally, the repetition rate is significantly higher at the secondary level in St. Vincent and the Grenadines than in any other member country of the OECS. Despite the high investment in education, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has the highest dropout rate for both primary and secondary in the sub grouping. Moreover, the ULP government has failed miserably to adequately develop an ITC programme and effectively implement the Caribbean Vocational Qualifications (CVQs) in our schools. It is well known that the general purpose of school is to transfer knowledge and prepare young people to participate in society. Society has changed significantly with the introduction of technology. Therefore, technology plays a major part in our lives. Just as how our society has changed over the years, so too should our education system. In today’s modern, global society that is interconnected as never before, we need young people that are technological savvy, skilled labourers and creative artists. Technology is changing our world, changing the way we do business, the way we learn, the way we communicate, and even the way we entertain ourselves. Success in any field requires a command of
technology. As such, to meet the demand, information technology should be priority on the schools’ curriculum in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Also, there is a demand for more skilled labourers in crafts, for example welding, woodworks, tailors and chefs etc. The culture of our country celebrates doctors, and lawyers, but it looks down on skilled workers like farmers and fishermen. Farmers and fishermen play an important role in society because we need food in order to survive, and the fishing industry is very lucrative. Skilled programmes such as agriculture and woodwork are offered by some secondary schools, not all. In order to meet the demand of society, more emphasis should be in place on such programmes. In Carnival, we see there is a need for more artisans. The music industry is very competitive and if a local artist makes it international, it benefits the country as a whole. Music, art and drama in our school help our children and communities in real and substantial ways. Students of the arts learn to think creatively and to solve problems by imagining various solutions, rejecting outdated rules and assumptions. Having a creative population will have an impact on the tourism industry which will help to bring in more money into the country. The NDP will ensure that relevant remedial programmes are implemented in order to address the problems of literacy and numeracy before students enter secondary school. In order to implement these two key programmes, we will begin by reviewing the past training of all our educators to see if we have sufficient qualified people to start this assessment programme and remedial education. If we do not have these skills in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, then we shall seek to develop, with the assistance of aid donors, a programme of training in assessment and in remedial education for teachers with the initial aim of having at least one teacher with each of these skills in every school. This cadre of trained teachers will then be employed to train others. And most importantly address the issue of Information Technology and fully implement the Caribbean Vocational Qualifications (CVQs). The much-vaunted “education revolution” was simply an empty slogan applied to an OECS-wide, strategic approach to education; but the present government’s implementation has failed to remedy the underlying social factors that prevent so many of our children from performing at their best. Refurbished and new schools, more teachers, more scholarships while necessary, will not remove the underlying inequalities if we fail to understand that children do not all learn in the same way, and that there are also factors in the families and social conditions of students that lead to some students, including some gifted students, falling behind their peers. The NDP aims to tackle these problems through continuous assessment of students and several forms of assistance where needs are identified.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. 11.
Views
Professionalism and the teacher
Robert Mugabe, a history of wounds
“Teaching, in the truest sense of the word, is energy transfer. It’s a life force. A teacher whose own life is energized (vibrant and dynamic) can transfer some of that energy to his students, and make them more fully alive. This is what motivating others is all about. It’s a transfer - of knowledge, but more importantly, of energy.” Hyrum W. Smith (1994) The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management p. 203
Guest Column by Richard Drayton
AS TEACHERS AND STUDENTS commence their journey through the new school year, this is as good a time as any other to share insights about the teaching profession. It is also timely to remind ourselves of the significant role that teachers play in influencing the thoughts and actions of the young minds that have been entrusted to their care. This is a tremendous responsibility and privilege that must not be taken lightly. It is therefore expected that members of the teaching profession would endeavor to perform this noble task with professionalism, dedication, and joy. Teachers are probably the most significant variable in the education equation. While education administrators create the overall education policy and agenda, it is the teacher who is responsible for “fighting the battles of the mind down in the trenches”. Nelson Mandela, writing in his 1994 autobiography entitled “Long Walk to Freedom”, reminds us that “Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.” Teachers can be the wind beneath the wings of a student from the rural community who may feel intimidated by peers who look, speak, and dress differently to them. Teachers can inspire the young ladies in the classroom to aspire to be a scientist, an astronaut, an electrical engineer, a plumber, a preacher, a nurse, or a teacher. Teachers, acting professionally and demonstrating empathy and care, can ignite the imagination of her students not only to be the best that they can be but the best in the world at what they do. The professional teacher will take the time to engage in planning and preparation of lessons that cater to the various needs and preferences of their students. He or she will not be daunted by the often mammoth task of providing individually tailored instructions for his or her students. They (teachers) will never be paid enough to do so. But their commitment to their wards and their commitment to teaching excellence will continue to ignite a passion and determination to encourage their students and their peers to pursue excellence in all that they do. These are often the unrecognized and unrewarded servants who go the extra mile to guarantee the success of their students. They provide guidance beyond the subject matter that they teach. This is evident when, for example, the mathematics and the science teachers pause to correct spelling errors, improve sentence structure, and so on. They do not leave those defects to be corrected by the English teacher. They work with and for their students and strive to develop their overall performance. They refuse to box themselves in to merely concentrating on their subject area.
This is what the professional teacher does. The professional teacher also realizes that he/she is often admired and appreciated by his/her students. That healthy attraction often provides opportunities for modelling and mentorship. Many of the passions and interests that we developed during our maturing years would have been influenced by teachers who inspired us. Their passion for the subject matter inspired us. We seemed to learn best when the teacher demonstrated an interest in the area of study. This is as true in relation to science subjects as it is for the arts. Teachers have the ability, through their dedication and passion, to ignite that desire to pursue excellence in academic pursuits and personal development. It is precisely because of this that to be forever conscious of what they teach when they are not teaching. The final sentence in the preceding paragraph leads us to consider that the professional teacher must be sensitive and alert to the fact that their influence is not limited to the classroom, the form, or the lecture theatre. Teachers are always in the spotlight and can therefore be conduits of pure or evil thoughts. Utterances and actions in and out of the classroom can be used to energize or deflate the hearers and spectators in their midst. In a sense, we can conclude that those in the teaching profession appear to be forever “in a fish bowl”; viewed and assessed by the various stakeholders. This is not necessarily a bad thing. As a matter of fact, this provides an added dimension to the teaching profession and the teaching professionals who continue to mold the minds, behaviours, and aspirations of their wards. Professional teachers make themselves available to be mentors. They do not limit themselves to merely passing on knowledge. They also provide valuable guidance in relation to best behaviours, and often do this by sharing stories and anecdotes. However, most importantly, they demonstrate the behaviours that they advocate. They are punctual, regular, truthful, honest, show empathy, and so on. They engage in talking to rather than talking about their colleagues. They are faithful to the absent. They insist on discipline and ensure that they do not abuse their authority. And while many may have had the opportunity to move on to “greener pastures” and more financially lucrative forms of work, they remain within the profession, knowing that the lives they touch and the young minds that they inspire provide a deeper and longer lasting sense of achievement. They know that their contribution is not measured by what they get from teaching, but what they become by teaching. They imbibe the wisdom of Dr. Maya Angelou (19282014) when she noted that, “When you teach, you learn twice.” The professional teacher is forever learning; expanding horizons of knowledge and behaviour. They focus on helping others to follow their dreams with passion and, in doing so, they often arrive at the pinnacle of their profession; honoured and revered by all. Send comments, criticisms & suggestions to julesferdinand@gmail.com
MUGABE IS A HATE FIGURE in the West, especially in Britain, where the political right had such important family, economic and political connections to white-minority Rhodesia. And he did his own memory no favours: he was a man with very serious flaws, whose government was marked by episodes of state violence and many authoritarian mutilations of Zimbabwe's democracy. But while the word 'dictator' is bandied about, he was not a dictator: Zimbabwe retained elections, opposition parties and an opposition press, a surprisingly independent judiciary, and in fact the preservation of white capital's ownership of most of the economy. Mugabe deserves to be examined with more care than he seems to be. For what we have here is not just a man but a document of 20th century history: his achievements and failures were the products of historical forces which he was only partly the master of. Immediately after independence in 1980, there seemed every reason to applaud Mugabe’s efforts. Here was the poor Shona boy who had made it to Fort Hare University, had spent a decade in grim imprisonment, then had led a war of liberation which had won. Mugabe appeared to have managed a peaceful transition from the terror of the white minority regime in Rhodesia to a democracy in which significant new initiatives in education and healthcare were accompanied by economic growth. The Zimbabwe army was helping Mozambique fight the Renamo terrorists who had been created by South Africa and the CIA. Zimbabwe's success was clearly strengthening the pressure on apartheid South Africa. Few people knew that by 1983, Mugabe’s 5th Brigade were conducting a murderous crushing of a revolt in Matebeleland which resulted in the deaths of 10,000-20,000 people. What is interesting is that the Western states and media were quite silent at the time about this early dark turn. So long as he kept the white minority and their property safe, Western governments didn't really care. The British however did not keep their side of the bargain. At the Lancaster House negotiations, it had been agreed that the British government would provide the funds which would allow for white farmers to be bought out to allow land reform. For people who had suffered immensely in the liberation war to find themselves as poor as before, created great discontent. Mugabe tried to get land reform going with state revenues, on the willing buyer willing seller model. But nothing worked. In the 1990s it was still true that 1% of the population, almost all white, owned 70% of the arable land. That’s when he decided to take the step of encouraging people to squat on white owned farmland. By 2000, the state was encouraging reverse landgrabs. It is in that late 1990s moment that the IMF decided to squeeze Zimbabwe, and he became the 'African Hitler' of the establishment media. The people in Britain who had fervently backed white minority Rhodesia now became very concerned about the fate of democracy in Zimbabwe. This 1990s and early 2000s period was accompanied by high levels of violence of all kinds, and a collapse of the economy. Trade unions and demonstrations met state repression. Opposition politicians were harassed. Ndebele Zimbabweans felt this was a Shona-biased government, while White
and Asian Zimbabweans were made to feel unsafe, and to have their membership in the nation brought into question. At the same time, the political elite appeared to be living well, through their access to the state, and there was the rumour of corruption. How are we to make sense of this collapse of the promise of the moment of Zimbabwe's independence? First, we need to understand that political independence and democracy means nothing if it is accompanied by extraordinary economic inequality. The land and inequality crisis in Zimbabwe has its partners in every postcolonial country, in particular in Africa, where independence in Kenya and the end of apartheid in South Africa left almost unchanged the structure of wealth and poverty created by white supremacist regimes. This is why there remains across Africa, and indeed in the wider African diaspora, great compassion, if not even in many quarters outright support, for what Mugabe was trying to do, in his chaotic and often violent way. Second, we need to take stock of the legacies of one hundred years of violence and undemocracy in Rhodesia. The 1990s turn in Mugabe's policy was undoubtedly provoked by memory of the 1890s uprising which was crushed with extraordinary brutality by Cecil Rhodes's British South Africa company troops. That 1890s defeat led to the first land grab by White farmers. And it was not just the violence of conquest, colonial power and the farming economy was accompanied by extraordinary private physical violence. Beatings of blacks was a standard part of ordinary life. Its result was an economic deprivation, extreme poverty and hunger. Those who know deprivation early in their lives will spend the rest of it seeking compensations. Apart from this physical violence, we need to take stock of the psychic violence of white supremacy — it is said that Mugabe hated reggae and only valued western classical music - but in this I am reminded of Marcus Garvey's refusal of jazz and Eric Williams's contempt for carnival, we should not forget how even the anticolonial leader was formed by the colonial experience, by a culture of contempt and selfcontempt, which could only be conquered by wearing a suit, acquiring first hand taste of 'high culture' and showing you were the civilised match of the white man. Mugabe’s life, which bore all these invisible wounds, was knotted by scar tissue which stiffened him and made his movement through the world awkward. That Mugabe, with all his horrors, we bury with regret and compassion, to be absorbed by Zimbabwe's future history. May he in death be healed, or at least separated from that experience of pain and mutilation. But there is another Mugabe, the little boy who said to himself this is not fair, this is not right, I will fight, whatever the cost, we will demand freedom and justice. That Mugabe who lent his help to the making of freedom in Angola, Namibia and South Africa. That brave big-hearted man is an object of great interest to me. For his courage is shared by many, even are many of his wounds and scars. Mugabe is in no simple way a hero, but there was much heroic about the man. Send comments, criticisms & suggestions to jomosanga@gmail.com
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12. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN
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Solomon Islands considers ditching Taiwan
creams-off about EC$2 billion annually from SVG’s Atlantic Ocean tuna fishing licence and the use of SVG’s national flag on its fishing vessels in international waters. Taiwan is holding back our economy as Taiwan does not pay any tax. It is high time that SVG cut ties with Taiwan. Only 17 countries now recognise Taiwan. In March 2016, The Gambia established diplomatic relations with China and cut its ties with Taiwan, having maintained ties with Taiwan since 1996. In December 2016, Sao Tome and Principe established diplomatic relations with China and cut its ties with Taiwan, having maintained ties with Taiwan since 1997. Time for SVG to make new friends In June 2017, Panama established diplomatic relations with China and cut its ties with Taiwan, “We cannot sit for the next 40 years with our having maintained ties with Taiwan since 1911. friend Taiwan. It is time that we make new friends In May 2018, The Dominican Republic it’s time that we should move on with our life,” established diplomatic relations with China and cut Agovaka said, according to a recording of the its ties with Taiwan, having maintained ties with meeting in the capital Honiara. Taiwan since 1949. “Our new relationship will deal with a One China In May 2018, Burkina Faso established policy; a One China policy that recognises only diplomatic relations with China and cut its ties with Beijing as the official government administration,” Taiwan, having maintained ‘on and off’ ties with he said in the recording, a copy of which was Taiwan since 1961. obtained by Reuters. In August 2018, El Salvador established History has shown that having diplomatic diplomatic relations with China and cut its ties with relations with Taiwan, has not been in the longTaiwan, having maintained ties with Taiwan since term best interests of SVG. Taiwan, it is believed, 1949. THE SOLOMON ISLANDS is re-examining its diplomatic ties with Taiwan with a view to align itself with China. The Solomon Islands has recognised Taiwan since 1983. However, the country has been assessing its alliance with Taiwan since new Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare took control after a general election in April. He has promised to look for ways to improve the country’s economic prospects. Solomon Islands’ lawmaker Peter Shanel Agovaka told a parliamentary committee that after four decades of independence and a long-term alliance with Taiwan, it was time to make a change. SVG should do the same thing.
All the countries who have ditched Taiwan believe that their new relationship with China will lead to increased exports, i.e. better trade overall, and increased investment opportunities. In contrast, Taiwan has failed to invest in SVG and create strong sustainable industries. Taiwan has been in SVG for over 37 years and not built one factory in SVG. Taiwan is technology-advanced, but has not provided SVG with any technology transfer. Taiwan has not set up any trade deals to help SVG export to Taiwan. SVG needs partner countries that will help its companies to export. We should cut ties with Taiwan and form ties with China. This would boost our economy and create thousands of new jobs. SVG Green Party
V NTRC icode competition launched
THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 , 2019. 13.
Technology
Right: Director of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, Apollo Knights explained the changes made in this year's competition.
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN to interested schools and individuals to enter the 2019 National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission’s (NTRC) icode784 Competition, formerly known as the I2
Competition. This year’s competition, the seventh, has not only been renamed, but boasts a new logo. The competition was officially launched on Tuesday when Apollo
Knights, Director of the NTRC, said that the name change reflected the competition’s new focus. He explained that St. Vincent and the Grenadines was a signatory to the United
Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) set by that body’s General Assembly in 2015, and previously the competition targeted all of the SDGs. “The former I2 Competition was already
doing its small part. However, we wanted to make it a bit more focused in terms of its role and it assisting St Vincent and the Grenadines in achieving the targets of the 17 SDGs,” Knights said. “To this end, we decided to rebrand the competition to achieve some of the SDG’s; we are not trying to target all of the goals,” he continued. The Competition now focuses in on six SDGs — no poverty, zero hunger, quality education, decent work and economic growth, industry innovation and infrastructure, and sustainable cities and communities. There is also going to be some additional changes to the competition in the coming years, Knights said. But the format of the competition remains the same. Private individuals and schools are invited to register and participate in this year’s competition, particularly schools. There are two categories: the secondary category for secondary school students; and the open category for private individuals under age 35 and tertiary level students. It was noted that students may enter both categories, but private participants and tertiary level students are only allowed to enter the open category; the competition is open to teams only comprising of no less than two and no more than four persons. Knights said that there was the misconception by some schools, that knowledge and experience of coding the applications were mandatory. Eustasha Walter, Consumer and Public Relations Manager (Ag), however, explained that participants are being invited to enter in either the idea or application (app) category.
Consumer and Public Relations Manager, Eustasha Walter. And under the guidelines of the competition, participants opting to enter the idea category do not require knowledge of developing of coding their idea. Those entering the idea category must project an idea relating to mobile apps, Walter said. There are three phases of the competition, she continued, the first was the registration which runs until September 25th, 2019. The second phase, the preliminary round, will commence on October 15th and end on the 18th, and then on to the finals on November 12, 2019. Participants in the secondary mobile app category who advance to the final are expected to showcase a working prototype or model mobile application. Winners in the secondary idea category will receive 1st EC$2,000, 2nd — $1,000 and 3rd — $800. For the secondary mobile app category:1st -$3,000; 2nd — $2,500 and 3rd — $1,000. For the open category, the winning team will win $5,000; 2nd — $2,500 and 3rd — $1,500. Continued on Page 15.
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14. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN
Diaspora
Vincy cultural group conducts successful medical mission to SVG
the Dispensary at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital in capital Kingstown; and the Lewis Punnett Home for the aged and indigent. She said UVCGB and other volunteers also conducted health fairs, in collaboration with the Retired Nurses’ Association of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, in Kingstown. While on the mission, Vennis Alleyne’s presentation to Dr. and Nurse Dr. Irish-Morris said members, most of whom Marie Davis at the Lewis Punnett Home. worship at Miracle Nurses’ Association of St. including Cuffy-Murray, Temple Ministries, an Dailene and Debra Bobb, Vincent and the Judith Cuffy-Murray’s presentation to Rep. of Canouan at Health Fair, with evangelical church in the Grenadines. Randy Liverpool, La President Dr. Roxie Irish-Morris in background in middle. Brownsville section of Dakota Mitchell, 13, Fleur Gumbs, Vennis Brooklyn, attended and who accompanied her Alleyne, Ralphie participated in Worship Story and photos by stop, for we believe in Morris told THE mom, Ludis Mitchell, on Cunningham, Beverly NELSON A. KING what we do,” Irish-Morris Services at the 11th Hour Ann Wilson and Naydene the mission, said the trip VINCENTIAN, in an Ministries in Byera, in naking@verizon.net; exclusive interview, about continued. “We see the was “a great experience, Bascombe. kingnaking210@yahoo.co UVCGB’s 5th biennial difference it makes in the South Central Windward, especially for me as a They were and Mesopotamia, in the m mission, from Jul. 13-17. lives of the nurses and youth. accompanied by five Marriaqua Valley, on US CORRESPONDENT “We were united in every the patients. We declare “This was my first family members of the mainland St. Vincent. that we are going to do way. mission trip, and it group, including Pastor During these services, PRESIDENT OF THE more for this ministry of “The supplies were opened my eyes to see Wilson, as volunteers, BROOKLYN, New Yorktouching the lives of those Dr. Irish-Morris, a youth along with two practising how blessed we are to be delivered to the clinics, minister at Miracle based United Vincie who are less fortunate which responded in a healthy and privileged to nurses of the US — Temple Ministries, Cultural Group of Brooklyn timely manner,” added that we are.” Vincentian Ludis Mitchell be able to get help from administered the word, (UVCGB) Dr. Roxie IrishDr. Irish-Morris said the Vermont-born, doctors when we need it,” and Jamaican Lilleth and Judith “Baffy” CuffyMorris has hailed as a the group distributed Campden Park-raised, she said, adding that the Manley — three retired Murray, UVCGB public tremendous success the medical supplies and native. “Everywhere we most memorable part for nurses, who practised in relations officer and group’s recent medical went in SVG (St. Vincent clothing to, among other the US — Jamaican Emily her was visiting the Kingstown native, blessed mission to St. Vincent and and the Grenadines), institutions and places, Sykes, Vincentian Janice Lewis Punnett Home. congregants in song. the Grenadines. Belair, Campden Park, there were those who “It showed me that Williams and Nevisian Dr. Irish-Morris, who “Despite the many Canouan, Sandy Bay, were shouting verbal there is a lot of work to Mavis Mars. led the mission, said the challenges we faced, God support and thanks for Calliaqua and be done at the home and Dr. Irish-Morris said came through for us in a our hard work and effort. Mesopotamia clinics; the contingent comprised 10 for the people in need,” the contingent was a full UVCGB members, very big way,” Dr. IrishChateaubelair Hospital; “We don’t intend to Dakota said. “This trip diverse group, ranging from age 11 to one person helped me have more love and compassion for others over 70, “the dearly and not just people that I beloved ‘Tantie Shirley’, Georgia Weekes, who has know personally. “In the future, I would volunteered, over the years, on the missions as like to continue doing mission trips, and I hope the special cook. UVCGB was also Continued on Page 16. assisted by the Retired
Randy Liverpool presenting to Belair Clinic, to Staff Nurse Stevens.
V RSVGPF hosts first Watch Groups workshop
THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 , 2019. 15.
News
IN AN EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE and support community efforts to identify and stop crimes, the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) hosted its first ever Crime Prevention Workshop for Neighbourhood Watch Groups in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The workshop which was sponsored by GUARDSMAN, SVG Limited and the Insurance Brokers, took place on Tuesday, September 3rd and Wednesday, 4th at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Conference Room, under the theme “Partnering with and Empowering Neighbourhood Watch Groups to function effectively”. Speaking at the official opening ceremony on Tuesday, Coordinator of the workshop, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Junior
Simmons told the participants that the hosting of such a workshop is testament of the RSVGPF’s commitment to engage community members in meaningful activities, not only to improve their personal safety, but that of the entire country. Simmons encouraged residents who have not yet formed a Watch Group, to do so, because it is one of the ways in which people can make their communities safer. He gave the assurance that the RSVGPF is ready to offer any assistance possible to such persons, and impressed upon the participants to use the information received to make a positive impact in their communities, and to use the workshop to network with members of other Neighbourhood Watch Groups. Tariq Roberts,
NTRC icode competition launched Continued from Page 13. Other cash prizes of $1,000 will be awarded to the school with the most entries. Mentors will receive prizes ranging from $750 to $1,000. Mentors are only required for the secondary school category. Other prizes will be awarded as well, Walter said. And at the launch, persons viewing the launch live on the NTRC’s Facebook page and for those entering the pre-launch competition on the website became eligible to win a Samsung Galaxy A50 and Samsung Galaxy S10 Smart Phone. Clinton Enrick Pace Bostwick was the winner of the Galaxy A50 and Darius DaSouza the winner of the Galaxy S10. (DD)
Electronic Security Manager at GUARDSMAN (SVG) LTD., said that GUARDSMAN is delighted that the RSVGPF took the decision to engage communities in this way. He told the participants that security is not just the responsibility of the police or private security firms like GUARDSMAN, but communities also must play an active role as well. Roberts indicated that it was his hope that after the workshop had concluded, the participants would be able to use the knowledge, resources and tools gained, to make their respective communities safer. He reminded everyone that security is not only about having a police or security presence, or installing CCTV or alarms systems to protect oneself from would-be criminals. He pointed out that we are currently in the hurricane season, and measures must be put in place to address not just against human element, but the natural as well. Paul Seale, Director of the Insurance Brokers Limited, stated that his company was happy to be an active partner in what he described as a “valuable” workshop. Seale noted that Neighbourhood Watches are all about risk management, and that the Insurance Brokers has been involved in risk management since September 14, 1990 almost twenty-nine (29) years ago. According to Seale, the genesis of the Insurance Brokers started with a
L-R - ASP Junior Simmons and Assistant Commissioner of Police with responsibilities for crime, Richard Browne. need, which was then and still is today, to assist the Vincentian public with independent insurance advice. He said that persons are amazed to learn that the Insurance Brokers does not charge any fees, and this has allowed the company to be totally honest and transparent in delivering its service to its customers. The keynote address was delivered by Assistant Commissioner of Police with responsibilities for Crime, Richard Browne. He informed the participants that one of the ways in which the Police Force achieves its mission is by fostering better police/public relationship through civic and other community groups. He disclosed that Neighbourhood Watch Groups form part of the RSVGPF thrust in community policing strategy.
Quoting from former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Sir Robert Peel, Browne told the gathering “The police are the public and the public are the police”, and he reminded the audience that the police alone cannot fight crime effectively, and therefore needs partners to do so, and that the police have found one such partner in the Neighbourhood Watch Groups. The keynote speaker stated that the communities expect watch groups to be strong, well organized and properly managed in order to help safeguard the communities in which they operate. He however warned that Neighbourhood Watch Groups are not “vigilante” groups, therefore he cautioned the group’s members not to take matters into their own hands if and when their life or property is violated. He advised
Tariq Roberts, Electronic Security Manager at GUARDSMAN (SVG) LTD.
Paul Seale, Director of the Insurance Brokers Limited, addresses the gathering. them to report all matters to the police so that the necessary action can be taken.
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16. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN
People
MCMH staff gets training in Taiwan
FOUR MEDICAL EMPLOYEES of Milton Cato Memorial Hospital are currently trained in Taiwan’s Changhua Christian Hospital. The training courses are with the duration of 4 weeks
from 25th of August to 20th of September, 2019. The staff members: Petria Pompey and Josette George are mainly engaged in the pharmacy department as well as Chemotherapy
Ertrice Ellis getting hands on training at Taiwan’s Changhua Christian Hospital.
Nursing. Cherylon Jack, meanwhile, mainly participates in Laboratory Medicine, infection prevention and control centers (including AIDS prevention, tuberculosis prevention, hand hygiene. Other infection control protocols and implementations) and pathology departments (including biopsy and dyeing techniques) are also included in her training programme. Ertrice Ellis is being trained in the Nursing Department, which includes the Hemodialysis Room Management, Hemodialysis Patient Care, shadowing of Dialysis machine operation, and Kidney disease education. So far, the trainees have been engaged at the
Australian Aid now available to Vincentians via DAP ORGANISATIONS in this country are now more informed about the opportunity to obtain up to AUD$60,000 in aid from the Australian government’s Direct Aid Program (DAP). Representative from the Australian High Commission in Port of Spain, Lucrecia Birch conducted a session in Georgetown on the 9th September, and a similar one on the 10th at Marion House, where she outlined the
stipulations and other details pertaining to the grant. Birch noted that projects to
Ertrice Ellis, Petria Pompey, Josette George and Cherylon Jack, employees at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, are currently in Taiwan receiving medical training. Changhua Christian Hospital for almost two weeks, but in addition to the professional courses,
they will also attend the Medical Quality and Evaluation common courses, and field trips to
branches of Changhua Christian Hospital and the smart medical device companies.
Representative from the Australian High Commission in Port of Spain, Lucrecia Birch (left) conducts a session at Marion House on Monday, to bring awareness of the opportunities available via this medium. be funded are generally between AUD$5,000 and AUD$40,000, but applicants can apply for up to AUD$60,000. She however pointed out that there were two funding rounds for 20192020. Round One will open from Saturday 14th September 2019 and close Sunday 20th October 2019, while Round Two will be from Saturday 7th December 2019 and close on Sunday 12th
January 2020. Community groups, nongovernmental, local government organisations and other entities are eligible to apply. Projects focused on areas such as public health, human rights, access to safe water sanitation, and sustainable environmental practices are given high priority. St. Vincent and the Grenadines is among 10
countries in the region to receive the DAP funding. The other countries are Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Lucia and Suriname. For more information about the Australian government’s DAP grants and the application process, contact +1 868 822 5450 or email dap.portofspain@dfat.gov.au.
Vincy cultural group conducts successful medical mission a very successful venture,” making special mention of, some of my friends and cousins among others, the Retired would come, too, so they can Nurses’ Association of St. see what a different world it Vincent and the Grenadines; can be,” she continued. “The the practising nurses and most important lesson I retired nurses and volunteers learned is that, we can all help, on the mission; Carimedix of even it’s just one person at a SVG; SVG Liaison Officer time.” Keren Hall-Arthur; staffers at Dr. Irish-Morris gave clinics visited; Michael “special thanks to all those who Richards, owner of Richview helped to make the 5th Apts., for accommodating the Biennial Medical Mission Trip group; and Claudette Muckett Continued from Page 14.
for organizing transportation and sightseeing tours. Others she thanked were: the management and staff of Finishing and Furnishing “for continuous immense support;” Evelyn Jardine, Gaylene Charles and Lavern McDowell for providing meals; Baileys Transportation, especially driver “Guri”; Consul General to New York Howie Prince “for consistent support”; Brooklynbased Standard Caribbean
UVCGB members unpacking and sorting at Finishing and Furnishing Warehouse - Nurse Ludis Michelle at right and Retired Nurse Emily Sykes to front left. Shippers; and MTM Family “for donations and prayers”. “UVCGB would like to
remind all of its motto: ‘We are Blessed to be a Blessing’”, Dr. Irish-Morris said.
THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 , 2019. 17.
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18. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN
News
Sir Frederick honoured Continued from Backpage. “His wisdom, his business acumen, his health care expertise have been invaluable to me and Trinity as we navigate difficult waters in the business of medical education. We owe a great deal of our success to his mentorship,” the school’s president said. Dr. Donna Brown, member of the Board of Trustees at Trinity, spoke of his commitment to education and learning, and his humility. “Trinity is something that he believed in, and he is not someone to just believe in anything haphazardly,” Dr. Brown said. She credited his family, saying that it was as a result of his upbringing especially for the way he decided to go against a decision to live and work in the United States where he studied, interned and began doing cardiology. Instead, he came home and made an invaluable contribution to the local health sector, serving as Chief Medical Officer. “If anyone is deserving to have a building dedicated, he is simply the best and this is a great honour,” Dr Kent Rollins said as he paid tribute. His relationship with Sir Frederick got started when he said his wife was exploring the possibility of doing voluntary medical work. Sir Frederick is also credited with getting the World Pediatric Project (WPP) up and running, with SVG becoming the hub. But as Dr Rollins explained, without the input of Sir Frederick, this would not have been achieved. “He is behind the scenes, and never takes credit for anything,” he said. “For 31 years, he has been a friend, mentor, and made lives better and has helped thousands through health care.” Reverend Monty Maule spoke of the relationship he and Sir Frederick shared and which has been on-going for about forty years. Sir Frederick has been Maule’s
cardiologist, and it was he who recommended that he (Maule) have open heart surgery to correct an issue about ten years ago. “His exemplary contributions to the development of the school and health care is unquestionable; that Frederick Ballantyne is an outstanding human being is also unquestionable,” Maule said. The honour and dedication of the Learning Centre had nothing to do with the government or politics, Maule added. And most importantly, the ceremony was conducted in the presence of Sir Frederick and although he was not fully well, was still active and present. Sir Frederick was also presented with a plaque and an honorary Doctor of Science degree. In accepting the honour, Sir Frederick said that he was proud in having the centre named after him. “At the same time, I am very humbled.” “My humility stems from the fact that a school, or university does not prosper because of an individual or group. We have succeeded because of the faculty, and we thank you sincerely. The faculty here, that at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, the government who have offered the facilities and faculty overseas,” Sir Frederick said. He added that the dedication was a special honour, not because of his involvement but because he said that he believed that if you can train physicians, knowing that they will see an average of 100,000 patients throughout their career, then you have made a significant impact on health care. “So, my interest is that of training physicians that will go out and make the world a better place,” he said. He thanked all who paid tribute, and in turn spoke of the role they too played in the success of the Trinity Medical School, and in the success of delivering quality, modern health care to those who needed it the most.
THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 , 2019. 19.
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20. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN
Advice
Still financially tied to ex Dear George, I HAVE BEEN reading your columns for quite a while now, and I must say I find them stimulating to say the least. I never thought I would be the one writing to you now, but I do need to get your perspective on this situation that is developing. I have been seeing this girl now for just over one year, and we are getting to the point where we are talking marriage. My plan is to get engaged to her in another year or so, then get married to her not too long after that. She brought up the marriage subject, and I just told her that I am serious enough about her to marry her, but we should give ourselves more time to get to know each other before making such a commitment. A few weeks ago, I found out that she still has a joint bank account with her ex-husband, from whom she had acquired a “friendly” divorce, according to her. On taking a closer look at things, I realised that she was still depositing monies into that account without my knowledge. I asked her about that too, and she said she was putting monies there because they had agreed together to pay for an item that he had purchased and she just wanted to keep her side of the agreement. George, I am at the point now
where lots of questions are surfacing in my mind, and I do not want to think what I am thinking.
Funny feeling Dear Funny feeling, A divorce is supposed to represent separation, and that goes for agreements, relationship etc. All ties should be broken, and the reset button setting everything back to zero. In the case where children are involved, then one can understand legal arrangements would have to be adhered to in the interest of those children. There is no way she should still have any financial link to her ex, let alone not telling you about it. What you need at this time is time and more time to sort things thoroughly. You need to be assured that she has truly made the cut from her ex-husband. Maybe she has done so legally but not otherwise, and that has to be of grave concern to you. I suggest that you suspend all ideas of engagement and marriage, until you are absolutely sure that the woman you are thinking of marrying has given her heart over to you and has no strings attached to her past.
George
Fooling me or ‘My Angel’? Dear George, I AM THREE months into planning my wedding, only to get some very disturbing news. My boyfriend left for work one morning and forgot his cell phone on the bed. I was in the room folding some clothes when a message came in for him from someone named ‘My Angel’. I became curious and read the message, and it said “ I need to know when you are going to pay the down-payment on the reception hall”. I wanted to know what this person was talking about, so I messaged her back and asked her ‘What hall?,’ and she replied “Call me back when you are awake.” I immediately called him and asked him who ‘My Angel’ was, and what reception hall she was talking about that he has to pay money on. George, to cut a long story short, my boyfriend
and this girl have been making wedding plans, and that wedding was to take place in Barbados around the same time he was planning on marrying me. The girl in question (‘My Angel’), happens to be living in Barbados and she has been receiving monies from him to apparently pay for their wedding. My boyfriend went down on his knees and swore that he was only messing with her and he never intended to marry her, but was serious about marrying me. I told him I cannot be sure who out of both of us he was serious about marrying. He could be messing with me instead and have plans of leaving me at the altar. He still maintains his innocence and begged me not to cancel the wedding plans. I want to call everything off, but something at the back of my mind is saying “Suppose he is speaking the truth, what then?”
Not sure
Dear Not Sure, It does not matter whether he is speaking the truth to you or not. The fact is he is involved with another woman without your knowledge, and has confessed his intentions to deceive her, by allowing her to believe they would be married, which is not going to happen in actuality. This is not the kind of man you want to be involved with for the rest of your life. Be thankful that he forgot his phone which allowed you to see that message. A successful marriage must be based on truth, trust, honesty and most all love. Love does not allow any one person to deliberately inflict hurt on another, and the actions of your boyfriend clearly shows that he is missing the true meaning of what love really is. You have some house cleaning to do!
George
Leisure
ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Your involvement with groups will raise your self-esteem. Maybe it’s time to look into ways you can improve your health. Lay your cards on the table regarding your personal direction. Plan your day thoughtfully, but try not to rely on others. TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) Travel for business will be advantageous. You can evade the issue as usual by being affectionate, fun loving, and far too active for your lover to catch on. This is a great day for a family outing or just a drive. GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Your intellectual charm will entice new love interests. You’ve been a little down and you need a lift. Your dramatic approach to life has probably gotten to your mate. Your magnetic, outgoing personality will capture hearts. CANCER (June 22-July 22) You may want to take a serious look at your goals and objectives. Don’t get intimately involved with a coworker. Romance could be exciting if you are spontaneous. Read between the lines when signing contracts. LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Don’t confide in any relatives whom you know have a tendency to meddle in other people’s affairs. Your creative ideas will be put to good use if you dig in and do things around the house that will make your family happy. Children or friends may try to talk you into lending them money. VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Unforeseen changes in your location are apparent. You can expect to feel confused about your personal prospects. You may find that purchases or entertainment could be expensive. You
will be in a high cycle regarding work. LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) Travel will stimulate your need to experience exciting new things. Take time to make physical improvements that will enhance your appearance. Your charm will attract someone special. You’re in the mood to spend time with your lover. SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Your partner may be somewhat irritable this week. You must deal with an emotional problem with your loved one that you have been avoiding for some time now. Changes involving your domestic scene may be unpleasant. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Your personal life will be under the gun and you may want to avoid the questions your lover is going to want to ask you. Don’t be too eager to give a piece of your mind or even your opinion this week. You can get ahead if you play your cards right. CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) Offers of joint ventures are likely. Take a look at investment opportunities. Don’t give your heart too readily. You’ll stay out of trouble if you pick projects that will benefit the whole family. AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19) Expressing yourself in novel ways should lead you down new avenues. Accommodate others but not before you do your own thing. Do the proper safety checks before you go out. Expressing yourself in novel ways should lead you down new avenues. PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) You will have problems with coworkers if you are too extreme about doing things perfectly. You should get involved in competitive sports this week. You need time to rejuvenate. You need a day to rest and relax with the ones you love.
ACROSS 1. Lose vitality 4. Help Wanted notices 7. Nobel Prize winner Curie 12. Patterned after: 2 wds. 13. Pose for an artist 14. Regained consciousness 15. Compete in a 100-meter dash 16. This woman 17. Display defiance 18. Bird abode 20. Barnyard bleater 22. In the middle of 24. Color (hair) 27. Strike a bell 30. Obtain 32. Bloodshot 33. Kate of Hollywood 35. Plunging into the pool 37. 100% 38. Impressed cry 40. Expire, as a subscription 41. Reimburse 42. Shoe bottoms 44. Paltry 45. Burial place 49. _ seeds, bagel topping 53. Uncle _, recruitingposter figure 55. Feather stole 56. Anticipate 57. Entertainer Gabor 58. Bungle 59. Final Commandment 60. Entangling trap 61. But DOWN 1. Merit through hard work 2. Depressed 3. Prohibits 4. Volcano dust 5. San _ Padres 6. Physically powerful 7. Trading center
8. Humble admiration 9. Imitate a thief 10. Eisenhower’s nickname 11. Serpentine fish 19. Scottish caps 21. Advanced in years 23. Cat’s comment 24. Sign of a leak 25. Japanese monetary units 26. Blade border 27. Gent 28. Dance accompanied by a ukulele 29. In a lazy way 31. Mosaic piece 34. Beast’s snout 36. Expansive
39. Deteriorate 43. Take off 44. Greek tale 46. Heed (orders) 47. “Seconds, please!” 48. Gridiron
LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. 21.
great Starr 49. Tap familiarly 50. Carry debt 51. Frying vessel 52. Peach stone 54. Wrestling-ring pad
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22. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN
News
Starlift trains 53 more pannists
ON SATURDAY 31st September, 2019, fifty-
three persons graduated from the Starlift Steel
Orchestra’s Summer Programme.
The Progrmme, spanning six weeks and conducted by ace pannist and arranger Kingsley ‘Hero’ Roberts, exposed the participants to the basic techniques of playing the various pans. And the graduates were more than willing to give a taste of their newly unearthed talent and skills, and displayed their dexterity, with rendition of a number of pieces at last Saturday’s Graduation. The graduates were also given first-hand insights from Saeed Bowman, who himself graduated from the Starlift Steel Orchestra’s Summer Programme in 2008. Bowman, who was last Saturday’s Feature Speaker, extolled the personal virtues of music and more so, the steel pan. According to Bowman, “Music literally changed my life… It opened avenues and doors for me. … I love playing pan so much that it’s never a task, and that’s
how it should be. It really helped me evolve, not just in pan but as a person, in school and discipline.” Bowman, who recently completed studies at the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College, continued, “It was my pan that soothed me during my panics, and calmed me when I Featured Speaker- Saeed got stressed… Bowman. Couldn’t solve that Mathematical focussed on other things Induction? Pan break! that are priorities in Had a problem your life”. measuring Magnetic Other persons Flux Density or addressing the ceremony: remembering Kirchoff’s Captain of the Starlift laws? Pan break! As Steel Orchestra — Roddy much as my note books Dowers; President of the helped me in school, the Youlou Pan Movementpan also played a part in Ms Oneka Morgan; making sure I didn’t lose Parliamentary my mind.” Representative of In encouraging the Central Kingstown- Hon. gradates, Bowman St Clair Leacock, and related, “For you it may Rene Baptiste, former be as well, or maybe Minister of Culture. some other instrument The Starlift Steel or passion, but whatever Orchestra won both the it is, in order to excel at Junior and Senior it, you must put in the Panorama at the 2019 time, but also keep Vincy Mas in June, July.
Some of the graduates rendering on pan.
Over 400 Unassigned Contributions at NIS OVER 400 PERSONS without NIS numbers have had contributions paid on their behalf. This is as a result of submissions made to the NIS for employees without providing full details relating to their names, NIS number and date of birth. When this happens, a suspense number is generated and the contribution is saved pending a reconciliation to determine the right individual it should be assigned to. If this does
not happen, then it means that an employee could be losing out on their full benefits under the NIS programme. According to the NIS, it has made several appeals to employers, especially in the informal sectors such as construction, to ensure the correct information for all employees are provided. NIS is therefore urging persons to provide the correct NIS number and all personal details
to their employer. Added to this, the NIS encourages all employees to come into its office to check their contribution records.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. 23.
Vincy Heat overcomes Dominica, faces Suriname next
Vincy Heat making one of their second half forays on the Dominicans' goal on Sunday at the Arnos Vale Playing Field. Inset: Head Coach- Kendale Mercury. VINCY HEAT, after overcoming Dominica last Sunday at the Arnos Vale Playing Field in Group Four of Tier B of the CONCACAF Nations League, set sights on front runners- Suriname next month. The Vincentians on Sunday pushed their tally of points to four, with a one- nil win.
Chavel Cunningham hit the winner in the 45th minute. Cunningham, showing alertness, got to the ball after a rebounded shot from Ahzino Solomon onto Dominican goal keeper- Glenson Prince. It was another good result for St Vincent and the Grenadines, as they
for St Vincent and the Grenadines in the 45th minute. However, Vincentian defender Jamol Yorke turned the ball into his own net in the 87th minute of play, as Nicaragua equalised, with some luck. With the three points in the bag from Sunday's match, Vincy Heat's Head Coach- Kendale Mercury, is focused on the back to back fixtures against Suriname here on 11th October, and in Suriname on 14th October. Speaking after Sunday's match, Mercury said that it was a tough proposition, as the travel from Nicaragua affected the team's performance. Mercury, who has been at the helm of the team's technical preparations for the past eight months, noted:" It is the first time we have seen players go down with injuries and cramps at the end of the game, so we know it was the travelling". had come away with a 1Hinting that Suriname 1 draw versus Nicaragua will pose a challenge, in Nicaragua last Mercury revealed, "The Thursday. plan is to give the Oalex Anderson scored players a one week off so
Oalex Anderson scored against Nicaragua. that they can visit their families and rest and resume training". Mercury also disclosed that a two week camp leading up to the Suriname is on the cards. "We know that our third game against Suriname is a crucial game, and we want to win that convincingly... The two-week camp is going to give us so much advantage, such as control of diet, rest, the way we train , mental preparation, as we all know that we will be at a different level", Mercury explained. Mercury expanded
Chavel Cunningham scored the lone goal in Sunday's match. that the players too have admitted that the staging of the camps helps in them being better prepared and focused. Vincy Heat is two points adrift of Suriname, who has six points from their two matches. Suriname scored a 2-1 win over Dominica in Roseau, and blanked Nicaragua 6-0 in Suriname. Nicaragua is on one point, with Dominica yet to get off the mark, having lost both matches.
Peters launches Cricket Academy KENROY PETERS, a former West Indies player, are in the final stages of launching his “Petey’s Sports Academy” with the motto “Developing athletes and individuals” for age groups 4-13 boys and girls. Peters, on his short stay at home, spoke to the THE VINCENTIAN, and outlined the structure of the Academy. “It’s a multi sports programme, where there are three terms of the year for kids 9-12 to be involved in different sessions every Saturday, engaging in different sporting activities. The kids 4-6 session, is mainly to develop motor skills, coordination and balance through different sporting activities, to give them the basics. The kids aged 79 will take part in cricket, football, tennis, basketball etc, after which they will rotate after 50 minutes, and the 913 age group make up the main academy for kids who have a specific sport”. Peters who coaches the Ayrshire Cricket Club in Scotland, and plays for the Plenty Plenty Cricket Club in
Australia, said the academy will comprise of individual and team sports and also a personal development programme. “Our mission is to expose kids to various sporting disciplines, while learning a life skill from playing sports, developing leadership skills, team work, technical, tactical, mental, physical and social skills. Studies have shown kids who participate in extracurricular activities, especially in sports, tend to excel more in school, as they tend to perform well under exam pressure, and cope with stress related to exams. So the holistic development of the child is very important, and through sports, we can develop athletes and better individuals”. Peters further stated, “The academy will also give coaches from the different disciplines, an opportunity to improve their skills and work with kids, where they can better understand their role as a coach. Another important thing from this idea is to help develop a community where sports play an integral role,
where we can produce our first premier league football players in England, our next West Indies player, our first gold medal in the Olympics, another basketball player and first rugby international player in Europe”. The Petey’s Sports Academy is expected to be launched on November 16th 2019, and the founder Peters encourages persons to sign up on his Facebook page. I.B.A.ALLEN
Kenroy Peters, West Indies player during a coaching session.
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24. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN
Sports
SVGSA President gets CASA Executive's position
PRESIDENT of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Squash Association- Kevin Hannaway is the new Secretary of the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA). Hannaway was elected to the post recently when CASA held its Annual General Meeting in Guyana. Hannaway, who is also the President of the OECS Squash
Association expressed honour in being afforded to serve the sport at the wider Caribbean level. Before his elevation, Hannaway has performed duties at CASA level, both Junior and Senior, having been appointed Tournament Director. Still relatively young, Hannaway is an active player as
he represented St Vincent and the Grenadines at Senior CASA in Guyana last month. The CASA Executive, which serves for the period 2019 to 2021, is led by Ramon-A- Sue of Guyana, who is the President. Janet Sairsingh of the Cayman Islands in the VicePresident, and Ian Patrick, also
of the Cayman Islands, the Treasurer. And, elected as CASA Directors are Kim Jebodhsingh from Barbados, along with Nick Syne of Bermuda, Mark Chapman of the British Virgin Islands, Douglas BeckfordJamaica and Trinidad and Tobago's Diane Julien.
Kevin Hannaway
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. 25.
Sports
Simple equation
ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES have to overcome Suriname first at home, then away if they are to move into the Tier One in the Concacaf line up. The Vincentians found themselves at the wrong end of an own goal which denied them full points in the Central American fixture. An Olex Anderson’s strike earned the team the point. The value of Anderson’s conversion could have been more impacting were it not for the unfortunate own goal. The Vincentians beat Dominica in their second encounter at the Arnos Vale Playing Field. A single penetration, a follow up by Chavel Cunningham after Azhino Solomon’s long-range shot, forced the Dominica goal keeper in error. Even after the October window, there is more to play for. The relegation and promotion lessons are taking shape. Tier A features 12 teams in four Groups. Canada secured contrasting wins over Cuba to put themselves in contention in Group A. The other team is the United States of America. Panama beat Bermuda in an away encounter, but found a more disciplined Bermuda proposition at home. Mexico would have watched the exchanges between Bermuda and Panama with more than a casual interest, for there is a Gold Cup position at stake. Martinique and Trinidad and Tobago drew two clashes. Honduras is waiting to see who tops that Group. Curacao won and a draw against Haiti. Costa Rica, the other contender, knows what is required. Four teams have an opportunity to move up in League B. Grenada showed early intentions, with French Guiana chasing, while St Kitts/Nevis and Belize will hope. Montserrat continues to be a contender among company like El Salvador, Dominican Republic and St. Lucia. Jamaica is on course in Group C, for Guyana, Antigua and Barbuda and Aruba don’t’ have restraining orders. St. Vincent and the Grenadines must beat Suriname and earn the points. Anything else will be insufficient. League C is the place where progression is most welcomed. Cayman Islands showed intention of being a mover with a win over Barbados. That encounter may have determined that Group’s favourite. United States Virgin Islands nor Saint Martin seems willing or like to create any chances to progress. Bonaire and Bahamas will continue to battle for the spot unless British Virgin Island makes some royal penetration. Guatemala seems out of order facing Anguilla and Puerto Rico. Likewise, Guadeloupe may be too experienced for Turks and Caicos Islands and Sint Marten. But football is not determined on speculation. There is a 90-minute window when anything can happen. Additionally, there is injury time which can be as long as one’s fitness enables. Considering our performance against Nicaragua in the first Round, there is a better result. Complaints prolong about the margin of victory over Dominica. Given conditions under which that match at Arnos Vale manifested, the management will have to look more keenly on aspects of climate change. At Arnos Vale saw the range from extreme heat to the appearance of what looked like a heavy shower. Such was the humidity that match officials accommodated water breaks, so that players were able to beat the heat.
SVG, Tobago clash in Allen/Roberts Series THE SVGCA INC. WILL HOST the Tobago Senior Cricket team in a bilateral Limited Overs Cricket series, which started on September 11, 2019 here. The Tobagonians will play one T20 and three 50-overs matches, against the senior Vincentians. The three 50-overs matches would be the main feature of the tour, with the inaugural challenge for the Ian Allen / Lincoln Roberts trophy. The idea of the bilateral series was borne by Presidents Dr. Kishore Shallow of SVGCA Inc. and Kerwin John of the Tobago Cricket Association. The purpose is primarily to afford players developmental opportunities, through competitive cricket of different standards and in different conditions. President Dr. Shallow said “It is a grand opportunity for players to play competitive cricket outside of regular local cricket season, and to test their skills and progress at another level. We are delighted to be in a position to afford them such exposure.” Additionally, he confirmed that
the trophy would carry the names of two key cricketing figures for both islands. “My Association is pleased to honor two past international players, in Vincentian Ian Allen and Tobagonian Lincoln Roberts. These two distinguished Romanio Pierre, Kishore Shallow, gentlemen would have made and continue to make sterling SVG Senior Male President of Cricket team SVGCA Inc. contributions to their country through cricket,” expressed Dr. captain. Shallow. The first leg of the Fixtures arrangement between the SVGCA Inc. and TCA, was a tour of the September 11: T20 (Park Hill SVG Under-15 boys to Tobago in Playing Field) April this year. They played three Ian Allen / Lincoln Roberts 50-Overs matches. The Tobago Trophy boys won the series 2-1. September 12: 1st 50 Overs The Vincentian squad for the (Cumberland Playing Field) upcoming series: Romano Pierre September 13: 2nd 50 Overs (cpt), Atticus Browne, Rickford (Arnos Vale Playing Field) Walker, Cody Horne, Gidron September 15: 3rd 50 Overs Pope, Othneil Lewis, Geron (Park Hill Playing Field) Wyllie, Romario Bibby, Solomon The T20 match begins at 2:00 Bascombe, Jeremy Layne, pm, while the three 50 Overs Shaman Hooper, Darius Martin, Seon Sween, Andrew Thomas, and Matches commence at 9:30 am. Asif Hooper. Head Coach: Deighton Butler. Manager/ I.B.A.ALLEN Assistant Coach: Cleton Burnett.
NLA TBPO Softball T20 bowls off EIGHTEEN (18) teams will contest the 2019 Edition of the National Lotteries Authority TBPO T20 Softball Cricket Competition, when the event officially opened last weekend at the Dauphine playing field. Teams will be played in three zones, with the competition expected to close on December 15th. In the opening match, Out Ah Trouble beat Stallionz by 80 runs. Out Ah trouble batted first and made 173 for 6 in 20 overs. Davian Barnum top-scored with 78 not out, Kadir Nedd 34 and Deron Strough 22. Bradley Richards took 2 for 13 and Sheldon Nanton 2 for 36. In reply, Stallionz was able to attain 93 for 9 in 20 overs. Shemroy Primus 3 for 7. On Sunday, Clinchers
beat Gomea Bombers by 64 runs. Clinchers batted first and made 119 all out in 19.3 overs. Roger Gibson 25, Okeiph Andrews 24 and Corlan John 22 not out. Ovando O’Brian took 3 for 5, Andy Bachu 2 for 18 and Israel Baptiste 2 for 22. In reply Gomea reach 55 all out in 12.4 overs. Ovando O’Brian 29 not out. Okeiph Andrews 4 for 6, Danroy Forgus 3 for 6 and Lawrence Ashton2 for 39. Challengers beat Gairy Construction Simple Boys by 24 runs. Challengers batted first
Hard Hitters, Best Outfitted Team.
and made 110 for 9 in 20 overs. Britnol Scott hit 29 and Jevon Seales 28. Stein Joseph took 3 for 34 and Jabari Cunningham 3 for 39. In reply, Simple Boys reached 86 all out in 15.4 overs. Colbert Simon top-
Teams line up at the opening. scored with 36. Otis Hector took 3 for 18 Joelann Malcolm 3 for 21 and Ronike James for 23. I.B.A.ALLEN
26. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019. 27.
Ganja value continues to be an issue
Classifieds
SENIOR Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche is not aware of Junior ‘Spirit’ Cottle, Head of the local Cannabis Revival Committee (CRC), being an authority on the value of controlled drugs. Delpleche was responding to attorney Grant Connell’s mitigation on behalf of his clients Irwin Thomas, 56, of Questelles, who was charged with possession of ten pounds of marijuana with intent to supply, and Alvin Williams, also of Questelles, who was accused of having four pounds of the herb with intent to supply. Both men pleaded guilty when they appeared at the Serious Offences Court on Tuesday. In mitigation, Connell made reference to an affidavit signed and sworn to by the CRC president, in which marijuana was valued at $200 per pound. The affidavit was prepared as part of the defence’s case at a sentencing hearing in a major marijuana case in the High Court earlier this year. Connell noted that there is a direct nexus
between the value and sentencing, and has repeatedly expressed the view, in Court matters, and during interviews with THE VINCENTIAN, that the police have been misleading the Court with regard to the value of marijuana. But, according to the Senior Prosecutor, “I don’t know that he (Spirit) is an authority on the value of controlled drugs. I know of a case law which says that you can use the evidence of an experienced police
Contractor on gun-related charges Continued from Page 4. incident at Mt. Pleasant on September 6. Richardson was not required to plea to the charges when he stood before Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne on Monday. Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche did not object to bail, stating that while the victim was hospitalized, with an injury to her foot, alledgedly sustained during the incident, it was not a threat to her life. Richardson was granted bail on condition that he report to the Mesopotamia Police Station on Mondays and Thursdays, and surrender his travel documents. Stop notices will be placed at all ports of entry and exit and he is not to leave the state without the permission of the Serious Offences Court or a higher court. He was also ordered not to have any contact with the virtual complainant.
BERNARD SAM
MC LAWRENCE DANIEL
AMY PANDORA ROBERTS
Thursday, 12th September, 2019 Cathedral of Assumption Kingstown Viewing: 1:00 p.m. Service: 2:00 p.m. Interment: Kingstown Cemetery
Sunday, 8th September, 2019 Mt. Zion Spiritual Baptist Church Rose Hall Viewing: 1:00 p.m. Service: 2:00 p.m. Interment: Rose Hall Cemetery
Sunday, 8th September, 2019 St Agatha Spiritual Baptist Church Sandy Bay Viewing: 1:00 p.m. Service: 2:00 p.m. Interment: London Cemetery
THERESA ARMSTRONG Sunday, 8th September, 2019 St. Michael Spiritual Baptist Church Richland park Viewing: 1:00 p.m. Service: 2:00 p.m. Interment: Richland Park Cemetery
officer regarding the value of controlled drugs”. The Court made no determination on the value of the marijuana which the men were charged with possessing. Thomas was fined $6,000, of which $3,000 was to be paid forthwith and the balance in one or one year imprisonment, while Williams was fined $2,000. He was ordered to pay $1,000 and the balance in one month or one year imprisonment. The men had no previous convictions. (H.H)
TABITHA NICOLETTE PIERRE Sunday, 8th September, 2019 St. Michael S.B.C Church Viewing: 1:00 p.m. Service: 2:00 p.m.
DONALD FITZROY YOUNG Sunday, 8th September, 2019 S.D.A Church Layou Viewing: 1:00 p.m. Service: 2:00 p.m. Interment: Layou Cemetery
F O R
The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
S A L E
FRIDAY,
SEPTEMBER 13, 2019
VOLUME 113, No.33.
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The Learning Centre was dedicated to Sir Frederick Ballantyne to honour the work he put in to medical education and health. contributions to St Vincent and the Grenadines. THE LEARNING “He has been a mentor CENTRE at the to us,” Steve Wilson, Trinity Medical President of the Trinity Sciences University Medical School said. now bears the “During one’s name of Sir lifetime, one rarely gets Frederick an opportunity to meet Ballantyne in an extraordinary recognition of the person. And even more many contributions rarely is one blessed he has made to the with the opportunity to medical institution and truly get to know one. to health care in general. “I have been blessed to Sir Frederick was Dr. Kent Rollins call Sir Frederick N honoured during a Ballantyne my friend; he is small ceremony at the one of those extraordinary medical school’s campus located at persons,” Wilson continued. Ratho Mill last Monday. He told the story of the A number of tributes were given beginning of Trinity, saying that by Board members and trustees or back in January 2008, they were private investors to the man looking for a location in the credited with making it all happen Caribbean to set up a medical — the start of the Trinity Medical school. Sciences University some 12 years “We were close to settling in on ago, and to honour his work and The Bahamas at the time and had by DAYLE DASILVA
President of Trinity Medical Sciences University, Steven Wilson (left) and Sir Frederick Ballantyne cut the ribbon of the Sir Frederick Ballantyne, CCMG, MD Learning Centre. started negotiations,” he recalled. But then, his business partner said to him that an opportunity had arisen on St Vincent. Wilson admitted that he did not have a clue about St Vincent and the Grenadines, except that he was told that it was located in the Southern Caribbean. And after doing some research, he discovered that there was an active volcano.
Published by The VINCENTIAN Publishing Co. Ltd, St. Vincent and the Grenadines;
Wilson continued, saying that he was convinced, and contact was made with Sir Frederick, followed by a trip to the island, and the rest is history. It was not always smooth sailing, especially the period 2008 through 2010 during the international financial crisis, but Wilson said that Sir Frederick maintained his optimism and theirs as well, and they were able to overcome any
adversities. “I’ve seen first-hand his commitment to the people of St Vincent,” Wilson said. Sir Frederick has never asked for anything, and he enjoys recruiting physicians to come and help the people. He loves to share his knowledge and experience with students, Wilson noted. Continued on Page 18.
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