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FRIDAY,

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

by DAYLE DA SILVA HEARING IN THE MATTER of two 2015 election petitions was expected to enter its fifth day today.

Cross examination of the witnesses on behalf of petitioner Benjamin Exeter, the New Democratic Party’s candidate for Central Leeward in the December 9, 2015 General Elections, ended on Wednesday.

Among those cross-examined

VOLUME 113, No.07

included Exeter, lawyers Maia Eustace and Zita Barnwell, and a number of agents employed by the NDP on election day.

Eustace, in explaining her role as a roving agent for Exeter, said that agents were given notebooks to record any objections, the number of votes on the count and any disagreement with the count.

Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes, lead Counsel for the respondents, inquired whether tally sheets were provided to the agents, to which Eustace responded that this was to be provided by the election officers at the count.

Both the notebook and tally sheet used by Eustace were submitted as evidence by the petitioners.

Eustace and the count Mendes asked Eustace if she had been able to determine whether or not any of the other agents had indicated that their count differed from that of the presiding officers.

She responded that they seemed to be in accordance with the scores of the presiding officers.

Eustace added that she was present at the final count which took place on December 10, 2015, one day after the elections, and despite some reluctance by the returning officer, they were provided with copies of the count.

“There was not sufficient time to record all the information,” Eustace told the court, but she said that she was Left: Maia Eustace remained steadfast even under the

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able to record some notes on the final day.

She testified that there were instances where the number of names recorded in the Form 16, the document containing the final count, differed.

According to Eustace, there were instances where it was evident that a figure was written over another, and cited polling station CLC, in which she said got 412, based on her count, but the document had 307.

“But it seems like the 307 is written over something,” Eustace said.

In relation to polling station CLB, she said she recorded 350 — 238 votes between the candidates, 111 unused and I spoiled ballot. But the document (Form 16) had 238, and here too, it appeared that it was printed over another figure, Eustace proffered.

She was unable to indicate, however, if her numbers matched that of the other agents.

Mendes said that based on the submissions made by Eustace, the results on the tally sheet matched what was recorded, such as in polling station CLB1, where the tally sheet and Eustace’s notes corresponded.

Petitioner takes the stand When petitioner Exeter was called on Tuesday, his cross- examination focused on his allegation that the ballots were pre-printed with the official mark, contrary to the law.

But his evidence, photographs taken of ballots, did not show, as lead Counsel Mendes said, that they had any stamp on them.

When Exeter insisted that his allegation had weight, he was drilled

by Mendes and at times the judge, as to whether he was disregarding the

EC$1.50

Petitioner Benjamin Exeter was not as comfortable as this when he was crossexamined.

(SVGTV Photo)

Supervisor of Elections Sylvia Findlay-Scrubb’s sworn affidavit, in which she said that she had made an error in saying the stamp and official mark were pre-printed, which amounted to a retraction of a statement to the contrary that she had made earlier.

He gave no clear response to this inquiry.

But in a later response to Mendes’ cross-examination, Exeter acknowledged that his polling agents were shown the ballots before voting began.

The Senior Counsel brought it to his attention that he had not presented any evidence to say that any of his agents had admitted to seeing any stamp pre-printed on the Continued on Page 3.

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2. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Issues raised about NIS venue THERE WAS no reason another elevator located offered as to why the NIS at the back of the Conference Room was building, but questioned selected as the venue for if persons were the 2015 Election (actually) being denied Petitions hearing which access into the got underway on Monday. conference room.

Kay BacchusJustice John said Baptiste, member of the that he intended to deal legal team for the with the issue of the petitioners, said that public when the court she believed that the took its first break at choice of venue was a 10:30am, but was deliberate act to persuaded to look into prevent people from the matter having access to the immediately. hearing.

At the resumption, During cross John Q.C said that he Justice Stanley John examination of the was told that a number seemed to have petitioner’s first of individuals were understood the concerns witness Maia Eustace and hoped that they could denied entry, after they

by Counsel for the refused to be searched. be addressed. respondents Senior But while Counsel Douglas acknowledging that it Mendes, on Monday, Lead Counsel for was unfortunate that some individuals the petitioners, Queen’s Counsel had been tuned away, Justice John Stanley John reminded the court of said it was important that the security the concerns expressed with respect to do their work and that people entering the NIS Conference Room, during a are searched. case status hearing last month.

“The searches were for the good of It was also revealed that the court all of us,” Justice John said. itself had some reservations about the Bacchus-Baptiste, more recently, alternate venue. told THE VINCENTIAN that the As far as the venue was situation as it related to parking was concerned, issue was taken with the proving problematic. fact that both elevators, which had She explained that it was difficult been out of order before Monday, had for members of the legal team who still not been repaired. The question have had to make other transportation of the number of people that could be arrangements to get to the NIS accommodated was also raised. building.

According to John, assurances were The restroom facilities were also an made that access by wheelchair bound issue, with Bacchus-Baptiste saying persons would also have been that there were two on the floor, but considered for and the presiding that one was locked and the other was Judge, Justice Stanley John, to allow not functioning. She thought that it individuals to stand. was disrespectful how this matter was Justice John responded, saying that being treated. it was important that members of the “I think it is a deliberate effort to public have access to the proceedings, prevent people from hearing what is as the hearing was dealing with a going on,” she reiterated. matter of public interest.

The matter involving the parking He said that he had been advised was reported to the High Court that the relevant action was taken to Registrar, Bacchus-Baptiste said, but ensure that persons who were unable as of lunch time Wednesday, she had to use the stairs would have access to not gotten a response. (DD)

The NIS Conference Room is more comfortable, but it cannot accommodate as many persons as the Court House, and access is cumbersome.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. 3.

News 3

Leacock: ÂHonour 1979 Football teamÊ ACCORDING TO MAJOR ST. CLAIR LEACOCK, Parliamentary Representative for Central Kingstown, 1979 was a special year in the annals of Vincentian history.

Member of Parliament for the Central Kingstown constituency St. Clair Leacock says that 1979 was a special year in Vincentian history, and he calls for the government to honor the 1979 football team that placed second in the Caribbean Football Union Cup in Suriname.

Among the references he made to support his assessment were: the

year that La Soufriere volcano erupted; the year St. Vincent and the Grenadines gained independence from Britain; the year when Kenneth “Vibrating Scakes’ Alleyne sang our second anthem ‘Our nation is born’; the year that saw the start of significant working papers for the formation of the SVG Coast Guard; the year of the Union Island uprising; and the year SVG came second in the Caribbean Football Union Cup in Suriname.

“It was a breakthrough year, and I want to pause on that, because

many of our outstanding sportsmen from that era are still around. And if nothing else is done this year, I want the Guy Lowes, Raulty, Barrow, Dorian Phillips, Paul O’Garro and the whole shebang … I want them to be honored this year for what they brought to St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” said Leacock during his contribution in Parliament on Wednesday 6.

He showed the Parliamentarians present in the House that day a commemorative coin that

SVG Football Team 1979: (Back row L to R): Tyrone Barrow, Basil ‘Bung’ Cato, (Assistant Manager), Keith ‘Slick’ Bonadie, Ali Munroe, Elliot ‘Morrie’ Millington (captain), John Horne (Executive Member), John Cato, Sydney Mandeville. (Middle row: L-R): Pete Morris, Sheen Millington, Ashley Baptiste, Raltie Lowe, Stanley ‘Luxie’ Morris, Guy Lowe. Sylvester ‘Scobie’ Taylor (Manager). (Front row: L – R): Marcus Young, Blincon Soso, Rudy Boucher (coach), Rudolph ‘Ounce-ah-Beef’ Mayers (trainer), Raymond ‘Chip’ Ballantyne, Dorian Phillips, Gideon Exeter (Executive member). was minted to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the SVG Cadet Corps Band, adding that he was asking for something similar to be done for the footballers who represented SVG in

1979.

He reminded the House that the team returned in 1981 and performed well in Puerto Rico.

Leacock, a former President of the St. Vincent and the

Grenadines Football Federation, reminded the House that when he left his post as president, SVG was ranked 1st in CONCACAF and 73 in the world. Today the team is ranked 180th in the world. (KH)

Petitions hearing gets going the final count.

Ethron Creese also testified on Tuesday.

Paul Creese, NDP agent at polling station CLB1, took the stand on Wednesday.

He confirmed that he was present during the count, but said that he was unable to determine if the stamp and initial of the presiding officer were on the ballot.

Creese told the court Douglas Mendes S.C., Counsel for the that he was focusing on tallying the votes.

Respondents, drilled the witnesses to a point of “I was looking for the confusing some of them. vote and not the stamp,” he said.

Continued from uneasy He said that he was Frontpage.

Barnwell, who was at aware of the importance of the ballot having the ballots, when they were the final count on stamp, but did not pay shown them on the December 10, also took any attention to that morning before voting the stand on Tuesday, detail. began. and found herself at Mendes pointed out to “I am confused, “ variance with a Exeter said, seemingly in statement she made late him that in his exasperation. in her cross-examination, statement, he said that the ballots had no stamp, That seems to have all to one she had made this after saying that he but summarized Exeter’s earlier. This was in time on the witness respect of a certain ballot did not look for the stamp. stand. which she purported to Creese repeated that have examined during he made notes about Other witnesses made

things going on, but did not think that the issue of the stamp on the ballot was a critical one.

“When did you think that it became a critical issue?”, Mendes asked.

The following day, he responded, when the issue of some ballots not having stamps was raised, and said further that he then remembered that there was no stamp.

Agent Esla Sam, employed as an agent for Exeter in polling station CLA1, said the lists did not correspond.

Sam explained that she used a system where she assigned numbers to voters in the order in which they entered the polling station.

Mendes then asked for her to identify and affirm if the final number was on the last page of the document submitted by her.

Upon doing so, Senior Counsel Mendes then asked her to determine whether or not she

The team for the Petitioners exchanging a few thoughts, pre-hearing. repeated numbers, to which Sam said she could not recall.

However, Mendes said that when he checked, she had in fact repeated some numbers and he went ahead and gave the court two examples of where it was done. In addition, he said, Sam repeated numbers on 10 occasions.

Mendes also pointed out to the court that Sam missed numbers, for example, there was no number 30, he said.

“It went from 29 to

31,” Mendes said.

Also missing among the numbers assigned, according to Mendes, were 25 other numbers, which he listed for the court.

Sam, in her defence, said that she had someone else assist her while she was allowed to take a short break.

But Mendes said that that individual stated on record that she was assigned numbers 204 to 218, and that Sam was there to the end.

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4. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Court

Layou man guilty of 2012 murder Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS ALMOST six and a half years after 36-year-old Layou resident Joseph Evans ‘Tuffy’ Lynch was gunned down in his hometown, someone has been convicted, and is awaiting sentencing for the murder.

At the High Court Criminal Assizes on Tuesday, a 12-member jury, comprised of seven females and five males, found 34-year-old Andy Quashie of Layou guilty of Lynch’s murder, following a trial which started last week Thursday. Quashie was also found guilty of having a firearm with intent to aid in the

commission of an offence.

A sentencing hearing has been slated for March 8.

Laynch was shot multiple times around midday on September 1, 2012 at Cashville, Layou in the ‘Swamp Gutter’ area.

According to the Prosecution’s evidence, there was an ongoing dispute between Lynch and Quashie and on the date in question, Lynch passed and called him ‘pussy’.

Quashie was in the company of Billy Adams, now deceased, and others.

Adams asked Quashie, “Boy, you go tek dat?” to which he replied, “Ley we go down for de ting

dem”.

The men left and returned with guns, and were on a hill looking at Lynch who was in someone’s yard.

When Lynch left the person’s yard, Quashie ran through a short cut, intercepted and shot him multiple times in the presence of several persons.

The evidence further revealed that Lynch, who fell to the ground and was lying face down, tried to move, but Quashie fired another shot, ending the victim’s life.

The Prosecution, led

by Crown Counsel Karim Nelson, called seven witnesses including two eyewitnesses.

Fisherman held on ganja charge

However, while Andy one of the Quashie eyewitnesses told awaits the Court he sentencing, witnessed the shooting, the other having been found guilty said he only saw AS PREPARATIONS when Quashie ran of causing are being made for the the death of through the short establishment of a Joseph cut with the gun, modern Medicinal following which he Evans’ Tuffy’ Marijuana Industry Lynch. heard the sound of here, following the gunshots. passage of the In his defence, Medicinal Cannabis Quashie denied shooting Lynch. He told the Court connection with the Industry Bill and the he heard explosions, then shooting. He called two Cannabis Cultivation saw people running, and witnesses to support his (Amnesty) Bill in went to see what case.

Parliament December happened. He said he Quashie was 11, 2018, police moved through the crowd represented by Attorney continue to take and saw Lynch lying on Grant Connell who the ground. He then left sought to establish a case persons before the Court, on an almost and went home. He said of mistaken identity. daily basis, for the his mother later told him Initially, Quashie was illegal possession of the that the police were charged jointly with herb. looking for him in Layou residents On Wednesday, Adolphus Foye, 17 at the Adryll Sylvester, 40time of the incident, and year-old fisherman of Billy Adams who was 26.

But the charges against Ottley Hall, appeared Foye and Adams were before the Serious 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday. subsequently withdrawn Offences Court, The Court heard that and they were made charged with Chance and two men state witnesses. possession of 5,540 were sitting on a wall at However, Adams was grams of marijuana South Rivers, in an area shot and killed at Layou with intent to supply. called Pasture.

July 27 last year.

Sylvester pleaded On spotting the police, Layou resident Joel not guilty and was they began acting King has been charged suspiciously. The Officers with Adams’ murder, and granted $9,000 bail with one surety. The exited their vehicle, THE VINCENTIAN matter was adjourned approached them and understands that King to March 15. was subsequently requested a search, to committed to stand trial Sylvester’s arrest which they consented. before the High Court in Nothing illegal was reportedly stemmed connection with that found on the men, but from a recent police matter. when Chance stood up, action at Edinboro. the lawmen noticed that she was sitting on a black plastic bag. It was opened in front of the woman, revealing the marijuana.

When cautioned, she JUSTICE Brian Cottle did not order a Social said, “Officer, is a man Inquiry Report on murder accused Andy Quashie, gey me piece a weed to following his convictions at the High Court burn.”

Criminal Assizes on Tuesday, but Quashie’s But the woman told Attorney Grant Connell would seek the instructions the Court on Wednesday of his client in relation to the preparation of his that on the day in mitigation plea. question, she didn’t have A 12-member jury had found the 34-year-old any gas at home to Layou man guilty of the September 1, 2012 murder prepare meals for her of 36-year-old Joseph Evans ‘Tuffy’ Lynch, also of children, so she went to a Layou, and possession of a firearm with intent to friend to ask for aid in the commission of an offence. assistance. The friend Upon conviction, Connell, in seeking an didn’t have any money adjournment, requested a Social Inquiry Report on either, so he gave her the his client. marijuana to sell to raise Such a report is sometimes ordered by the Court funds to purchase the to form part of a sentencing hearing. gas.

In this case, Justice Cottle sought answers as to Chief Magistrate whether such a report would be necessary.

Rechanne Browne took “What would the report do that would tell you into account Chance’s what you don’t know?” he asked Connell, who guilty plea, and that she expressed the view that it could be helpful. He also had no previous told the Judge that he would need time to prepare convictions, but stressed his mitigation. that the woman tried to Justice Cottle said he was quite aware that the conceal the drug by lawyer would need time to prepare, but asked him sitting on it, in order to whether he would not be better positioned to avoid detection and conduct his mitigation on the basis of instructions arrest. from his client, rather than having state agencies Chance was ordered to prepare a Social Inquiry Report. pay the fine by February Connell then told the Court he would seek 22 or three months in instructions from his client, following which Justice prison.

Cottle adjourned the sentencing to March 8.

ÂWeed was for gas moneyÊ A WOMAN who told the Court on Wednesday that a friend gave her a portion of marijuana to sell so she could get money to buy (cooking) gas, was fined $900 for

possession of the herb.

Appearing before the Serious Offences Court, Sharmorn Chance, 35year-old domestic of South Rivers, pleaded guilty to possession of

534 grams of marijuana with intent to supply.

A patrol of police officers from the Colonaire Police Station arrested Chance at South Rivers around

Lawyer to seek instructions from client

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15 , 2019. 5.

Arts

Lynx Mas Band has a change of heart PRICKED and thrilled by the encouragement and demands of their loyal masqueraders, the Lynx Mas Band will be part of Vincy Mas 2019, with their presentation, ‘Come Fly With’, with actual depictions being influenced by the airline industry At the closure of Vincy Mas 2018, Lynx Band Leader- Cornelius “Pete” Thomas, had told the VINCENTIAN, that the band was staying out of this year’s festivities because, among other reasons, securing sponsorship was proving to be extremely difficult.

Interestingly, the announcement came against the backdrop of the band’s best

placement to date — third - in the Band of the Year competition.

Now, Thomas has admitted to THE VINCENTIAN, that he has had a change of heart, and the band will participate in Vincy Mas 2019.

“The reason why we are returning for 2019, is because lots of the fans kept telling me that we have stepped up the game, and we should push for it and go for the Band of the Year title,” Thomas explained.

He admitted that the 2018 third place, with a presentation entitled ‘Devastating Elements’, was achieved with the band’s smallest complement of

masqueraders for any one year.

The veteran masman attributed this success to the fact that scaling back the numbers allowed him and his team more time to ensure “a finished product.”

“We are ready to go again, and are getting things in place,” Thomas assured, adding that he is confident that the band’s 2019 presentation will be a “special one.”

Thomas envisages a larger band with this year’s presentation, notwithstanding the fact that there are no indications that the situation with respect to sponsorship would improve.

An official launch of

the band is expected to be staged soon.

Lynx Mas Band entered the ‘mas scene’ here in 2005, and has been consistent with their presentation, except for 2013 and 2014

when the band opted out of participation in Vincy Mas.

Cornelius “Pete” Thomas.

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6. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Decomposed body found in Fair Hall

by KENVILLE HORNE

THE DECOMPOSED body of a Belmont

man was removed from an area in Whim Road, Fair Hall last Sunday.

The body was later identified as

that of Darrel Burgin, better known as ‘Dutty Cup’, who was last seen by friends in early December 2018, when he told them he would be moving to a different location.

Reports are that a boy discovered the decomposed body while he was looking for coconuts sometime around noon on Sunday.

“There was barely any flesh left on the body, it was mainly just skeleton,” said one person who had seen the body before it was removed.

That person also said that the personal items discovered in the vicinity of where the body was found, convinced villagers that the body was that of Burgin, who was described as an unkept but humble and smart man.

A friend of Burgin said that he was homeless for a while, but was allowed to occupy a shed by the owner of a large parcel of lands on which the shed was located.

More recently, he was sleeping under a tarpaulin in the same vicinity where the body was found.

The friend said he found Burgin to be a “cool person,” adding, “I remember he used to live in Biabou some years ago before he went to Fair Hall.”

As far as that friend knew, Burgin didn’t have a family of his own nor did he know of any relatives who would have visited him.

He recalled, though, an occasion when two adult females and some children visited with him. The speculation that arose then was that the females could have been his daughters, and the children his grandchildren. This was never confirmed, the friend said.

Marley ‘Ram’ Harry, another friend, said that he did not know too much about his friend’s background, but he described him as “ a good fella “ who was positive, liked to cook and was

The Whim Road area, off the Belmont Main Road, where (foreground) Darrel Burgin’s decomposed body was discovered. never known to be someone who stole from others.

Harry is hoping that the matter would be looked into, “because he (Burgin) was no troublesome person.”

Another friend, who gave his name as Tom, and who operates a butcher shop where the deceased, Harry and others would congregate, said that Burgin was a humble person who didn’t give any problem. “He usually be around with us all the time and then he just come and say he going away,” said Tom. “People were inquiring about him, but nobody seems to know where he was.”

Police confirmed that they had mounted an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Burgin. They were, up to press time Wednesday, awaiting an autopsy report.

Customs official case adjourned again She had informed the CUSTOMS AND EXCISE Serious Offences DEPARTMENT Supervisor Julia Court of her Phillips, facing charges of theft and decision when the official corruption, will have to wait a matter was called while longer to know her fate. before her on The 49-year-old Bequia woman was January 14, and slated to return to the Mesopotamia the case was Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. That transferred.

Court was at the time sitting in the Phillips is same room in which the Kingstown charged with Magistrate’s Court sits, which is stealing currently not sitting.

EC$43,626.91 in When the woman took the stand, cash, the property Magistrate Bertie Pompey indicated of the Government Julia Phillips – facing theft and that he had received communication of St. Vincent and official from Phillips’ lawyer Grant Connell the Grenadines. requesting an adjournment, as he was She is also charged corruption charges. engaged in a High Court matter. with corruptly Senior Prosecutor Adolphus soliciting and Delpleche told the Court that he was receiving property, to wit, also informed of Connell’s EC$43,626.91 in cash, for herself, on engagement in the High Court, which account of anything to be afterwards takes precedence over the lower done or omitted to be done by her in Courts. The matter was then the discharge of her duties as adjourned to next Wednesday, Supervisor of Customs and Excise February 20.

Department, Bequia Branch.

The woman had initially appeared Both offences were allegedly before Pompey January 16, after committed between August 14 and Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne September25 last year. recused herself from hearing the Phillips has maintained her matter. innocence on both charges.

by HAYDN HUGGINS

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15 , 2019. 7.

Parliament

Gov’t has not imported ganja seeds MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE Saboto Caesar says that the government has not imported any marijuana seeds. He confirmed, however, that persons in the private sector have done so legally.

Caesar was responding to a number of questions asked by opposition Senator Kay BacchusBaptiste during the questions for oral answers segment of the Presentation of the 2019 Estimates in Parliament, January 29.

The female senator had asked the Minster: Whether marijuana seeds are being imported into St. Vincent and the Grenadines for medical marijuana. Whether or not the seeds or seedlings being nurtured at the tissue culture laboratory at Orange Hill are also imported. And if so, from

where and at what cost.

In his answer, Caesar said categorically that the government of SVG “has not imported any marijuana seeds into the country. The private sector and private individuals are allowed under the law to import marijuana seeds, and this is pursuant to Chapter 2: 8 4 of the Drugs Prevention of Misuse Act where in the definition it states that cannabis does not include seeds after separation from the rest of the plant.”

He said that the role of the Ministry of Agriculture in the matter is to ensure that the required phytosanitary standards are met, as required for the importation of all seeds.

The Minister noted that the Tissue Culture Lab at Orange Hill has been nurturing seedlings which

were obtained locally.

The Cannabis Research and Development Unit (CRDU) set up in the Ministry of Agriculture, according to Caesar, is in the process of establishing a seed bank of local seeds and a Germplasm of local strains of cannabis.

Entities wishing to conduct scientific testing may apply to the CRDU for permission to conduct research, through the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture for permission. If granted, they can be supervised by the Unit, the Bureau of Standards and/or the University of West Indies.

In a supplementary question, the Senator asked the Agriculture Minister what was the quantity of

ÂTake advantage of ganja amnestyÊ AN APPEAL has been made to those farmers already involved in the informal cannabis cultivation and the cannabis trade generally, to take advantage of the amnesty provisions as outlined under the (Amnesty) Bill recently passed in Parliament.

They have also been urged to make themselves ready to participate in and benefit from the Medicinal Marijuana Industry that is expected to take root here.

The appeal came from Minister of Finance Camillo Gonsalves on Monday during his 2019 Budget address.

Such farmers, he said, should remain open-minded about the possibilities of the legitimate production and eventual legal exportation of medicinal cannabis.

The Amnesty Bill passed in Parliament late last year, gives those involved in the illegal cultivation of marijuana an opportunity to give up their involvement without being prosecuted.

A date for the commencement of this amnesty period was previously set, but scrapped and revised, so as it now stands, a date is to be determined by the Minister of Legal Affairs, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves.

The Act provides for the crop to be ‘turned over’, and once it meets the required standard and quality, it will be exported as medical marijuana.

As a result, Minister Gonsalves stated that a decision had been taken to remain conservative in determining the projected revenue for the fiscal year 2019.

“This year, we have taken into

Persons involved in marijuana cultivation here are being encouraged to make use of the provisions of the Amnesty Act, and to consider the benefits of involvement in the medicinal marijuana industry. account the time required to establish and operationalize the Authority (Medicinal Marijuana); the steps involved in conducting due diligence of applicants; the licensing and the establishment of cultivation and production facilities that can meet necessary legal and technical requirements; and the actual production and export of medicinal products,” Gonsalves said.

It was cited that revenues generated under the sector will be derived primarily from licensing fees.

St Vincent and the Grenadines became the second CARICOM member country, behind Jamaica, to establish the legal framework for a medicinal marijuana industry.

But there were a number of challenges - international treaty compliance, correspondent banking relations, logistical hurdles, new burdens on local education and health care apparatuses, Gonsalves said.

(DD)

marijuana seeds imported in the last 8 months.

Speaker of the House Jomo Thomas interjected and reminded Bacchus-Baptiste that the Minister said that the Government did not import marijuana seeds, and he did not think that the government would have the answer pertaining to private importation.

Dissatisfied, the Senator responded, “Persons have to get phytosanitary certificates so they should have the information, not so?”

Caesar accented to getting the information and promised to pass it on to the senator.

Saboto Caesar, Minister of Agriculture could not say on January 29, 2019 the quantity of cannabis seeds imported by the private sector.

Kay BacchusBaptiste, Opposition Senator, quipped that there was a process from which the Minister/ Ministry could have deduced an answer.

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8. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 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

The 2019 Budget – A layman’s comment IN WHAT IS FAST BECOMING a typical SVG Budget Presentation, the Minister of Finance announced a ‘small surplus, proposed a few ‘new’ spending projects/areas, and announced a small package of new fiscal measures. .

In the main, any increased revenue, and a 5,6 percent increase in Current Revenue was projected, was going to be the result of increased vigilance on the part of the tax collectors, this, even in the face of the small collection of new fiscal measures, i.e. increases in excise duties on tobacco, alcohol, sweetened beverages, gasoline and diesel.

It may be that we missed it, but the Budget did not appear to have had any sense of direct examination of the economy, with a view of encouraging diversification and therefore, support for a broader range of endeavours that speak to the future development of SVG. Somehow, there was no sense of really investing in the future to genuinely address the needs of an ageing population and an overly excited younger generation; to making SVG a comfortable if not an ideal place to live and work.

Further, if it missed us, we apologise, but the Budget gave no connection to caring and sharing — to better support children, young people with care, protection and real opportunities; to relieve the financial burden of the middle class families who have to live from pay cheque to pay cheque, and who are fooled into a false sense of security; and to support the underprivileged and vulnerable so that they could effectively escape the mire in which they find themselves.

We are yet to see, to feel, if the approach of maintaining a fiscal surplus has served this country well. One school of thought says it has not; that it is a fiscal tool that appeals moreso across the political spectrum rather than to the real living standards of the population.

As such, those who were again expecting change, have had to endure more of the same. ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ could best describe the 2019 Budget.

And for business generally, there was not much over which to get excited; no significant tax incentives or reductions were announced and, if the truth be told, could not be especially in the face of a dependence on direct taxes from that sector.

More and more we seem to be moving towards a full-fledged ‘rent economy’, one in which we collect from what we buy, rather than collect from what we produce and sell.

Then there is the financial sector which was ignored, and understandably so, since this area must be, mindful of what and how we are obligated to protocols within the sub-region (OECS).

Notwithstanding, there will have to come an effort to place the businesses and industries as well as state-owned enterprises like VINLEC, on the bond market/security exchange.

On the issue of unemployment, the Budget was described as ‘a job creation budget’. This was meant to be encouraging and to bring hope in an otherwise worrying situation. We must be mindful of what we are creating. We are thankful for employment in the short term which government sees itself as offering. But what is so much more important is stable and long term employment with appropriate benefits.

That the economy can absorb the greater proportion of those seeking employment is, as the Budget proffers, an untenable expectation. The export of trained workers will have to include more than nurses. How many of the trained workers would the economy be able to maintain? Will there be an exodus of workers who see no future in a state that legislates salary and benefit increases which the private sector swallows as the given?

Overall, this was a ‘safe’ Budget — directionally safe — maybe even a conservative budget. It was far from being an ‘election budget’.

What it indicated was that the ULP government’s fiscal policy has remained unchanged, and is unlikely to change in the coming years. Is there anything new and different that can be done to inject a new life into and hope in the economy? Time will tell.

Chatoyer’s honor tabled in Parliament (The Vincentian April 19th, 2002)

Bay, and four new booklets “A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL declaration, dealing with the conferring the honour of National Hero of country’s St. Vincent and the Grenadines on the Rt. heritage were Excellent Chief of the Calinago people, sponsored by UNESCO and the Ministry of Joseph Chatoyer, was laid on the table of Culture. “The grand finale,” Ms. Baptiste the House of Assembly on Wednesday, April declared, “was the pilgrimage to Balliceaux16, 2002 by Tourism and Culture Minister the spiritual journey from Washergunny Rene Baptiste.

Bay to the Mount of Stones - for the The Minister was at the time giving a beginning of the spiritual journey and review of the celebration of National Pilgrimage, and the building of a national Heritage Month, held from 1 March with monument in memory of the thousands who the Declaration of Heritage Square in perished there, of our Calinago peoples, who Kingstown. were on their way to exile.”

She pointed out that the conferment was penned by young Vincentian historian, Appendum Cleve Scott of New Montrose, who is currently doing post graduate studies at the I was simply rummaging through some History Department of the Faculty of Arts old newspaper when I stumbled upon THE at UWI. VINCENTIAN of 17 years ago within an The Tourism and Culture Minister article on the anointing of our First (and recalled that, the official declaration only) National Hero, Callinago Chief Joseph conferring the honour of National Hero of St Chatoyer. He was a popular choice.

Vincent and the Grenadines on the Rt. Since that time, we have laboured in vain Excellent, Paramount Chief of the Calinago to find him company, but it has all been Peoples, Joseph Chatoyer, was held on the bogged down in these crucial times, if not night of the 13th March. The exercise, held buried on account of politics. at the Victoria Park, was attended by the I had suggested a team of Captain Hugh world representative for the Garifuna World Mulzac, George Mc Intosh, Ebenezer Joshua Organisation, Mr. Oswald Robinson and the and added a fourth, Dr. Parmenos Eustace Hon. Consul for Belize, Mrs. Zolia Ellis who initially had been recommended by Browne. other persons.

The inter-necine a political for fifteen Historic years stood firmly against recognition of a full slate. Now following their death, I ask Minister Baptiste stressed that it was the additional for recognition of Yvonne Francis first time ever this country had celebrated Gibson and Oscar Allen.

National Heritage Month, and she Chief Chatoyer’s elevation was celebrated congratulated all those who participated, during a historical and cultural assisted, or in any way helped to make the remembrance where interested folks were first national history month a success. invited to make a contribution. It is Ms. Baptiste recollected various significant that the top three - Edgar programmes including a workshop for Adams, Adrian Fraser and Marcia Harold training writers of living (oral) history, a Hinds - had all been members of the cultural show entitled Caribbean Roots, “Flambeau” group of which I had been several school programmes that were founder and editor of our publication. featured in the month of activities.

I had sent to the new ULP Government The Tourism and Cultural Minister also through Minister Mike Browne, a nephew of highlighted that the Ministry of Education mine, a list of four articles on the topic hosted the first ever history symposium on seventeen years ago, suggesting that three the writing of the national history of St relevant ministers join in the venture to be Vincent and the Grenadines. published by them. I was curtly rebuffed Other activities during Heritage Month and told then, a proper History of St included the official launching of the History Vincent was being prepared by a group of Teachers Association, the cycling classic, chosen writers. and the annual road relay held on 31 So much for the concept of “Together March.

Now” which the ULP rode as their mantra, Three works by Vincentian authors were ripped to shreds by my own loving nephew also launched during National Heritage who later christened me “KenDP”, Month- People On the Move by Dr. Edgar identifying me with a political party that I Adams; Chatoyer, the First National Hero NEVER JOINED!

By Dr. Adrian Fraser; and Readings from I end for now, but noting that persons Marcia Harold Hinds,The Saga of Hairouna. such as Mike and, especially Blazer The Tourism and Culture Minister also Williams, should beware, the road to hell pointed out that there were rallies in Sandy could be paved with good intentions?

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. 9.

Letters consciences. They take all the privileges they get, and forget that they were elected to represent people.

Is like we vote them in so that they could better themselves and forget I couldn’t help but think something about the people.

When something is wrong, we must like this could never happen in this country. For a member of government say it wrong. We must be afraid of to criticize the government in ‘dis here our conland’ is a NO NO. The sky will have sciences, to fall in on us before something like not other this could ever happen here. men.

You see, Mr. Editor, the people who represent people here seem to have no Paul Kingstown

It could never happen here

I JUST CAME ACROSS some news that set me thinking. The news I got was that a member of parliament for the government side in Antigua, recently accused the government of neglecting his constituency. That MP apparently made his feeling known during a sitting of the House of Representatives in that country.

The MP said that his constituency wasn’t getting a fair share of community development money. He reminded his government colleagues that his constituents were sons and daughters of Antigua, who pay their fair share of taxes. The MP described the neglect as an injustice, and said it was not fair.

Some common Peace, not war in Venezuela English Language errors WITH THE KIND permission of the editor, I continue with my contribution of bringing to the attention of the general public, some common errors in the use of the English Language.

I hope that those persons who make these errors would read or be referred to my effort to correct them.

I begin this week with the word innovation. I was taught, and I think it still stands, that this word means ‘something that is new and original’.

It follows, therefore, as far as I am aware, that one should not use the word ‘new’ before innovation.

I often think, whenever I hear very learned, highly qualified men and women in high positions like marketing officers, talking and writing with assurance about a ‘new innovation’.

Then there is the issue of one’s appetite. We never ‘wet your appetite’, we whet your appetite.

And what about a sneak preview which we often refer to as a ‘sneak peak’. A ‘peak’ is the top of a mountain. The correct word is ‘peek’ which means a quick look. So please, you can give a person a ‘sneak peek’ of your letter to the editor, not a ‘sneak peak’.

Now to an area of major concern - Subject-Verb Agreement.

The subject and verb of a sentence must agree with one another in number whether they are singular or plural. If the subject of the sentence is singular, its verb must also be singular; and if the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural.

Example 1: Incorrect: An important part of my life have been the people who stood by me.

Correct: An important part of my life has been the people who stood by me.

Example 2: Incorrect: The two best things about the party was the food and the music.

Correct: The two best things about the party were the food and the music.

Then there is the matter of compound subjects joined by ‘and’ and ‘or’.

Subjects joined by ‘and’ carry plural verbs.

Incorrect: The lawyer and his client was kept waiting by the prosecutor.

Correct: The lawyer and his client were kept waiting by the prosecutor.

Incorrect: The piano or the bookcase have to go.

Correct: The piano or the bookcase has to go.

And while I am at it, when the subjects are joined by “or” or “neither/nor,” the verb agrees with the subject that is closest to the verb, e.g. * The piano or the bookcase has to go. * The piano or the tables have to go. * Neither the pillows nor the curtains match the couch. * Neither the pillows nor the blanket looks good in this room.

I will continue next week, permission being granted.

Retiree – Arnos vale

THERE IS A THREAT of a 3rd World War at our doorstep, and if it is not averted, we will be hard hit. Why? Our government stated widely its support for the socialist/communist side.

This support is for Venezuela, Cuba, Russia, and company.

History has informed us that after the abolition of the Transatlantic Slave System (on paper) in the 1800s, we had two world wars - World War 1 from 1914-1918 and World War 2 from 1939-1945. In between those wars, we had the October communist revolution in Russia in 1917. At the end of World War 2 came the establishment of the United Nations World Court.

After World War 1, world politics was controlled by two main elements, capitalism headed by the USA and

* On whose prompting was the hearing of the Election Petition matter moved from the Court House?

Didn’t those responsible not know that the upstairs of the Court House was going to be vacant? * How are investigations going into the murders of Shania Johnson and Antonia “Toni” Rose-Carter? Are leads being ignored in these investigations? * Like Bigga Bigs kill the ULP white fowl or what? Why they picking on him so? * Are teachers and civil servants going to simply accept their back pay and 1% increase, put their tails between their legs and return quietly to their comfort zones?

UK, and communism headed by Russia and others.

If there is any military attack on Venezuela by the EU/UK/USA, Russia and China may not stand off. They will want the use of Argyle International Airport on behalf of Venezuela, who assisted in its construction. The UK will lay claim because the Governor General is her representative, and no doubt our airport could be blown up (possibility).

Our take on Venezuela plight is that the Venezuelan government could be dividing and ruling its people and causing the unrest. That

does give the right for any military aggression against that government.

Allow our people in the Caribbean and Latin America to investigate the conditions in Venezuela.

From there, let us and our leaders call for military help if needed.

We cannot trust the leadership of the big America, and especially Daniel Trump. We must remind ourselves about President Bush (US) and Prime Minister Blair (UK) who went to war with Saddam Hussein, claiming that he had weapons of mass destruction. To this day, no weapons of mass destruction have ever been

found.

We have friends and relatives living in Venezuela, and we would have had over forty years of friendly relationship.

We are calling on all Venezuelans to demand their equal rights and justice to live as a free people.

Peace, not war in Venezuela.

Christian Democrat

V

10. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

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The Economic Outlook

Government hotel at Mt. Wynne

Excerpts from the 2019 Budget Address: Part Two

(Excerpts of Dr. Friday’s Budget presentation)

Introduction

MR. SPEAKER, the Minister says that the government is borrowing US$50 million to build a 250-room resort at Mt. Wynne, “which will be managed by an internationally-recognised brand.” It will be the largest hotel in the country that will be “unique and standard-setting.”

For years now, they have promised that a hotel was coming at Peter’s Hope. I recall, for example, that in the 2007 Budget debate, then Minister of Tourism, Glen Beache, said with unwavering conviction so familiar on that side of the House, that for sure a hotel was coming the following year, 2008. Well, it didn’t.

But now they know that elections are around the corner, they have decided to show that something is happening in tourism. They want also to show that there is something coming to support the Argyle International Airport (AIA), which cost us over $1billion.

A couple Budgets ago, in this Honourable House, the PM lamented the fact that the government was not able to interest the private sector to participate in a public/private partnership, to build a hotel on the mainland. That’s why the government is going it alone.

Having listened to the Finance Minister’s Budget statement, where our economy was said to be so wellmanaged as to be compared only to Trinidad and Tobago’s economy, as the only two countries to have avoided IMF prescriptions, and SVG has been a regional leader in attracting foreign direct investment, and given the impact of AIA in attracting visitors, as he sees it, you would have thought that private investors would be jumping to get into the hotel business in SVG. But that is not the case! The government can’t get investors to build the hotel, so it is doing it itself.

And another $130 million will be added to the public debt, which already stands at $1.61billion!

The idea of a hotel project at Peter’s Hope did not start with the ULP. It was the brainchild of Sir James Mitchell and the NDP. The NDP government bought the land from the Casson family, thinking that it might be a good place to locate a major hotel on the mainland. In fact, Sir James had the foresight to relocate the leeward highway further inland from the coast, so the new highway would not run through the land that could be developed as the resort.

However, Sir James and the NDP never intended the project to be a government owned and built project.

They knew that that would sink the government deeper into debt, and they were not prepared to risk scarce public funds in that way. The idea they had was to invite private investors, local or foreign, to develop the property. Ideally, they hoped that a major international brand would come in and build the hotel and operate it, using their own resources.

However, this ULP government has decided to borrow and build. They said they have an internationallyrecognised brand who has agreed to operate the hotel once it is built, and that the entity is now providing input on how to design and implement the

Global, regional and local economic environment

The Global Environment FORECASTS for the prospects of the global economy are mixed, but becoming increasingly pessimistic. The health and growth of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ small, open economy is directly affected by global economic trends. As such, these worsening global forecasts are not simply of academic interest. Our own growth and development prospects are inextricably bound up with those of our neighbours and the wider international economy.

In October 2018, the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook9 predicted that global growth in 2019 will be 3.7% — a 0.2 percentage point reduction from an estimate provided by the IMF six months earlier.

The prospects for the developed countries most directly connected to the Vincentian economy — the United States of America and the United Kingdom — are less positive, driven by uncertainties relating to trade wars, rising oil prices, increasing levels of debt, local political issues and Brexit. Similarly, in Latin America, growth prospects remain tepid.

Projected 2019 Growth in the United States (2.5%), the United Kingdom (1.5%) and Latin America and the Caribbean (2.2%) all fall well below the predicted global average.

The World Bank’s more recent Global Economic Prospects10 Report, subtitled “Darkening Skies,” was released in January and presents a more sobering forecast. The Report’s Executive Summary begins with the sentence “[t]he outlook for the global economy has darkened.” It predicts global growth in 2019 of 2.9% — almost a full percentage point below the IMF estimate. While its 2019 predictions for United States’ growth (2.5%) are in line with the IMF forecast, its projections for the United Kingdom (1.4%) Latin America and the Caribbean (1.7%) are less optimistic.

The Local Environment Preliminary estimates indicate that the economy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines grew by at least 2.3% in 2018, exceeding projections of a year ago. Growth was driven by improved performance in the tourism, fishing, construction and manufacturing sectors.

A full analysis of the past year’s performance is annexed to this Budget Statement as the “Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Economic and Social Review” for 2018.

For 2019, the International Monetary Fund projects growth of 2.3%, an improvement on its 2018 estimate, which proved to be slightly conservative.

This growth is expected to be driven by increased tourism arrivals and tourismrelated activities like hotel construction and expansion. As with last year, we consider the IMF’s projections to be conservative, and premised on statusquo levels of implementation of our capital programme, which we hope to improve markedly in 2019.

In keeping with their more guarded view of the global economy, and our subregion in particular, the World Bank forecasts that growth in the Vincentian economy will be a more modest 1.6% in 2019, while ECLAC’s preliminary prediction is 1.5%.13 Notwithstanding, the imprecise nature of the forecasting models and the underlying statistical data, we consider these predictions to be unduly pessimistic at this stage, barring some unforeseen event.

As always, the grave and gathering menace of climate change and natural

disasters looms as a direct threat to growth and development prospects. The massive 14% contraction in the Dominican economy last year, postHurricane Maria, is indicative of the ever-present threat of frequent and severe climate events. Other exogenous threats could include weaker-thanexpected performance among our developed economy trading partners, rising oil prices and tightening global financial conditions. A specific threat is the European Union’s continued war on the viability of the financial services sector in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the wider Caribbean.

The bullying hypocrisy of the extraterritorial imposition of EU law will undoubtedly impact the sector in ways that are difficult to forecast.

Closer to home, the IMF’s predictions15 of flat growth in our main regional trading partners of Barbados (0.1%) and Trinidad and Tobago (0.9%) — if accurate — may pose challenges to specific sector prospects in the Vincentian Economy. The bellicose sabre-rattling of those external forces spoiling for robust intervention and regime change in Venezuela has recently reached near-crisis levels, raising the real threat of military confrontation and widespread social and economic fallout across the southern Caribbean.

Sectoral summary The Budget presented this year is, as always, an interconnected set of initiatives and compromises that represent the Government’s best collective judgment about how to effectively move Saint Vincent and the Grenadines forward on our developmental journey and improve the lives of Vincentians. While the Budget, as a developmental roadmap, is greater than the sum of its constituent parts, it is useful to spend some time providing a non-exhaustive synopsis of the major initiatives within certain sectors of the society and economy. The respective line ministers will undoubtedly have opportunities to expand on the sectors within their direct responsibility.

Agriculture and Fisheries Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has long understood the developmental potential of the agricultural sector, and the transformative power of farming and fishing in the lives of Vincentians.

As the largest exporter of food and live animals in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union, our farmers and fisherfolk continue to be leaders in the production of the healthy and highquality agricultural produce consumed throughout our region.

In 2019, we recommit to the farmers and fisherfolk as the indispensable cornerstone of our productive economy.

As other countries in our region have drifted away from agriculture as an employer of citizens, as a generator of wealth and as an engine of development, we choose instead to deepen our emphasis on agriculture in Vincentian life and economy. Over time, the crops may change, the manner of production will differ, and the export markets shall evolve; but the centrality of our farmers and fisherfolk in the life and economy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will be a constant guiding light. More than any other occupation in

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, farming has freed many citizens to live lives that their parents and grandparents could only imagine.

To be continued…

resort. But we still don’t know who it is! What we do know, from experience, is how risky hotel projects can be, e.g. the Buccament Bay Resort.

Recently, in Trinidad and Tobago, the risk was made clear when Sandals suddenly pulled out of a large hotel project the government had planned for Tobago. That project was planned on a similar principle to the one here.

The government signed an MOU with Sandals. The government was providing the land and build the hotel at its own cost. The cost of building the hotel was approximately US$300 million.

The Trinidad and Tobago government was in negotiations with Sandals about the design and quality features of the project, among other things. Then, Sandals suddenly pulled out, citing too much negative publicity that was tarnishing its corporate image. So, it is important that we in Parliament and the people generally know who the business partner of the government is, i.e. the company that will run the hotel.

It is time that we know who we are dealing with. I thought the Minister was going to break the silence and give us the good news as to who it is.

But Nothing! The loan Bill to raise US$50 million came to Parliament late last year. There was a lot of debate on it in this Honourable House.

We in the Opposition raised serious concerns in the debate of the Bill. In the end, we supported it after hearing more about the project from the government during the debate. But we made it clear that we had reservations about the project, and we still do. So, our support for the Bill and the project was not unconditional.

We essentially took a chance when we supported the loan Bill late last year.

Some people, fully aware of the government’s bad spending habits and poor record of accountability, were not so generous and felt the project should not be supported.

But we supported it, because we want to see hotel development on the mainland, if possible. We supported a hotel project in principle, though we preferred to see it as a wholly private sector development. However, the Minister can’t expect us to go further into the project without knowing more, and he can’t expect us to rely on the government forever when they say, in effect: “Trust us. We know what we are doing”.

Dr. Gonsalves has said, more than once in this House, that he did not trust Mr. Eustace when he was Opposition Leader and does not trust me either! Of course, he has nothing to base that distrust on; but as usual he plays to his crowd. But now, he wants us to trust him unconditionally.

We can’t trust in the way they want us to. In order to trust, we must be able to verify, and we can’t do that without basic information.

The people of this country expect us, the Opposition, to ask searching questions and to hold the government accountable. And we won’t let the people down!

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. 11.

Views

Iron will

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.” ? Vincent ‘Vince’ Thomas Lombardi (1913-1970) American football player, coach, and executive in the National Football League.

JOHN CALVIN COOLIDGE JR. (1872-1933) was an outstanding American politician.

This accomplished Republican lawyer had a passion for serving people. He entered the political arena and fought many political battles to become the governor of Massachusetts and eventually the 30th President of the United States of America. He has left us many worthwhile quotations that ignite our passions and provide energy to pursue noble ambitions. He once said, “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” He reminds us, so long after his death, that persistence is one of the most significant variables in determining the positive outcomes that we seek. We need to create and sustain that dogged determination, that iron will, even as we face great odds.

The richness of the thoughts appearing in the introductory quotation by Vince Lombardi and the John Coolidge quotation in the preceding paragraph, became quite evident during my recent viewing of the 1994 American adventure film entitled “Iron Will” — a movie that was directed by Charles Haid and featured outstanding stars Mackenzie Astin and Kevin Spacey.

The breath-taking story is set in the early 1900s and revolves around a young man, Will Stoneman (played by Mackenzie Astin), who lived on a farm in South Dakota, United States of America. He had a strong desire to pursue a university education.

However, several months before he was due to leave for college, his father accidentally falls into a river of freezing water and dies. Will was then faced with the challenge of not being able to finance his academic pursuits.

He was also concerned that his mother needed his help and support on the farm at this critical and very traumatic period of her life (even though she encouraged him to go).

Will is aware that his father had intended to raise some of the money for his education, and to save the financially-strapped farm, by entering a dog-sled race that commenced in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He was determined to take his father’s place in this gruelling race that traversed some very treacherous terrain under freezing conditions. The ten thousand dollar prize had attracted the best dogsled athletes in North America and Europe. The challenge was further magnified by the fact that he was the youngest and least experienced participant in the event.

Will was heckled as he joined the participants in the pre-race briefing session. He seemed doomed to be left out of the competition when he discovered that he did not have enough money for the registration fee.

However, a newspaper reporter, Harry

Law and Politics Kingsley (played by Kevin Spacey), encouraged by Will’s optimism and confidence, paid the fee on his behalf.

Throughout the race, this same journalist kept the general public abreast with Will’s capacity to race for long hours over several days. The youngster endured brutal cold, treacherous river passages, steep mountains, and a host of obstacles as he struggled, determined to win and to honour his father’s memory.

Will retained the lead for most of the race. However, as so often happens in the pursuit of noble dreams and ambitions, some of the other competitors engaged in activities to sabotage his efforts. The most telling incident was when his main competitor, Borg Guillarson (played by George Gerdes), orchestrated to kill his lead dog, Gus. That incident showed a new side of Will’s character as he later confronted the perpetrator, knocking the older and stronger man to the ground with a punch. As Will returned to his sleeping area for a much needed rest, one of the wealthy spectators who had been following the race via the comfort of a train ride, approached him. He offered Will the equivalent of half of the prize money if he would quit. Interestingly enough, that individual had previously placed a large financial bet that Will could not win. His offer, then, was an effort to secure his own prize money and not that he really cared for the youth.

Will, although unaware of the true motive for the offer, declined. Tired and noticeably ill, he persisted.

As the race neared its end, on the last day of the race, the newspaper journalist, aware of the toll that the event had taken on the young man’s body, tried to convince him to discontinue his efforts and to seek medical attention. However, Will refused to do so. He was committed to seeing it through to the end. Several competitors passed him a few miles from the finish line. It then seemed as though his hopes were being dashed so close to the end. It was then that his archenemy (Borg) invited him to take a dangerous shortcut through a rugged terrain and along a turbulent river.

Horrified by the memory of his father’s drowning death, Will mustered tremendous courage to follow Borg’s suggestion. Shortly after the two rivals ventured along the dangerous path, Borg’s dogs turned on him for his cruel use of the whip on them throughout the race and especially at this final stage of the competition as he sought to win the coveted prize money.

Will’s decision to take the shortcut paid off. He arrived at the finish line tired, sick, and completely exhausted from lack of sleep, improper diet, and illness. He collapsed as he neared the finish line. Several competitors again vied to overtake him. It again looked as though his efforts would be futile.

However, it was then that one of his father’s close friends, who had been waiting at the finish line, whistled a tune that inspired his father’s lead dog to reenergize the rest of the pack. Will wins! His determination, his iron will, lead him to victory. A useful lesson in determination for us all.

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

THE APPARENT INTENTION of the government to appeal the two recent court decisions rendered against it, is highly regrettable. Although there is nothing procedurally improper or illegal about the government’s decision to appeal, such course of action delays any serious effort to fix the gross deficiencies identified by Justice Henry in the Public Service Union (PSU) case.

As regards the ‘NDP teachers’ case, an appeal to the Privy Council may be evidence that officials, high in the state administration, are nothing more than suckers for punishment, since the chance of overturning that decision is remote at best and suicidal at worst.

In the decision about the state of the public service, the shocking disclosure is that the Public Service Commission tendered no evidence to meet or counter the case mounted by the PSU. Court watchers knew, long before the decision came down, that the Public Service Commission (PSC), and by extension the government, would ultimately suffer a ‘black eye’.

Therefore, Justice Henry’s conclusion that the PSC ‘failed to comply with the regulations in respect of promotion’ appeared all but inevitable. Even more damning was the Court’s ruling that the Blazer Williams led PSC ‘failed to observe principles of fairness, transparency and objectivity’ in respect to promotion of civil servants.

There is little or no chance that the Court of Appeal will find reason to trouble any finding of Justice Henry or to reverse her ruling in any way. Sadly, the decision to appeal may delay Justice Henry’s order which commands the PSC ‘to establish and implement forthwith and maintain an efficient, transparent and effective performance appraisal and promotions regime within the public service, including a robust and functional monitoring and corrective mechanism.’

The finding and orders are so devastating that rather than wasting time and money with an appeal that is bound to fail, the government should use its energies to clean out the PSU and put in place the machinery that will shore up sagging morale, and rebuild a civil service fit for these pressing and demanding times.

In its purported appeal against the NDP teachers, the government will have an even more daunting task. In the trial, Justice Cottle found the teachers’ case was ‘entirely hopeless’ with no chance of success. On appeal, a threejudge panel comprising judicial heavy weights Chief Justice Janice Perriara, Justice Gertel Thom and Justice Davidson Baptiste, found that: ‘there was nothing in the provisions of article 16 qualifying the appellants to be elected to parliament. It was open to the government to initiate the requisite steps for parliament to prescribe exceptions and limitations to the disqualification imposed by section 26(1)(d) of the constitution. The fact that this was not done does not transform a provision granting leave to contest a general election into one that violates the constitution. Further, the provision of article 16 speaking to the return to teaching posts or post of equivalence to the public service, without loss of benefits, cannot be said to violate the constitution.’

That was the fatal dagger right there.

But there was more. The court found that the teachers had a legitimate expectation that article 16 of the collective bargaining agreement allowed them to return to their post or one of

equivalence if they failed to gain election. The court also found that by refusing to rehire the teachers, the government violated their constitutional right to property. The government was ordered to pay on assessment damages for breach of the teachers’ property rights as well as cost of the appeal and in the court below.

Central to the government’s thinking about the appeal, may be the fact that the Court did not find bad faith. This line of reasoning may be akin to ‘fool’s gold.’ The Court did not say that there was not bad faith. What it did say was that the teachers did not exhibit sufficient evidence to prove bad faith.

The Privy Council may find otherwise.

It may go ‘global’ and conclude that apart from what the appellants offered, there was the failure of the government to use the machinery of the state to tweak the exceptions and limitation in section 26 of the constitution.

The government heralded the Collective Bargaining Agreement as a triumph for its pro-labour policies and then walked away from the Agreement.

The government, through the PSC, put up section 26 as a bar to the teachers when they applied for leave. But, as the court opined, the government ought to have known the law of the land.

Therefore, its fall back position that the Agreement was purely aspirational may irk the Law Lords. Taken together, the Privy Council may contextualize the entire matter, disagree with our Court of Appeal and find bad faith.

A Privy Council ruling that upholds the Court of Appeal decision could be a mortal wound if it is rendered as electioneering for 2020 reaches fever pitch. It can be even worse if the Privy Council finds the government guilty of bad faith. But that is not all. It could get worse. The teachers argued that they were constructively dismissed. The Court of Appeal made no ruling on this point. The Privy Council could agree that the teachers were forced to resign, once government refused to honour its promise. If it does, the government will now be compelled to pay even more money to these teachers whose teaching careers were cut short because of the government’s refusal to rehire them after the 2010 elections.

There may be method to the government’s decision to pursue these appeals. Remember the Sol negotiations; the argument then was that Sol should have been ‘danced’ a little more. If the intent is simply to make the teachers dance, it will amount to callous disregard for the lives and livelihood of citizens. These men suffered enough and should be immediately made whole.

Otto Sam lost his salary, and as a result could not care for his family. His family’s health and house insurance lapsed. He was unable to pay his mortgage and almost lost his home. Yet the government appealed the Master Moise’s award of just over $100,000 in damages. The teachers, Daniel, Johnson and Thomas, would have gone through a similar hell.

Their nightmare should be ended now. The cost of the appeals and the continued suffering is too much for our society to bear.

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

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12. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

Green Party SVG Budget Estimates 2019 to help them. The ULP regime invests a pittance on social protection, only NOTES to the SVG Green Party SVG EC$24.5 per person in SVG, based on Budget Estimates 2019 a population of 110,000. A Green r) The main point of this budget government would invest substantially estimates is the substantial more to cater for our people’s needs. investment in education. Many schools t) The cost of electricity is in SVG are dilapidated and badly in outrageously high, and using oil to need of refurbishment. The ULP produce electricity is the reason. regime invests only 1.41% of A Green government will invest in expenditure on our children’s infrastructure to make electricity education, only EC$15,090,010. A 100% from renewable energy. The fuel Green government would invest — sun, wind and water — is free, and substantially more in education, an this will enable the Green government amazing EC$450 million, and to cut electricity prices by 50% and undertake a massive refurbishment of abolish the immoral fuel surcharge. schools program and build preschools, This will help thousands of poor so all children can get free, highhouseholds to obtain mains electricity. quality education from preschool to Households will have more disposable university. income and businesses lower s) Social protection is needed for overheads. persons with disabilities, elderly u) A Green Government will provide people and victims of domestic abuse. free, wireless internet access Elderly people and people with throughout our country. The internet disabilities often need equipment to is the most powerful resource for enable them to do everyday activities information. In 2011, there were over such as washing, dressing and to be 4.7 billion google searches of the mobile. They may also require carers internet each day. Our people must be (Continued from last week)

SVG GREEN PARTY - ULP REGIME COMPARATIVE SVG BUDGET ESTIMATES 2019

a part of this growing internet era and have free internet access in their own home. Children of the poor must have free internet access or else they will be left further behind. Free internet is important for business innovation. v) A Green government will invest heavily in supporting our entrepreneurs to set up and run their own business. Small businesses are the beating heart of a healthy, strong, growing economy. A Green government will provide incentives to help small businesses move up the supply chain to provide value-added, innovative goods and services that can be exported. w) A Green government will take back the SVG fish licence from Taiwan and set up our own SVG deep-sea tuna fishing and canning industry. This will include leasing or buying ships and building factories. This will bring billions in to our economy and create mass employment. x) In regional and international competitions, SVG under-achieves. We should be winning medals like other small nations do at sports competitions. A Green government will upgrade and modernise sports and leisure facilities, to enable people to take up sports, and our sportspeople to win medals at regional and international events. y) Our hospitals need to be modernised and we need more hospitals. SVG needs a healthy population to have a working and industrious population. z) The global Green market is worth more than £4 trillion, as economies around the world invest in low-carbon technologies across a broad range of sectors. A Green government will help SVG small businesses to get a slice of this big Green pie. aa) Every day, thousands of gallons of freshwater flow from our rivers into the sea. This is water going to waste and is money going down the drain. This fresh water that could be sold in bulk tanker loads to countries abroad needing drinking water. A bulk tanker water export industry would create hundreds of new jobs and be a multi-million dollar industry. This industry can help bring prosperity to our people. bb) In order to stop deforestation in SVG and protect the watersheds, we must urgently plant a million trees. This will help reduce floods and landslides in times of heavy rain, and make our agricultural land more fertile. cc) Many buildings in Georgetown are dilapidated, and there are not many public services in Georgetown. A Green government will modernise Georgetown centre and provide our people with more and better public services. dd) Many buildings in Layou, Barrouallie and Chateaubelair are dilapidated and there are not many public services in Layou, Barrouallie and Chateaubelair. A Green government will modernise

Layou, Barrouallie and Chateaubelair centres and provide our people with more and better public services. ee) Much of the public infrastructure in the Grenadines has been neglected by the ULP regime and fallen in to a state of dangerous disrepair. A Green government would repair and modernise infrastructure in the Grenadines to improve people’s quality of life. ff) Section 72 (1) of the SVG 1979 constitution mandates that there shall be provisions for a contingency fund to provide for unforeseen expenditure.

However, Gonsalves has ignored our constitution: there is no contingency fund and our economy is broke.

Whenever we have damage from hurricanes and tropical storms, our people suffer because SVG has no money left to provide everyone with immediate assistance. gg) An SVG Green Party government will build a science and technology university so that all our children — poor and rich — have access to free university education. hh) A Green government will modernise agriculture and reverse the dangerous trend of hundreds of millions of dollars being spent on food from abroad, so that we are virtually self-sufficient in food production. We will revive the rural economy. There are plenty of alternatives, including organic farming; building factories to produce and export tea, baby food and fruit juices; coffee production and exporting other agro-products. These measures will provide thousands of new jobs. ii) A new ministry, the Ministry of Science and Technology needs to be established to formulate science policies and to coordinate the deployment of the nation’s scientific and technological manpower. There is also an urgent need for the restructuring of the educational system to provide the requisite technical manpower. SVG needs a supply of skilled people. jj) A Green government would set up a School of Navigation and Seamanship to train Vincentians in seafaring, and the principles of seamanship, navigation and nautical astronomy, so they can serve on-board vessels worldwide and captain SVG tuna-fishing trawlers. kk) We have had 18 years of fiscal deficits under the ULP regime. A Green government would be financially competent and responsible, and ensure a fiscal surplus every year, to make our country financially stable and our economy strong.

Conclusion After over 18 years of the ULP regime, our country is in a mess. SVG needs a Green government. Green is prosperity.

V ÂBigger BigsÊ faces new battle

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15 , 2019. 13.

Industry

“ruined economically because of government’s spitefulness. For 8 years “THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL BATTLE I have lost everything financially. At ‘Bigger Bigs’ is fighting for any party. one time I could not have even What I am fighting here is for my provided food for my own family. I economic survival and to be allowed to decided that 8 years is enough, and I continue to make my part for the have the law on my side,” Samuel development of my loving country and for asserted. the workers who were working for me The businessman said that he was and up to now ain’t get nothing.” prepared to remove the barrier which These were some of the sentiments has been installed, including an iron gate and a container, if the expressed by Leon “Bigger Bigs’ government gave him $1000 and a Samuel during an interview with court order, if the farmers pay him Dwight “Bing” Joseph on his “OMG” $10,000 a month, which amounts to morning show on Boom FM last $120,000 a year, or if the government Monday. promised to rebuild the original road According to a notice received by which began in the area of the Langley Samuel, BRAGSA was expected to Park Boxing Plant. commence a survey of his Rabacca But Samuel expressed vehemently property last week Thursday. Neither that he did not trust the government BRAGSA personnel nor surveyors because of what they did to him in turned up.

2011.

While Samuel had been embroiled in a protracted battle over his Government’s action ownership of the land and his mining operation at Rabacca, and even though Two months after the 2010 general that seemed to have been settled, contention remained over the use of a election, Government authorities an access road used by framers, a road revoked his mining licence, citing environmental concerns. This action which Samuel said runs through his led to the closure of the mining property. operations and a related blocksmaking operation, putting some 45 to There is a way 60 persons out of work and sinking Samuel has blocked the entrance to Samuel into a mire with his bank.

He noted that the government said the access road, citing that the that the issue at Rabacca was a government had enough time to technical one but the Prime Minister address the issue on behalf of the Ralph Gonsalves made it political. “It farmers, but failed to do so. was never political until when Ralph Farmers should not expect him to Gonsalves introduce that bogus SR&O allow them access to their land, but (Statutory Rules and Order, No. 2 of should instead direct their anger towards the government, Samuel said. 2011) they made it political. Now the government wants to put boundary on While he recognizes the farmers’ right to make a living, it must not be, my property that was never there,” said the businessman. he said, at his expense, since he was He said that according to the original plan, “the access road is around the Langley Park Boxing Plant and goes west around my property.”

As far as he was aware, the original road was washed away around 2005, but he is unsure about the exact date because he did not own the land at that time.

He said after the road was destroyed, the land that he now occupies was The gate installed by Samuel that blocks access used as the access road, to a road through his lands that farmers are said with GESCO paying the to have used to get to their lands.

by KENVILLE HORNE

Additional blockage to the access road is provided by this container.

Leon ‘Bigger Bigs’ Samuel, whose mining and block-making operations were forced into closure, is preparing for another battle with respect to his property at Rabacca.

previous owner on a monthly basis.

Counter claims and solution But Leon Edwards, who works on Kent Black’s nearby farm, challenged Samuel’s claim that he owns the land to the access road. He said that the road was there before Samuel occupied the land, and farmers used to traverse the access road and utilize the reserved land which Samuel eventually claimed when he took over the land.

But Samuel countered, stating that his deed and original plan of the area did not show that.

Meanwhile, tractor operator and farmer Zerah Sutherland said that the issues needs to be addressed urgently so that farmers can carry on their businesses.

The solution, he suggested, lay with Samuel and the government because the most viable access is through Samuel’s property.

According to Sutherland, an alternative road would necessitate the

construction of a bridge that will have to be at a height of about 100ft.

“Somebody needs to come and talk to ‘Bigger’,” said Sutherland, adding that “farmers are not supposed to meet with ‘Bigger’ (but with) the representative for this area and the Transport and Works Minister.”

Zerah Sutherland, farmer and tractor operator, says that somebody in authority should seek Samuel out for talks.

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14. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Learners Programme takes to the road

Part of the procession featuring the early learners who donned the costumes of their favourite reading book characters.

by GLORIAH… THE USAID/OECS Early Learners Programme

(ELP), in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, held an ELP Literacy Road Show through the streets

of Kingstown last Friday, 8th February.

Students and teachers from schools participating in the programme, parents, interested persons, wellwishers and officials from the USAID/OECS Early Learners Programme and the Ministry of Education comprised the march that began at the Peace Memorial Hall, travelled along Bay Street, turning on to Higginson Street then onto Back Street, and culminating at Heritage Square.

As the procession moved along its path, the harmonic strains of the voices chanting the activity’s theme of, “Literacy on the Go: Read, Learn, Grow”, seemed to have the desired impact as the faces of onlookers and passersby took on a

Some of the marchers found relaxing accommodation for the rally at Heritage Square. questioning attitude.

This set the platform for providing information on the programme’s goals, its work and its need for the general public’s assistance in promoting reading at a

national level. These The ELP is a reading were laid out at the culmination of the march programme geared towards students from at a rally at Heritage Kindergarten to Grade 3.

Square.

Its main focus is its

The ELP: Goals and Achievements

Continued on Page 15.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15 , 2019. 15.

News

Two Vincy parrots

to arrive from Germany and 1970s.

The St. Vincent and the Grenadines government along with forestry officials realized the need for the conservation of the endangered birds.

And so, in 2006, ACTP of Germany presented a proposal to the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, to enter into a technical partnership to conserve the national bird, both within and outside of its natural The Amazona Guildingii that were bred in habitat.

Germany.

Over the next 5 years, the relationship between TWO MALE AMAZONA The species are said to both parties evolved GUILDINGII, Vincy parrots, inhabit the interior gradually, giving time for that were born in Germany Montane Forests and a solid partnership to from parents that were Rainforest areas of the develop. ACTP fulfilled delivered from St. Vincent 133 square mile under an agreement mainland of St. Vincent. all expectations of the Government regarding a between the government The main population is of SVG and the Association located within a 10,400- workable strategy for the nation’s flagship species, for the Conservation of acre sanctuary, and the conservation of Threatened Parrots (ACTP), established by the the species was will be flown home at the government in the end of March. central core of the island. entrusted to them in 2011 as per an Amazona Guildingii is A population census agreement for technical endemic to St. Vincent conducted in 2010 and the Grenadines and estimated the number of cooperation on October 7, is the flagship species of birds to be 850-900 a far 2011.

On December 16, the country, having been cry from the 3000-plus 2011, ACTP received 15 declared the country’s birds that inhabited the St. Vincent Amazona National Bird in 1979. forest during the 1960s

The aim of the conservation and breeding programmes is to return the population of the Amazona Guildingii to the levels of the 60s and 70s. guildingii. This marked the first phase of the movement of birds under the Breeding Loan Agreement (BLA). It was also agreed that a second phase will allow for the reciprocal transfer of a number of birds from ACTP to the St. Vincent Government.

Senior Forestry Supervisor Cornelius Richards said that the 7year relationship between the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the ACTP has evolved to the stage where the reciprocal transfer of birds can commence from Germany to St. Vincent.

“This will be the first time in over 40 years that any St. Vincent Amazona Guildingi Amazon parrots will be returned to its native country,” he said.

Richards added that the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines “acknowledges that the

current conservation focus to reciprocate the St. Vincent Amazon is necessary, practical and timely, and that it is being undertaken with the understanding that these birds will serve to enrich the local gene pool, thus ensuring viability of the local stock on the island.”

The birds that would be arriving will eventually be integrated into the local stock, forming two viable pairs.

“More birds are to follow as the breeding in both countries advance, further enriching the local breeding programme,” Richards projected.

He also spoke to a new agreement for further technical cooperation with ACTP. The agreement will address, among other things: continue improving habitat and wild species conservation for the parrot by demarcating the St. Vincent Parrot

Cornelius Richards, Senior Forestry Supervisor, says the birds bred in Germany will ensure viability of the local stock on St. Vincent.

Sanctuary, rehabilitating protected habitat and strengthening the in-situ parrot management program generally; allow for the Wildlife Protection and Law Compliance and Enforcement programmes to develop and implement In-situ and Ex-situ species research and monitoring programmes including a population census for the Amazona Guildingii; improve on the existing ex-situ captive stock for the St. Vincent Parrot at the Nicholls Wildlife Complex in the Botanical Gardens; ensure the viability of the project by upgrading existing breeding facility.

With these new areas of focus, Richards said the future of the national bird is secured. (KH)

Learners Programme takes to the road persons, Ms. Anna Warrican, former Kingstown Preparatory School belief that students who learn to read student, and Mrs. Phyllis Ducnanat their grade level or higher in DaCosta, a teacher at the Lowmans primary school, will ultimately be Windward Anglican School, were better prepared to master work at recipients of regional awards in the higher primary school levels and in Children and Teacher categories secondary school. respectively.”

To deliver this programme, which Mrs. Sisera Simon, Head of the has also been implemented in Antigua Education Development Management and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Unit OECS Commission in St. Lucia, Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia, over congratulated SVG on its regional four hundred local teachers in the winnings, before she focused on the indicated grades have been trained children, encouraging them to never over the past two years. stop reading. She left them with a Addressing the gathering assembled quote by Dr. Seuss, “The more that at Heritage Square, Chief Education you read, the more things you will Officer Ag., Mrs. Elizabeth Walker, know; the more that you learn and the lauded the programme and expressed more places you will go.” the Ministry’s excitement with it.

In her feature address, educator Ms. She noted gains achieved thus far, Gloria Williams registered her mentioning the seventy-one primary excitement for the programme, using schools on stream. Additionally, she the first verse of Rachael Platten’s stated, “Just yesterday, the ELP ‘Fight Song’ to describe its impact: “ awarded ten persons who participated ‘Like a small boat on the ocean, in the Write-to-Read competition sending big waves into motion; like designed to encourage Vincentians and how a single word can make a heart citizens of other member states, to put open; I might only have one match but their creative abilities into practice by I can make an explosion.’ ” writing and publishing their pieces.

Williams likened the ELP-trained “I am pleased to add that two teacher to the “small boat”, and the Continued from Page 14.

students to “the ocean”, with great potential in her classroom.

“This teacher,” she continued, “then goes about making ‘big waves into motion’ by igniting her ‘one match’ fuelled by the ‘word’ expertise she gained from her training in the ELP. With receptive, ‘open hearts’, ‘an explosion’ of children acquiring reading and literacy abilities is created, that stretches out across the entire nation.”

Williams implored members of the general public to get on board, as there was room allocated for their involvement.

“There is room for persons like yourself to continue this reading process out of school. Just visit the school and dialogue with the teacher.

Help to make your child an avid reader,” she encouraged.

To add to what went before, Mrs. Licha Goddard told her own reading success story which took her from a non-reader to an entrepreneur.

Students of the C W Prescod Primary School gave two enlightening and entertaining performances, then children from a number of schools paraded in costumes of characters they

(L-R): Feature Speaker Gloria Williams (left), CEO (Ag) Elizabeth Walker (2nd from left) and Head of the Education Development Management Unit OECS Commission in St. Lucia, Sisera Simon (right) addressed the rally. had read about in books, as teacher/educator Maxwell ‘Tajoe’ Francis sang his own composition describing the pivotal role of a teacher in programmes like the ELP. The goals for the event had been achieved. It was left to the members of the public to get involved.

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16. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Bequia Focus

450K drinks containers collected in Bequia

ACTION BEQUIA this week, said that in the last twelve months, it had collected more than 450,000 plastic and metal drink containers on Bequia.

These containers were then washed, sorted and transported to AIR (All Island Recycling) in Campden Park.

AIR provides recycling facilities for all of SVG and for a wide variety of materials.

Lucille Cozier, Project Director of Action Bequia’s Recycling Programme commented, “We are amazed and proud that this part of our programme has been so successful. The plastic bottles and metal cans are collected from our recycling bins which are located all over the island plus. We also have a team who collect from homes and restaurants. We send one or two truckfuls to AIR every week. Each load is weighed and the number of drink containers calculated from that weight.”

Action Bequia Inc is an SVG Not for Profit Corporation, founded in 2011, that manages community projects on Bequia.

Its Recycling Programme, which started in 2014 and is part funded by the United Natuions Development Program and through generous donations from individuals, is not just about plastic bottles and metal cans, but also includes crushing glass bottles for use in concrete blocks, and recycling batteries.

Other Action Bequia activities include building and maintaining walkways, trails and other infrastructure, environment and beautification efforts.

For more information on Action Bequia, see, www.actionbequia.org, email info@action bequia.org or contact Lucille Cozier on 5262386.

Recycling in Action in Bequia. (Photo Credit: Nicola Cornwell)

group of young pannists, totaling over 40 players, ranging from ages 6 to 20.

The group now enjoys its space in the cultural landscape of Bequia and as show on Sunday with an impressive such, promises to be a staple act in performance.

Pan in Bequia had its genesis over ten future Bequia Music Fests.

And while on the one hand the annual years ago when Elvis Seales, a renowned pannist, began teaching the rudiments of Bequia Music Fest can boast about blooding new musical acts, it is also a playing the steel pan to two young proven go-to event for regional as well as persons.

Now, many years later, with the established local music acts, whether addition of teacher Kesslon Wilson single acts or bands.

According to the Fest Committee, and under the management of Levi musicians who took part continue to Walker and his committee, and acknowledge the high level of with the support of Leaf professionalism, timely execution and International, the Bequia Kids on exceptional hospitality offered by the Pan has grown into an impressive Committee. This year, from all reports, was no exception, with a smooth running A section of the Bequia Kids on event, staffed completely by volunteers Pan Ensemble performing on the and producing one of the best events in Sunday Event of this year’s Music the region on a very small budget.

Fest.

Blooding the young musicians OF NOTE COMING out of Bequia, Mount Gay Music Fest 2019, was the performance of the Bequia Kids on Pan Ensemble.

Beautifully costumed in white shirts and gold bow ties, the group opened the

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15 , 2019. 17.

V Athletes get checked 18. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Community

After a check, a chat with the athlete can provide other relevant information.

A concise record is kept on each student who is checked.

who would act as stand-in athletes were checked. “As a result,” she said, “almost one half of the student “THIS IS AN INITIATIVE that others can population of 671 girls was seen.” emulate. Trinity School of Medicine is Student athletes were checked for setting a very good example for how height and weight, vision and hearing, future physicians and practising temperature, blood pressure and pulse physicians could give back to the at rest and after a period of exercise. community.”

Cardiovascular and chest This was a comment made by examinations were also completed.

Deputy Headmistress of the Girls’ Alongside these checks, the school High School, Mrs. Athalie Cainecontinuously encourages the girls to Soleyn. Her statement came on the occasion of medical checks for athletes eat properly, hydrate their bodies and of the school, conducted by faculty and get adequate rest and sleep.

The Deputy Headmistress agrees staff of Trinity, as part of the that the checks are necessary as they requirements for participation in the take care of preventable incidents on school’s annual sports meet. sports day.

The Ministry of Education in St. As it stood, the medical checks Vincent and the Grenadines has cleared athletes for the activities in mandated that each athlete this year’s sport meet, but they also participating in a sport meet must undergo a medical check. The medical covered the athletes’ participation in pre-meet events like the annual road checks still hold, even as the relay, heats and preliminary Ministry’s proposed student health qualifications. insurance service has not yet been Trinity School of Medicine continues instituted. to provide its future physicians with It was to ensure that the early clinical experiences that offer requirement is met that students and occasions to practise skills learned, or faculty of Trinity visited the St. Vincent Girls High School for two days observe procedure that will positively — Tuesday, 29th and Wednesday, 30th impact their medical careers.

Equally, students eagerly embrace January, to conduct medical checks. these opportunities and make According to Caine-Soleyn, themselves available for each registered athletes and students who outreach. had been involved in practices and

Shella Posse Charity donates THE NEWLY FORMED Shella Posse Charity Organization, headed by Soca Artiste Ricardo “Recka” Wilson, was very busy during the past Christmas season.

Operating under the Island Boy Entertainment Brand, the organization held its 5th annual “2 Christmases in 1” Charity event on Sunday, December 16th, 2018 - a Christmas Party for the students at the Stubbs Government School and children from the communities of Biabou and Brighton.

The effort extended to the wider Stubbs community with the donations of bags of groceries to many less fortunate individuals and families.

The organization continued its

Christmas Charity programme during the month of January when it returned to the Stubbs Government School to deliver the remainder of 731 toys to children who did not receive their gifts during the Christmas party.

Shella Posse Charity Organization along with Sister Elizabeth Medford also visited the St. Mary’s RC School and the Kingstown Evangelical Church Pre School during the month of January, to make donations of school supplies, toys and cleaning supplies to those two institutions.

The group says its charity work will continue throughout this year when they will visit different schools to make donations.

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15 , 2019. 19.

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20. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Advice

A workplace of cheaters Dear George,

I AM CONVINCED that there is not one faithful woman left in SVG! There are about eleven females at my workplace and to the best of my knowledge, not one of them is faithful to their partners. Six of them have men on the side, and three of the other five each has a man and a woman on the side. Their reasons for this when I asked is, “The bills have to be paid.”

Based on what is happening at my workplace, I am beginning to wonder if my girlfriend is doing the same thing where she works. I will admit…

I have had my doubts and fears when it comes to my own girl.

Worried.

It is not fair for you to conclude that all women in SVG are unfaithful to their partners, simply because your coworkers have openly showed their inability to remain faithful.

If your girlfriend has not given you reasons to believe she is cheating, then you should keep your focus and do not stir any unnecessary conflict with her. See your girlfriend as that individual who is different and faithful to you, and be happy about your relationship.

Dear Worried,

George

No time for playing games had gone past that.

I do not intend to make an issue out of my MY WIFE has been wife’s unfaithfulness, cheating on me for the since, as I see it, her boss past 2 months. I have watched her get into her is already getting what he deserves. I am just boss’s car on more than sorry for his innocent one occasion. I have wife who I’m sure by now followed them as they must be infected. drive to his house and I hope he would be remain there until late happy with his package into the afternoon. He would then take her back when he finally gets to know what is in it. to work just about closing time and she Sweet Justice would come home like nothing has happened.

Dear Sweet Justice, I did not make a fuss over it. I am HIV The game you are positive, the result of an affair with a woman who playing with your wife and her boss is not a is not from here. My good one You need to wife knows about the stop it immediately! affair and I thought we

Dear George,

Deal with this issue head on. Let your wife know that you are aware of her cheating ways.

You owe it to your wife to reveal your HIV status to her and to encourage her to get tested. She could be practising safe sex with her boss, and this intervention by you could save him and his family from getting infected.

I would suggest that both of you go see a counsellor to help you deal with this as it can and most likely will get worse before it gets better.

George

Not that church!!!

Dear George

Dear Fed up,

MY WIFE does not know that the reason why she cannot get me to go to church with her, is because the Secretary of that church, who is my very good friend, told me that she is having a sexual relationship with the Pastor of that church. As a matter of fact, my friend said that my wife is not the only one with whom he is having an affair.

I prefer not to argue with my wife over this. I know what I know, and that is that. I just want her to stop bugging me about going to that church with her.

This just sounds like an excuse for not attending church. If you have the desire to attend church, then you should grow up and level with your wife. Tell her what you know, and give that as the basis for your refusal to attend that particular church.

Suggest attending another church if it comes to that.

This is an opportunity for you to improve on your communication skills which, in the end, would help your relationship. Do not let that Pastor’s behaviour negatively affect your relationship.

Fed up

George

Leisure

ARIES (Mar. 21‐ April 20) You will reap the benefits if you put money into upgrading your residence.

Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. You would be wise to socialize with as many people as possible.

TAURUS (Apr. 21‐ may 21) Consider the source before you believe what you hear. You could be disillusioned if you let relative in on your emotional thoughts. Your involvement in sports or entertainment will lead to new romances.

GEMINI (May 22‐June 21) Proceed with caution if operating equipment or vehicles. Sign up for seminars that will expand your business awareness. Unrealistic promises will only get you in trouble. Your personal life is going through a state of confusion.

CANCER (June 22‐July 22) You may be confused regarding your love life. Problems with your mate will develop if you don’t let them have their way. You may have ignored or neglected your mate lately. Put your efforts into physical fitness programs or competitive sports.

LEO (July 23‐Aug 22) Don’t be too quick to spend money. Talk to your emotional partner about your intentions. Your temper may erupt if you have allowed others to cost you too much money. You may find that relationships are not going as well as you’d like.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 ‐Sept. 23) Property investments should payoff.

Pamper yourself for a change. Don’t let peers distract you or push their work your way. You can learn from those who have had similar experiences.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 ‐Oct. 23) You may find that depression is causing you to feel lonely and insecure. You may want to make plans to take a vacation together. You can’t live your life for others. Try to include friends and relatives in your activities.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 ‐ Nov. 22) Conflicts over joint finances are likely.

Any renovation or decorating to your home should include the whole family.

Consider a trial separation if you and your mate just can’t come to terms.

Don’t invest too much of your own money.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 ‐Dec. 21) Your determination may make you a little overbearing when dealing with others.

Try to join groups of interest such as ballroom dance classes or perhaps an internet organization. Think about your budget before booking a trip.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.‐ Jan. 20) Don’t be too quick to voice your opinion. Listen to others carefully. This will not be the best day to try to push your ideas or concerns. You will be able to work in fine detail and present the best possible proposal.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.‐ Feb. 19) Groups and organizations that indulge in social events to raise money will be conducive to meeting new and exciting lovers. You may make someone else look bad. Sudden changes in your financial situation are likely. Your partner could also use some time alone with you.

PISCES (Feb. 20‐Mar. 20) Art investment will pay big dividends in the long term. Tempers will mount if you are too pushy at work. You may need a good friend to lean on. Don’t push your luck with authority figures.

ACROSS 1. Chair cushion 4. Jazz singing style 8. Numbers class 12. Ended a fast 13. Horseback game 14. Butter substitute 15. Gloomy American author 16. Polish (text) 17. Conduct guide 18. Kitchen garment 20. Fruit spread 21. Mormon state 24. Blame‐absolving utterance 27. Sonny and _ 30. Ball dress 32. Convent lady 33. Musical tones 34. Buffalo‐hide dwelling 35. Coffee server 36. “Beat it!”

37. Mental image 38. Strike callers 39. Coast (along) 41. Prescribed substance 43. Spoil 44. Snapshot 48. Open somewhat 50. Egyptian snakes 53. Tease 54. Social engagement 55. Foot protection 56. Possessed bills 58. Held onto 59. Agreeable reply DOWN 1. Daddy 2. Draped over 3. Gentle beast 4. Paid (money) 5. North Atlantic fish

6. Ms. MacGraw 7. Walking baby 8. Virtuous 9. Foil material 10. – Aviv,Israeli destination 11. Garden implement 19. Created by us 20. “Plain” girl 22. Ripened 23. Expected 25. Hiccup cousin 26. Country lodgings 27. Drain problem 28. Move by truck 29. Smart guess 31. Sport (clothing) 34. Cake segment 38. Disgusted

comment 40. Had the nerve 42. Disturb emotionally 45. All right 46. Ocean current 47. Track figures

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. 21.

48. Major fuss 49. Mouth bone 50. Query 51. That duchess or dame 52. Firecracker noise

V Rise up!!

22. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Opinion

assessment and instructed the Public Service Union to keep a Seniority list and also to start evaluations. This is to ensure that all promotions are fair and IS IT THAT Chatoyer’s some public servants no one is overlooked. blood has run thin in St. successfully brought a This is a phenomenal Vincent and the case against the Public ruling in that it, Grenadines? This is the Service Commission. only excuse which will They argued that despite providing the PSC abides by the judgement, levels justify the lack of action of their experience and the promotion playing Public Servants following training, they were not field. It ensures that all the judgements in the promoted in the service promotions are court for the PSU and Elvis due to a lack of the Daniel in their separate implementation of proper transparent and be done by a measurable rubric matters. standards and best and not based on In the Public Serve practices. The judge friendships, politics or Commission matter, agreed with this behind the scenes

wheeling and dealing.

Every public servant who is above board should revel in this judgement because it holds implications for career advancement and fair treatment. Moreover, it places the Public Service Commission under scrutiny and forces it to work as intended, as a separate body from the government and not subject to the whims and wishes of the government.

Elvis Daniel et al v PSU and Attorney General

Matter In the run-up to the 2010 Election, three teachers wrote to the PSC asking that the provisions put in place in Article 16 of the collective agreement be enacted for them. This article 16 agreed that teachers, although public servants, will be allowed to contest the general elections as candidates despite Section 26(1)(d) of the Constitution.

Article 16 of the collective agreement was agreed upon by the Prime Minister of this country in 2005 while being fully aware of the restrictions laid out in the Constitution.

The teachers ended up resigning from their positions as public servants, expecting fully to be reemployed after the elections if their bids were unsuccessful. They were not re-employed, and sued. They lost the case and appealed. Their appeal was successful.

However, the ramifications of this successful judgement must not be taken lightly. The judge basically agreed that the argument the reappointment of the teachers to the public service will be unconstitutional, to be nonsense. Good faith was not demonstrated by the government in honouring the collective agreement they signed with the trade union. In the broadest sense, the wording of Section 26(1)(d) of the constitution allows for Article 16 of the Collective agreement.

What does this all mean for Public Servants in St. Vincent and the Grenadines? * It highlights a complete lack of respect for the Trade Unions in the country and by extension, the people they represent. * It points to a patronising attitude by the PM and persons in power to the rest of the Public Service. Efforts to hoodwink, belittle and demonstrate a lack of faith to Public Servants should not be lauded or much less pursued. * It holds implications for the future governance of the country. With so small a population, any reduction in the eligible

pool of persons who can legitimately contest elections is significant. In these changing times, any country would require fresh ideas which reflect the needs of a wider cross-section of the populace. It stands to reason that while the architects of our constitution had the right idea to limit corruption in the elections process, they also foresaw that special circumstances will arise, and made provisions for it in the wording of Section 26(1)(d).

Shame on you Mr. Prime Minister and all those who aided you in pursuit of these activities. The irony is that as public servants, they too have been helping to prime the barbecue pit upon which Elvis Butcher and the other Claimants were to be roasted. Old people say, Today for me, tomorrow for you.

Unfortunately, the importance of these judgements have been lost between political agendas and petty ramblings. Now is not the time for Unions to become bedfellows with any political party. Now is the time for all Public Servants, regardless of grade, experience and affiliations, to recognize that it is in their best interest that the Unions be respected as the representatives of the people that they are.

Has Joseph’s Chatoyer’s blood really run this thin?

Many are afraid to meet or even protest because they are afraid that their breadfruit tree will be cut down. Many public servants have mortgages, loans or are currently studying in hopes of getting a pay increase. Please remember that the same government that agreed with your Unions to back loans or higher pay for a degree, is the same government that has chosen to ignore parts of an agreement it made with the same Unions. If they can ignore one, how long before they ignore the other? Your breadfruit trees are being cut down. The saw may be smaller but it is happening. Time to act like Chatoyer’s heirs and rise up.

C.F

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. 23.

Correcting a recent football wrong

by SEYMOUR ‘ROLLIT’ WALRON and in the USA. I also did an advance coaching course in BELATED AS IT MIGHT BE, let Brazil. me say ‘Happy New Year’ to Through my effort and that spectators, sponsors, wellof my club, the first youth wishers, fans, the media, coaching clinic for boys and businesses, and government for girls was established. their support of sports.

A nine-a-side competition, a Without your support, form of football which was sports and sportsmen and played throughout SVG and sportswomen would be in a other Caribbean countries, crisis. was also established here Let me also appeal to you to under my direction and use your influence to help because of my initiative. keep sports persons here on Interestingly, England had the straight and narrow, so made a nine-a-side progamme that they might develop mandatory since 2012. It was positive attitudes to their considered a vital component sport and others around them. of their youth development This piece, however, serves programme. to correct what appears to be A Masters programme and some misinformation as it competition followed the ninerelates to football a-side initiative. administration here.

I must say here that it Let me say from the outset appears that SVG football that I, Seymour Waldron, executives were the only ones played football in SVG and the who cannot recognize how USA. I also coached and beneficial these programmes attended coaching clinics here are to the development of

Lloyd Small

Clive Bishop

football generally. People become confident in what they see, and then follow, and that’s why soccer is so popular.

In administration, Seymour Walrond is probably the youngest person to have served as President of the SVG Football Association, now the SVG Football Federation.

I held the position in 1976, ‘77, and ‘78. During my tenure, the first application for SVG’s membership to FIFA was processed in 1977. By virtue of this application, provisional status was granted to SVG so as to allow clubs to participate in the CONCACAF Club Championship in the 80s.

Seymour ‘Rollit’ Walron

SVG also became a member of CFU — Caribbean Football Union - on the 21st October 1978.

In 1978, the Association replaced the tabling of a Treasurer’s Report with a presentation of full Financial Statements, confirmed by an auditing firm. This was one of the requirements for membership to FIFA. SVG became a full member of FIFA in 1988. Seymour Walrond, Clive Bishop and Lloyd Small were executors in the initial process of SVG’s membership to FIFA. That is a historical fact, not some fabricated fairytale.

If you read or hear a

different story, that is way out of order — far from the truth.

And by the way, all three men referred to are alive in SVG. The poor performances and results SVG has experienced and endured since receiving thirty years of technical, educational and financial assistances from FIFA, reflect the shortcomings of local affiliates (voters) and the executives they elect, not the players.

Until the voters become knowledgeable of the sport’s process of development, they will continue to elect persons like themselves, and our soccer will constantly suffer.

Table tennis squad in training THE ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES Table Tennis Association has invited 13 players to join a training squad for possible selection to the National Team for this year’s Caribbean Table Tennis Championships in Guyana from 25th to 31st March, and the Pan American Games 2019 in Lima, Peru from 26th July to 11th August.

Those invited are: Akeil De Roche, Caleb Howard, Juwan Howard, Andre Mitchell, Michel Creese, Mikel Hazelwood, Damion Dublin, Romano Spencer, Kavir Gaymes, Rondre’ John, Joshua Joseph, Leah Cumberbatch and Vedel Charles.

Joseph “Jose” Carrington, Level 2 Table Tennis coach who is conducting the

Some members of the national training squad.

training, explained that the thirteen include six cadets and two junior players, along with the seniors.

The squad is expected to be trimmed within the next three weeks.

Carringnton is pleased with the turnout to training sessions, saying, “I am particularly pleased to see most of the players come to these sessions in good shape

compared to previous years, especially the juniors.”

He has no doubt that his team will have to work hard, but he is looking to the championships with optimism.

Leah Cumberbath, an improving national Junior player, is looking forward to the championships.

“I feel great being part of a national training squad. In 2017, I brought back a bronze medal from Jamaica.

That was a great feeling winning a medal for SVG,” she said.

The training “is tougher that before”, she admits, especially with the emphasis on physical fitness and playing against the senior players.

This, she said, “will only make us the younger players better to compete well at the tournament and qualify.”

Joseph Carrington – Leah Cumberbatch – SVGTTA head coach. top junior female player. making his debut as a In more recent news, representative of SVG. the SVGTTA announced The team will begin earlier this week that it their outing in St. Lucia had selected a threetoday, Friday, and they person team to will join Barbados as the participate in the St. only other country in the Lucia National Table League, which also Tennis Association’s features four clubs from 2019 National Premier St. Lucia.

League.

SVG’s final match in The three are Damion the preliminary round is Dublin, Romana Spencer scheduled for March 9. and Akeil De Roche - a The final is slated for 16-year-old student of March 16. the St. Vincent Grammar School who will be I.B.A.ALLEN

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24. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

SVGS bags gold at Barbados Relay Fair

THE ST VINCENT GRAMMAR SCHOOL (SVGS) won gold in the Male Under-20 4x 400 metres, at last Saturday’s Barbados Relay Fairs, staged at the Barbados National Stadium.

The Grammar School’s quartet of Nellie Ambriton, Derron Edwards, Malik Ferdinand and Handal Roban clocked 3 minutes 20.2 seconds, en route to their first place.

This was to be the SVGS’s only podium finish.

In the Male 4 x100m Under-20, they were ninth in a time of 45.2 seconds

and finished eighth in the 1600 metres Male Under-20 sprint medley, in which they clocked 3 minutes 55.2 seconds.

Meanwhile, the Thomas Saunders Secondary School (TSSS), the other Vincentian educational institution which participated in the Relay Fair, was ninth in the Male Under-20 4 X 400m, in a time of 3 minutes 34.6 seconds.

The TSSS female contingent fared better. They finished third in the Females Under-20 4 x 400 metres in a

time of 4 minutes 13.1 seconds, and fourth in the Under 17 Females 4 x 400 metres, clocking 4 minutes 38.5 seconds.

Both the St Vincent Grammar School and the Thomas Saunders Secondary used Saturday’s Relay Fair to fine tune preparations for their participation in the Penn Relays, which takes place in the USA in April.

SVGS U-20 4 x 400m gold medal team (L-R): Nellie Ambriton, Derron Edwards, Malik Ferdinand, Handal Roban.

Relay Classic attracts wider participation TEAM ATHLETICS SVG’s Relay Classic held recently at the Arnos Vale Playing Field, attracted wider participation from outside the regular Track and Field units.

One notable group of entrants Head Coach of was the St Vincent members of and the the Grenadines training Senior Men’s squad of St Football TeamKendale Mercury. Vincent

and the Grenadines Senior Men’s Football Team- Vincy Heat.

The participation of the footballers was an initiative taken by Head Coach Kendale Mercury.

“Our participation in the Relay Classic was basically for team building, as well it was giving the players an opportunity to get some physical training,” Mercury said.

He also noted that the team’s participation had to do with providing a different environment, away from Football.

Featuring two teams in Swedish Open Relay, the footballers finished third and fourth, and took fourth places the Open Men’s 4 x 100 and 4

x 400m, to tally 24 points.

Mercury revealed that he has plans to have the players engage in future track events put on by Team Athletics SVG. When the points were counted, the High Performance Club, sporting the largest contingent, emerged ahead of the other ten units, with a tally of 262 points.

Second to High Performance was the IT DAT Academy with 138 points, and third the Troumaca Ontario Secondary School on 129 points.

They were followed by The Thomas Saunders Secondary School who compiled 66 points and the X- Cel Track Club- 61 points.

The St Martin’s Secondary

Athletes competing in the Female Under-20 4 x 100M at Team Athletics SVG’s Relay Classic.

School, 35 points, and St Vincent Grammar School, 34 points, followed in that order.

Also participating in the Relay Classic were the

Chatoyer Sports Club, 15 points, the X- Ceed Sports Club, 13 points, and Speedforce, 10 points.

National cricketers put to the test MEMBERS of the Senior St Vincent and the Grenadines Male and Female Cricket teams will have to undergo a series of fitness tests, as a prerequisite for selection.

They had their first exposure to the Yo Yo Test last Tuesday at the Arnos Vale Netball Complex.

Physiotherapist Denis Byam conducted the session.

The Test involves players shuttling between cones/ lines over a distance of 20 metres.

The shuttles progress through various levels of intensity, with a recovery period of 10 seconds between each level.

At last Tuesday’s test, the females’ accepted level was 20, while the males had a level of 40 as their accepted fitness measure.

Chair of selectors Roland Wilkinson, who is also a Committee Member of the St Sunil Ambris, Romano Pierre and Gidron Pope, enduring the Vincent and the Yo Yo Test, last Tuesday at the Arnos Vale Netball Complex.

Grenadines Cricket Association Inc., indicated that the Yo Yo Test is a mandate of the Cricket West Indies.

According to Wilkinson, “The Association is taking fitness seriously, and the players’ ‘Yo Yo’ has to be at an accepted level, in order for them to be selected.”

Wilkinson disclosed that the test was introduced last year but was not applied as a prerequisite for national team selection. He assured it would be this time around.

The Chair of selectors noted that the Association has acknowledged that the players will be at different levels of fitness, and have made some modifications to the test.

The Yo Yo Endurance Test was developed by Danish Football Physiologist- Jens Bangsbo.

Following last Tuesday’s first test, the players will be at it again on Monday at the same venue.

St Vincent and the Grenadines is set to host the Senior Male Windward Islands Cricket Tournament

Chair of the Selection CommitteeRoland Wilkinson. in April.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. 25.

Sports

Smiles ahead

ENGLAND SALVAGED some pride with a win in St. Lucia, the final Test in their three-test series in the Caribbean.

They desperately needed something to show and even with their consolation victory, there was a sense of disgust with what transpired.

Captain Joe Root reflected on their four wins in their last six matches. One could only imagine the elation he would have exuded had it been five out of six or, as it was expected, another clean sweep such as what happened in Sri Lanka.

The Englishmen’s wake-up call came with their demolition at Kensington, and having been grounded into the dust with Jason Holder’s double century, England found themselves in a shock.

The result in Antigua gave them more nightmares and their preparation, for the Ashes series was sent in a tailspin. While the Ashes loomed large, there was a case of matter at hand.

And England had succumbed to a West Indies squad, which they least expected.

They got it going in St. Lucia. When a bowler can strike five times in 50 balls, that will turn out to be a match-winning performance. And so it was. The only way that action could have been neutralised would have been a reversal in the batting display second time around.

By then, the odds had piled up against the West Indies. Holder’s absence had long been forgotten, and everyone settled for his replacement in Keemo Paul. After the batting collapse, further misfortune followed the West Indies with Paul’s forced departure from the action until the dying moments to see Roston Chase to his century.

The Guyanese all-rounder picked up 2 for 58 in England’s first innings, and had 1 for 11 in five overs. His exit added gloom to the squad, which fuelled a spirit of despair.

The bowling attack was dismantled, and England revelled in the dearth. But the damage was already done, and West Indies had indeed wrapped up the series.

It would have been icing on the cake with a three-nil, but given the path we have travelled in recent history, I will take that outcome with a smile.

The One Day Internationals will have particular focus, with the World Cup clock running out of seconds. The opportunity is there for the West Indies to fine-tune its contingent.

With the tonic of a Test series win under their belt, players will have some positive platform to take off from.

There can’t be any room for distractions, and players will be advised to keep their comments as muted as possible. Terms and conditions governing the operation of matches are changing.

Players ought to be aware of the focus on them every step along the way.

Each motive, every gesture, every word, every hint, could be a violation of whatever code. And the International Cricket Council seems anxious to bring the guillotine out on the West Indies anytime they cross the line.

And that represents a thin line between love and hate. As liberal as we are in the Caribbean, we have to accept that with all the complications that formed our history, we have to be guarded on how we progress.

Two matches, three centuries THE BAT TOOK its domination of the ball into last weekend’s round of matches the NLA Premier Division Cricket Competition.

In the Team Rivals-Police Two clash, Hyron Shallow blasted 160 not out (18 fours, 9 sixes), and Lindon James an unbeaten 121 (9 fours and 3 sixes) in Team Rivals 326 for 3 declared in reply to the lawmen’s first innings of 189, in which Keswick Williams topscored with 50 and medium pacer Deighton Butler snared 6 for 70.

The lawmen fared even worse in their second turn at the Gidron added a 7wicket haul to his run total of 121.

Deighton crease.

Their total Butler of 100 bagged handed match Team figures of Rivals 11 for 95. victory by an innings and 37 runs.

Butler again weaved his magic with 5 for 25 to finish with match figures of 11 for 95.

The other match between Flow Radcliffe and North Windward Youths belonged to Radcliffe’s Gidron Pope.

Pope lashed 101 (12 fours and 2 sixes) in Radcliffe’s 235 in reply to North Windward Youth’s 198, in which Othneil Thomas top scored with 77 and Pope had returned the enviable figures of 7 for 29 with his off spin.

North Windward Youths made 194 in their second innings,

Lindon James hit 121 not out.

Hyron Shallow hit 160 not out.

thanks mainly to half centures from Dillon Douglas, 57 and Othneil Set 157 to win, Flow Radcliffe reached 158 for 5, with Deron Greaves racing to 74 and Pope contributing 20.

I.B.A.ALLEN

Hunte, Williams quell Warriors RENRICK WILLIAMS and Andrea Hunte hit unbeaten centuries to push Edward Conliffe Coreas Distribution Ltd Belfongo to a comprehensive 257-run win over Ruddy’s Electrical Unique Warriors, in a NLA First Division Cricket Competition fixture last weekend.

Belfongo amassed 422 from 47 overs, thanks to Hunte with 127 not out (10 fours 11 sixes) and Williams 100 not out (6 fours and 7 sixes).

Roger Gibson with 5 for 61 off 7.3 overs and Reginald Jeffrey 4 for 48 off 10 overs were Warriors’ best bowlers.

Ruddy’s Electrical Unique

Warriors, perhaps daunted by the mammoth Belfongo total, were bowled out for 165 in 22 overs.

SVGCA Inc Women Super 40 In an all-Leeward clash, Attacker Girls got the better Century makers Renrick Williams of their rivals Julius Anthony (left) and Andre Hunte.

Northern Girls, beating them by 2 wickets in a close Girls replied with 137 for 8 from weekend encounter in the SVGCA 30 overs. Kayan Charles led with Women Super40 Cricket 26 and Phernel Charles 21. Venol Tournament.

Samuel took 4 for 30 off 6 overs Northern Girls made 136 from and Yolanda Granderson 2 for 19 37 overs, Shannel Mackie topoff 7 overs. scoring with 43. Phernel Charles took 3 for 10 off 4 overs. Attacker I.B.A.ALLEN

Hoyte, Benn: SVGCC Tennis Champions RICHAND HOYTE and Gabrielle Benn reign supreme as the Male and Female Individuals Tennis Champions respectively, of the

SVG Community College at the 2019 Individuals Tennis Competition.

Gabrielle Benn had the better of her sister Amarlia Benn, with a dominant 6-3, 6-3 win in the Female finals.

The Male finals was another epic battle between archrivals Richand Hoyte and Arnel Horne.

Horne took a commanding 4-2 lead in the first set, before Hoyte turned the match on its head to win the next four consecutive games and win the first set 6-4.

The second set was as competitive as the first, with Hoyte holding on to one invaluable break of service that gave him the second set 6-4, to cop the male title for the second consecutive year.

Alexi Humphey and Keshawn Butcher placed 3rd in the Female and male categories respectively.

Gabrielle Benn is the Individual Female champion.

Richand Hoyte fought his way to the Individual Male Championship title.

I.B.A.ALLEN

26. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019. 27.

Classifieds

WILLIAM MELVILLE MCDONALD Layou Seventh-Day Adventist Church Sunday, 10th February, 2019 Viewing: 1:00 p.m.

Service: 2:00 p.m.

RUDOLPH AUGUST CARR Mesopotamia Seventh Day Adventist Church Sunday, 10th January, 2019 Service: 2:00 p.m.

MR. HERBERT WILLIAMS Our Lady of Fatima Lowmans Windward Saturday, 9th February, 2019 Viewing: 1:00 p.m.

Service: 2:00 p.m.

OSMOND HUGH CAMERON The Church of the Nazarene Arnos Vale Saturday, 9th February, 2019 Viewing: 12:00 noon Service: 1:00 p.m.

EARL ELMO YOUNG Mt. Hallibeth Spiritual Baptist Church Sunday, 10th February, 2019 Viewing: 1:00 p.m.

Service: 2:00 p.m

The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

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ALL IS NOT ‘WELL’

WITH HEALTH that “their (government) concern was how the Unity Labour Party will look.”

DANIEL CUMMINGS, Opposition New Cummings spoke about Democratic Party Parliamentary tuberculosis-related deaths at the Representative for West Kingstown and Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, and Shadow Minister of Health, is of the view urged the media to investigate and that Health officials here are not coming verify this matter for themselves. clean with the tuberculosis situation.

He lamented the situation whereby Further, he reiterated his the staff at the Mental Health Centre condemnation of the government’s was checked following the death of a handling of the health care generally, patient from that institution. at a press conference staged at the Cummings alluded to information Office of the Leader of the Opposition, he secured from medical sources dated Democrat House, last Wednesday.

January 30, 2019, which he contended, The West Kingstown contained information about the parliamentarian was particularly tuberculosis concern. upset by the government’s The West Kingstown (mis)handling of a situation at the parliamentarian expressed his desire Mental Health Centre, located at Glen. to “protect people’s privacy,” but Cummings defended his principle of blasted the government for “denying” protecting the persons from whom he the existence of tuberculosis, and acquired his information. But he was contended that 80 persons tested adamant that there are concerns positive for tuberculosis from a total of surrounding the way tuberculosis (TB) 200. is being dealt with by the Health Further tests will be needed, he officials. advised.

According to him, conditions at TB-related death places like the Mental Health Centre, prisons, hospital, were breeding The tuberculosis matter and more grounds for the spread of tuberculosis. had, earlier this month during the And with the death of a patient from 2019 Budget Debate, triggered clashes tuberculosis related infection, a between Cummings and Minister of number of at-risk persons must have Health Luke Browne, to whom he said gone without any clue as to what they he had given the opportunity “to come might have been exposed to. clean” on the questions of health, but He decried the situation whereby

by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY

Daniel Cummings, lead NDP MP on Health, has pushed the Minister of Health Luke Browne (back right) into a defence mode. If not into a catch-up situation. to play.”

Cummings questioned the legitimacy of the government, three years after its return to office, and he chided the ruling regime for “protecting the ULP’s image, by any means necessary.”

For him, the disturbing pattern of More health woes activity was made more “strident” with the appointment of Senator Luke In essence, the West Kingstown MP Browne as Health, Wellness and painted a dismal picture of the Health Environmental Minister. affairs here, and alluded to shortages Cummings and Browne were at of Tetanus vaccines for at least three each other’s throat during the Budget months in 2018.

Debate, with charges and counter He repeated his statement of the charges as they relate to the health absence of tetanus-related medicine situation. treatment he made in the House of He was particularly vocal on the Assembly and which was denied by the situation where “everybody must be Health Minister. coerced into saying all is well.”

Cummings described the Challenged as to whether the government as “recalcitrant” in its opposition NDP was hell bent on payments to the Pharmaceutical removing the government, Cummings Procurement Services, and outlined alluded to a situation when the that as a factor contributing to the government apprised them of a shortage of tetanus supplies. situation at the then National The Chief Medical Officer also came Commercial Bank, and that the in for some lambasting from Opposition kept its word so as to avoid Cummings. He coated his comments a run in by patrons. Cummings by acknowledging respect for parents wondered why would they want to do of the officer, and declared that “the such a thing with health.

Public Service had a responsible role doctors treating “active tuberculosis cases, were constrained by their professional ethics.”

For Cummings, the situation cannot be “pushed under the rug,” neither can citizens be given “half-truths and innuendos.”

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

Printed by the SVG Publishers Inc., Campden Park.