Vin pages 15 12 17 e reader for web

FRIDAY,

DECEMBER 15, 2017

VOLUME 111, No.49

www.thevincentian.com

EC$1.50

JUSTICE HENRY TO RULE EARLY 2018 constituency of Central Leeward, sometime early in the New Year.

Justice Henry told the court on Wednesday, following two days of arguments from the petitioners and respondents, that her decision has been reserved, and adjourned the matter to a date in January or February 2018, to be decided by the High Court Registrar 2018.

The issue The matter before the court, follows on the petitions filed by Benjamin Exeter and Lauren Baptiste, New Democratic Party (NDP) candidates in the last general Legal Counsel for the election for the petitioners, Stanley ‘Stalky’ constituencies of John Q.C. checks his notes.

Central Leeward and North

by DAYLE DA SILVA Windward respectively.

At the centre of the JUSTICE ESCO HENRY has melee are allegations, indicated that she intends first made in June, that to deliver her decision on there were irregularities whether to grant in the ballots used, permission for the leading to an application inspection of all 15 ballot by the petitioners for the boxes used in the 2015 inspection of the ballot General Elections for the

boxes.

When the matter was heard in the High Court in October, the respondents stated then that both parties had agreed to conditions, and were presenting a draft consent order to the court for the inspection of the ballot boxes in only four of the polling stations from Central Leeward — CLF, CLF1, CLE and CLE1.

But the petitioners objected, saying that they were seeking to have inspection in all 15 polling stations.

A subsequent application was filed on November 9.

The Petitioners’ argument On Tuesday of this week, Stanley ‘Stalky’ John Q.C., representing the petitioners, made it clear that the petitioners had filed the application for production and inspection purposes only, and not for recount or scrutiny reasons.

He further argued that there were irregularities with the ballots used that compromised the conduct of the electoral officers.

“The end result is that hundreds of ballots were accepted as invalid, but

Senior Counsels Anthony Astaphan (left) and Douglas Mendes exchange a moment this week. still counted,” John argued.

He further contended that the privacy of the votes cast was compromised, contrary to Section 31(2) in the rules and guidelines for general elections.

This section deals with the manner in which ballots ought to be handled before being placed in the ballot box.

According to John, the faulty design and folding of the ballots meant that the officers present

would have seen for which candidate the voters cast their ballot, a direct breach of the rules which stated that a voter must vote in secrecy.

Continued on Page 3.

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2. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Business

The new ‘‘Phoenix Kitchen’ outlet at Yambou.

Phoenix Kitchen expands IT HAS BEEN almost a week since operations began at Phoenix Kitchen 2, located at Yambou, and the man behind the outfit – Leon ‘Bigger Biggs’ Samuel has indicated that all is going well so far.

‘Phoenix Kitchen 2’, or ‘Country Kitchen’ as Samuel has dubbed it, was officially opened last Sunday and, according to the proprietor, was opened to complement his food outlet in Kingstown.

Phoenix Kitchen was opened in June, 2015 and now the business has expanded to offer more local foods and is located at the site that formerly housed Samuel’s block-making facility.

And now with the opening of Phoenix Kitchen 2, Samuel explained to THE VINCENTIAN that patrons can (L-R): Grace Frank (farmer), and Stanley ‘Stalky’ John Q.C. cut the ribbon to officially now expect a wider variety of open the new outlet. Leon ‘Bigga Biggs’ local foods and juices.

“We believe in bringing more Samuel is also pictured. local food to the people,” he added to the daily menu. said.

But it was all a matter of “logistics”, Local cuisine including Ducana, Samuel said, or once they have figured Dough Boy, (Cattle Head) Souse and out the best way to transport these the twenty-two fruit juices, will be meals into Kingstown. (DD) prepared at the Yambou location for sale/distribution from the Kingstown outlet, Samuel said.

Other foods already available in Kingstown will be offered, albeit in small portions, at the Yambou location, and any expansion will be based on the demand.

Samuel explained that local tour operators usually travel through the Yambou area on their way to the Windward side of the island.

It was anticipated that he would be able to offer a service to visitors who may wish to stop and purchase something local.

Plans are in the making to install restroom facilities as well, Samuel said.

But for now, the focus remains on offering his patrons more local food.

The expanded menu, Samuel said, will be offered initially on weekends, but it was expected that it will be

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. 3.

News 3

Teachers get easier money access MEMBERS OF THE ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES Teachers Cooperative Credit Union (SVGTCCU) have an additional service at their disposal.

As of last Monday, they now have access to an ATM service.

In a ceremony held last Monday at the Credit Union’s headquarters in Paul’s Avenue, to launch the service, President Kay Martin-Jack traced the stages leading up to the commissioning of the service, paying tribute to past president Errol Belgraves for his role in seeing it to fulfilment.

Members can now access their accounts — withdraw and deposit, and pay loans, even on mortgages.

And access is widened as SVGTCCU ATM card users can access their accounts at 19 (ATM) outlets operated by the Bank of St. Vincent, this confirmed by Leroy Rose of that bank.

Soon, according to Martin-Jack, a Debit Card service will also become available.

Other Sentiments Jasmine Huggins, Chief Executive Office/SVGTCCU, was ecstatic. She

welcomed the operation and pointed to the “easier access” for members to get their money. She praised the “convenience,” and projected towards its value at critical times.

“We are happy that we have been able to launch this,” she concluded.

Daniel McMillan outlined the importance of the development. He described it as a “long held dream to have access through the ATM convenience.” He welcomed the speed which he regards as “features of everyday life.”

Dwight Lewis another past president, declared, “It has been long in coming. I am excited about it.”

Daree Myers, a National Scholarship holder whose education was facilitated through the SVGTCCU, ascribed a new meaning to the acronym ATM - ‘Access To your Money,’ and considered the service as one that will “ease up the work load for both members and tellers.”

Errol Belgraves was on hand to cut the ribbon to declare the system officially operational. “It was long in coming,” he said, adding that he was overwhelmed now that “it is opened.”

(WKA)

Errol Belgraves (right) cut the ribbon to officially open the new ATM service at the SVGTCCU headquarters.

Justice Henry to rule early 2018 the learning, that it ought not to inspect all of the ballot boxes?” he questioned.

argued that any call for inspection could not be for the sake of finding As per the defects of evidence. the ballots, John pointed According to Astaphan, to two features: the most The Respondents’ there was no evidence to crucial one being that argument back the petitioners’ there were hundreds of claim that the votes were ballots that did not have Senior Counsel released or folded to the official mark, and the Douglas Mendes, expose secrecy. second being that others representing the As a matter of law, appeared to have them respondents, countered there was no evidence as but were placed that it was not enough for to how these ballots were incorrectly. the court to grant folded and, according to This was basis, John permission for the the Senior Counsel, if you continued, for permission inspection of ballot boxes have not pleaded the case to be granted for the based on allegations. in petition, then it could inspection of the ballot He said that the not be sought by using boxes, so as to determine allegation was not inspection as a backdoor. the extent of these supported by any But John responded, irregularities. evidence , and what was saying that there was “It is not enough for presented is a petition evidence to suggest either party to make an with the other party wrong-doings, and based assumption based on oral asking the court for help on the affidavit from testimonies,” said John, to find the evidence. petitioner Exeter, he who added that there “Even if there is indicated to Justice were also sworn evidence, there are Henry that he was statements by officials, instances where presenting facts. including the returning inspections are not He maintained that officer for Central required because the the secrecy of the ballots Leeward and the issues have been was compromised, and Supervisor of Elections, admitted or proved,” the best way to obtain that acted as indicators of Mendes said. evidence of any wrongwrongdoing.

Senior Counsel doing was to get it by “How can the court, in Anthony Astaphan, also inspecting the ballot the state of affairs, … not representing the boxes. consider, consistent with respondents, further Continued from Front Page.

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4. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Court

Another conviction for AIA criminal counterfeit currency damage matter Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS THERE HAVE been more convictions in recent years in matters relating to counterfeit currency, and one reason for this is the availability of expert evidence.

As recent as Monday, 44-year-old David Legair of Paul Over was fined $3,000, at the Serious Offences Court, after being convicted of having 3,000 counterfeit Eastern Caribbean Currency notes.

Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne handed down the penalty.

Legair was ordered to pay the Court $3,000 forthwith or nine months in prison, and the balance in two months, or nine months.

The sentences will run concurrently if the fines are not paid.

Closing arguments were heard at the trial, last week Monday by Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche, and Legair’s Attorney Israel Bruce, but the Chief Magistrate had reserved her decision.

Evidence presented by the Prosecution showed that on December 16, 2016, police officers, conducting investigations into a narcotic related matter, executed a search warrant at Legair’s Paul Over home and found the counterfeit currency made up of $100 notes, on a ledge in his bedroom.

They were examined

by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Hesron Ballantyne, second in Command of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), gazetted to give expert evidence in counterfeit

currency matters, and they were found to be counterfeit.

In his defence, Legair said he found the money by the road, in a transparent plastic bag, not knowing that it was counterfeit. He said he counted it, and took it home, in the event that somebody would come looking for it, but nobody did.

Under crossexamination by the Prosecutor, Legair admitted that he was going to spend the money if nobody came to own it.

He added he had made several enquiries, but nobody said they lost money. He indicated he had found the notes three days before he was arrested.

Legair, admitting being a salesman for ten years, and also working as a labourer, and electrician, said he never

knew that money carried serial numbers.

In his closing submissions, Delpleche pointed out that there was sufficient evidence adduced, to prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that Legair was in possession of the notes, and that he knew they were counterfeit.

But Bruce argued that there was no evidence to suggest that his client knew or believed that the notes were counterfeit, or to say that the defendant was copying or printing anything.

Bruce argued that the fact that Legair said he was going to spend the money, if nobody said it belonged to them, was consistent with his evidence that he did not know they were counterfeit.

Legair’s conviction comes at a time when police are advising citizens, as well as visitors, to be on the lookout for counterfeit notes, usually prevalent at this time of the year.

To date, ASP Ballantyne is the only officer in the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) gazette to give expert evidence on counterfeit currency. He was gazetted in 2014.

In the past, it was difficult to secure a conviction in counterfeit currency matters in which persons had pleaded not guilty, primarily due to the absence of expert evidence.

withdrawn

RAPHAEL PATTERSON, a 76-year-old Campden Park man who was charged with damaging a face basin at the Argyle International Airport (AIA) two weeks ago, was cleared of that charge when the returned to the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

Patterson, who has been residing in Trinidad and Tobago for several years, was accused of damaging the face begin, valued $569.70, the property of the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and at the time was reckless as to whether such property would be damaged. The offence was reportedly committed on November 30, this year.

Patterson pleaded not guilty when he originally appeared before Senior Magistrate Bertie Pompey at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on December 1 and was granted bail. He was slated to return to that Court on December 8, but the Court did not sit on that date.

The matter was set for hearing on Tuesday, but when it was called, Crown Counsel Carl Williams informed the Court that the Prosecution was withdrawing the charge against Patterson.

Williams also requested that Patterson’s travel documents, which were surrendered as part of his bail conditions, be returned to the defendant. The court then made the order for them to be returned.

Attorney Jomo Thomas represented Patterson.

Reports are that Patterson was at the AIA on the date in question, scheduled to board a flight to leave the country. He was at the Luggage Checking Area around 2:50 pm. when a Junior Aviation Security Officer searched his luggage and found a bottle of sunset strong rum, one of the items on the prohibited list for travelling, via aeroplane.

The Security Officer told Patterson that he could not travel with the strong rum. However, Patterson, rather than leaving the bottle of rum there, grabbed it, saying nobody was going to get it. He, then took it to a washroom at the airport and emptied its contents into a face basin.

Reports are that checks by AIA personnel revealed a visible crack on the edge of the face basin.

THE VINCENTIAN understands that the bottle was not broken nor was the face basin smashed, as reported in some circles.

When contacted on Tuesday afternoon, Crown Counsel Williams declined to comment, explaining that, “The Prosecution does not have to give a reason/s for withdrawing a charge.”

Non-nationals fined for illegal entry FOUR non-nationals were taken before the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Monday on separate Immigration charges, causing Senior Magistrate Bertie Pompey to question whether this was just a coincidence.

The defendants, male nationals of St. Lucia and Dominica who arrived in the state this month, were slapped with charges of entering the state and disembarking without the consent of an immigration officer; that while being a prohibited immigrant, entered the state without passport, and entering the state other than at a port of entry.

The Court entered a not guilty plea on behalf of one of the defendants, following his explanation that he

arrived here after being rescued by a fishing boat. The others pleaded guilty and received fines of EC800.00 forthwith or six months in jail. Those who pleaded guilty to the prohibited immigrant charge were reprimanded and discharged after Crown Counsel Carl Williams indicated that there was no record before the Court to show that they were prohibited immigrants.

Why these nationals from neighbouring Caribbean countries turned up here at this time of the year may be a matter for speculation.

What is certain, though, is that it is not unusual for non-nationals to visit these shores at this time, to enjoy this country’s unique Nine Mornings Festival.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. 5.

Regional

‘‘Coolie man’ comment appalling,’ says St. Lucian Gov’t Minister IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN a ‘Freudian Slip’, but St. Lucia’s Economic Development Minister Guy Joseph is not letting Opposition Saint Lucia Labour Party Senator Guibion Ferdinand slip through the cracks for a recent statement the senator made.

St. Lucia Online News reported that Senator Ferdinand, during an SLP-led protest march over the week, to have said, at the (SLP)-led St. Jude Hospital protest march over the weekend, “Come and discuss the findings of the audit in parliament where we can represent you and we can ask them questions and they will answer the questions. But instead, we just hear about the audit and we hear a ‘coolie man’, an Indian saying ‘… I know what is in there,’ as if he is some engineer and some

expert on demolishing and building.’”

Joseph took immediate umbrage to the racial slur leveled against him saying, he was “appalled” that the party has reduced to “name calling” and personal attacks, St. Lucia Online reported.

Speaking to the press, Joseph said that Ferdinand went ahead and used “names that send a derogatory message about a certain set of people in this country…”

Joseph also pointed to the recent slur as not being “.. the first time the Labour Party has done that. It’s as if because I’m of an Indian heritage I should not have a say in anything that happens in Saint Lucia. So if I want to go and use the words that they used to describe me to describe them they would tell you, ‘oh, you

are disrespectful.’”

The economic minister, according to St. Lucia Online News, accused the SLP of having double standards.

“So in parliament they want to portray one behaviour — they want to tell you, oh, you’re a bad example, but when they are out there when more people are watching them, look at their behaviour. I tell them I’m consistent. The difference with me is [that] what you see is what you get.

Unlike them who would pretend in one forum to be one thing and out there…. And it was appalling to see that that was the level of discussion taking place; that we would reduce ourselves to name calling,” he said.

Ferdinand, a former school principal, in responding to Joseph’s sentiments, noted that

that there were a number of other areas where the term is used.

“I can think of even fruits. I mean, should we tell our children that they shouldn’t say ‘coco coolie’ or they shouldn’t eat ‘chatine coolie?’

Some people call it jack fruit — but it is a very delicious fruit,” Ferdinand asserted.

Guibion Ferdinand, He explained that Guy Joseph, St. Lucia’s Opposition Saint Lucia Economic Development this is an evolving Labour Party Senator, Minister and a person of society where responded to Joseph’s East Indian descent, did perspectives not take kindly to what he sentiments but found no sometimes change. deemed to be a racial slur reason to apologize.

“If there is going (Photo Credit: St. Lucia against him. (You Tube to be a perception Online News) Photo) that this term is so offensive, I am Ferdinand said prepared to suggest that communities — the names otherwise, it would of some of the festivals or maybe the government appear that there is a should take the lead and activities, and even the convenient complaint names of the items and begin the discussion on regarding the issue. fruits that have that perhaps changing the (Source: St. Lucia Online term in it,” he stated. names of some of the News)

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6. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Diaspora

Vincy group hosts annual Christmas serenade

unique way in celebrating kingnaking210@yahoo.com Christmas,” US CORRESPONDENT Mistress of Ceremonies SEVERAL MEMBERS of the Caren Caribbean community on CharlesThanksgiving Saturday, DeFreitas, of Nov. 25, joined the United Cedars, Vincie Cultural Group of asked Brooklyn (UVCGB) in patrons to participating in the describe the group’s annual Christmas way in Serenade, at the which this Fellowship Hall of the was done Miracle Temple Ministries and to sing a in the Brownville section Christmas of Brooklyn. carol.

Members and patrons United Vincie Cultural Group of Brooklyn brings Christmas cheer.

“During The Zionnnaires reunited, sang lustily popular Christmas, singing “There’s a Name.” L-R: Christmas carols and we sneaked and sorrel beer.”

Dr. Roxie Irish, Faith Bennett and songs, recited poems, and opened Geoffrey Holder, Yvonne Wilkes-Slater. gave speeches and up our gift,” UVCGB vice performed a skit in said president, who hails One patron from evoking much Caribbean Registered Nurse Pamela Georgetown, St. Vincent from Byera Hill, said Christmas nostalgia.

Griffin, who trekked his family stocked up After singing “Silent from the Bronx with her and the Grenadines’ second largest town, said on beverages from Night” and “Long Time husband to attend the local manufacturing her house was Ago in Bethlehem,” event for the first time, companies. thoroughly cleaned in UVCGB members recalling Christmas in “We never waited recited, in part, “The her household as a child preparation for until Christmas; we Gift”. in Frenches, Kingstown, Christmas Day. used to drink out the “We cleaned the Noting that each the Vincentian capital.

Ju-C,” he said, about windows as usual,” she village in St. Vincent and “We have we [our] his and his siblings’ said.

“We had our ham the Grenadines has “a mauby.” indulgence as youths, to much laughter.

United Vincie Cultural Group of Brooklyn Band “The best provides back-stop music to serenaders.

Christmas is in St. Vincent and the “Christmas, Christmas, “Baffy” Cuffy-Murray Grenadines,” he added, We Wish You a Merry, collaborated in singing announcing that he was “I’m Dreaming of a White Merry Christmas.” going home this year for Christmas” and “Virgin Using a broken bottle Christmas. UVCGB and aluminum foil as Mary Had a Baby Boy.” president and founder instruments, St. Vincent Jamaican Maxine Dr. Roxie Irish, a youth Fisher, who worships at and the Grenadines’ New minister at the Miracle York Consul General Miracle Temple Temple Ministries, and Ministries, sang “Thank Howie Prince her youthful friends — demonstrated his You, Lord,” and her Jamaican Faith Bennett compatriot, Lavina Hall, versatility by playing to, and London-born Yvonne also a Miracle Temple loud applause, “O, Holy Wilkes-Slater — Night.”

Ministries worshipper, reconnected at the event belched out “Dawn from The UVCGB brought after singing together, the house down with a the Glory.” about 20 years ago, as medley, comprising, Other performances “The Zionnaires.” included selections from among others, “Christmas to me is an the Miracle Temple “Christmas, Christmas,” enjoyable time,” said Ministries choir (“Joy to and “All We Want for Bennett, who journeyed Christmas is Peace and the World”); Pastor from Connecticut. “When Rudolph Telesford, of Love.”

I was a child, Christmas, Nehemiah Christian “I’m so excited to be here,” said Savanda to me, took 20 years. We Outreach Ministries in Latrice, originally from were up at 4:00 a.m., and Flatbush, Brooklyn Georgetown, South marched and sang up to (“Lilly of the Valley”); Carolina, who traveled 7:00 a.m.”

Lorna Jackson (“Raises from Hartford, Conn.

The reunited Your Voices”); Emily “I’m really enjoying “Zionnaires” then offered, Scykes (“Ra Pa Pom myself. acapella, to rave reviews, Pom”); Tobagonian “Christmas, for me, “There’s a Name,” and Bishop Hollis Charles, of “Jesus, Jesus, O What a Bethel Gospel Assembly when growing up in the South [southern United Wonderful Child.” in Chester Cottage, St. States], was about loving Laverne McDowaldVincent and the each other,” she added.

Thompson, president of Grenadines (“Trust Him Besides nationals from the Brooklyn-based Because He Loves You”); the US, St. Vincent and Council of St. Vincent and Sheba (“We Three the Grenadines and and the Grenadines Kings”).

Jamaica, nationals from Organizations, U.S.A., Cuffy-Murray, a several Caribbean Inc. (COSAGO), former St. Vincent and Community (CARICOM) COSAGO treasurer and the Grenadines’ national countries attended and Bequia United netball star, also led a participated in the event: Progressive Organization short skit on “Beatrice Trinidad and Tobago, (BUPO) president Beauty Shop,” ending Barbados, Haiti, Guyana O’Brien Simmons, and with the cast rendering and Belize.

UVCGB member Judith Story and photos by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net;

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. 7.

News

G.H.S. wins U.S. EmbassyÊs STEM Video Competition

U.S. EMBASSY BRIDGETOWN is pleased to announce that the winner of its STEM Video Competition in St. Vincent is the St. Vincent Girls’ High School.

The contest, which was open to all secondary school students in St. Vincent and the Grenadines over the age of 13, required Principal of St. Vincent Girls’ High School, Michelle Beache students to (far right), supervising/physics teacher Mr. Lenski Adams produce a short (center), and the winning team, accept prize bags from video explaining Public Affairs Officer James Rodriguez (far left). why STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – is congratulated the winning students during a ceremony at the St. Vincent important in their community. The contest supported the U.S. Embassy’s Girls’ High School on December 8. He goal of promoting STEM education as presented a grand prize package including a Celestron telescope, books, a driver of sustainable economic and other STEM-themed items to the growth, and as a means to foster school’s science department. innovation and empower youth.

“It is particularly noteworthy that The video submission from the St. Vincent’s winning team is students of this all-girls secondary comprised exclusively of young women school showcased creatively how STEM advancements led to enhanced from the country’s all-girls school.

While previously overlooked, the communications and improved the important contributions of women in dissemination of critical information, such as extreme weather advisories, to STEM fields, both past and present, are now receiving proper recognition. I local residents in St. Vincent. Fifth strongly encourage our contest form students, Khalisa Peters, winners, and any other interested Areanna St. Luce, Tamika Gloster, students, to continue to pursue their and Alyssa Patterson, created the video, and were supervised by teacher passion for STEM. It is advancements in these fields which will facilitate the Lenski Adams. growth of our global community.”

Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. (Source: US Embassy — Barbados) Embassy, James Rodriguez,

Drug Squad Deputy’s transfer normal possession of the drug for the purpose of drug ACTING trafficking.

COMMISSIONER of Robinson’s transfer is Police Renold Hadaway expected to take effect on says that the transfer, on Friday, December 15.

Tuesday, of Second in Speaking with THE Command of the Narcotics VINCENTIAN on Unit, Station Sergeant Wednesday, the Acting Katherine Robinson, has Commissioner said nothing to do with a Robinson’s transfer was a cocaine matter, being routine one. heard at the High Court Noting that the Station Criminal Assizes, up to Sergeant was at the press time Wednesday.

Narcotics Unit since July Robinson learnt of her 1993, Hadaway added, transfer to the Questelles “Her next likely position Police Station after giving would be Inspector, and evidence on Tuesday, in every effort is being made the case of Benjamin to ensure that persons at Harvey and Vincent her rank are adequately Dembar, both of Union trained and equipped with Island, charged with the necessary skills and possession of 9,159 grams knowledge for leadership, (20 lbs) of cocaine with so they could embrace the intent to supply, and wider aspects of general

by HAYDN HUGGINS

policing. That’s part of the reason for her transfer,” the top cop explained.

He made it clear that her transfer had nothing to do with the cocaine case before the Court, or with the disappearance of a quantity of cocaine from the exhibit room at the Narcotics base.

“We would transfer persons from time to time for a multiplicity of reasons. Transfers occur on a regular basis. It doesn’t mean that you have done something wrong. In fact, you might be in great demand at other Departments of the Police Force, because of your competencies,” Hadaway pointed out. (See related story on Backpage)

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8. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Views The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

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

Editorial

Merchants of death WE HAVE HEARD over and over, from as high an office as that of our Prime Minister, that the guns used in the majority of homicides here are not manufactured in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Many officials have reminded us that we sit, idyllic as we are, on the brink of the mighty USA, the world’s largest manufacturer of guns — from small arms to the most sophisticated weaponry.

Stop the illegal import of guns, and we would have taken the first, substantive step towards curbing gun-related deaths in this ‘most expensive piece of real estate’ this side of the world, they tell us.

That is why, the cache of gun seized recently at the Miami International Airport in Florida, USA, that were destined for Jamaica, is not a matter to be slighted.

Granted, we may not have made the homicide headlines to the extent and profile that Jamaica has, but this is no reason not to stand up and take stock when, it emerged, that the shipment of guns referred included 100 illegal firearms and over 200 assorted rounds of ammunition.

If it hadn’t yet ed on us, the Jamaica shipment should tell us that there is an enormous arsenal of guns of all sorts available to the criminal elements in the Caribbean chain. It may be, so to speak, a case of demand as per economy of scales; but the demand for guns and ammunition by criminal elements here in St. Vincent is no different in purpose and intention from those of their Jamaican ‘colleagues’.

Our ‘associational groupings’ might not need the same amount of gun power, but that does not negate the perceived need for it. In the criminal world — whether led by ‘associational groupings’ or gangs — the heavier the gun power, the greater the chance of control of trade, action, not to mention control of turf.

For certain, there seemed to have been, over the last five years or so, a heightened effort by the law enforcement units here, to ‘take the guns off the street’. The failure of a previous amnesty may just have occasioned a more aggressive approach by units of the Royal SVG Police Force.

And even without empirical evidence (perhaps the police will issue a statement in this regard), it would be safe to say, given the frequency of media reports of arrests and confinement for possession of illegal arms and ammunition, that there has been some success in this regard.

The reality is, though, that for every illegal gun taken off the street, two reappear. This begs the questions: Are we doing enough to curb the ‘entry of illegal guns into this country? Why, for example, do we not hear of seizure at sea or even at legal ports of entry?

It may sound alarmist, but the guns may just be entering under the very noses of those agencies we expect to guard against this very eventuality.

Guns and ammunition in any circumstance don’t come cheap. What then about the sophisticated guns that have surfaced on our terrain over the last two to three decades? These have got to be even more expensive. So, who is bankrolling this illegal trade? Who is funding the purchase or controlling the barter system that make these guns available to our young men?

The flow of deadly weapons from the US in particular, not that guns are not coming in from channels controlled by forces further south, has got to be funded, encouraged by people of means and, dare we say, influence.

Can the young, unemployed, unskilled young men we have apprehended with guns and those who have had cause to use them to deadly ends, afford these expensive ‘toys’? Far from it, but that goes unnoticed as, with guns in hand, they unleash terror and spill blood across the land and if caught, we make examples of them, as we ought to.

But, even as we acknowledge that, why are we not moving with seriousness to identify and deal appropriately with these suppliers — merchants of death? Are they immune? Are they sacrosanct… untouchable?

The police cannot be exempted from the task of identifying these merchants of death who are funding the purchase of weapons and having them shipped to SVG. There is, supposedly, a close relation between Kingstown and Washington. i.e. cooperation between local law enforcement authorities. Is this relationship being fully exploited? If so, without any real action at the root, are we to conclude that the buck stops far short of the real criminals?

It is the responsibility of the authorities to make use of all the available means of investigation and intelligence, to put away all killers and equally, those who sponsor their bloodletting.

The world record-breaking petition (in terms of time taken) AS I WRITE, the court is in progress with the now famous 2015 election petition cases which were filed in December 2015, almost two years ago.

Vincentians now know what Shakespeare railed against with the consequences of the “the Law’s delay”.

And Justice Henry had particularly warned the parties in the present case, of the essentiality of expedition in its process, without success.

People are wondering whether there is a ring of truth in Dr. Gonsalves’s dictum: that one may try all kinds of legal manoeuvre in quest of justice, but “must come back to Papa at the end of the day!”

Vincentians are worrying aloud as to what ensues if the government was declared illegal abinitio from the date that it was properly appointed by the Governor General, sometime in the dark night of Election Day. Probably, they now understand the zeal of leading lights of the NDP to try and prevent the ULP “victory” to receive the official imprimatur of the Governor General’s which legalize them. It concerned this writer that the G.G depended on the word of the Supervisor of Elections, who happens now to be a respondent in the present case.

As I have noted, citizens of all stripe worry about exactly who pays the piper if the elections were to be declared an abortion. It would be a nightmare. True, nearly all laws passed by such a government could be legalised by a new government. It would be largely a matter of convenience, practicality and expediency. I can honestly shed little light as to who settles the question of the astronomical costs in this case.

But this is running ahead, and the bare possibility exists that the petitions could fail totally, and the present situation confirmed, but still there will be new elections to consider in a year or two, involving new leadership all round.

Arnhim Eustace has been deprived of leading this country, by foul means boldly proclaims this columnist. I believe that if he contests the East Kingstown seat in any elections held within, say one year, he would win handsomely his 6 successive victories. His daughter, Maia, might be persuaded to run in her father’s footsteps in the future.

Whenever the next election takes place, I expect to see an NDP Government installed of eleven against four oppositionist ULPites, who will hold on to North Central Windward, South Windward, Marriaqua and East St.

George seats.

The NDP will sweep clean the entire Leeward, Kingstown and the Grenadines constituencies.

Both North Windward and West St. George favour the NDP, with Mrs. Browne-Baptiste confirming her lead, ruling ULP taking back North Windward, but will be accorded a seat each, with the NDP chalking up an 11 to 4 victory.

I know that in the past the ULP high command made sport of me, but then we played not on a level field, as Judge and Jury are now discovering.

Otherwise, these should be not much trouble with the analysis. Bruce by dint of hard work will defeat Caesar who suffers from lack of favour by Ralph, who naturally prefers his son Camillo to help build a dynasty which the country deplores and has fallen out of fashion.

Generally, the country wants and needs a change. Gonsalves at one time ruled that no person should serve more than two terms. Now he’s extended his own four terms to the possibility of continuance via a dynasty.

North Leeward, which has a history of switching sides, has been turned off by the plain arrogances of a Carlos James who, while among other things, has referred to Jomo Thomas as a nobody!

In fact, South Leeward has been confirmed NDP territory, especially owing to the way Jomo has been treated by his own party. Jomo remains certainly an important element in politics in SVG. I give you as a fitting repast two paragraphs of my own in an article devoted to one aspect of the type of voting recommended by Dr. Gonsalves, courtesy The Cross Country newspaper May 13 2000.

“Meanwhile, Dr. Gonsalves has urged his party supporters who reside in constituencies which were won by the ULP in the last elections by large margins, to change their registration.

‘Those of you who are living in North Central Windward and have boyfriend and girlfriend and relatives in those constituencies we lost narrowly, I am asking you to change your registration to those constituencies... do it legally,’ Dr. Gonsalves urged.”

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. 9.

Letters

Speedy access – more disaster ON FRIDAY, I read of director Knights of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission extolling and celebrating the implementations of the IXP (Internet Exchange Point). This was supposed to increase Internet speed, increase band width, reduce latency, etc. Saturday, I spent the day utilizing three different browsers, attempting to access various websites. On the few occasions I was able to actually reach a site, I was unable to open anything within it. My Internet access has always been spotty–off again, on again–and slow at best. Now it is nonexistent.

I operate a home business which relies on Internet access. I was paralyzed. If the current Government continues to make any more “improvements” in Internet access, I will be shut down completely.

And then there is probably no point in my saying that half of the Flow Cable channels that I want to watch (and already pay for)are now blank or listed as “having problems connecting”, for the last couple of months. Thanks Flow, thanks TRC, and of course, many thanks to the ULP administration for facilitating the demise of my business. If it “helps” me much more, I’ll be forced to take my wife and family and business and leave the country.

Gates

The joy of Christmas music I WOULD LIKE to commend those who uplift our spirit with music.

We experience music and especially Christmas music in a very special way. It puts us in a celebratory mood for the season. For many years, the Royal St. Vincent Police Band, under the late Weston Lewis and the recently retired Bernard Haynes, brought joy and entertainment to many communities with the Christmas concert. The tradition continues, much to the delight of the nation’s citizens.

The Kingstown Chorale must also be lauded for their wonderful performances.

Always a pleasure to hear them sing.

Congratulations to the Starlift Steel Orchestra for celebrating 50 years. They have done an outstanding job. Such an inspiration.

I would like to suggest that we set aside a day when the steel bands of the nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) play either simultaneously or consecutively a rendition of “The Right Hand of God.” This could be done at Christmas time or when the nation celebrates something like National Heroes Day or Independence Day. Imagine the whole nation resounding with this tune on such an occasion. A national steel band performance across the whole country.

A fitting tribute to the late outstanding Vincentian musician, Pat Prescod, and a cultural performance embracing and showcasing the creativity of one’s own.

Have a wonderful holiday season, and all the best in 2018.

Love and thanks to all musicians. Keep up the good work.

Cheryl Phills King

Get real, Gonsalves!

Editor’s Note: We are pleased to welcome back Mr. Avil Cupid to our Letter Page. Mr. Cupid had been a regular contributor to THE VINCENTIAN, his earliest submissions dating back to the 1960s when Weston Lewis was editor.

I have the utmost respect for Dr. Ralph Gonsalves’ scholarship, his political and economic skills. But I’m totally opposed to his ridiculous, patronizing campaign for reparation of slavery.

Postal Service in SVG CAN I ASK if it is possible for you to draw the attention of the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the appalling postal service they receive?

I posted a small package to Union Island from my home in the United Kingdom on October 13th. It reached the Kingstown Post Office on October 20th and has not moved from there since. Seven days to travel over 4,000 miles, how long to travel the 90 miles to Union Island?

The tracking number is RU 741401705 GB. Surely, such abysmal service is not acceptable to any nation, and should be investigated in the public interest.

Fred Copeland Fred.copeland@yahoo. co.uk

The message I glean from this campaign is: We must continue in self-pity and blame slavery and slave masters, colonialism and imperialism for our plight. We can’t move forward unless the heirs of slave masters apologise and pay compensation for slavery.

Many political activists and freedom fighters paid the ultimate price in the struggle for the freedom and dignity of black people. But (perhaps)

Gonsalves wants more.

His Portuguese ancestors enslaved my African ancestors. I don’t hold that against Ralph and I’m not asking for an apology and compensation.

As Prime Minister of an independent nation, Gonsalves is at the forefront of the system tackling the challenges of modern living. So he can’t turn back the clock to the days of angry political activism. He must stop chasing Avil Cupid shadows and get real!

Correcting the wrong WHEN THE ULP got into power, they set about doing what they referred to as ‘correcting historical wrongs’.

People in Richmond and other places got severance pay, and they introduced the Possessory Title law which allowed people to get title deeds to land they occupied for years.

All over the place, and in a rush, the ULP went

about handing out this and that to show up the NDP. Now, there is nothing wrong with that, but all of this ‘good’ turns sour when you see that the ULP treats the wrong their people have committed with a different set of attitudes.

Every man who has been caught with his hands in the cookie jar or has done something

wrong while they hold public office, has been rewarded with promotion or given a slap on the wrist and sent on their merry way. These include permanent secretaries, persons in diplomatic positions, even a Registrar.

Now, we have a diplomat in the USA physically abusing his wife, and the ULP is doing all it could to protect him and ‘whitewash’ the incident.

Time to take the speck out your own eye, ULP, NOW THAT the “tin who is homeless is crazy; cup” is back out (the some are just indigent or and correct wrong Government seeking have been neglected, for wherever it exists and whosoever commits it. loans, grants, etc. for a one reason or another, Wrong is wrong in any new hospital, a by their families. language.

Government hotel, Sending every homeless various new family or individual to PS development projects, the Mental Health etc.), may I humbly Centre is wrong and suggest that some funds outrageous. be sought for a shelter If we can’t provide for homeless individuals jobs or public assistance, and families. we should at least be The police rounded-up able to provide a roof many homeless * How come a and food. We seem able individuals prior to the certain top public to readily provide funds beginning of the cruise officer is still driving, for many less worthy ship season, but they even after his projects. were all incarcerated at carelessness on the the Mental Health road led to a young Herzen Centre. Not everyone man losing a leg? * Isn’t it common practice (law/) that that person’s driver’s licence should at least be suspended? * As was implied by a letter writer in last week’s VINCENTIAN, is the outer lane on Bay Street (between the bottom of Heritage Square and the Central Police Station) now a parking lane? * Clamping those vehicles that are illegally parked is good, but what about those minibuses that break the traffic laws as though they (laws) don’t exist?

Home for the homeless, please

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10. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

Shaping the future with love Cultural activities in SVG

(Reprinted from April 2017)

Introduction IT WAS ST. CLAIR LEACOCK, the member for Parliament for Central Kingstown, who stated in the 2015 election campaign, that too many young people are following Ralph Gonsalves and the ULP. He further stated that this was a concern to him. Clearly, he was not happy that his political party, the opposition New Democratic Party, was not attracting the attention of the young people of the country.

Although there is no empirical evidence, it is clear that the young people of this country played a critical role in the 2015 general elections. The young people of this country examined what both political parties had to offer, and decided that the ULP, led

by Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, was the best party to govern the country over the next five years.

In fact, the ULP government is rightly seen by the overwhelming majority of young people, that is aged 15 to 35 years, as the most youth focused in the history of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The ULP does not see the young people of the country as “problems”, as described by the opposition NDP. The ULP sees the young people of the country as real flesh and blood humans, possessed of immense strengths and possibilities, which must be developed and harnessed.

with their wings unclipped”, and the ULP is creating the environment for this to happen.

What we have done

It would take considerably more space to detail some of the work of the ULP in advancing the youth agenda of the country. Suffice it to say that the education revolution is the central plank of this strategy. Never before has the country seen such levels of attendance at every level of the education ladder, pre-school, primary, secondary, and tertiary. All this has been supported by the ULP, through the training of teachers, and the provision of quality learning institutions. Many persons do not remember the “one laptop per student initiative” which has opened the eyes of many of our students, and their parents, to the exciting world of the internet.

In terms of work preparation, the Youth Empowerment Service, the YES programme has provided on the job training for over seven thousand participants since 2001, at a cost of some EC$40 million. This is backed up by the Support for Education and Training, the SET programme which offer a similar training for college and Central Objectives university graduates.

All this is supported by a strategy There are three central objectives which enhances access to college and to the youth policy of the ULP university education, through the administration. The first relates to provision of scholarships, grants and the need to empower young persons to financial support through loans for make meaningful contributions to economically disadvantaged students. national development. Secondly, the All these are ground breaking ULP wants to create a deeper strategies, never before seen in the awareness of the policies and history of St. Vincent and the programmes aimed at youth Grenadines. development.

These are the flagship programmes, Thirdly, the ULP wants to foster but there are others. The government among young people, the ideals of has created a programme to assist social harmony, mutual respect, young entrepreneurs with start-up cultural heritage and the importance and expansion capital for ICT based of our Caribbean civilization. businesses, and there are more Education forms the main drive for initiatives in the pipeline. Our young the empowering of young people, to people are owning houses and are contribute to national development. getting involved in land cultivation at Young people are now being educated different levels. It is only the ULP for living and production, based on administration that can provide these their abilities, possibilities and goals. opportunities through our policy of Education and training, including People-Centered Development. technical education, is designed to enhance the capacity of our young Conclusion people, to engage efficaciously the competitive environment nationally, The ULP administration is regionally and globally. sensitive to the concerns of our young And our young people have not people, and is always ready and willing to respond to these concerns in disappointed. The results at the various CAPE and CXC examinations a positive way. The ULP recognizes that our young people are the key to continue to improve at a rapid pace. the further advancement of our At the level of the universities, our country, and so no stone must be left students continue to emerge as unturned, in terms of their training valedictorians, as they dominate in a and development. number of subject areas. Truly, the It is from this sector that our Education Revolution is paying huge future leaders will emerge. This is dividends for our young people, where our doctors, teachers, nurses, although more needs to be done, and technicians, farmers and we must not rest on our laurels. entrepreneurs will emerge. Our young The ULP has also enhanced people are our nation’s treasure and avenues for self-expression and personal development, through sports, they must be treated as such. And that is why the ULP is committed to the arts and culture, religion and general social activities. In short, our their development. They must be at the core of all programmes aimed at young people aspire to becoming the the socio-economic development of St. best they can possibly be. They are Vincent and the Grenadines. being encouraged to “soar like eagles

AS WE CELEBRATE our Nine Mornings activities, we are reminded of the many cultural traditions for which St. Vincent and the Grenadines is famous. These cultural traditions should be encouraged and expanded into marketable products as attractions for visitors and as income generating activities for our citizens. It is obvious that the Unity Labour Party regime does not recognize this, and has failed miserably to effectively package and market our cultural activities. The New Democratic Party (NDP) will develop all aspects of our culture, and produce a well-organized package that is attractive to our citizens and visitors alike.

It is noticeable that when visitors arrive from cruise ships, most wander aimlessly around Kingstown. A few will take a coach tour; but other than that, there are really no other attractions. Some visitors come for a specific event - Carnival, Christmas, Nine Mornings or a yachting regatta.

They need ancillary activities in which they can participate, and local unique products which they can purchase, such as art and crafts, and music can provide entertainment for our visitors.

To successfully promote our cultural traditions, the NDP will take politics out of culture. The best and most innovative Vincentians must be able to participate in the creation of a viable sustainable cultural industry, which can aid our development as a people as well as usefully contribute to our country’s economy. We will revive the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) and make it once more the umbrella body and coordinator of all cultural activities nationally. The NCF, through its work with community based groups and other cultural entities, will be responsible for encouraging the expression of our indigenous culture.

Most importantly, the NDP will build a National Cultural Centre. This Centre will be the hub from which our performing and graphic artists will be encouraged to grow and develop. It will incorporate a well designed, equipped and acoustically sound performing arts facility. It will include a School of Music to accommodate the following demands: music theory and practice, instrumental training and formal voice training. From this nucleus, a National Youth Orchestra will be established.

Our graphic artists will be enabled to showcase their talents in the decoration of the public spaces, as well as in the creation of sets and backdrops for all types of cultural performances. A National Cultural Centre will also provide spaces to house exhibitions of our artists’ work.

In addition, the NDP will: revive our National Music Festival, and revitalize and expand poetry, dance and drama festivals to cater for both youth and adults; encourage dance programmes in schools at the primary and secondary levels; support the efforts of independent teachers of dance and enable our talented dancers to continue to tertiary level and degree level programmes, through the provision of scholarships and bursaries; provide support for cultural programmes at a village level which seek to reinforce our values and our indigenous culture; and revitalize community spirit by reintroducing best village and best school annual competitions. This will again add to the possibility of exposure for our culture practitioners across the country.

The NDP will also support and encourage active participation in our nation’s festivals including gospel, jazz/blues and carnival. Carnival in particular, needs the infusion of new ideas and a revamped marketing

strategy. The management of carnival will be subsumed under the NCF which will function to create an enabling environment for creativity, without tight government censorship and control.

Moreover, we will support the expansion of culinary arts competitions, exhibitions, fairs and training programmes to encourage older community heads to pass on their skills and techniques to a younger generation. Exhibitions and fairs will be linked to cruise ship arrivals and other festivals. In this way, we can expand the range of attractions for visitors while at the same time providing opportunities for income generation locally.

The NDP is also committed to assist and facilitate the reorganization of the Youlou Pan Movement, which could then benefit from the opportunities available under Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), Assistance will also be forthcoming for the Calypso Association with finding a home and a support system for its members, and create an annual calendar of events which will form part of the tourism strategy for marketing to visitors regionally and internationally.

Ministers responsible for Culture, Trade and Tourism will be encouraged to work together with all stakeholders, to ensure that our culture practitioners are able to benefit from the EPA. Trade and tourism expositions will be encouraged to ensure the promotion of our country, its culture and its people, and there will be full support for all initiatives taken to ensure that our artists and performers are properly rewarded for their talents and skills.

To this end, we will enforce existing legislation that protects their interests.

Towards this end and more, an Intellectual Property enforcement branch of the Police Force, with trained police officers, will be commissioned for handling issues related to this field.

Moreover, the NDP will work to implement properly accredited visual arts and design programmes in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the Caribbean Examinations Council and the University of the West Indies, to include a visual arts element in the syllabus for trainee teachers.

Our artistes will be encouraged to expand their skills into technology based fields, such as computer animation, computer games and graphic design.

A Policy Framework and Development Strategy for cultural and creative industry development and provide fiscal incentives to encourage the private sector investment in the music industry, carnival, and in cultural performances, will be at the core of our endeavor in this area of development.

And, not least, legislation to award National Honours will be completed.

The NDP had developed a system of local National Honours, and a Bill, providing for the declaration of National Heroes and the style and designation of the appropriate award, had its first reading in parliament.

The NDP will revisit this legislation to ensure the recognition of exemplary contributions made to the development of our society by its citizens. Undoubtedly, the NDP is committed to the development of culture.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. 11.

Views

For love’s sake

“Only a life given away for love’s sake is worth living.” Carl Frederick Buechner (born 1926) – American writer and theologian.

IT IS OFTEN QUITE AMAZINg and inspirational when we reflect on what individuals do for love’s sake. Some spouses give up their profession and personal dreams to follow the path that their partner has chosen. They may sacrifice their time, money, and professions “for the better good” as perceived by their partners. This may mean uprooting from their regular place of abode in the interest of what is considered to be the best for the family.

Many parents, especially single mothers, make tremendous personal sacrifice for their children’s sake. They are prepared to survive on relatively little so that their children would have enough to go to school and/or attain a tertiary level education. They will do whatever it takes for love’s sake.

My first encounter with this week’s introductory quotation immediately conjured up thoughts about two individuals. The first was our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He came to earth, born of the virgin Mary, suffered, and died for our sake; for love’s sake. In the gospel of John we read, “For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The second individual that comes to mind is a missionary called Jim Elliot. Philip James Elliot (1927-1956) was an evangelical Christian who was one of five missionaries killed in Ecuador by the members of the Huaorani people that he had gone to evangelize. These dedicated Christians were prepared to die for love’s sake — the love of their Lord and Saviour and the love of mankind.

The New Testament books of Matthew and Luke provide vivid and detailed descriptions of the historic events surrounding that very first Christmas — the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He left His home in glory to be born of the virgin Mary, to suffer, and to die for mankind. He did it for love’s sake.

He paid a price that we could never dream of paying. He made the ultimate sacrifice to die on a cruel cross so that you and I could gain eternal life. This is why He came. He did it for love’s sake. We therefore readily understand and appreciate why Christians, the followers of Christ, celebrate the Christmas and Easter Seasons with such passion.

We are forever grateful that He came.

Jim Elliot was an outstanding Christian gentleman. He had a passion for spreading the good news that Jesus Christ came to demonstrate His love for mankind. It was this passion, this strong drive, that encouraged him to become a missionary; leaving the comfort and security of his home in the United States of America to share this gospel, this good news, with the tribes located in the forested areas of Ecuador in the early 1950s. He accepted the challenge to go into all the world and proclaim the good news that Jesus came to die for all mankind. It was so very tragic that the same persons that

he went to share this gospel with eventually killed him. However, his legacy still stands strong. We continue to be inspired by many of his quotations. My favourite Jim Elliot quotation is, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” It is such a powerful reminder that when we give of ourselves (our time, talents, and treasure) for the gospel’s sake it pays great dividends in this world and in the world to come. There is wisdom in giving for love’s sake.

As the Christmas season quickly approaches, there will be multiple opportunities for each of us to give for love’s sake. Christmas is traditionally a time for merriment and giving.

Much thought is often given in relation to the gifts that we give to family members, co-workers, neighbours, friends, and so on. These gifts do not necessarily have to be considered expensive. They can be “simple gifts” that convey how much we care. Gifts that we give … for love’s sake.

The wise men who visited the Baby Jesus carried three gifts — gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These were gifts that had very special meaning.

The gold, a highly sought-after precious metal, represented the highest prestige, purity, and longevity. The frankincense, one of the fragrances to make holy incense, is said to have represented the way Jesus lived His holy life and, in particular, His ministry to mankind.

The myrrh, a highly fragrant spice, was used as medicine, perfume, and a preservative, and is said to have signified His anointing by God to do the outstanding works that He did while on earth. All of these gifts had special meaning.

This Christmas, we are challenged to let our gifts reflect God’s love and His grace. There will be many opportunities for us to give of ourselves … for love’s sake. Each of us will have opportunities to give to the unloved and the unlovely … not only to friends and family. We can help to mend broken hearts and, in so doing, find a special joy emanating from within us this Christmas. Gifts of forgiveness, appreciation, encouragement, love, joy, peace, contentment, and so on, will be considered priceless this year. Each of us will come across persons who are hurting and burdened with a feeling of abandonment and rejection. We can provide many of these broken individuals with a place of refuge, comfort, and forgiveness in the Jesus Christ of Christmas. We will all have wonderful opportunities to demonstrate his love and kindness to those around us — including those who are not like us. The recipients will find these gifts life changing and life lasting when they realise that we have given them for love’s sake.

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

The future of journalism ‘Journalism is news someone, somewhere does not want published.

Everything else is advertising.’

Alfred Harmsworth, British Newspaper and Publishing magnate.

HARMSWORTH’S VIEW, expressed more than 100 years ago, holds true now more than ever. Power likes darkness, and the role of the journalist is to shine a light into the corridors of power so that blame can be justly accorded and shame can be forced to mushroom like a mighty foam. The journalist’s role is not to celebrate the powerful, although he has a responsibility to give unto the powers that be what it justly deserves.

Fundamentally, the journalist will only be successful if she sees herself as a truth teller, sense maker and explainer. With the advent of social media and the cellular phone, literally every citizen is armed with the power to be a journalist. As we have seen, a photo of police brutality or the dreadful conditions of a public facility can result in a conviction or remedial action. Most of us have the tools to be a photo journalist or a whistle blower.

All we need now is the moral courage to act when we see wrongdoing.

The professional journalist is tasked with even greater responsibility because the internet is fundamentally redrawing our relationship with our audience: how we think about our readers, our perception of our role in society, our status.

We are no longer the all-seeing, allknowing journalists, delivering words from on high for readers to take in. In the era of the newspaper, there were few writers and many readers. Now, it can be hard to tell the difference.

Those who yesterday were essentially the audience don’t just sit there anymore. If the journalist, public relations or communications specialist don’t listen to, work with, work for, give them what they want and need, they have plenty of other places to go.

The open web makes it possible to interact with this audience like never before, and collaborate with them to discover, distribute and discuss stories in an array of new ways. Readers need to feel that they can trust the journalist with the knowledge that he will be transparent and not attempt to sugar coat or hide vital information.

As a writer, I go with my instinct. I try to write what I know is the verifiable fact. And I believe this is why people have been attracted to my voice on radio or to my column over these last 20 years. I have tried to listen to people and be guided by what they think or are concerned about, but I avoid what is called ‘traffic whoring’.

I will never write a story simply to bring attention. Before social media, you wrote a story and kissed it goodbye. You had little or no way to measure its impact. You simply developed a nose for a story and ran with it.

Some journalists try hard to present themselves as neutrally as possible. Others claim they are neutral while bias drips off every piece they write. I have tried to always declare the political perspective in a transparent way.

There needs to be greater solidarity among journalists rather, than the squabbles we see and hear about every day in SVG. The main reason for this call for unity is because there are very real threats to journalism that make these

squabbles look petty. As one journalist said, this amounts to ‘two bald men fighting over a comb.’ In this era, governments are continually try to pull a fast one over citizens, most political parties confuse and conflate the nation’s interest with the party’s interest, and other powerful elites, whether in business, religion or the professions, want to keep the light of transparency from ever beaming in their dark box.

There is crisis of trust in the media. A 2013 global measure, put media as only just ahead of banks and financial services in terms of public trust. These crucial times place a greater demand on the journalist.

These times call for self-examination that happens in a time of crisis. I am in agreement with Margaret Sullivan of the New York Times when she says that “a real journalist is one who understands, at a cellular level, and doesn’t shy away from the adversarial relationship between government and press”.

I am attracted to this definition because it’s about a state of mind.

Journalists need to be on the outside of all kinds of power - political, institutional, corporate. The role of the journalist is to find things out which otherwise wouldn’t be known.

A few weeks ago, I said leadership is not a position, it is a behaviour. The model holds true for journalism. The true journalist must see what he does as behaviour: journalism as something you do, not something you are. Journalists must refrain from the business of manufacturing content.

That role must be left to the public relations and communications specialist. The journalist’s only role, aim or goal must be to help to ensure that the public is informed.

Now and for the foreseeable future media houses need a cadre of full-time workers who report the things that someone somewhere doesn’t want reported, and who do it in a way that does not just make information available, but frames that information so that it reaches and affects the public.

We need journalists with the discipline, commitment and foresight: to nurture a source over many months so he can bring you their story; with the ability to spot a story, to sense when something is not right, or something is being hidden; to ask uncomfortable questions so as to get the important bits of information from a witness; to know how to talk on the phone, where to find a certain public record or piece of data; to know what you’re looking for; to know when to challenge a CEO, or read between the lines of what they are saying; to have the discipline to challenge a politician you might otherwise agree with; to know when to go with a story, and when to wait; and to be brave enough to resist pressure from others, whether from the police, the politicians, or journalists.

These are the demands of our times. I trust that media workers in SVG will take up this challenge. I know I am ready.

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

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12. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

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Super-rich migrants in Mustique & Canouan must pay back tax avoided

IN DECEMBER 2017, the IT company, Apple, agreed to pay Ireland back nearly $15bn in unpaid taxes. Apple CEO Tim Cook has talked about the need for companies to have a social conscience.

The super-rich migrants in Mustique and Canouan have enjoyed tax and customs duties exemptions for decades; they should pay back the billions of tax they have avoided paying.

It’s a shame these super-rich migrants have no social conscience and continue to avoid paying tax.

Apple has used Ireland through which to filter its European profits, thereby avoiding heavier US and European tax rates. The European Commission (EC) got curious about such tax avoidance, and ruled in August 2016, that Apple effectively had state aid, in that, it was paying less tax than other businesses.

The EC ruled such actions were illegal state aid.

The Mustique Act no. 48 of 2002 gives the super-rich migrants in Mustique and Canouan tax and customs duties exemptions. This, in effect, is state aid from the ULP government, as the super-rich migrants in Mustique and Canouan are paying less tax than other

businesses in SVG. As such, they gain an unfair advantage over local, Vincentianowned businesses who have to pay tax.

Hotels and apartments owned by Vincentians cannot compete with the hotels and apartments owned by the super-rich migrants in Mustique and Canouan, who, in the scheme of things, have lower overheads.

This is grossly unfair. These superrich are leeches on our economy and society.

The EC demanded Apple pay back the tax it had managed to bypass. It is only right that the parasitic, superrich migrants in Mustique and Canouan pay back the billions in tax they have managed to bypass over the decades.

The $15bn billion which Apple paid Ireland, covered the period 2003 to 2014 when Apple, which has its European, Middle East, and Africa HQ in Cork, southern Ireland, paid Ireland 0.005 percent corporate tax, instead of the country’s normal 12.5 percent rate, in a sweetheart deal called a “tax ruling”.

The super-rich migrants have been avoiding paying tax since about 1989.

They are certainly no ‘sweethearts’ to the people of SVG and must pay back.

Like Apple, the tax was avoided.

The super-rich migrants in Mustique and Canouan have been given blanket tax and customs duty exemptions for life. They are riding on the backs of the black population in SVG, and no doubt enjoy watching poor Vincentians suffer, so that they can bring out the Mustique Charity to look like good and decent people, who are helping our people. This is disgusting!

Irish finance minister Paschal Donohoe says, “Ireland has and will play its role in what’s needed to deal with the issue of aggressive tax avoidance… and companies should pay their fair share”.

Dear super-rich migrants in Mustique and Canouan: ‘pay your fair share’ or pack your bags and go back to where you come from.

There is extreme economic

inequality in SVG, fuelled by the tax evasion and avoidance of super-rich migrants in Mustique and Canouan. It is a plague on our country and caused tens of thousands of people throughout SVG to live in poverty and deprived the poor of vital education and health services.

The tax avoided by the super-rich migrants in Mustique and Canouan is more than enough money to provide the vital medical facilities needed to prevent the premature deaths of mothers, babies and children in SVG. SVG Green Party www.svggreenparty.org

A crippling legacy indeed OVER THE LAST several years, there have been some happenings in our beautiful but unfortunate country, which we, if we were conscientious and maturely responsible citizens, ought to have addressed with a degree of firmness, if we desired to be faithful to our responsibility to so manage our patrimony, that we pass on to the next generations a land with a sufficiency of resources, to give them a reasonable chance of prospering.

But we cannot truly say that we have in the main measured up to the challenge. Almost all of us have fallen well short of the standard and (are) guilty of having been indifferent, even when it was evident to us that things were not going the way that would produce the environment, which would have contributed to the prosperity and peace of our people.

It should never be forgotten that we are an agricultural community, made up primarily of the progeny of slaves who were used to produce crops for the European colonizers. When the colonizers withdrew, they compensated the estate owners for their loss of business brought about because of the order of

Emancipation. What allowed the former slaves to survive was access to the land. The terrain was rough, but the soil was fertile.

While one could empathize with our leaders of the fifties and sixties for falling to the inducement of a tourism thrust, in which expatriates were offered very generous terms for the development of their resorts which held promise of providing jobs for the people, it is inexcusable for Vincentians today to allow their elected leaders to be selling off, and giving away the rights to the lands which the next generations will need for their own development.

Have we no faith in the capacity of our own people? Can we not envision that in twenty or thirty years’ time, the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines will have the capacity to develop the land in a manner which will bring more benefit to our people than is the case today?

There are many Vincentians yet alive, who will remember that on the site of the now “de-commissioned” E.T. Joshua Airport, there used to be a horse-racing track and cricket field on the eastern end. When

one walked from Kingstown to Arnos Vale and arrived at Casson Corner and looked down on the valley (the Vale), there were hardly twenty houses to be seen. Look at the area now!

Properties developed by our own people, as has been the case of the area of Ratho Mill, Brighton, Prospect and the surrounding communities. Those investments are worth several billion dollars, and importantly, they will be inhabited by the progeny of Vincentians who developed them.

When recently there was that fiasco in Canouan which Commander David Robin was sent to quell, I was quite surprised to learn that our government intended, planned for, the development of Canouan after the model of Mustique. That was a shocker to me! I could not believe that that arrangement could be entertained in the 21st century in the Caribbean.

All those who are guilty of perpetrating such an injustice on the people, should hastily exert themselves to make amends to address this dishonourable legacy.

Time is running out!

LeRoy Providence

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. 13.

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14. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Venezuela Embassy hosts a December event DECEMBER holds much significance to the people of Venezuela, and in keeping with this, the Venezuelan Embassy here hosted a ceremony dubbed ‘Bolivarian December’, last Wednesday, December 13.

According to His Excellency Yuri Pimentel, Ambassador His Excellency Yuri Pimentel, Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, explained the significance of December to the people of Venezuela.

The Resistant Heart Beat Drummers brought a touch of Vincentian creativity to the occasion.

of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, there are three dates in December that stand out in the history and lives of Venezuela: December 17, 1830 — the death of Simon Bolivar, the Liberator of South America; December 8, 2012 - the last public message from Hugo Chavez, the leader of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; and December 14, 2014 - the creation of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our America (ALBA).

Ambassador Pimentel paid homage to Bolivar as “the main visionary of the emancipation of the South American peoples.”

Commander Hugo Chavez, he said, kept the Bolivarian torch ablaze, and his creation of Alba is regarded as maintaining the “principles of solidarity, complementarity, justice and cooperation of the peoples of Our America.”

In reference, it appeared. to the current situation in Venezuela, the Ambassador recalled that it was President Chavez who, on December 8, 2012, warned, “There will be no shortage of those who try to take advantage of difficult situations to maintain this commitment to the

restoration of capitalism, of neoliberalism to end the Homeland.”

On hand at the ceremony to show solidarity with the Venezuelan effort was Cuba’s Ambassador to St. Vincent and the Grenadines Her Excellency Vilma Reyes Valdespino.

A fair-sized gathering at for the ceremony was enthralled by the pulsating sounds of the Resistant Heart Beat Drummers. The sixmember cultural outfit was joined by Ambassador Pi Pimentel in one of their renditions.

ECGC ‘creating a legacy’ FOUR Vincentian students are moving ahead with their academic pursuits, with assistance from the Eastern Caribbean Group of Companies Foundation Inc. LaToya Browne, Tacklan Fergus, Cyrita Harry, and Idanesha McDowald received bursaries at a ceremony staged at the University of the West Indies Open Tacklan Campus, at their Fergus temporary base at Frenches, last week Thursday.

Browne, from the North Leeward village of Coulls Hill, is doing a BSc Youth Development Work programme.

Fergus is completing a BEd in Early Childhood Development and Families Studies. She La Toya is from capital Browne

Kingstown.

Harry is from the Mesopotamia Valley and is pursuing a BSc in Cyrita Management Idanesha McDonald Harry Studies (Marketing).

McDowald represents the North Central Windward district of Georgetown and is moving towards a BSc in Accounting.

Phyllis James, Human Resources Manager at ECGC, addressed the gathering. She was deputising for her Chief Executive Officer Osmond Davy, whom she credited for creation of the Foundation.

She referred to the bursaries as “another investment in the human resources of our country,” and described the ECGC Foundation’s intent as one of “creating a legacy.”

This is the third batch of students who have benefited from assistance from the ECGC Foundation, since 2015. (WKA)

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. 15.

Grenadines News

New pedestrian trail opened in Bequia A NEW 385-foot pedestrian trail was opened in Bequia last Tuesday, December 12.

The trail goes around the Point between Plantation and Princess Margaret Beaches. This structure replaces a previous trail that was severely damaged by massive surges that resulted from Hurricane Mathew in 2016.

Funding for the project was facilitated by a joint effort involving Bequia Beach Hotel and the NGO Action Bequia.

The structure consists of a 100-foot concrete promontory from Princess Margaret Beach and a 285-foot overwater section, which was designed and built by in-water structures specialist, Sea Operations SVG Limited.

The design concept, according to those responsible for the project, focused on withstanding the extreme storms that nature periodically throws at our islands. Some fifteen in-water concrete piers firmly secured to the sea bed are designed and built to offer minimum resistance to surges. Sixteen

elevated timber “bridges” span these piers to the landside promontories at each end of the inwater section.

The project commenced at the end of September with a targeted December 15 completion date.

Project Manager for Action Bequia, Michael Connell commented: “The team at Sea Ops has been phenomenal. From Chief Executive ‘Sardo’ Sutherland, the onsite managers… to the team leaders … they have all worked exceptionally hard. …. They finished ahead of schedule and with no compromise on the quality of their workmanship”.

David Harper, Action Bequia’s CEO, added “We also owe many thanks to those who provided vital funding.

Bequia Beach Hotel and Grenadines Partnership Fund were the biggest financial supporters, but many others

The newly restored and strengthened pedestrian walkway linking the Belmont Walkway to Princess Margaret Beach. provided critical contributions, and all these supporters are recognised on our website, www.actionbequia.org”.

The latest undertaking is another accomplishment for Bequia Action which, in 2012/13, funded and managed the repair of the Belmont Walkway and between 2013 — 2016, the restoration of a coastal trail and walkway that enabled unbroken pedestrian access from Port Elizabeth to Lower Bay.

Action Bequia has also completed a Harbour beautification project, organised mosquito eradication clean ups, and started a recycling programme which, amongst other achievements, sent 60,000 plastic bottles for recycling in the last nine months. In addition, they provide ongoing support for more than fifty community initiatives led and organised by other Bequia groups. (Source: Bequia Action)

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Osmond Davy – Chief Executive Officer O SMOND DAVY boasts that whoever succeeds him at the helm of the Eastern Caribbean Group of Companies (ECGC), would have a smooth transition with no problems.

And this, he said, is due in no small measure to members of staff here

and at the rice mill in Guyana.

Davy, the company’s ECGC’s current Chief Executive Officer, joined the staff some 30 years ago as the Chief Accountant and Management Systems Director.

Following on the

acquisition of the rice mill in Guyana, he was assigned there, initially for three years, as General Manager.

Those three years turned into fifteen, he remarked.

But from his vantage point, he has witnessed the mushrooming of the

Kenneth Crozier – Senior Millwright AS ONE OF THE SENIOR MEMBERS in the maintenance department, Kenneth Crozier says that he is proud of the fact that he was a part of the team that has assisted ECGC in becoming what it is today.

Crozier has been around with the company since the inception 40 years ago.

He began his working life at VINLEC and was offered the opportunity to move to the Eastern Caribbean Flour Mills by the then manager of the ECFM Ormiston ‘Ken’ Boyea.

“When I came on board, I met two Germans, who were instrumental in getting the mill set up,” Crozier recalled.

His background included training in machines: “So I was able to fit in whatever.”

He worked in the mill for a year and was given the opportunity to become a miller, completing the

required training within months.

And when the company expanded into Guyana, he was part of the team to get that mill operational.

Upon his return, he was assigned to Montserrat where he worked on setting up a mill in that country, that is until the volcano forced operations to cease.

Before long, Crozier said that he was promoted to a supervisory position and was put in charge of the technical installation and modification of the mill here in St Vincent.

His responsibilities, among others, is to make routine checks on the operations of the mill in Guyana.

He credits Boyea, however, for his vision, saying that he has left a legacy at the facility.

Looking back, Crozier said that that hard work has paid off.

“It’s a good feeling to know that I was a part of everything….it’s like I own a part of the company, and it feels good to know that you are leaving behind a wealth of knowledge,” he said.

Elvis De Riggs – Chief Operating Officer THE FOCUS has always been on quality throughout the years.

And Elvis DeRiggs, Chief Operating Officer at the Eastern Caribbean Group of Companies (ECGC), stressed the importance of striving for excellence, pointing to the company’s tag line: ‘Excellence through teamwork’.

The company has transitioned over the years, he explained, keeping to a core group of products, beginning with flour on December 11, 1977 and moving into animal feed and rice production, the latter extending to the acquisition of a farm in Guyana.

More recently, the company began producing the local beverage ‘Ju-C’ taking over from where Bottlers (St. Vincent) Ltd. left off.

And through it all, ECGC has strived to maintain that excellence.

“In terms of success, our tag line is ‘Excellence through team work’, and the team work is from the supplier and the chain from production to distribution, then to distributors across the region, then on to the homes of many persons across the Eastern Caribbean,” he said.

“We have stayed true to quality and producing a quality product,” DeRiggs continued.

Coupled with expanding production and maintaining quality, thecompany has complied with work, health and safety standards.

Continued on Page 20.

company which started as a flour mill 40 years ago.

“It became among the first in the region to take advantage of the benefits of free movement within CARICOM,” Davy said, adding that the company has accomplished a lot over the years — something for which he credits former General Manager Ormiston ‘Ken’ Boyea.

“He (Boyea) needs to be given credit for what he had done and where he had taken the company that has allowed us to build on,” Davy said.

The CEO also highlighted the contribution of his predecessor, Dr. Jules Ferdinand, in continuance of the

pursuits of the company.

Because of their unstinting dedication, Davy said that the company has been recognized as one of the flagship companies in the region, and although it is not global, it has established links in Europe, the United States and Canada, Davy said.

Davy, the company’s third CEO, emphasized the company’s tagline which focuses on excellence and quality, and on producing a quality product.

But in order to produce a quality product, he posited, the company needs a quality staff.

“They exhibit a passion for what they do … they are high on

integrity… they can all say that they have put their best foot forward,” the CEO said of the staff.

He took the opportunity to thank all members of staff, both past and present, and assured that “there is a good team at ECGC.”

20. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Danroy Spence – Senior Mechanic ANROY SPENCE remembers the day he began working at the Eastern Caribbean Group of Companies (ECGC) back in 1977.

“It was on a Thursday when I came here. They had already started putting up the equipment,” Spence, Senior Mechanic in the Maintenance Department of ECGC recounted.

Spence is one of the few employees still around today, 40 years after the plant began production.

He came to East Caribbean Flour Mill (ECFM) as it was known then, with experience in mechanical engineering, having done a brief stint with the state-owned electric company.

The transitioning process was easy, Spence recalled. His new responsibilities were a little more technical, but his experience ensured that he was ready to take on any task he was asked to perform.

He was around long enough to witness the expansion of the company, moving from flour production to

D

animal feed and rice production.

His job requires that he ensures the setting up and proper running of the equipment needed for production in all areas.

With years comes experience, and Spence can now boast that he is one of the few staff members who know a little about all the machines — from generators to roller mills.

Looking back, Spence said that he has enjoyed his 40 years at ECGC and is proud of what the company has achieved over the years.

“It’s a nice company with a lot of benefits for the employees,” he said.

And even after 40 years, Spence said that he still enjoys what he does, and is hoping that by the Grace of God, he can give a few more years of his service to the company.

Harold Allen – Assistant Senior Miller HAROLD ALLEN joined the staff at the then Eastern Caribbean Flour Mills (ECFM) shortly after leaving school, on November 13, 1978 — almost one year after the plant had commenced operations.

He started off as a storekeeper, and shortly thereafter moved up the ranks to where he currently is today Assistant Senior Miller.

He recalls his training as a pallet mill operator under the guidance of some expatriates from Canada.

He would then be transferred to the warehouse, taking on the position of Warehouse Supervisor.

His knowledge and working experience, coupled with him being given the task of training new employees, propelled him into a a supervisory position.

“So that caused me to be where I am today, because of the experience,” he said.

Looking back at his 39 years with ECGC, Allen said that he has no regrets.

Since joining the team, he has had “a lot of training” and is now fully certified in some areas, particularly milling.

“So I’ve learnt a lot of things, technical things.”

Knowledge of the milling industry was not the only skill Allen said he has acquired since working with ECGC. resolution, applying that He boasted that he skill both on the job and has become almost an in his personal life. expert in conflict

Elvis De Riggs – Chief Operating Officer Continued from Page 19.

According to DeRiggs, the Guyana plant — where he spends a lot of his time — has been International Organisation for Standardisation (IOS) certified.

Currently the local plant is in its final stages in implementing health and safety regulations for its employees and midway in being HASAP certified.

So the watchword is quality, and that has been something that has been maintained through the years, with De Riggs commending the staff for their role in this regard, describing them as a “quality staff.”

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ECGC turns 40: Time for giving thanks

course.

Guyana.

Three employees were “It is ranked among awarded for their years the most successful in of service, and will soon the region and the largest company in the OECS; better yet it is the flagship company of the OECS,” De Freitas said.

She showered gratitude on the employees, past and present, who, she said, continue to produce a quality product, and recognized the shareholders, who were charged with making the ‘tough’ decisions and for ensuring that the company continues to perform well.

Awardees

Board of Directors of ECGC - Audrey De Freitas who addressed the gathering both as chairperson and daughter of the man — Sir Philip Veira - who had the vision to join in establishing a flour mill in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“When my father commenced discussions about starting a flour Audrey De Freitas, mill, he was Chairperson of the Board of bombarded with Directors of ECGC, negativity and addressing the doubt, but he was never one to give commemoration/awards up. ceremony to mark the 40th “He persevered anniversary of the company. and then went ahead, registered EMBERS OF STAFF, the company and began well-wishers and the purchase of former employees equipment,” she said. joined in on Monday, They sat idle, until December 11, to another businessman got commemorate the 40th involved, and the anniversary of the establishment of what has company took root, De Freitas said. evolved over the years to The early operations become Eastern Caribbean produced what came to Group of Companies be known as ‘Cream of (ECGC). the Island’ flour, which The activity, held at was made available for the ECGC compound at Campden Park, took the sale around the nation.

From producing flour, form of a thanksgiving the company expanded service and awards ceremony, during which into other areas and became the East a number of employees Caribbean Croup of were honoured for their Companies, comprised of years of service to the a number of subsidiaries company.

Present at the service and boasting over 300 employees, here and was Chairperson of the

M

A number of awards were distributed. Under the years of service category, Cynthia Charles was recognized for her 10-year contribution thus far; Kenny Williams and Bastaan Gill were both awarded for 20 years; Alden Jacobs, Jeffrey Pompey, Randolph Guy, Ray-Anthony Williams and the company’s current Chief Executive Officer, Osmond Davy received awards for their 30 years of service.

Danroy Spence and Kenneth Crozier were both recognized for their 40 years of service, both coming on board from the company’s inception.

‘Education’ awards were distributed to Lanel Black, Delwirth Yearwood, Marrison Matthews, Brionne Campbell and Ruel Williams, both certified as flour millers under the NABIM Flour Milling Course.

Charmaine Charles and Lanel Black received recognition for completing an AIB Science of Baking Course and AIB/HACCP Online Bread Troubleshooting.

Clemesha Caine was recognized for completing an F1 Course in ACCA and Ginel Cudjoe for becoming a Certified Accounting Technician; Andre Davy was recognized for competing the CompTIA Security

be retiring. Among those individuals were Vern Kirby, Victor McLean and Lennox Campbell,

all three expecting to retire soon, were also awarded for their years of service. (DD)

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24. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Advice

Dear George, BELIEVE ME when I tell you that I am very close to spending my Xmas in jail. I am a very patient man but I think this time my patience has run out.

My girlfriend has always given me an early Xmas gift as my work demands that I am hardly in the country. I am about to leave and have not seen any signs of her giving me anything. It is not that I am waiting on her for anything, but seeing that it has become a tradition between us, I am looking forward to it.

As fate would have it, I received a text message from her which I believed was sent to me in error.

It stated how she was looking forward to spending Xmas with “you” and “not to worry,” “this time around it will be better than ever.”

When I read that text, my blood went cold. I immediately saw myself sitting in jail.

I have cancelled my trip; I will be here in the country for Xmas, but she will never know of this. Little does she

Thinking of doing her harm know that she is in for an Xmas she never anticipated.

How could this woman do this to me, after being together for 11 years? Right now, I am just waiting to give her the surprise of her life.

Angry Birdie Dear Angry Birdie, Whatever you are

thinking of doing to this woman, will not solve the problem that you have highlighted.

That text you received in error was a blessing in disguise. It made you wiser; you no longer have to waste time waiting around and investing in a relationship that is going nowhere.

Use this information to reset your plans and

future. Let her know what you know, and advise her that you are moving on. The thought of losing a good man for what could turn out to be straws, could be haunting for her. Take the high road and leave her to her own deceitfulness. You will be a better man for it.

George

Talk of poison and more one who does the cooking. My question to A GIRLFRIEND of mine you George is: Should I continue to eat from him, told me that my and how do I know my boyfriend is putting girlfriend is telling me “something” in my food the truth? Could it be every day to slowly poison me, so he and she that she only wants to cause problems between can be together. She confessed that she was to us so she can just have him? tell me before, but she I did notice that they did not believe him until got along well with each recently. other, but I never I live with my thought anything of it boyfriend, and he is the until she came to me

Dear George,

with this story. I am very worried but do not know what to do about it.

Scared Dear Scared, Yes, this could be a case where this girlfriend could be seeking an opening to move in on your relationship.

Take what she has told you seriously and do what you have to do to safeguard yourself. Have a talk with your family doctor about the situation, and get medical advice regarding doing the necessary blood work to eliminate any irregularities. Following this, let your girlfriend know that you intend to discuss the information she has given you with your fiancé, and closely observe and be guided by her reactions.

Having done all of that, keep your relationship eyes wide open to see what your boyfriend may not be aware he is showing you.

George

An uncaring father Dear George, SOME MEN just do not have any conscience. This man I am with and for whom I have two children, has decided to move in next door with another woman, and is telling his children that they should leave my house and come live with him. The children did not do as he asked, and he has cut them off completely — not even a dollar for school.

To add insult to injury, the woman he moved in with is now pregnant for him, and he is buying her all kinds of niceties, leaving me to scrape and scramble to support his children. As it is, I cannot go out to do any work, as my children are too young to be left alone. There are days we do not have much to eat, but I am not going to beg him because that is what he wants. I have too much pride for that. He will get what is coming to him, all in due time.

Too much pain Dear Too much pain, It is puzzling and difficult to figure out what would drive a man to do what you have reported. There is no way you can be blamed for the actions of another, and in this case, you have to focus on responding to the situation in a way that would not expose your children to further emotional trauma.

You may need help in figuring out how to respond to their (children’s) questions and concerns, and for this I advise that you contact The Marion House in the first instance, as they do provide parenting skills for those who need it.

This man in question has a legal responsibility to provide for his children, and you have the recourse of putting the matter to the Family Court. In the meantime, avoid being sucked into any physical altercations or public verbal exchange. This will be playing into his hands and giving him reasons to find justifications for his boyish actions.

George

Leisure

ARIES (Mar. 21‐ April 20) Enlist the aid of family members and consider the feelings of your mate. You can help a close friend find solutions to personal prob‐ lems. You may have been too agreeable to someone who just wanted to use you.

Emotional situations could bring out your stubborn nature.

TAURUS (Apr. 21‐ May 21) Don't invest too much of your own money.

Favors will be offered readily. You may want to talk to your boss about your future goals.

Be careful not to show your temper when dealing with the boss.

GEMINI (May 22‐June 21) Put financial speculation with family mem‐ bers or friends on the back burner for now.

Some of that extra energy you have stored up might just be put to good use. You will find that money could slip through your fingers.

You will be full of good ideas, and your choice of activities may bring you enrichment far beyond your expectations.

CANCER (June 22‐July 22) You should get out and meet new people this week. Property deals will pay big dividends.

You can make money if you are wise in your choices. Traffic will be busier than you antici‐ pated, so try to get a head start if you have made plans to travel.

LEO (July 23‐Aug 22) You could be your own worst enemy if you overreact to something you're told. This is a great day to mingle with people you would like to impress. If you have treated them equi‐ tably, you might be able to count on their loy‐ alty. You may have ignored or neglected your mate lately.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 ‐Sept. 23) Put your efforts into physical fitness programs or competitive sports. You need a day to rest and relax with the ones you love. Don't even bother trying to get their approval on the things you want to do. Make sure that you get legal matters checked out thoroughly.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 ‐Oct. 23) Be sure to double‐check the house on your way out. Older family members may take advantage of you by making you feel guilty.

Lowered vitality could affect your work. You can find out important information if you lis‐ ten to friends and relatives.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 ‐ Nov. 22) Jealous colleagues may try to undermine you.

If they don't like the plan, suggest that they con tribute a little. You need to do something energetic and different. You are best to be accommodating for the time being. Sudden romantic infatuations won't be lasting.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 ‐Dec. 21) Be aware that joint financial ventures could fall apart. Feeling under the weather may be a result of overindulgence. Do not sign contracts or get involved in any uncertain financial deals. Your bankbook will suffer and your restrictions will put a damper on your relation‐ ship.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.‐ Jan. 20) Travel will be good if you are seeking knowl‐ edge. Rewards for past good deeds will be yours. Mingle with those who can help you get ahead. You may find that children are not as accepting as you have been.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.‐ Feb. 19) Your mate could get on your nerves if he or she backs you into an emotional comer or puts restrictions on your time. Children will be of major concern if you haven't kept the lines of communication open. Your emotions are soaring and if you don't get your way, look out world. Those you live with may be experienc‐ ing problems.

PISCES (Feb. 20‐Mar. 20) Travel and entertainment will be pleasurable.

Plan to do things with your faithful pet or with youngsters who have interesting hobbies. Take time to make physical improvements that will enhance your appearance. There could be opposition or temper tantrums on the home front.

ACROSS 1.Thick slice 5. Clublike weapon 9. Cut down grass 12. River in central Switzerland 13. Egg‐shape 14. Very skilled person 15. Colored 16. Cupola 17. Affirmative reply 18. Once more 20. Clique 22. Offhand 25. Be present at 26. Sun‐dried brick 27. Undergo lysis 28. A person 29. Perceive with the eyes 30. Atomic mass unit 33. Japanese wooden clog 35. Abode of the dead 37. Boring 40. Walk with short steps 41. Cuban dance 42. Great age 43. Before 44. Securely confined 46. Exclamations of Surprise 50. Needlefish 51. Mild oath 52. Snare 53. Wily 54. Small boad 55. TV award DOWN 1. Sorrowful 2. Put Down 3. Part of verb to be 4. Ornament gaudily 5. Standard for

Comparison 6. Acknowledge 7. Eccentric shaft 8. Chooses 9. Perhaps 10. Body of salt water 11. Uncultivated country 19. Not 21. Consumed 22. Taxicab 23. Fuss 24. Turf 25. Affirmative vote 27. Meadow 29. Pigpen 30. Find the sum of 31. Honey 32. Exploit 33. Chatter 34. Rubbed out

35. Monetary unit of Vietnam 36. Congenitally attached 37. Sediment 38. Rustic 39. Very hard mineral

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. 25.

40. Abounding in weeds 42. From a distance 45. Gone by 47. Upper limb 48. Thigh 49. Engage in espionage

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26. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Business

Increase funding for infrastructure and disaster management

BILATERAL DONORS have been urged to reconsider the size of their current aid programmes to the region with a particular focus on infrastructure support and

enhancement, Hon. Audley Shaw, Minister of Finance and Planning has said.

Addressing the Caribbean Infrastructure Forum at the Hilton Rose

Hall, Montego Bay today (Dec. 11, 2017), Minister Shaw said that the recent hurricanes, Irma and Maria, had “reminded the world of the extreme

vulnerability of the Caribbean to exogenous shocks.”

However, he said , “current multilateral financing and support

exclude some Caribbean countries from access to development financing by using limited criteria based on per capita income and failing to take into account, extreme vulnerabilities”.

“The vulnerability of the Caribbean is now indisputable and we need to seek affordable infrastructure financing solutions”, Minister Shaw told participants of the two-day forum being hosted by IJ Global and New Energy Events and sponsored by CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank and KPMG. He said that “these unprecedented natural disasters require extraordinary and equally unprecedented responses from the combined resources of the multilateral development partners and I have urged these institutions to use the devastation of the 2017 hurricanes as an opportunity to reconsider their policy stance in the advancing of funding to economies rebounding from the effects of natural disasters.”

Minister Shaw said that the Government of Jamaica was acutely aware that infrastructure development is critical for providing people with access to such basic needs as electricity, water, improved living condition thereby reducing poverty and supporting economic growth.

He pointed to programmes being implemented by the Government and partners including in agriculture with the installation of harvesting systems under the Climate Change Adaptation programme and upgrading of irrigation infrastructure, the provision of budgetary support and parametric insurance through the CCRIF. In tourism, Minister Shaw said that the Government is focused on providing quality infrastructure to support hotels already in operation and those projected for the next five years. In energy,

Hon. Audley Shaw (r) Minister of Finance and Planning, Jamaica, greets Hon. David Burt, Premier and Minister of Finance, Bermuda; Hon Sharlene CartwrightRobinson (2nd right) , Premier, Turks and Caicos Islands and Nigel Holness, Managing Director, CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank, at the Caribbean Infrastructure Forum. he said “Jamaica is pursuing an alternative energy policy to reduce energy costs, develop additional generating capacity and invest in renewable alternative resources.”

In the meanwhile, Nigel Holness, Managing Director of CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank said that “cooperation between private sector, public sector and the financial services sector is critical to raising the quality of infrastructure the region”.

Noting that “many people in the Caribbean still do not have access to basic infrastructural services like water, sanitation, transportation and modern energy services”, Mr. Holness said that infrastructure in many islands is old and inadequate and insufficient to meet today’s population needs. As a result, he said, some Caribbean Islands often miss out on opportunities.

The CIF, he said, will explore “the development needs and challenges of our Caribbean Infrastructure market and the partnerships it will take between government, multilaterals, private sector and international investors and developers to overcome these challenges and stimulate our infrastructure”.

“We are here to focus on the need to improve infrastructure systems in meeting the social, humanitarian and economic needs of our islands”, Mr. Holness declared. (Source: FCIB)

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. 27.

Avenues reels in more football titles AVENUES UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB capped off 2017 with another two titles, taking both the First Division and Premier Division of the Computec/Comsports/Hair oun/BDO Arnos Vale Football League.

The two titles were captured on consecutive days, last Saturday and Sunday, at the Arnos Vale Two Playing Field.

And, as if scripted, Avenues’ holds on the titles were by the same score-line.

On Saturday, via goals from Gareth Leigertwood and Nathaniel Williams, they defeated National Properties Fair Hall, 2-0, to win the First Division

title.

They copied their Saturday performance on Sunday, when the Premier Division final was held, blanking System 3, 2-0, the goals coming from national players- Myron Samuel and Glenford Ashton.

A combined $2700 (First Division- $1200; Premier Division-$1500), was cashed in by Avenues.

Fair Hall won $ 800; third place- Je Belle-$400 and second place in the Premier Division- System 3 got $1000. All of the top places got trophies.

In the Under- 17 Division, Je Belle was first; System three —

second and Largo Height third. All three places were awarded trophies, but Je Belle got an added prize of $100 for their first place Prior to their sweeps in the Arnos Vale League, Avenues had taken the Premier Division of the SVGFF National Club Premier Division Championships as well as champions- Avenues. the Under-17 bracket of the Hamilton Lashley Right: Avenues- First Foundation Caribbean Division winners.

Charity Children’s Shield Soccer Classic, held here player of the finals, were in August.

Nathaniel Williams and Deno John, both of Rewards Avenues United, took As for added rewards in the Player of the Final award in the First and the Arnos Vale League, Premier Division,

North East retains Masters Cricket Title

Repeat Masters Champions – Teachers Credit Union North East Masters.

TEACHERS CREDIT UNION North East Masters retained their title of the SVG Masters 20/20 Cricket Competition with a convincing 50-run win over RSVG Police in the finals of the 2017 edition, played at the Sion Hill Playing Field, last weekend.

Deighton Butler put in a fine all-round

performance to propel North East to another title. His 60 not out was pivotal in his team’s total of 180 for 4 off 20 overs.

He found support from Rawle Baptiste, 38, and Elton Williams 28, and Alison Dublin 22. Elgin Richards captured two North East wickets for a handsome 66 runs.

The Police Masters found the going challenging as they failed to get on top of Butler’s medium pace and the willy leg spin of Olanzo Jackson,.

Butler finished with 2 for 38 and Jackson 3 for 25. Jeffrey LaBorde, 32, Elgin Richards (left) MVP of the and Richards, tournament, received his trophy 31, were the

from Deputy COP Colin John.

main contributors to the Tournament award, and Police’s total of 130 for 8 Deighton Butler was off 20 overs. named the Player of the Champions North East Finals.

Masters took home a cash Harvey Pope of North prize of $1,200 and the East was recognized for championship trophy, with being the competition’s runners-up Police Masters highest run-getter (230), pocketing $800.00 and a and Elmore Alexander of trophy.

RSVG Police for being the Teachers Credit Union leading wicket-taker (16).

North East Masters had Alison Dublin was earned their place in the singled out for special finals after a convincing 8- recognition, he being the wicket win over Mustique lone century maker (107) Company. Scores: in the competition.

Mustique Company The top individual Masters 144 for 6 off 20 performers each received overs - Roy Baptiste 47; trophies and other prizes, North East Masters 145 including thirty dollars for 2 off 16.2 overs credit compliments Winsbert Springer 56 not Digicel. out, The lawmen put the I.B.A.ALLEN shackles on Stanley Browne’s Stubbs Masters to earn their berth in the finals.

Scores: Stanley Browne’s Stubbs Masters 146 for 6 off 20 overs - . Kissinger McLean 79, Elgin Richards 3 for 24; Police 147 for 6 off 18.4 overs - Richards 51 not out.

A presentation ceremony that followed the finals threw up awards for outstanding individual performances.

Elgin Richards of Deighton Butler – Player of the RSVG Police the Finals and Captain of Masters was adjudged champions North East the MVP of the Masters.

respectively. John also got the nod as the tournament’s Best Defender.

Avenues’ Kenyan Lynch was the tournament’s Best Goal Keeper, and System 3’s Shayne Lynch was adjudged the Best Midfielder.

The tournament’s Leading Goal Scorer was Olayide Daniel of American University, who

had 11 goals to his name.

Meanwhile, Je Belle’s Twayne Matthews collected the award of Most Promising Player, and Fair Hall was voted as the Most Disciplined Team.

Twenty teams participated in the First Division; six in the Premier Division and four in Under-17.

Simple Boyz eye fifth TBPO title DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Gairy Construction Simple Boyz are one match away from retaining the title in the National Lotteries Authority TBPO 2020 cricket competition.

In fact, if they retain the title, it will be fifth straight for the Boyz.

But they will have to get past CGM Gallagher Novice in the final, to be played this Sunday at the Daphne Playing Field, if they are to stamp an indelible mark on that competition’s history.

The defending champions earned their finals berth with a semi-final victory over Challengers last weekend, at the Dauphine playing field.

Simple Boyz amassed 178 for 6 in 20 overs, to which Challengers limply replied with 55 all out in 12.3 overs. Eldon Morris, 4 for 7, was Simply Boyz’s leading bowler, after run machine Desron Maloney had top scored for the champs with 48.

C G M Gallenger Novice booked their place in the finals when they defeated Nice Radio Clinchers by 5 wickets. Clinchers made 88 all out in 19 overs, to which Novice replied with 92 for 5 in 15.1 overs .

Novice’s Renrick Williams, 30, and Clinchers’ Romano Pierre, 31, were the games top scorers, with Novices’ Rolando Wright 2, Sherlon Pompey 3 for15 and Clinchers’ Peter Richards, 2 for 38, the leading wicket-takers.

The finals will be preceded by the third place playoff between Challengers and Clinchers.

I.B.A.ALLEN

V

28. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

Breakaway Masters Firms’

Invitational Football Tournament ends division league title from RSVG Police.

Ministry of Education came from two goals down to level the match 2-2, and sent the final to be decided from the penalty spot.

Showing more nerves, Ministry of Education, won 3-1 in the spot kicks.

RSVG Police made amends on Sunday, defeating Bonadies onenil, to retain the Knock Out title.

Also on Sunday, Central Shooters beat Largo Heights 3-2 in kicks from the penalty spot, after they had played to a nil-nil draw, in the Agriculture Input Warehouse Under16 division.

Reginald System 3 One Payne- Top goal scorer took the Under -16 League title, ahead in the of Volcanoes, Largo senior Height and Adare, division. in that order.

AFTER FOUR months of activity, the 2017 Digicel/ St Vincent Brewery/ Breakaway Masters Firms Invitational Football Championships were tucked away until 2018, when the seventh edition ended last Sunday, at the Grammar School Playing Field.

On a weekend of finals, Textile Sports Ministry of Education snapped the senior

Awards Topping the individual awards in the senior division was KFC’s Mark King, who Special honoreeAli Munroe (left) gets his tokens from Freddie Adams.

was adjudged the Most Valuable Player.

R & R Construction Ministry of Transport’s Uroy Bulze took the Most Outstanding Goal Keeper Award, with SVG Port Authority’s Reginald Payne being the top goal scorer with 14 goals.

The Female Player of the Tournament was Ministry of Transport’s Jessica Miller.

SVG Port Authority got the award for the team with the most support; Customs and Finance- Most Disciplined team and KFC — Most Improved team.

Central Shooters’ Silas Kirby was the Under-16 division’s Player of the Tournament, and copping the Youngest Player Award was Aidon Solomon of System 3 Two. Also rewarded was Sonja Mc Kie of Volcanoes. She was named Female Player of the Tournament. Her teammate - D’ Nelson Lewis was the top scorer with a tally of 12 goals.

There were three awards for goal keepers, which went to Carl Ragguette, Jahfari Samuel and Neil James.

Ragguette of Central

RSVG Police retained Shooters was named the Findlay, who got his on the Senior Knock Out the opening day of the Most Outstanding Goal title. tournament in August.

Keeper; Samuel — the Most Promising Goal Keeper, and James- the Most Improved.

System 3 Two won the Most Disciplined Team award in the Under-16 On December 5thdivision.

10th 2017, four Black Sands Swim Squad Special Recognition Swimmers competed in the Barbados Short Former national Course National footballer — Ali Munroe swimming was last Sunday Championships, recognised for his bringing home a total contribution to the sport. of 18 medals.

Munroe, who began It was a “Perfect playing the sport 10” for SVG’s future relatively late, first CARIFTA contender represented St Vincent Eltonte Leonard, who and the Grenadines in swam himself to a 1979 as a goal keeper. total of “TEN” gold He then shifted his medals. Leonard position to a striker in dominated the boys 9the 1980s, but still 10yrs age group in The Bland Sands swimmer maintained his place on every race, setting who competed in the the national team. personal best Barbados Short Course At present, Munroe is times and SVG National Swimming contributing in the area national Championships (from left) of physical fitness, as he records along Jamie Joachim, Eltonique is the trainer of the the way. In the 200 Leonard, Arron DeFreitas, Avenues and Central meter freestyle he Eltonte’ Leonard.

Kingstown football demolished the teams. competition, finishing Munroe was one of first and over 15 seconds ahead of the second two on whom honours place Bajan swimmer. By the end of the were bestowed. The competition, Leonard had won himself a total of other was Michael 11 medals (10 gold 1 silver) and has now achieved CARIFTA qualifying times in 50m Butterfly and the 50m and 100m Freestyle.

National records set by Eltonte’: 50 Free 29.58; 100 Free 1.06.97; 50 Back 36.59; 100 Back 1.23.65; 100 Breast 1.28.34; 100 IM develop goal-keeper coaches 1.16.78; 200 IM 2.51.07 who can have the ability not Leonard’s younger sister - Eltonique Leonard showed that she also has great swimming only to identify deficiencies in potential. Swimming as a 6-year-old in the 8 years goal keepers but how to fix and Under category, Eltonique just missed out on them, so that the goal keepers the medal podium, but swam personal best times could improve,” the instructor in all of her events. explained.

Competing in her first year of the girls 9-10yrs The instructor was age group, Jamie Joachim battled her way to a adamant that coaching had to silver medal in the 200m freestyle and a wellconcentrate at the grass root earned bronze medal in the 400m freestyle, whilst level. recording a total of five personal best times at the ‘We have to start to develop event. goal-keepers instead of Sixteen-year-old Aaron De Freitas gave it his looking for players with less best shot and was able to swim himself to a total skill and who are ‘chubby’, to of 4 silver and one bronze medals, smashing his goal keep,” he advised.

50 and 100 meter personal best times in the The national goal-keeping process coach Kevin Richardson is Black Sands coach Kyle Dougan commented: Aklaine Plumber certain that the course will “This was a brilliant performance by all four FIFA Goal-keeping only help improve the goalswimmers, once again representing SVG well and instructor – keeping standard here. demonstrating to the region the high standard of conducts a session “The information and swimming that SVG is able to produce. Eltonte’ teaching from the course will at the Arnos Vale shows great promise of success Playing Field. enhance the level of goalwithin swimming for the future and he’s proving; keepers in the clubs and he’s on the right path by breaking records hopefully encourage more structured coaching”, previously held by Alex Joachim.”

Richardson said, adding that the intention of the Dougan went on to congratulate Blue Marlins Federation is to have a goal-keeping coach assigned swimmers Adiah Phillips, Kenice Green and to each club by 2020.

Zariel Nelson for their outstanding performances at the same event. (Contributed) I.B.A.ALLEN

SVGFF holds goal-keeping Course A RECENT goal-keeping course for coaches hosted by the SVG Football Federation, was intended to bring a more structured approach to teaching and preparing good goal-keepers.

This was expressed by course conductor Aklaine Plumber — a FIFA accredited goal-keeping instructor, who also confirmed that he was part of FIFA’s quest to close the gap among goal-keepers.

“We are looking to bring more structured teaching and how you prepare good goal keepers, and to coach coaches how to coach goal keepers for the next generation. We are going out to spread the word about the need for structured coaching while introducing new concepts”, Plumber said.

Plumber expressed the view that the area of goalkeeping has been neglected for a very long time, because a lot of the people who are coaching are not well informed.

“Our aim is also to Kevin Richardson national goal keeping coach, anticipates that the course will serve SVG well.

Black Sands swimmers perform well in Barbados

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. 29.

Sports

Under 15 action

BY SUNDAY, the 2017 Winlott Windward Islands Under 15 Champion will be determined. The Vincentian contingent showed improvement, with two victories from their first round.

They secured a tight 15-run victory over St. Lucia at the Cumberland Playing Field last Wednesday. They defended 127 for 7 made off their 50 overs.

The win by the Vincentians brought them in contention for at least a share in this year’s title.

Over the recent past, the Vincentians seemed to have cemented themselves in the cellar position.

One or two individuals might have emerged over those years, but there seemed to have some tactical and technical flaws. This year, the efforts of Coach Bertram Stapleton, assisted by Orlanzo Jackson and Kenroy Martin, have paid off. One will also have to credit Deighton Butler for his contribution to the development of the squad.

Other personnel and enthusiasts, along with parents, and well-wishers have chipped in.

The Vincentians secured a 5-wicket win in their first match against Dominica, at Park Hill.

St. Lucia overcame a Grenada charge, to win their opening clash at Cumberland. Grenada rebounded to dispose of the Vincentians at Park Hill, while St Lucia beat Dominica at Cumberland to maintain their then unbeaten record. It was in that context that the Vincentians’ victory over St. Lucia at Cumberland was significant.

It must have been a delight for the cricket fans who witnessed that showdown.

Yesterday, Thursday, saw the Vincentians and Grenada again in battle, at Cumberland. North Leeward fans will be only too keen on another Vincentian victory. Two more playing days complete the arrangement. If the Vincentians keep the momentum from Wednesday’s triumph, it would put them in good stead towards at least sharing the title.

The depth of cricket talent is evident here.

What is missing is a commitment to ensure that the diamonds are shaped.

Our Under 19 teams have invariably been worthy contenders. Players progress to the Senior National level, from where they can stake their claim for a spot to the Senior Windward party.

That’s where the foundation is set and where the screening starts for candidates to the Senior West Indies party.

Caribbean youngsters tend to drift after the Under 19 stage. Therefore, the reservoir from which the pool of future West Indies players is taken tends to be scanty.

Interest in cricket must be instilled from early unless you are Curtly Ambrose and possess some natural traits.

Cricketers could be shaped, and like most aspects, practice makes perfect. The Vincentian Under 15 coaching staff and the administration ought to be pleased with the improvement the unit has demonstrated.

The hope is that the squad grows in stature.

The drive seems to have been injected into the youngsters, and they will have acquired some toughness. There is no doubt that the input of the Academy is paying dividends.

The Cumberland Playing Field is a venue that has added a boost not only to the cricketers, but the North Leeward community and the entire nation.

As a new arena, there is an air of unpredictability with the pitch. There is no denying North Leeward has been drawn into the circle of sporting and economic enhancement.

Things could only get better for the youngsters.

And having made their mark at this juncture, there is no reason why they won’t continue their flight up the progress ladder.

Georgetown, Barrouallie bucket Secondary Schools’ Netball titles THE GEORGETOWN Secondary School lifted, for the first time, the Junior Division of the Secondary Schools’ Netball Championships, while the Barrouallie Secondary added another to its list of senior achievements.

Georgetown’s moment in history was set last Tuesday at the Arnos Vale Netball Complex, when they proved to be more skilled than the Sandy Bay Secondary, as the two squared off for the title.

The Georgetown institution led in all quarters, 62, 9-8, 13-11 and finally triumphed 20-16.

For Georgetown Secondary, Sue Ann Patterson scored 17 of her 24 tries, and Idesha Marshall had 3 counted from her 12 attempts.

Sandy Bay’s tally came from Shanell Huggins, 10 from 15, and Rafanique Baptiste, 6 from 13. .

The second final of the afternoon was a lopsided affair, with the more experienced Barrouallie Secondary team easily defeating the Thomas Saunders Secondary, 31-12.

Barrouallie led 7-1, 13-4 and 20-8, in the first three quarters.

Sandy Bay’s Monell Lavia was adjudged the Junior Division’s final Most Valuable Player and Barrouallie Secondary’s Ancia Hackshaw, the Senior Division’s recipient.

MVP of the Senior Hackshaw was the Division final- Ancia standout goal Hackshaw.

Junior

Monell LaviaMVP of the Junior Division final.

shooter of the final, converting 24 of her 26 attempts.

Barrouallie Secondarywinners of the Senior Division.

Third Places The third place in the Junior Division was won by the Bethel High School, with their 20-15 win over the Barrouallie Secondary.

And, in the Senior Division third place play off, the Sandy Secondary defeated the Georgetown Secondary, 18-14.

The Troumaca Ontario Secondary won the Junior Division in 2016, with the Bethel High School taking the Senior Division.

Division champions Georgetown Secondary.

Siblings excel at in-house Junior Tennis tournament SIBLINGS Afe and Afi Lucas carried off six of the awards handed out at last Saturday’s XCel Tennis Academy Christmas tournament, held at the National Lotteries Authority Tennis court at Murray’s Road.

Afe was in great form, taking the Girls’ U-10, U-12 and U-14 titles. She beat Neveah Richards 10-2 in her march to the

Jadon Fraser

Olivia Aussi

U-10 title, and scored a 7-4, 7-1 win over Kysha Da Silva in the race for the U-12.

Up another age level, Afe defeated Tifanny Da Silva 86, 7-2, to win the U-14.

For her performance, Afe was adjudged the Most Promising Player.

Afe’s brother Afi, brought more joy to the household, as he took the Boys’ U-12 and U-14.

To claim the U-12 title, Afi swished Spire Aussi 10-1 and was similarly dismissive of Shamar Castello, 7-0, 7-0, en route to becoming the U-14 champion.

Other than the Lucases, Jadon Fraser, Olivia Aussi and Angelo Morgan were also crowned divisional winners.

Fraser won the Boys’ U-8 ahead of Daeari Quashie, while Aussi copped the Girls’ bracket of that age group.

Afi Lucas (left) and Afe Lucas.

Morgan secured the Boy’s U-10 title.

And taking the Most Improved Female Player, as determined by the organisers, was Deja Henry.

Jadon Fraser was adjudged the Most Improved Male player.

Head coach of the X- Cel Tennis Academy- Kebajah King said the hosting of the one- day tournament provided an opportunity for the players t test and refine their skills, as well as serving as a way of socialising at the end of the year.

30. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017. 31.

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COP (AG.) TAKING MISSING COCAINE REPORT SERIOUSLY Acting Commissioner of Police Renold Hadaway confirmed that an investigation into a ‘case of disappearing cocaine while in police care’ is ongoing.

each containing four packages, but one goes to the core of the integrity of the of the packages in the blue plastic bag men and women of this noble organization,” Hadaway declared. was discovered missing.

He revealed that part of the ongoing The exhibits formed part of the investigation, entailed the (recent) evidence in the cocaine matter which conduct of polygraph tests, to was ongoing, up to press time

by HAYDN HUGGINS determine an officer’s credibility, and Wednesday. as a result of the polygraph findings, Director of Public Prosecutions ACTING COMMISSIONER of Police Renold (DPP) Colin Williams had also several officers from the Narcotics Hadaway confirmed to THE VINCENTIAN informed the Court about the missing Unit of the Police Force had been on Wednesday, that an investigation has package before the start of the trial on transferred. been launched into a report of the “Someone has to be responsible, but Monday. disappearance of a quantity of cocaine we cannot say, at this time, who is from the exhibit room at the Narcotics A question of integrity/credibility base at Arnos Vale.

And the top cop has assured that on Speaking with THE completion of the probe, the person or VINCENTIAN on persons who are found culpable will be Wednesday, the Acting dealt with in accordance with the law. Commissioner said, In the matter involving Benjamin “The report of the Harvey and Vincent Dembar, both of drugs, unaccounted for, Union Island, charged with possession is of serious concern for of 9,159 grams of cocaine with intent the Police Force, hence to supply, and possession of the drug we could not sit back. for the purpose of drug trafficking, We had to see how we Station Sergeant Katherine Robinson could deal with the of the Narcotics Unit testified on matter, and an Tuesday that on May 26, 2017, she investigation had to be went to the exhibit room, along with launched.”

Head of the Unit, Assistant The Acting COP said Superintendent Foster Scott, Sergeant the report speaks to the Williams, Corporal Edwards and integrity and credibility Constable Francis, and noticed that of the Police Force. the exhibits in the matter was “It is very troubling, tampered with. She said the exhibits because we are held in consisted of a ‘crocos’ bag with two a position of trust, and And eight packages (of cocaine) became seven. plastic bags, one white and one blue, that position of trust

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

responsible, that’s why there is an investigation,” Hadaway explained.

He emphasized, however, that there are very competent and trustworthy officers in the Narcotics Unit, as there are in all the other departments of the Police Force.

The local Coast Guard reportedly intercepted Dembar and Harvey travelling on a speedboat, off the western tip of Bequia on July 3, 2014.

(See related story on Page 7.)

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