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FRIDAY,

JANUARY 18, 2019

VOLUME 113, No.03

www.thevincentian.com

EC$1.50

NO REASON ‘REPLACE TO AXE PSC PSC MEMBERS MEMBERS’ story on this page). This call was echoed on THERE IS NO BASIS in the Tuesday by Elroy current scenario, on which Boucher, President of the the members of the Public Public Service Union.

Service Commission (PSC) Gonsalves referred to ought to be removed.

Section 77 of the Prime Minister Dr Constitution of St Ralph Gonsalves, while Vincent and the speaking on a morning Grenadines, which deals talk show on Tuesday, with the Public Service referenced the Governor Commission.

General as the one who Under 77(5) of the appoints the Members of Constitution, it states: ‘A the PSC for two-year member of the terms.

Commission may be Dr. Gonsalves sought removed from office only to address the issue for inability to exercise following a previous the functions of his office day’s call by Leader of (whether arising from the Opposition Dr infirmity of body or mind Godwin Friday for the or any other cause) or for members of the PSC to misbehavior and shall be replaced. (See related not be so removed except

by DAYLE DA SILVA

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves sought to rubbish the call for the replacement of the PSC membership.

in accordance with the provisions of this section’.

And under 77(7) it states that ‘If the Prime Minister represents for the Governor General that the question of removing a member of the Commission under this section ought to be investigated then (a) the Governor General shall appoint a tribunal which shall consist of a chairman and not less than two other members, selected by the Chief Justice from among persons who hold or have held office as a judge of a court, having unlimited Continued on Page 3.

ON THE HEELS OF A COURT ruling that cited the Public Service Commission (PSC) for failure to adhere to the regulations governing promotion within the Public Service, there was an almost immediate call for the dismissal of the members of that Commission.

Speaking on Monday on his weekly New Times slot on NICE Radio, Leader of the Opposition Dr. Godwin Friday registered strongly objection to the reappointment of the same persons as members of the PSC, to another two-year term.

The PSC, constitutionally an independent body whose membership is nominated by the Prime Minister but officially appointed by the Governor General, was officially reappointed last November.

The current PSC is headed, as it has been since 2001, by attorney Cecil Blazer Williams, a known close

Dr. Godwin Friday, Leader of the Opposition, pointed to the reappointment of the same persons to the PSC as an affront to a recent court ruling.

associate of the Prime Minister.

According to Friday, the system allows the administration to do “what they like” with respect to the appointment of the PSC. He noted the reappointment of the members means that it is the same PSC which was recently found wanting by the Court, for having breached the rules governing promotion of public servants.

“They are saying ….. that the people who have been in charge and allowing it to happen, are the same people who would be heading the Public Service Commission again, and it is in face of a really damning decision that was issued by the court.”

The Leader of the Opposition also expressed the hope that no reprisals would be taken against the five Continued on Page 3.

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2. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Taiwan Feature

Soil survey concludes

Compost Facility handed over

THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, Forestry, it is recommended that Fisheries, Rural the Nitrogen and Transformation, Industry and Phosphorous content be Labour, in collaboration with supplemented by the Embassy of the Republic applying appropriate of China (Taiwan) in Saint fertilizer.

Vincent and the Grenadines, Secondly, due to the on Monday 14, January, 2019, high Potassium levels officially handed over to the found in the soil, project “Strengthening farmers are encouraged Farmers’ Organization and to decrease the usages of Improving Fruit and relative fertilizer to Vegetable Production reduce the cost for Technology in Saint Vincent production. and the Grenadines” and the According to Mr. new Compost Production Chun-Chun Huang, the Facility located at the Orange Specialist of the Mission Hill Agriculture responsible for the soil Biotechnology Centre. The Staff of the Soil Laboratory located at Campden Park are ready and analysis, the third handing over ceremony was recommendation is to willing to serve farmers. held at the Agriculture urge farmers to apply Biotechnology Centre and A COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY of Taiwan Technical Mission the fertilizer using a “More commencing at 10:00 a.m. soil across St. Vincent and the collected and analysed Frequently, Less Amount” The project “Strengthening Grenadine, a joint undertaking of hundreds of soil samples across approach. By doing so and Farmers’ Organization and the Ministry of Agriculture and St. Vincent and the considering that 60% of soil Improve Fruit and Vegetable the Taiwan Technical Mission, is Grenadines at the Soil samples are “Sandy Loam”, it Production Technology” was now complete.

Laboratory. will help the performance and executed over a 4-year period The survey was part of the Mr. Chao-Chiung Liao, efficiency of the fertilizer. at a cost of EC$7,273,832.00, ‘Strengthening Farmers’ Chief of the Taiwan Technical Mr. Huang encouraged and involved: the Organizations and Improving Mission, said that there are those farmers who are establishment of 8 farmers’ Fruit and Vegetable three preliminary interested in getting more cooperatives producing Production Technology Project’, recommendations on the information about the three different agricultural which was implemented from application of fertilizer for the recommendations or soil commodities; training of 2015 to 2018. soil in St. Vincent and the analysis, to contact the Soil farmers and extension officers Under the project, a Soil Grenadines, based on the Laboratory at 457-1283. A soil to strengthen their capacity Laboratory was established in analysis conducted by the Soil analysis and introduction could to aid in the improved Campden Park.

Laboratory. be arranged to help farmers management of cooperative In the past three years, the Firstly, in order to avoid understand their land and how organisations; exposing Ministry of Agriculture and the nutrition deficiency in the soil, to apply fertilizer properly. several farmers and government officers to

SVG received Hemoglobin analyzers A MEDICAL TEAM from the Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taiwan has donated five Hemoglobin A1C (HA1C) machines, worth over EC$100,000., to the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment.

The team, which is here to commence a pilot project geared at preventing and controlling Diabetes, made the donation last Friday, January 11, 2019.

The machines are used to analyze hemoglobin/glucose levels and will be placed at five different pilot

Left: The new Compost Production Facility located at the Orange Hill Agriculture Biotechnology Centre.

Right: One of five Hemoglobin A1C (HA1C) machines that were donated to the Ministry of health. health centres in the country.

Director of International Medical Service Centre, Dr. Yung-Wei Hsu, in his remarks said, “We all face challenges such as climate change, NonCommunicable Diseases NCDs, and Diabetes is one issue.”

He added that the HA1C machine is a vital tool for diabetic care and management, and that the donation serves as a token of their love for

The presentation party included the Taiwanese Mackay Memorial Hospital team and officials of the Ministry of Health.

this country.

Minister of Health, Wellness and the Environment, Hon. Luke Browne, thanked the team for its kind gesture.

Browne recalled that a Vincentian team was trained at the Mackay Memorial Hospital for the provision of medical support to this project, and noted that HA1C is a “critical piece of equipment” for Hemoglobin analysis, since current readings from the machine can analyze glucose levels three months prior to test.

The team in collaboration with the Ministry of Health Wellness and the Environment hosted a workshop showcasing the pieces of equipment and other aspects of Diabetic management at the Methodist Church Hall from Monday to Thursday this week.

training programmes conducted locally as well as in Taiwan; soil sample collection, analysis and fertilizer recommendations; outfitting of the Probiotics Laboratory; improving technologies to enhance the production of bio fertilizers and bio pesticides; developing cultivation models for watermelon, pineapple, sweet pepper, tomatoes and carrots; procuring equipment and training in analysis of pesticide residue in local and imported fruits and vegetables and procuring agricultural equipment such as tillers and sprayers to support agricultural cooperatives The Compost facility constructed at a cost of EC$1.5 million dollars, is equipped with three (3) biodigesters for making compost and a steam sterilizing machine for the sterilization of soil.

Monday’s handing over ceremony heard addresses from Parliamentary Representative for North Windward, Hon. Montgomery Daniel, Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, His Excellency Mr. Calvin Chen-Huan Ho, with the feature addressbeing delivered by Hon. Saboto Caesar, Minister of Agriculture.

Mandarin teacher in SVG PERSONS INTERESTED in learning Mandarin can do so right here in the comfort of SVG. Courses in Mandarin have been available at the SVG Community College since 2014 when, through the instrumentality of the Taiwanese Embassy here, the services of Ms. Siao An-Huei, a professional Mandarin teacher, was made available to SVG through the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (Taiwan IDCF).

Ms. Siao said that the progamme offers beginning and intermediate level Mandarin lessons for Vincentian students and those who prefer to attend after work. These courses will continue through 2019.

She described the courses as one aspect of mutual cooperation between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and noted that she was assigned by the Taiwan ICDF, not only to teach Mandarin in the Community College but also to exchange Taiwanese culture with the students of the Community College.

The experienced teacher advised that patience and confidence are the most important factors in learning a

Ms. Siao An-Huei (Betty) and her students. foreign language, and she identified her students in the Community College as being the most diligent and creative students she has ever met in her career.

Ms. Siao expressed her gratitude for the help and support she has received from the students and staff of the Community College in the past five years. She emphasized that she has learnt a lot from her students about the culture and beauty of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Ms. Siao, a graduate of the Department of Applied Chinese Language and Culture, National Taiwan Normal University, is also known as Betty to her students.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. 3.

News 3

PSU head dismisses CTAWU and NWM role

HEAD OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE UNION (PSU), Elroy Boucher has noted that neither the National Workers Movement (NWM) nor the Commercial Technical and Allied Workers Union (CTAWU) can negotiate salaries for public servants, teachers, and police officers.

Boucher made the point on Tuesday at a press conference in Kingstown.

He called the press conference to address the

announced agreement, resulting from a meeting Friday involving the Prime Minister and the trade unions.

The PSU, SVG Teachers Union and the Police Welfare Association did not attend the meeting after their representatives refused, upon request, to hand over their mobile devices — phones, tablets, etc., to security personnel, since they were not allowed to take

such into the meeting.

According to Boucher, this was the first time in more than a decade of salary negotiations that they were told that they could not take their phones into the meeting room.

The announced agreement, one with respect to salary increases, arrived at between the government on one hand and the CTAWU and NWM on the other, set increases of

Not a new request, says PM PRIME MINISTER DR RALPH GONSALVES said that the incident last Friday when some trade union leaders refused to surrender their mobile phones before entering the meeting room, is a side show to the real events.

While speaking on radio on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said that those union leaders would find all sorts of excuses for their action, “but all right-thinking people in this country know those union leaders who failed or refused to deposit their cell phones acted wrong.”

Last Friday, union leaders and the delegation representing the Public Service Union, St Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Union and the Police Welfare Association refused to surrender their mobile devices and did not attend the planned meeting with the Prime Minister.

Gonsalves further noted that the regulation for persons to surrender their cell phone to security personnel at the Prime Minister’s Office is not new.

“Those rules were there all the time,” he said.

Gonsalves explained that a decision had been taken by the Cabinet Secretary and the police to step up security after it had been deemed too lax.

“At my office, I am the only prime minister in the OECS where you can walk in off the road and come see me. That is why there are always people there,” Gonsalves said.

He insisted that the rule has always been in place, and that there was no issue last year when a similar request was made.

But PSU President, Elroy Boucher, in a prior interview, denied this saying that he did not recall having to surrender his cell phone on previous occasions.

According to Boucher, the unions meeting with the prime minister was a different type of meeting than that involving members of the public.

“It is something that has never

1 per cent for half of 2018, 1.5 per cent for 2019 and 2 per cent for 2020, for public servants, teachers and police officers.

Having declared the CTAWU and the NWM ineligible to negotiate on behalf of bona fide public officers, Boucher proceeded to describe the ‘agreement’ as null and void and “a joke.”

As far as he was concerned, this agreement was an

Below: Cellular phones surrendered at entrance to a school principal’s office.

happened before,” Boucher said.

Reference was made to an incident that occurred last year when a part of the conversation between the trade unions and prime minister was secretly recorded and leaked to the media.

He further stated that it was not until after hearing the prime minister on radio last Friday evening, hours after the incident, that he then thought that the request was made in order to avoid a repeat of what occurred last year.

“But if that is the case, inform us early,” Boucher said.

No reason to axe PSC members Continued from Front Page. jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters in some part of the Commonwealth or a court having jurisdiction in appeals from such a court and (b) the tribunal shall enquire into the matter and report on the facts thereof to the Governor General and recommend

to him whether the member ought to be removed under this section’.

But according to Dr. Gonsalves, there was no reason for him to give that sort of representation to the GG. “But Boucher and Friday want Ralph to fire them, but I cannot do that,” he said.

The call for the removal of the PSC members arose following a recent decision handed down in the High Court by Justice Esco Henry, to wit that the PSC failed to comply with the specific public service regulations as it related to the promotion of five public servants.

affront to the SVGTU, Police Welfare and the PSU, since it failed to consider the salary increases/adjustments agreed upon as per previous negotiations involving the Elroy Boucher, President government.

“So what transpired of the PSU, made no there and was put out bones of saying where he thought the CTAWU and in the media is a the NQWM did not have farce, is a joke, is a jurisdiction. mockery,” Boucher said of the agreement.

Boucher, continuing to because they do not represent bona fide dismiss the ‘legitimacy’ public officers. of the agreement, And as for the declared that never increases as per the before has his Union agreement announced, been part of a negotiation with respect Boucher all but threw water on the piece of to salaries, with the paper on which it was CTAWU and the NWM. He recalled that when written.

To paraphrase his there were negotiations assessment, he said ‘No to address the trade unions worth their reclassification of the salt would come away public service a decade agreeing to a1 percent ago, those negotiations involved the SVGTU, the salary increase after a wage freeze.”

Police Welfare If what Boucher said Association, and the of the Prime Minister, PSU. There was no these salary increases CTAWU, no NWM could well be legislated.

‘Replace PSC Members’ Continued from Front Page. public officers who testified in support of the claim filed against the PSC, for wrongly promotion.

Dr. Friday also said that it was his understanding that a number of public officers who might have also been victims of the PSC breach, were reluctant to come forward as witnesses, fearing for their own job security. “…. The point is that when you have a judge making such a detailed recitation of the problems that we are encountering in the public service, then you have to take note and don’t worry about who brought the litigation and how you are going to get even with people who are standing up for their rights,…” Dr. Friday elaborated.

And the Opposition Leader seemed to have held out little hope for a resolution to the overall situation regarding the Public Service and the PSC, when he advanced the view that there could be no remedy under the Unity Labour Party administration.

V Reckless driver fined in amputeeÊs case 4. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Courts

Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS A CASE OF RECKLESS driving which resulted in mini-bus driver Wendel Toney of Colonarie losing his left leg, about a year and four months ago, ended before Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne at the Serious Offences Court on Wednesday, with the accused Allan Alexander being fined $1,000.

The 46-year-old son of former Speaker of the House Hendrick Alexander and currently this country’s Ambassador to CARICOM, who gave his address as Glen, was ordered to pay the Court $400 forthwith, and the

balance by January 25.

Alexander who had initially pleaded not guilty to reckless driving, changed his plea to guilty when he returned to the Serious Offences Court on Wednesday.

Toney was driving the mini-bus HN754 from Kingstown when it collided head on with P1277 driven by Alexander, which was coming from the opposite direction.

The incident occurred along the Argyle public road around 8:40 p.m., September 17, 2017. The collision resulted in Toney being pinned to his vehicle, and had to be removed by officers from the Fire Department. He ended up losing his left

Woman on cocaine charges A 51-year-old woman is carded to return to the Serious Offences Court March 15, on three cocaine related charges.

Susan Jilcina Debique-Mason, who is originally from Fitz Hughes, but resides at Rose Hall, is charged with possession of 1,810 grams of cocaine with intent to supply, possession for the purpose of drug trafficking and attempting to export the drug.

Mason pleaded not guilty to the charges when she appeared before Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne at the Serious Offences Court on Monday.

She was granted $20,000 bail with one surety, with reporting conditions, and ordered to surrender her travel documents.

Mason was arrested following a police action in Kingstown last Friday.

leg.

In mitigation, Alexander’s lawyer Grant Connell told the Court that his client had expressed extreme remorse, and did everything in his power to assist Toney whose leg had to be amputated. He

described the incident as “very unfortunate,” noting that it was the result of a human error and misjudgement.

Connell took the opportunity to commend Corporal Ince of the Fire Department for his quick response to removing

Toney from the vehicle.

Connell said Corporal Ince’s action helped to minimize the injuries and agony Toney suffered.

Allan Alexander walked away with a fine for his act of reckless driving.

New twist in Customs Official’s corruption case JANUARY 30 is the date set for the commencement of the matter involving Customs and Julia Phillips will Excise return to court Department on January 30. official Julia Phillips, who is facing charges of theft and official corruption.

The 49-year-old Bequia woman appeared before Magistrate Bertie Pompey at the Mesopotamia Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, after Chief Magistrate Rechanne Brown recused herself from hearing the matter.

Browne informed the Serious Offences Court of her decision on Monday when the matter was called, and the case was transferred.

On Wednesday, the Mesopotamia Magistrate’s Court, one of the Courts over which Pompey presides, sat in the room where the Kingstown Magistrate’s

Court sits, as that Court is currently not sitting.

Court Clerk, Constable Atnel Ash informed the Court that the matter was transferred for directions and to have a date set.

He noted that most of the witnesses were from Kingstown and Bequia, and the Prosecution was asking that the matter remain in Kingstown.

After consulting with Phillips and her lawyer Grant Connell, the Court set January 30 as the date for the hearing, and the matter is slated to be heard in Kingstown before Pompey.

Senior Magistrate, Rickie Burnett, who presides over the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court, is on leave.

Phillips is charged with stealing EC43,626.91 in cash, the property of the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. She is also charged with corruptly soliciting and receiving or obtaining property, to wit, EC$43,626.91, in cash, for herself, on account of anything to be afterwards done or omitted to be

subsequently arrested and charged.

The Chief Magistrate described Gaymes as cantankerous and malicious to have interfered with Ashton. that to put it in local parlance, the neighbours, but not friends.

Gaymes explained that she was victim’s head was burst. She noted The Court heard that around 1 referring to her (Gaymes) friend when that Ashton had to receive stitches, p.m., January 11, Ashton was she said “Knock-a-koo, knock-a-koo”, and her eyes were bleeding. returning home from Lowmans because of the way her friend bends “This is serious injury to her Leeward. She exited a vehicle and when she walks. (victim) head. You could have been proceeded to walk towards her home But the Magistrate found it strange here on a murder charge”, Browne located off the main road in that Gaymes chose to call her friend told Gaymes adding that Ashton could Barrouallie. She remembered she had ‘knock-a-koo’ when Ashton arrived on have been dead quite easily. not eaten, turned around and headed the scene.

While Browne said Gaymes’ early for a shop. Gaymes, who was in the Gaymes also told the Court that she guilty plea would be considered in her area, shouted, ‘Knock-a-koo, knock-a- struck Ashton with the block after the favour, the Magistrate indicated that koo!’ complainant accused her of killing. she wanted to know if there were any Ashton turned around and said, In an interview with THE follow up medical checks, and the “Knock-a-koo look better than you.”

VINCENTIAN December 30, victim’s condition currently.

An argument ensued resulting in Commissioner of Police Colin John Browne then postponed sentencing Gaymes taking piece of a concrete said many of the homicides recorded until today (Friday). block and hurling it at Ashton, in 2018 were the result of senseless According to the facts, presented striking her in the head. A report was killings where persons did not exercise earlier, Gaymes and Ashton were made to the police, and Gaymes was sufficient restraint.

Victim could have died easily ARLENE GAYMES, a Barrouallie woman brought before the Serious Offences Court Tuesday on a wounding charge, could have been there on a murder charge instead.

Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne made the observation based on the medical report which revealed that the victim, Claire Ashton, suffered a very serious injury to her head.

Gaymes, 54, who was unrepresented, pleaded guilty to unlawfully and maliciously wounding Ashton, 61, also of Barrouallie, by striking her in the head with a piece of aconcrete block, during an incident in that Central Leeward town Friday, January 11.

The Chief Magistrate told Gaymes

done by her in the discharge of the duties of her office as Supervisor of Customs and Excise Department, Bequia branch.

Both offences were allegedly committed between August 14 and September 25 last year, and her arrest followed investigations into monies stolen from the Bequia branch of the Department, where Phillips was supervisor.

Phillips had pleaded not guilty to the charges when she initially appeared at the Serious Offences Court October last year. She was granted $60,000 bail with one surety, on condition that she surrender her Identification Card (ID), passport and driver’s licence, and report to the Police Station at Port Elizabeth Bequia Mondays and Thursdays.

The Court had also ordered that stop notices be placed at all ports of exit, and she must not leave the state without the expressed permission of the Serious Offences Court or a higher court.

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18 , 2019. 5.

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6. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Youth

Mark hoping to inspire future drivers

MARK SARDINE, auto body technician and builder, remains optimistic that his project to build and avail junior dragsters will accomplish its objectives of bringing families closer together and getting youngsters enthused about motor sport.

“The main thing is that we are giving kids something productive to do while keeping them off the streets,” Mark told THE VINCENTIAN. “We can take the kids out of this vehicle and put them into a Formula 1 race car, or a dragster; that is what we are looking for,” he continued.

Mark has teamed up with his brother Colin Sardine, former racer and an accomplished mechanic and auto body technician himself, to build the junior dragsters.

He explained that the idea to build a car originally resulted in building one, and once he was able to come up with a blue print, that number grew four (currently).

A design is already available for an adult dragster or what Mark calls a “funny car.”

The junior dragster is a simple one.

Mark Sardine is focused on developing alternatives for young people here.

The junior dragster that Mark Sardine hopes to put into production here.

It resembles a real-life dragster that has been scaled down for the youth.

It boasts a 10hp engine, typical for go-kart racing. Mark said.

And they are ready for the next step — manufacturing - once a suitable facility is identified and appropriate tools sourced.

Mark is hopeful that he will be able to produce these cars in some number, and he has his eye on marketing them outside of SVG.

The public had a glimpse of the vehicle Members of the public had their first glimpse of the vehicle at the automobile-related event held at the ET Joshua airport during the independence weekend last year.

It was well received by members of the public, Mark said.

Mark commented that his effort is in keeping with the truism that manufacturing can grow the economy.

As for automobile racing and the development of it, he said that he hopes to inspire future generations to pursue a career in auto racing; but noted that the development of facilities was important. Government, he said, could identify a permanent home for racing.

“Automobile racing attracts large crowds…it is a good source of revenue for the country, but first the sport needs to be properly developed with more sponsors coming on board,” Mark said.

(DD)

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18 , 2019. 7.

Community

Army Kettle Appeal still ringing THE BELLS RINGING out in solicitation of donations to the Annual Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Appeal are set to be silenced at the end of January.

As of last week, the appeal was some way off the targeted amount of $110,00.00, but the Army’s Commanding Officer Major Pierre Antoine was confident that the Appeal would realize its target, especially given that they are yet to collect on some large pledges..

Part of the funds from the Kettle Appeal go towards providing Christmas food parcels to senior citizens and institutions that serve the elderly, the incapacitated and less fortunate persons generally.

But this is not the only outreach programme of the Army.

The Army, from its headquarters located at the corner of Melville and Middle Streets, operated the Army

Kitchen which serves meals to students at a standard considerably reduced price, and has been doing so for close to six decades.

The Kitchen was initiated

by Brigadier Leopold, a female officer of regional renown, and served hot, large meals for as low as five cents a plate.

However, as the Major and his wife Major Persha would let it be known, no child is turned away for want of the small fee.

In addition, the headquarters houses a PreSchool and Day Care Centre.

Both services are usually oversubscribed come registration time.

Also located at the headquarters is a Thrift Shop which offers clothing and other personal apparel for sale at ridiculously knocked down prices.

It is also from the Kingstown headquarters that food parcels are distributed to

needy persons on a daily basis.

More recently, the Salvation Army opened a Home for Unfortunate Children. With the kind assistance of the The 2018 Salvation Army Kettle Appeal concludes government, direct private at the end of January. You still have time to give. contributions and funds raised locally and internationally, the Home was constructed and opened at Buccament in 2012, and provides for up to eight children at any one time.

It is in support of this allencompassing programme of service to Vincentians, to humanity, that Major Antoine is appealing to citizens to continue to donate up until the Appeal closes.

He is extremely grateful for the outpouring of support that the Kettle Appeal continues to receive from people of all walks of life.

THE VINCENTIAN urges continued support for the Army and moreso for the Kettle Appeal’s race to reach The Annual Salvation Army Kettle Appeal draws volunteers its target. from across age groups, churches and even political persuasions.

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8. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Views The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

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

Editorial Trade Unions: Their Mission AN ORDINARY CITIZEN avoiding the different political and economic situation in a highly charged and dichotomized St. Vincent and the Grenadines? Never happen!!!

For the sake of this thought, let us ask first what we mean by political?

The narrow view, sadly perpetuated by many ‘political’ leaders, sees political as being limited to party issues that begin and end with elections. This, of course, makes for ‘easy’ control of the ‘masses’.

This view, if examined with some focus, appears toartificially separate economics from politics; promotes that unions have no political role; argues that whilst unions have a right to exist, they are negative institutions that prevent the free market from operating freely.

But does any of this make sense?

How can politics be separate from economics? Are ice and water unrelated?

How can there not be a connection between politics and economics? We see it every time we watch the news or read a newspaper. A politician says this or that, and it affects the cost of availing goods and services currency. Parliament introduces or amends Labour legislation to attract investors, and workers suffer as a consequence.

Unions are clearly not political parties, but they most definitely are organisations of economic interest.

It follows then that their very reason — i.e. to further the interests of the people and build the working class, makes intervening in the economic arena unavoidable. If the union does not have this as a purpose, it simply cannot be called a union.

If we accept that politics and economics are linked, then unionists and those they represent have to accept that political engagement is unavoidable. But does this mean simply throwing their support to one political party or another?

One answer to this lies in the other argument that promotes politics and economics as inseparable.

If a society is shaped by the political economic system of capitalism, the system itself dictates that the state must represent the interests of one class over the other. And unless there is growth through the exploitation of labour, the system itself cannot continue to work. Where does SVG

stand in this scenario?

This view would therefore see any political party that does not want to change the economic system and is trying to become the ruling party, as much the same as all the others. (A word of caution for the Opposition.)

The fallout is that the voterworker concludes that it makes no difference whether you vote for the ULP or the NDP; there is only one party - the Capitalist Party.

Can this mean there is no space to win benefits for the working class, and therefore, political engagement is pointless as a Union which acquiesce might be apt to conclude? As power collides in society, (as state faces the working class), space is created in which unions can win concessions that are in the interests of the working class.

That is why it is essential that unions remain independent and removed from rulers/governments who see the whole system as being for their own purposes or benefit; where the ruling party starts to take on the image of royalty and the leader is king.

Political alignment by Unions can cause this situation to result in the capitalist class and working people finding themselves in a strange but unevenly yoked alliance. Is this what trade unions want?

There is no denying that the labour movement can play an influential political role in a country. But how should it decide to step into the political arena? Should it venture thus coloured by a decision to support a candidate and/or political party?

It remains, though, that trade unions must extract from political parties a covenant that supports a working class agenda, and that they (unions) are vigilant in ensuring accountability.

Beyond representing workers who have been dismissed or bargaining for wages, the historic mission of the trade union movement has always been to unite the working class around their common interest. Is this ‘mission’ representative of our union activity?

The blood of workers has been spilled in the interests of bourgeoisie politics and the politics of division and personal enrichment. It is the absolute responsibility of workers and union leaders to ensure this does not happen.

Reply to Blazer Williams, Chairman of the P.S.C. Reprinted from 30th April, 2009 IF BLAZER INTENDED HURT in his outrageously, choleric outburst at my criticism of him in his role as chairman P.S.C, then he succeeded. But my pain was caused more by disappointment at the depths to which Blazer could sink when having to face the truth which really hurts.

For my part, I simply stick to the moral high-road, resisting any tendency to reply in kind.

I admired Blazer greatly for about 20 years, from 1970-1990. I saluted his contribution by way of the cultural force via N.A.M. I was an avid follower of his group, providing members of his troupe with transportation to Troumaca and to Georgetown during the screening of “The clearing”.

My services and commitment were recognized by Blazer who honoured me by requesting that I write a foreword to one of his plays that he had published.

In turn, I used one or two of Blazer’s nationalistic poems in “Forum”, published by the E.F.P. Politically we were together in the U.P.M 1979, but broke out and ended up respectively supporting the N.D.P and being an activist in the U.L.P. Eventually, Blazer was appointed Chairman of the P.S.C by the U.L.P to fill the vacancy created by my promised resignation after the new P.M Gonsalves had expressed a lack of confidence in me, during political campaigning.

During the U.L.P and Blazer’s run of government, I have noted many cases of victimization and party favouritism administered through the offices of P.S.C , and I referred Blazer to a sample of three cases, representing the tip of the ice-berg.

In spite of the old talk and rambling explanations, there were not sufficiently satisfactory answers tendered concerning the three questions posed: the discrimination suffered by Bassy’s grand-daughter, the slap on the wrist administered to the female “Comrade” at Agriculture, the case of the missing plane with two, essentially drew a blank, demonstrating that the government has successfully wished away the problem.

Let’s shift the discussion by merely mentioning some of the positive ways the N.D.P regimes behaved, challenging Blazer to do likewise.

Mitchell kept James Pompey as Cabinet Secretary appointed by Cato, and sent him on a promotion to the U.N, as promised by Cato.

His place was filled by Anselma Soso, promoted from the sensitive C.P.O, even though her husband Hudson Soso was a loud and aggressive Labourite.

It is interesting to note that Tyrone Burke, a protégé of Prime Minister Gonsalves, has recently been pitchforked to the office of C.P.O. He had received his first significant promotion to a headmaster’s

position, at quite a young age, courtesy an N.D.P appointed Commission who knew of his political connection.

Our P.S.C had to appoint a Principal Nursing Officer from among a trio of the finest public servants — Yvonne Labbay, Anne De Roche and Aberdeen Browne.

Aberdeen was given the edge although it was publicly known that she shared the political sentiments of her husband, Glenroy ‘Tswala’ Browne, who was a dedicated U.L.P person.

When called upon to select someone to take charge of the Mental Hospital, the P.S.C expressed a preference for Calvin Rose’s wife over Mrs. Dawn Dennie, whose husband, Olin, is a lawyer—colleague, once an N.D.P election candidate, and a past Speaker of the House in an N.D.P administration.

Most significantly, when a serious and nononsense headmaster was sorely needed to restore discipline and order at the Grammar School, turning down all others, the “N.D.P”.

P.S.C settled on Winfield Williams.

Williams, during the previous ten years, had been notorious in his support of the rival Labour Party, serving as editor of its mouthpiece “The Star” and as General Secretary of the Party.

At one time, it became necessary to send a disciplined officer to Union Island, to stabilize it and offer hope. The P.S.C, which I headed, turned down the claim of Bertram Rose, a blood-brother of Allan Cruickshank who entered the political trenches with me in the D.F.M and later became and N.D.P Minister, now General Secretary of the N.D.P. To the public’s surprise, “Beebs” Burgin, who followed in his father’s footstep as a Labour fanatic, landed the job.

Sadly, I remember provoking the righteous indignation of Alpian Allen when P.S.C ignored the claims of headmastership to Fitz Hughes of a young dynamic Raphael Robertson. The job went to older Gersham Alexander who, within weeks, emerged in U.L.P short-list as candidate for North Leeward in the 2001 election!

On the contrary, some unfair charges of discriminatory practices were leveled against the P.S.C when a simple release from the chairman, citing documentation from the files of the C.P.O, could have easily cleared the air.

The so-called failure of P.S.C to recommend scholarships to Dr. Malcolm Samuel and Dr. Malcolm Grant, presumably on the ground that their fathers were bigwigs of the U.L.P, would have been exposed for all the world to see by the simple device of releasing official letters. They had been turned down by the offering country, Hong Kong.

Rosita Alexander-Snagg had suffered a Continued on Page 9.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. 9.

Letters

Venezuela and the real picture IT IS HIGH time that we get past all this ‘great assistance’ we have received from Venezuela and see the bigger picture. Lest we forget, most of that assistance was and is painted in red – from one party to another.

programme, is nothing short of provocation and must be condemned in the loudest and simplest language — not some Recent developments language couched in involving Venezuela diplomatic language, as should cause us to take stock of where we put our per CARICOM, that skirts the issue. allegiance.. sometimes Then there is the blind allegiance.

The recent boarding by recent visit to Venezuela Venezuela navy troops of a by two Russian nuclearcapable supersonic vessel attached to bombers, and worse, the Guyana’s oil drilling announcement of plans to

New Year Message Effective leaders MY PEOPLE, God continues to bless us despite our shortcomings. We thank Him for his forgiveness, grace and mercy for 2018. We have seen much ugliness, but still we pulled through. Therefore, we must give God the praise that He deserves.

Our parliament and other governing bodies and agencies had a rough time, but we made it. The churches have done much work but there is still more to be done. The leaders in our nation, whether spiritual or political, must provide more for the poor, and less for themselves.

For those of us who are in leadership positions, in order to be more effective we must admit when we need help.

Sometimes, we face problems in our homes, churches, government, and other organizations, yet we fail to call for help from God, or individuals more qualified to deal with the problem.

An effective leader responds with a heart of compassion for persons who are suffering and are humble. When they need help, they should shake off their pride and confide in others.

Effective leaders recognize the nature of authority and will understand submissiveness. They also notice when someone is worthy of trust. Leadership based on blind faith is foolhardy, but discernment is a mark of a true leader.

On behalf of our leader - Dr. Apostle Marcia Creese and other leaders of Faith Word Ministries, we wish you all the best, especially to leaders of this blessed nation.

To the editor of THE VINCENTIAN, I say thank you for publishing my letters.

God bless the management and staff.

Much more in the mortar NOW THAT it has been exposed in our courts how bias the P.S.C has been when it comes to promotion of Public Servants, I expect many more challenges will be made.

I am also forced to ask the question: Can some be charged for the injustice? Someone should be made to answer in court.

The Police Welfare Association should take action on behalf of its members, who are being sidelined for promotion, because of bias political reasons.

In teaching, there are some who, after graduating for less than a year, are either appointed as a graduate or receiving a graduate’s allowance.

On the other side, there are teachers who were graduated many years ago, who are not appointed nor receiving an allowance.

Many teachers were denied being Principals because they were perceived not to be “one of us”.

The post of Principal seems to be reserved for “one of us”, who is decked out in party colours when they turn up for interviews.

It is up to the Teachers’ Union to take action.

Let me thank the Court for the exposure.

Grateful

BK

Policing at its best ON A RECENT trip from the Southern Grenadines, I was pleasantly surprised with the manner in which a police officer dealt with a group of youngsters caught with a bottle of my favorite wine, Stone Ginger wine - 14.5 % alcohol per volume (acl/vol). One good shot and you’re stoned. I use a capful as a ‘gas breaker’ before meals once or twice a week, so a bottle will last me about four months.

We were all on the same ferry from Union Island to Kingstown.

What happened was impromptu. As the youngsters moved around the boat, they passed in front of the officer dressed in plain clothes — many

times. The boys apparently were known by the police officer, and like anyone taking note, would rightly conclude that these boys were all between 12 and 14 years.

On one occasion when the boys approached the officer, he must have noticed that the youngster leading the pack had the bottle of wine with about one third of its contents already consumed. He promptly took it away without asking a question.

The youngsters, realizing their misdemeanor, did not utter a word — swear word or otherwise. They seemed to have respect for the police officer who did the correct thing. The police officer did not even

give a verbal reprimand; his action served as the best possible reprimand. I am certain that the youngsters know that the legal drinking age is 18.

Bishop Ezekiel Creese That seemingly short Faith Word Ministries, Roseau and perhaps inconspicuous incident, in my opinion, could have a lasting positive effect on these youngsters, and all youngsters experimenting HERE’S A NEWS item charity, my sense of with alcohol reading this shared by a colleague in philanthropy are better article. the USA: served when I share it I want to use this “The homeless man at with registered charities medium to congratulate the center of a GoFundMe or programmes like the that officer for saving the scandal that raised more Salvation Army, that lives of that handful of than $400,000 in his serve the less fortunate. youths. Alcohol addiction name, has been arrested My advice: Be always among teens globally is an in Philadelphia, according on the lookout for those increasing public health to reports. whose only intention is to concern, and if we can “Johnny Bobbitt, 34, scam us of our hardstem that tide here in who allegedly conspired earned rewards.

SVG, we will be taking a with former couple Kate step in the right direction.

McClure, 28, and Mark Anon Nuff respect, officer D’Amico, 39, to create a !!! heartwarming story that A note of advice: would inspire thousands When you drink too of well-wishers to donate Continued from Page 8.

For the rest, I ask simply much alcohol, you nepotism was made against money to their cause, was for the real reasons behind can pass out — you me, Joye being my niece! arrested Wednesday. ….” the termination of services similar a similar fate. Clare As to the dismissal of might be ‘stoned The above might be a of Jennifer Eustace and Keizer, on the other hand, Public Servant Godwin drunk’ - and it is little off of our reality, but succeeded on her Sharon Cummings, and Daniel who generally wore impossible then to there is no doubt that government’s lack of vital recommendation by the his party label on his know what is being some of us have been support for the overseas P.S.C. Readers must ask sleeve, P.S.C was done to you. When taken in by persons we employment of Margaret themselves, insofar as it is blameless. He falsely you do find out, it feel are less fortunate Leacock.

The only thing in represented as relevant, as claimed that he had been common is that they are the will be too than we are. to which party Clare Keizer fired from the Public late….HIV positive, Take for example the and Rosita Snagg Service by the Chairman of wives of the leadership of infected with some support(ed). young man who took me A.D.C, Oswald George, who the N.D.P! other sexually Blazer is not too far I was placed in a most had not the power of the for $5.00, only for me to transmitted disease invidious no-win situation P.S.C to do so. Lured by the gone, for rescue and see him speed off in the rehabilitation.

We urge him (STD), pregnant or in the Headmistress GHS prospects of “substantial direction of a certain to offer moral suasion to his sore for weeks from issue. If P.S.C chose Mrs. damage”, he persisted in place. I was told later government rather than multiple Urcelle Thomas, they this folly of refusing to that my $5.00 provided bow to pressure and buckle opened themselves to the penetrations. So my return to his substantive him with ‘a hit’ (coke). under.

While we are at it, charge that Joy Browne, a post which remained open advice to youngsters It is experiences like Blazer can say a word on known U.L.Pite, has been to him for six months.

He is to stay away from these that cause us to victimized. preferred to go as far as the behalf of fellow socialalcoholic beverages activist, Andrew Simm ons, rethink our wanting to On the other hand, when Court of Appeal which altogether. Your to get Government’s help others.

Joye was objectedly vindicated the P.S.C in future is at stake. blessings for an overseas I have learned that my selected, the charge of confirming the dismissal. assignment. generosity, my sense of Donald De Riggs

Being ‘taken for a ride’ * If the two Ministers involved in the election petitions know that they are the ones responsible for their legal fees? * How many more years do we have to wait for the Government House to be refurbished? * Why is the National Flag not flown on the PM’s official vehicle? * Douggie ain’t get his money.

Toussaint dead and he ain’t get his money. Not sure if Otto Sam get his?

Like government don’t like to honour Court Orders or what? * In the case of above, if was me, would I not be held in contempt of court? Who is liable in Government?

build a Russian military base on a Venezuelan island. To do what may I ask? Provoke Guyana a little bit more or to help point a missile on the USA? And what of the announcement that Iran will be sending two warships to Venezuela?

What is this really in aid of?

The USA will not invade Venezuela. Not even Trump will order such a foolish act.

Venezuela and its allies — like the ULP government here — must stop making this an excuse for their focus on America and not on the real day to day problems that exist in Venezuela itself.

Everything must be done by the leaders of the Caribbean, to help ease the tension in the region, especially given the uneasy political situation in Venezuela.

Will Venezuela invade Guyana? I don’t think so, but who knows.

Reply to Blazer Williams, Chairman of the P.S.C.

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10. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

PSU, Teachers Union and Police Welfare Association abandon their members

Introduction THE RECENT behaviour by the leadership of the Public Service Union, the St.Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Union, and the Police Welfare Association, has cast a gloomy look on relations between trade unions in the country, and the ULP administration. For some reason, the leaders of three of the unions, namely, the Teachers Union, the Public Service Union, and the Police Welfare Association, decided that their narrow party political interest was more important than that of their members.

For some reason, known only to the leaders, the unions decided to flout the security rules of the Office of the Prime Minister, deciding instead to put their interests ahead of the interest of their members.

The background for this scenario goes back to the media conference held by Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves on January 7th 2019, during which he touched on the issues of compensation for public servants and pension reform. He then announced that he was going to meet with the members of the trade unions in the country, to hold talks on these issues.

The Office of the Prime Minister then made telephone calls and followed up with letters of invitation to all the trade unions in the State to attend a meeting with Comrade Ralph at his office. Now, there is a security rule at the office that visitors must surrender their mobile phones to the security officer on duty. This regulation has been in place for a number of years, and persons visiting the office, have had to surrender their mobile phones. This has never created any issues. From time to time, a visitor may indicate that they are expecting a call on their mobile phones, for this or that reason, and the security may accommodate them.

No such request was made by the leaders of the three trade unions, when they arrived at the Office of the Prime Minister, last Friday.

against him, including one of mutinous behaviour. Wendy Bynoe, the President of the Teachers Union, is a known member and supporter of the opposition NDP, as is her constitutional right. Well-thinking observers will say that Bynoe is keen to see the removal of the ULP from office, and that she may use her union in this regard.

Betrayal

It is clear that the three union leaders betrayed the trust and confidence of their members, all of whom pay union dues, hard-earned money in some cases. These teachers and public servants expect that the union leaders will represent their interests, which in this case is compensation and pension reform.

Some union members have been bold enough to state that they intend to withdraw their membership, from the unions. While the ULP column does not advocate this, perhaps the membership should look at the quality of the leaders they elect to office.

When union leaders betray the trust of their membership they should not hold office. It’s as simple as that.

If they want to indulge in their political ambitions, then the union is not the place for them. They should resign their positions and join the political party of their choice, which in this case is the opposition NDP. Then they could beat up on the ULP and Comrade Ralph to their heart’s content.

In the face of all the criticism leveled at the three leaders, it is amazing to hear their justification and excuses, which are all based on lies. They claim that they were not aware of the regulation at the Office of the Prime Minister in relation to mobile phones. Well, nothing could be Motives further from the truth.

The question that we should ask, It is clear that the leaders of the is, what was the motive of these union three unions, Wendy Bynoe of the leaders? Why did they insist that they Teachers Union, Elroy Boucher of the should take their phones into the Public Service Union, and Brenton meeting with the Prime Minister?

Smith of the Police Welfare Why did they disregard the security Association, had no interest in putting notice at the Office of the Prime forward the interests of their Minister? Is this the attitude of people members. The meeting was called to who want to be leaders in our society? discuss the issues of compensation, or salaries, along with the matter of Conclusion pension reform. It is clear now, that the three unions have added nothing What of the other trade unions, the to the discussion on these matters.

CTAWU, and the NWM? They It is now clear too, that the actions complied with the security of the leaders were politically arrangements at the Office of the motivated. The attendance at the Prime Minister, and entered the meeting was not in the interest of meeting to discuss salaries and wages, their members. They had another and pension reform. agenda, and so could not comply with On the vital matter of wage/salary the security measures at the Office of increases, the representatives of the the Prime Minister. Let us call a spade for what it is. Elroy Boucher is CTAWU, NWM, and the GOSVG agreed as follows: a supporter of the opposition New (i) A one (1) percent retroactive Democratic Party, and that is his constitutional right. Boucher’s beef, is increase from July 01, 2018 to his inability to gain promotion within December 31, 2018; (ii) A further increase of one and a the public service, and for this he blames the Prime Minister, hence his half (1½) percent increase for 2019; opposition to the ULP administration. and (iii) A further increase of two (2) Brenton Smith, a career police percent for 2020. officer, has played politics with his The leaders of the Teachers Union, job. He was clearly not afraid to show the Public Service Union and the his support for the opposition New Democratic Party. Readers will recall Police Welfare Association have failed their membership in a terrible way. the “storming” comments made by Union representation is serious Smith in July 2017, and that the business for serious people. police forces brought five charges

Time for meritocracy in the Public Service THE RECENT court ruling against the Public Service Commission (PSC) is a damning one for the PSC and, by extension, the Unity Labour Party (ULP) government. The court ruled that the PSC had failed to comply with specific regulations in relation to promotion of several public service officers.

The judge ordered the PSC to establish and implement forthwith and maintain an efficient, transparent and effective performance and appraisal promotion regime within the public service (including robust and functional monitoring and corrective mechanisms) in accordance with the stipulations of regulation 18, 19, 20, and 27 of the Public Service Regulation.

The following are the regulations: Regulation (18) addresses the advertisement of vacancies; (19) - the principles of selection for promotion, “In considering the eligibility of officers for promotion, the Commission shall take into account the seniority, experience, educational qualifications, merit and ability together with relative efficiency of such officers and, in the event of an equality of efficiency or two or more officers, shall give consideration to the relative seniority of officers available for promotion to the vacancy.”; (20) mandates the Chief Personnel Officer to keep up to date seniority lists of all officers holding office in the several grades of the public service; and (27) “In order to assist the Commission in performing its functions, Permanent Secretaries and head of departments shall, in each year on or before the last day of February, furnish to the Chief Personnel Officer, confidential reports in respect of officer serving in their ministries or departments. Such reports shall relate to the 12 months ended on the preceding 31st December.”

While the members of the PSC are politically appointed, they are expected to function independently of political interference. But, can we say that of the present PSC? Since the ULP has been in power, we have heard complaints from public servants of victimization. Based on the ruling, we can deduce that victimization exists in the public service and therefore, it is institutionalized in the ULP administration. It is obvious that the PSC has been doing a poor job. And the New Democratic Party (NDP) supports the call by the Public Service Union for the members of the PSC to resign.

The ULP administration has been characterized by victimization, lack of transparency and lack of accountability; and is seen as the most corrupt to govern St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The NDP will practise good governance and implement its policy of meritocracy.

that person’s field of endeavour. Merit can also be associated with praise and adulation for the propriety or good consequences of one’s actions. Hence a meritocracy motivates persons not only to excel at the work place but generally to engage in conduct that can be considered praiseworthy.

Accordingly, public servants can rest assured and feel comforted in the knowledge that upward mobility and career growth will be based primarily on performance. In such a healthy environment, trust and confidence will be restored and productivity will increase. The application of meritocratic principles in the public service will have the effect of influencing the private sector along similar lines. Essentially, persons will work harder to achieve greater rewards, and the country will benefit from the increased goods and services that will be the products of improved skill and greater effort.

Over the past seventeen years, Vincentians have experienced rampant victimization in the public service and to a lesser extent in the private sector as well. Many have not been granted promotion; some have been put into early retirement; others have been transferred to jobs that do not require their expertise and in some instances relegated to sitting at desks with no function to perform; and there are those who were deliberately humiliated and harassed into resigning from their jobs or were unceremoniously fired.

The public sector is plagued with many disgruntled and dissatisfied workers who lack the motivation and the will power to perform to the best of their abilities due to the unequal and iniquitous treatment that they are experiencing. The New Democratic Party recognizes that this form of polarization along party political lines, retards growth. In recognition of the virtues of a meritocracy the New Democratic Party pledges to all public servants and Vincentians as a whole, that, at the outset, we will provide equal opportunities to all Vincentians in education, sports, culture, health, national security and justice, agriculture, tourism, financial services, manufacturing and services generally. We will not engage in political victimization, but we are strongly of the view that we should ensure that square pegs are not placed in round holes.

Politics is about people, economics is for the people. No matter what is done or not done or how it is done or not done, it is done for the people with the assistance of the people. We are cognizant of the fact that our country Meritocracy cannot effectively, efficiently and economically function only with A meritocracy is a socio-political supporters of the New Democratic system that rewards persons on the Party. Opportunities will be created basis of their skills, effort and for all, without regard to their performances and not by virtue of political affiliation, and rewards will their affiliation to a political party, religious grouping, race or social class. be commensurate with effort and Essentially, a meritocracy is based on performance — those are the hallmarks of a meritocracy. merit.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines will The concept of merit is synonymous be a haven for those who wish to excel with ability. Therefore, a person’s in their respective fields of ability to perform at the requisite endeavours. Hence, Towards a standard will attract the reward and Meritocracy under NDP prosperity for opportunities associated with his or all ‘ah we’. her position at the work place and in

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. 11.

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Venezuela: Pride and Shame

Care or Command

“Oh, that gentleness! How far more potent is it than force!” Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855) English novelist and poet.

SOMETIMES, persons who are blessed with the responsibility and privilege of leading others, fall prey to being so focused on command that they lose out on the tremendous benefits that are derived from revealing that they care.

We may see such revelations in homes where parents become more engaged in enforcing discipline and less on reminding children that they are loved and valued. It may also be reflected in the school system as teachers seek to enforce behaviours through systems of command and control. Some workplaces become stages where such acts are played out as managers and leaders take the short route of commanding workers to perform particular tasks rather than pausing to develop techniques that reflect care and respect for employees. In each of these real life examples, we readily discover that the authority figures may achieve their goals of getting individuals to perform particular tasks or act in a specified manner when they (the authority figures) are physically present.

However, these behaviours tend to vaporise when the enforcers are absent.

On the other hand, it may be discovered that, once individuals are convinced that those who are responsible for leading or managing really care, the “loyalty” seems to be magnified and more lasting.

The foregoing paragraph should not lead us to conclude that parents, teachers, leaders, or managers are expected to be “soft”. Neither should we conclude that there is no place for enforcing rules and issuing commands. Authority figures are often called upon to do so. However, the thoughts emerging here remind us that leadership and management styles that result in persons concluding that they are cared for and appreciated are likely to be much more effective and long lasting than those that result from persons demonstrating power and control.

Expressions of care are more likely to generate better results than displays of command and control. Gentleness can be far more potent than force.

Our leaders, whether they be in the home, workplace, or government, will do well to imbibe the words of wisdom emanating from the American author Richelle E. Goodrick when she says, “The sign of a good leader is easy to recognize, though it is hardly ever seen. For the greatest leaders are those who share as equals in the trials and struggles, the demands and expectations, the hills and trenches, the laws and punishments placed upon the backs of those governed. A great leader is motivated not by power but by compassion. Therefore he can do nothing but make himself a servant to those whom he rules. Such a leader is unequivocally respected, and loved for loving.” Truly great leaders are not motivated by power or the opportunity and ability to command. Instead, they are driven by compassion; they demonstrate that

they have the capacity to care for others. Caring leaders and managers are respected and appreciated. Those who relish the idea of displaying their authority and/or demonstrating their power will forever discover how transient, short-lived, that authority is. It such cases, they are likely to discover that they are merely tolerated (and not respected) when they are around, but ridiculed and disliked whenever their backs are turned.

Dwight David “Ike” Eisenhower (1890-1969) was an American army general and statesman who served as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe during World War II. The story is told that he regularly walked among his troops during the war.

One day he noticed a young soldier who appeared to be quite scared. He asked the youngster why he appeared to be so very pensive. The response revealed that the youth had been seriously wounded two months earlier and had just been discharged from the hospital on the previous day.

“General,” he said, “I’m awfully nervous.” Many military leaders in such a situation may be tempted to command him to regain his senses and be ready to return to the firing line to face the enemy. However, instead, Eisenhower said, “Well, you and I are a great pair, then, because I’m nervous too… Maybe if we just walk along together to the river we’ll be good for each other.” It was his caring for the youngster, not his commanding him, that resulted in the junior soldier regaining his confidence to resume tWe can all learn from such experiences. We do not always have to demonstrate the commanding approach to leadership and management. There are instances when showing that we genuinely care will have a greater impact than when we levy our power. We can demonstrate our true sense of authority (leadership roles) without imposing our authority (power/command). A warm (friendly/caring) approach has the potential of delivering a much better and longer lasting positive impact than the iron-clad method. May we accept the invitation to demonstrate a greater propensity for care rather than that of giving in to the temptation to exerting our authority via the command mode.

This essay ends as it began, with the thought from the famous English poet and novelist, Charlotte Brontë’ as she reminds us that gentleness is far more potent than force.

Expressions of care and concern can often generate more positive results than those issued as commands.

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

THE BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC is not being pressured because it is a threat to democracy. The Bolivarian Revolution of Chavez and Maduro poses a democratic revolutionary threat to the old order of domination and exploitation. This is why there is an extensive plan to turn back the process. The United States and its allies will do anything, including an armed invasion, to prevent a people’s centred alternative to succeed.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is going through its most dangerous and delicate period. The revolution that brought so much benefit to the people, is under threat. There is a strong internal opposition which is supported and directed by the United States of America; there is a regional reactionary coalition best represented by Colombia and Brazil, and there is the pressure from the European Union and the United States, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which is aimed at destabilizing and destroying the Venezuelan economy even if the most vulnerable in the population are pauperized..

This assault on Venezuela is not about democracy. Since 1998, the Venezuelan leadership held 24 open, transparent and democratic exercises in which it called on the people to decide on the transformative process. Except for the first referendum, the Bolivarians won the support of the majority of the people. They have consistently won the governorships in most states. They have also won the popular vote of those participating in the elections. President Jimmy Carter declared the electoral process in Venezuela to be ‘one of the most transparent in the world.’

War is hell. War is worse than hell for the innocent and defenseless men, women and children who may get caught in the hell fire. On June 4, 2018 the OAS passed a resolution purportedly to ‘restore parliamentary and representative democracy to Venezuela as well as to arrest the humanitarian crisis.’ There is now talk of expelling Venezuela from the OAS because it is in violation of the InterAmerican Humanitarian Charter.

Venezuela signaled since May 2017 that it intends to withdraw from the organization. The OAS vote, much like the Iraqi UN resolution to 2002, the OAS vote is a pretext and prelude for foreign military in Venezuela.

As was the case with the OAS in 1961s, when Cuba was blockaded and isolated and compelled to withdraw from the OAS, Venezuela is now forced to contemplate similar action. This ‘policy’ of sanctioning and expelling countries from the OAS, only applies to progressive and revolutionary governments that try amidst tremendous odds to cater for the welfare of their people. So Venezuela and Cuba are threatened. During the Sandinista Revolution in Nicaragua, that country’sleadership was also threatened. Armed gangs were sponsored to carry on a mercenary war against these governments.

But Latin America is only now returning to parliamentary democracy.

There was a time when most of Latin America had military dictatorships.

Some of the worst human rights violations ever recorded were committed under these military regimes. The most notorious were in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Uruguay and Paraguay.

To demonstrate the lack of ethics and morality of the United States and some of the other states ganging up against Venezuela, we only have to look at Chile under president Allende. Allende was elected President in 1970. Kissinger and Nixon vowed to make the ‘economy scream.’ They created artificial strikes and shortages. They paid people to stay away from work and to join anti-

government demonstrations. All of these actions were preparatory to the military coup in which President Allende was overthrown and murdered.

Significantly, the US never once sponsored a resolution condemning any of these military fascistic undemocratic leaders. In fact, these governments were enticed and encouraged, sponsored and directed by the USA to commit these crimes against humanity. Today they are now claiming to be for democracy and in support of the people of Venezuela.

Sadly, most of the countries of Caricom, with the exception of St Vincent (leadership counts), Suriname and Dominica, were either coerced or consciously joined in the reactionary diplomatic assault against the government of President Maduro.

Barbados, Bahamas, Jamaica, Guyana and St Lucia joined the Lima group or US led front in voting in favour of the resolution. Those countries opting to abstain were Antigua, Belize, Grenada, Haiti, St Kitts Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago.

Caricom comprises small, dependent countries with vulnerable economies. All of them would have encountered fierce threats and lobbying pressure from the USA, Canada, European Union, World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. But the position of these countries is inexcusable. In 1972, in the heat of the cold war, Barbados’ Errol Barrow, Guyana’ Forbes Burnham, Jamaica’s Michael Manley and Trinidad and Tobago’s Eric Williams, stood in collective and courageous defiance of the USA. They broke the economic and diplomatic embargo against Cuba. In so doing, the leaders said they were responding ‘to justice, to history, to regional solidarity’. One can only wonder what the current leaders are responding to. Shame on those that voted for the resolution or abstained.

We have gone backwards in our region. The joint solidarity which these early pioneers built up regarding our collective action, especially relating to foreign affairs, has been shattered.

Multilateralism is dying if not dead. We have allowed the powerful to kill off our unity and do irreparable damage to our solidarity.

No one was asking for an opportunistic vote, but the assistance which Venezuela has offered to Caricom in the last 20 years, is probably more than the US has offered in a century.

All of Caricom, especially Barbados, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica, got oil assistance that ran into billions of dollars. Why vote with those who want to strangle Venezuela and destroy its experiment? Why abstain from a vote that allows the enemies of the Venezuelan people to cynically proclaim that the vote was a triumph for democratic ideals?

The brave and heroic vote by our country may not be recognized today.

Some may sneer at our country’s vote and criticize our leaders. However, history will show that this vote was truly in defense of democracy. It was in defense of the noble principles of independence, territorial integrity and the non-interference into the internal affairs of states. It was a vote in defense of the United Nations Charter. Now more than ever, the government and people of Venezuela need our support.

We turn our backs on them now and we fail ourselves.

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

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12. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

SVG agriculture industry dying quickly SEVERAL FARMERS in SVG have complained to the Leader of SVG Green Party, Warrant Officer Ivan O’Neal, BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, that their produce is stolen even before they can harvest it.

The farmers have also complained about experiencing difficulty finding a market for any produce that is fortunate enough not to be stolen. The high unemployment rate and lack of money circulating in SVG, means there is a large Vincentian market for their produce.

Because the local market for agricultural produce is so weak, many farmers have given up growing food, because they know that their produce might be stolen or they will not get it sold.

The knock-on effect of less locally grown food is that more money is spent on imported food. This further escalates the problem of no money circulating in our country, as buying food from abroad puts money in the pockets of farmers abroad.

If all farmers in SVG felt confident that their produce would not be stolen and they could sell their produce at market in SVG, they would grow, resulting in more money circulating in

our country, as Vincentians would buy from local farmers and then those farmers in turn, would spend their money at Vincentian shops.

The situation to repeat: the less food we buy from Vincentian farmers, the less money circulates in SVG; the less chance of Vincentian farmers being able to sell their produce in SVG, the more likely they are to stop growing food and then more people buy imported food.

The demise of the agriculture industry is clear for all to see, and the ULP regime has no idea how to solve the problem. The agriculture industry is dying quickly.

Taiwan came to SVG over 30 years ago under the pretense of helping the SVG agriculture industry; yet today, the agricultural industry is virtually dead. Taiwan is just here milking SVG for billions of dollars annually from the SVG deep sea fish licence; they are not helping the SVG agriculture industry.

Taiwan is of no use to SVG farmers.

SVG Green Party expresses sincere thanks to the government and people of India for a timely gift of one million US dollars towards improving the arrowroot sector/industry, which has

been experiencing problems in production and marketing for some time now.

The problem in SVG is the gross incompetence of the ULP regime which has decimated the agriculture industry and virtually killed the rural economy. Many of our farmers live in poverty and struggle to feed their families.

Warrant Officer Ivan O’Neal, BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, says that a Green government would revive agriculture and the rural economy. There are

plenty of alternatives, including: organic farming; building factories to produce and export tea, baby food and fruit juices; building a fish canning and exporting industry; and exporting other agro-products to the diaspora in Europe, Canada and the USA. These measures will provide thousands of new jobs.

We must create markets for SVG’s farmers and get money circulating in our country.

SVG Green Party

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18 , 2019. 13.

Diaspora

Retired Vincy judge offers advice Story and photo by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net; kingnaking210@yahoo.com US CORRESPONDENT

Doubting Thomases along the way

After working for just over two years after AS HE PREPARES to be honored this Rev. college, he said he was promoted to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday Associate Manager at Prudential weekend, by the Brooklyn-based St. Property & Casualty Insurance Vincent and the Grenadines Ex-Teachers Company.

Association of New York, a retired He said, when he looked at the Vincentian judge on recall in New Jersey composition of the staff, he noticed is issuing sound words of encouragement that there was only one person of color to all on their career path. at the management level, stating that Judge Emille R. Cox — an he saw a law degree as “a short-cut to administrative supervising judge of a promotion to Manager. compensation (retired on recall), “When I informed my manager of Division of Workers’ Compensation, my decision, he asked rhetorically, New Jersey Department of Labor and ‘You are an associate manager, what Workforce Development — laid out his else are you looking for?’” Judge Cox advice in an exclusive VINCENTIAN said. “That question erased any interview. misgivings I may have had as to “Don’t be deterred by hurdles you whether I was taking too much of a encounter along your career journey,” risk by resigning.” urged Union Island-born Judge Cox, Even during his orientation, who received his legal training at following his appointment to the Rutgers University School of Law in bench, Judge Cox said he “had to Camden, NJ. “The old truism ‘nothing listen to a colleague wonder if I was ventured, nothing gained’ still holds the right person for this assignment. true.”

She was wrong.”

Remaining undaunted

Appointed judge

Judge Cox — a former master at the St. Vincent Grammar School, who received this Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Long Island University, downtown Brooklyn, in June 1974 — recalled that, when he decided to enter college, he had some misgivings since he did not have the resources for four years of college in the US. “I still recall the words of the Embassy representative, as she advised, ‘I’ll grant you the visa, but be sure to get to the college’s foreign student assistance office and inquire into any assistance for which you may qualify’ — music to my ears,” he said.

Similarly, Judge Cox said, when he was accepted to law school, he resigned his full-time position with the promise of assistance from his mother.

“Shortly before my first semester, my mother, a long-time cancer survivor, passed away,” he said. “With encouragement from family, particularly my wife, we took a leap of faith and relocated to South Jersey.

“My wife was offered a position on the first job interview in Philadelphia,” he added. “I liken a career journey as a climb uphill: you bear the rigors going up in order to enjoy the ride coming down.”

The judge also urged: “Don’t let others define your goals or your potential.”

Cox was appointed Judge of Compensation in New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, from April 2003 to June 2010, then as an administrative supervising judge of compensation, from June 2010 to his retirement in 2016.

Prior to these appointments, he served as staff attorney, chief counsel and chief administrative officer in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division, from August 1982 to October 2002.

With his penchant to always reach for the stars, Judge Cox said he relies heavily on that maxim.

“The old saying is, ‘if you aim for the moon and miss, you just might land on a star,’” he said, recalling a schoolmate describing Cox’s interest in an advertised Harvard University certificate program as “farfetched.”

“He was right,” Judge Cox said. “I never made it to Harvard, but I think I did alright.”

Accept the shortcomings and move on Cox said, as a people, “We are too often tempted to attribute our lack of motivation to discrimination,” stating that racial discrimination is “woven into the fabric of our society.

“We encounter it everywhere,” he affirmed. “We can’t wait for that

Retired Vincentian Judge Emille Cox (4th from left) receives proclamation, in early November 2017, from Philadelphia Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell (to his left), in the company of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Organization of Pennsylvania (SVGOP) officials and other dignitaries. utopian society to evolve where race never matters. It’s not happening any time soon.

“We have to accept it as a given and move on,” he added. “Achievements under difficult circumstances are all the more noteworthy. Stars shine brighter on a dark night.”

Additionally, Judge Cox urges everyone not to feel overwhelmed by any assignment, warning that feeling so “might cause you to refrain from applying for promotional opportunities.”

He said his first job fresh out of college required knowledge of the insurance industry, as well as the capabilities of the then International Business Machines (IBM) mainframe computer, with its punch cards.

Cox also said that, when he was appointed to the Workers’ Compensation Bench, he lacked trial

experience in that area of the law.

But, he said, he “survived both.”

Referring to the scriptures, he paraphrased: “Whatever our hands find to do, do it with all our might.”

“That is still good advice,” Judge Cox said.

He said while in law school, he had a part-time assignment with the Superior Court Appellate Division reviewing appellate briefs for compliance with the court rules.

“I still believe that it was my handling of that simple assignment that later led to an unsolicited offer of employment from the then Appellate Division Clerk of Court,” said Judge Cox, who will be honored Sunday at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ex-Teachers Association of New York’s annual gala luncheon at Grand Prospect Hall in Brooklyn.

The presentation party at the handing over of a donation from Vincentians in the Canadian diaspora. (Photo Credit: 784 News)

MCMH gets donation THE MILTON CATO MEMORIAL Hospital welcomed an early Christmas gift on December 21.

This when members of the SVG Toronto Support Group and the SVG Toronto Association handed over a donation of items, including mattresses, blood pressure monitors, pampers and other medical supplies.

Several Government officials and Hospital staff were on hand to to witness the handover of the items.

Mr Cuthbert Knights, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, offered welcome remarks and

expressed sincere gratitude for the contributions.

Remarks were also given by representatives of the SVG Toronto Support Group and the SVG Toronto Association.

Mr Fitzgerald Huggins, Consul General in the Consulate of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in Toronto, also addressed the ceremony.

Hospital Administrator Sr. Grace Walters did the vote of thanks and reiterated the Ministry’s heartfelt gratitude for the donation.

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14. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Heritage

Clare Valley- A settlement of the Salaloid people Protect it and make it known WHILE I WAS TRAVELLING to my home in Clare Valley, a young lady asked me to show her the location where the pottery was discovered several years ago. This request re-opened my concern with regard to preservation of the area, especially as I noticed construction work was continuing on the site.

A few days later, Fr. Mark de Silva presented me with a copy of a book entitled “The Caribs of St. Vincent” , printed from a manuscript written by Fr. Adrien Le Breton, (16621736), during his sojourn in St. Vincent.

As I read the book, I was galvanized into action. Why? The writings of Fr. Breton are quoted by numerous researchers as they seek information on preColumbian history. This and other books written by our local historians and other scholars, should be widely available in book stores, libraries, and most importantly on the School Curriculum. The history will live because now in our time, more revelations are taking place.

The Clare Valley Discovery It was with great excitement that on Independence Day,

2012, certain residents of the coastal village of Clare Valley discovered several ceramic pots which they presumed were used to decorate the sides of a well.

However, these bottomless pots could have been used as the “pipe-line” to draw the water from the well.

The pots dated from the Saladoid preColumbian indigenous culture of Venezuela and the Caribbean that flourished from 500 BCE to 545 CE. This find was at the time described as “the greatest single archaeological find in this country…..and it appears from the size of the well and sophistication of it, that Clare Valley could be one of the biggest settlements of the Saladoid people in the whole of St. Vincent and possibly the greater Caribbean area”. It should be noted that workers reported that there were other vessels in the ground.

The then Chairperson of the National Trust, promised that the search would go on. She alluded to renewed focus on Clare Valley because of the

Some of the pottery that formed part of the Clare Valley discovery.

Left: A special ceremony was held in Clare Valley to recognise the find. this nature.

No Idle Boast – Clare Valley in limbo The Chairma’s word were not idle boastful, since there was a significant find two years previously. discovery. The items have been During excavations of the site placed in the care of the for the construction of the National Trust, with the Argyle International Airport in possibility that “When Clare 2010, artefacts were discovered, Valley has its own museum, which were determined to have they (artefacts) could be brought come from a Carib village, the back.” The residents of Clare first to be found in the Lesser Valley were praised for “so Antilles. Dr Hofman said that carefully removing the pots, and through collaboration, they were their level of awareness in able to excavate the village realizing that these were completely, and as a result important.” She asserted that found 11 oval houses and two the people made the “most round houses. She said this valuable find we ever had”. reconstruction project sees them She described the discovery as unprecedented, since no such aiming to reconstruct five small round houses and one large oval finding has ever occurred in St house (about 12 metres in size).

Vincent and it is of grave To date, the Cayo Village is significance. It confirms that St established as both an Vincent is one of the richest educational and a tourist site. archaeological sites in the What of Clare Valley? At the Caribbean to have a finding of

time of the Saladoid find, it was reported that “A contingent of Grade 5 and 6 students from the Sugar Mill Academy also descended on the normally quiet fishing community that Monday”.

A community-led initiative must begin for the establishment of the Museum/Educational Centre, so that the children from all the nation’s schools and other sectors of the population may learn and share in the benefits to be derived from this “most valuable find we ever had.”

Will foreign archaeologists and researchers be the only beneficiaries of our history?

The time is right for action to be taken at community and government level to document the village’s history and encourage educational and economic benefit through its status as the home of a preColumbian settlement for more than 1,600 years.

Nelcia Robinson Coordinator Caribbean Organisation of Indigenous Peoples (COIP)

TGHF supports International Year of Indigenous Languages

TGHF is committed to implement the (Garifuna) Language Revitalization and Preservation Project in SVG. THE GARIFUNA HERITAGE FOUNDATION (TGHF) is pleased to support the Declaration by UNESCO of 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages. The Garifuna Heritage Foundation (TGHF)’s aim is to raise awareness about the historical and cultural background of our ancestors.

One of our main aims for has been to focus on the revitalization of the Garifuna language which was developed on the island of Yurumein (St. Vincent and the Grenadines but which is no longer spoken here.

As stated on UNESCO’s website at

https://en.iyil2019.org/, the following is said: “Languages play a crucial role in the daily lives of people, not only as a tool for communication, education, social integration and development, but as a repository for each person’s unique identity, cultural history, traditions and memory.” UNESCO declared 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages, in order to raise awareness , not only to benefit the people who speak these languages, but also for others to appreciate the important contributions they make to our world’s rich cultural diversity.

The UN identifies indigenous peoples’ language rights to include the right: to be educated in their mother tongue; to have indigenous languages recognized in constitutions and laws; to live free from discrimination on the grounds of language; and to establish and have access to media in indigenous languages.

Many indigenous communities throughout the world, including communities in developed countries such as Australia, Canada and the United States of America, have been engaged for years in Language Preservation and Revitalisation efforts and have received the financial and technical support of their Governments

to do so. As a result, they have established Indigenous Language Institutes and other programs which document, archive and seek to further develop the various Indigenous Languages which are still spoken or which are in danger of becoming extinct.

What is clear, is that it is still possible for an indigenous Language which is no longer spoken, to be revitalized, once the technical and financial resources are made available to do so within the country, and once the political will exists to do so. It is possible to provide training for Teachers to learn how to teach Indigenous language as a second language to persons who have no experience at all. Other possibilities include the development of Language Apps and other technological aids for training and Language revitalization.

In 2019 and beyond, TGHF plans to create and collaborate with Universities, Garinagu groups and other organizations to implement its Language Revitalization and Preservation Project in Yurumein (St. Vincent and the Grenadines). This project will entail practical and online classes and workshops of the Garifuna Language as well as the development of training materials.

The Foundation will work with the general public, but will focus especially

on Communities in St. Vincent where the Kalinago and Garifuna Indigenous peoples have lived and settled following the forced exile by the British colonisers of the Garifuna people to Central America in 1797.

It is hoped that our long term goal to have the language be widely studied as part the Primary School’s curriculum will one day be realized . We hope to generate as much interest and support from the private sector, government and non-governmental organizations in this cause to revitalise our language in SVG. (Source: TGHF)

The Garifuna language, dance and music traditions are still very important to the life and survival of the Garifuna people.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18 , 2019. 15.

Health and the Environment

Dengue, Swine Flu, Gastro update Editor’s Note: The following information was released by the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment on Wednesday 16th January, 2019.

Dengue Fever OVER THE PAST six weeks, there has been one confirmed case of the dengue fever. The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment continues to monitor vector activity, and vector control measures remain in effect.

Visitors and residents alike are reminded to protect themselves from mosquito bites and avoid creating

conditions for mosquito breeding.

Each citizen has a responsibility to take measures to protect himself/herself from bites by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito and not to create breeding conditions for the mosquito.

H1N1 - Swine Fever Over the past six weeks, persons reporting fever and respiratory systems, typical of the flu, remain within normal levels for the period under review. Persons are reminded to practise hand hygiene and cough etiquette in order to minimize the spread of viral illnesses. While Influenza A H1N1 is endemic to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, no

Left: We should be on the lookout for these signs. viral through the National Syndromic Surveillance System: Gastroenteritis, is a condition characterized by the inflammation of the stomach and confirmed cases have intestines. It can be been reported during the Gastroenteritis caused by infection with last six weeks. Even bacteria, parasites or though the flu vaccine is St. Vincent and the viruses, such as not available within the Grenadines has noted an norovirus, rotavirus, public health care sector, increase in the number of sapovirus or astrovirus. it is available in the persons reporting Symptoms usually private sector. symptoms suggestive of appear 12 to 48 hours following infection and generally last for one to three days. Symptoms of viral gastroenteritis include vomiting, nausea, Muthupet with dense Mangroves diarrhea and stomach suffered fewer human casualties cramping. Other and less damage to property, symptoms may include compared to areas without low-grade fever, chills, Mangroves. headache, muscle ache Mangroves also prevent coastal and fatigue. erosion by stabilizing sediments To decrease your with their tangled root systems. chances of contracting or They maintain water quality and spreading this virus, it is clarity by filtering pollutants and trapping sediments originating from important to practice good hand-washing and land, thus ensuring our coral reefs

The Importance of Mangroves

are healthier. They are also a habitat for shrimps, crustaceans, molluscs, fishes, and birds.

Humans inflict the most damage on Mangroves. Fifty percent of the world’s Mangroves have already disappeared in the past half Human activities have caused century. Indonesia, Mexico, significant deforestation and Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, and degradation of mangroves.

Panama recorded the largest losses of Mangroves during the 1980s. A Left: Mangroves provide an total of one million hectares were important habitat for a broad lost in these five countries. range of birds.

Mangrove wood is resistant to rot A TRIP TO THE BEACH, and there and insects, making it extremely you would enjoy the golden atmosphere which would alleviate valuable, hence the reason why it is sunshine, the sounds of Sea Birds “global warming and climate commercially harvested for pulp, flying over the ocean, the exquisite change”. According to a BBC news wood chip, and charcoal production. sounds of waves crashing on the report on January 8th 2019, “in the Mangrove Forests have been shore. It’s that wonderful place USA carbon dioxide emissions rose seen as unproductive and smelly, where you will find tranquillity to by 3.4% in 2018.” The USA is the and are cleared to make room for brighten your day — the closest world’s second largest emitter of agricultural land, human thing to paradise on earth. green house gases. settlements, harbours, industrial But within all this bliss lie very Environmental Scientists have areas and Tourism sites. The important trees that are grown discovered that keeping more building of dams and irrigation along the coastline that are Mangroves intact, allowed them to systems reduces the amount of overlooked, and are taken for avoid the release of around 13 water reaching Mangrove Forests, granted. These trees are million metric tons of carbon which changes the salinity level of “Mangroves”. dioxide into the atmosphere, which water in the forest. If salinity A Mangrove is a woody tree or is equivalent to removing 344,000 becomes too high, the mangroves shrub that lives along sheltered cars from the road each year. cannot survive. coastlines within the tropic or Mangroves can mitigate against The next time you visit the beach subtropical latitudes. The word damage caused by hurricanes and and you spot a Mangrove Forest, Mangrove is derived from the storms. Mangrove forests reduce the instead of “over exploiting” and Portuguese word mange which height of storm surges and flooding ‘holding your nostrils’ as you pass means tree, and the English word by absorbing wave energy through by them, spare a moment to grove which is used for trees and their dense roots and stems. When appreciate the good job that they shrubs. the tsunami struck India’s southern are doing in our ecosystem.

Mangroves are very important state of Tamil Nadu on December trees in our ecosystem because they 26th 2004, areas in Pichavaram and Contributed by Kimani Wiseman remove carbon dioxide from the

other hygienic practise.

Frequently wash your hands with soap and running water, especially after using the restroom, changing diapers, before eating and before preparing food.

Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating.

If unwell, do not prepare food for others.

If you are ill, stay at home from work and school, especially if you work in food handling, healthcare or childcare.

Surfaces contaminated by diarrhea or vomit should be cleaned and disinfected (by using 1 part 5.25% bleach to 9 parts water), immediately.

If you require additional information, please contact your nearest health care facility or physician.

WPP begins with General Surgery Mission THE FIRST WORLD PEDIATRIC PROJECT (WPP) mission to St. Vincent and the Grenadines for 2019, a general surgery mission, concluded on January 10. It bgean on December 6.

The team was led by Dr. Lukish, pediatric surgeon from Children’s National Hospital in Washington DC. A total of 41 local and 15 regional patients benefited from this Mission.

CEO of WPP Susan Rickman who accompanied the team, was elated to be here to give support.

She said that a pediatric general surgery team has been travelling to St Vincent for the past 14 years, and that there are approximately 15 teams per year coming to St Vincent with different subspecialties.

Upon urging by the Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, the WPP expanded its service in 2008 to the East Caribbean, and has since offered its expertise to persons from St. Lucia, Grenada, Antigua and Dominica.

This General Surgery Mission was sponsored by Mustique Charitable Foundation and Miracle Flights, with transportation and meal support coming from the Rotary Club of St. Vincent South and Lindon James’ BeFit Movement.

The next WPP mission, a craniofacial plastic surgery mission, is scheduled for January 20th-25, and will be led by Dr. Jennifer Rhodes from VCU. The WPP offers surgical and diagnostic critical pediatric care to children of the Eastern Caribbean, and has been actively working in St. Vincent & the Grenadines since 2002.

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16. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Business

CIBC/FCIB reaching out

Shelly Ann Samuel, (right) Country Manager of CIBC First Caribbean SVG hands over donation to ASK Promotions representative for the upcoming Melisizwe Brothers Concert in SVG.

CIBC FIRSTCARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL BANK (CIBC/FCIB) has put its support behind ‘The Melisizwe Brothers in Concert’ scheduled for the Russell Auditorium in Stoney Ground on Saturday 2nd February, 2019.

Part of the proceeds of this concert will go to SCORCH Cancer Support Foundation.

This will be the Melisizwe Brothers’ (Marc, 14, Seth, 11, and Zacary, 10) first big outing in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, since a wave of international recognition that began in 2017 when their take on the Jackson Five’s “I’ll Be There”with their YouTube success with their ‘take’ on, burst on the YouTube scene with millions of hits.

CIBC/FCIB Country (SVG) Manager Shelly Ann Samuel said the bank was “thrilled to support Ask Productions in bringing the arts and

sounds of these young talented boys to take our community on an inspirational musical journey, and at the same time to raise money to continue to fight cancer — a cause that is very dear to us here at the bank.”

Walk for the Cure Meanwhile, CIBC FirstCaribbean’s 2018 Annual Walk for the Cure, the region’s largest cancer fundraiser, has again topped the US half million mark across the English and Dutch Caribbean.

Last year, sponsors and participants in the 17 territories where the bank has a presence, raised a total of USD $512,367.39 in support of various cancer care and awareness charities.

Additionally, CIBC/FCIB officials said, some 32,200 persons participated in the 2018

Walk, a significant increase over the 19,800 in the 2017 Walk, which, albeit, was affected by the hurricanes that brought havoc to the region.

“I am delighted to report that our collective efforts have paid off handsomely again as this latest figure surpasses 2017’s total of just under USD$450 000,” said Walk Co-Chair and CIBC FirstCaribbean Mr. Mark St Hill.

St. Hill said he was “humbled by the thousands of men, women and children who answer our call every year to don their shirts and take to the streets by the thousands to join in our crusade against cancer.”

Last year’s figure brings the total amount of funds raised in the past seven years to over $2.2 million, and Mr St. Hill noted that this was

Mark St. Hill, Walk CoChair, continues to be overwhelmed by the support year in, year out. also a “remarkable achievement for such a relatively young event.”

For its own part, CIBC/FCIB St. Vincent raised over #30,000 XCD. This amount will be donated to the SVG Medical Association to assist with its cancer prevention and treatment programmes.

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18 , 2019. 17.

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18. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Digicel promises high tech future for SVG WITH THE RECENT announcement that Digicel is ready to roll out its new fibre optic infrastructure, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines is set to enter a new era of global competitiveness and economic development.

Investment in this state-ofthe-art technology helps to ensure SVG’s future: providing a faster, more reliable Internet service on the island.

Digicel’s Country Manager, Fanta Williams said, “Digicel has been — and will continue to be — the catalyst for new technology. This fibre optic network will positively impact the lives and livelihoods of Vincentians; making even faster internet speeds available.”

The DIGICEL FIBRE experience promises wider coverage, broader bandwidth, faster connections and a crystal clear video service that won’t fade or disconnect in inclement weather - all for a very competitive price. It is ideal for businesses, improving efficiency in the office and on-the-go. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing (in a technological sense) just got a whole lot faster — and smarter!

DIGICEL FIBRE additionally paves the way for new opportunities in healthcare, including remote access to doctors and diagnostics. It also puts Vincentian students on an equal footing with their tech-savvy peers

throughout the world.

One of the most important features of DIGICEL FIBRE is its reliability and climate resilience. Whatever the weather conditions, the network will remain dependable, with no interruptions to data transmission.

Infrastructure for DIGICEL FIBRE connections to private businesses is slated to roll out throughout 2019.

This will happen in step with the Caribbean Regional Communications Infrastructure Program, also known as the CARCIP project — one of Digicel’s more significant undertakings in the region. Phase 1 of the CARCIP project will connect every Government building to the new high-speed fibre network. Schools and hospitals will follow, making 21st century initiatives - such as Smart Cities, Safe Cities, Connected Health and Advanced Learning - a reality.

For more information on DIGICEL FIBRE and the CARCIP program, please visit www.digicelgroup.com/carcip .

(Source: Digicel)

KPMG donates to Cancer Fight in SVG DURING the months of October and November, KPMG in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean (BEC) engaged in a special campaign across Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent to raise funds for breast and prostate cancers, respectively.

Dubbed the “Pink Challenge,” for every day in October that staff across KPMG BEC wore an article of pink clothing, the firm pledged funds to match the article of clothing worn. Similarly, for every Friday in November during the “Blue Challenge,” for every article of blue clothing worn, the firm pledged funds accordingly, allowing the group to donate to the respective Cancer Societies across all four islands.

Partner of the St. Vincent and Grenadines firm, Brian Glasgow noted, “We are proud to support the work of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Medical Association as they continue to make strides against breast and prostate cancers. We will continue to play our part in St. Vincent to support the work of this important organization, and to contribute to other causes on the island which support cancer

Dr. Rosalind Ambrose (centre) of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Medical Association accepts the donation from KPMG employees Cyrilene Prescott (left) and Nigel Creese. awareness.”

Dr. Rosalind Ambrose, President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Medical Association, expressed her gratitude for the donation, indicating that the funds will be very useful for the support of their programmes. The Association has been active for more than a decade, and raises funds for the treatment of cancer patients in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, including treatment costs for patients abroad, and often times includes flight coverage. (Source: KPMG)

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18 , 2019. 19.

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20. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Advice

Blindfolded and tricked

Dear George MY BOYFRIEND did something to me for which I will never forgive him. He told me we should try some kinky stuff in bed and after much discussion I agreed to be blindfolded and tied to the bed. He blindfolded me and tied my hands to the bed head and proceeded to do his thing.

After he was done, I felt someone strange and before I could wink, another man was on me. Two of his buddies had sex with me and when I raised a storm, he said he was being kinky as per my wish.

I told him that was never part of the plan, and I was sickened to know he could allow other men to sexually assault me like that. He refused to see my point, and that incident brought about the demise of our relationship.

I am still in shock over the incident and it’s affecting me a great deal.

Dear Heavy heart, Thanks for sharing. Your experience was indeed a regrettable one, to say the least. The boyfriend was selfish and may even have been a criminal. You can file a complaint for rape, seeing that you never gave consent for these two men to be sexual with you. In the meantime, see a counselor to help you sort your emotions out.

Usually it takes a long history of trust and love for couples to attempt venturing into the kinky stuff. In your case, you took a gamble and it didn’t work out. This experience, though, may have allowed you the opportunity to see the true nature of your boyfriend.

George

Heavy heart

Not satisfied!! don’t want to lose her.

experiencing is explainable.

Give this time and put MY GIRLFRIEND and I Worried your focus on getting to have been together for 2 know each other better; months. We have a huge Dear Worried, and down the road, your problem. No matter how Not achieving an utmost desires could I try, I am not able to get orgasm should not be a very well be a reality. her to have an orgasm.

On the other hand, if It’s like she is a piece of deal breaker in a 2your girlfriend is fixated concrete. She is accusing month-old relationship.

There could be many on the orgasm issue and me of not being a real factors that are it’s her number one man because when we responsible for this, and priority, then remaining make love she is never one that readily comes to in the relationship with satisfied, because of the mind is some people her mindset will only orgasm issue. need to be totally relaxed make life miserable for It’s like the love and trusting for orgasms both of you. In that case, between us is fast to happen. If the both of you should move dwindling and I’m not individual in question is on. able to arrest the not 100% into you, then situation. What am I George what you are doing wrong, George? I

Dear George,

ÂDie with your dignityÊ Dear George,

Dear Rock/hard place,

I’M OWING my landlord 7 months rent and there is no way I will be able to pay him this month end. He has hinted that I should start thinking of vacating the apartment if I don’t pay up.

One of my girlfriends who knows him well suggested to me to offer him my body in lieu of payment. She said he will wipe my backlog rent off in a flash, once I sleep with him.

I’m tempted to follow her advice because I’m desperate. Of course, if I sleep with him, I might even ask him for a reduced rent as suggested bymy girlfriend. What do you think?

Offering your body as payment may solve a temporary problem, but the stain left from doing so may affect you long term.

Talk to your landlord again and show him that you are actively trying to reduce the balance. Use this opportunity to get some financial counseling which may bring other ideas as to how you can get your head above water. You may very well have to consider finding a cheaper place to rent.

Whatever you do, make every effort to keep your dignity. Do not sell yourself cheap. Your dignity is worth more than 7 months rent.

Rock and hard place George

Leisure

Aries (Mar. 21‐ April 20) Don't let relatives stand in the way of your personal plans. Curl up with a good book or go for a drive in the country.

Your interest in helping others may take you back to school. You're on to something tangible and need to act fast.

Taurus (Apr. 21‐ May 21) Think about starting your own small business, Arguments will flare up if you get backed into an emotional corner.

You will be extremely sensual; take precautions and don't take any risks. Do not get involved in joint financial ventures.

Gemini (May 22‐June 21) Deception and doubts may surround your involvement with friends and relatives. You can get your point across if you don't beat around the bush. You can enjoy the company of others and come in contact with an ideal mate, if you get out and mingle.

Cancer (June 22‐July 22) Be careful not to hurt someone's feelings. You may have difficulties with someone close to you. Tempers could boil if someone you work with has not been pulling their weight. Your sensitivity toward those you love will capture their hearts.

Libra (Sept. 24 ‐Oct. 23) Sudden romantic encounters are quite likely, but discretion will be a must. Don't give your heart too readily. Someone may be trying to take advantage of you.

You are best to avoid confrontations.

Scorpio (Oct. 24 ‐ Nov. 22) Don't lament to a friend about any grievance regarding your mate, or it may be hard to rectify your relationship. You need to get out and challenge yourself.

Secret activity is evident. You should want to feel good about yourself and your goals.

Sagittarius (Nov. 23 ‐Dec. 21) You will have a blowup this week if your partner does things that you feel are not aboveboard. You can't do everything on your own. This could be a serious relation ship. Do things you enjoy instead of being a chameleon.

Capricorn (Dec 22.‐ Jan. 20) Opportunities for travel and communication are evident. You will be in the mood for competition, and your ability to lead a group will bring you popularity. Sign up for courses that will bring you more skills. Lovers may prove unworthy of your affection.

Leo (July 23‐Aug 22) Children may be difficult to handle.

Investments will not be as they appear this week. Lack of funds may add stress to your already uncertain situation. Sign up for courses or join fitness clubs.

Aquarius (Jan. 21.‐ Feb. 19) You can ask for favors but don't take them for granted. Partnerships may be plentiful. Make arrangements to meet friends at your local dance club. If you have treated them equitably, you might be able to count on their loyalty.

Virgo (Aug. 23 ‐Sept. 23) Put your energy into self‐improvement programs that promise to make you into a better you. You may find your mate somewhat perturbed. You must get out and mingle. You can get into self‐ awareness groups or look into physical enhancement programs.

Pisces (Feb. 20‐Mar. 20) Your ability to ferret out secret information will lead you to an inside scoop on an amazing financial deal.

Check your personal papers and make sure everything is in order. Make those phone calls and pay your bills. Visitors may be likely to drop by.

ACROSS 1. Chunk of marble 5. Fix (an election) 8. Opposite of fast 12. Force of character 13. Before, to bards 14. Hired vehicle 15. Singapore’s continent 16. Eisenhower, fondly 17. Roasting appliance 18. Defender of Gotham City 20. Banjo sound 21. Egg‐hunt holiday 24. Long slit 27. “No_, Jose!”

28. Far from good 31. Suffer sickness 32. The “p” in “mph” 33. Graduate of Yale 34. _ soup, thick fog 35. Billiards rod 36. Hymn of praise 38. Patriotic melody 40. Jumped (over) 44. Musical dramas 48. Wheel part 49. Kitchen skillet 51. Doily material 52. Quite smart 53. Lady of Eden 54. Tart, green fruit 55. “Cease!”

56. Roll of bank notes 57. Coasting toy DOWN 1. Mop (a deck) 2. “Mona _,” famous portrait 3. Came to earth 4. Finds fault with 5. Horse straps 6. Irritate 7. “Holy cow!”

8. Pack neatly 9. Molten rock 10. Yoked beasts 11. Bird limb 19. Relieved sigh 20. Attempt (to) 22. Canary comment 23. Listening organ 24. Plant fluid 25. False story 26. Similar to: 2 wds.

28. Arthur on “Maude” 29. Entire quantity 30. Shadowy 32. Clever verbal joke 35. Meowing pet

36. Energy; vigor 37. Senses a fragrance 39. Sharpened (skills) 40. Rules of conduct 41. Door leading outside

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. 21.

42. As a bonus 43. Sneaky glance 45. Track section 46. Peak point 47. Future tree 49. Church seat 50. Glamorous Gardner

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22. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Sports Feature

Coaches introduced to Sport Psychology

THIRTY-FIVE (35) participants, primarily coaches drawn from various national sporting disciplines, were this week

involved in an introductory Sports Psychology Workshop, facilitated by the St Vincent and the Grenadines Olympic

Committee, through the Pan American Sports Organisation.

The five- day Workshop, which ran

from Monday and ends The coaches tapped Participants in rapt attention at the today, Friday, was held into the wealth of Introductory Sports at the Xpert Computer knowledge from Dr Psychology Workshop.

Centre Conference Room. Themesa Neckles, Professor Michele Moore and Rae Samuel.

Among some of the topics which had the participants in rapt attention were the Psychological tools for Professor Michele Moore (left) individual and Dr. Themesa Neckles (right), coaching; the during one of Tuesday’s sessions Psychology of of the workshop.

Team Dynamics , as can identify some well as Designing common issues…,” sessions using Neckles stated.

Psychological Rae Samuel described perspectives to inform the workshop as timely, individual intervention saying that it came at a and Understanding time when St Vincent foundations of sports and the Grenadines had development offered by left a mark on the Junior Psychology.

Carifta Games in the Outlining the intended Bahamas, and the Junior outcome of the workshop, Carifta Swimming Neckles related, “Our Championships held in main objective is to Jamaica in 2018. develop an awareness of At the two outings, St Sports Psychology in the Vincent and the context of Caribbean, Grenadines gained three specifically related to St gold medals, one silver Vincent and the and one bronze.

Grenadines.”

“This workshop, Towards this end, she therefore, sensitises said, “What we have coaches to their done was to draw on perspective, their their ideas, their responsibilities and knowledge and cultural strategies to make context and using that as positive contribution on a spin off, to apply the the pathway going theoretical principals and forward,” Samuel noted. perspectives.”

He believed if St Apart from the Vincent and the theoretical segment, Grenadines is to build on participants were also the success of the youth, given opportunities to get coaches must get to know an insight into the their cares from an early practical side of Sports age, in order that their Psychology. potential can be “We have embedded potential. sessions, to allow them Facilitators are (the participants) to hopeful that at the end of develop strategies for the workshop which them to develop matters culminates today with a of the mind … What we Closing Ceremony, that have tried to do is to the participants, armed provide that level of with their insights of intervention and basic Sports Psychology, would strategies that they can be practical and go back use, not as experts , to their respective because they are not sporting disciplines, and Psychologists , but they be better coaches.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. 23.

Turtin enters record books GLENDEEN TURTIN wrote herself into the history books of female cricket in St. Vincent and the Grenadines when she recorded the first every double century in a national senior female cricket competition here.

Turtin, the national and Windward Islands wicket-keeper/ batter, blasted 204 to help joint defending National Champions — J.G. Tigress to a mammoth 440 for 2 in 40 overs, over Radcliffe Girls, in one of the opening matches played last weekend in the 2019 National Super 40 Cricket Competition.

In the match played at the Stubbs Playing Field, Turtin got

good support from her captain and captain of the national team Stacy-Ann Adams, who hit an unbeaten 104.

In reply to J.G. Tigress’ formidable total, Radcliffe Girls put in a batting performance typical of a team that had been demoralized, and were bowled out for 97, handing the joint defending champions victory by what some say is a record margin of 327 runs.

J.G. Tigress’ Rochelle John picked up 4 for 2 off 2 overs, and Shanica Campbell 2 for 9.

J.G. Tigress recorded their second win on the weekend when they beat Attackers by 10 wickets

at the Buccament playing field.

Scores: Attackers 67, Sandra Samuel 27, Alisha Williams 3 for 9 and Rochelle John 2 for13; J.G Tigress in reply raced to 69 without loss. Japhina Joseph was unbeaten on 17 and Edelyn Turtin 29.

In the other weekend match, United Survivors beat Super Strikers by 10 wickets. Scores: Super Strikers 115 all out, Juliana Nero 41, Hazel-Ann Foster 27, Cordel Jack 4 for 19; United Surviors 116 without loss, Samantha Lynch 48, Shavorne Clarke 55.

I.B.A.ALLEN

Cricket season opens: One century, two 10-wicket hauls TWO CURRENT NATIONAL players and one retired player took honours in the opening round of matches, in the Premier Division of the NLA National Cricket Competition.

Hyron Shallow hit the season’s first century, and allrounder Alston Bobb and leg spinner Olanzo Jackson each opened with 10-wicket hauls.

Shallow’s century, 102, came in

Rivals’ first innings against Saints. He led Rivals to 174 for 9 in which Saints’ medium pacer Jeremy Haywood took 5 for 57.

Saints replied with 106, Alex Samuel 40, and Jackson accounting for 4 Saints wickets for 21 runs.

Batting a second time, there was no Orlanzo Jackson, Hyron Shallow, repeat of heroics retired from national playing for Rivals from Shallow, and duty as a player, Rivals lost their way One against Saints, set the tone with the bagged a match haul of to a paltry 77 all 10 for 69 bowling for season’s first out, Lindon James Rivals One. century, hit 102.

30 and Geron Wyllie turning destroyer 34, and Cuthbert for Saints with 7 for Springer, 28, they had 7. Saints, set a ‘reachable’ 145 to little answer to Bobb, once again, win, fell prey to the leg spin of who proceeded to claim 6 for 50 Jackson, who registered another for a match haul of 12 for 70. career 10-wicket haul (10 for 69) when he claimed 6 for 48, to help Victors One, with a positive attitude from the get go, claimed bowled out Saints for 124. victory when they reached 225 for In the other weekend Premier 7, Bobb top scoring with 66, and Division match played at Arnos Vale, Victors One beat newcomers Chrisroy John and Aticus Brown getting 56 and 55 rrspectively.

North Windward by 3 wickets.

Victors One’s allrounder Alston NLA First Division Tournament Bobb was in top form, first claiming 6 for 20 to help bowl out Police 1 beat Smashers by 2 North Windward for 165, Dillon wickets.

Scores: Smashers 135, Douglas leading with 70. Victors Rawdon Bentink 61, Deptor One, though, found the going tough and were dismissed for 115, Culzac 26, Vertil Davis took 5 for 41 off 7 overs; Police 1 140 for 8, Chrisroy John getting 49 and Elmore Alexander 33. Dion Bynoe Bobb 26. Antonio Barker took 4 and Salrick Caine 22, each. for 54 for North Windward.

Alston Bobb picked up a match Darren Russell took 3 for 31.

Batting a second time, North haul of 12 for 70 and made 66 for Windward reached 178, and with in Victors One’s successful the exception of Sealron Williams, I.B.A.ALLEN victory chase.

Glendeen Turtin stroked 204 and now occupies a coveted place in the history books.

Stacy-Ann Adams also showed early form with an unbeaten century.

Trio get 2019 FIFA Badges THREE VINCENTIAN Football officials, Moeth Gaymes, Kenran Daniel and Denroy Barker, are now part of the FIFA list for 2019.

The three were presented with their badges last Sunday at the Chili Playing Field, where they were officiating in the finals of the Hairoun/ National Lotteries Authority North East Football League.

Gaymes gained his Referee’s Badge, with Daniel and Barker badged as Assistant Referees formerly called “linesmen”.

Gaymes and Barker were originally placed on the FIFA listing in 2014, while Daniel gained entry in 2015.

The process for the officials to make the FIFA list involves local assessment of the officials’ competence in Football matches from the assigned assessors, along with physical and medical tests.

Gaymes and Barker got exposure last year during the CONCACAF Nations League Qualifiers in Bradenton, Florida, USA, when the US Virgin Islands hosted Canada.

Among the standards for eligibility, a referee must be at least 25 years on the 1st January to make the International listing for nomination on that calendar year. The eligibility age for Assistant Referees is 23.

Before 2016, a referee had to be no older than 45 years to be on the International List. In 2014, FIFA announced the removal of the maximum age requirement, which was implemented in 2015.

Whilst Gaymes, Daniel and Barker made the list, reports are that other names submitted were not accepted.

Lorson Lewis and Clemroy Francois are the two persons in charge of the Refereeing Department of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation.

From left: Clemroy Francois, (a member of the SVGFF Refereeing Department) Denroy Barker, Moeth Gaymes, Kenran Daniel, Devron Poyer (General Secretary of the SVGFF).

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24. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

Overland & Chapmans trump North East Football A SINGLE strike from Trezine Da Souza was all Overland needed to beat Brownstown, onenil, in the First Division final of the 2018/2019 Hairoun/ National Lotteries Authority/North East Football League (NEFL), which concluded last Sunday at the Chili Playing Field.

Later named as Player of the Final, Da Souza, a member of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Under-20 team, brought joy to his team’s band of supporters who burst into rapturous applause when his long range shot was not handled properly by the Brownstown goal-keeper.

The win by Overland ended Brownstown’s previously unbeaten run

in the competition.

Overland walked away with the winner’s purse of $1500, a trophy and medals, while Brownstown got a trophy and $1000.

The two losing finalists, Owia United and Mount Grenan, each received $250.

Also on Sunday, a goal each from Saied Dabreo and Hosni

Androy Spring – Best Goal keeper in the First Division.

Double awardee – Kadeem Duncan (right) accepts one of his trophies from President of the SVGFFMarvin Fraser.

First Division winners- Overland.

Player of the First Division finalTrezine Da Souza.

Chandler helped Chapmans to a two —nil victory over World X1, in the Premier Division Cup final.

Overland and Chapmans, joined the other title winners, which were previously decided.

Taking the Sports Evangelism Futsal Division was Sandy Bay Gospel Hall, with Owia United One copping the Female Division.

Owia United also took the U-11 Division, and SV United was the winner of the Under-13 Division.

Chapmans had champed the U-17, while All Stars secured two titles- the Premier Division League title and the Community Shield Knock Out. All Stars’ winnings were $3000 for winning the League and $500 for the Knock Out.

Awards Several awards were handed out at last Sunday’s Presentation Ceremony.

Brownstown and Overland carted off the First Division individual awards.

Among the accolades won by Brownstown’s players were the Best Defender, which went to Androy Spring; Best Midfielder- Kenroy Ollivierre and Best Striker- Kadeem Duncan.

Overland’s Amal Francis won the Best Goal-Keeper award.

Similar awards were presented for Premier Division Cup champions – Chapmans.

SVGFF hosts female matches IN PREPARATION for the staging of the 2018/2019 Female National Club Championships, set to get going on Wednesday 16th January 2019 beginning at 4:30pm at the Victoria Park, the SVGFF hosted two sets of warm- up matches during December.

The first set of matches was held on Wednesday 5th December, and saw the National U-15 team defeating QCESCO Biabou 5-0, and System 3 trumping K&R Strikers 2-0.

In the second set of matches held on Wednesday 12th December, North Leeward Predators secured a 5-2 win over Owia United, and Volcanoes FC defeated Camdonia Chelsea 1-0.

The Female National Club Championships will kick off with the opening game featuring Owia United and newcomer SV United, which is a product of the Female School Festival.

Caswart Hoyte – Best Midfielder in the Premier Division. outstanding performances in the Premier Division.

All Stars copped two of the awards, as Nickron Billy was adjudged the Best Goal Keeper and Dwayne Cupid- Best Striker.

The other two awards went to World XI’s Courtney Peter- Best Defender and Caswart Hoyte of Chapmans - Best Midfielder.

Meanwhile, All Stars’ Cartwright Franklyn won the Best Manager/ Coach awards in the Community Shield Knock Out and the Premier Division.

Two Youth Players awards went to Kadeem Duncan of Brownstown and Terreson Joseph of Chapmans.

DESCO was named the Most Disciplined Team, and James Browne received Special Recognition for his contribution to the North East Football League.

The House of Ellis, a US based nonprofit organization, and the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation, assisted with the trophies.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. 25.

Sports

In the mix PEOPLE LIKE to let it off on the West Indies and trivialise the real life occurrences. Even though they might not be the force as a unit, Caribbean players are in demand worldwide, especially in the T/20 format.

And that is the dilemma that compounds regional success. For once players have attained that traction, it is a matter of survival. That situation was indicated in a recent interview with former coach Stuart law.

He himself would have loved hanging around the West Indies. But self-preservation comes first, and Law, perhaps being diplomatic, cited the fouryear contract with Middlesex and the need for his stability, as reasons for opting out.

Still Law was generous and practical about the outcome of the English tour. He noted that England are “red-hot favourites,” given their three-nil sweep of Bangladesh recently. He warned that the West Indies have nothing to lose.

Law pointed out that “the crowd will tell them they are not supposed to win, and they like proving them wrong.”

That must be piercing comment. For when it reaches that point that your own serves as the source of disdain, it must send shivers down the spine of men like CLR James.

That reverse colonial mentality has taken root and it is hard to uproot.

Law also encouraged us to entrench our production to ensure the continuity in the garden.

Then it boils down to application and selfbelief. The quarrels and squabbles will not take us far. We have to gel as a team and flush out the negatives.

This is the sports era on the academic circles.

Around this time, the talent hits the horizon, and sporting heroes begin to show their first signs of greatness. The various Sports Meets will serve as the breeding ground of those who will move on to the regional circuit, and if given the proper nurturing form, the reservoir for all disciplines.

So when the appropriate Meets or competitions are organised, the contingents are ready and able to establish their mark.

The cry for facilities to ensure complete preparation for those sporting enthusiasts, will grow until adequate responses have been offered.

One welcomes the return of Kendale Mercury to the footballing circles. He promises an air of expectancy. His record was improving until circumstances caused his phasing away. One with a self-motivation typical of the Grenadine folk, Mercury has rebounded with an air of renewal.

The hope is that he is given the latitude to groom his stocks so that he stamps his brand of creativity on the landscape.

Mercury needs the support and encouragement of the entire Vincentian nation. Once there is collaboration and consolidation in the fraternity, this is reason to believe that football fortunes will witness a forward march.

The base is there for us to adjust to the modern production. The challenges can be overcome. This needs a matter of commitment. Like all life’s endeavours, it is not just a matter of hoping and praying. You have to put out the work load. That entails a great deal from the preparation along many lines, to the execution and dedication beyond the call of duty, to ensure you are up to the task.

Hannaway heads SVGSA’s Executive KEVIN HANNAWAY was last Saturday elected as President of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Squash Association (SVGSA), at that organisation’s Annual General Meeting, staged at the National Squash Centre in Paul’s Avenue.

Hannaway took over from James Bentick, who had held the post since 2015.

Bentick was unavailable for re-election, as he has been out of state for some time.

Speaking after his last Saturday’s election, Hannaway said, “I am looking forward to the task at hand… I have been groomed for this position for several years now… I have been President of the OECS Squash Association for the past five months and that was my starter.”

He spoke of ‘bottling’ all the years of “grooming” to bear on his new position, saying, “I have served in different positions on the SVG Squash Association’s Executive and regional committees , so the knowledge and experience are there,.. .”

In addition to be head of the

OECS and local Squash associations, Hannaway is also headman for St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Junior Squash Programme.

Hannaway, though, will be assisted by persons who have had experience as servants of the sport’s administration.

From left: Jason Doyle, Dr. Sherian Slater, Janine Taking over the Doyle, Rochelle Williams, Cindy Walcott, Michele position of ViceSamuel, Jules Snagg, Lafleur Jones.

President from Anne Miller is Jules Representative.

Snagg.

The Committee Members Former President Dr. are Lafleur Jones and Rochelle Sherian Slater added another Williams. year on her tenure as the Last Saturday’s AGM also association’s Treasurer. heard the report of activities of Janine Doyle moved up from the association for 2018, and being a Committee Member to projections for 2019.

Assistant Treasurer, and Cindy Immediately on the agenda Walcott stays put as Secretary. of the new Executive, is the Making her debut as an staging of the Junior Open executive member is Michele Championships next Monday. New SVGSA’s Samuel who was elected to the Hannaway revealed that position of Public Relations President – part of the planning for Officer, with Jason Doyle championships, is trying to get Kevin continuing his role as Junior regional players to compete.

Hannaway.

No Ambris, Bravo recalled THERE WAS no room for SVG’s middle order batsman — Sunil Ambris — in the West Indies squad named to face England in a home Test series beginning January 23, 2019, at Kensington Oval, Barbados.

And while Ambris will look on from the boundary lines, room has been found in the squad to accommodate the recall of Trinidadian batsman Darren Bravo and Leeward Islands’ fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, and to welcome two previously uncapped players — lefthanded batsman and right-arm off spin bowler John Campbell of Jamaica and right-handed batsman and occasional leg break bowler Shamarh Brooks of Barbados.

A release from CWI said that Jamaica’s fast bowler Oshane Thomas has been called up as cover for Alzarri Joseph.

The announcement of the recall of the 29-yearold Bravo turned some heads, since he made the last of 49 Test appearances to date, against Pakistan in October 2016.

His recall to the Test team on the heels of his recent international duty in the limited overs portion of the tour of Bangladesh last year, speaks to a resolution of the dispute between him and the CWI President, Dave Cameron, that had laboured and kept him out

of West Indies duty in all formats John Campbell Sunil Ambris Darren Bravo Shamarh Brooks of the likes to think represented the has been out has to ‘go game. of himself as West Indies in of the Test Jason and come being cut in the 2006 U-19 team since again’.

Holder the style of Cricket World late 2016. resumes Chris Gayle.

Cup in Sri Lanka. his role as captain of the Campbell, Test squad which Roston Alzarri Joseph, includes: Kraigg Chase, Shane Dowrich, Kemar Roach and Jomel Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Warrican.

Shamarh Brooks, John Hetmyer, Shai Hope,

26. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. THE VINCENTIAN

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019. 27.

Classifieds

PRUNELLA DA BREO

JOB CARDINAL BRITTEN aka Mandrick

Park Hill Pentecostal Church Sunday, January 13, 2019 Viewing: 2:00 p.m.

Service: 3:00 p.m.

Paget Farm Community Centre according to Baptist Rites Sunday 13th January, 2019 Service: 2:00 p.m.

Interment: Paget Farm Cemetery

CORNELIUS (CORNY, GLASGOW) CHARLES

BENEDICT AUGUSTUS BENN

Saturday, January 12, 2019 Services at Church of God Worldwide Mission Redemption Sharpes

Cathedral of The Assumption Kingstown Friday, January 11th.

2019 Service: 3:00 p.m.

Interment: Kingstown Cemetery

The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

F O R

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SVG RECORDS FIRST HOMICIDE FOR 2019 single door of the structure was open.

Mindful of what could possibly unfold, they scrambled to escape, but a shot was fired and Rogers was Osbourne ‘Ratti’ Rogers succumbed to a bullet to his hit in the chest. The shot proved fatal. chest. (Credit: Facebook One Pole Yard resident told photo) THE VINCENTIAN that she heard the single shot

by KENVILLE HORNE and thought that someone in the area was playing TEN DAYS INTO 2019, St. around with a gun.

Vincent and the Grenadines However, when she went recorded its first homicide. outside, she saw Rogers Police confirmed on lying on the ground as if Monday, that they were he was already dead. investigating the shooting She said that Rogers’s death of a Barrouallie man, body remained on the which occurred sometime ground for hours. It was between 11:00 pm and 11:59 removed well into the early pm, Thursday 10th January, in the community of Pole Yard hours of Friday morning. located in an area north-east of and adjacent to the airstrip Rogers’ run in with the law of the de-commissioned E. T. Joshua Airport, Arnos Vale.

Rogers was known to Osbourne Rogers, aka the police, and was ‘Ratti’, 21, was shot in the chest while in the company of arrested and charged on two friends in a single room The Pole yard structure in wooden structure. which Rogers and his Reports are that the men friends were when the heard a noise and realized the shooting occurred.

numerous occasions.

Another resident of Pole Yard, who requested not to be named or photographed, for fear of reprisals, told THE VINCENTIAN that Rogers started coming to the area a number of years ago, to visit with two young men who had taken up residence in the community.

These two men, according to the resident, were the ‘two

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

friends’ who were in the structure when the shooting occurred.

The person reported that Rogers and his friends were in a very serious feud with a group of persons from an area call Bom Bom, which is located a short distance from Pole Yard.

Information shared revealed that Rogers was charged for a number of serious offenses,

one of a sexual nature involving a medical student.

A check with the Police Public Relations Department confirmed that Rogers had been charged with various criminal offenses dating back to March 1, 2017. Among the charges were aggressive burglary and indecent assault.

Up to press time no one had been charged with Rogers’s death.

Printed by the SVG Publishers Inc., Campden Park.