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The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

FRIDAY,

JANUARY 20, 2017

VOLUME 111, No.03

www.thevincentian.com

EC$1.50

The weapons seized were put on display at the Central Police Headquarters for full viewing by media personnel.

AS POLICE STEP up their campaign against illegal firearms, a submachine gun, regarded as a deadly weapon, was among three firearms seized when a house in Lowmans Bay was searched, Wednesday morning.

“What we have recovered this morning (are) one submachine gun, one Glock [40], one .38 revolver and one round of AK ammunition, 14 rounds of Glock 40 ammunition and 45 rounds of 9mm ammunition, as well as

two ski masks,” said Commissioner of Police Renold Hadaway during a press conference at headquarters on Wednesday afternoon.

Speaking about the submachine gun, Hadaway, a leading firearms specialist in the police force, said it was the deadliest of the weapons seized during the raid.

“This weapon operates from what is known as an open bolt position. That is to say, as it is now, if you

squeeze the trigger, nothing will happen, even though there is a magazine inside the weapon. In order to activate it, the bolt must be to the rear like that,” Hadaway said, demonstrating the sliding of the bolt of the unloaded firearm.

Continued on Page 3.

Right: Commissioner of Police Renold Hadaway demonstrating how the submachine gun works.

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2. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

News

FLOW launched Money Everyday promotion customers offering further saving opportunities early in the year. Customers can now save over $50 monthly with these new bundle Plans,” stated Williams.

FLOW Country Manager Wayne Hull

FLOW Country Manager Wayne Hull introduced his company’s new and economically friendly post-paid options plans.

TELECOMMUNICATION GIANT FLOW has launched a promotion that would see customers winning EC$ 400 every day until Friday March 10th.

During a press conference on Wednesday at the FLOW recently refurbished retail store on Halifax Street, Corporate Communications Manager of FLOW Nikala Williams said the “FLOW Money Every Day” promotion is aimed at giving back to Vincentians in what a lot of persons consider the hardest time of the year.

The promotion will see daily, a FLOW customer rewarded with EC$400 cash for completing a number of tasks such as

Left: Corporate Communications Manager of FLOW Nikala Williams highlighted that her company was the first to have a promotion that gave away money on a daily basis. topping up $15 or more, activating a combo plan, signing up to new postpaid Hero plan or by texting “flow money to 6263”, persons will be entered in a random draw to win $400 cash.

According to Williams, winners will be called live during FLOW hour on Hot 97.1 FM. “FLOW is the first company in St. Vincent to have promotion giving away cash money at the beginning of the year,” boosted Williams.

“We are also making available new bundling options for new

spoke about the new post-paid Hero plan. He said that the company will be introducing new and economically friendly post-paid options.

Customers can now get a new post-paid with 1.25 Gigs of Data, 100 text

messages and 250 minutes for only $79.99 or 2.25 Gigs of data, 100 text messages and 450 minutes for only $129.99.

Both plans come with a free smartphone.

Hull also expressed happiness with the

launch of the FLOW money Everyday Promotion. The promotion follows on the heels of the FLOW’s Christmas promotion which saw the company giving away over EC$ 20,000 in cash.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. 3.

News 3 Cache of weapons/ ammo discovered Continued from Front Page.

“Once the trigger is squeezed when the magazine is housed, if your finger is kept on the trigger, all the rounds would be discharged until the magazine is empty”, Hadaway explained.

On the issue of the ski masks, commissioner Hadaway stated: “These masks are an issue of concern for us. All law enforcement authorities in St. Vincent and the Grenadines are aware of the implications, and once they are discovered, action will be taken to remove them from wherever they are. Let’s say, for example, they come through Customs and they are discovered, they will call us and we will have them removed from there and we will have them in our custody.”

Ishmael Mohammed

murders — 28 of which were committed through the use of firearm.

“It was our record year, and throughout the year, we would have seen it fit to put Removing firearms from the measures in place to address streets the upsurge in criminal activities, particularly gunHadaway reiterated that related activities. I just want law enforcement authorities to say, as a result of our are determined to take as efforts in 2016, we would have many firearms off the streets removed 43 firearms from the as they possibly could during streets in 2016. It clearly 2017 and beyond. shows that the police are Regarding Wednesday’s committed to addressing the raid, the Commissioner whole issue of crime and disclosed that as a result of violence and, more specifically, the police efforts and acting on the issue related to guninformation received, the related activities,” Hadaway police conducted a raid at a said. house at Lowmans Hill and So far for the year, there found the 3 firearms. has been no report of anyone He noted that 2016, a new having succumbed to firearm record set the number of violence, and the top cop murders in a year in this expressed the hope that this country with 40 reported would remain so throughout

Keno McPhee 2017.

He added, however, “It is not just that we are sitting and hoping - we are taking action. We have put in place mechanisms, strategies to address the whole issue that caused the nation in 2016 to be in a state of panic, so to speak, of fear; concerned for their safety, etc.”

Hadaway conceded, though, that, “Unfortunately, we will not be able to disclose the measures that we have in place because in so doing may hamper our progress, our success. And we intend to get to the bottom of the whole issue involving gun-related matters.”

Keeping check on nonnationals The Police Commissioner reported that law enforcement

Commissioner Hadaway has assured that the police will step up their actions aimed at removing illegal firearms from the streets. agencies here have received intelligence that foreign nationals have come to this country to join local persons in committing heinous crimes.

In fact, he said, police have arrested two such persons from Trinidad, who were currently imprisoned, having failed to pay fines imposed on them for breaching the immigration regulations.

The two Trinidadians, Ishmael Mohammed and Keno McPhee, appeared before Magistrate Bertie Pompey at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, charged that between December 14th, 2016 and January 14th, 2017, at Kingstown, they being prohibited immigrants did enter the state by boat without a passport, contrary to Sec. 5(1) of the Immigration (Restriction) Act. They were

also charged that between December 14th, 2016, and January 14th, 2017, at Kingstown, they did enter the state by boat and disembarked without the consent of an immigration officer, contrary to Section 10(2) of the Immigration (Restriction) Act. They pleaded guilty to both charges and were each fined $800.00 to be paid forthwith on the charge of entering the state and disembarking without consent of an immigration officer. In default of payment, they face 6 months in prison.

On the other charge, they were reprimanded and discharged.

The court made an order that they be removed from the state upon paying the fine or serving the 6 month prison sentence. (SR)

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4. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Court

Court cleared to accommodate witness how many witnesses had already testified at that point, as the THE PUBLIC, including the media, public was still not allowed in was not allowed to hear the Court. evidence of a certain witness at the When contacted later that day, Preliminary Inquiry (PI) involving Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Veron Primus, 39, of Vermont, who Delpleche told THE is charged with the murder of 36VINCENTIAN that he made the year-old real estate agent Sharlene application to the Chief Greaves of Dorsetshire Hill.

Magistrate, in Chambers, for the When the matter which started Court to be cleared to January 4 this year, heard over a accommodate a particular three-day period and adjourned on witness, because of the nature of January 6, resumed at the the evidence that was going to be Serious Offences Court on taken. He did not disclose the Tuesday, January 17, Chief identity of that witness.

Magistrate Rechanne Browne The Senior Prosecutor, ordered that the Court be cleared. however, made it clear that the The journalists who were Court was cleared only to covering the proceedings left the accommodate that witness, and court precincts, and when they after that evidence was taken, the returned about two hours later, a Court was re-opened to the public. police officer on duty outside the Delpleche said that following court room told them that he the testimony of the witness, the could not allow them to go inside, Court heard evidence from Crime since he had not received Scene Expert, Sergeant Brian instructions that the Court was Archibald, of the Criminal re-opened to the public.

Records Office (CRO), who was The PI was at the time still the only other witness to have being heard, but it was not clear testified for the prosecution on Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS

Tuesday.

According to Delpleche, Sergeant Archibald’s evidence was taken in open court.

Delpleche explained that a magistrate or judge has the The case power to clear the Court in any against Veron Primus is matter. attracting Following increased Archibald’s attention here testimony, the and overseas. matter was adjourned to yesterday (Thursday). At the time of the adjournment, nine witnesses had testified so far for the prosecution.

Greaves, who was residing at Calliaqua at the time of her death, was found dead at her office at Bijou Real Estate, Arnos Vale on November 13, 2016. She had sustained multiple stab wounds.

Milestone achievement for DPP’s Office DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Colin Williams has described as historic, the recent move to have five police prosecutors seconded from the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) to the DPP’s Office/National Prosecution Service (NPS).

Inspector Nigel Butcher, Station Sergeant Elgin Richards, Acting Sergeant Renrick Cato, Corporal Delroy Tittle and Constable Shamrock Pierre are now housed at the DPP’s Office/NPS. The plan which had been in the making for about five years, became a reality on Monday, January 16, when the five officers began their prosecutorial duties under the direct supervision of the DPP. “It is a historic move. It is a seminal moment for prosecution in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Indeed, it took some time for us to reach this stage, but the fact of the matter is that we have achieved this milestone,” the DPP told THE VINCENTIAN during a telephone conversation on Tuesday.

Williams explained that prior to this move, the DPP may not have had much control as to who prosecuted in the District 2 and 3 Courts, the Courts outside of Kingstown. He added that even the police officers who prosecuted at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court and the Family Court were not housed at the DPP’s Office, even though all prosecutors fall under the DPP and are accountable to the DPP in the execution of their duties as prosecutors.

Williams pointed out that the historic move had the commitment from the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as the

financial and administrative support from friendly governments and agencies, particularly the INL section of the US Embassy.

He also highlighted the support, particularly in the early days of the Criminal Justice Advisor to the Eastern Caribbean, an office jointly funded by the U.K High Commission to the Eastern Caribbean and the U.S. Embassy to the Eastern Caribbeann.

The DPP also stressed that Commissioner of Police Renold Hadaway had been very instrumental in bringing the plan

to reality.

He admitted, though, that the lack of space could have been a contributing factor for the plan not becoming reality earlier, as the DPP’s Office did not acquire its own home until September, 2015.

DPP Colin Williams is extremely happy that all court prosecutors are now under his office’s roof.

„Police Force needs Psychiatrist,‰ says Connell DEFENCE lawyer Grant Connell is suggesting that a psychiatrist be attached to the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF).

Connell made the suggestion while speaking to THE VINCENTIAN on Tuesday, hours after Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche discontinued a murder charge against his client Schemel ‘Jacket’ Dunbar of Rillan Hill.

“A psychiatrist needs to be attached to the Police Force to vet those who are being recruited to serve,” Connell opined.

“Could you imagine someone with a troubled and abusive childhood being recruited by the Police Force and then equipped with a firearm as part of his daily patrol?” the lawyer asked. But he hastened to conclude, “In my opinion, you would have created a beast”.

He pointed to reports of blatant abuse meted out to citizens by some police officers, and the conduct of some officers generally.

“Good policing goes beyond expensive vehicles and big police stations. Police officers need to be properly trained, or society will

pay the ultimate price.

“The present system of the entire Police Force needs to be reviewed, from Leading the telephone defence system to the attorney Grant training of police Connell has officers and the appealed for way they rise in rank. They have psychiatric screening of a duty to the police recruits. state, and some of them are failing in this regard.”

Connell said Dunbar’s case is a perfect example of some police officers failing the state.

“They don’t do a proper investigation. They pick up somebody and charge them for murder, just to give the public a small sense of comfort that the police are being effective, and given the nature of the case, the defendant is not granted bail, he languishes in jail for several months, as Dunbar had for the past seven months. This cannot be correct,” Connell asserted.

ÂJacketÊ cleared of another murder charge JUST OVER a year after Schemel ‘Jacket’ Dunbar was cleared of a murder charge at the Serious Offences Court, the Rillan Hil man has been cleared of a similar charge in the same court.

Dunbar, who was charged with the May 31, 2016 murder of Campden Park resident James Shappeard, 41, was discharged when the matter was called on Monday, after Senior Schemel Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche ‘Jacket’ discontinued the charge against him. Dunbar – Shappeard was reportedly killed at discharged Twenty Hill in the South Leeward for a district on the night of May 31. His second body, with a bullet wound to the time. head, was discovered lying at the side of the road, next to a vehicle.

Dunbar was 28 at the time of the incident.

Speaking with THE VINCENTIAN after Dunbar was discharged, the Senior Prosecutor explained that after the evidence was analysed, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) concluded that it did not reach the evidential threshold to sustain the charge of murder.

Dunbar had also been cleared of a murder charge on December 8, 2015, stemming from the death of 23-year-old Aljah Douglas of Campden Park, who was shot and killed on May 1, 2015, just outside the Campden Park Playing Field where an entertainment event was taking place.

Douglas was reportedly shot in the head and stomach.

However, when the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) was called at the Serious Offences Court, Crown Counsel Karim Nelson indicated that the prosecution was withdrawing the charge. He had told THE VINCENTIAN later that the DPP’s Office had reviewed the files and concluded that there was not enough evidence to support the charge.

Journalists complain of threats, abuse COMMISSIONER of Police Renold Hadaway has promised to address with a degree of urgency, complaints by journalists about the ongoing verbal abuses and threats, even to their lives, meted out to them by accused persons, and relatives or friends of the accused, on the precincts of the Magistrates Courts.

Over the years, journalists who cover court proceedings have complained repeatedly about this situation, which occurs on an almost daily basis.

What makes it more disturbing is that many times these abuses take place in the presence of police officers on court duty, who seem not to take the situation seriously, or to be bothered at all.

As recent as Monday, January 16, journalists covering Court matters were verbally abused and threatened, in their line of duty, outside the Serious Offences Court, by the relatives of accused persons.

The situation is extremely serious, as there have been instances in the past in which journalists were actually attacked, struck, spat on or had their cameras smashed, by prisoners or persons closely connected.

Journalists attached to the four local publications, The News, Searchlight, Eyewitness news and THE VINCENTIAN, held an urgent meeting with the Commissioner of Police on Tuesday to complain about the situation, and vent their feelings.

The top cop acknowledged that the complaints were very serious.

“I will address it expeditiously, and steps will be taken to avoid any recurrence,” he assured.

“As soon as I have an opportunity, I will speak to those issues. We need the media, we cannot operate without the media. We have to send a message where that is concerned,” Hadaway added.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. 5.

News

Opposition to Mt. Wynne/ PeterÊs Hope misinformed THE OPPOSITION to the purchasing of lands at the Mt. Wynne/Peter’s Hope

by Canadian company Pace Development Inc. is based on misinformation, says one of the Principals of the Company.

Speaking on Boom SVG 106.9 FM morning show on Wednesday, Joseph Romano said that the opposition to the company acquiring 37 acres of land at Mt. Wynne/Peter’s Hope for EC$7 million is as a result of misinformation.

“I think it is based on misinformation and gossip. I don’t think this is a bad project for

Vincentians or the country. I think it’s a great development opportunity for everyone,” said the businessman.

“We are taking all the risk, we have to develop this land and put in millions and millions of dollars in infrastructure; you can’t just start building on a raw piece of land. We didn’t buy a service parcel that was ready to go; so as a developer it’s not like being a builder. The developer assumes the risk of preparing the property for development, and that’s

on us,” he further added.

He said that is why Pace was of the opinion that the price should have been lower, but the government was very firm and they did an excellent job representing the Vincentian people.

He assured that there would not be any issue with access to the beach, since a large portion of the project would not be on the beach. “So that is the first misconception I want to clear up right now.”

The acquisition, he stressed, does not

interfere with public access to the beach.

Last Thursday witnessed the groundbreaking ceremony to commence work on the purported US60 million project, and Joseph said following the ceremony they would begin clearing the lands, which would result in employment for local persons. “And we are going to start doing the services for the development - sewage, septic, water, infrastructure,” said Romano. (Source: BOOM

The developers have assured that the development will not deny access to the Mt. Wynne Beach.

Police refute claim of Human Trafficking KINGSTOWN, JANUARY 19TH, 2017 - The AntiTrafficking In Persons Unit (ATIPU) of the Royal St.Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force is informing the public that there is no credible claim to a rumour being circulated on social media that a male using motor vehicle HB 3470 is engaging in human trafficking.

The preliminary investigation shows that the bulletin being circulated over the past 24 hours was not issued by any department or unit of the Royal St.Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force. At this time, the Police do not know the origin of the information.

When contacted, the Traffic Department stated that the vehicle’s registration number ‘HB 3470’ does not exist in its database, neither does the company will place a bid identity of the person in for the resort. the photo, which was Romano expressed posted. confidence that if Pace Also in this case, the Development acquires means of human the property, all rooms trafficking is not known. will be filled Against this backdrop, immediately after the ATIPU continues its operations resume.

Pace Development is a investigation into the matter.

Canadian company that The Police understand has over 30 years the public’s concern, but building high-rise are appealing to persons buildings. The company to desist from spreading currently owns 37 acres inaccurate information of land at Peter’s Hope. that can cause alarm.

(Source: BOOM Radio)

Peter’s Hope Developers interested in Buccument Resort Joseph Romano has got himself and his company a large portion of Mt. Wynne/Peter’s Hope, and now has expressed interest in taking over the Buccament Bay Resort.

JOSEPH ROMANO of Pace Developments Inc., the firm that has purchased large portions of lands at Peter’s Hope for a US 60 million dollars project, said his company is interested in taking over operations at the troubled Buccament Bay Resort.

Speaking on Boom SVG 106.9 Fm morning show hosted by Dwight ‘Bing’ Joseph, Romano described the Buccument Resort as a great project,

noting that he has enjoyed the resort’s hospitality in the past, but added that “if you are not in that business …. and you don’t know how to manage it properly and develop it and build it properly, any business can fail under the right circumstances.

“I don’t have details as to why it failed, but I think it is a great opportunity if it is sitting there for someone

to develop it,” added the businessman.

He said he has inquired from the government about the resort. “I have expressed this in an indirect and informal way,” said Romano. However, he said, he did not get an official response from the government, but he believes there are a lot of legal technicalities in the foreclosure and bankruptcy issues, and when all is cleared, his

Uneasiness in the NDP SOME MEMBERS and supporters of the opposition New Democratic Party are disturbed by what they say might be a move by certain “big members”, to undermine the party’s duly elected Leader Dr. Godwin Friday.

Dr. Friday, opposition Member of Parliament for the Northern Grenadines, was elected to the position of Political Leader of the NDP at an extraordinary meeting held on November 27, last year.

That meeting was occasioned when then leader Arnhim Eustace tendered his resignation from the positions of President and Political Leader of the party.

It appears that many felt

that Dr. Friday was elected then to the two positions which Eustace had decided to vacate.

However, those NDP members/supporters who spoke with this publication, reported that they have been put on the alert that a party Convention is expected to be held sometime in February.

When they spoke on Wednesday, they also said that Dr. Friday was expected to give a date for the Convention during his weekly Friday (today) radio programme on Nice Radio.

The Convention, they were told, is expected to elect a new party executive as well as

Political Leader, but they are questioning why the Convention would want to address the positions of President and Political Leader, since, as far as they were concerned, Dr. Friday was duly elected to those posts and subsequently became the Leader of the Opposition.

One of those who spoke with THE VINCENTIAN, was adamant that there was still a plan afoot to oust Dr. Friday or restrict his authority in the party.

“This is not a time when we should be fighting among ourselves. Those who think they should lead, especially those who never won a seat for

the party, should be quiet and accept what the membership says it wants,” said one of the persons who spoke with THE VINCENTIAN. Efforts to reach someone in the NDP late on press day Wednesday proved futile.

That being the case, THE VINCENTIAN was unable to give a view on this issue that might well be addressed by the constitution of the party, especially as it relates to the authority of the party’s Annual Convention of the party..

Whatever the case, there seems to be some degree of discomfort among a certain cross-section of the

Dr. Godwin Friday – Leader of the NDP. It is was not clear, up to press time, whether this position will be voted upon at a party Convention in February. membership of the NDP.

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6. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Ex-TeachersÊ group honours Celia Bramble

Story and photos by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net; kingnaking210@yahoo.com US CORRESPONDENT THE BROOKLYN-BASED St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ex-Teachers’ Association of New York on Sunday, January 15, honoured retired Registered Nurse Celia Bramble, at a gala ceremony marking the group’s 34th anniversary.

The group also used the occasion to commemorate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which was actually celebrated on Monday, January 16, a public holiday in the United States.

“Congratulations to our honoree, Colonel Celia Bramble, a stalwart hardworking member of our community,” said Jackson Farrell, the group’s La Croixborn president, about Bramble, who is also a retired officer in the United States Army Reserve. “Her titles are highly deserved.

We wish her good health and

prosperity as she continues her endeavors in serving the Diaspora.”

Honour accepted with humility The Evesham-born Bramble — who worked for the sprawling Kings County Hospital Center in Brooklyn, as part of New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, for more than four decades — said she was “truly honored to receive this honor,” stating that she accepted it with “a great sense of humility.

“The greatest award/reward is to know you’ve made a significant difference in someone’s life,” she said, stating that she was proud to have been affiliated with the Health and Hospitals Corporation and the US military, where, she said, she developed much of her teaching and leadership skills.

In an exclusive, postceremony interview, Bramble, the lone honoree, told THE VINCENTIAN that “the glory and the honour belong to God. “I have only done that which I have been ordained by Him to do,” she said. “He has granted me the skills, ability and fortitude to be a blessing to others, so I use them to His honor and glory.

“To be honored by teachers is a special blessing because of the role they play in their everyday lives,” she added. “They challenge, inspire, mentor, nurture, assess, and they evaluate. Who then is better able to determine when a job is done well. I guess my evaluation was favorable, hence the reason they recognized me.

“It is also a great honor to be recognized during this historical period — the eve of the birthday of the late civil rights leader, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as at a time when power and leadership of this great nation have been transferred from one Commander-in-Chief (Barack Obama) to the other (Donald Trump),” Bramble continued.

“I will always remember this great honor that has been bestowed upon me by Teachers.”

Training and dedicated service Bramble began her nursing career at the then Colonial Hospital in

Celia Bramble gives acceptance speech.

Ex-Teachers’ treasurer Alph Phillips presents plaque to Celia Bramble.

Left: Trinidadian Hilton Samuel serenades Celia Bramble.

Kings County Hospital.

In 1981, Bramble was commissioned as a captain in the United States Army Reserve.

Over the years, Kingstown, renamed the Milton Bramble said her devotion to Cato Memorial Hospital, and duty, attention to details, and migrated to the US shortly her clinical and leadership skills thereafter, for an opportunity to earned her the rank of Colonel, advance her nursing career. making her the first known She graduated from C.W. Vincentian female officer to Post College, Long Island achieve that rank.

University in New York with a While Bramble retired from Bachelor of Science Degree in the US Army Reserve after 22 Nursing, and the prestigious years of service, she remains an Columbia University in New active member of the Retired York City, with a Master of Arts Officers Association, both locally and Master of Education and nationally. degrees in nursing.

Over the years, Bramble has She also holds certification in received numerous awards, Nursing Education and Staff proclamations and citations for Development from the American her outstanding military and Nurses Credentialing Center, civilian service from health care and is featured in the organizations and elected International WHO’S WHO of community leaders, including a Professional Management, Congressional Award from Second Edition. former US Congressman At Kings County Hospital, Edolphus “Ed” Towns.

Bramble held numerous positions until her retirement in Since retirement 2009 as Associate Executive Since her retirement, Director, Training and Bramble said she has devoted “a Organizational Development. great deal” of her time inspiring, During her tenure at Kings teaching, coaching and County Hospital Center, she mentoring graduate nurses, at said her vision for nursing education and nursing practice, no cost, “to help them succeed on the challenging New York as well as her ability to work State Board for Nursing collaboratively with Deans and Examination to obtain license Chairpersons of Colleges and for practice.”

Schools of Nursing, led to the She said she provides books establishment of an on-site Master in Public Health, an on- and other supplies to students in need, and has provided small site Associate to Bachelor of scholarships to selected Science Degree program, and a students pursuing nursing and generic Bachelor of Science other careers.

Degree program in Nursing at

In addition, Bramble said she assists acute and long term care facilities in meeting the health care standards for accreditation; provides leadership and customer service training on a voluntary basis for Faith-based organizations; teaches health maintenance at Senior Citizen centers; and partners with community leaders to provide training and counseling to improve health care in their communities.

Bramble is the immediate past president of the Brooklynbased St. Vincent and the Grenadines Nurses Association of New York, Inc., and a Trustee and education coordinator for the Caribbean-American Nurses Association.

Additionally, she is the recording secretary of the Brooklyn-based Council of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Organizations, U.S.A., Inc. (COSAGO), the umbrella Vincentian group in the US. New US Consul General Howie Prince also applauded Bramble, stating that she has “blazed a trail in her life; and, for that, I congratulate her.

The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ex-Teachers’ Association of New York also recognized three nationals who they said have been very supportive over the years: Leonie Conliffe, of Gomea, wife of the group’s public relations officer, Edward Conliffe; Donna Collis, of New Montrose, Kingstown, the Vincentian capital; and Morrison Matthias, of Edinboro, Kingstown.

V Changes made to Vincy Mas programme

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. 7.

News

Ricardo Adams, Chairman of the CDC, promises an improved carnival product and an inclusive approach to implementing the 2017 Vincy Mas programme.

THE 40TH EDITION of Vincy Mas, the JuneJuly carnival in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, will see some changes to its traditional programme of activities.

Addressing the Media Launch of the activities last Tuesday evening at the Cruise Ship Terminal, Ricardo Adams, Chairman of the Carnival Development Corporation, announced, among other changes, that the Miss Carival Show will not be staged; a Soca Monarch Semifinal round will be reintroduced; and the parade of mas bands for Mardi Gras will be held on the streets of Kingstown and will not cross the stage at Victoria Park.

time of the year, see if it is a show we can franchise regionally or locally.”

He reminded that it was not the first time the Miss Carival Show was rested and that it has come back, “so hopefully when it does come back, it will do so in a sustainable way.”

be held outside of Kingstown and take on a more family oriented vibe, Adams explained.

Mardi Gras

With respect to moving the Mardi Gras to the streets, the CDC Chairman admitted that the logistics were yet to be Victoria Park, where for a number of Soca Monarch finalized, in terms of routes and the years the number of patrons at that points at which judging will occur.

As far as the re-introduction of a venue had been decreasing.

The idea, he said, though, was to have semi-final round for the Soca Monarch two judging points on the streets, one was concerned, Adams, in the interview Venue that would replicate what occurred at referred, said that the CDC had a concept in mind, but was yet to fine-tune the Victoria Park.

And as the changes are made to the “The decision cuts out the bottleneck the logistics for the event that is programme of activities, Adams assured Miss Carival of having to go to the stage in Victoria scheduled for Friday 24th June. that the CDC is bent on giving serious Park and then hit the streets for the “.. it may be that we may expand it attention to the quality of production, Addressing the Miss Carival removal further and have some preliminaries,” he traditional uptown judging,” he further the length of shows and appropriate decision in an after launch exclusive explained. said. venue facilities. interview with THE VINCENTIAN, Another mitigating factor, he said, He explained that this would allow for With respect to the latter, plans are Adams said, “For years, we have known a tightening of the selection process would be that patrons themselves would afoot to introduce a VIP Ticket for the that the Miss Carival is a very expensive adding that in the past, there would be have better access to seeing the bands on season. Adams promises that this will show to produce, and the returns at the as many as 70 entries vying for a spot in the road, and will be able to interact satisfy the expectations that come with gates have been dwindling, so we need to the Soca Monarch final, with artistes with each other, rather than spending VIP accommodation and will be focus on why we are not getting the between four and six hours at the being selected based on the submission appropriately priced. numbers of people in the Park, and why of a CD. we not getting the sort of sponsorship “So particularly with some of the that we used to.” younger guys, they not getting to show He continued, “And because of the fact how they perform on stage, …. (this) that we had the opportunity to have our allows more fair judgment because you 40th anniversary birthday party (dubbed judging performance as well as the song, EVO 4.0), we thought it was a good time as compared to judging a song on a CD,” to take it out this year, rebrand it, see if Adams explained. it’s in the best place, see if it’s in the best It is anticipated that the events will DENNIS AMBROSE, indelible impression on former long-standing the carnival culture at Chairman of the Carnival that time,” Ambrose said.

DISCUSSIONS ARE ONDevelopment Corporation The second decade, GOING to best work out (CDC), has been tasked 1987 to 1997, which was the issue as it relates to with chairing a Special the era of the coming of private promoters using Activities Sub-committee age of memorable music the Carnival period to for the 40th Anniversary bands such as Touch, stage all inclusive events. of Vincy Mas, 2017.

Blaksand and X-A-Dus, Chairman of the Addressing the Media will be revisited with the Carnival Development Launch of the Vincy Mas staging of ‘Clash of the Corporation (CDC)2017 progrmme of Bands’, an event that was Ricardo Adams told THE activities last Tuesday the brainchild of the late VINCENTIAN that evening, Ambrose Glen Jackson. internal discussions on outlined a series of events This event will take such matters had started which he said, will place on March 18 at a and that already the CDC Dennis Ambrose heads highlight aspects of Vincy location, still to be Private shows and fetes, some featuring international has been receiving up a sub-committee that Mas over its four decades, decided, on the applications to hold events and regional artistes, have become fixtures on the will take charge of 1977 — 2017.

Windward side of the Vincy Mas landscape in recent times. in 2017. events that highlight The events are island.

He explained that the Vincy Mas through its 40 expected to be And the third decade, calendar of events, and to former Chairman Dennis CDC sanctioned events, years. decentralized, he said, 1997 to 2007, will see this end, the private Ambrose lashed out at but it was the police who saying that the first patrons journeying to promoters filled this void. private promoters, saying granted permission for event, the ‘All Stars Union Island for an event scheduled for Friday 7th “So there must be a that ‘some so called such events.

July, replacing the Miss Show’ scheduled for called ‘Re-Union’. entrepreneurs were only “But, we have sat down symbiotic relationship Carival Show.

February 18, will be held The 40th Anniversary where private promoters looking to grab for their and started the It is expected to be a at a venue (yet to be Sub-committee is are allowed to participate personal gain to the discussions; we need to package filled with announced) on the collaborating with the in the events that are also detriment of the national discuss with the nostalgia, with the Leeward side of the Easterval Organizing festival’. government in terms of its looked upon to make a unfolding of highlights of island.

Committee, Ambrose That sentiment legal interpretation as (to) contribution that goes the unique Vincy Mas This event will explained, and this event toward the marketing of followed another he made what our powers are product through its 40 commemorate the first will coincide with the Carnival,” he told THE in which he accused under the Act, and also to years. decade, 1977 to 1987, and annual Easter activities VINCENTIAN. private promoters of look at it being a Ambrose assured, “The take into account the on that Grenadines Exactly how that was “piggy backing” on the symbiotic relationship,” Shows and Marketing event of a similar name island. going to be done was efforts of the CDC. Adams said. that was pioneered by These events will lead committees are energized something that the CDC He went on to challenge The CDC does a lot to and rearing to go, to music producer Granville up to the grand official needed to work out, and it such promoters to host market Vincy Mas, he make this year the best Straker. launch of Vincy Mas is something that is going their events at some other explained, obviously the ever,” he said, adding “On this occasion, we 2017, which will take to be addressed in the time of the year: “Let me Carnival governing body that the CDC was already will showcase many of the place on May 6. next few weeks. see you do that, I rest my was not able to stage anticipating this year to artistes whose music and A special all-embracing The issue came to a case.” Ambrose said then. events to fill the entire performances made an event, dubbed EVO 4.0, is be a landmark one.

(DD) head last year when

40 years of Carnival to be highlighted

CDC addressing private shows component

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8. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Views The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

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

Editorial Attending to a basic Carnival requisite IT SEEMS it was just yesterday that this country took the decision to change from a Pre-Lenten annual carnival to one that was referred to then, as a ‘summer carnival’.

If the truth be told, a number of other English-speaking Caribbean territories had already preceded SVG in moving from Pre-Lenten and Christmas carnivals/festivals — Barbados, Antigua, St. Kitts/Nevis and Montserrat among these.

But, back to today. This year marks 40 years — four decades - since our change.

Since this country’s change, St. Lucia and Grenada have made similar changes, and Anguilla has moved to expand its Heritage Festival/Carnival held in August.

Trinidad and Tobago and Dominica have held fast to their Pre-Lenten annual carnivals.

As it stands now, the period June — August is crowded with festivals of a similar nature, each doing its utmost to define itself as unique.

But, this is not a treatise on how far we have come in building our ‘brand’ of carnival we now call Vincy Mas. (One is still to confirm whether we have patented/registered this name.)

Rather, this piece is a quick examination of at least one challenge faced by one integral component of our carnival — the Mas/Carnival bands through the last (40) forty years.

Mas/Carnival bands are ‘organized groups made up of participants who pay for costumes, fashioned by a designer and assembled by teams of volunteers for the most part.’

The costumed participants (masqueraders) dance through the streets today to the sounds of d.js. That showcase we describe as “playing mas’, and claim the whole experience, regardless to what degree we are involved, as our own… our mas.

Long gone are the days when each masquerader took charge of making his/her own (mas) costume. Long gone are the days when a small area was all that was necessary for producing a mas band. Long gone are the days when a group of fifty masqueraders was considered a big band.

Over the last forty years, we have witnessed a rapid increase in the number of mas bands that parade during Vincy Mas. The number of masqueraders have increased exponentially, albeit with females far outnumbering males.

Designs and costumes have become not just more intricate, but now demand more time, space and finance.

Year after year, stories of mas bands

being out-of-pocket abound when the carnival is over. Many mas bands close the season in the ‘red’.

Yet, defying all logic and any plausible explanation, mas men and women keep coming back year in and year out, to bring to life the unique carnival art and craftsmanship (and ‘craftswomanship’), and to entertain the majority of non-participants.

That, notwithstanding, mas bands enter the 40th year of Vincy Mas facing a re-occurring challenge; some simple do not know from where they will operate — a base we call the mas tent.

Some years ago, without any real consultation with the mas fraternity, Government moved to construct mas tents, in an area of Arnos Vale under the remains of a once very active stone quarry.

The unfinished structures remain standing, idly and as quiet as the dead, a monumental lesson in responding to a perceived need without any conversation with those who matter.

It is time that the issue of space from which mas bands operate is dealt with in a co-ordinated manner.

The mas fraternity here is grouped in an organisation called the Carnival Bands Association. The CBA seems to be content with a single task of negotiating for increased prize monies from the CDC, and has not addressed with any vigour the other concerns that bear down annually on its membership.

The issue of space should be a matter which the CBA makes known, in a collective manner, to the CDC, who can in turn make representation to public agencies and the private sector for space to be designated mas tents, whether gratis or for a rent.

We cannot be speaking of how organised we have become, how much Vincy Mas has grown, and sweep the re-occurring challenge(s) that mas men face under the proverbial carpet.

There are idle buildings and structures, even open spaces in and around Kingstown that could be made available if a concerted, collective effort is made to acquire these for temporary use.

And, after all, are we not all committed to ensuring the continuance and growth of a component of our carnival which is second to none in the region?

How can we bestow recognition of one sort or the other on our culture people — our carnival people — and not attend to the requisites for their continuing contribution to what is supposedly our premier culture festival?

Where are the radicals?

Reprint from 23rd February 1996 I REPUBLISH the following as a factual companion piece to Blazer’s recent fiction “A Stirring of Radicals”.

“The topic of This Week was prompted by a letter to this newspaper several years ago.

The letter-writer had observed that in keeping, with the times, there were in St Vincent some radical youth who paraded the place up and down painting the Town red, so to speak. Moving into their middle-ages, most of these rebels have accommodated themselves to the run of play and are sometimes unrecognisable reactionaries.

Such a trend in growth and development might be natural. The problem was that nobody seems to have replaced that generation of youth who wanted to change the world, which is a great pity, for social progress tends to come about as a result of the interplay between progressive and conservative forces.

Just about everybody has washed his mouth on the failure of this potential replacement, the youth of today who are represented as a lost generation hooked on drugs and false values. My own text is concerned with the whereabouts of yesterday’s youths, those people who preached fire and brimstone and threatened to move mountains to bring about the New Jerusalem during the exciting times of the 1960’s and 1970s.

In the language of the day, the radicals had formed themselves into overlapping protest groups, left-wing parties and Black Power Movements.

In the late 1960s, the Education Forum of the People was born, featuring Parnel Campbell, Eddie Griffith, Kerwyn Morris, Arnhim Eustace and Kenneth John, among others. In 1974, it transformed to the Democratic Freedom Movement, and took on board the likes of John Horne, Yvonne Francis-Gibson and Allan Cruickshank. The core philosophy was democratic socialism.

There was a parallel movement of groups striving for scientific socialism or communism which was the ideology of Yulimo whose component parts were Organisation of Black Cultural Awareness (OBCA), young socialist Group and Black Liberation Action Committee (BLAC). They were generally supported by two rural movements: the New Rescuers Movement (NRM) from Chateaubelair and Arwee from Diamond.

“Patches” Knights is today singingsoul, dub and calypso to survive. His competitive piece last year was “Money:

You Have to Have It”. And I was touched to hear his soul-stirring rendition of “Amazing Grace” at the Methodist Church at the Funeral Service of his brother-in-law. “I once was blind, but now I see!” Remarkably “Patches’” radicalism still drives him to this day to the “front line” at Luzette King — led protest band.

Generally speaking, the Yulimo people have long forgotten their African Names. Renwick “Camara” Rose, Caspar “Soyica” London, Michael “Famadou” Browne, Glenroy (Tswala) Browne, Conley “Chivambo” Rose, Adrian (Ifoma) Saunders, Leroy (Jomo) Thomas, Junior (Kamboui) Cottle, and the rest.

Following the defeat in the 1979 elections of the combined Left forces of Yulimo —P.D.M (to which D.F.M had graduated) Renwick Rose abandoned formal politics, preferring to act as T.V panel discussant and political journalist with a penchant to criticise left, right and centre. Like Robbie Fitz Patrick who hailed from the D.F.M, joining Labour via Yulimo, he has found himself at the top of the Windward Islands Farmers Association.

From all appearances, both men are doing a fine job, but there is biting irony in Renwick’s constantly making the rounds of European cities whose countries he used to spell with common letter in “Freedom” and “Justice”, like england, france and italy, telling us today how local banana farmers have staunch allies in such unexpected quarters!

Coincidentally, Arnhim Eustace (DPM) and Simeon Greene (Arwee) are the leading lights in the revival of our mainstay banana industry as chairman of WIBDECO, and Manager-Secretary of the Banana Association. They carry one head. No talk of welfarism and trucking to the people. It is strictly “Efficiency” “cost-cutting”; “hard-work”, “lean and mean”, taken from the manuals of the business approach to life.

As to former trade unionist Caspar London, he too has joined the circus of Journalist expressing views 180% off his original stance. Today he is full of praise for the Joshua whom he used to love to hate. And his firm stance underneath the “Iron man” is so like the “AfroSaxon’s” that he used to condemn!

Continued on Page 26.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. 9.

Letters

CWSA water distribution passed us PLEASE PERMIT me space in your paper to reply to an article carried in the Friday 30th December, 2016 issue of the News newspaper, in which the CWSA denies discriminatory practice in the distribution of water in North Windward, during the aftermath of the most recent rains and consequent flooding.

I found some of the content of the letter referred to be blatantly untrue.

Therefore, it prompted me to reply accordingly.

First of all, I must report that the fact remains that some people from Old Sandy Bay, as well as many of us from the new areas, were residents who did not receive that attention of the so-called visiting helping teams as agents, including the CWSA, Mr. Jackson and his men. No, Sir, you did not stop at each person’s gate, including this loyal customer. Not a cup of water was received, Mr.

Jackson, in our time of need. In fact, you did noticeably bypass us during your so-called distribution missions.

During that unfortunate encounter, I had to depend on a little rain water from my house roof, and sometimes I had to use my uncle’s vehicle to fetch some badly needed water at a little spring in Owia, four miles away, where some residents also complained about similar neglect. I don’t know whom you were accusing of telling lies or spreading rumours, but there was indeed discriminating practices that went on in Old Sandy Bay also. Some of those who were fortunate enough to receive such help, were selfish, greedy, and did not care whether or not their neighbours survived. Maybe it could have been one of those from whom you got your assurance that everything was going fine and dandy. It seems that it is normal that any individual -

politician, representative of a business agency or organization - always stands ready to defend the negative practices of such.

Then, how could I remain silent when the truth is or was not told?

Therefore, I would like to tell the outside world that I am or was indeed a victim of such discrimination. I am living on a parcel of land which is obliquely adjacent to the highway where the two massive landslides came tumbling down that night. Those landslides covered the entire road, spilling tons of debris, including large gru gru trees, on to my property. My water meter was partially covered, and my PVC supply lines were uprooted and broken into pieces and could have been seen lying on the surface. So, Mr. Supervisor, wasn’t this site of damage quite visible enough to attract your attention when you passed with your

trucks of water?

Finally, I have a burning, perennial water issue I will like to raise with your company. Why is it that we, the consumers, are made to pay for hundreds or probably thousands of gallons of unhealthy muddy water which has to be allowed to run off before the system clears up? One suggestion: Could the company introduce and install a modern meter device which could sensor and record the quality and quantity of the water consumed, so that we could pay accordingly?

Your mission statement displayed at your company’s headquarters, needs to be taken down and revised seriously. Your consumers should not be allowed to pay for another new year, at all costs. It is unfair!

A loyal customer of CWSA

Tell the truth Farewell Obama WILL SOMEBODY please come clear on which planes will be landing at the Argyle Airport on February 14?

Between the Prime Minister and the Director of the Tourism Authority, we heard that we can expect a plane from Canada, one from LIAT, and there was a chance that we could get a Caribbean Airways too.

Since all of that, we haven’t heard anything from LIAT regarding whether they intend to fly out of Argyle first thing on the morning of February 16, as we were told they would.

Then a friend from Canada phoned me and told me that it didn’t seem as though the people at that airline in Canada knew anything about flying into St. Vincent.

Then I heard that it was some travel agent who called Caribbean Airlines trying to get them to fly into Argyle. The people in Trinidad didn’t seem to bother with that travel agent.

So, instead of keeping people in the dark, would someone please tell us the truth? I think we deserve to know the truth. We have waited long enough for this airport to open.

So, who really coming on February 14, 2017?

Bruce, R

same strong message: that America will remain great if its citizens respected one another and there was equality for all.

But this was a message for the entire BARACK OBAMA will depart the White world. For, if the citizens of the world House and the position as President of the United States today, January 20, 2017. It is embraced these values and lived them, the world would be better off socially, politically, my opinion that he leaves the office, having lifted it to higher moral ground. He, his wife and economically. And, there would be no war.

Michelle and children must be held in the So, as I bid farewell to the first black highest esteem for the grace and honesty president of the USA, his wife and children, I which they brought to the White House. declare that the Obama family has held itself When I reflect on how much pride the Obamas brought to the Office and the White to the highest moral standards, and demonstrated the true meaning of family.

House, I shudder to even think what could Farewell, Barack, and may God bless you become of it, with Donald Trump taking and your family. I am better off for having over.

Barack Obama served as President for two lived through your presidency. terms, and through both of them, he kept the Garnet, N.Y.

Lawyer RadixÊs inspiration ongoing JANUARY 01, 2017 marked 50 years since the passing of lawyer Alban “Uncle” Radix.

Known as the “poor people’s lawyer”, he exemplified the traits of a true trailblazer in the eyes of the many young people, who grew up in the Villa/Ratho Mill/Calliaqua and adjoining areas. He left his impact on the characterbuilding of the youth of these areas of the mid-fifties and sixties in a special way,

PM, AIA and the Budget in caskets PM GONSALVES and the Directors of the Argyle International Airport should get themselves a photograph of a cemetery to prepare themselves for the official burial of the Argyle Airport, which is already in its caskets.

PM Gonsalves, your upcoming budget statement should be a very short one; just say, “SVG nationals, the economy is dead. I killed it.”

Long have I elaborated the ever clear failings of the so called Argyle International Airport (AIA). For too long, nationals of SVG have allowed themselves to be blinded by the talk of an INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. For too long, SVG nationals have settled for too little, whilst

Mustique and Taiwan are allowed to exploit our main sources of revenue, to their benefits, while throwing peanuts at us as a people. For too long, the people of SVG have buried their heads in the sand.

The current economic depression will not bury its head in the sand. People of SVG must brace themselves for the hard reality.

I am Kadmiel McFee, loyal to my people, and I am stating it loud and clear: The Argyle International Airport and the 2017 National Budget are dead and already in caskets. Either we bury them now or wait to have them bury themselves.

Kadmiel McFee

particularly, as Scout Master.

His influence can be seen and felt by the many under his tutelage who have led positive, successful lives, and credit him for fostering their leadership abilities which they have applied wherever they have found themselves in the universe.

His life still inspires others to do their best, give back to the community, and find ways to make life better for others.

As I reflect on the life of Alban Radix and his ability to be of assistance to his

community personally and professionally, I would like to highly commend Lynette Norris-Glasgow, who saw the need to help the medical facilities in the country with fans, and took the initiative to fill this need.

I highly commend John Jack, his wife Verona, and the SVG Association of Winnipeg for subscribing to this idea, and donating several fans to the medical facilities.

I highly commend the management of C.D.Veira Ltd (Singer) business for

You can call me old DEDICATED to all the centenarians and to those older folks who have passed on recently.

and braved the flat iron to press the clothes (Those that I did not fold under my pillow!).

1. Don’t call me a burden, I am a keeper of History, Shaper of your life!

4. Please don’t call me weak.

I resisted plantation poverty, and you survived a seed in the womb of the fruit of my womb.

2. Were you there when the road was unpaved beneath my bare feet and the water chilled my ankles as I pounded the clothes?

5. You can call me old For I am old in the ways of saying and doing, joking, laughing, dancing.

3. Then I burned the tin I am old in the ways of lamp for your Mother’s bread sorrow. Yes, I am old in the

making this transaction possible, and the management of Sports Locka Plus for engraving the fans.

We can, indeed, do so much more when we work together.

It is an inspiration which brings to the fore an attitude of gratitude for those who do good.

Thanks to all who care and assist in projecting a culture of love.

Happy New Year !!!

Cheryl Phills-King ways of living. And my ‘oldness’ is my wealth don’t lose it, BANK it!

You are my Inheritor Young Oral Historian!

6. So, when I am tired and not so strong, ill and fussy and mean, of course I get fussy and mean!

Aren’t you all at times?

Research my Need!

7. And as I answer the call of the young and the old. Help me slip gently, gracefully to the River and the Earth!

Nelcia Robinson - Feb. 1992

V

10. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

Agriculture in St. Vincent Why the NDP opposed the Argyle International Airport and the Grenadines

Introduction IN LESS THAN a month, the government will officially open the international airport at Argyle. In fact, this will be done on February 14th, 2017, Valentine’s Day. This is an event that many Vincentians have been anticipating, the day when the airport becomes operational. It has been a long road, with ups and downs; but finally, the ULP administration is ready to unveil the largest capital project in the history of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Despite all this, and in the face of the evidence on face book, in the local media, and on the API television programme, the NDP continues to “badmouth” the project. Despite receiving an invitation from Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves to attend the opening exercises, the opposition continues to “badmouth” the project. And there is no end in sight. Readers can remember the infamous “find it where” comment by Arnhim Eustace during his interview with Jerry George, a clear signal that the NDP, despite its posturing and attempts to be relevant, was opposed to the airport project.

there was a company that was ready to come in to complete the project.

This was aimed at scoring cheap electoral votes, and it backfired!

Now the project is ready for operations, they are trying desperately to find some weak points to mount more attacks. That is not going to happen. They are now remembering the advice coming from their former leader, Sir James Mitchell, that if they allow the ULP to build the airport, then “crapaud smoke their pipe”. They should have remembered the mantra of the ULP, that good policies make good politics.

The Operations

The stage is now set for the operational phase of the AIA. Key management positions have been filled, or are in the final stages of being filled. A policy making board under chairman Garth Saunders, is now in place to guide the process Opposing the project forward. During the period leading up to February 14th, 2017, the staff at On August 8th 2005, when Prime the AIA will be involved in training Minister Gonsalves announced to the and simulation exercises to become country, that his administration was familiar with the operations at the going to embark on the airport AIA. There will be checks and reproject, the NDP went into a tailspin. checks, changes and adjustments as They asked themselves a number of the process goes through meticulous questions. Did the ULP possess the fine-tuning. project management skills to This will be a great period of supervise such a project? Where will adjustment for the entire country. We they get the money from? How will will go to sleep on February 13th, this affect us politically, if the ULP is 2017, knowing that when we awake, successful? The answers to these we must now go to Argyle for all questions forced the NDP to mount a arrivals and departures by air, from programme of opposition to the the mainland. Airport workers, project. They designed a mountain of customs, immigrations and security lies, half-truths and “commess” on the personnel, taxi drivers and other airport project, while offering nothing support staff, along with providers of substantial in return. services, must now go to Argyle, their Nothing was spared, and every new base of operations. event associated with the construction In some ways, this is like children of the airport became a problem for attending a new secondary school, full the NDP. Their talk show hosts went of excitement, having to cope with to work on the site for the airport, the new facilities, and making new arrival of the equipment from friends.

Venezuela, and the subsequent procession to Argyle. They talked Conclusion about the wind at Argyle, and the wind studies programme. Every bill And so we await that great day, that the ULP took to Parliament in February 14th, 2017, when we will relation to the airport, and the travel to Argyle for the official functioning of the IADC, met opening ceremony. Those who can resistance from Arnhim Eustace and wear red, will do so because it is company.

Valentine’s Day. Others will do so Members of the IADC Board of because they want to support their Directors came in for criticism, and beloved party, and the leaders who they reserved their worst, for the kept the faith, and stayed the course, Chairman and CEO Dr. Rudi to provide the country with the Mathias. They called him all sorts of largest capital project in the history of names; they claimed he was no St.Vincent and the Grenadines. Still engineer, and that he was out of his others will come in colours of their depth. At one point, they tried to start own choice, since this is an airport of a rumour, claiming that Rudi Mathias all Vincentians. Many in the Diaspora was engaging in land speculation are eagerly awaiting news of the around the project. All lies of charters which will land at the AIA on course.Above all, they recognize that that day. Still there are others who they could not allow the ULP and will arrive or depart on LIAT, who are Ralph Gonsalves to complete the looking forward to the experience. project. The positive public relations Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and the ULP from the project was too much for the family have done well. Let us NDP, and they knew that the ULP will reap great political support, given celebrate the official opening of the the elections in 2010 and 2015. At one Argyle International Airport in fine style. point, in 2015, they announced that

THE UNITY LABOUR PARTY (ULP) has only been paying lip service to agriculture. There has not been any major initiative by the government to revive the agricultural sector in this country. Instead, we have seen a steady decline in the sector, resulting in a negative effect on the overall economy.

During its time in government, the New Democratic Party (NDP) made agriculture a priority, and the economy was booming. This has changed since the ULP formed government in 2001, and the ULP has, in fact implemented a number of policies which have affected the agricultural sector negatively. For instance: the Marketing Corporation which marketed farmers’ produce, was dismantled; the government took control of the Banana Growers Association and removed the credit system for farmers; and the government failed to expand the established banana facilities overseas to support national diversification efforts.

In addition, little or no attention has been paid to the development of feeder roads. The feeder roads across the country are in deplorable condition, in some cases impassable.

Farmers are also concerned about the lack of market, and low prices for their produce against the high cost of input. For example, a sack of dasheen costs $40.00, while a sack of fertilizer is for $80.

The traffickers are the ones who have been trading with the farmers, and they have been doing an excellent job. However, they need assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture; not for the Ministry to compete against them for the same market. The government should utilize WINFRESH facilities in the United Kingdom to expand the market for farmers.

Also, farmers have been suffering tremendously from praedial larceny; they have been losing thousands of dollars in livestock and agricultural produce. While it is true that the government has made some effort to tackle that problem with the introduction of legislation and Rural Constables, more needs to be done. It would appear that the ULP regime does not have the capacity to further deal with praedial larceny.

The banana industry remains critical to the livelihood of Vincentians and the economy of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. However, it appears the ULP regime does not appreciate that fact. They have destroyed the banana industry through their failed policies and practices, including the failure to spray the bananas from the Black Sigatoka. Very little is done to revitalize the banana industry, although there is a ready market for the fruit. When the NDP was in office, bananas brought in millions of dollars to the economy. Today, SVG exports not a single box of banana to the United Kingdom, while St. Lucia is exporting to the United Kingdom and France.

Dr. Gonsalves, Saboto Caesar and his men are all about talk, talk and no action. When, the NDP unveiled its agricultural programme during the last general elections, among the plans for the NDP was to rehabilitate and replant one thousand acres of bananas in the first year of office.

The ULP said that it would have doubled the NDP’s proposal. One year later, we are still waiting on the ULP’s rehabilitation and replanting programme. We also heard of other projects by the ULP regime, such as butter nut squash, the exportation of

fish, Vincy Fresh, revival of the arrowroot industry, and the cocoa, coffee, coconut water and cassava projects. Vincentians are still waiting for them to come on stream.

The NDP will reverse this deteriorating situation by revitalizing the agricultural sector, making it efficient, technologically prepared and internationally competitive. This will guarantee the food and nutrition security of our people, and at the same time provide employment, income and sustainable livelihoods, while preserving the environment for present and future generations.

The overall goal of the NDP’s Agricultural policy is to optimize and maximize our capacity to provide food for our needs. This will be done through increasing production of a range of crops and livestock species, as well as fish and related byproducts, thus ensuring a sustainable food security system for all.

The NDP recognizes that agriculture has a pivotal role to play in diversifying the economy of this country. Through this process, we will reduce inequality by increasing incomes and employment opportunities for the poor and working class. It is also a mechanism that will utilize our natural resources to earn foreign exchange.

The NDP will pay special attention to the banana industry. We will revisit the Banana Act in order to give back to farmers the control of the sector, and create a ground crew spraying program for the spraying of bananas that will be more effective than aerial spraying in terms of cost, application efficacy and environmental safety. We will also reintroduce the Credit System, making it available to all stakeholders. Proper guidelines will be instituted to ensure the system is run effectively to the benefit of all stakeholders.

The NDP will seek funding for the rehabilitation of the existing feeder roads, and will create new roads where necessary to facilitate access to new land areas for agriculture. Also, after careful marketing analysis, identify specific crops for development. This will give farmers and other stakeholders a better understanding and direction in determining which crops to plant, as well as the geographical suitability of the area to cultivate such crops.

The coconut industry was once a thriving source of income and livelihoods. Under the NDP government, the industry will be returned to a premier position and will take advantage of the growing global recognition of the value of coconut oil, which is cholesterol-free and has other newly-recognized health benefits. In our quest to reorganize and rebuild the agricultural sector and to exploit our renewable natural resources, we will place new focus on the assessment, development and utilization of existing and new coconut plantations, and we will couple this with the creation of an environment that facilitates entrepreneurs to utilize all parts of the coconut plant the nuts, husk, shells and tree trunk to create employment, income and export opportunities.

The NDP is committed to the development of the agricultural sector in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. 11.

Views

Valuable cross-pollinators

“At IDEO, we’ve found that some of our most valuable Cross-Pollinators are what we call “T-shaped” individuals.

That is, they enjoy a breadth of knowledge in many fields, but they also have depth in at least one area of expertise.” – Tom Kelly, author and Director at IDEO

employees. This is as true for those in the private sector as it is for those in the public sector and non-government IDEO (PRONOUNCED “EYE-DEE-OH”) is a organisations. company that was founded in 1991. It is It must be noted that such unique headquartered in California, United cultures are not developed overnight.

States of America (USA), but has It takes time. Managers and leaders of locations in Chicago, Massachusetts, such enterprises can champion such New York, and San Francisco. It also has positive cultures by inviting operations in China, England, Germany, constructive criticism. They must and Japan. This unique company focuses understand and appreciate that they on innovation in the private and public do not know everything, about sectors. everything and that they can learn IDEO has been contracted to provide from others. This requires that services in the areas such as the managers and leaders demonstrate a automotive industries, consumer food level of maturity and security that and beverage, medical supplies and a allows them to be vulnerable and open variety of services. The company also enough to admit that they do not have designs and manufactures educational a monopoly on ideas. Ideas, creativity, equipment, furniture, retail goods, and innovation can come from the most toys, and office supplies. Their clients unlikely places in the enterprise. With have included Apple, Air New Zealand, the proliferation of information via the Coca-Cola, ConAgra Foods, and Ford Internet, it is possible that a junior Motors. To be able to provide employee can be just as knowledgeable innovative services in these varied as a member of the management team categories, IDEO employs over 600 in a particular area of the operation — persons with a variety of skills and even in areas where the manager is an interests. These talented members of “authority” in the particular discipline. staff come from disciplines such as Valuable cross-pollination can take Behavioural Science, Branding, place throughout the organisation Business Design, Communication when employees understand and Design, Design Research, Digital appreciate the value of critical Design, Education, Electrical thinking, and individuals feel secure Engineering, Environments Design, enough to share and receive Food Science, Heathcare Services, knowledge. Constructive criticism, Industrial Design, Interaction Design, when encouraged, can create and Mechanical Engineering, sustain a culture of innovation. This Organisational Design, and Software can push individuals to better their Engineering. It is imperative that the best efforts. Such approaches aid the employees operate in multi-disciplined enterprise in reducing cost, improving teams as they seek to provide efficiencies, and enhancing customers/clients with exceptional customer/client satisfaction. Winning products and services. It is also organisations are able to do this well. advantageous to have employees who Education planners and are multi-skilled and have the ability administrators must encourage this to multi-task. Their varied cross-pollination in our primary, assignments demand a new breed of secondary, and tertiary level progressive and aggressive “crossinstitutions. Such attitudes and pollinators”. behaviours will not happen by chance.

The organizational culture at IDEO It is important that we craft strategies embraces critical thinking and design that stimulate such behaviours — thinking methodologies. Employees encouraging individuals to take are encouraged to “think outside the calculated risks and not be afraid of box” and to “challenge the status quo”. failure. Parents and concerned adults Such approaches are considered are also required to encourage their essential if innovation is to emerge and wards to look beyond insular be embedded throughout the behaviours and activities, and engage organization. in more teamwork and knowledge Based on the foregoing, it is sharing. The education system in relatively easy to appreciate the Finland has done this for decades. significance of the Tom Kelly quotation Some emerging economies, like India that was used to introduce this essay - and China, have also embarked on highlighting the need for “crosstraining students to participate in pollinators” and “T-shaped” more cooperative type activities aimed individuals. Other firms and at creating a more aggressive and organisations, including those in the innovative population. It is not too late Caribbean, can benefit from for our Caribbean nations to embark on encouraging such behaviours and such exercises. Our education system attitudes within our enterprises. Such should invite students to pursue their thinking, attitudes, and approaches talents and interests in a variety of need to be embraced and encouraged if fields. We also have the capacity to we are to create and sustain produce cross-pollinators and Tcompetitive advantage in our individuals; individuals who are enterprises. We need to encourage equally proficient in the sciences as critical thinking within our well as in the arts; who could master organisations as we seek to develop skills in a particular discipline and be improved products and services. skilful in many other fields too. They Innovation will not take place in have the capacity. We should have the establishments where employees feel will to encourage these valuable crossstifled, inhibited, or threatened. They pollinators. will not be able to fly with clipped wings. Leaders and managers have a Send comments, criticisms & responsibility and privilege to unleash suggestions to imagination and creativity in julesferdinand@gmail.com

Symbols should not be mistaken for Substance FOR THE PAST eight years, American liberals have gorged themselves on symbolism. A significant section of the population have felt better about their country, even as they have fared worse in it. The young, good-looking, intact, scandal-free black family in the White House embodied a hopeful future for America and beyond.

Photogenic, with a defined black sway, here were people of colour who looked even better in black and white.

With personal stories of progress without privilege, the Obamas evoked a sense of possibility in a period of economic stagnation, social immobility and political uncertainty.

As Obama passes the keys and the codes to Donald Trump, so many liberals mourn the passing of what has been, remain in a state of disbelief for what has happened, and express deep anxiety about what is to come. It is a steep cliff — politically, rhetorically and aesthetically — from the dark skinned, can-we-all get-along intellectual to the tanned, “pussy-grabbing” vulgarian.

But there is a connection between the new normal and the old that must be understood if resistance in the Trump era is going to amount to more than Twitter memes, driven by impotent rage and fuelled by flawed nostalgia.

This transition is not simply a matter of sequence — one bad president following a good one — but consequence: one horrendous agenda made possible by the failure of its predecessor.

It is easy for liberals to despise Trump. He is a thin-skinned charlatan, a self-proclaimed sexual harasser, a blusterer and a bigot. One need not exhaust any moral energy in making the case against his agenda. That is precisely what makes it so difficult to understand his appeal. Similarly, it is easy for liberals to love Obama. He’s measured, thoughtful, smart and eloquent — and did some good things despite strong opposition from Republicans. That is precisely what makes it so difficult for liberals to provide a principled and plausible critique of his presidency.

One cannot blame Obama for Trump. It was the Republicans, craven to the mob within their base, which they have always courted but ultimately could not control, that nominated and, for now, indulges him. And yet it would be disingenuous to claim Trump rose from a vacuum that bore no relationship to the previous eight years.

Some of that relationship is undeniably tied up in who Obama is: a black man, with a Muslim father from Kenya. This unusual alignment of identities was like red meat to an increasingly strident wing of the Republican party in a time of war, migration and racial tumult. Trump did not invent racism.

Indeed, race-baiting has been a staple of Republican party strategy for more than 50 years. But he embraced Nixon strategy, i.e. “You have to face the fact that the whole problem is really the blacks”, and his campaign descended into a litany of brazen racist taunts.

Racism’s role should not be underplayed, but its impact can arguably be overstated. While Trump evidently emboldened existing racists, it’s not obvious that he created new ones. He received the same proportion of the white vote as Mitt Romney in 2012 and George W Bush in 2004. It does not follow that because Trump’s racism was central to his meaning for liberals, it was necessarily central to his appeal for Republicans.

There is a deeper connection, however, between Trump’s rise and what Obama did, or rather did not do,

economically. He entered the White House at a moment of economic crisis, with democratic majorities in both houses and bankers on the back foot.

Faced with the choice of preserving the financial industry as it was or embracing far-reaching reforms that would have served the interests of those who voted for him, he chose the fraudster who created the crisis.

Just a couple of months into his first term, he called a meeting of banking executives. “The president had us at a moment of real vulnerability,” one of them told Ron Suskind in his book Confidence Men. “At that point, he could have ordered us to do just about anything and we would have rolled over.

But he did not, he mostly wanted to help us out, to quell the mob.”

People lost their homes while bankers kept their bonuses, and banks kept their profits. In 2010, Damon Silvers of the independent congressional oversight panel told Treasury officials: “We can either have a rational resolution to the foreclosure crisis, or we can preserve the capital structure of the banks. We can’t do both.” They chose the latter.

Not surprisingly, this was not popular. Three years into Obama’s first term 58 percent of the country, including an overwhelming majority of Democrats and independents, wanted the government to help stop foreclosures. Obama’s Treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner, did the opposite, setting up a programme that would ‘foam the runway’ for the banks. So when Hillary Clinton stood for Obama’s third term, the problem was not just a lack of imagination: it was that the first two terms had not lived up to their promise.

This time last year, fewer than four in 10 were happy with Obama’s economic policies. When asked last week to assess progress under Obama, 56 percent of Americans said the country had lost ground or stood still on the economy, while 48 percent said it had lost ground on the gap between the rich and poor, against just 14 percent who said it gained ground. These were the Obama coalition, black and young and poor, who did not vote in November, making Trump’s victory possible. Those whose hopes are not being met: people more likely to go to the polls because they are inspired about a better future than because they fear a worse one.

Naturally, Trump’s cabinet of billionaires will do no better and will, in all likelihood, do far worse. And even as we protest about the legitimacy of the “new normal”, we should not pretend it is replacing something popular or effective. The old normal was not working. The premature nostalgia for the Obamas in the White House is not a yearning for Obama’s policies.

Even the very poor knows, there is a difference between things that look different and make you feel good, and things that make a difference and actually do good. Symbols should not be dismissed as insubstantial; nor should they be mistaken for substance. Clinton lost because for an important section of the Obama coalition who voted for hope and change, Obama’s presidency was more form and symbols than substance and change.

This column was inspired by a much long magazine entry by Gary Younge.

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

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12. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

SVG economy in extreme difficulty

ACCORDING to macroeconomist and Leader of SVG Green Party, Mr Ivan O’Neal BSc (Hons) MSc, MBA, SVG’s economy is virtually dead, and this is a period of extremely difficulty, especially for the poor and the disadvantaged.

Policy makers must step up and take prudent fiscal measures to create jobs to stimulate economic growth. The time is due for a windfall tax return of at last EC$500 million, from the super-rich, in Mustique (to include the Mustique Co.) and Canouan.

The ULP regime needs an urgent investigation into the causes of the SVG economy being

virtually choked to death. There can be no doubt that Taiwan is a major obstacle to economic development in our country. It cannot be business as usual for Taiwan. Our country’s policy makers ungently need to impose a windfall tax of at least EC$1 billion on Taiwan.

Only a fool would dream that economic growth will come without a coherent economic policy to drive job creation. All the talk about giving life to the banana sector to drive the economy is a joke.

The yield in revenue from banana is too low to make any real impact on the SVG economy.

There has to be a very strong link between education and economic development if we are to bring change to our small island state. Begging Taiwan for a few places at universities in Taiwan every year is a foolish education policy. Our country needs a much larger volume growth in university graduates. To that end, our goal must be to urgently build our own SVG science and technology university.

We have to make a substantial shift from the old thinking that the University of West Indies can fulfil our education needs. Those days are long gone.

After 37 years of

independence from England, we have not yet come to our senses in terms of developing our economy strongly and sustainably. We continue to beg, rather than strife to achieve our goals.

Tourism is a fool’s paradigm. Believing that white migrants must be the employers, and natives can only be employees, is subservient thinking. This thinking has proven to be not in our best economic interest. Why sell off our graceful country to white migrants to live and operate in white enclaves, and leave our people to suffer in poverty, generation after generation?

White migrants should go back to where they come from. Our country’s economic development is being held back with them here under this current economic policy.

The ratio in financial receipts that SVG receives from white migrants, to what white migrants receive in economic terms in operating in our country with tax exemptions, is so bad for our people.

Mustique is a classic example. It is conservatively estimated that for every one dollar SVG gets from Mustique

Administrators and technocrats playing games with the people IN RECENT WEEKS I have been hearing members of the government attempting to sell the idea that they are doing a satisfactory job at discharging the responsibilities they undertook almost twenty years ago. Indeed, nothing could be further from the truth, and it so struck me when I heard the latest utterances coming from Mr. Mc Kie, the Minister of Sport and Culture, and Mr. Prince, the Minister of Education.

For example, the Minister of Education, at the church service recently initiated by the Education Department, seemed to be suggesting that they are doing superlatively well; the teachers are well trained, paraphernalia are provided adequately as needs arise and parents are “supported”. That is the point that struck me most forcefully!

I do not believe that the administration could find the resources to address the needs of the many families, whose capacity has been severely eroded as regards adequately supplying the wherewithal for their children to attend school. That agonizing reality has been well documented.

In his review of the Nine Mornings

Festival, Mr. Mc Kie seemed to be expressing dissatisfaction with the paucity of the involvement of the business community of Kingstown. He wants to see more lights! One is almost tempted to say “Those who have brought on the darkness now want to see more light”.

Except for those persons who are blinded by their privileged position in the “status quo”, all citizens know that the reason for expectations and desires not being realized, is the tormenting stagnation of our economy. The reason for this crippling could well be attributed to the treacherous abandonment of the Agriculture sector.

“Treacherous” seems to me to be a reasonable classification, when one remembers that the mandate that the ULP secured from the people, to a large degree, rested on the promise that they were going to revitalize agriculture in general and the Banana Industry in particular. As a result, about two billion dollars of banana income has been lost.

It is reasonable to say that five billion dollars in tourism investment will not make a parallel economic impact on our society.

Despite the fact that I consider the reticence of the Chamber of Industry

in employment, Mustique takes to the bank one hundred dollars. The cost benefit analysis is stacked heavily in Mustique’s favour.

The historical financial evidence is plain for all to see: SVG is fast becoming another Haiti under the current economic policies that favour white migrants.

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But, it now seems as though Minister Caesar and his colleagues are quite comfortable playing games with the people, particularly the farming community. They probably have taken the cue from the Prime Minister, for, about two years ago, he had boldly declared then, that on the solid work they had been doing, we were soon to be shipping twelve thousand (12,000) boxes of bananas to the U.K. We are yet to hear of the successful shipping of the first twelve (12) of those 12,000 boxes of bananas.

During the election fever of 2015, when Mr. Eustace announced that the NDP would, if elected, organize the reestablishing of the banana industry, by planting one thousand (1,000) acres in the first year, Mr. Gonsalves promised that the ULP would replant three thousand acres. Again this promise was not honoured!

Yet, in 2016 came again the publication of a plan, the activities of which were to be spread over the hundred days between April 18th and July 26th, 2016. There were twenty (20) points listed: 1. A vigorous national consultation with farmers traffickers…… on issues of improving production.

2. Prepare for the cultivation of 250 acres of “new banana fields” in 2016, and the enhancement of the Core Farmers Programme, intended to return exports to the UK via WINFRES. Everybody knows that nothing in these plans has been implemented, and yet there is again talk of organizing for shipment to the U.K. under another plan. Is this con artistry?

One must wonder what message we have been sending to our administrators and technocrats that has emboldened them to so flagrantly exhibit such arrogance, that they could promise to do certain things for us yesterday, give us no reason for not having done them, but yet feel that it is honourable for them to promise today, to do some things tomorrow?

This land has been known for generations as “Hairoun, the land of the Blessed”. We should exert ourselves so that we do not pass on to the next generations “the land of the blighted”!

and Commerce to have been unmanly, when it was glaringly evident that the vital banana industry was not being appropriately addressed/supported.

With all the people doing business in Kingstown, The chamber had prospered when the banana dollars flowed — in every week. They (The Chamber) should have spoken up in defence of the farmers!

That being said, I strongly disagree with Mr. Michael Peters of the Nine Mornings Committee who seemed to be castigating the business community for not exhibiting enthusiasm for this cosmetic “lighting up”. He seemed to have been unmindful of the fact, that these were the same business houses, who had in the recent past been sponsoring numerous endeavours by the many organizations in the society. Yet, when stories broke that government had been refusing to pay the millions of dollars owed to these businesses, Mr. Peters and his organization said nothing. The result was, that many workers had to be sent home. So in effect the business community is experiencing serious hardship and they just have not the funds to cater to unproductive cosmetic activities.

It seems reasonable to me, therefore, to suggest to Mr. Prince and Mr. McKie, that they lend a helping hand to Mr. Caesar - the Minister of Agriculture, so that he can prepare a plan for the revitalization of that sector, which offers a good chance of succeeding. Our economy and many of our desires depend on it.

For almost two years now, maybe longer, this department, through the voice of Minister Saboto Caesar, has been making bold promises, which if they had been implemented, would have seen a tremendous improvement in the state of our economy. Over fifteen thousand persons would have been directly involved in agricultural production, and the foreign exchange earnings would have prompted the provision of the opportunity for another three thousand to find employment LeRoy Providence otherwise.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. 13.

News

Ex-Police Association elects new executive AT A MEETING of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Ex-Police Association, held on Saturday, December 03, 2016, a new Executive Committee was elected to oversee the business of the Association for the next year.

Pastor Marsden Sam, out-going Vice-President, was elected President, with out-going President, Mr. James Blugh, returning to the Executive as Vice-President. The other members of the Executive are: Pastor Nelson Samuel - Chaplain; Assist. Pastor Cecile McMaster — Secretary; Mr. Philbert Hackshaw - Assistant Secretary; Mr. Alfred Peters - Treasurer; Mr. Jonathan Nicholls Public Relations Officer; Mr. David Charles, Mr. Arnold Duncan, Mr. Michael Charles and Mr. .

Ashley Culzac — Committee members.

The Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Ex- Police Association was established in October of 2004.

The Association went dormant for a few years but was revived in October 2013.

The Association celebrated its 3rd Anniversary with a Dinner at Club SOV, Villa, on December 10, 2016.

Among the major objectives of the SVG Ex-Police Association, is to work closely with the RSVG Police Force, making its services available where necessary, in an effort to assist in the development of that Organization.

Membership to the Association is open to retired police officers of the local, regional and international Police Organizations. (Contributed)

Ragguette returned as head of CBA LONG-STANDING CHAIRMAN of the Carnival Bands Association of St. Vincent and the Grenadines — Hugh Ragguette, was returned to that position when the Association held is Triennial Conference at the Peace Memorial Hall, Kingstown, on Tuesday 10th January 2017.

The Conference heard Reports from the National Executive. Several Motions were tabled, debated upon Hugh Ragguette and passed. The Programme returns as Guideline for 2017 was also Chairman of the discussed and approved.

Carnival Bands In addition to Ragguette, Association. others elected to serve on the new executive were; Mr. Garth Niles Deputy Chairman; Miss. Alvern Ali Cadogan — Secretary; Mr. Leroy Rose Jr — Treasurer; Miss.

Alicia Sardine — Assistant Secretary/Treasurer; Mr. Fernando Serieux - Public Relations Officer; Mr. Kingsley Collis - Bandleaders Representative; Committee Members - Mrs. Verlene Ralph James, Miss. Juanita Alexander and Mr. Denrick Woodley.

The CBA, established some forty years ago, replaced a Bandleaders Association that emerged in the 1960s.

The new Executive of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Ex-Police Association. Pastor Marsden Sam, President is pictured 4th from left front.

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14. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Cement price cut THE ADVENT of Rock Hard Cement on the local market has caused a dramatic decrease in the price of cement.

Local, established importers of cement — the likes of T. Geddes Grant Ltd., Coreas Hazells Inc., and Edwin D. Layne and Sons Ltd., slashed their retail price for a sack of cement by a whopping $3.41.

As of Monday of this week, the price for a sack of cement from the established distributors was $21.50, reduced from $24.91 that stood up to last Friday.

This rather hasty but appreciable reduction was occasioned, this publication understands, as a direct response to the recent arrival here of another brand of cement — Rock Hard Cement - that was immediately made

available at a $21.50 per sack price.

One principal of the entity which imports this new cement, told THE VINCENTIAN that as at the opening of this week, their product was available at Browne’s Hardware, General Hardware and Supplies and Minors Hardware outlets. It will, according to that source, become available at other hardware outlets in due course.

Rack Hard Cement is manufactured in Turkey in accordance with strict ASTM specifications.

It is produced by blending Portland cement and other cementitious materials like slag, fly ash, silica fume, clay, hydrated lime and pozzolans.

The use of hydraulic cement in ready-mix

Rock Hard Cement is available in quantity, and stands ready and able to take on the ‘hard wuk’ in the Caribbean.

concrete products is said to: reduce mixing water and bleeding; improve workability and finishing; inhibit sulphate attack and alkaline aggregate reaction; and reduce the heat of hydration.

Its various types of hydraulic cements, including 42.5R and 52.5N, have lower carbon dioxide footprints, resulting from a lower clincker content, due to the addition of supplementary cementitious materials.

Each type, manufacturers say, supplies a superior quality cement which is supported by manufacturer and independent testing certification, along with testing and development in precast and ready mix plants in the region.

Local importers have also guaranteed that they

reserve the right to, and will be introducing their own testing to ensure that all quality standards are met. In this regard, importers promise that no Rock Hard Cement will be distributed or used without a 28-day test results.

“The cement is not to be and will not be sold unless the 28 day results are achieved, to ensure the cement complies with the ASTM standards,” a representative of the local importers assured, adding, “It’s all about consistency, quality and yield. And as far as yield

is concerned, Rock Hard Cement goes a longer way.”

The cement is currently available in Barbados, Trinidad, St. Lucia, Guyana and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with the last being the third market to come on board.

Rock Hard Cement, Barbados, primary regional distributors, was established in 2015, with its primary objective centred around building a strong distribution network to supply the Caribbean region with quality cement on a consistent basis, at an

acceptable price, a release said.

Meanwhile, as consumers become aware of the alternative (cement) now available, some with whom this publication spoke, raised questions with respect to whether or not the previous price of $24.91 per sack was a deliberately inflated one.

There was also a school of thought which expressed that there could be pressure brought to bear on the authorities here, to have the ‘new cement importers’ align themselves with the established importers and their previous price.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. 15.

News

Climate Change Mitigation success

Some members of the River Bank Gardens group with renowned environmentalist Andrew Simmons (4th from left).

Right: The River Bank Gardens at Stoney Ground, the result of the work undertaken through the River Bank Gardens Environment Protection project.

The River Bank Gardens group in session with the Gems Progressive Community Organization.

by CONLEY ROSE

Protection, located at Stoney Grounds, THE NON-PROFIT Kingstown, has scored a COMMUNITY organization resounding success in known as River Bank Climate Change Mitigation Gardens Environment and Adaptation measures.

River Bank Gardens, in collaboration with the Forestry Division, Ministry of Agriculture, has tackled the land slippage and land degradation problem existing at the residential community.

The planting of the Vetiver Grass along the slopes and embankment of the Stoney Ground river has held the river bank together on the side of River Bank Gardens Environment Protection Conley ‘Chivambu’ Rose spearheads the efforts of project over the last five months, in spite of the River Bank Gardens recent trough systems project.

that occasioned heavy rains, landslides, and unstable weather patterns here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

This undertaking stands in contrast to the other side of the river which is facing devastating consequences, deep soil erosion, removal of stones and huge rocks and the migration of trees and river species, some of which are now non-existent.

In addition, River Bank Gardens land area was transformed from two garbage dumps into “Green Spaces” and an environmentally friendly gardens.

River Bank Gardens has completely eliminated environmental pollution from this residential community over the last eight years, as a selffunded, community organization, and has partnered with Gems Progressive Community Organization in climate change capacity building, advocacy and educational workshops, community rallies; and collaborated with the Solid Waste Department, Ministry of the Environment in removing the garbage dumps and tons of waste from Stoney Grounds.

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Bonadie Ltd. Supermarkets wish to thank all of our customers for their continued support .

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16. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Community

ECGC donates US$50K to WPP

The presentation party, including Simon Carey –WPP/CDO (3rd from left) and Osmond Davy – ECGC/CEO (3rd from right), at the recent handing over of a cheque by the ECGC to the WPP.

thriving place in those markets, to recognise and support the work of the WPP. The ECGC has, on previous occasions, ONE OF THE MORE The donation, the Park, said that the ECGC responded positively, ESTABLISHED corporate Company said, is in was moved to make the through the Rotary Club entities here has made a recognition of and contribution after taking of St. Vincent, to generous donation to an support for the WPP’s note of the extent of the requests for assistance to ongoing medical ongoing efforts to provide service the WPP was persons who have had programme that extends vital medical treatment to selflessly making to tertiary level care tertiary level health care to hundreds of children here children here and in the extended to them by the children here and in the in St. Vincent and the OECS. WPP. OECS. Grenadines and the In a post handing over Mr. Simon Carey, The East Caribbean Caribbean region. ceremony conversation WPP’s Chief Development Group of Companies Mr. Osmond Davy, with Mr. Davy, he Officer, in accepting the (ECGC) on Friday 13th Chief Executive Officer expressed the hope that generous donation, January, 2017, handed (CEO) of the ECGC, in his company’s lead in this thanked the ECGC for its over a cheque in an handing over the cheque regard, would encourage generosity, and also amount of US$50,000 to during a short ceremony other corporate entities appealed to other local the World Paediatric at his company’s here and in the OECS, corporate entities to do Project (WPP). headquarters in Campden where ECGC still has a

likewise.

The WPP began operations in SVG 13 years ago. During that period, the records show that its medical service has reached out to some 3, 645 children, and has performed surgeries on children from this country, others in the OECS as well as Barbados, at an estimated cost of well over EC$34 million.

The surgical procedures have been performed free of charge by the experienced team of doctors who work with the WPP. According to the WPP

website, ‘World Paediatric Project was founded in 2001 as International Hospital for Children, with the mission to link worldwide paediatric surgical, diagnostic and preventative resources to heal critically ill children in developing countries.’

On March 1, 2011, International Hospital for Children merged with a non-profit organization in St. Louis and became World Paediatric Project.

The ECGC has, since its operational beginnings here, supported a diverse range of activities — sports, education, culture, medical - here and in the OECS.

V No phone calls, please!

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. 17.

Airport opening preparations on schedule

News

BOOKINGS ON THE CHARTERED flights on aircrafts from Sunwing and Caribbean Airlines that are expected to land at the Argyle International Airport, are being done through tour operators and not the airline.

Glen Beache, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority (SVGTA) cleared the air, and revealed some information as it related to the two airlines which are expected to bring people from Toronto and New York to the Argyle Airport, for the opening on February 14, 2017.

Beache, while speaking at the launch of the 40th Anniversary Vincy Mas programme of activities, said that if one checks, one will not see

chartered flights under Sunwing, or CAL: “because it is a chartered flight.

“So when we have people from Sunwing calling me because Vincentians are calling them and keeping their operators from the call centres at the busiest time of the year, it can be annoying to them,” Beache said in response to some individuals and radio station personnel who had in fact called in to the airlines.

The airlines are not responsible for the charters, he explained, but rather they were working with a company out of Toronto — a company known as GG Tours — who is the agency that has chartered the flight coming out of Pearson

Airport in Toronto, Canada.

Beache further explained that it was only when the company made the information available on the system, that it will also be made available to travel agencies throughout Canada.

The same arrangement applied for CAL, although Beache said that he was not at liberty to announce the company who chartered the flight out of New York, but said only that it will be made public when people will be able to access these flights on the system.

Up to press time, neither flight was yet to be released on the system.

“So for all the experts out there who continue

Glen Beache, CEO/SVGTA, chose the occasion of the media launch of the programme for Vincy Mas 2017, to shed some light on the ‘arrangements’ for the charter flights into the Argyle Airport, Feb. 14. to call Sunwing on a radio programme, I mean, we have to be bigger than this, and do things differently,” Beache said. (DD)

PREPARATIONS are continuing, for the official opening of the International Airport at Argyle, which is set to take place on Tuesday, February 14th.

Jennifer Richardson, Communications Officer at the International Airport Development Company, IADC, has assured that preparations are ongoing, and on schedule, for the opening of the International Airport at Argyle, February 14, 2017.

Richardson made the assertion on a recent radio programme here.

The opening comes after a number of failed deadlines, and she conceded that the final push towards the opening has come after a number of challenges thrown up during the construction phase.

In addition to setbacks caused by inclement weather, work to effect the levelling of three mountains, the relocation of homes and a church, the handling of the removal of a cemetery, and work to span the Yambou river were challenging and sometimes daunting, but work continued apace to the final opening.

According to Richardson, “Almost everything is now in place for the opening of the Airport on February 14th.”

The International Airport at Argyle is said to have been constructed at a cost of over $700 million.

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18. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Fuel Surcharge rate up in January VINCENTIANS have been forewarned that their electricity bills for January 2017 will show an increased rate for the Fuel Surcharge.

The St. Vincent Electricity Services Limited (VINLEC) has advised that the rate will show an increase of 6.51 cents, moving from 24.20 cents per unit in December 2016, to 30.71 Increased fuel use by VINLEC in Dec. means an increase cents per unit in Fuel Surcharge in Jan. January 2017.

VINLEC offline as a result of damage after the rationalised the increase as being passage of the November Trough predicated on the increase in fuel consumption to generate the increased system, and the South Rivers Station still being under rehabilitation work. demands for electricity during Electricity produced by hydro was December. therefore significantly lower (85) in The increase in fuel used for December, compared to the previous generating electricity was occasioned by the Richmond Power Station being month (17%).

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. 19.

News

TGHF to hold International Garifuna Summit

by GLORIAH...

THE GARIFUNA Heritage Foundation (TGHF) launched its programme of activities for National Heroes and Heritage Month (March) last Tuesday, January 17, at a press conference held at the Alliance Francaise, Kingstown.

The standout activity is the International Garifuna Summit which is being hosted in collaboration with the University of the West Indies Open Campus, David ‘Darkie’ Williams, under the theme President of the TGHF, ‘Celebrating our Indigenous Heritage and presented the month’s Culture — from mainland programme as an Dr. Lennox Honychurch, opportunity for all to islands and return: noted Historian, will Vincentians to become Strengthening links, feature at the opening acquainted with the forging networks, of the International history and culture of claiming ancestral Garifuna Summit. the Garifuna. space’.

Dates set for the cuisine will also be Summit are March 8 and 9. An official featured. opening is scheduled for March 7 at Also on Friday 10th March, an the Methodist Church Hall, international group — the Garifuna Kingstown, at which Dominican Folkloric Ballet of New York, and the historian Dr Lennox Honychurch will Garifuna music band ‘Generation X’ deliver the feature address. will showcase modern Garifuna dance Documentaries and full length films and music at the Peace Memorial Hall on the history, lives and times of the from 8:00 pm. Performances will also Garifuna will be screened during the be held at Heritage Square and at the week of March 6 — 10, at the Alliance SVG Community College.

Francaise, old Public Library, By the same token, the Cultural Kingstown. This component of the Extravaganza which includes the programme is part of the ongoing Traditional Cultural Village on the collaboration with the Ministry of grounds of the Old Public Library and Education. the Garifuna Cultural Marketplace at Another key activity, the Garifuna Heritage Square, will occupy March Schools’ Folk Festival, will take place 8th and 9th. on Friday, March 10, beginning with a The Village will feature traditional march from Bishop’s College huts, and will serve as a point for the Kingstown to Victoria Park, where a dissemination of information on rally will be held. Presentations by Garifuna culture and heritage will be primary and secondary schools in disseminated there. The Marketplace different genres of the performing arts will deal primarily with handicraft will be delivered. and other similar products.

Coupled with this will be the Local Mr. David ‘Darkie’ Williams, History Expo on the grounds of the President of the TGHF, issued a call Park, hosted by the Ministry of for every Vincentian to become a part Education. Here, students will be the of the activities, as there is a need for researchers and presenters of our us to learn of and claim our Garifuna history, displayed in creative ways in heritage. separate booths. Local and foreign

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20. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Advice

Tricked into becoming pregnant No need to Dear George, I HAVE BEEN in a relationship with this good-for-nothing man for just over two years. There were some good days in between, but for the most part he was a no good bastard.

I caught him cheating with my very good friend, or I should say my former very good friend. I threatened to leave and he almost went crazy. He begged and begged for a second chance, and I agreed. Big mistake!

We had what you would call make-up sex. I was adamant that he wore a condom because he knew that I was not in a position to have a child. To cut a long story short , George, I got pregnant. I was at a loss as to how I could get pregnant when he wore a condom.

I learned late from his friend that he had bragged about deliberately punching holes in the condom to get me pregnant as a way for me not to leave him. I confronted him, and of course he denied it. I brought his friend along to substantiate the information, and he still denied it. His friend then showed me a text right there in front of him, where he told him of his wicked scheme. He just hung his head

and said nothing. I chased him away and out of my life for good.

I will take care of my child myself. There is nothing he can do to allow him to put his hands or eyes on this child. I am still hurting by all of this. I just wanted to get it off my chest, which is why I am writing to you.

Deceived Dear Deceived, I can understand how hurtful all of this could be for you, but you cannot allow this hurt to get the better of you.

This man may have tricked you into getting pregnant, but at the end of the day, he is still the father of your child, and it will not be fair to the child to deprive him/her of having access to his/her father. It is not for you to unilaterally decide to deny access to this child, and the courts can enforce his rights as a father. The impact of the breakdown of your relationship should not be carried over into the life of your child.

I suggest you get professional help so that you would be able to deal with his negative impact. It is not the end of the world, and as you heal, you would be more

drink Guinness

him, he drank five bottles, of Guinness so I REFUSED to have sex that he would be able to perform sexually. I with my guy after I asked him where he got discovered that he was drinking that day. He is that from, and he said , not one to drink, but this “It’s a man thing.” I was time around, according to so mad at him that I refused to have anything to do with him the rest of that night.

I don’t know what he was thinking. He does Do not be too hard on not need to drink a yourself for the mistakes you Guinness to satisfy me made. You are yet a very sexually. I have never young person. A closer look complained about his at your situation speaks to sexual performance, so you being a victim. I am of why the Guinness the feeling that you are now drinking all of a sudden? much wiser. Publishing the list of names would not make Not Pleased things better. Let it go and move on. Now is the time for Dear Not Pleased, you to lift your game and reset your life. Find someone Sometimes, feelings of who can advise you on the insecurity can cause us way forward. It will be to do strange and difficult to move forward if unusual things. Let your you keep looking back. boyfriend know that he As you change direction, it does not need the will not be likely that you Guinness effect to would run into any of these sexually satisfy you. As men of your past. Keep a matter of fact, the moving forward and leave the alcohol effect has its fair ‘garbage’ behind. share of negatives as far sexual performance is George concerned, and this may be a good time for both of you to do some research. Use this incident as an opportunity for learning and relationship building.

Dear George,

inclined to give your EX a fair chance to get involved in his child’s life.

George

Used then discarded Dear George, I AM TWENTY-FIVE years old, and I have been told that I am stunningly beautiful. I fell for this praise and have allowed more than a few men to have their way with me. Now, most of these men do not want to even take a second look at me, and some of them even label me as a “used car”.

The ones that call me “used” are married and go about pretending to be so holier than thou. I have news for them. I want them to know that I intend to publish a list of their names.

I will also send the list to their wives and girlfriends.

I am tired of feeling like a piece of garbage. These men know who they are, and I hope that when they read this, they will not sleep.

Used Dear Used,

George

Leisure

Aries (Mar. 21‐ April 20) Residential moves look hectic and sud‐ den changes in your life are likely. Try to curb your habits, or you could find yourself in an awkward financial posi‐ tion. You may find that your mate is well aware of the circumstances.

Taurus (Apr. 21‐ May 21) Put your efforts into your work or money making ventures rather than your emotional life. You can pick up additional responsibility that will lead to higher wages and a better position.

Gemini (May 22‐June 21) Give everyone in the house a physical chore that will help burn off some of the excess energy. Your attitudes at work will open new avenues for you.

Don’t try to deal with important issues or make changes that will upset the apple cart.

Cancer (June 22‐July 22) You can help them with difficult proj‐ ects. Your ability to deal with humani‐ tarian groups will enhance your repu‐ tation. Your ability to charm others will bring added popularity. The emo‐ tional state of peers may cause a prob‐ lem for you.

the right thing.

Libra (Sept. 24 ‐Oct. 23) Financial limitations will not be as adverse as they appear. Don’t make large purchases or investments. You will find that social activities will lead you into passionate meetings. Social activity should be on your agenda this week.

Scorpio (Oct. 24 ‐ Nov. 22) Things will be emotional with your mate. Jealousy may get in the way of a good relationship. Your efforts won’t go unnoticed; however, someone you work with may get jealous.

Sagittarius (Nov. 23 ‐Dec. 21) Catch up on correspondence. Your interest in helping others may take you back to school. You may be fortunate while traveling. Take a trip or just spend some quality time with your mate.

Capricorn (Dec 22.‐ Jan. 20) Take time to find out all you can.

Question your mate if you must. Secret affairs can only lead to devastating cir‐ cumstances. Travel will promote new romantic en counters.

Leo (July 23‐Aug 22) You may want to stay in the back‐ ground this week. Your mate will be pushing you to do things that you real‐ ly don’t want to do. You should be able to tie up loose ends this week.

Aquarius (Jan. 21.‐ Feb. 19) Don’t hesitate to sign up for lectures or seminars that will enlighten you. Travel will be most enticing. Consider a cruise.

You can make adjustments in your domestic scene this week.

Virgo (Aug. 23 ‐Sept. 23) You may experience setbacks due to additional responsibilities with loved ones. Travel will be favorable.

Confusion is apparent and you’ll need some sound advice if you want to do

Pisces (Feb. 20‐Mar. 20) Be careful when using machinery or electrical equipment. You need some help this week. Romance will develop through work. Don’t give up what you have until you can be certain just what it is you’re getting.

ACROSS 1.Stir 4. Dr. Frankenstein’s rm.

7. Gridiron VIPs 10. Societal newcomers 12. Cute __ button (2 wds.)

13. Guided visit 15. Not ashore 16. Personal magnetism 18. Noon 20. __ salts 21. Not Rep. or Dem. 22. Actor Howard 24. Fabric for a suit 26. “Give Me That __ Religion” (2 wds.)

31. Ameche and Rickles 32. English fliers (abbr.)

33. Lay __ the line (2 wds.)

34. Start a voyage (2 wds.)

36. Unchained 37. Hoop group (abbr.)

38. Make a hasty

departure 39. Punctuation mark 43. Bestselling novelist Krantz 46. Low voice 49. Bible book 50. Wedge 51. Audit agcy.

52. Stool 53. Function 54. Map marking (abbr.)

55. Color cloth DOWN 1.Eve’s mate 2. Lucie Arnaz’s dad 3. Like a good dog 4. Sheer 5. Burnt remains 6. Ewe’s comment 7. Swab brand (hyph.)

8. Taskmaster 9. Form of wrestling 11. Melancholy 14. Aries 17. Split asunder 19. Find a sum 22. Australian Marsupial

23. Keebler network “baker” 40. Pearl 24. Grid coups Harbor’s (abbr.) island 25. Suffering 41. Certain 27. Vehement hosp. tests speeches 42. Act out 28. Separately silently listed 29. “The Simpsons” tavern owner 30. Off the deep __ 32. Tease 35. Medical subj.

36. Winter illness 39. “Survivor”

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. 21.

43. Joke 44. Platter 45. Detest 47. Engine lubricant 48. ‘30s relief agency (abbr.)

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22. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

News

NIS Symposium examines health concerns EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of the National Insurance Services (NIS) - Reginald Thomas views the number of persons here losing two limbs, as having implications on the nation’s productivity.

He raised the concerns at the opening of a Regional Symposium which examined the Economic and Financial Challenges facing the Caribbean Region and the Way Forward, and held at the NIS conference facility, Kingstown, last Friday.

Thomas, who leaves that post in two weeks, pointed out that many persons with the double impact were as young as 30 years old.

“What does that mean for the productive sector?”

Thomas pondered. He threw out suggestions as to how to retool persons for a return to full capacity.

His comments came as he expanded on the role of the various economic sectors in the overall solution to matters of social security.

He pointed to the question of health as vital to Caribbean economies.

As far as Thomas was concerned, “Our lifeblood is fuelled by what happens in the labour market.”

Also addressing last Friday’s opening was Lennox Bowman, Chairman of the NIS Board.

As far as Bowman was concerned, as he focused on health care, ““Never before has primary health Outgoing Executive care been more critical if Director of the NIS – we are to control health Reginald Thomas care costs.” registered his concerns He also highlighted the about how the health of reality of persons living the citizenry affects longer, and the productivity. implications for care of such persons.

The Symposium, targeting employees of financial institutions and facilitated by Professor Karl Theodore, Director of the Centre for Health Economics at The UWI, and assisted by Marla Dukharam, attracted participation from Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and Professor Karl Theodore brought host country his knowledge and experience of St. Vincent working in the field of health and the Economics to bear on the Grenadines.

Symposium’s deliberations.

St. Benedict’s Day Nursery receives thousands in cash THE ST. BENEDICT’S DAY Nursery and Children’s Home in Georgetown is starting the New Year on a high, with a cash injection of thousands, compliments Digicel SVG. The institution was identified to benefit from the cash donation, after one of its employees- Sabrina Sandy was named one of Digicel’s Golden Tickets winners in its 2016 GetGifted Christmas campaign, winning herself $5,000 cash. Sandy qualified to win the cash prize, after topping up $15 during the month of December at the Digicel retail store in Georgetown- G-Tech.

Sandy said having been employed with the St. Benedicts Day Nursery for more than four (4) years, and knowing the needs of the institution, she saw it more than fitting to donate the majority of the cash to the Home, which serves as a safe haven for many children across St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The very elated Georgetown resident thanked Digicel for continually finding ways to reward its customers, and for apportioning some of its $150,000 in cash and prizes for its 2016 Christmas campaign, to at least one charitable organization here. Sandy said the $1,000 cash that will be kept for herself could not have come at a better time, as she will be celebrating her birthday on Tuesday, January 17th, 2017. The cash, she said, will help to ensure that her big day is filled with much to eat and drink.

Sabrina Sandy (left) receives $4,000 cheque on behalf of her workplace St. Benedicts Day Nursery, from Digicel Rep. Danielle Cupid.

Meanwhile, Digicel’s Marketing Manager- Danielle Cupid congratulated Sandy and commended her for so willingly identifying the St. Benedict Day Nursery to share in her $5,000.00 cash prize.

Cupid also encouraged other Digicel customers to look forward to a very rewarding year, explaining that there is much to be had in 2017. She said while the telecommunications company commenced the New Year with a $2,000 text to win competition, persons can look forward to a series of campaigns throughout the year, all designed to reward and enhance the Digicel experience of all customers.

V Batsmen dominate National T20

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. 23.

THREE HALF CENTURIES and a number of 40s were recorded in last weekend’s round of matches in the NLA Neil Williams T20 competition.

Rickford Walker hit 68 not out, including 5 sixes and 3 fours, and was named the Man of the Match, as he helped Guardian General Saints beat Belfongo by 9 wickets. Belfongo batted first and made 125 for 9 from 20 overs. Stein Joseph top-scored 40, with Terron Simon taking 3 for 17. Saints eased to 128 for 1 in 13.4 on the back of Walker’s half century.

Desron Maloney continued to show a penchant for this format of the game when he

cracked 71, including 7 sixes and 1 four, to propel Police to a formidable 186 for 3 from 20 overs against R.W Sporting World SVG Community College by 120 runs at Sion Hill .

Salvan Browne hit 42.

The College Boys showed little fight and were restricted to 66 for 5 from 20 overs. Kenroy Martin took 2 for 17.

Maloney was named Man of the Match.

The weekend’s third half century came from Victors One Miles Bascombe. He hit a belligerent 75 (6 sixes, 2 fours) in his team’s 138 for 4 from a revised 15 overs due to rain, against Triumph United.

Triumph United were on

28 for 2 from 7 overs when play ended.

Victors were awarded victory based on a faster run rate at seven overs.

Bascombe was adjudged Man of the Match.

In another weekend match, Carl Joseph Law Chambers ASCO beat North Leeward by 19 runs at Buccament. even as North Leeward’s Allison Samuel recorded the weekend’s only fivewicket haul, 5 for 25.

ASCO posted 147 for 8 from 20 overs - . Kelshun DaSilva 46 and Roger Gibson 37. North Leeward replied with 127 for 8 from 20 overs, Allison Samuel 43 and ASCO’s Nelron Toby 4 for 21. Man of the Match went to Samuel.

Rickford Walker stroked an unbeaten 68 for Saints.

Desron Maloney stroked 71 for Police.

Victors Two went under to Smashers by 31 runs, at Sion Hill after the victory target was revised due to stoppages for rain. Smashers made 138 for 5 from 16

per side. Frankie Farrell hit 30. Strike Eagles replied with 45 from 10.3 overs. Man of the Match Miles Bascombe hit 75 Geron Wyllie took 4 for for Victors One. 13 and O’Neil Endeavor overs. Kirton Lavia top- 3 for 11.

Sunday’s match scored with 38 and took between Carl Joseph the Man of the Match award. Victors two were Chambers ASCO and Bequia Cricket 69 for 5 from 11.3 overs Association was when play ended.

Combined Youths beat abandoned without a ball Strike Eagles by 51 runs being bowled, due to a wet pitch. at Sion Hill. Combined Youths made 96 for 4 I.B.A.ALLEN from a reduced 12 overs

“Keep within the bounds of your area”- SVGNA head says PRESIDENT OF THE ST VINCENT and the Grenadines Netball Association — Doris Mc Intosh says that her association would like to see the many area netball tournaments, reflect the name and be truly “area tournaments”.

Mc Intosh expressed the views of her organisation at last Sunday’s opening of the Richland Park Netball Competition, at the Richland

Park Government School hard court.

Making a geographical check of the eight teams registered in the competition, Mc Intosh noted, “We have people from outside the Marriaqua area… This tournament really should be a home grown tournament…

You have too many teams in the Marriaqua area, for other teams (to come in) and participate.”

Mc Intosh called on the Valley Sports Committee, the organisers of the Richland Park Competition, to follow a recent competition which was staged at the Cane End Government School, and administered by the Cane End Netball Association (CNA).

Mc Intosh recalled Doris Mc Intoshthat all but one of the President of the participating SVGNA. teams were in Best Dressed team- 3J’s Valley Strikers. villages from the teams are a Marriaqua Valley.

Sea Operations Nar Fren critical pull factor in wooing Delighted with the Dem, Young Strugglers VSport teams to the Richland Park CNA’s format, Mc Youths and Youngsters.

Competition.

Intosh stated, “This is At last Sunday’s opening, The winning team is set to what the association 3J’s Valley Strikers was receive $1500, second placewill like to see… Keep $1000 and third place- $700. adjudged the best dressed ANOTHER OF THE NATION’S top Junior within the bounds of Eight teams are seeking to team on show, while Scorchers your area”. athletes, Shafiqua Maloney, left the state walk away with the top prize. won the 10 minutes Previous netball January 14, to take up a Track and Field elimination contest among the They are QUESCO Titans, competitions run by the High Park United, J & G scholarship in the United States. participating teams.

Marriaqua Sports A recent graduate of the Verchild’s Scorchers, 3J’s Valley Strikers, Association saw a Secondary School in St.Kitts, where she restriction in the spent the last three years ,Shafiqua is to number of “outsiders” attend Southern Illinois University. (players) who could The 2013 Central American and have been drafted in by Caribbean Age-Group Champion is a teams from the former student of the Thomas Saunders Marriaqua Valley.

Secondary School, and has represented St However, in recent Vincent and The Grenadines at the Carifta times, organisers have Games. put no restrictions on She missed out on participating at the the geographical area 2016 World Junior Championships from which teams because of flight delays and cancellations. come.

Shafiqua, a member of the IT DAT Indications are that ACADEMY, will pursue a Bachelor Degree in Environmental Studies and Geography, the attractive cash prizes which are paid and is hoping to represent her country at Play in the elimination competition between 3J’s Valley out to the top three the 2017 Carifta Games.

Strikers and Nar Fren Dem.

Shafiqua off to the USA

Left: Shafiqua Maloney honed her academic and athletics skills for the last three years in St. Kitts.

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24. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

Bequia United FC head to Antigua BEQUIA UNITED’S DEBUT outing in the Caribbean Football Union Club Championships, sees them drawn in Group A activity, set for Antigua, 22nd to 26th February.

Their opponents will be host club Green Bay Hoppers, whom they play on the 22nd, and Haiti’s Racing, on the 24th.

Bequia United’s final match in the group is set for the 26th against Moengo Tapoe of Suriname.

Originally, Bequia United was placed in a group with Trinidad and Tobago’s Central FC, Alpha United of Guyana

and Inter Moengo Tapoe.

However, Alpha United, and Guyana club champions- Slingerz FC were debarred from participating by CONCACAF over a row with their local federations.

This necessitated a restructuring of the other groups as well . Slingerz FC was placed alongside St Vincent and the Grenadines’ other representative teamSystem Three Sports Academy, San Juan Jabloteh of Trinidad and Tobago and Transvaal of Suriname.

Whilst that group’s

‘We need more long distance races,’ Ballantyne TOP MIDDLE and long distance runner Pamenos Ballantyne believes the opportunity for athletes to take part in long and middle distance races here is slowly disappearing from the athletics calendar, and this could be detrimental to the athletes in the future.

Ballantyne believes the lack of events for the athletes is the biggest problem. “They don’t Pameous have enough events for the Ballantyne, coach athletes … we have the talent, and long distance but we need more events, runner, wants to more road events”, Ballantyne see an increase in noted. the number of The former OECS sports long distance personality advanced the view events on the that there should be at least athletics calendar one marathon, 2 half here. marathons, 5 10Ks and many 5Ks, and 3 or 4 road relays in a given year.

“At the moment, there is only one 10K event that takes place in SVG which is organized by NACAC… the local (athletics) authority should organize a local event before to help prepare the local athletes for this event”, said Ballantyne.

And to emphasise the importance of local events, the Sandy Bay native added, “Hosting national events is where we identify, get our promising athletes and start working with them towards getting them better so as to be able represent us on the regional scale…. But it is very shameful and disgraceful on the Local Athletics Association because they are the ones who responsible to have events”.

With his eye on the future, Ballantyne lamented, “The future of middle and long distance running here is very, very poor. If you look at our medals count over the years at CARIFTA, the result is not good, and this is a reflection of the poor structure for long distance running in SVG. We haven’t won a CARIFTA medal for a while now; the last time SVG won any CARIFTA medal was in 2005 when Junior ‘Stone” Ashton won a Bronze medal in Tobago. “ We have to do more, he asserted.

Ballantyne, a IAAF level 2 coach, is currently attached to the St Martin’s Secondary School.

I.B.A.ALLEN

dates of 8th, 10th and 12th March, to be hosted

by System Three Sports Academy, remains intact, the new configuration sees Guadeloupe’s CS Moulien and Flames United of St Maarten, replacing Transvaal and Slingerz.

The order of System Three Sports Academy’s Group E fixtures will see them meeting Moulien on the 8th; Flames United on the 10th and Jabloteh on the 12th.

Elsewhere, Group B, to be played in Haiti on the 1st, 3rd and 5th March, sees Unite Sainte Rosierre of Guadeloupe, Police of Montserrat, Cibao of the Dominican Republic and host club- Don Bosco.

Reshuffled Group C hosted in Jamaica by Montego Bay, is completed by Antigua and Barbuda’s Grenades,

Elite of the Cayman Islands and Barcelona Atletico of the Dominican Republic. The playing days for Group C are 1st, 3rd and 5th March.

And, Trinidad and Tobago’s Central FC will welcome the Cayman Islands’ Scholars

Bequia United Football Club.

International, Transvaal of Academy and Bequia Suriname and Portmore United, placed first and of Jamaica, with their second respectively in playing days being 8th, last year’s Premier 10th and 12th March.

Division of the National SVG’s two club Championships representatives to the staged by the St Vincent tournament , System and the Grenadines three Sports Football Federation.

Football officials on overseas missions TWO BUDDING, young football referees, the technical director of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation, as well as two key personnel of the national football administration, are among a slate of officials on important overseas missions.

Promising referees — Johmal Allen and Romarie Charles will join their counterparts from acros the region at a two-week hands-on training session in Mexico.

While in Mexico, Allen and Charles will officiate at club matches at the lower divisions, under the watchful eyes of trained assessors, as part of the practical aspect of their training Augustine SVGFF’s Technical Director Trimmingham Keith Ollivierre will be among Technical Directors and coaches from the CONCACAF region, who will also be in Mexico for a oneweek Programme of Excellence Coaching Education workshop, in the city of Toluca.

Reports are that the workshop, which is being done in collaboration with the Mexico Football Federation, will look at the development of the game in the member countries, with attention being given to programmes and events.

Additionally, the Technical Directors/coaches’ workshop Romarie Charles will attempt to assess the technical needs of members, while equipping the participants with the knowledge to implement methods to enhance the quality of the sport.

And, President of the SVGFF - Venold Coombs and General Secretary- Augustine Trimmingham , earlier this week, attended a FIFA Executive Summit in Miami.

Keith Ollivierre

Johmal Allen

The meeting came on the heels of the hosting of the 23rd CONCCACAF Congress that took place last month.

At the congress, CONCACAF’s President Victor Montagliani disclosed plans to assist all 41 member associations to develop their Technical, Development, Competitive and Administrative capabilities.

Also, the congress reaffirmed the quest to build on the four new pillars of Good Governance, Strategic Planning, Development and Strong Leadership.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. 25.

Sports

North Leeward rewards TEAMS AND INDIVIDUALS in North Leeward will be rewarded for their efforts in 2016. There will be sporting and cultural segments under the auspices of the North Leeward Sports and Cultural Organisation.

They have staged activities over the past 20 years in one form or the other. Their sporting record is deep-rooted.

The St. Vincent Cooperative Bank Under 15 Cricket Competition was a reservoir for the nation, and to some extent the Windward Islands.

Whereas the Under 15 phased, there has been a platform for Under 19 and older cricketers to showcase their talent in some form at home.

The Vinlec North Leeward T/20 competition has attracted many of the nation’s top cricketers.

They have found satisfaction with the conditions and operations of the T/20 version. It is ironic that Gidron Pope and Kesrick Williams have broken through the highest ranks of regional cricket. Many others have sharpened their skills in North Leeward, and have helped to induce discipline in the homegrown players.

It has not been a gender bias approach. A DMG Softball Cricket Tournament exposed female cricketers to high competition.

Some citizens lament the absence of their sporting aspects, and those with closeness to athletics, basketball and netball may still be seeking avenues. New attachments can be made with other institutions like Swimming, Boxing, Cycling, Tennis, Volleyball, Karate, Taekwondo and what other disciplines that persons with the interest and discipline will identify with.

The North Leeward Sports and Cultural Organisation will expand their portfolio to the cultural arena. They were recognised for their contribution to the overall national package.

That encouragement will inspire them to continue its upward mobility. Prospects are high for the area. The number of communities engaged in Nine Mornings activities speaks volumes of the degree of patriotism that the district displays.

The event comes off at the Beach Front Restaurant itself a symbol of pride. That spot has established itself as the cultural and social base of the coast. It has gone beyond the service as a solace for many a local exercise, as well as a haven for anyone who wants a Caribbean sanctuary.

Beach Front is within touching distance of a Playing Field at Golding. Sporting pundits have rated that facility above the one completed at Cumberland.

The Petit Bordel Playing Field has been the stomping ground for cricket and football since its creation. With the variety on offer, options are available.

The area will find itself as a destination in demand, as Tour Operators find places to fill the agenda of their emerging clientele.

Those wishing the wider engagement will be encouraged to link up with the North Leeward Sports and Cultural Organisation.

Sights and sounds abound in North Leeward.

Those have produced mixed results, with the closeness to the Soufriere being both a lure and a threat for business. That’s the nature of the environment, and that’s what makes Vincentians and North Leeward residents in particular, who they are.

Are you a motor enthusiast?

WITH A VIEW for young readers.

Have you ever been in that position where your mind and body become completely focused, every single problem that you have in life temporarily fades into nonexistence, and you feel as if you have connected with the roar of your engine and the agility of your vehicle? That the only thing you can think about is to be better; that you must go faster, be in complete control, and what only matters is that very moment?

Have you ever been sad or been to the point of tears, and hear or see a car or bike go by and almost instantly feel a little better?

If you have, then, you are a motor enthusiast! You are that car guy! You are that car girl! No matter what your age or knowledge of the motor industry is.

“But I am not sure if this is for me?” Let me get scientific with you for a second. I want you to think of your brain as a big computer or CPU if you will. Now, as a computer, you are programmed to know what is good for you, what works for you.

Anything (else) that doesn’t work or is harmful to you, triggers an alert that something is wrong.

The same thing applies to human beings. If something is not for us, our brain tells us to stop and stay away. Please do not confuse your brain warning you to be careful when it says stay away because in any new experience there is some measure of fear that comes with it, because your brain is learning something new. It is just warning you to take your time to learn in a safe controlled manner.

“Can I afford it?” This is something many of us question ourselves about. We weigh our responsibilities and what we ought to do with what we really want to do. The answer to this can be found in many different questions that you can ask yourself, such as: How badly do I need it? Am I willing to make sacrifices to obtain it? Am I committed enough to make a plan for months or even years, and to stick to it? Can I make a budget and stick it?

Remember you have one life to live; never tell yourself you can’t achieve something. Leave that for people who do not believe in themselves.

“Do I know enough about it?”

In order to bring the best out of anything that you aspire to, you must learn about the different ways it can be done, what other people have tried and failed or succeeded at. Research, Research, Research. I cannot stress this enough, because at the end of the day, the only person that can get you that fast car or bike you always wanted, the only person that can achieve the lifestyle you always wanted is YOU! That project car or bike you want is something that takes time, love, energy, money and most importantly patience. It makes you dig deep within yourself, and makes you question whether you really love what it is you say you love. Do I really love Racing? Do I really love cars or bikes or trucks? Is all of this really worth it?

These are just some of the questions you will ask yourself, and the only person that can answer these questions is you.

I am here to tell you YOU CAN! but, it won’t happen without some struggle. So reach out! Go for your dream!

Kamal Bacchus

Shantell looking to improve ONE OF THIS The young country’s top lady recognises that in order to teenage female athletes, achieve her Shantell goals, there are a few areas she Williams, is needs to work looking forward to another on. “I am looking to productive year improve in my following her rise to start in the 100 metres. I have dominance in also added a 2015 in the 100 and 200 metres gym programme in her age group. Shantell to my training Williams Shantell, a for strength 100, 200 graduate from exercises.” metres runner. the Girls’ High With her eyes set on gaining an School and now athletics scholarship, a student at the SVG Community College, is Williams said she is bent already into her 2017 on doing well in her academics, even as she training regimen, improves her athletic preparing for what she expects to be a hectic prowess and continues to represent SVG. year.

Williams’s breakout “Training is going quite good. I have been year was 2015 when she won the 100, 200 and the working very hard to better my times in 2017. 400 metres in the I achieved a personal Intermediate category of best of 24.96 in the 200 the Inter-Schools Track metres and I’m working and Field Meet. She broke the 100 and 200 towards running even faster in both the 100 records in that category, and 200 metres which is and was voted the female my specialist areas,” intermediate champion.

That same year, she Williams told THE represented SVG at the VINCENTIAN.

Windward Islands Games in Dominica, also she went to the Hampton International Youth World Games and upon qualification, competed in the 200m at the World Youth Championship in Columbia. She also participated in Commonwealth Youth Games in the 400 metres.

In 2016, she was the senior champion at the Inter Secondary Schools Track and Field Meet, in the process breaking the

200 metres record of 25.9 set by Shantelle Rouce, after she ran 25.47. She also went to the CARIFTA Games and the Windward Islands in 2016.

Williams is grateful for the assistance she has received and continues to receive from her coach Pamenos Ballantyne, who has guided her development since 2013.

I.B.A.ALLEN

V

26. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Views (cont’d)

Where are the radicals?

Continued from Page 8.

After knocking the “mealy-mouthed” graduates of Forum, Jomo Thomas jumped at the first opportunity to collect a string of Degrees from U.S universities.

Glenroy “Sulle” Caesar has more or less stuck to his guns, calling for meaningful social change through the medium of the calypso.

“Blazer” is a martial arts man who contorted himself sufficiently to run with Labour Party on a common platform. Additionally, he uses his gifts as columnist to paint a picture of constant gloom, doom and vengeance- Old Testament prophet-style.

In their general disillusionment, Adrian Saunders and Kerwyn Morris took the decision to back off politics and make their contribution through the practice of their professions in the private and public sectors respectively.

Calder Williams of N.R.M, rode the N.D.P into the House in 1979, abandoned it to form his W.P.P with Victor Cuffy, then fretted his little hour upon stage.

Victor held the lime-light through his much publicised Human Rights Association.

The D.F.M generation, as a whole, gravitated towards the N.D.P, its most high-profile member, Parnell Campbell, has moderated over time in manner, dress and ideology. No more the Dashikie.

Nowadays, the fire is expressed not so much in the politics of the mass as in the garb of the born-again Christian. And the philosophy espoused is now that of the radical centre” based on a policy of pragmatism as enunciated by Mitchell, which has also attracted Arnhim Eustace and John Horne.

Adrian Fraser and I have stood aloof, away from the fray, as we try to influence events by other means, with me admittedly demonstrating a soft heart towards the N.D.P. But it is however, the transformation of Dr. Gonsalves and Mike Browne that is the most challenging. The political guru of the youthful Left, Gonsalves, is now a suave and well-groomed Lawyerpolitician who masters the art of political opportunism, as witness his collaboration with the Labour Party that once represented the forces of reaction according to his own gospel.

Through it all, Mike Browne and Blazer Williams have been able to follow the twists and turns of their leader with aplomb. Mike’s saving grace is his solid contribution to adult education through National Association for Mass Education, and Blazer’s plotting of a cultural plot.

Matthew Thomas, D.F.M dissident, held on for dear life on to the hem of his master’s garment until he could hold no longer.

So, where are the radicals? Generally speaking out of niches of accommodation or comfort zones in the struggle for survival where they have not enlisted in the rapacious rat race. But things will change again.

For the only factor that is constant in life is the concept of change”.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017. 27.

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ROSE HALL MAN BURNT TO DEATH

by KENVILLE HORNE A ROSE HALL man was burned to death in his two-room house last Saturday.

The charred body of Cecil Ferdinand, 74-year-old farmer of Roae Hall years, was removed from the bedroom where he was discovered in a sleeping position, at his home located in an area called Coolie.

Information surrounding the cause of the fire appears sketchy. However, according to Ferdinand’s third daughter Rosalie Williams, about 6:14 am on Saturday, one of her father’s neighbours alerted her that his house was on fire. She said by the time she arrived on the scene, most of the contents of the house were already burned, together with her father.

Ferdinand is said to have been the father of over 9 children, five girls with Williams’s mother.

Williams confirmed that her father lived alone.

Based on the information she said she received, she speculated that the fire might have started with a mat on which was a lighted coal pot.

She surmised that her father was cooking. She said that he did not have the convenience of a stove (gas) nor did the house have its own electricity supply.

Williams reiterated that her Cecil Ferdinand is remembered as a tall, stately figure who had a loud voice.

ripe golden apple father’s burnt body was from his pocket and discovered lying down on the remains of his bed. “Right like give me.”

She recalled that how he sleep on he back, a her father would right so he burn,” she said. usually keep a lot of The woman recalled that the last time she saw him was coins in his pocket and would give some the day before he died, and that he was in good spirits. “Is to his children and grandchildren each a sad thing, because it’s not time he saw any of easy for one of my parents to them. burn up in a house. I cried because it’s my father,” said For persons in the Willaims. immediate and Rosalie and Shandell Williams, Meanwhile another of surrounding daughters of Cecil Ferdinand, Ferdinand daughters, communities, described their father as hard-working Shandell Williams, said that Ferdinand is and generally quiet. in spite of what persons might remembered as have had to say about her attending funerals all He was once involved in the father, he was a good man. over St. Vincent, and for his trafficking of agricultural “My farther bin good, he use to voice. produce to Trinidad. take care of us,” said Shandell.

She said that the “negative side” of him was that he drank (rum) regularly, and when intoxicated would make unnecessary loud noises.

But, she said, he was by nature not a violent man, and she described him as “very quiet.”

The grieving daughter also described her father as a very hard working man.

She related that she last saw him a few weeks ago. “I ask him where he was (coming from) and he said he bin a bush, The door on the right opens into the bedroom where Ferdinand’s and then he took out a charred body was discovered.

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

Printed by the SVG Publishers Inc., Campden Park.