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The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

FRIDAY,

MARCH 24, 2017

VOLUME 111, No.12

www.thevincentian.com

EC$1.50

The gun that was at the centre of the exchange between Commissioner of Police (Ag.) Renold Hadaway and Attorney Grant Connell.

Renold Hadaway , Commissioner of Police (Ag.), remained stoic under crossexamination by Defence attorney Grant Connell.

by HAYDN HUGGINS TWO MONTHS after the Police High Command held a news conference during which they displayed the items from a firearms and ammunition seizure at Lowmans Bay, Acting Commissioner of Police Renold Hadaway has maintained there was nothing unethical about the publicity at that stage.

“The seizure was substantial, and we wanted to notify the public of the findings of the police,” Hadaway told the Serious Offences Court on Monday, under crossexamination by attorney Grant Connell.

Connell is representing Lowmans Leeward couple Randy Shallow and Friekesha Douglas, charged in connection with the matter.

The trial commenced at the Serious Offences Court on Monday, is being prosecuted by Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche, and presided over by Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne.

“Would you agree that your action, though not illegal, was unethical,” Connell asked the Commissioner.

Continued on Page 3.

Defence attorney Grant Connell made his crossexamination of the Commissioner of Police (Ag.) a primary thrust of his argument.

2. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. 3.

News 3

Knights is new Ministry of Health PS MR. CUTHBERT KNIGHTS is the new Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment.

His appointment became effective March 6, 2017.

A Ministry of Health release said that “Mr. Knights comes to the job with a wealth of talent and experience that would serve him in good stead as he discharges the functions of this most important office of public sector administration.”

PS Knights replaces Mr. Luis deShong who, according to the relase,

“served the Ministry with distinction.”

Mr. DeShong proceeded on pre-retirement leave in January this year.

Knights is no stranger to this Ministry of Health.

He served previously as an administrative officer and then Hospital Administrator, before being transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Commerce as Director of Trade.

He is described, therefore, as having a well-rounded understanding of the Ministry, and the range of issues with which he may

SVG bans Brazil’s corned beef ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES has joined other CARICOM member states in imposing a ban on the sale and importation of corned beef from Brazil.

A release from the Ministry of Economic Planning, Industry, etc., issued Wednesday 22nd March, said that effective immediately, a ban will be imposed on the importation and sale of beef and poultry products from Brazil, including the popular corned beef.

The release also directed that importers, wholesalers, retailers remove “all such products’ from their shelves.

This action followed confirmed reports that several major meat processors in Brazil had been selling (exporting) contaminated or rotten beef and poultry products.

Even before CARICOM member countries took action to ban the import and sale of these products, several countries — including the European Union and China — had moved to stop the import of meat and meat products from the South American country. (See statement from the Embassy of Brazil below)

have to contend.

He is duly prepared for the challenges of the office and is ready to make a contribution in his new capacity, to the development and expansion of health and environmental services in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the release

said.

Mr. Knights started off his working life as a teacher at the Intermediate High School. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in International Relations.

He is known for the quiet and competent performance of his duties.

Minister of Health, Wellness and the

(Source: Ministry of Health — Communications Unit)

Cuthbert Knights

Acting COP unshaken at major gun trial Continued from Front page.

“No please, your Honour,” Hadaway replied.

Shallow and Douglas are charged jointly with possession of a prohibited weapon, to wit, a submachine gun, and having a component part of a prohibited weapon, to wit, a magazine of an AK47 rifle.

They are also charged with possession of a .38 revolver, a glock pistol, 14 rounds of glock 40 ammunition, 42 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, one round of .38 ammunition, and one round of 7.62 ammunition, without licences issued under the Firearms Act. The couple first appeared in Court on January 20, pleaded guilty to the eight charges, and were each granted $45,000 bail with one surety.

COP (Ag) testifies In his testimony, the Acting Commissioner recalled that on January

18 he received information about a substantial seizure of firearms, ammunition and other items, during a police raid at Lowmans Bay, and that two persons were apprehended in connection with the incident.

As a result of the information, he had a conversation with the arresting officer Constable Philbert Chambers, who subsequently brought the exhibits to the police conference room, as he (Hadaway) was about to hold a news conference in relation to the seizure.

He outlined to the Court the calibre of the guns, ammunition and other items PC Chambers handed over to him.

The top cop noted that the exhibits bore the initials JC and PC, respectively, the initials of Firearms and Ballistics expert Sergeant Julian Caine, who had examined the items and test fired the

Press Release from the Embassy of Brazil THERE ARE CURRENTLY 21 meat production companies under investigation by the Brazilian Federal Police and only 6 have exported products within the last 60 days and NONE of these exports were made directly to St. Vincent and the Grenadines or to the United States, from where most of the corned beef and poultry is sourced. The companies that exported to these countries are not under investigation and operate within all licensing and health regulations. The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture has a rigorous inspection service for animal products with permanent auditing, monitoring and risk assessment.

The Brazilian Government is auditing establishments mentioned

Environment, the Honourable Luke Browne said that he has full confidence in Mr. Knights’s ability, and feels assured that he is committed to support the policy direction of the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

in the Federal Police investigation into allegations of irregularities in the agricultural inspection system.

Of the 21 units under investigation, 3 have already had their operations suspended and all 21 have been placed under a special inspection regime conducted by a specific task force of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA).

The investigation in question involves a marginal percentage, only 1%, of all meat exports.

Brazil has 4,837 establishments which produce meat products. Of these establishments, which are subject to federal inspection, only 21 (0.2% of the total) are alleged to have been involved in irregularities, and of the over 11,000 employees in the agricultural inspection system,

only 33 (0.3%) are being investigated by the Federal Police for possible irregularities. That means that 99.8% of registered companies and 99.7% of inspectors are not involved in the allegations under investigation.

The Embassy of Brazil is in contact with the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines for any clarification on the matter. All production plants remain open to inspection visits by importing countries who wish to visit exporting companies to clear up any doubts which they may have.

Brazil is the most interested party in resolving and clarifying these issues, and in having the current unilateral ban lifted.

Kingstown, March 23, 2017

guns, and the arresting officer Philbert Chambers.

Hadaway, also an experienced Firearms and Ballistics expert, said the exhibits were displayed at the news conference, then handed back to Chambers.

Under cross-examination Under crossexamination, Hadaway said the exhibit tags were removed from the exhibits outside the conference room when they were handed over to him, sometime after midday, and were replaced after he handed back the exhibits to Chambers who was standing outside.

According to the Commissioner (AG), he had summoned Chambers to his office later that afternoon where he affixed his (Hadaway) initials on the exhibits and signed the tags, then handed back the exhibits to Chambers.

Connell suggested that a senior police officer was the one who handed over the guns, ammunition and other items to the top cop; but Hadaway insisted that they were handed over to him by PC Chambers.

He said he could not recall whether the exhibits were handled in any way by Assistant Commissioner of Police Frankie Joseph or head of the Police Public Relations and Complaints Department Inspector Hawkins Nanton, who were also at the news conference.

The exhibit tags were removed, Hadaway explained, to protect the integrity of the parties involved and the investigations.

Serial number error The prosecution’s evidence also revealed that it was subsequently recognized that the number quoted as the serial number for the submachine gun was not the serial number.

Hadaway said Sergeant Caine had brought this to his attention, following which an application was made in Court, on the day the matter was previously down for trial, to have the number amended. The application was granted.

Connell told Hadaway, “I want to suggest that the firearm that you have in this honourable Court is not the same one you had at the press conference. You are not sure if this firearm you saw at the press conference followed the normal chain.”

But Hadaway said he had confidence in his officers.

The Commissioner remained calm and unshaken throughout the cross-examination.

In his testimony, Caine admitted under cross-examination that he had given the wrong number in a statement.

“At the point of examination, I gave that number. After second thought, I found that it was wrong,” Caine admitted. He noted that there were several numbers on the gun, and the number he gave could have been the model number. The serial number, according to him, was not all that visible at the time.

The Court also heard evidence from Police Constable Brenslee Bobb of the Traffic Branch.

The trial has been adjourned to March 30.

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4. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Court

Ganja cultivator begs for leniency “I am asking you please, please, if you could give me A 49-YEAR-OLD FAIR HALl a chance because me ain’t man who was met tending to want thief from nobody. marijuana plants, on Monday, “I’s am asking you please, begged the court desperately please, if you could use your for leniency when he discretion,” James begged appeared before Chief the Chief Magistrate.

Magistrate Rechanne Browne “What were you planning at the Serious Offences Court to do with the marijuana? the same day, charged with This is just some… you cultivating 43 of the plants. must be had about a Kenrick James pleaded thousand plants?” the guilty to the charge and told Magistrate asked. the court that he was a “I was going to sell it. I labourer but lost his job, ain’t go tell no lie,” James and someone had given him replied. some weed and seeds.

Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS

Browne stood down the matter for a while, and when she recalled the defendant, he continued to beg for mercy, saying that he didn’t want to be sent to prison.

But the Magistrate told him that was not her intention, and commended the police for making what she described as a “good haul.”

She told James, “The police have to do their work.

They are doing a very good job in keeping crime under

control.”

James was fined $400 to be paid by May 31 or two months in prison.

The facts revealed that he was arrested around 11:30 a.m. on Monday after police saw him in a marijuana field at Fair Hall, tending to the plants with a cutlass.

When the police questioned him in relation to the marijuana field, he replied, “I lost my job, please give me a chance, I have nothing else to do.”

Robbery accused back in Court LESS THAN TWO months after Dennis ‘2 Pac’ Richardson appeared at the Serious Offences Court, charged with the daylight robbery of a P.H. Veira and Co. Ltd employee, he returned to the same Court last

Monday, on firearm and ammunition charges.

Richardson, 23, of Glen appeared at the Serious Offences Court, charged with possession of a firearm, without licence, and having three rounds of 12

guage ammunition, without licence.

Standing before Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne, Richardson pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche objected to bail, on the grounds that Dennis Richardson Richardson was on remand bail on a robbery charge, in connection with an offence in which a firearm was allegedly used.

Bail was denied, and the matter was adjourned to March 27.

In early February, Richardson, along with two 15-year-old boys, appeared at the Serious Offences Court, charged with robbing P.H. Veira and Co. Ltd office attendant Dwight Ryan, 30, of Choppins, of a bag containing EC$34,715 in cash and three cheques which valued EC$2,165. The bag, money and cheques reportedly belonged to the Company.

They are also charged with possession of a firearm with intent to commit the offence of robbery.

Reports are that on January 30, Ryan was en route in Kingstown to make a deposit for the company, when he was held at gunpoint and relieved of the bag containing the cash and cheques. The assailants then fled, using a route at the back of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Postal Corporation.

PROPERTY OF SALE Richland Park Tel: 784-528-7048 (whatsapp)

Primus complains of health issues MURDER accused Veron Primus was on Tuesday, at the Serious Offences Court, granted another adjournment at his request, after complaining that he was ill.

Primus, 39, Vernon Primus of Vermont, requested and was charged with granted another the murder of adjournment. real estate agent Sharlene Greaves of Dorsetshire Hill, told the Court that he had pertinent health issues that needed to be addressed. He also complained that the prison where he is remanded, is unsanitary.

Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche did not object to Primus’s request, and Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne granted an adjournment to April 20,stating that by then all the logistics should be addressed.

Primus had also complained of being ill during a previous court appearance in the matter, and was granted an adjournment.

The Preliminary Inquiry (PI) had started at the Serious Offences Court on January 4 this year, and was adjourned on a number of occasions.

Several witnesses have already testified for the prosecution.

Greaves’ body was discovered at her Bijou Real Estate office, Arnos Vale, on November 13, 2015.

V Sir Derek Walcott, Nobel Laureate, dies at 87

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. 5.

Regional

while he was raised a Methodist, Derek attended Roman Catholic schools.

It was while still a teenager that Sir Derek first caught the attention of St. Lucians.

He published his first poem when he was 14, in a local newspaper, and his first book of poems at the age of 18, while still a student at the Roman Catholic St. Mary’s College. He is said to have selfpublished his first book of poems with a ‘loan’ from his mother.

Commentators of the day discerned from that first collection of poetry, the influence of the writings of John Milton on the young St. Lucian’s hand.

From secondary school, Sir Derek entered the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica, where, Biography and early interestingly, he majored signs of greatness in modern languages — French and Spanish, and Sir Derek Alton Latin. It was while at Walcott was born on university that he began January 23, 1930, in writing plays, and his Castries, capital of St. first play, about the Lucia. He was one half Haitian leader Henri of a twin (twin brother Christophe, was Roderick died in 2000). produced in St. Lucia in His father, Warwick, was 1950. a schoolteacher and He returned to St. water colourist, who died Lucia on successful when Sir Derek was an completion of a infant, and he was raised Bachelor’s degree in by his mother, a 1953, and taught at schoolteacher. He was secondary school level. the product, like many He would also have had St. Lucians, of a racially teaching stints in mixed marriage. And Grenada and Trinidad.

SIR DEREK ALTON WALCOTT, St. Lucia-born poet and Nobel Laureate, died early last Friday morning (March 17) at his home in Gros islet, St. Lucia. He was 87.

No cause of death was given up to press time (Wednesday), but Walcott was known to have been in poor health for some time.

While Sir Derek was already an established poet, playwright, columnist and commentator, he perhaps enjoyed his greatest fame after winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1992.

His poetry, at the time of his being bestowed this prestigious award, was described as “intricately metaphorical poetry that captured the physical beauty of the Caribbean, the harsh legacy of colonialism, and the complexities of living and writing in two cultural worlds,” according to the Daily Telegraph of the UK.

Sir Derek Alton Walcott – 1930 to 2017 (Credit: CRB) Left: Sir Derek Walcott receiving the 1992 Nobel Prize for Literature from King Carl Gustav of Sweden. (Credit: Nobel Prize Committee)

icon Paul Simon (of

Teaching, writing, Simon and Garfunkel directing and the Nobel fame) in the production Prize of the ‘Capeman’, a

Walcott continued to write all through his teaching career and his verse dramas - ‘Ione’ and Sea at Dauphin’ were produced in Trinidad in 1954 where, by now, he had taken up some sense of permanent residence.

His popular ‘Ti-Jean and His Brothers’, which recaptured the Trinidad folk tale of the devil’s (Lucifer) attempts to steal the souls of three brothers, was a resounding ‘hit’ from its opening night in 1958.

Walcott took a year off to spend time refining his directing skills with José Quintero in New York. He returned to Trinidad and founded the Little Caribe Theatre Workshop repertory company which by the late 1960s was renamed the Trinidad Theatre Workshop.

It was with the Little Carib Theatre that he produced his best-known play, ‘Dream on Monkey Mountain’, which was also featured as an off Broadway production in 1971.

He continued to attract the attention of persons and cultural artistes far and wide, and in 1998, he Sir Derek Walcott in 2012, during the production of collaborated with pop a documentary on his life and works. (Credit: EPA)

musical about a Puerto Rican gang member who murdered three people in Manhattan in 1959, which ran for 68 performances at the Marquis Theatre, Broadway.

Playwriting aside, Walcott continued writing poetry of an expanded nature, producing for example, ‘Another Life’ - a 4000line piece which sought to examine his life and surroundings.

He won more and more recognition, but it was with publication of his 300-page ‘Omeros’ — an interpretation of Homer’s epic in which fishermen and a taxi driver replace Homer’s heroes of Greece, that he mesmerized the literary world.

That was 1990, and two years later, 1992, Sir Derek Walcott was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. The Nobel Prize Committee lauded him for “a poetic oeuvre of great luminosity, sustained by a historical vision, the outcome of a multicultural commitment.”

Disappointment In 2009, Walcott was

Sir Derek Walcott in St. Lucia – his inspiration – in 1996. (Credit: The New Yorker) proposed for the honorary post of professor of poetry at Oxford University. His candidacy was derailed when photocopied pages of a book describing allegations of sexual harassment brought by a Harvard student decades earlier, got into the hands of the Oxford establishment.

Mr. Walcott withdrew his name, but not before making the following statement to The Evening Standard of London: “I am disappointed that such low tactics have been used in this election, and I do not want to get into a race for a post where it causes embarrassment to those who have chosen to support me for the role or to myself. While I was happy to be put forward for the post, if it has degenerated into a low and degrading attempt at character assassination, I

do not want to be part of it.”

Walcott returned to his beloved St. Lucia to live out his twilight years.

It would be an understatement to say that St. Lucians held him in the highest esteem, even with reverence, for they knew, as the Nobel Prize Committee had said, “In his literary works, Walcott has laid a course for his own cultural environment, but through them he speaks to each and every one of us. In him, West Indian culture has found its great poet.”

Walcott was married three times. He is survived by his longtime companion, Sigrid Nama; a son, Peter; two daughters, Anna Walcott-Hardy and Elizabeth WalcottHackshaw; and several grandchildren.

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6. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Taxman says, ÂPay up or elseÊ

Kelvin Pompey, Comptroller of the Inland Revenue Department (IRD), emphasized that his Department was bent on aggressively pursuing tax defaulters/evaders.

COMPTROLLER OF THE INLAND Revenue Department (IRD), Kelvin Pompey has acknowledged that while there has been a general improvement in compliance and cooperation from tax payers, there is still a problem of noncompliance from selfemployed and unincorporated businesses.

Individuals, including architects, lawyers, surveyors, plumbers, electricians, have also come under scrutiny, especially “those persons who may not have a physical office so we can track them,” Pompey said.

“But we all know that you call a plumber or electrician and they leave with more money than you make in a month,” he

continued.

Often transactions between these individuals and clients are not sanctioned by a receipt and so, according to Pompey, there is no evidence that a business transaction transpired and payment was made.

But the Inland Revenue Department was working on a programme to identify such persons, particularly those involved in the construction industry.

“We are working to make sure that we get those persons in the net and get them to contribute their fair share. Because, to a large extent, it’s the employees who bear the brunt of taxation, that is

to say those persons sitting behind a desk working and having their P.A.Y.E deducted,” he said.

Pursuing the defaulters The IRD has been aggressively pursuing with the Attorney General’s and Director of Public Prosecution’s offices, and through the courts instances of tax evasion, and devising certain actions to ensure that the outstanding moneys are paid over.

And cases have also been referred for court action to be taken against persons who have been deducting VAT (Value Added Tax) or P.A.Y.E

(Pay As You Earn), but have not been paying it over to the IRD. One such action was taken against the Buccament Bay Resort/Dave Ames who was slapped with eight counts of tax evasion last year.

Pompey explained that there are various penalties for tax evasion, but before penalties are enforced, an assessment must be done.

Charges can be laid against individuals/companies who are deemed to have infringed the tax regulations.

Failure to declare tax deductible income is a form of tax evasion, and individuals found guilty

means in which we can get high levels of high compliance from property taxes because the Property tax compliance level is not where we want (it), and Pompey also that is something that we highlighted the problem are addressing.” with compliance as it The solution to the related to property tax. problem, according to “The problem with Pompey, may be to property tax, however, is identify a property and that it is a smaller amount make an example by from a larger number of putting it up for sale. persons,” Pompey said, “Given the nature of adding that the average the tax and the number of property tax bill amounted persons that you have, we to EC$192. have to make an example, So if an individual who and since we have the resided in a rural district necessary ability and was delinquent, then it legislative provision to do becomes more difficult to it, I think that is where track that individual, he we will be going in terms said, adding “So we have of the property taxes,” to look for ways and Pompey threatened. (DD) can face up to two years imprisonment, Pompey said.

Civil Society law overdue KOZEL FRASER, Windward Islands Farmers Association (WINFA) Coordinator, is of the view that laws aimed at incorporating the interests of Civil Society Organisations are overdue. She was speaking in the wake of a consultation held at the National Insurance Services last Tuesday, March 21.

The exercise produced a draft which Fraser expects will be distributed to relevant groups and authorities.

She looks forward to involvement of the legal fraternity and representatives from the Commercial and Intellectual Property Organisation (CIPO) in expediting furtherance of the proposed legislation.

Fraser pointed out that St. Vincent and the Grenadines was lagging with respect to laws to facilitate the purview and operations of Non-Government Organisations. “It is in the best interest to have a strong Civil

Society movement,” Fraser proffered.

She noted, however, that it was not all smooth sailing, but that setting up laws was in keeping with advancing the Caribbean region.

The WINFA coordinator will present the draft proposed legislation to the Cabinet for their study and approval.

Fraser expressed satisfaction with the consultation which was spearheaded by Gordon Bispham, Caribbean Policy L-R: Kozel Fraser, Co-ordinator of WINFA), Development Centre’s Executive Director. made an appeal for the passage of Civil Bispham indicated that while there was Society related legislation to be pursued an “ad hoc” situation currently existing with urgency and Gordon Bispham, with respect to a working relation between Caribbean Policy Development Centre’s government and civil society organisations, Executive Director, said that the process the consultation was ideal for setting the leading to Civil Society related legislation stage for an new environment, conducive to was not one of reinventing the wheel. a genuine partnership between the two sectors. for carving out a path in which, “You have to He acknowledged that Civil be clear about what you want,” and to “be Society organisations were treated clear about what you don’t want.” with scepticism owing to their Bispham admitted that the exercise was perceived position of absence of not about reinventing the rules, but that it transparency and accountability. will follow guidelines already set by Belize, Recognising that there was a St. Kitts/Nevis, and the Dominican Republic. propensity towards designing laws Bentley Browne, local resource person, to be used to “control or to limit” the was also part of the consultation. scope of Civil Society organisations, A number of community-based the CDDC Executive Director called organisations attended the session. (WKA)

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. 7.

Entertainment

Clash of the Bands delivers IT APPEARS AS THOUGH the use of live band music was waning here, being replaced by the music stored on CD’s and flash drives, and boosted by over-powered sound systems manned by DJs who seldom allowed a track to run its full course.

Now, with the recent staging of the Clash of the Bands — an official Carnival Development Corporation (CDC) event that formed part of the build-up to Vincy Mas 2017, many Vincentians are calling for the use of more live bands at the upcoming carnival events.

On Saturday 18th March at the Arnos Vale Hard Court, patrons attending the Clash of the Bands event were treated to an outstanding night of music, primarily from bands now dormant but which had dominated the entertainment scene in the past.

The audience, comprised in the main of over 35s, danced and sang along to their favourite hits from the past.

In all, six bands performed on the night.

The show got underway with the Barrouallie-based Resurrection band, with lead vocalist Desmond ‘Bam’ James delivering songs such as ‘Dem think

Ken Wiseman and X-A-Dus may just have won the crowd’s choice as Band of the Night.

Touch – smooth, clean, rhythmic and entertaining. we foolish’ and ‘Firewood’.

The Sion Hill Euphonium Steel Orchestra entertained the crowd before Hs Phaktor took the stage.

Hs Phaktor, featuring the likes of contemporary artistes Madzart, Bomani and Shaunelle Mc Kenzie, unleashed a list of hits that had the audience in a frenzy.

Madzart did his ‘Poor People Song’ before Shaunelle McKenzie belted out ‘Hot with my baby’, and Bomani interrupted with his monster hit ‘Wet’ and ‘Turn round’. The hits continued in numbers from ‘Helicopter’, ‘Soldiers’, to ‘Don’t fraid the Bumper’.

Bass guitarist Savage sang his hit song ‘Badmind,’ while Max

performed ‘Jump up’, leaving patrons with a feel of authentic Vincentian music.

Then it was the turn of Signal led by the crowd motivator Luta and Pat Ragguette, who had flown in specifically for the event.

They performed songs from Alison Hinds and Iwer George, as well as their own hits such as ‘Bam Bam Roll’ , ‘ Busy Tone’ and ‘More gel’.

Following a stint by DJ Donovan, X-A-Dus reminded the audience why they were a force to be reckoned with, and their now United Kingdom-based vocalist Ken ‘Wizzy’ Wiseman was the main architect of the message. This, after a moment silence for their fallen vocalist Gerrard ‘Rasum’

And the crowd lapped up every bit of music on the night and still wanted more.

Shallow.

‘Wizzy’ belted out hit after hit including ‘Don’t bend down’ , ‘ Pum Pum sweet’, ‘Baila’ , ‘Swivel Dance’, with Marva Morgan doing a rendition of Rasum’s ‘Perseverance’. Morgan and her female partner Sheri Cuffy ensured a varied repertoire from XA-Dus. Following entertainment from DJ Fugi, the band Touch began their set with its complement of Gideon James, Ifill Shortte , Godfrey Dublin, Willis Williams and Bryan ‘Paper’ Alexander.

Pulling from a collection of hits too many to perform on any one night, they offered some of their more popular numbers,

Luta and Pat Ragguette reminded about the power of male-female combination. including ‘Kangaroo’, ‘Butt’, ‘Loving can’t done’ and ‘Jam Dem’.

Unfortunately, time did not permit ‘Puss Man’ on the night. Touch sounded like they had never left the scene sweet, co-ordinated and pulsating.

Before leaving the stage, the band was presented with a plaque

by Wran Gould, Proprietor/Manager of D Tunnel Restaurant and

Bar. Touch was followed by K-Netik, the only currently active band featured on the night.

They added Fireman Hooper and Hypa 4000, former and current soca monarch winners, to their act.

The crowd left the venue with their money’s worth and the appetite for more live band music.

(KH)

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8. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 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 Stepping outside of the norm WE’RE STILL IN HERITAGE MONTH (March) which includes the annual National Heroes Day activities that stretch from the ceremonial laying of wreaths in honour of National Hero Chief Chatoyer, to activities representative of our Garifuna Heritage (Greiggs) and more festive expressions in the northern most community (Fancy) of mainland St. Vincent and, for most young people, wild and wet indoor and outdoor fetes.

But even as we look back at another National Heroes Day and find that Chatoyer stands lonely, as it were, on the pedestal reserved for official National Heroes, we can comfort ourselves with some sense of satisfaction that, in the midst of all the ‘officialdom’, some persons have used the occasion for which it is seemingly designed — to recognise those who by popular and ‘common’ interpretation, have contributed to making us a little more Vincentian.

Starlift Steel Orchestra’s grand honouring of its founder Walton ‘Tanny’ Peters aside, there was at least one other activity that just might have fallen below the national radar.

Wran Gould, not considered by many to be a nationally profiled figure, even though he has made a significant contribution to enhancing the skills of many who have found employment in the local, regional and international hospitality industries, continued his one-man crusade with a National Day of Honour for some one hundred persons he assessed to be ‘cultural icons. And this, he did, with his own resources.

Talk about putting what little money you have where your mouth is!

It is not the first time that Gould has demonstrated this sense of patriotism. He has feted, on more than one occasion, senior citizens of his community (Campden Park and its surroundings), in recognition of their contribution to maintaining stability in family life and community.

For this, and other similar efforts, we need to be extremely grateful.

Amidst all the clamour for more National Heroes to be named, people like Wran Gould have moved to honour ‘ordinary’ people — people who, in their own simple ways, have done great things in their respective fields of endeavour, and touched, directly and indirectly, the lives of oh so many people.

Many have done, through thick and thin, with meagre resources, on the strength of their faith some mighty force has bestowed upon them, daring, heroic and selfless acts which are in the main, recognised for only that long after the acts have occurred. Ordinary acts, perhaps, by ordinary people, but no less impacting.

People like Wran Gould may just have a lesson to teach all of us — not least those in whose hands lies the authority to name National Heroes and select persons for National Awards. That lesson could read something like: we should be more sensitive, mindful and less flippant about acts by people such as those whom Wran Gould chose to recognise.

Those persons, and there are many more than the 100 Gould selected, are the salt of our very being as Vincentians, and should not go unnoticed.

It is a sad fact, if the truth be told, that the media focus and the public glare have tended to be directed almost entirely on the ‘antics and aberrations’ of the ‘big ones’, who already enjoy most of the limelight and informal and formal debate.

The stories of the ‘ordinary’ people ought to be recorded, consistently spoken about in schools and colleges across the land, highlighted though lectures, seminars, church homilies and yes, even in parliament, the last named in a non-partisan manner, if that is at all possible.

Not to do this is, as one writer said somewhere in time, (to paraphrase) to run the risk of not telling the real stories about real people, in real time.

And this is not for mere posterity. We must continually remind or inform ourselves of the exploits of these ‘ordinary’ people, for it is in recognising the ‘great works’ of persons immediately around us, that we will set a course along a genuine pathway to building a sense of appreciation of our own — our people, our culture, our achievements.

Sometimes, it is the simple things that matter.

Wran Gould and others of his disposition and sense of ‘Vincentianness’, must be commended and supported in their efforts. Persons like Gould have kept it real and connected to the people.

Maybe we should honour him as well.

Remembering the Garifuna (originally published on the 18/04/1997) THE GARIFUNA PEOPLE exist in Belize and neighbouring territories in Central America.

They are a thriving community which made a wholesome impact on the host society ever since they were banished there almost exactly two hundred years ago.

In fact, the ancestral home of the Garifuna is St. Vincent and the Grenadines. After the military defeat of the Black Caribs by the British in 1795, the vanquished people were packed off to Ruatan Island, off the coast of British Honduras, in order to make life more comfortable for the conquering Europeans in St. Vincent.

There had been a near two —year gap between defeat and deportation, when the Caribs were kept in the most hostile and inhospitable conditions in Balliceaux off the mainland, where many of them died. Up to this day, Balliceaux remains uninhabitable, fit only for goats and sheep which run wild there.

The Carib Wars had been triggered by the Settler mentality and greed for land of the British. Like they were to do a century later in Kenya where their farmers found the highlands to their liking, the British took advantage of the communal ownership of the land by the natives and their pattern of shifting occupation to attempt to take legal control of them.

In the same way that the Kikuyu were slandered as brutal beasts so, too, the Caribs were declared treacherous cannibals (with a preference for French flesh) as a rationale for their extirpation.

In a sense, the Black Caribs of St. Vincent were the British counter-part of the “Wild Indians” of North America who were slated for official extermination to facilitate the advancement of Western Civilisation and the safe keeping of the mercantilist faith.

It had to be a fight to the finish, virtually. For the Caribs were fiercely protective of their way of life and assertive of their rights. Organised in a rude democracy under chiefs and an overriding paramount Chief in time of War, the Caribs would not voluntarily yield an inch of their fatherland or compromise on principle.

During the time of the European Wars in the seventeenth and eighteenth century, West Indians island were up for grabs like pawns in a game. They exchanged hands frequently, with the Crown handing out grants of huge chunks, willy nilly, to military personnel for services rendered in Europe, without a thought of the native population whose original claim stretched back for donkey years.

The Caribs had served early notice on the intruding British by driving off several attempts to “settle” the island in late seventeenth century.

Then in 1722, George the First gave St Vincent to the Duke of Montague, just as Charles the First had given it to the Earl of Carlisle in 1672. On this later occasion, the Carib Chief had the gumption to tell the British Captain Brathwaite who broke the news on his ship, that it was just his luck that he had not uttered those sort of sentiments while he was ashore! That was the kind of spirit Carib Chief Chatoyer inherited to confront the British in their final fling to conquer the island and make

it into a tropical farm of the metropolitan power.

Skilled in guerrilla warfare, the Caribs under the military genius that was Chatoyer, gave them a run for their money. The Caribs would fight to the death as they did at Bloody Ridge.

As they were to do in Grenada at Sauters (Carib Leap) where they committed mass suicide by jumping over a cliff rather than surrender.

In the end, Carib resistance crumbled with the death of Chatoyer who could not stand up to superior military hardware. After the mopping up operations, the militant warriors were rounded up and banished, though a sizeable minority made good their escape and ensconced themselves in the mountain fastnesses to emerge over time as villagers in Greggs and the region round about.

The remaining captives were placed in reservation smack in the most infertile areas of the country, forbidden to purchase land or to grow sugar cane, the chief cash crop. To complete their indignity they were stripped bare of their language, customs, and general way of life. There could be no more telling illustration of the jealousy of the God- that was the Plantation system.

Garifuna people who visited St. Vincent a few years ago in search of seminal inspiration, were shocked at the near-complete effect of the deculturating process wrought on us.

That is why it is so important that both groups interact and interface in a continuing dialogue, and let a process of osmosis work its positive good.

On the home-front, generally speaking, Vincentians have made commendable material progress, but have lost much of their soul along the way.

The Belizean chapter on the other hand, had kept its culture intact but seems to be somewhat short in the area of material wealth and development. In any event, we need to invoke the independent spirit of Chatoyer and his ilk which are most relevant and appropriate to today’s affairs. When Chatoyer was invited to become a subject of the British King, he asked what King they were talking about, and told them where to get off. Such a spirit is needed to inform our Independence and safeguard our sovereignty.

In this vein, one is happy to note that the Government of the day will soon be introducing local honours, and that a Chatoyer medal of honour will be awarded for bravery and gallantry.

Perhaps we need to go further and follow the suggestion of Roman Catholic Priest, Father Michael Stewart, in erecting a Garifuna Centre as a place of learning centred on the Garifuna people, their history, culture and contribution to the region.

The decks are being cleared, no longer cluttered with the historical biases of Europeans with axes to grind such as the William Youngs or Charles Shephard and company who dished out accounts to suit their particular purposes.

In short, the celebration of the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the Garifuna people should provide a good kick-off for extending the researches begun shedding light on a darkened corner of our history.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. 9.

Letters

Colonisation and GodÊs plan for building His Kingdom - Pt 6

JESUS WAS INDEED Emmanuel, God in the flesh (Matt 1:23), the “seed” that God had promised/warned would come and “bruise” the head of the serpent.

(Gen. 3:15).

He had arrived upon the Earth-colony to meet everything in dis-array; Satan and his vengeful hordes of demons were pillaging the place, oppressing and possessing the inhabitants at will, and sickness and disease ravaged humanity (Matt 9:35).

Jesus had had a faceoff with Satan, defeated him (Matt 4:11), and had declared that he had

come to destroy Satan’s works /authority (Matt 3:8).

Having defeated Satan and wrestled away from him the authority he had obtained by default from Adam (Lk 4:6), Jesus thus began to liberate the people from Satan’s stranglehold (Lk 4:36/Jn 8:36).

Now He could begin to reveal the real reason why He had come to Earth, i.e. to redeem, restore, reinstate, and reconcile man back to the home country, the Kingdom of God. Everyone who appropriates by faith the programme called “the plan of salvation” would

be freed from Satan’s tyranny, but this had to be a conscious decision on their part, just as Adam and his wife had consciously willed to disobey him, and obey Satan (Gen 3 :6).

Jesus knew what fate awaited him, but moved stoically towards it.

However, He must first free the people from Satan’s oppression by revealing to them the truth; that this programme of redemption was necessary in order for them to have their kingdom citizenship restored, along with the requisite rights and privileges (Jn 8:32).

The people were like sheep without a Shepherd (Matt 9:36), and He was moved with compassion for them; he must restore them to their former status of dominion/authority (Gen 1:28), for they were so harassed by Satan, and had become tired, beaten-down, and had lost all sense of identity (1Pet 2:9).

The redemption/salvation programme was just the preliminary however.

His real reason for coming, the real reason He was sent, was to teach, preach, and to reveal the Kingdom of God (Lk 4:43), not as

some folks think, to introduce religion or denominationalism, or even just to die on a cross.

Religion, it appears, is one of the foremost tools in Satan’s arsenal against the Kingdom of God, not the pure religion of the Kingdom (James 1:27).

Jesus always had problems with the brand of religion practised in his day, which has not changed over the years, but seemingly has worsened (Matt 23:15 /23:23 /23:27).

The spirit of the Scribes, Sadducees, and Pharisees is very much alive today. Jesus had

something to say about the Scribes and Pharisees as it related to the most important matter of the kingdom (Matt 23:13). He said that the focus after John the Baptist’s death “is the Kingdom of God (Lk 16:16), period!!!!

Negus

A culture of BIAS? Where have the trade unionists gone?

THE EASTERN Caribbean Court of Appeal sitting in St Lucia, ruled that Justice Brian Cottle’s decision to kick out the NDP elections petitions was a BIASED judgement.

Such a ruling is not to be taken lightly.

I take the view that it was after an independent body of authority, i.e. the Appel Court, assessed the circumstances pertaining to both the ULP and NDP arguments, that the body ruled that Justice Brian Cottle’s ruling was driven by BIAS. Is it that the Court of Appeal was saying that impartiality was not applied at the Lower Court?

If this is the case, was the Court of Appeal saying that Justice Cottle was steering the petitions down a path of favouritism? Is it that the Court of Appeal is warning Vincentians to be on the lookout for BIAS and PARTIALITY in our court system?

But you know, we are riddled with BIAS here and in the Caribbean. It has become part of our culture.

Isn’t it BIAS when nationals of SVG are abused at airports across the region, and our young people face a BIAS UWI Examination Board?

Can we find BIAS in our Elections office? Is

there BIAS when we turn a blind eye to the Tenders Board? Is there BIAS in the promotion process of the Royal SVG Police Force? Could there be BIAS in the Poor Relief programme?

Is there BIAS in deciding who should get their water and electricity supplies disconnected? Is it BIAS when a Prime Minister is not made to answer to an independent investigation into an allegation of him raping a female police officer?

And we can go on and on.

GNR Kadmiel D Mcfee Decorated War veteran

SING ALONG with me to the tune of ‘Where have all the flowers gone?’

Where have all the trade unionists gone?

Sitting in the arms of the ULP. When will we ever learn? When will we ever learn?

First there was the case of the workers at Bottlers , makers of JUC. They are still waiting on their severance.

Where were the trade unionists?

Then there was the case of the port guards, many dismissed without rhyme or reason. Where were the trade unionists?

And then there was Otto Sam — unfairly

dismissed. Where were the trade unionists?

The Ottley Hall Marina and Shipyard fiasco followed. Where were the trade unionists?

And what about the workers at the Buccament Bay resort?

Where were the trade unionists?

The trade unionists have all but disappeared.

Maybe it has something to do with the ULP boasting that their government is a ‘labour’ government, so there is no need to fight on behalf of workers anymore.

But the truth as I see it, is that there is not one trade union in this country which does not support the ULP. Sure,

West Indies should pick the best HERE WE GO again. The West Indies cricket team has let us down again.

It was quite disgusting to watch them get slaughtered by the English, so much so that at one time when they were 45/6, or something so, I turned off the TV. Since I began following the West Indies cricket team in 1966 when they toured England under Sobers (Sir Garry), it is the first time that I have found it disgusting to follow them.

But you know something, Mr. Editor? I don’t blame the players.

Some of them have been thrown to the sharks without any protection. I blame the West Indies Cricket Board and their selectors.

How in God’s name can you not select the best cricketers for your team? Forget about all this talk about exposing the youth. People are not going to support the West Indies cricket team unless they pick a team

that can win games. I am fed up about hearing the same thing after every defeat — how we will take the lessons we got from getting our tails cut to help us improve. We’ve been getting our tails cut time after time, we’ve been taking those lessons to heart, but we continue to get our tails cut.

So, it would make sense to me to pick the guys who can bring us victory. Men like Darren Sammy (captain), Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine should be recalled. We must put aside our differences and get back to winning ways, and we can only do that by picking the best players.

Old Cricket fan Editor’s Note: Since this letter was received for publication, Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard have been included in the T20 team for the Pakistan tour of the West Indies

we have a history of trade unions supporting one political party or the other; but this is the first time in our history when trade unions and trade unionists have ‘left de mouth in dey mooma’. I challenge them to say otherwise.

VAT increase! Where are the trade unionists?

Salaries are stagnant!

Where are the trade unionists? One set of people getting jobs?

Where are the trade

unionists?

I am sorry, but when the history of trade unions during the time of the ULP government is written, it will not speak well of the trade unionists.

People like E.T. Joshua, ‘Duff’ James, Cyril Roberts, Sonny Boyce, Randolph Smith must be turning over in their graves to see how workers in this country have been short-changed.

A Worker

Vincentians, big up yourselves!

ALL COUNTRIES have their problems, some more than most. In Jamaica, there is crime, rampant some may say; however, there is a saying in Jamaica: “If there was not so much crime, there would be nowhere to put tourists”. Tourism is big there, and they come in their numbers.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with its potential for greater opportunities in the tourism and agricultural sectors, with the opening of the Argyle International Airport, there should be no stopping you to push tourism and agriculture to their limits.

People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines should embrace the future with pride, fly your flag high always and not only in the month of Independence.

Play and promote your local music: the Becket, Rasum Shallow, and many more, music with a message that can promote yourselves, and your country, not Vybz Kartel. Don’t pull down, pull up!

The Honourable Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, big him up! He was born to be a leader, and he is one of the best in the Caribbean. Love him, embrace him, Jamaicans adore him! The Honourable St. Clair Leacock admitted it, so please believe it.

Vincentians, come together as a people; you have an international airport, take care of it.

The future is yours, go for it! Vincentians, big up yourselves!

P.D. Fagan-Huggins

V

10. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

SVG tops Caribbean and Latin America in FDI as a percentage of GDP

The NDP will provide opportunities for the youths

Introduction

(Excerpts from Senator Barnwell’s Budget Presentation)

LAST WEEK, this column published an excerpt from the 2017 Budget address

by Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, which outlined aspects of Investment and productivity in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Prime Minister Gonsalves himself is on a visit to Qatar, during which he will crystallize matters related to foreign direct investment for the country.

The ULP has been constant in its approach to attract foreign direct investment. The government has used its foreign policy drive, as a means of attracting benefits for the country, including the acquisition of foreign direct investment. The success of this approach can be seen in this report from ECLAC, which puts the country at the top of the list in terms of foreign direct investment as a proportion of the gross domestic product, the GDP. Hans King, the Press Secretary of Prime Minister Gonsalves, has produced a well written article on this matter, and we re-produce this for our readers.

(local and foreign) and public investment (central government and state entities). This is significant capital investment, given the size of the total GDP of US $800 million or approximately EC $2 billion.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines does not sell its citizenship or its passports, but it attracts much Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as a proportion of GDP. This FDI is mainly in the tourism sector, but it also includes other sectors such as telecommunications, air transport, financial services, housing, and agriculture (cocoa and coffee).

As always, the facts, not propaganda, speak the truth. The ULP government is to be commended for attracting much FDI. Sensible public policies, good governance, and quality leadership are vital in this regard.

Hans King’s letter

FDI not a sexy subject

A recently-published 2016 Report entitled Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean prepared by the Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) of the United Nations, provides data which show that St. Vincent and the Grenadines has been attracting significant foreign investment as a proportion of this country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Indeed, in Latin America and the Caribbean, St. Vincent and the Grenadines tops the chart in terms of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as a proportion of GDP. The actual number is FDI at 16 percent of GDP for the year 2015. The similar percentage measurements for 2015 for the other Caribbean countries are: Antigua-Barbuda 12 percent; St. Kitts-Nevis, 8 percent; Dominica, 7 percent; St. Lucia, 7 percent; Grenada, 6 percent; Barbados, 6 percent; Jamaica, 5.9 percent; Suriname, 5.7 percent; Trinidad and Tobago, 5.2 percent; Barbados, 4.2 percent; Bahamas, 4.1 percent; and Guyana, 4 percent.

The best performers in Latin America were: Panama, 9.8 percent; and Chile, 8.2 percent.

The issue of foreign direct investment is not a sexy one for the media in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Indeed even the members of the opposition New Democratic Party, have exhibited a total lack of understanding of the importance of this issue, to the economic and social development of this country. In fact, while operators of the NDP are on radio being critical of projects facilitated through FDI, their supporters are busy seeking employment from these same projects.

The Mt. Wynne/Peter’s Hope hotel project is a case in point.

In the month of April, the Canouan Marina will open its doors for business. The government is a partner in this enterprise, which will provide a number of jobs, particularly for the people of the Grenadines. Again, all this was possible through foreign direct investment. But you are not going to read or hear a lot about these projects, unless something happens.

Then the arm chair economists will get into the act with all sorts of comments, and the NDP will crank up its dirty propaganda machine.

Over the next fifteen months, the ULP administration will be involved in a number of projects which are a direct result of foreign direct FDI in dollars investments. These include the expansion of the port facilities in St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Kingstown, the new city at Arnos Foreign Direct Investment in US Vale, the geothermal project, and dollars for the years 2005 to 2015 is several hotel expansion work in the as follows: 2005 to 2009, US $183 million; 2010, US $127 million; 2011, Grenadines. On the mainland, several local entrepreneurs are getting into US $100 million; 2012, US $78 the act, and the hospitality service is million; 2013, US $95 million; 2014, seeing some expansion.

US $93 million; and 2015, US $95 The matter of foreign direct million.

As Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves investment will be with us for a long outlined in his recent Budget speech, time. In the absence of natural resources such as oil, gold and other he anticipates that FDI in 2017 will minerals, the government will amount to approximately US $100 million, accounting for one-half of the continue this thrust to secure investments which will lead to jobs for estimated capital investments of US Vincentians. $200 million in private investment

THERE CAN BE no denial that our vulnerable young people need urgent help and what is worse, is that government is not very serious about helping them. I have read that it takes about twenty years for a struggling poor country to create cultural change. And within an organisation, if you are superstar, it will take little less than 8 years.

The work that is required to help our young people has to do with an unlearning of reckless, unproductive and destructive behaviours. It requires cultural shift; a very challenging thing to do, I must say, especially when adults do not provide the necessary model behaviour. There is just too much hypocrisy and contradictions, indecency and indignity in our society Mr. Speaker: I bring to your attention the Liberty Lodge Training school, a project with a start date of 2011, and is still incomplete. The government proposes, yet again, to do work on it. I am advised by the Family Court that for sometime now children who come into conflict with the law fall through the cracks, as it seems that the temporary location at the Daphne Community Centre cannot accommodate them. To borrow the Prime Ministers words, “It is substandard!”

The new Juvenile Justice Bill drafted since 2007 is yet to reach the door of this Honourable House. But, Mr. Speaker, it is evident that this government takes ever too long to enact key legislation that speaks to the protection of human rights of women and children.

Meanwhile, many of our poor and vulnerable suffer serious psychological and physical abuse, and the offenders are outside the reach of the law. Mr. Speaker, I believe that in order to show how neglectful this government has been to our poor and vulnerable, I ought to say how this Bill will revolutionise the way we treat the development our young with due care and attention: With the Child Justice Bill, among other things it will: move the age of criminal responsibility from 8 years to 12 years; divert children away from court proceedings; incorporate the notion of restorative justice in respect of children; and proposes strategic approaches to prevent offences by children. Mr. Speaker, in the words of the Bryan Stevenson the author of the Book ‘Just Mercy’: “The opposite of poverty is not wealth; the opposite of poverty is Justice”.

Justice such that: > A 14 year old would not be confined to a chair at the central police force for two days, while the police say that they are trying to locate his mother. When the government says NO child left behind.

No child must be left behind in all aspects of his her life. > Justice for our young men, so that they would not be arrested and charged for murder, held on remand for 3 years, then have their cases dropped because there was not a shred of evidence against them in the first place. > Justice so that an amputee (a person with a disability) on remand does not have to drag himself on his bum through the court to get to the dock… because of our officers cannot find the compassion in their hearts to assist. > These are serious human rights violation and the government must do

more to ensure that its functionaries receive the proper and effective training Mr. Speaker, sadly, it seems this government pays no proper attention to the poor and vulnerable unless, Mr. Speaker, there is a vote catching element to its effort!

The NDP has a better way The dawn of the 21st century should have been a time of great expectations for this country’s youth.

But over the past sixteen (16) years, misguided and ineffective policies pursued by the current government have damaged the economic prospects of the country and have provided not a field of dreams, but a stark landscape of rising unemployment, hopelessness and apathy among our young people.

Therefore, the New Democratic Party (NDP) is committed to tackle the grave unemployment situation which exists among our youth, by providing jobs for them and increasing and diversifying the scholarship programme. The existing scholarship programme will be improved to offer a wider variety of opportunities for young people to access higher education in properly accredited universities and colleges worldwide.

Diverse scholarships will be sourced to encourage persons into nontraditional education, including opportunities for young people in culture, music and sports.

We will also work to rehabilitate and reintegrate young offenders to society. An unfortunate mistake made by a young person should not be a life sentence that condemns him or her to hopelessness. Under a new programme to be developed by the NDP, young offenders will be offered second chances through targeted programs of technical and vocational training, counselling and rehabilitation.

Furthermore, tackle the problem of street children at the source. The NDP will work to improve the ability of the Social Welfare, Liberty Lodge and Family Court systems to identify and intervene to assist children and youth who are at risk, before their situations become hopeless. Provide increased support for youth through the Social and Spiritual Redemption Charter. Through the Charter, every properly constituted youth organisation (Girl Guides, Boys Brigade, etc) will be given financial and other material support, and will be able to be more effective at diverting the energies of youth into productive areas.

And we will also set up mentorship programs for youth. The mentorship and career guidance programme will be re-established with a view to bonding university students to giving back to all secondary schools upon completion of their studies, by way of lectures, mentoring and other tangible ways of contributing to the education of young students.

The NDP has a better way. We see the talent and energy of the country’s youth as pivotal in the effort to move our beloved country forward. In diverse areas across the board, the NDP will provide the youth with the opportunities, support and facilities they need to succeed and to help build a new St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. 11.

Views

Reading makes immigrants of us all

“Reading makes immigrants of us all.

It takes us away from home, but more important, it finds homes for us everywhere.” – Jean Rhys, Dominicanborn writer and author of the classic Jane Eyre Prequel, The Wide Sargasso Sea (1966) READING HAS SHAPED the lives of many outstanding individuals. The ones that readily come to mind are USA’s President Abraham Lincoln, Dr. Mayo Angelou, and Dr. Benjamin Carson; South Africa’s President Nelson Mandela; India’s Mahatma Gandhi; St. Lucia’s Sir Arthur Lewis, and Sir Derek Walcott; and Trinidad and Tobago’s V.S. Naipaul. Be assured that there are many others that can be added to this relatively short list. Many of this column’s readers could so easily add ten or fifteen names. However, the ones mentioned in this introductory paragraph have carved out their respective places in history and, in many instances, highlight the positive impact that reading has in propelling us to success in a variety of disciplines.

The Jean Rhys quotation that was used to introduce this week’s article indicates that we do not have to travel to distant countries to gain an appreciation of their culture and their respective landscapes. Reading about those countries can “take us there” making us “immigrants in those nations”. We can read about their forms of government, their traditional dances, diets, religions, business operations, and so on. We then see, smell, and taste their unique dishes “in our mind’s eyes”. We can observe from a distance through reading. And while it is true that we can learn a lot from viewing videos and listening to audio recordings, there is something special that happens when we engage in reading about these faraway places. An extra appreciation appears to take place. Gifted writers have a way of allowing the experiences to be seared in our memories. Their choice of words, and their clear descriptions of landscapes, seascapes, and people, enable us to see through their eyes.

Reading can also introduce us to new and improved skills and attitudes. As we concentrate on the words that our eyes pluck from the pages (or tablets and computers, we can imbibe the wisdom of others. We can migrate to better appreciate their thoughts and behaviours and, if we so desire, mentor and model them to success. This especially happens when we read biographies and autobiographies. We are so blessed to be able to migrate to new cultures, behaviours, and time zones through reading.

As a teenager, I enjoyed reading the words penned by many of England’s outstanding poets. I was especially attracted to the writings of William Cowper (1731-1800). His descriptions of the English landscape often provided me with vivid pictures of the rolling hills and valleys, the flowers that blossom and bloom in the meadows, the butterflies that flit through the wide open spaces, the aquatic plants that populate the

placid lakes, the fish that swim (and seem to play) in the gentle flowing rivers, the various species of birds that chirp and sing as they nestle in the boughs or branches of the trees, and so on. His descriptions of the iridescent clouds and glass-like lakes, caused me to imagine what it was like to run, skip, and jump in the flowery meadows that punctuated such landscapes. I was an immigrant in England (through his writings).

We could well imagine how persons in far-away lands could have a similar appreciation and longing for the Caribbean lands as they read the works of many of our accomplished Caribbean writers. Our Caribbean nationals continue to excel as authors describing our food, music, and landscape in a manner. They invite the readers (far and near) to use their mind’s eye to see, smell, and taste our various Caribbean cultures. These readers would have been considered immigrants in our lands, even though they never set foot on our shores.

They would have conjured up vivid images of our Caribbean territories and cultures as they read the works of Antiguan Marie-Elena John; Barbadian George William Lamming; Cuban José Julián Martí Pérez; Trinidadians C. L. R. James and V.S. Naipaul; St. Lucian Derek Walcott; and many others.

Reading makes immigrants of us all. History records that the 16th President of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln, never set foot on a foreign country; he lived his entire life on American soil. However, through his readings, he understood and appreciated the cultures, religions, and practices of citizens of other countries. In his own way, he was an immigrant in other lands as he read. These “literary adventures” would have served him well as he interacted with those who visited from distant lands.

Today, we are blessed to have access to a wealth of information.

Our bookstores and libraries are full of well written books from all over the world. These give us a birds-eye view of distant countries. In addition, a few clicks of the keys on our computers, smart phones, and androids take us speedily to a host of magazines, books, videos, and audio recordings that provide endless information on countries far and near.

Because of these rapid advancements in technology, we can easily become immigrants in other lands without leaving the comfort of our homes, schools, and libraries. May we never take the ability and gift of reading for granted. In addition, may we accept the challenge to encourage our wards to explore the landscapes and cultures of other lands through reading. Their reading can make them informed and happy immigrants too.

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

Grenada: Learning and shaping the future MARCH 13 MARKED 38 years since Maurice Bishop, Bernard Coard and his band of ‘New Jewels’ led a revolution against the reactionary regime of Eric Gairy.

To mark the occasion, I was invited to speak on the theme ‘Grenada Constitution, the March 13 Revolution: Learning from the Past, shaping the Future.’ What follows are excerpts from my address: Grenada, more than any other country in the world, including my native St Vincent and the Grenadines, has brought me the most pain and the greatest joy. In fact, Grenada has bestowed on me extraordinary joy and unfathomable sadness.

The excitement of March 13, 1979 still makes me giddy. As I posted on my Facebook page on Revolution Day March 13, ‘I can still hear echoes of Maurice Bishop’s voice saying, Forward Ever, Backwards Never.’ I still see the possibilities dancing merrily before me, even as I lament the fact that such a lofty dream has been deferred.

The sadness of October 1983, to use the words of the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, continues to weigh down on all of us like a heavy load; suffocating our thoughts and dulling our quest for understanding and clarity. We know quite well who, what, when, where and how. We need the bright light of understanding to answer the allimportant why.

Some may find solace in the glorification of some and the demonization of others. It may be presumptuous of me to tell anyone how they should grieve, but as the essayist Samuel Johnson observed, ‘While hunger naturally leads us to food and satiety, and lust leads to sex, sorrow does not direct us to its own cure.

Sorrow only builds on Sorrow.’

Therefore, I do not want to dwell on the past, except to say we must learn from it. The American Novelist, William Faulkner reminds us that ‘the past is never dead. The past is not even past.’

I have a few suggestions as to how we must engage ourselves and others in this questioning and learning process.

Most importantly, we must accept that common sense is a useful spring board from which we can search for and arrive at good sense. Our very experience has thought us that pure reason is an inadequate tool by which we can accurately interpret, understand and attempt to change the world.

So today, I celebrate the positives of the Grenada Revolution. I remain convinced that the Revolution did not fail. The Revolution was deformed and then defeated. The Revolution was deformed then defeated because of the pressures and intrigue, propaganda and sabotage of powerful forces, many of whom meant Grenada no good.

But Grenadian patriots and progressives cannot absolve themselves of blame. A toxic cocktail comprised of innocence and inexperience, arrogance and overconfidence, naiveté and dogma, narcissism and over sized egos, egos larger than little Grenada, made for a dangerously deadly mix. Unchecked power was the lit fuse.

As Paulo Frère, the Brazilian educator warned if one is not awe struck by the overwhelming responsibility that comes with power, and celebrates his especial uniqueness which causes him to be bestowed with power, he is bound to misuse and abuse it. Grenada, October 1983 is exhibit A. The Grenada Revolution brought joy and hope not just to its citizens. The Revolution offered practical lessons in possibilities. Grenada showed that there is big power in smallness. Its antiilliteracy campaign woke up sleeping

giants. Its free education democratized knowledge and created an intellectual elite that helped to broaden the middle class, and took hundreds of families out of poverty. Its free medical and dental programme brightened smiles, restored sight, saved lives and offered renewed vision to a people, a nation and the region.

In the popular Caribbean mind, constitutions mean democracy, elections, freedom from abuse, especially abuse by the state. When the Revolution suspended the constitution and ruled by people’s laws, this was a shift from what people were accustomed to. This caused some push back among some persons in Grenada and across the region.

Looking back, even the hard liners among us would agree that people’s rights and freedoms cannot be abandoned willy-nilly. These rights and freedoms are an integral part of people’s beings. The people see them as inalienable and in some cases, are willing to risk lives and limbs to protect them. The Revolution erred and lost some of its lustre because of those transgressions.

Those who criticized the revolutionary process were not all enemies of the state. However, the revolutionary ethos of the times countenanced zero tolerance or dissent, and many suffered. The Revolution lost valuable capital as revolutionaries gleefully dished out ‘heavy manners’.

We did not see it then. Maybe, we could not see it then, but this culture of rule by men rather than governance by laws, sowed the seeds for the method and style of leadership that resulted in the implosion of the Revolution.

There is no doubt in my mind that Maurice Bishop, Bernard Coard and the New Jewel Movement were sincere in their disdain for the West Minister model of 5 minute democracy that rolled around every 5 years at elections time.

This band of ‘New Jewels’ sincerely wanted to institute a living people’s democracy that became manifest every day, every week, and every month. The annual budgetary consultations, the zonal and parish council meetings, the mass mobilization of the population, encouragement of trade unionism, and the constant attempt to educate and bring political and ideological consciousness to the population, constituted an experiment in popular, participatory democracy.

However, I am of the considered view that the Revolution failed to appreciate and pay homage to experiences and traditions of our region as it related to the centrality of elections to people’s understanding of democracy. That was the basis for the great tension. Further, America was clamouring for elections in Grenada. Those shouting loudest did not stop to think that 4 years was not a long time, and the great democratic America went 15 years from the declarations of independence in 1776 to the Bill of Rights in 1991.

However, VI Lenin, the great master of political strategy and tactics, once said that ‘rules are man’s distrust for himself.’ That then is the genius of constitutions, ruling making, checks and balances, rule of law. Constitutions reinforce the notion that we are a nation of laws rather than a country of men.... To be continued.

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

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12. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

Will Vincentians soon be taxed for going to the toilet?

DURING 2016 and 2017, Vincentians are being bludgeoned by Gonsalves in a tax increases massacre. Virtually every aspect of our lives is seeing new taxes or tax increases. Is no part of our lives safe from being taxed, and will Vincentians soon be taxed for going to the toilet?

Gonsalves’ new taxes and tax increases are punishing Vincentians.

VAT is going up from 15% to 16%, and this will push more Vincentians into hardship.

If you want to eat, beware: for the following foodstuff that used to be exempt from VAT, are now subject to VAT: packaged rice for resale, chicken, butter, brown sugar, lentils, pigeon peas, cooking oils, salt, shortenings, baking powder and yeast.

If you want to drink, beware; there are tax increases on alcohol: beers, stouts, wines, brandy, whisky and vodka.

If you want to phone or receive calls from your family and friends, beware: Gonsalves is expanding the 2% Telecommunication tax to incoming calls and data usage, in addition to outgoing calls.

If you want to drive, beware:

will further weaken the SVG economy and increase poverty, hunger and unemployment.

Gonsalves announced an increase of businesses will find it harder to rent According to the Leader of SVG 25% on drivers’ licences and motor commercial properties.

Green Party, Mr Ivan O’Neal BSc vehicles.

Gonsalves has waged an all-out (Hon) MSc, MBA, who has a degree in If you need to fly abroad, beware: assault on Vincentians with the new Accounting, Finance & Economics Gonsalves has increased Departure taxes and tax increases. He is taking from Oxford Brookes University, Tax at airports, by 100%, from EC$50 tens of millions of dollars — more — out England, the new taxes and tax to EC$100. of the pockets of Vincentians. It seems increases punishing Vincentians and If you want to be a professional, that no part of our lives is safe from Vincentian businesses, could all be beware: Gonsalves announced a 20% being taxed. avoided if Gonsalves simply ended the increase in the annual licence fees Gonsalves said that some of these billions of dollars in tax and customs payable under the Professions taxes are to support the Zero Hunger duty exemptions given to Taiwan and Licensing Act. Trust Fund’s goal of eradicating the super-rich in Mustique and If you want to turn the lights on, hunger, but the tax massacre will only Canouan. you have to pay a surcharge. If you lead to more poverty and more It’s not all bad news, though, with want to turn on a tap, you pay tax. households being unable to feed their these biased tax changes. For all the Often on the water bill, the taxes are families adequately. The tax increases people who own yachts, the rate of more than the consumption charge. In will create more hunger and more VAT for rental of a berth in any February 2017, a Vincentian paid starvation. marina or shipyard will be reduced $6.11 for water consumed, yet paid The tax increases will hit from 16% to 11%! $14.00 for basic water charge and Vincentian businesses very hard. The Practically every aspect of our lives $11.00 for Environmental Fee. tens of millions of dollars taken out of is being taxed by the Gonsalves We have also seen increases in the pockets of Vincentians, means tens regime. Will we soon have to count property tax and land tax. This makes of millions of dollars fewer being spent how many times we visit the toilet, it harder for Vincentians to build their in Vincentian businesses. Many and declare it in our tax return to the own home, and drives up the rents on Vincentian businesses will be forced to Ministry of Finance too? domestic and commercial properties. reduce their number of staff, or many Young Vincentians wanting to leave Vincentian businesses will simply go SVG Green Party the family home to live in their own bust. www.svggreenparty.org places will find it harder. Vincentian The new taxes and tax increases Find us on Facebook and Twitter

The plight of Caribbean-British pensioners FOR MANY YEARS, the International Consortium of British Pensioners (ICBP) has been battling the unfairness of the U.K. legislation and the detrimental affect it has on 550,00 British pensioners living in a large number of countries around the world.

Some 7,500 British pensioners living in the Caribbean (except Jamaica and Barbados) have their pensions cut each year, just because they have decided to live in the Caribbean, many of them returning home after having worked in the U.K..

When the U.K. Government originally legislated for a British pension system, they entered into reciprocal agreements with some countries. Agreements were between the U.K. and 46

countries out of 196, less than 25%.

The reciprocal agreements were intended to ensure that only one of the two countries charged an individual for pensions contributions. However, the lack of a reciprocal agreement has been used as an excuse not to pay pension increases to individuals in those countries where an agreement does not exist. In essence, it was a double penalty.

The question which needs to be asked is why a British pensioner should be penalised by the U.K. Government just because they elect to contribute to an additional pension system in another country? It makes about the same amount of sense as saying that the U.K. state pension should be restricted because someone has a private pension in addition to their state pension.

In 1981, the U.K. Government determined that it would not enter into any more reciprocal agreements thereby freezing out hundreds of thousands of British pensioners from their entitlement to pension increases.

However, there are some inconsistencies in the policy. Not only did the U.K. Government enter into an agreement with Barbados in 1992, eleven years after the cut off date, but also the U.K.

Government has social security agreements with Canada, New Zealand and Japan, but British pensioners living in those countries do not get pension increases.

Within the Caribbean, there are over 7,500 British pensioners who are affected by this ruling, 550,000 worldwide. Many of the British pensioners living in countries where the discrimination applies, are not U.K. citizens, particularly in the Caribbean. They are people who went to the U.K., mainly in the 1960s, and then returned to their home countries. However, having paid into the U.K. pension system, they are entitled to a U.K. pension.

In 2004, Sir Steve Webb, a previous Pensions Minister, said in the U.K. Parliament “The British Government are free riding on the welfare states of countries that British citizens are moving to” ...”We are asking other countries’ taxpayers to support our pensioners”... “The composition of the list of countries where one does have uprating and the list of those where one does not is pretty odd”.... “It hard to understand the logic”.... “The entire pattern was arbitrary.” “There is no logic to it and it is hard to justify the situation we are in.” “The question relates to cost but sorting out unfairness does have a cost”......We are

not feathering the nest of the favoured few, but justice” ....”The question is moral rather than legal ...The moral claim rests on the fact that we have a contributory pension system .We ask people to make contributions all their life to accrue an entitlement.

Why should that accrued entitlement vary according to where they choose to live?”....That doesn’t sit well with the idea of a contributory system”.... “Different Caribbean countries have different rules which seem crazy.

Why has the Caribbean Marine Association become involved? It was brought to our attention that there are many British pensioners who arrived in the Caribbean on yachts or came here to work in the marine industry and have contributed substantially to the economy of the Caribbean, yet are suffering as a result of having come here. Some have even been forced to return to the U.K. as they could no longer survive on their reduced pensions.

With the U.K. Government now being faced with 1.2 million British pensioners living in Europe and an agreement needing to be entered into with EU countries, it would be totally unfair for the U.K. Government to come to an agreement with them and not

with the other half a million pensioners worldwide.

It has been suggested the cost would be too high. Around one billion pounds. That is less than the cost of ten F35B jet fighters the U.K. Government intends to buy from the US. It is only 0.06% of the annual cost of British pensions, a mere pittance in the overall pension cost, or 0.07% of the cost of health care, or 2% of the defence budget. Obviously, fighter jets are more important to the U.K. Government than the welfare of hundreds of thousands of its citizens.

There is a final point. There are over 7,000 known British pensioners in the Caribbean, but there are probably a couple of thousand who have never told the U.K. Government that they have left the U.K. and are using friends or relatives’ addresses in the U.K. as contact points. These pensioners are receiving their full annual increases. There are even some who boast of still receiving a winter heating allowance despite living 80*+ (26*+ C). As with all bad legislation, it is the honest people who suffer and the dishonest who get away with benefitting from an unfair law.

John J. Duffy President - Caribbean Marine Association

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. 13.

Carnival

Lynx Mas Band is ÂAt the MoviesÊ THE LYNX MAS BAND will take seven movies from the silver screen and bring them to the streets of Kingstown, for Vincy Mas 2017.

With the portrayal entitled ‘At the Movies’, the Sion Hill based band will display its creative interpretations and impressions of a select number of movies: ‘Pretty Woman’ (1990); ‘Spartans’ (2006); ‘Crouching Tiger- Hidden Dragon’ (2001); ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ (2005); ‘Dirty Dancing’ (1987); ‘The Casino Job’ (2009) and ‘Jeepers Creepers’ (2001).

Bandleader Cornelius ‘Pete’ Thomas expressed his optimism with this year’s presentation, which is the band’s thirteenth effort.

“We have a wide scope of portrayals… We have chosen a theme that we can work with and which persons can identify with. The seven selected movies are in line with opening up avenues for different interpretations and employing the appropriate colour schemes,” Thomas reasoned.

He disclosed that veteran designer Oswald ‘Ossie’ Constance, had again given his touch with his brush, and had

come up with the final artistic interpretations.

Thomas said that the band is on a high after its fifth place in last year’s Mardi Gras competition, when they presented ‘Send This, Send That’.

“Patrons can expect the usual high standard of production, which has always been the case since we came out as a young band in 2005,” Thomas said.

Thomas noted that although carnival as a whole, and mas bands in particular are faced with economic challenges, his band remains affordable, with the children’s section anchored at $150, and the adult costumes ranging from $300 to $500.

The band will hold its official launch on Saturday 1st April at the Sion Hill Intersection.

Production has begun for the 2017 mas presentation from the band’s operating base at the back of the G & T Enterprise Supermarket, located at the Sion Hill Intersection as well.

Lynx’s ‘At the Movies’ is expected to be one of the twelve mas band presentations which have registered for judging in the 2017

The portrayal - “Crouching Tiger- Hidden Dragon”

Mardi Gras (July 11) competition. Three new bands are also slated to parade through the streets of Kingstown, but will not be judged.

Lynx Mas Band leader – Cornelius ‘Pete’ Thomas, holds one of the 2017 designs entitled ‘Pretty Woman’.

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14. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

News

ÂSunblazeÊ: Another day in the spotlight

ONE OF THE PERSONS recognised at the recent National Heroes Day Honours Ceremony, March 14, 2017, hosted by D Tunnel Bar, Restaurant and Lounge and the Wran Gould Hospitality Institute, was calypsonian Granville ‘Sunblaze’ Findlay.

Though currently inactive, (he did come out of retirement in 2010, and competed in the New Song Competition), ‘Sunblaze’ blazed a trail for himself on the local calypso circuit in the 1960s and 1970s.

A natural falsetto, not common

among calypso bards here or elsewhere, he distinguished himself among his peers with his style of rendition, and his choice of topics and approaches to developing the themes therein.

‘Sunblaze’ received both a plaque and a certificate in recognition of his contribution to the calypso art form.

The Beginning and a Disappointment ‘Sunblaze’, originally from Murray’s Village, recalled, during an interview with THE VINCENTIAN at the Honours ceremony, that he started singing calypso as a teenager in 1959.

That year, filled with confidence, he dropped

into a well-established pool of leading calypsonians, which included the likes of Rudolph ‘Zorro’ Brewster, ‘Growler’ Providence, and Douglas ‘Young Sparrow’ Duncan. Among the best, he belted out a tongue in cheek number called ‘Smoke them out,’ in his quest to unsettle the more established bards.

He recalled warming up in the village with a Steel Band ensemble known as Star Stylers, reminiscent of the days when calypsonians were the lead singers with a band of roving musicians.

But foremost among his recollections is the disappointment of 1968, when popular opinion was that he was on his way to winning ‘The Crown’. Come the night, ‘Sunblaze’ was in no condition to perform when called upon.

He captured that disappointment the following year in a song entitled ‘Rum’, which read in part:

Granville ‘Sunblaze’ Findlay rumbled with the best this country had to offer in the calypso arena.

enthusiasts here.

Among these are: ‘Professional Left: ‘Sunblaze’ Criminal’ (in reference to fellow performing in the 2010 calypsonian Raymond Spence); Best New Song Everybody offering, ‘Spiteful Isabel’; ‘One Foot Man’; ‘Matt (Calypso) Competition at Rum and smoke to make me sing.

Mason’; ‘Tragedy at Sea’; ‘Maryland’; the Launch of Vincy That is the way ‘Fake and Snake’ (one of his few They express their enthusiasm Mas. political commentaries); ‘Can’t tie me For me to be their king. down’; ‘Nickie and the Professor’; But the result was one, ‘Everything to Jah’; ‘Age ruling’; A very awful one ‘Hasta Manana’; ’Lonesome Road’; and Cause me to let down over 93,000 fans. ‘Duties of a Monarch’.

And even as he admitted to not Chorus being an active calypsonian, he has Rum cause me to lose a calypso crown, maintained his love for music, and Rum cause me to let all my people confessed: “Sometimes I get on my down, keyboard and practise by myself.”

What good in this world Also retired from the daily throngs Could it do for me? of work, he spends time enjoying a Rum cause me to lose my dignity game of cricket and domino with Rum had me deep in misery family members.

As far as I see conclusively Moreover, he avails himself, his Rum wasn’t made for a man like me. expertise, to present day calypsonians, who he thinks can benefit from the A prolific composer advice of older bards.

‘Sunblaze’, who can be counted Not having ever won the coveted among the leading folklorists of this Calypso Monarch title did not make country, commended Gould for having him any less prolific. He composed come up with a way of honouring the and sang songs that have remained nation’s icons, and thanked him for etched in the minds of calypso bestowing same on him. (WKA)

‘Sunblaze’ and fellow calypsonian William ‘Kojah’ Anthony taking in a Calypso Theatre Tent show.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. 15.

News

Walton ÂTannyÊ Peters honoured

NATIONAL HEROES DAY, March 14, 2017, was Walton ‘Tanny’ Peters’ Day in the Old Montrose/Block 2000 community.

Starlift Steel Orchestra, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration, organised the Day to fittingly honour its founder, Peters.

A large crowd, comprised of community residents, past and present Starlift members, members of the steelband fraternity, well-wishers, including the leader and members of the New Democratic Party, were entertained by a number of cultural artistes and Starlft Seniors and Juniors.

benefactor of Starlift.

According to Leacock, Walton ‘Tanny’ Peters was born in Kingstown.

He received his primary education at the Methodist and St. Mary’s Roman Catholic schools in Kingstown.

His parents were unable to afford the school fee to secure a place for him at the St. Vincent Grammar School, and he took to learning the trade of a carpenter.

In 1952, encouraged by the then Deputy Chief of Police, he sat and passed the exam to gain entry into the Royal SVG Police Force, and proceeded for training at the Regional Police Training School, Barbados.

Given his skill as a carpenter, he distinguished himself first in the ‘police workshop’, later as a ‘beyond-the-call-of-duty’ fire officer, and impacted on the revival and development of the Police Steel Orchestra.

The latter was a natural step since, as

Leacock related, ‘Tanny’ had by the early 1950s, “joined the Castrol Steelband that included Tanny and the the likes of Ricardo steelband ‘Cardo’ Sam, Woodley and Alfred Bibby.” He The feature of the availed that skill to the event, appropriately so, Police Force Steel was a stirring tribute to Orchestra, and is Peters — a tribute credited with raising its delivered by St. Clair standard. He had the Leacock, Member of distinct pleasure of Parliament for Central assisting with the Kingstown (home base of preparation of and Starlift) and a longdirecting the Police Steel standing associate and Orchestra’s performance at Canada’s Expo ’67, the ‘Universal and International Exhibition’, that was the highlight of Canada’s Centennial celebrations in 1967.

In 1967, as though looking inwards at his own community, (L-R): ‘Tanny’ with daughter Rhonda, grandson and Dan ‘Tanny’, along Simon (deceased) in New York, 1996. (Photo Source: Paddy with Gideon Corea) Da Silva and others, founded the Starlift Steel Orchestra.

‘Tanny’ was builder, tuner and arranger for the band in its early years,” said Leacock But his influence spread further, and Section of the crowd that turned out for the concert and Leacock honouring of Walton ‘Tanny’ Peters.

Walton ‘Tanny’ Peters – a Vincentian culture man to the bone.

Walton ‘Tanny’ Peters and his close friend/colleague Paddy Corea.

‘Tanny’ beat Paddy in the 1959 National ‘Ping Pong’ (tenor) Competition. Paddy returned the beating in 1960. (Photo Source: Paddy Corea).

recalled that ‘Tanny’ assisted a Layou-based steel band, worked tirelessly in the 1970s to develop the Grammar School Steel Orchestra, and contributed, in no small measure, to the birth and development of the Kindreds Steelband in Greiggs.

Tanny – Mas and calypso

Bellanie John, Tanny’s daughter received a plaque honouring her father, from MP St. Claire Leacock.

Leacock also emphasized that ‘Tanny’ was a masman. “He had his own mas band, his own followers, and even played King of the Bands,” Leacock recalled.

But it was to another carnival art form that he would dedicate the later years of his life.

Known to be an ardent follower of the Trinidadian calypsonians of the 1950s, the Mighty Spoiler being foremost on his list of ‘greats’, and one with a penchant for creating rhymes and ‘out

of the box poetic interpretations, it seemed natural progression when ‘Tanny’ took to composing calypsos. And he did so for the likes of the renowned Professor, Toiler — both calypso monarchs in their time — Life Boy, Johnny Rebel, Dreamer, Fatty Dan and many more who might not have admitted that he did.

Tanny died on June 25, 1997 — during the official carnival season that marked the 20th anniversary of Vincy

Mas. It seemed he was destined to go at that time.

Those who knew of his exploits across the carnival spectrum referred to him as ‘Mr. Carnival’. To Leacock, Walton ‘Tanny’ Peters was “a great son of the soil, recognized and honoured by several organizations and groups, but today he has received no national honours. Today, we honour Walton ‘Tanny’ Peters as a distinguished son of the soil and of this community.”

Nzimbu (foreground), calypsonian, poet, drummer, made his contribution to the honouring ceremony.

V Twenty Years of Image!

16. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Fashion

THIS SATURDAY, at the SVG Community College, local modelling agency Image celebrates its 20th Anniversary with its premier event Flow Fashion Caribbean.

Since its inception in 1997, the agency has seen hundreds of young people grow and develop under the brand, with Image Models gracing catwalks and magazines in the US, UK, all across the Caribbean, and even as far as South Africa.

The agency, the brainchild of Managing Director Monique Arthur, has had its ups and downs over the past 20 years yet, it has given birth to numerous other modelling and personal development agencies. Image Models can be found everywhere in all different walks of life.

On Saturday, the Agency gets ready to celebrate the last 20 years which could not have been possible without the

support of sponsors, mentors, models and of course the general public.

“We have persons who have been to every Image fashion show, including every Fashion Caribbean since the first showing at the Ottley Hall Marina in 2001. That event was a memorable one, as we lost power for over an hour, and persons sat in the dark and waited for us. It is experiences like this that make us so grateful for the supporters of fashion in St. Vincent and those who have helped keep the agency alive and growing for these past twenty years,” said Arthur.

For its 20th Anniversary, the agency has enlisted a strong cast of Caribbean designers, which includes a solid Vincentian Contingent.

“We have three of our four 2016 Fresh Face Designers returning to the stage this year to showcase full

Brand New fashion brand, Kamille by Image Model, Dr. Sherina Slater, makes its runway debut at Flow Fashion Caribbean this Saturday at the SVG Community College.

collections, as well as Fashion Caribbean veterans Kimon Baptiste and Kimya Glasgow.

This year, we have 6 Fresh Face designers who will showcase mini collections on the night, as we think it is important for us to include the next generation of designers at this event,” said Local Designer Coordinator Odini Sutherland.

“We also have been inundated with requests from regional designers who have all heard about the show and wanted the opportunity to visit St. Vincent,” she added.

This year, the show will feature Ecaliff Elie, Afrofunkk and legendary Caribbean Brand The Cloth Caribbean from Trinidad, Mr. Henre’s Deisgnz from Antigua and BVI designer Trefle, who showed for the first time at last year’s event.

We are also happy to welcome back SHE Caribbean Magazine who will be here to cover the event, and for the first time, Caribbean LookBook editor Mel Gabriel,

who will not only cover Fashion Caribbean but will also be doing a special feature on our beautiful island for her readers on the LookBook platform.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. 17.

Health

WPP: Going beyond pediatric critical care

SINCE 2001, the World Pediatric Project (WPP) has been delivering services in pediatric critical care to children in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Eastern Caribbean.

Through missions staffed by international surgical and diagnostic teams, services are offered in general surgery; ophthalmology and plastic surgery; cardiology; physical therapy; general orthopedics; orthopedicsscoliosis; neurosurgery; and laparoscopy.

The process involved children requiring critical to be referred to the mission for consultation with specialists on ‘Clinic Day’. Surgical procedures follow if necessary, otherwise these children are followed with treatment for as long as it takes to improve their condition.

Even as it delivers critical care, the WPP stretches beyond the children within its programme, to create partnerships with health authorities, nongovernmental organizations, and hospitals. One such collaboration saw the training of medical personnel in the use of the echocardiogram.

This took place at the

Milton Cato Memorial Hospital on Saturday, 18th March, and involved medical doctors from the mainland and the District Medical Officer in Bequia; the Ward Manager at the Bequia Hospital; EKG technicians; a doctor of Internal Medicine; and the radiologist at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital. Students from Medical Schools here also took the opportunity to be trained.

According to Dr. William Moskowitz Head of the yearly Cardiology Mission and training instructor, the echocardiogram is a remarkable tool. It uses ultrasound waves and thereby produces a visual picture, making diagnosis or monitoring of heart disease more manageable.

“We can actually see the heart beating and looking at the anatomy as well as the function,” he explained. He further expounded that an echocardiogram is not used in isolation of other clinical procedures. “So, everybody in the clinicals today was told that they have to use their clinical skills and their stethoscope first to know what’s going on with the patient, and then to take the pictures to support their clinical diagnosis.”

A patient’s (child in arms) medical records are examined prior to his screening.

Left: Dr. Dr. William Moskowitz reads the echocardiogram while care givers take notes.

The value of the training was summed up

by Mrs. Jacqueline Browne-King, Eastern Caribbean Rep. of the WPP. “The training could help to eliminate some of the referrals of murmurs that are not significant. The training enables the practitioner to differentiate between what is and what is not significant,” she explained.

The Pediatric Cardiologist, Dr. Moskowitz elaborated, “If a patient comes in with a fever and joint complaints and may have a heart murmur, the question is: Is it rheumatic fever, or is it just a cold or virus with an innocent heart murmur? If they can do an echocardiogram at that time and it shows that the valves and heart are normal, then it’s not rheumatic fever.”

Participants Drs. Racquel Wilson and Joy

Walters were happy to detail their experience.

“In St. Vincent we currently don’t have echocardiogram services,” Dr. Wilson proffered, “it’s only done when the WPP Mission comes, so it is very useful for us to get the information….”

Dr. Walters opined, “Not only pediatric cases, sometimes we come across young adults with a simple murmur and we may have the basic knowledge, but we really don’t have the resources to pursue why this person has a murmur. It is good that the WPP

took it upon themselves to donate this machine and to invest time and money into helping us.”

It is fair to say that the WPP’s mantra, ‘one mission at a time; one collaboration at a time’, is continuously being accomplished.

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18. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Book Review

ANGELS OF THE CARIBBEAN: Agents of the miraculous in the company of a variety of angels and life AT AGE THREE SCORE and messengers. What Mr. Browne has produced is a ten years, Glenroy Browne work of Christian had already had his life testimony and Caribbean filled with triumphs, with trials, and with in-between biography.

‘Angels’ opens in a fog times. On the 22nd November, 2011, however, on the first page of the chronicle: a crushing collision, a “She strode into my spiritual intervention and a room breaking her stride sustained community of at the door. Who could love combined to give this she be? Why had she been man’s life a more crying? discerning temper and “I looked at her again, deeper purpose.

His book, ‘Angels of the this time more intently…

Was she my Malaika? She Caribbean’, subtitled ‘ A looked angelic.

Chronicle of Resilience’, “Do angels cry?...” published in 2016, takes The fog was real. After the reader on a social, personal, entrepreneurial all, he was just awakening from the and spiritual pilgrimage violent ramming of his car by a 7-ton truck, which Oscar Allen describes had happened four days ‘Angels of the earlier; and he himself Caribbean…’ as a had only a strange chronicle of “of crisis visionary fragment of that and ‘koinonia’ and event hovering in his healing love”. mind. It was witnesses and rescuers who told him later what actually had happened; how they had to use machinery to pull apart the front end of the car, then unwrap his battered frame from its entrails. His survival was a miracle.

The author’s internal account of what he saw of the incident is equally gripping: “….A white feathered creature surrounded me. It stood to my right, and with a shield-like cocoon, resembling a huge leatherback turtle shell, it

A BOOK REVIEW

enveloped me within the car. It covered my torso and head.

“The presence commenced its manifestation immediately after I bent to tie my shoelaces….”

That occurrence is the centre of the narrative, moving it backwards to earlier generations of resilient living in the South Rivers village of rural St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and forward to other angel interventions in more urban encounters in SVG, in Jamaica and in the United States of America.

The author is pointing us to Grace as a companion in the pilgrimage of years and tears. Here is one of his declarations: “Since then my path to wellness has been crossed by several real life angels who have provisioned me.

Many were ordinary people. They entered my life and offered help–a place to stay; a meal, care, directions, transportation, money or whatever was needed.

These events influenced me profoundly…”

Here the author was commemorating the festival of his transition from a broken, dependent wreckage of a man to a walking again, working again, ministering again servant of God and lover of his sisters and brothers. He is certainly messaging us to see in a different way the words of Jesus: ‘whenever you do this to one of the lowly

Glenroy Browne – author of ‘Angels of the Caribbean …’. brothers and sisters, you do it to me.’ On this subject of angels, Minister Browne cites the supportive words of Thomas Aquinas that “The angel is God’s minister or intelligent instrument; by its being sent, it renders ministry to God.” In many ways, ‘Angels of the Caribbean; A chronicle of resilience’ is a composite product. It certainly chronicles a chapter of crisis and ‘koinonia’ and healing love in the author’s experience, but it also introduces the reader to significant Caribbean realities in the background, to which the author may return in another volume, DV. More than that, Glenroy Browne, a teaching and coaching minister, inserts very engaging and edifying material on subjects of faith, health, relationships and even diasporal living.

Reading the book is an enriching journey.

Oscar Allen Diamond Village

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. 19.

News

SVG marks Down Syndrome Day THE KINGSTOWN School for Children with Special Needs (SCSN), in collaboration with the St. Vincent Planned Parenthood Association (SVPPA), held a day of activities to mark World Down Syndrome

Naseem Smith, Principal of the SCSN, reminded that children with Down Syndrome can grow up to lead happy, healthy and productive lives, with a little help from all of us.

Day, Tuesday, March 21.

Down Syndrome is a genetic disorder. It is typically associated with physical growth delays (stunted growth), characteristic facial features (e.g. flat face and short neck), and mild to moderate intellectual disability. It is a lifelong condition, but with care and support, children who have Down Syndrome can grow up to have healthy, happy and productive lives.

The main activity to mark the Day, themed ‘Rock your Socks’, took the form of a balloon walk from the grounds of the School for Children with Special Needs, Kingstown to the Botanical Gardens, where a rally was held.

Students, their parents, teachers, staff of the SVPPA, donned socks of all colours and lengths, and with balloons of various colours in hand, marched and ‘rocked’ along the designated route.

At the Gardens, addresses were delivered by: Naseem Smith - Principal of the SCSN,

Kingstown; Nellie Phillips - Executive Director at the SVPPA; and Emil Dougan - PRO of the Caricom Youth Ambassador Committee (CYAC) SVG. Principal Smith told the gathering, inter alia, “Despite Students of the School for Children with Special Needs the fact that we (SCSN) at the rally at the Botanical gardens. think people with disabilities are Down extra assistance to meet a incapable of doing things, I Syndrome is particular need, but that does want us to focus on the things not make that common human a life-long that disability does not condition. need ‘special’,” prevent us from doing. So Dougan reiterated his individuals with Down journey back Syndrome can learn, they can Committee’s commitment to to the school. work and they should be given “continue to advocate for According to organisers of policy in favor of children with the right to work. They can the March and Rally, the aim earn a living, live independent special needs.” of the exercise was to raise The rally also featured lives, and have families; they awareness of the disease, and can learn and most of all, they cultural presentations from a number of students, a poem on to inculcate respect and are beautiful people.” admiration for those who are Down Syndrome done by SVPPA Executive Director Nellie Phillips reminded those teacher Francis Billingy, and a victims of the disability.

This was the 12th year that number of games and gathered that, “Persons with World Down Syndrome Day activities.

Down Syndrome have the was being marked worldwide.

Following the rally, the same needs as everyone else.

(KH) students retraced their Sometimes they may need

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20. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Advice

My wife paid for my debt

my wife, who has always claimed to be so faithful and upright, would sell her body for $95,000.

She began crying and saying that she did it for I AM COMPLETELY out of ideas as to how to resolve the me.. how she couldn’t stand seeing me so depressed. present situation between me and my wife. It is true She wants me to forgive her because, according to that I have been in deep debt since 2012, but I have her, her motives were correct. been knocking my brains out trying to figure out how What was more distressing, was that she was to get out of it.

On top of that, I got home one day and found my having unprotected sex, and her explanation for wife in bed with a man who I did not know. I stood that was that the man requested it. It has been two months we have been trying for a baby, so if she outside the bedroom listening, and all sorts of gets pregnant now, how am to know whose child it things flashed through my mind. is?

When it was done and I confronted her, she told I am thinking she must have had something me that the man had promised to pay my bills off going with this guy before. I do not feel any love for completely, and directed me to look on the kitchen my wife right now. I’m not at the house. I did take table. I did as she said, and found the cheque for photos of both of them as proof just in case. I’m $95,000, the full amount I owed. definitely getting a divorce! I rather remain in debt Notwithstanding, I was shocked to discover that

than to have my wife prostitute herself to get me out.

Hurt and shattered Dear Hurt and Shattered,

Dear George,

That cheque may have been written to cancel your debt, but it appears as though it has also cancelled your marriage.

I cannot speak to your wife’s real motive for doing what she did, but she should have looked beyond that $95,000 cheque and see the possible consequences of her actions, which range from contracting an STD to ending up without a husband.

Before you make any rash decisions, take enough time to cool your head, then consider the option of seeing someone who can help to remove the dark clouds that presently hang over your marriage.

George

No sex after 25 years Opposite poles Dear George,

I AM MARRIED now for 25 years. My wife is 45 and I am 50. Sex with her is very painful. It’s painful for her I mean.

She is always very dry, and when I suggest the use of things like K-Y Jelly etc., she says she is not into using “those things”, claiming they would give her cancer.

Because of all of this, we have not been having sex at all. She does not know why she is so dry all the time, but won’t do anything about it. What can I say to her to get her to listen to my suggestions?

HG MAX Dear MAX,

Dear George,

It is possible that your wife could be experiencing menopausal symptoms. Encourage her to visit her family doctor to have that discussion. She may

agree to a treatment plan from her doctor after learning the medical facts about whatever is prescribed or suggested.

You will need to be extremely patient with her, as she may be confused and distressed about the unexplained changes her body may be experiencing. Hold off on the penetrative sex for the time being while looking for other ways to meet her sexual needs.

George

HOW DO YOU marry a woman who does not believe in wearing a wedding gown, bridesmaids, wearing a wedding band, and hates the idea of children?

My fiancée wants to be married, but wants none of the above. She just wants a private affair at the court, and that’s that. I want the complete opposite and, as far as I am concerned, there is no room for negotiations there. We argue over this every day, with no resolution. I want to know: How can this wedding take place, given our present positions, etc.?

Questions Dear Questions, For any marriage to take place, both parties have to be on the same page and must want the same things. You and your fiancée have much to discuss, and would have to find common ground in order to move forward. If you both want opposite things, then it may be a good idea (for you) to look elsewhere for someone who shares your ideals and wants the same things as you do.

George

Leisure

Arie (Mar. 21‐ April 20) Compromise will be necessary. Think about your budget before booking a trip. You will have the getup and go to con tribute a great deal to groups of interest.

Passion is inevitable and commitments can be made during the heat of the night.

Libra (Sept. 24 ‐Oct. 23) Do things because you want to, not because someone else thinks you should. Don't reveal any personal details. You could be your own worst enemy if you over‐ react to something you're told. You should make special plans for you and your lover.

Taurus (Apr. 21‐ May 21) Your atti‐ tudes at work will open new avenues for you. Those you work with may have little consideration for the under‐ dog. Your mind will be on matters that deal with secret affairs. A day at the beach may satisfy the whole family.

Scorpio (Oct. 24 ‐ Nov. 22) Take a look at investment opportunities.

Regardless of your first reaction, the outcome will be favorable. Don't let your mate force you into making a decision that you aren't ready to make.

Don't believe everything you hear.

Gemini (May 22‐June 21) It might be best not to spend your money on luxu‐ ries this week. You've been hurt before and could be again if you don't play hard to get. You must not lead someone on or show interest in them for the wrong reasons. Snap out of it.

Sagittarius (Nov. 23 ‐Dec. 21) Don't think the worst if you hear something negative about your partner. Your cre‐ ative talent may well be recognized by others this week Watch your weight gain due to water retention. You will learn a great deal from people with dif‐ ferent cultural backgrounds.

Cancer (June 22‐July 22) Don't let any money slip through your fingers this week. Your high energy should be spent pleasing your mate. Be profes‐ sional, and you will advance much more quickly. Your dedication and for‐ titude when dealing with humanitarian groups will enhance your reputation.

Leo (July 23‐Aug 22) Insincere ges‐ tures of friendliness are likely to occur.

Partners may try to argue with you; however, you must stand your ground.

Major moves will be emotional and not necessarily to your benefit. You need to spend some time with individ‐ uals who have more experience than you.

Virgo (Aug. 23 ‐Sept. 23) Loss is evi‐ dent if you don't consider all the angles. Go out with friends and avoid the situation on the home front. Make your intentions perfectly clear and find out exactly what is expected of you.

Do a little shopping. You're likely to find a real bargain.

Capricorn (Dec 22.‐ Jan. 20) Your tem‐ per could get the better of you if you confront personal situations. Do a little extra work at home. Go after your goals and don't be afraid to ask for assistance. Overindulgence may cause conflicts.

Aquarius (Jan. 21.‐ Feb. 19) Try not to hesitate; act on your initial instincts.

You can help a close friend find solu‐ tions to personal problems. Look into events that you might find interesting, and compromise by doing a few things that you both like to do. Good friends will give you honest answers.

Pisces (Feb. 20‐Mar. 20) Insincere ges‐ tures of friendliness are likely to occur.

Don't overindulge in anyway. You should be getting into self‐improve‐ ment projects. Your outgoing charm and obvious talent will be admired.

ACROSS

perform‐ ance 1.__ diggers 45. Author (pants) Anais __ 5. Mine deposit 46. Zoo resi‐ 9. Larry, Curly, or dent Moe 48. Drenched 11. Billiards 50. Paintings rebounds done on 13. Salaried walls worker 51. Socrates’ 14. Wheel city adornment 52. Name in 15. German TVs “one” 53. Cyrano’s 16. Ate in style prominent 18. Roman three feature 19. Recognized 21. Stalemate DOWN 22. Srta.’s neighbor 1.Eye part 23. Escalator 2. Actor Chaney part 3. Grew old 25. Procedure 4. __ badge 27. JFK’s vice 5. Praise president 6. Globe 29. 1/60 of a 7. Meek min.

8. Internet 30. Muckier messages 34. _‐ blue (hyph.)

38. Son of Zeus 9. Tries to find 39. NBA’s Unseld 10. Tinge 41. Connecticut 11. Norm and University Cliff’s 42. Ex‐CBS favorite anchor hangout Rather 12. Secret 43. First agents

17. Tiny drink baseballer 20. Uninhabited 36. Science regions fiction 22. Hatfield character enemy 37. Grants 34. Stat for Alex temporarily Rodriguez 40. Sarandon of 26. Above, to film a bard 28. The Crown __ 30. Sir’s opposite 31. One of the planets 32. Actor Robert __ (2 wds.)

33. Yank’s foe 35. New York

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. 21.

43. Tyne of “Cagney & Lacey” 44. Oz canine 47. Gent 49. Impressed sounds

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22. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Diaspora

Vincentian Registered Nurse receives Award Barker-Ifill, Yvonne Bristow, Joyce Fowler kingnaking210@yahoo.com and Dr. Jane Lederer.

US CORRESPONDENT “I am deeply touched by this acknowledgement A VETERAN VINCENTIANfrom the National Black BORN registered nurse Nurses Association, Inc., was among several nurses and would like to extend in New York City who were my sincere gratitude to honored last month during the nominating the 29th National Black committee,” said RobertsNurses Day Celebration, at Griffin, president of the Queens Hospital, New Bronx, Manhattan, York.

Westchester Chapter of Pamela Robertsthe New York-based Griffin, a former student Caribbean American at the Emmanuel High Nursing Association, School Kingstown, Inc., in her acceptance received the Outstanding speech.

Service to the Nursing “It is, indeed, an honor Profession Award from to be chosen by one’s Antonio Martin, peers, and I will always executive vice president cherish this token of of Queens Hospital recognition,” added the Center in Jamaica, Bronx resident.

Queens, at the Feb. 24 Roberts-Griffin event organized by the migrated to New York in New York Black Nurses 1979 and worked in Association, Inc. several hospitals, The other honorees including Kings Highway were: Norma FosterHospital in Brooklyn and Wharton, Darlene Prospect Hospital in the

by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net;

Bronx.

Roberts-Griffin, an active member of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Nurses Association of New York, Inc., has extensive clinical experience in Medical —Surgical and Psychiatric Nursing, including detox and substance abuse.

She has been employed, for over 30 years, at Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center (BLHC), and currently works in the in-patient department of psychiatry at the hospital’s Fulton Division; she serves as a preceptor and has served on the Magnet Team.

Roberts-Griffin served on a shared research project at BLHC’s Fulton Division that was based on transforming care at the bedside in order to enhance quality patient care, and was featured in December 2011 issue of

RN Pamela RobertsGriffin (right), after accepting her award, shares a photo-op moment with Vincentian nursing colleague Phyllis Payne-Dublin.

Nursing Spectrum.

The Vincentian nurse said she goes “above and beyond to help others,” and has excelled in several roles.

Over the years, she has received numerous prestigious awards, including 2006 and 2011 Nurse of the Year and Preceptor of the Year at BLHC- Fulton Division; 2006 Bronx Council of Churches Episcopal Dioceses of New York; 2009 BLHC Community Service Award; 2009 Outstanding Community Service Award by the Bronx, Manhattan and Caribbean American Nurses Association (BMW-CANA); 2011 Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nursing; and the 2012 Chi Eta Phi

Sorority Iota Chi Chapter, Bronx, NY. Roberts-Griffin said she has given back to her community, through community outreach projects in New York City, and has made humanitarian trips throughout the Caribbean basin.

She is an active member of the Grace

Episcopal Church -West Farms in the Bronx, where she serves on the choir, Vestry, and Our Lord’s Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry.

Roberts-Griffin is married to Lloyd Griffin; she is the mother of two — Audrey and Omar — and has two grandchildren, AlanMichael and Taylor.

V KPS takes Inter-Primary Track and Field title

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. 23.

KINGSTOWN PREP SCHOOL (KPS) took top honours at the 2017 Edition of the NLA Inter-Primary Schools’ Track and Field Championships, held at the Arnos Vale One Playing Filed last Wednesday.

They amassed a total of 280 points to finish ahead of second Davids Holder placed Buccament of the St Government on 230 Mary’s R.C points, and the was the Stephanie Browne meet’s only Primary (SBP) in record third on 185 points. breaker. He In the Under 7 did so in the category, Larrael high jump.

Durrant of Diamonds Government and Joneillia Alexander of was first on L-R: Joel Mathews of the Kingstown Preparatory the SBP, tied for the top 30 points in School was the Victor Ludorum, and Jeffiesha female spot with 16 points the Under Ackie from Questelles Government School was the each. Nazeo Free of 11 females.

Victrix Ludorum.

Questelles Government Joel took the male award in Mathews of this with 20 points.

KPS ran Kingstown Prep School - 2017 Inter Primary-Schools Track and In the female Under 9 away with Field champions. grouping, Denisha the top Quammie of the Paget male honours among the males Primary Football Farm Government took position in that category, in this category.

Competition. the top award with 10 and with his 34 points was Davids Holder of the St Forty-two schools took points, and Shemron also the Meet’s Victor Mary’s R.C broke the only part in the championship Gaymes of Buccament Ludorum. record of the day, when he which was divided into Government did likewise In the female Under 15, jumped 1.45 meters to five zones. Competition for the males, having Jeffiesha Ackie from the erase the previous high was held for males and totaled 28 points.

Questelles Government jump record of 1.40 meters females in the 50, 80, 150, Gabriella Trudge of the with 33 points was the top set by Curtis Samuel of 300, 600, 800 4x80, 4x50, St Mary’s Roman Catholic athlete and was also the the Kingstown Prep, in 150, 4x150, 4x200 metres.

Meet’s Victrix Ludorum. the boys Under 15.

The high jump was the Left: Age group winners Cody Bartley of the Fitz Holder, readers will lone field event. pose with NLA and Meet Hughes Government with recall, was the recent top 30 points, took the top goal scorer in the InterI.B.A.ALLEN officials.

New look executive for volleyball A NEW LOOK EXECUTIVE of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Volleyball Association has been installed.

The full slate was elected last Tuesday at the St Vincent Grammar School, at an extraordinary meeting called for that purpose.

Having elected SuzannaMarie Ollivierre as President at the first try at convening the extraordinary meeting on 28th January, last Tuesday’s meeting was to complete the process.

With two teams - Grelims and Alliance present and holding nine of the fifteen eligible votes, the election of officers was made simple.

The other principal officers were elected unopposed; Jomadean May - Vice President; Onika Morgan- Secretary; and Shaquille Brancker — Treasurer.

Filling the three committee

members’ position were Earl Bennett, Nikita Campbell and Andrew Bramble from a field that also included Jahmal Small and Devon Williams.

Ollivierre, addressing last Tuesday’s gathering, admitted that there was a lot work to be done to restore stability in the association, and called for cooperation from all the stakeholders in the sport.

That call immediately attracted a commitment to assist from Jonathan Pitt. Pitt is renowned as a pioneer in the formation of organised Volleyball here in St Vincent and the Grenadines, many decades ago.

Pitt’s commitment came following his expressions of concern for the state of Volleyball, and the several flaws in the constitution, and joined in the chorus in making constitutional reform a priority

undertaking of the new executive.

The process of electing an executive began as long ago as last July, when then President Alana Mc Master vacated her post, triggering a vote of no confidence in her executive.

An interim committee headed

by Ollivierre took up the task of plotting a way for the sport for the next six months.

Last January, the first extraordinary meeting was called, but elections stopped when only the president’s position was filled, as there were no others present at the Girls’ High School to fill the other positions.

The process was continued last Saturday, again at the Girls’ High School, but there was no quorum that would have allowed the elections to proceed.

Last Tuesday’s meeting brought the matter to closure.

The newly elected Executive of the SVG Volleyball Association (Seated from left) – Onika Morgan, Shaquille Brancker, Suzanna – Marie Ollivierre, Jomadean May; (Standing from left) - Earl Bennett, Nikita Campbell, Andrew Bramble.

Right: Jonathan Pitt making his concerns known about the state of Volleyball here in SVG.

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24. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

National Netball Tournament opens The 2017 Flow National Netball Tournament, organized and managed by the St Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association (SVGNA, got going last Sunday at the Kingstown Netball Centre (Nutricia Centre), New Montrose.

But it will not be business as usual, as there are some major changes to the format of the tournament.

President of the SVGNA — Doris Mc Intosh, in her address, disclosed that the 2017 edition will see a merging of Division One and Division Two into a Division One category, thus eliminating Division Four.

Four teams contested Division One last year.

The restructured Doris Mc Intosh – Division One will President of the see eight SVGNA.

participating teams.

Mc Intosh also announced the return of the Inter-Secondary Schools’ team, which she cited as “..a splendid opportunity to be better prepared for this year’s Windward Islands School Games,”

Challenges Among the areas associated with the sport that has come under the microscope, according to Mc Intosh, is “..the quality of umpiring,” which she described as “weak, because several persons who serve as umpires often absent themselves from the umpiring sessions, which are undoubtedly designed to make them more effective.”

She assured that the focus will be on strict adherence to the rules of the game by ensuring, among other measures, that all players and umpires become more familiar with the current rules and emerging trends.

The players did not escape the eye of the President.

“I remain deeply disappointed with the conduct of many players on and off the court… It is beyond me that so many players, many of whom are attending secondary school, could have been so evidently illdisciplined during last year’s Inter-Secondary

One of the oldest netball/sports clubs in the Eastern Caribbean – Metrocint General Insurance Limited Maple.

Schools Netball tournament… How Sports and Culture- Ces Mc Kie and can these students ever expect to be Nikayla Williams of the title sponsors regarded by their peers as role also addressed the ceremony. models? Where is their sense of pride as young ladies, the leaders of tomorrow? What shameless displays of bad behavior!” Mc Intosh expressed.

Mc Intosh admitted that she was mindful of the behavioral challenges in schools and also in the broader society, but SPORTS noted that the game of Netball “must not be ADMINISTRATORS allowed to worm its way holding positions for into the abyss of a considerable period complete disorder”. of time, are being Her Association, she advised to “let fresh said, will have and act in breeze come in.” accordance with a nonThat admonition tolerance for illcame from Prime discipline policy.

Minister Dr Ralph “The St. Vincent and Gonsalves as he the Grenadines Netball addressed the 2016 Association will not National Sports accept any insults and Awards ceremony, accusations that are staged at the SVG hurled at any Community College Umpire. The Best Dressed Auditorium, two consequences will indeed Team and Best weekends ago.

Banner awardee - be severe,” Mc Intosh “You have some echoed.

Island Blends people involved in Minister of Tourism, Maple. sporting organisations, they Dr Ralph Gonsalves are president for life...You can’t stay in this thing until you drop down dead; you have to allow young people come in… You ha to let breeze come in, fresh breeze,” Gonsalves quipped.

Gonsalves, without identifying any particular TOP Under-17 and Under-19 with Myers- third and national sporting body, requested that the player Kai Bentick emerged as Miller- Alexander, claiming organisation’s hierarchy take just another look at the top seed in the advanced class the fourth spot. itself in the mirror. of the National Junior Squash Meanwhile, Jaydon “…We must practise good governance inside of Trials, which took place last Williams copped the top your organisation … You are rightly demanding Friday and Saturday at the rank in the Intermediate A of me that I must practise good governance in the National Squash Centre, Paul’s category, winning from all government, but you can’t demand that of me, if Avenue. his opponents. you yourself ain’t even paying the slightest Bentick trumped Mikal En route to be crowned attention inside of the organisation,” the Prime Quashie 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 in the top seed, Williams saw off Minister noted. final. eventual second seed In further chastising those sports Kai Bentick Before meeting Quashie in the Zohandi Williams 11-9, 11- Mikal Quashie administrations who feign good governance final, Bentick had swished 5, 11-7; defeated Nadira practices, Gonsalves encouraged them, “…to hold Giovanna Miller- Alexander 11-5, Morgan, 11-7, 12-10, 11-6, George was fifth. your executive committee meetings… You have to 11-1, 11-0 in the semis. and Jayden George, 11-1, 11-3, Damarlia Cockburn was hold your Annual General Meetings…you have to Quashie beat Thandi Myers 5- 11-1. undefeated in all matches played, organise and have your accounts of your 11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-2, 11-7, in the Morgan ended as the third recording a 13-11, 11-4, 13-11 win organisation audited.” other semi-final duel that went seed, and George, the fourth seed. over Samuel; dumping George The wily Gonsalves said that he has deep the distance.

And, in the Intermediate B, the 11-6, 11-5, 11-6, while whipping interest in sports, and wants to see the associated In the consolation third place, seedings saw Damarlia Cockburn Tahaliya Cockburn 11-3, 11-7, 11problems in sporting organisations addressed.

Myers stripped Miller- Alexander topping the bunch, with Dru 5 and Jones 11-5, 11-8, 11-3.

“I am not interested in whether the cat is black 11-6, 11-4, 11-4.

Samuel — second; Larika JonesThe trials were also used as a or the cat is white, so long as it catches mice,” Based on the results, Quashie third, while Tahaliya Cockburn gauge for the selection of the Gonsalves analogised. turned out to be the second seed, docked in fourth and Ciara national junior teams.

Bentick tops National Junior Squash Trials

“Let fresh breeze come in”, PM Gonsalves

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. 25.

Sports

Smith, King crush Victors Two

Do or die TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO hosts Panama in perhaps their most crucial World Cup qualifying match ever. It has boiled down to a must win situation for the Soca Warriors.

Costa Rica clipped the Caribbean squad at home two to nil, and when Trinidad and Tobago journeyed to Honduras, they went under 1: 3.

Costa Rica heads the standings, having smashed the USA 4: 0, when the Stars and Stripes were on the road. That result left the Americans at the bottom of the table, having lost 2: 1 to Mexico at home in the opening encounter.

Panama and Mexico played to a goalless draw to occupy the second and third spots, while Honduras with the three points, holds fourth spot.

Three of these six teams qualify outright to Russia. A fourth has an outside chance, as Trinidad and Tobago made good use of when they accomplished the feat for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

There is some sense of divine intervention that Dennis Lawrence has been entrusted with the duties of Trinidad and Tobago’s coach.

If there is anyone who knows what winning means to Trinidad and Tobago, it is Lawrence. He scored the winner in that crucial second clash with Bahrain, after a one all score line in the first match.

Lawrence might be humble in downplaying that header which served as a galvanising force for the entire nation.

Lawrence will have to revive moments of that history and inspire his players into rekindling that self-belief. He faces a fiery baptism today Friday, March 24 at the Halsey Crawford Stadium, when they host Panama.

He will have to establish a chord of harmony within the squad, and forget about the distractions off the field. Whatever the reasons for Trinidad and Tobago’s decline in fortunes of late, Lawrence will have to reverse that trend.

There will be no breathing space for him. He welcomes the Mexicans for the March 28 showing again in Trinidad and Tobago. Honduras meanwhile will be hosting Costa Rica, while Panama welcomes the USA to the Canal Zone.

June 8 will be make or break day especially for the USA and Trinidad and Tobago, and indeed for the other four teams in the hexagonal.

USA will have home advantage just like Mexico will enjoy against Honduras, and Costa Rica will versus Panama. Within five days, the sixth series of matches will be determined with Trinidad and Tobago away to Costa Rica. By then, the Caribbean team will have worked out their chinks and prepared to dismantle the Costa Rican applecart.

After that, there will be four games. They host Honduras September 1, and round off their quest October 10 against USA. In between those dates, they will be on the road to Panama and Mexico.

There is question as to the enormity of the task that the Soca Warriors face. They have proven before that they have the flair and fire power.

What has been surfacing in recent times is a tendency of complacency which has resulted in a breakdown of discipline especially within the defensive third. And once you allow any reputable international team to get ahead of you, it is difficult to rein them back.

There is also the brittle factor that Caribbean teams appear to suffer from. We tend to surrender of that grittiness that is needed, and we succumb to imagined feeling of inferiority.

Many of our supporters opt for the fragility and switch allegiance when we perceive that things might not be the way we want it to be and instead of rallying to our team with a sense of pride and dignity, we do as Spleshie asked in his calypso Who to blame?

We forget that on many a time, the answer is right in front of us. Caribbean people have that type of approach. And we tend to straddle a path of disbelief when the need is there for us to gather that second wind and take up the challenge that confronts us.

Callvon King’s century rubbed more salt into Victors Two’s wounds.

Imran Smith’s performance with the bat (century) and ball (5 wickets) helped to sink Victors Two.

LAST SUNDAY could easily have been described as the Imran Smith Day. He cracked a century (102 not out) and took 5 wickets for 31, to lead Radcliffe Too to a convincing win over Victors Two, in a National Sunday League 50 Overs match played at Arnos Vale One Playing Field.

Smith was a matched with the bat by teammate Callvon King who took the Victors bowling apart in an innings of 119, including 12 fours and 2 sixes.

Together they ensured

a formidable 330 for nine at the end of Radcliffe Too’s 50 overs.

Then it was time for Smith to go to work with the ball, and together with Kaman Green, 3 for 22, Victors Two were bowled out for 207in 32.2 overs, Cosmus Hackshaw hitting a top score of 51, Adinal Richards 41 and Marcus

McCoy 37.

In other 50 Overs action, the Buccament Playing Field was the venue for a nail-biting encounter between Triumph United and Providence Electronic Solutions North Leeward, which saw Triumph edging home to victory by 1 run.

North Leeward made 177 from 30 overs Beniton Stapleton 43, Michael Joseph hit 39, and Arden Neverson 20.

Jide John took 4 for 40.

Triumph United

replied with 178 for 9 from 27.3 overs. This after their 8th and 9th wickets fell with the score on 159. However, an unbeaten 19-run 10th wicket partnership, thanks primarily to Kerwin Williams who was left not out on 29, saw them to victory.

Shaman Hooper took 3 for 43 and Javon Samuel 3 for 36.

The other Sunday League match, played at Arnos Vale Two, featured Combined Youths versus Glamorgan United, and was also a closely contested encounter.

Combined Youths batted first and were bowled out for 154 in 29.4 overs, with a top score of 32 coming from O.Neil Endeavour.

Augustus Mofford accounted for 3 Combine Youths wickets for 11 runs.

It appeared to be an easy hill for Glamoragn to climb chasing 155 for victory; but their middle order faltered and they were all out in the 40th over for 143. Augustus Mofford topscored with 27 while Kevin Dowers added 23. Interestingly, Javed Cordice and Geron

Jack, Nero head training squad VETERAN PLAYERS Cordel Jack and Juliana Nero head a list of 18 players called up to a training squad from which a final team will be selected to represent this country in the Southern Windwards Female Cricket series.

Jack and Nero enter the training in good form, Jack having registered two centuries for United Survivors, and Nero one for Garifuna Stars, in the ongoing National Women’s 40/40 League.

Adding further quality to the squad is Stacy-Ann Adams. She will be looking to continue to impress the Windward Islands and West Indies selectors.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines will take on Grenada in a three-match 50 Overs series in Grenada later this month, in the Southern Windwards series.

The Northern Windwards series will be contested simultaneously between Dominica and St Lucia, in Dominica.

Following the two series, a Windward Islands team will be selected to participate in the WICB Female Limited Overs competition to be staged here next month.

The full SVG training squad reads: Juliana Nero, Cordel Jack, Nyasha Williams, Stacy Ann Adams, Shonica

Campbell, Zavian Stephen, Glendeen Turtin, Kimone Homer, Barbara Matthews, Shema Wright, Jenna Frederick, Shenezia Daniel, Isha Williams, Samantha Cordel Jack Caine, Allison goes into Antonie, Suenella training with two Pope, Giany centuries under Marshall, and her belt.

Rochell John.

On the actual field of play, in the only match played last weekend (March 18) in National Women’s Cricket 40 Overs, Garifuna Stars inflicted a crushing 105-run beating on Radcliffe Girls.

Garifuna Stars managed 156 for 6 in their reduced allotment of 20 overs.

Juliana Nero scored 25, while Latoya John added 23. Melissa Charles bagged 4 for 14 and Tessica Cupid took 2 for 44 bowling for Radcliffe Girls.

In reply, Radcliffe Girls were torn asunder, closing at 51 all out in 15.2 overs. Denise Francois, 3 for 11, Juliana Nero, 2 for 9, and Lyris Nero, 2 for 16, combined to secure the win for Garifuna Stars.

I.B.A ALLEN

Wyllie registered identical figures of 4 for 42 from 10 overs, bowling for Combined.

I.B.A.ALLEN

Ray Jordon took 7 for 50 for Victors One.

Jordan grabs 7 wickets FAST BOWLER Ray Jordan had the impressive figures of 7 for 50, but his feat could not prevent Police Two from taking first innings lead over his team Victors One. In the one match played last weekend (March 18 and 19) in the Premier Division of the NLA National Cricket Competition, and played at the Sion Hill Playing Field, Victors One won the toss and inserted the Lawmen, who proceeded to score 250 from 55.1 overs.

Marcus John topscored with 66, Donson Andrews hit 49, Kevin Abraham 39, Kenneth Dember 38; Jordan 7 for 50.

Victors One in reply reached 220 from 42.2 overs. Captain Donwell Hector led with 69, Atticus Browne 25 and Chrisroy John 26.

West Indies fast bowler Keswick Williams led the bowling attack with 4 for 74 and Kenneth Dember 2 for 55.

Three other Premier Division matches scheduled for last weekend - Flow Radcliffe and Guardian General Saints at Park Hill, and French Verandah SVG Community College against Belfongo at Stubbs — were postponed.

I.B.A.ALLEN

26. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017. 27.

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NEW AMBULANCES FOR SVG mean an ambulance that FOUR AMBULANCES were can take care of officially handed over to a casualty on the Ministry of Health, as the spot,” he efforts continue to deliver explained. proper health care across Latchman the country. went on The provisioning of further, saying the four vehicles was that since 2015, made possible through they have been the Embassy of the seeking — Republic of China on through the Taiwan, at a cost of assistance of EC$500,000. local business According to houses — to The ambulances were provided for under the Civic Development Fund, a channel of co-operation between the Ambassador Baushuan identify and governments of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and SVG. Ger, funding was made source the possible through the specified It was also noted that The vehicles will be be going to that facility,” that should be on an Civic Development Fund vehicles. the vehicles are not only stationed at the health he said. ambulance is the driver, which is a collaboration However, this proved equipped to deal with facilities at Browne added that, and you send it to pick between the governments a task too difficult for medical emergencies en Chateaubeliar, Union while the general public up someone, a patient, of both countries. locals, forcing the route to the hospital, but Island, Sandy Bay and felt that there ought to and you bring the patient Over the past few Planning Unit to go in that the design and size Stubbs. be more ambulances, as quickly as possible to years, money from this search of the ambulances allowed for them to be Health Minister Luke there was more of a need the nearest health Fund has been used for from a supplier in Japan, able to go into areas that Browne explained that for a vehicle that was facility. We want to have other projects, including who, through a have proven difficult for Stubbs is an important able to handle some capacity in terms of the Youth Empowerment counterpart in Thailand, the more traditional point, given its proximity emergencies. human resource, modern Service (YES) project; was willing to vehicles, which were to the Argyle “In other words, gone equipment to take care of the purchase of medical manufacture the vehicles either too wide or too International Airport. are the days when we those individuals,” equipment; for the to the specifications. light for certain terrain.

“So for capacity, it will say that the only thing Browne said. construction of bridges and other buildings; as well as other projects including this one where money was earmarked since 2015 for the purchase of some new vehicles.

David Latchman, Health Planner in the Ministry of Health, explained that as part of the modernization of the health sector, the idea was to upgrade the ambulance fleet.

“So rather than having the regular sort of transport ambulance, we were trying to upgrade the emergency Ambassador Baushuan Ger and Minister of Health Luke Browne management system The ambulances are specially equipped to respond more (partly hidden) are not casualties; they’re just checking out the ambulance. By this, I effectively to casualties on the spot. ambulance.

by DAYLE DA SILVA

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

Printed by the SVG Publishers Inc., Campden Park.