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THURSDAY,

OCTOBER 26, 2017

VOLUME 111, No.43

www.thevincentian.com

EC$1.50

ELECTION PETITIONS:

ANOTHER SETBACK Stanley ‘Stalky’ John QC, , lead Counsel for the petitioners, rejected the supposed agreement that only four ballot boxes would be inspected.

by DAYLE DA SILVA LEGAL COUNSEL for the petitioners and respondents in a matter of Election Petitions before the Court, were instructed to decide upon a date for the court to proceed with a motion filed for the inspection of ballot boxes, this after legal counsel for the petitioners rejected a draft consent order.

“I suggest that parties consult among themselves and indicate to the Registrar, dates in the month of December to January 2018,” Justice Esco Henry ruled last Wednesday.

Douglas Mendes SC was surprised and unprepared for the petitioners’ rejection of what he accepted to be a consent order agreed to by both parties.

commencing at 9:30 a.m., and supposedly agreed to by both parties, was rejected by counsel for the petitions.

Stanley ‘Stalky’ John QC, representing the petitioners, indicated to the court that his side objected to the conditions as outlined in the draft consent order, on aspects of the inspection process.

One of the objections cited was that the consent order made provisions for the inspection of only four of the 15 ballot boxes used in the December 2015 General Elections in the constituency of Central Leeward.

On Tuesday, Kenny Kentish of the respondents’ legal team, read out in court, the details of the consent order, stating that an agreement had been reached by both parties for the inspection of unused ballot papers in polling stations CLF, CLF1, CLE and CLE1 only.

John, however, told the court that they were seeking to inspect all 15 ballot boxes and the used ballots in the four mentioned.

Kay Bacchus-Baptiste, also a member of the petitioners’ legal team, added that the petitioners were seeking recorded evidence, for example photographs of the inspected documents.

Justice Esco Henry gave a time frame from which a date to hear the motion for inspection of the ballot boxes should be decided upon.

Kentish added that there seemed to be an attempt by the petitioners to alter the draft consent order that had been agreed upon by both sides.

However, Bacchus-Baptiste indicated that the charges being made This means that the Opposition by legal counsel from the respondents New Democratic Party (NDP) were not true; that the petitioners candidates who filed the petitions — Respondents Object were not attempting to alter the draft Benjamin Exeter and Lauron Baptiste consent order; but that the comments — have suffered another setback as But Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes and recommendations submitted spoke they seek justice for alleged wrongrepresenting the respondents, objected, to the execution of the consent order. doings at the hands of the Electoral saying that the terms and conditions This prompted Justice Henry to Office, in the 2015 General Elections. outlined by the petitioners resembled convene a break in which she an earlier draft order which he had instructed both legal teams to examine Consent order rejected rejected. the draft consent order and for them to “The amendments sound similar to discuss and indicate how much time The decision to grant an what was proposed but that was they required to come up with an adjournment came after the draft rejected…what is being done is they agreed consent order. consent order setting out parameters are trying to introduce from the back for the inspection process to take place door another order,” Mendes SC said.

Continued on Page 3.Continued from on Wednesday, October 25

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2. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Independence Feature

MESSAGE FROM HIS EXCELLENCY SIR FREDERICK N. BALLANTYNE, GCMG, MD, DSc GOVERNOR GENERAL OF ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

To mark the 38th Anniversary of Independence of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 27th October 2017 always a day for celebration, reflection T IS AN HONOUR and a and more so a time for privilege to address you future planning. on this the 38th As a young nation Anniversary of our Nation’s with few natural Independence. resources, we are very Independence Day is proud of our

My fellow Vincentians:

I

achievements over the past thirty-eight years, and are mindful of the fact that none of this would have been possible without assistance from our friends overseas and the combined efforts of

all our people: the Professionals, the Nurses, the Police, the Farmers, the Fisherfolk, the Labourers and all those persons who work diligently not only to build their families, but

to build the Nation. I salute you and thank you for your hard work as we toil to make this country a better place for all of us.

As we celebrate, we must also be aware of the tremendous challenges facing our Nation today, especially the problems of young men who, for whatever reasons, are resorting to violence to settle disputes among themselves. We are alarmed and frightened by the spate of gunrelated killings which are increasing in frequency. All efforts have to be made to get at the root of this problem, and a concerted effort by all individuals and groups harnessing our resources to try to seek out the source of this evil, and come up with practical solutions, if we are to save this generation of young people.

As we celebrate, we need to keep in mind the plight of our neighbours who have been ravished by hurricanes Irma and Maria. The extensive damage caused by these two hurricanes, serves as a grim reminder to us of our own fragility. As small islands in zones frequented by natural disasters, a major event overnight can wipe out all of the progress we have made in the past thirty-eight years.

While we are powerless to prevent these catastrophes, we must work diligently to prepare for them, so that we can in some way mitigate the horrific results. We need to enforce the building codes, heed the warnings of the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO), and address with urgency the destruction of our forest, which has a direct correlation with the severity of flooding.

We also need to be

cognizant that in this global environment with frequent disasters around the world, the onus is on us to be the first responders for our neighbours. For this reason among others, Caribbean Integration must be one of the main priorities of the Politicians and Caribbean People.

As I close, I wish to personally thank the Government, NonGovernmental Organisations, and all individuals who responded so readily to the call for aid for our neighbours. We must be reminded that this is but a “drop in the bucket” in comparison to the need of these islands as they seek to rebuild and bring life to some sense of normalcy.

Finally, as we celebrate, let us keep our Nation in our prayers, praying for peace, love, tolerance and understanding, and a future free of hatred, violence and animosity.

My family and I wish the Nation a happy violence-free Independence Day. May God continue to bless us all!

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THE VINCENTIAN.

News 3

Another setback Continued from Front Page.

Continuing difference – Mendes not prepared Legal counsel for the respondents indicated that they were satisfied with the consent order as it was, and that it was for the petitioners to come to an agreement.

But when the matter resumed shortly after 11a.m

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 3.

on Wednesday following the break, John QC indicated that there were objections to the order as it pertained to which ballot boxes were to be inspected.

“It appears from where we are at, that counterfoils are not opened to us,” he said.

This prompted Justice Henry to assert that she was going to proceed with hearing arguments on the petition filed on June 29, 2017, which

Kenny Kentish and Sylvia Findlay, Supervisor of Elections, in conversation during a break in the Court proceedings last Wednesday.

was for the ballot boxes to be inspected.

And while the petitioners indicated that they were ready to proceed, Senior Counsel Mendes told the court that he was not, since he had not come prepared and was not ready to proceed with the matter.

He further informed the court that he had a matter in another jurisdiction, “and because I took my learned friend on Lauron Baptiste (left) and Benjamin Exeter, in whose names the Election his word that we Petitions have been filed, in court last Wednesday. had a consent order, I did not the matter. continued. bring my papers with me.

James also said that he was The point was also made “As I understood it, through surprised that on the second that Senior Counsel Anthony emails between Mr John and day of the proceedings that Astaphan, who was absent myself, because we had due to him tending to private the court was in such a arrived at a consent order, I did not expect for submissions matters since being displaced position.

“I expected to come here to be made,” Mendes SC said. from his home in his native and to start the inspection of Dominica following the According to the senior the boxes,” he said, adding counsel, it was only during the passage of Hurricane Maria, that he too was not fully break that he heard that John was pleased that he was not prepared to present full required to be present, as a and the rest of legal counsel arguments for the motion. consequence of the premise representing the petitioners John QC made it known that all sides had agreed on were not in agreement with that he was surprised that the the draft consent order. the terms of the order, to the respondents were “surprised” “As a consequence, I have extent that it did not include by the decision that they not done preparations to the inspection of all ballots (petitioners) had taken. continue today and will be and counterfoils in all the He said that he was not ready to proceed at the next ballot boxes. prepared to disclose anything earliest time for the court.”

“It was very clear in the about the discussion with the discussion that we were No objection to adjournment respondents and how the discussing unused ballots,” consent order was brought to Mendes SC said.

Kentish and Carlos James, court.

“The end result is not just He and fellow legal counsel that I do not have my papers, the latter also a member of the respondents’ legal team, Bacchus-Baptiste, however, but I have not done the informed that court that based said that they had no objection normal preparations for to the request by the arguments, because there was on what was presented by Mendes, they too were respondents to have the the notion that there were to requesting an adjournment in matter adjourned. be no arguments,” he

V ‘Shrek’: “They tried to kill me” 4.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Court

him at Diamond the night before, but, to date, nobody was charged in connection with that incident, even though he told the police whom he saw.

Mc Fee, 28, of Villa and Colin ‘Cocoa’ David, 30, of Fair Hall, were making an appearance at the Serious Offences Court, charged with the attempted murder of Frazer, who was shot several times at Paul’s Avenue on October 15.

They were also charged with using a firearm with intent to commit Colin David joins the offence of murder on Ricardo Mc Fee and Frazer, and possession of Jamarno ‘Small Man’ Tash on an attempted a firearm with intent to murder charge of endanger Frazer’s life.

Jawanza Fraser.

Jamarno ‘Small Man’ Tash, 26, of Rockies, has also been changed with Stories by the attempted murder of HAYDN HUGGINS Frazer, and using a RICARDO ‘SHREK’ MCFEE, firearm with intent to one of three men charged commit the offence of with the shooting of Paul’s murder.

However, while Tash Avenue resident Jawanza was granted bail when ‘Sanga’ Frazer October 15, told the Court on Monday he made his appearance at the Serious Offences that persons tried to kill

Court last week Thursday, McFee and David were denied bail when they were brought to Court on Monday.

McFee, who was unrepresented, in his application for bail, told Chief Magistrate Rechanne that, “Saturday, last week, they came out Diamond and tried to kill me. I told the police who I saw, but up to now nobody is arrested, but some drug dealer got shot and I am arrested.”

Referring to David, standing next to him in the dock, McFee added, “This guy, I don’t even know him in the free world, and I standing next to him. I am asking for bail please.”

But Browne told him that she could not disconnect what was happening in the country, and that the issue of bail was at the discretion of the Magistrate, after considering all the circumstances. She

insisted that bail would not be granted at that stage.

McFee then asked, “Is somebody else on bail for this offence?” To which the Magistrate replied in the affirmative.

“I don’t have any other matters before the court,” McFee told Browne, who acknowledged this.

David told the Court, “Like the law is for some and not for some.” He was represented by attorney Grant Connell.

The accused men continued to voice their feelings, even after they left the dock and sat in the court room awaiting police transportation to take them to Her Majesty’s Prison, following the court’s adjournment for the day.

Mc Fee recalled the tragic incident at Diamond in which one person was shot and killed and seven others injured, when masked gunmen opened fire into a bar on October 14.

Two charged in Diamond shooting spree JUST HOURS after Ricardo ‘Shrek’ McFee of Villa, complained during an appearance at the Serious Offences Court Monday, that nobody was arrested in connection with the shooting of several persons at Diamond October 14, two men were brought before the Court in connection with that incident.

Alaskie ‘Beaver’ Samuel, 30, of Redemption Sharpes, and Obandele Neverson, 43, of Murray’s Village, were taken before the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, charged jointly with the murder of Gregory ‘Pecker’ Abraham also known as ‘Woody,’ of Diamond.

They are also charged jointly with the attempted murders of Diamond residents Kenneth ‘Bullo’ Barzie, Venus Thomas, Kerwin John, Karime Benjamin,

Kamani Richards, Fitzroy Iris, Oslin Thomas, and Andrew Layne, as well as Ricardo ‘Shrek’ McFee of Villa and Michael Richards of Choppins.

Samuel and Neverson were not required to plead to the ten indictable charges when they were taken before Senior Magistrate Bertie Pompey on Tuesday, and were remanded.

The matter was adjourned to November 6 and transferred to the Serious Offences Court, which was not sitting at the time.

Attorney Ashelle Morgan represented Neverson. Samuel was unrepresented.

The charges were laid in connection with a shooting incident at Diamond just after 9 p.m. on October 14.

Reports are that masked gunmen alighted an unmarked white Toyota Sprinter vehicle, and opened fire into the

Alaskie ‘Beaver’ Samuel ‘Road Side Bar’, killing Abraham and injuring seven others.

Some patrons, including McFee, are said to have escaped unhurt.

McFee had told the Serious Offences Court on Monday that the attackers had come to kill him. He was before that Court, along with Colin David of Fair Hall charged with the

Obandele Neverson October 15 attempted murder of Paul’s Avenue resident Jawanza ‘Sanga’ Frazer, using a firearm with intent to commit the offence of murder on Frazer and possession of a firearm to endanger Frazer’s life.

Up to press time Wednesday, police were continuing investigations into the Diamond shootings.

McFee is said to be the person for whom the attackers had gone, but escaped unhurt.

“They tried to kill me out at Diamond. The police know who shoot the people out Diamond because I tell dem who dey is,” said McFee.

He was concerned that up to the time he was speaking, nobody was arrested in connection with that incident, but that the police picked him up in connection with another shooting which occurred the following day.

„Killers protected,‰ says ÂShrekÊ RICARDO ‘Shrek’ McFee says this country would never be better because certain ‘high ups’ are protecting and defending those responsible for over 200 of the homicides committed here, leaving many children fatherless.

The 28-year-old resident of Villa, one of three men charged with the October 15 attempted murder of Paul’s Avenue resident Jawanza ‘Sanga’ Frazer, in that community, voiced his feelings on Monday while sitting in the Court room, Ricardo Mc Fee just after the Serious spurting some pointing Offences Court was allegations about the adjourned for the day.

McFee did not say who crime scene here in these ‘high ups’ were, but SVG. according to him, they were protecting and defending a clique of men who were also giving guns to young people.

“You know how much people get shoot out there and nobody was never arrested? You want to tell me a certain set of men responsible for so much ting and nothing happening to dem? A lot of people know the wrong dem man doing, but fraid to speak out,” McFee said.

“Dem man feel dey untouchable because they have certain people protecting dem,” he added.

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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016. 5.

Regional

Most St. Lucians support the decriminalisation of marijuana or minus five per cent.

Respondents were asked their “views on the decriminalization of marijuana in St Lucia,” and provided with three response options as well as Continuing with, “The BISHOP of the Roman the option not to problem is not a problem Catholic Diocese of respond.

Bridgetown - Reverend that the political parties Caribbean people appear to be According to Jason Gordon, in his first can solve in the first moving to a relaxation of their CADRES, “The instance. It is a much media conference since hardline position against the results of the being designated deeper societal problem decriminalization of marijuana. surveys tell an that we have come to. I Archbishop of Port of Photo Credit: marijuana news) important story Spain, has urged have said it in many that is likely to be minus five per cent.

Barbadians ‘to get back different ways, that we applicable across the Similar polls have had some old-time values to traditional values’. region, which is that been conducted in According to Barbados that the grandmothers public opinion is Barbados and St. Vincent Today, he also ‘accused used to pass on to the generally moving in the and the Grenadines, and children, [but] we threw the authorities of direction of greater CADRES noted that the focusing more on profits, out baby and bath water support for and residents of creating together.”

38 per cent of St Lucians decriminalisation and an that opted for the status Bishop Gordon posited an unsustainable increasing opposition to that Barbadians seemed R.C. Bishop pf Barbados and Archbishop lifestyle’. quo is consistent with the the status quo.” designate of Port of Spain – Reverend Jason During the media to have replaced level of opposition to It said the St. Lucia conference held last week traditional values with a Gordon – condemned the liberal capitalist as decriminalisation in St having infected the very souls of Barbadians. poll showed that an Friday, October 20, at his new set of “liberal Vincent, Dominica and (Photo Credit: credi.edu.tt) estimated 38 per cent of office in Jemott’s Lane, capitalist model” — a get Barbados.” those questioned, opted St. Michael, he countered rich quick or die trying outstanding, and never urging Barbadians that In summary, CADRES mentality. his ‘accusation’ by want a brand name, and for the maintenance of what was needed was a said, “Although this the status quo (illegal), But he warned, “That change of values, moreso yet they had a deep appealing to Barbadians summary report does not while cumulatively, 51 not to lose hope, ecven as rugged liberal capitalist sense of identity and a reversion to tried and permit a full exploration model has really infected tested values, the they currently endured per cent of respondents security in themselves.” of the demographic challenging economic and the soul of this nation supported either the full Bishop Gordon will Archbishop elect said, “I factors impacting on and has created great social circumstances. legalisation or partial would ask that Barbados replace Archbishop support for or opposition “The waters have been grief among our people.” think deeply about the decriminalization.

Joseph Harris who to marijuana rough, to quote a famous Pointing out that past values your grandmother resigned earlier this CADRES concluded line. And with the rough political leaders Errol had, how she is cooking a year. Gordon will become that, “It is interesting to decriminalisation, the case of St Lucia does waters, it is very easy to Barrow and Tom Adams pot without barely the 11th Archbishop of note that the attitude of provide a unique lose both hope and a “both put development of anything, and a Port of Spain, with that St Lucians on this issue deviation from the sense of a destination. people ahead of the archdiocese having neighbour comes and is similar to that of all region-wide custom that And it is my fear that at profits of companies”, they are getting some to responsibility for five other Caribbean has noted higher levels of Bishop Gordon said the this time, Barbados is share . . . the frugal dioceses or provinces — countries surveyed, same could not be said losing focus on both,” opposition to means she was able to do Trinidad, Barbados, especially as the margin warned Gordon, about recent and current with very little and decriminalisation among Guyana, Curacao, and of error associated with according to Barbados political leaders. women. (Source: CMC) Suriname. (Source: produce children that these surveys is plus or Getting back to his Today. were excellent and Barbados Today) ACCORDING to a poll conducted by the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES), most St Lucians are either in

support of the legalisation or partial decriminalisation of marijuana.

The poll, conducted between September 8-11, 2017, canvassed some

1,000 people across the island, and targeted the ages groups 8-30, 31-50, and over 50 years.

CADRES said that in each instance (age

group), a 33 per cent quota was sought, with equal quantities of males and females being interviewed. The poll has a margin of error of plus

Archbishop elect: Get back to the old values

PM Harris denies holding Dominican passport

Dr. Timothy Harris, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, moved quickly to make spend of accusations that he held a Dominican diplomatic passport.

(Photo Credit: Caribbean news Service)

PRIME MINISTER of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Timothy Harris, has denied having a Dominican diplomatic passport or any other passport, except for the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

In a statement issued October 20, 2017 by the Office of the Prime Minister, Dr. Harris expressed strong objection to a “spurious report” titled ‘St. KittsNevis PM now revealed to hold Dominica diplomatic passport’, which was posted by the online publication Caribbean News Now yesterday,

Thursday, October 19th, 2017.

Dr. Harris also denounced “the demonstrably falsified image of a passport accompanying it (article), as utterly baseless and malicious.”

The Prime Minister was forced into a response, following what appeared to be a counter measure to an earlier finger-pointing at St Kitts and Nevis opposition leader and former prime minister, Dr. Denzil Douglas, accusing him of holding Dominican citizenship by virtue of being issued a diplomatic passport by

that country. An image of Dr. Douglas’ purported Dominican passport was also widely circulated on social media.

Dr. Douglas responded to the accusations, saying that he “does not hold dual citizenship, has never held dual citizenship, does not hold and never held citizenship of Dominica or any other country, except that of St Kitts and Nevis”.

Dr. Harris, meantime, did not hide whom he thought to be the source of the accusation against him, saying in his statement that he was “disappointed that this

shameless piece of inflammatory propaganda — which was initially circulated on social media by St. KittsNevis Labour Party supporters — would make its way into a publication professing to cover regional news based on journalistic merit, professionalism and media standards.”

Dr. Harris and his legal counsel “are exploring all necessary avenues to correct the record, protect his good name, and ensure that all those involved in propagating this lie are held to account,” according to the

Dr. Denzil Douglas, former Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, was earlier also accused of holding Dominican citizenship. (Photo Credit: Montserrat reporter) statement issued from the Prime Minister’s Office. (Partial Source: Office of the Prime Minister of SKN)

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6. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Independence Feature

INDEPENDENCE DAY MESSAGE 2017

Emphasising unity, peace, justice, and prosperity

by DR. THE HON. RALPH E.GONSALVES, these words, phrases, and PRIME MINISTER OF ST. VINCENT AND formulations is pregnant THE GRENADINES with real meaning for civilized life and living. So, N THE OCCASION of our country’s we celebrate! thirty-eighth anniversary of It is upon these independent nationhood, I urge that freedoms, ideals, and our reflections focus on the inter-woven principles, enshrined and socio-economic fabric of unity, peace, elaborated in our justice, and prosperity in the quest of the Constitution, that we the further upliftment of St. Vincent and the people of St. Vincent and Grenadines. the Grenadines founded Amidst all the travails, challenges, our independent nation on and dislocation at home and abroad, it October 27, 1979. These is timely and desirable for us to are the bedrock restate the fundamentals which have fundamentals which unite made us a magnificent, living example us as a people in a specific of our treasured Caribbean landscape and seascape known as St. civilization. In this restatement ,it is Vincent and the Grenadines and clear that there is much to celebrate! through the prism of which we have First, we reaffirm that our nation is been shaped over time; they are the founded on the belief in the supremacy enduring basics which engender our of God and the freedom and dignity of social solidarity, for good, not ill. man and woman; that we desire that Our people’s unity and solidarity our society be so ordered as to express are made manifest, formally and a profound recognition of the practically, in CITIZENSHIP which is principles of democracy, free the bond that holds us together, now institutions, social justice, and and forever. Citizenship is the highest equality before the law; that we realise office in the land, higher than that of that the maintenance of human Governor-General or Prime Minister. dignity presupposes safeguarding the This fundamental truth thus restrains right of privacy, of family life, of us from joining any bandwagon, property, and the pursuit of just however tempting its lure of easy economic rewards of labour. Each of money, which urges us to sell our

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citizenship and our passport. Our citizenship is not for sale; it is not a commodity for trade or commerce. And our passport is the outward sign of the inward grace of citizenship; that, too, is not for sale.

In our CITIZENSHIP is suffused a bundle of rights and obligations. The selfish among us extol only their rights, but there are also abiding obligations.

Thus, to adopt and adapt the words of the American President John F. Kennedy, ask not just what your country can do for you; ask, too, what you can do for your country! The heroic and iconic personalities (Chatoyer, Mc Intosh, Joshua, Cato, and others) who litter our history, knew this well, not merely in theory but in their lived sacrifices; so, too, our grandparents and great grandparents who, in daunting circumstances, through toil and perseverance, love and caring, solidarity and fellowship, have bequeathed us a solid foundation, and more, upon which to build a better life and living. So, we celebrate!

Citizenship and its concomitant sense of belonging commit us to our country; it is the very geographic space and the idea of St. Vincent and the Grenadines that we ought always to treasure, defend, and promote.

Each adult able-bodied citizen, indeed each invited resident, of this blessed country, is required to exert himself or herself in honest, lawful labour, in accordance with his or her ability and circumstance in return for just rewards. No progressive society has ever been built on leisure, pleasure or nice-time; disciplined, smart, and lawful productive labour is required for material and social progress. Laziness may appear hip and cool to a misguided small minority; but laziness is an absence of virtue and leads to damnation for Jew and Gentile alike.

Sadly in our country, and elsewhere in the Caribbean, among other places, there is a composite of drug-man, thief-man, and gun-man, consumed by envy, greed, and naked, selfish individualism, who has chosen the path of crime as a way of life; their chosen occupation is that of a criminal. Crime is not merely incidental to them, it defines them.

Let us be clear: No one but this hardheaded criminal is responsible for his/her actions. We must not look for excuses for them; we must put the blame and responsibility for their criminal actions on them, not elsewhere.

This unsavory under-belly of a small number of hardened criminals in our small society, finds awful expression in its anti-social impact in a context of modern information and communication technology, an availability of unlawful firearms, and alliances of home-grown criminals and foreign hoodlums from our dangerous near-neighborhood. All this creates a threat to citizen security; it causes much alarm among right-thinking persons; and it undermines, too, the bonds of citizenship and the requisites of citizenry solidarity. Accordingly,

this monstrous criminality must be fought unequivocally on all fronts; the perpetrators of such criminality must be stopped.

Our civilization will never allow a handful of gun-men and their opportunistic allies to hold sway. We shall be relentless in pursuing them.

Our Parliament, Cabinet, Law Courts, Police Force, and all other security and law-enforcement agencies, at home and abroad, in communion with a supportive people as a whole, will defeat these vile threats to our citizen security.

More broadly, however, without in any way absolving the individual gunman of his personal criminal responsibility, it is necessary and desirable for our country, on an ongoing basis, to ramp up its efforts to ensure that the many-sided breeding ground for such anti-social persons be extinguished. In this grand effort, the family, the school, the church, the media, the government, the community along with the formal institutions of law and order, have much work to do. All hands must be on deck to cripple and destroy this unacceptable malignancy of violent crime. The criminals must meet their justice; justice must be available, in practice, to suffering communities; and there will thus be peace.

It is vital as a nation, that we ought never to allow lamentations and negativism to define us or to anaesthesise us in a doomsday morass.

The overwhelming majority of our people are good, hard-working, productive, steeped in the tried-and tested values of our civilization which are at the core of our citizenship. We thus possess huge possibilities and strengths which are made manifest daily by working people, farmers, fisherfolk, professionals, doctors, and nurses, students and teachers, police and prison officers, prelates and administrators, sports and cultural persons, leaders and followers.

Beyond the overwhelming goodness of the vast majority of our people, we know, through faith and reason, through divine inspiration and human imagination, that we can depend on the mercies of our God, His compassion faileth not, morning by morning new mercies we see, all that we need His hand provides, great is His faithfulness. So, we celebrate!

Our goodness, our unity, our possibilities, our strengths, and the mercies and faithfulness of God have caused the great people of our small country to have chalked up the impressive individual and collective accomplishments in all fields of commendable endeavor.

Such progress reaches its outer limits only with disciplined and smart work, individually and collectively, in faith and reason, in a land of unity, justice, and peace informed by precepts, ideals, and principles of our alive CITIZENSHIP as embedded in our Constitution. So, we celebrate!

At Independence Day 2017, let us keep our focus on the vital matters of unity, peace, justice, prosperity. We know the way; we have the vision, the ideas, the programmes. Beware of false prophets and the apostles of gloom and doom in whatever garb they come, particularly those enwrapped in an anti-national political clothing.

Beware of anyone who would see this country burn, metaphorically, if he or she could be the king or queen of the ashes. Always remember in your reflections, too, that public policy is serious business for serious people; it is not part of the entertainment industry.

For all the overwhelming good and abundant blessings in our country, we celebrate!

Happy Independence 2017!

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 7.

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8. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 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

On Independence day THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS AGO, on October 27, 1979, over two hundred years of domination by Great Britain came to an end for us. We, the people of the newly christened St. Vincent and the Grenadines, became an independent nation with the right to govern ourselves completely.

Self-governance and political independence was our expressed wish — democratically or otherwise — and we had achieved it. Of this we could be proud, for many nations had faced terrible struggle, hardship, violence and the ravages of war, on their road to independent self-governance. But in 1979, we reached this very important milestone in our history smoothly, peacefully and democratically. We achieved it, thanks to our own strong will, spirit and determination.

But with every right/privilege comes responsibility, and with political independence and the right of self-governance, a great deal of responsibility suddenly landed upon our shoulders.

It has now been thirty-eight years since we have been functioning in our new role as an independent nation, freely associated with whom we choose to — some old allies, some new. In some respects, we handled the responsibility very well, and in other respects we could have done better.

But if the truth be told, we are still learning and we have much to learn yet. We have come a long way since 1979, and we have a long way to go.

That is why our Independence Day should always be a day for us to reflect on our achievements and failures as a new nation; a day to take stock of ourselves and set new goals for the future, not to unleash disparaging political punches.

October 27, 2017, therefore, should be a day to envision the next phase of our development with wisdom gained from the last thirtyeight years, and with renewed confidence and commitment to our future.

And as we take stock of ourselves, let us not fool ourselves, for we are still a newly self-governing nation, still in our infancy.

So, what have been our accomplishments and our mistakes?

For a nation still in political infancy, we do have some traits and accomplishments. We are, by comparison, a peaceful nation with, generally speaking, respect for human rights, though some would say this is still a work in progress. We have, for all intents and purposes, a stable democratic system — albeit one predicated paradoxically on a culture of adversarial politics - and a constitutionally provided for independent judicial system. Basic infrastructure is good, though in need of ongoing attention, and education is widely available. Moreover, though threatened, we have tried and tested cultural and family values.

Our failures, our mistakes are also numerous, one being in the area of National Unity. National Unity was and still is the will of the people. Celebration of our independence should be an affirmation of our common wish to live together in peace and harmony, to preserve our heritage and to protect the promise of the future. Our differences should enrich us, not divide us.

But yes, admittedly, maintaining national unity is easier said than done, as the last thirty-eight years have shown us.

As we celebrate our independence and renew our commitment to working together as a nation, we must recognize the differences that will naturally develop among us.

But instead of widening the divide, we must celebrate, appreciate and embrace our differences — our political difference moreso.

Perhaps on this Independence Day, we should all commit to acquiring the interpersonal, professional and political skills required for effective, positive, productive teamwork amongst us.

As we celebrate the anniversary of our right to govern ourselves, we cannot ignore the tremendous responsibilities that accompany self-government. No one person, no one group should feel or establish himself/themselves as the panacea to our problems, and as having a monopoly on how we should develop.

That is selfish in motive and will inhibit the building of a truly independent St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill (Shakespeare) The Case for Removing Gonsalves (Extracted from Candy Edwards Letter from the Ground May 17, 2003) VERY FEW PERSONS would disagree that Prime Minister Dr. Gonsalves has failed this country since taking office two years ago. It is truly a frightening thought that a Prime Minister with so much ability and promise has been rendered a failure after such a short space of time.

I did not conduct any poll; however, I have listened to enough people on the ground to know that the Comrade is becoming increasingly unpopular. The only people who think that Dr. Gonsalves is doing well are Dr. Gonsalves and a few of his loyal sycophants and acolytes. I can declare with some , that the vast majority of Vincentians would dearly like to see Dr. Gonsalves out of office. The reasons they give are numerous. Among them are:1. The failure of Dr. Gonsalves to make any significant positive impact on the state of the economy; 2. The threat that Gonsalves poses to democracy, as evident in the fear by many to speak out, and the gross disrespect and contempt shown for the media; 3. The shabby treatment being meted out to the youth, as seen in Gonsalves’ despicable attitude and conduct towards the National Youth Council; 4. The lies, innuendoes and duplicitous conduct that have so far characterized Dr Gonsalves’ tenure as Prime Minister; 5. The acts of corruption and political nepotism that Gonsalves has allowed among persons close to the ULP; 6. The cynical manipulation of agencies such as the Christian Council, the Labour Movement and the press to the biddings of Dr. Gonsalves; 7. The dismal performance of most of the Ministers of Government and the failure of Dr. Gonsalves to take decisive action; 8. Dr. Gonsalves’ baseless attacks on the intellect, integrity and ingenuity of Mr. Arnhim Eustace with lies innuendoes and so called “official enquiries”.

9. The constant abuse of the power of the Prime Minister, as evident in the tendency to micro manage and to run roughshod over the professionals and technocrats in the respective ministries; 10. Perpetrating the most widespread and deepest acts of political, social and economic victimization ever witnessed anywhere in the Western world; 11. Engendering a climate of fear and

trepidation among Vincentians, that is reminiscent of France under Robespierre in the late 18th century; 12. Openly demonstrating contempt for the reasoned opinions of ordinary people, thus denigrating them as untutored and uncultured.

13. The violent excesses of some elements in the police force, aided and abetted by Dr. Gonsalves.

(The Original Editor’s Note: Candy Edwards is an unknown, anonymous personage who sends weekly letters to Nice Radio for publication and popular discussion).

WILL THE REAL DR. Gonsalves PLEASE STAND UP? Voice of the New Democratic Party (the Vincentian May 16, 2003) but the revelation is truly the voice of Adrian Fraser.

Our Prime Minister, Dr. The Honourable Ralph Gonsalves should be the subject of a study of what we care to call Political Pathology. Certainly it is necessary for us, the nation we mean, to understand what ails him.

We are of the view that he has willed himself to believe that all is well while, in fact, everything is falling around him. He lies repeatedly, without apparent rhyme or reason. At least, that is how it appears. He says different things to different audiences, and provides a different version of things to different people. Surely, a better Jekyll and Hyde character can hardly be found. The smirk is now fading and the angry outbursts are becoming more frequent.

Witness his performance at the so-called Labour Day rally. The Prime Minister is undoubtedly very sick.

Audiences overseas see a completely different person from what we see night and day. Let us retract on that one because we don’t really see him night and day, for he is more often than not out of the country. Remember how they used to jump on Sir James, describing him as the proverbial traveller?

Continued on Page 36.

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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 9.

Letters

We failed SVGÊs constitution and democratic standards to act WHEN I WAS growing up in Kingstown, there was always talk among us youth men, about who owned a gun and so forth. Most of the times, it always came down to some businessman, some lawyer or some ‘big man’, as we used to say, back then, who owned guns. And in those days, we knew that there were two places where you could buy a licensed gun. Those places were Val-U Young and Ferrari.

Well, with all that I have heard happening home, it is definitely a case of more than businessmen, lawyers and other ‘big men’ owning guns. And it looks like you could get or buy a gun on the street corner now.

It is a pity that we have reached this far, with all kinds of persons brandishing and using guns.

I suppose, after all, SVG is part of the ‘global village,’ and what’s happening now is just what’s happening all over the world.

But I always wonder: How come in a small place like SVG, we couldn’t put a stop to the illegal entry of guns when it first started? And nobody could convince me that the authorities didn’t know. I heard stories before I left home about guns coming right through the Customs?

Don’t misunderstand me - I am not pointing a finger at the Customs today. What I am saying is that we could have nipped this thing in the bud, but we failed to take action.

No wonder there is some talk up here (New York) that there are some people benefiting from this whole gun thing back home, and they are protected.

I pray for the day when SVG would return to peace and quiet and brotherhood, like it used to be.

Garnet, NY

Girls’ Empowerment Week at the KGS THE KINGSTOWN GOVERNMENT SCHOOL held its first Girls Empowerment Week under the theme, ‘I know who I am, I am Royalty’, from October 16th-20th,2017. The goal was to create an awareness of their (girls’) role, purpose and importance in society, with the objectives being: to empower them through activities and sessions on who they are; and to build and boost their selfesteem/self-confidence.

The activities held throughout the week included: Distribution of Flowers; Personalised Notes; sessions to sensitise them about their selfworth which was facilitated by Ms. Kathleen Jeffers and Ms. Yolan London; Talent and Tiaras; Movie Time and Princess Stories. These sessions were held primarily during the periods normally allocated for Health and Family Life Education.

Some were also held during the lunch break.

From all reports and observations, the week was a success. The girls were excited by and very receptive of the programme.

The boys were also enthused and have demanded a ‘Boys’ Week.

The Week was the brainchild of the school’s counsellor, Mrs. Chickeria Cumberbatch.

ON 27TH OCTOBER, 1979, St. Vincent and the Grenadines emerged from slavery to become an independent state. But what is our current standing?

I take the view that the Constitution of SVG makes for a dictatorship, since its dictates are limited in how it prepares the administration of a nation along democratic principles.

For example, Section 75 of the Constitution states that the Director of Audit ‘shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority’. What does this mean in a situation of uncertainty? Does this not mean that the Director of Audit would have to go (in practice) right back to the Minister of Finance for

instruction? Is this why the Minister of Finance is holding up the tabling of Audit Reports for 2011 and 2012?

Another issue: Why is the PM not making the Freedom of Information Act law? The Governor General assented to it in 2003 December, yet it has not been gazetted to become law.

Such questions would not need to be asked were the SVG Constitution adequate in its promotion of a democratic state.

My view is that the ULP, even with its proposed new constitution, has abused the loopholes of the current, outdated constitution. I have found nothing in the constitution that restricts ministers from executing more than one ministerial position. The

PM is Minister of Finance, National Security, Legal Affairs, Air and Sea ports, and Grenadines Affairs.

This allows him and his government to sell lands in the Grenadines as they feel like, or so it seems. This is a serious abuse of power.

Independence can take nations in many directions, the worst being when governments failed to adhere to the constitution of the land they govern on behalf of the people.

Without adherence to the constitution, the entire state structure can collapse, making the state vulnerable to dictatorship.

Regardless of how much the current constitution is limited, its basic principles and tenets safeguard our democracy, and we must

ensure that those we elect to serve us, adhere to its principles.

Kadmiel Mc Fee British War Veteran

Whose responsibility?

RECENTLY, a certain concern was raised with me by a parent, and I thought, Mr. Editor, that I should raise it for open discussion.

It concerns the issue about whether teachers are responsible for the supervision of students/children during their lunch break.

Now, we know during any break, children are going to ‘free up’ themselves. They are going to look for places to climb, knock over one another, do some prank or the other, and these days, even take the chance to curse some dirty words, or so I

understand.

The question is, according to the person who raised the concern, seeing that the children are in school between say 8:30 am and 3:00pm, are the principal and staff not responsible for them during those hours including break and lunch?

Some schools I notice have ‘security persons’.

Does this mean that the ‘security persons’ are responsible for keeping an eye on the children while the teachers take a break?

As far as I am concerned, it is during the breaks that you will

see the real ‘colours’ of teachers, in particular, the children. You will think about this. see who is taking advantage of others, who Charles\Edinboro is bullying and who likes to fight or display aggressive behaviour.

Trained teachers can spot these kinds of behaviour and act accordingly like refer A few things those aggressive related to our students to the Independence: counsellor for example.

The question for the * Why after 38 Ministry of Education years of and the Teachers Union: Independence we Are teachers responsible still don’t have our for the students during own national the break and lunch honours? Who is periods? holding this back?

It would be interesting * Didn’t the NDP to hear what the government, before it was voted out, already put a national honours system in place?

What became of ARE THERE OTHERS like me who God that there are no accidents that? think that these digital/electronic reported which have resulted from the * And what about billboards (advertising) which are fast distractions the billboards can cause. the national heroes’ increasing across the state, pose a But that is no excuse for the willy business? We great threat, if not the greatest threat nilly way in which persons are allowed forget about that or to motorists? to construct them. Does the Planning what?

Many, if not all the billboards Authority take these applications * Is there a erected around Kingstown are erected seriously? government in heavily trafficked areas, or even if Some would say that I am making a allocation for all off the main streets, still impact the mountain out of a mole hill, but what these events listed flow in heavy trafficked areas. seems to be a tendency that will lead as activities to Sure, the billboards serve the to an over proliferation of excessively mark the month of advertisers well. And some even say bright public signage, can only be Independence? If with their bright lights that they serve detrimental to road users — especially there is, how much as a security measure. But the motorists. was allocated? lighting from them is near blinding — the bright lighting and large text are Angella Browne likely to distract motorists. Thank

These digital billboards

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10. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

View

Trust: The foundation of friendship

“I can trust my friends. These people force me to examine myself, encourage me to grow.” – Chérie Carter-Scott, Ph.D., MCC is a #1 New York Times Best Selling author and life coach.

FRIENDSHIPS ARE OFTEN CONSIDERED to be very fragile. They may take a relatively long time to grow and bear fruit. But they can be shattered so very easily … and for the smallest of infractions. An Internet search for quotations on “trust” will reveal that there are so many references to situations of “mistrust” and “betrayal”.

These quotations can be considered so negative that, if we are not careful, we can become very cynical and mistrusting.

Friendships demand that we prepare ourselves to be vulnerable.

The beauty of a friendship emerges when we are prepared to trust and respect each other. This is even though we know that we will expose ourselves to the possibility of some form of disappointment, hurt, and/or betrayal. Would we not consider the Captain foolish to remain in port because he is uncertain about what appears beyond the horizon? Ships were built to sail, not to be anchored in the safe shore. So too, we must be prepared to venture out in developing friendships, knowing that we can discover beautiful distant lands in the process.

Our true friends will look out for our best interests. They will encourage us to grow and bloom to be the best that we can be. They motivate us to seek to always better our best efforts. They are the ones who will see our potential and give us reason to press on, even when we feel faint, tired, or discouraged. They trust us. They trust our ability to do great things. They give us reason to hope. Their words of encouragement invite us to press on … regardless of the obstacles that loom within and beyond us.

As we go through life, we are likely to have many acquaintances but very few friends. Even before we enter adulthood, we are likely to discover that we have very few individuals that we could count on to stand by us regardless of life’s circumstances.

Many of this column’s readers, in reflecting on this statement, could readily identify with this truth.

Although considered few, we love and trust them for being there. They provide quality relationships that have a corresponding positive influence on our lives. We are all the richer because of these “earthly angels”. They stay with us through thick and thin. They do not seem to evaporate when life’s fires appear to burn us to cinders; when relationships go sour and the bills pile up; when illness invades our bodies or accidents make an unwelcome visit. This is when “false friends” and acquaintances become scarce, but true friends, faithful friends, trusting friends, hold firm.

It is important that we do not seek to discard friends simply because they may have hurt us. This is true even when the trauma and or disappointment was wilfully

orchestrated. Sherrilyn Kenyon (born 1965), a bestselling US writer, notes that “Everyone suffers at least one bad betrayal in their lifetime. It’s what unites us. The trick is not to let it destroy your trust in others when that happens. Don’t let them take that from you.” We have to learn to forgive friends who hurt us. Be assured that, with our imperfections, we have hurt friends too. We trust that they will also learn to forgive us for our transgressions and foibles.

With time and patience, those broken fences can be mended and trust can be rebuilt. It is often not easy - but it is possible. The relationship may never be the same, but it can be allowed to regrow … and bear precious fruits.

Friendships have value. We sometimes discard them too readily.

Sometimes we place friendships on the side-line as we pursue other goals and dreams. How unfortunate! How sad! Bertrand Russell (1872-1970), the British Philosopher, Mathematician, and Essayist, said it so well when he reminded us that “The most valuable things in life are not measured in monetary terms. The really important things are not houses and lands, stocks and bonds, automobiles and real state, but friendships, trust, confidence, empathy, mercy, love and faith.”

There are a host of situations that can arise to result in friends losing trust in each other. It too often happens that a friend can (unintentionally or wilfully) reveal details of information that was shared in confidence. This betrayal can create a serious rift in the relationship. Many of this column’s readers can identify with this scenario and can therefore understand and appreciate how former good friends can become arch enemies. However, life is too short for us to deprive ourselves of the golden opportunities that friendships afford, simply because we may have been betrayed or abandoned by a friend. Maybe, just maybe, we need to give the friendship another try … even though we know that the trust may take a relatively long time to rebuild. That is normal. However, we often need to be big enough to be small enough to forgive; to allow for the rebirth of trust.

Henry L. Stimson (1867-1950), the American statesman and lawyer, notes that, “The only way to make a man trustworthy is to trust him.”

However, trusting others demand that we automatically make ourselves vulnerable to be hurt or disappointed.

We cannot go through life playing it totally safe. We have to calculate the risk, the exposure, and learn to trust even as we seek to build strong, fruitful, long-lasting friendships.

Trust is the foundation of friendship.

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

One by one, Step by step THE LAUNCH of the Centre for Reparations Research at the Mona Campus, Jamaica on Tuesday October 10, marked a major milestone in the effort to secure reparations from the former colonial enslavers, for genocide committed against indigenous peoples, and descendants and survivors of the African holocaust due to the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade, Slavery and colonialism.

The Centre, which will be led by Dr Verene Shepherd, is responsible for all of the necessary research that will buttress the case for reparations which is being brought by the governments of Caricom.

The opening of the Centre which was followed by a symposium with the theme ‘Post Independence Cross-roads: Economic Growth, Sustainable societies and Reparatory Justice’ heard from many important speakers. Among them were Dr Hillary Beckles; Samia Nkrumah; the daughter of former independence leader of Ghana Kwame Nkrumak; Former Jamaican PM Portia Simpson; JLP parliamentarian Mike Henry, known in Jamaica as Mr Reparations for his long standing support for the issue; as well as Horace Campbell, author of the book Rasta and Resistance. PM Gonsalves addressed the audience via video. As chair of the local Reparations Committee, I attended the meeting and told the gathering that the struggle for reparations will not be a sprint suited for Usain Bolt, but a marathon.

The symposium came to a close with a press conference at which the following release was issued: ‘The evidence is now clear across the Caribbean that the colonial mess left behind by imperial Britain, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Portugal has overwhelmed the efforts of the national governments and private sectors to achieve sustainable social and economic development.

Five decades of concerted efforts at cleaning up this inherited mess, massive illiteracy, popular ill-health, horrendous community housing, grossly inadequate infrastructures for urban and rural living , general psychic brutalizations, and a persistent racialized culture- have left democratic governments tottering on the brink of fiscal disaster.

The refusal of Britain to facilitate modernization of its former colonies, which it bled with three hundred years of exploitative policies, in the form of adequate sustainable development support, is evidence of its persistent hostile racial attitudes to the impoverished people of the region.

Forced by France to pay reparations to its government and citizens, Haiti has endured increasing poverty, but stands as a beacon of pride in its independence won in battle against Europe’s military might.

Caribbean governments have spent beyond their financial capacity in order to invest in the democracy the people demanded and idealized with a view to cleaning up the colonial mess.

The effort of self development, without anything resembling the ‘Marshall Plan’ they demanded, is in crisis. Massive public investments in health, housing and education, in order to uproot the legacy of colonialism, have laid the foundation for general fiscal crisis.

Meanwhile, Europe that extracted Caribbean wealth with native genocide, African enslavement, deceptive indenture, colonialism , and racial apartheid, has turned its back on the side of its Crimes against Humanity.

Britain’s imperial policies have kept these societies dependent and backward: France sees no shame in its persistent punishments of Haiti, and Spain remains in denial of its role as initiator of these Crimes.

Caribbean democracy is now

stretched to the limit by rising poverty, escalating domestic and international debt that should have been given as grants to aid the quest to clean up the colonial mess.

As a result, the CARICOM Reparations Commission has determined the following: * That the Crimes against Humanity committed by Europeans colonial states, the genocide against 15 million indigenous people, the enslavement of 12 million Africans, and the deceptive indenture of 500,000 Asians, by Britain and France especially, must be officially recognized and the debt paid as reparations. * The Caribbean heads of Government be advised that the demands made upon Britain during the 1940s and 1950s for a ‘Marshall Plan’ to aid post colonial development be made again with a view to Britain taking responsibility for its share of cleaning up the colonial mess it created in the Caribbean. * That the 20 million pounds the British government paid in reparation to slave owners in 1934,the value in today’s money of 76 billion pounds, plus the 27 million pounds given as free labour in the Apprenticeship period, is justly owned as reparations to the descendants of the 640,000 enslaved persons in the Caribbean at Emancipation. * That a formal claim be made upon the British government for the payment of these sums. * That Caribbean international debt be capitalized as a development grant and offset against these sums as an investment in Caribbean democracy sustainability. * That France repay to Haiti the 150 million gold francs it extracted as reparations in exchange for recognizing its national independence the value in today’s money being US$21billion. * That these reparations money be paid to a Caribbean sustainability fund for the furtherance of social and economic democratic development during the first half of the 21 century. * The Commission further resolves that Caribbean governments be asked to remove from places of public celebration, monuments, statues and other effigies, to persons who committed or facilitated the above Crimes against Humanity in the Caribbean. And therefore, monuments to persons such as Christopher Columbus, Horatio Nelson and Francis Drake and all other military and civil supporters of slavery and the colonial project, should be removed. * Parliaments in the Caribbean should follow the example of Jamaica and St Vincent and the Grenadines, debated with the view to passing legislation that native genocide, slavery , and colonialism were and are crimes against humanity and a subject to reparatory justice. * And further, that this legacy of unrepaired colonization has rendered Caribbean communicates particularly vulnerable, through poverty, to the ravages of natural disasters as demonstrated by climate change research. * And finally, that on the anniversary of the recognition of October 12 annually, the day on which the Spanish invasion of the Caribbean

by Christopher Columbus be designated Caribbean Holocaust Day.

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

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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 11.

Independence Feature

INDEPENDENCE MESSAGE 2017

We are up to the nationbuilding challenge life. So, I ask now, what is the state of our nation on the 27th October 2017? What has been our experience over the first ELLOW VINCENTIANS, 17 years of this century, virtually all of which as we mark our 38th year of Independence, were spent under ULP governance? Do we see let us thank God for in our daily lives what bringing us safely to this point in our lives and pray our people had for his continued mercies envisioned 38 years ago? as we go forward.

In recent times, we In our tradition, we have endured economic regard the anniversary of hardship, social problems independence as an such as increasing occasion for celebration. violent crime, political We also see it as a time strife and moral decline. to take stock of where we Our people now live in are, and consider where constant fear of violent we are going. A time crime. Despite these when we look back with serious threats to the clarity and objectivity at existence of peaceful significant moments and society, no action is events in our national taken by those in power story– at the real to reassure the public. trajectories in our social, Official platitudes have economic and political

by DR. GODWIN FRIDAY LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADIENS

F

replaced substance. Our decaying physical infrastructure – roads, bridges, schools, public buildings, health facilities, police stations and coast guard facilities– are in plain view for all to judge. Our economy is underperforming. Illinformed and misguided policies have eroded our economic base and impeded our productive and competitive abilities.

Other effects of poor economic policies and management are also in plain view of Vincentians: high and ever-increasing taxes; the lowest wages in the OECS; massive unemployment; and unconscionably high government debt to the

domestic private sector.

The last of these ills has forced business closures and made local building contractors afraid to do business with the government.

Accountability for the use of public funds is woefully lacking, and moral responsibility to account is denied in the highest levels of our government.

A correction is clearly necessary. Just as our Caribbean neighbours in Dominica and elsewhere are gallantly rebuilding after natural disasters, we too must rebuild from our own man-made crisis. The job to rebuild falls to us, inheritors of this beautiful land that Almighty God made for us. We must not fail.

Appreciating that meaningful independence is not a status but a process, we must together use our intellect, experience, training and resources to make our country work for all of us. I believe with all my heart that we the people–from Fancy in the north to Ashton in the south, from Rose Bank on the leeward coast to Georgetown on the windward side and to Mustique beyond– are up to the challenge of nation-building. And by the grace of God, we will make the right choices going forward and get the job done. I have no doubt in my mind, or fear in my heart, that we can do what is required

to make our country recover and prosper.

Our country is beautiful and bountiful: God made it that way. It is for us to put those generous blessings to good use and make the country work for all of us. Then, we can proudly proclaim we are one people and one nation.

May God Bless us all.

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12. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Court

Women jailed for insurance money Diana Quammie, 37 of Belmont and Shaffique DESPITE PASSIONATE Martin, 32, of Fairbane mitigation pleas from two Pasture pleaded guilty to female lawyers, two former 15 counts of theft when female employees of Sun they appeared at the General Insurance were Serious Offences Court each sentenced to eight last week, but sentencing months in prison and was adjourned. ordered to pay Quammie was ordered compensation for stealing to repay $37,447, while monies from the company, Martin has to repay amounting to over $18,124.21.

EC$86,000 between Both are to make the February 2015 and payments by July 6, October 2016.

2018, with an alternative

by HAYDN HUGGINS

of 12 months in prison.

Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne handed down the penalties.

Attorney Samantha Robertson represented Quammie, while Martin was represented by Patricia Marks.

The facts presented by Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche, revealed that Quammie was employed with the company as an accountant, while Martin worked as a cashier, during the period the money was stolen.

Danielle Cyrus, who was the branch supervisor, was investigating queries from RBTT in relation to insurance payments for one of the bank’s clients.

During the investigations, Cyrus discovered a number of irregularities other than what was initially investigated. She summoned a meeting with Shamair Frederick who was employed as the under writer/relieve cashier, and Frederick admitted to Cyrus that Quammie, Martin and herself were stealing the company monies from February 2015 to October 2016. The company then called all three employees, and they confessed to stealing the monies and agreed to repay the sum.

Frederick, who was also charged in connection with the matter, made the repayment. The company did not proceed against her, and the prosecution withdrew the charge.

In mitigation, Quammie’s lawyer Samantha Robertson, said her client who

currently unemployed, pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity, had not wasted the Court’s time, and had no previous convictions.

Robertson revealed that her client was five months pregnant, over 35, and is prone to complications. She noted that Quammie had agreed to pay $10,000 forthwith and the balance overtime.

Robertson requested a suspended custodial sentence, and a period of six months to pay the money.

Martin’s lawyer Patricia Marks told the court that her client is a 28-year-old mother of an eight-month daughter, had no previous convictions, pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity, and up to Monday morning, expressed remorse for what she had done. Marks added that Martin cooperated fully with the police, and had thrown herself at the mercy of the Court.

Marks asked the Court to consider all the circumstances and exercise leniency.

In response, the Senior Prosecutor described the case as “very troubling”, stressing that the women were placed in a position of trust, and that position was breached.

The Chief Magistrate agreed that the case was very troubling, which showed a level of deception and deceit.

“It is indeed particularly troubling in these times, when persons save their money to pay their insurances, and some of them have mortgages to pay”, Browne contended.

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 13.

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14. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Independence Feature

INDEPENDENCE MESSAGE 2017

Heavy land loss by SVG to foreigners HE LEADER of SVG Green Party, Warrant Officer Ivan O’Neal BSc (Hons) MSc, MBA, is deeply concerned with the significant loss of land in SVG to foreigners. Many Vincentians have also voiced their concerns to Ivan O’Neal about the amount of land being sold to by foreigners.

There has been a huge land grab by foreigners in SVG. This must stop or else there will be hardly any land left for our children, grandchildren and future generations.

The following are examples of land grabs by foreigners in St Vincent and the Grenadines: 1.

Mustique — the authenticity of the original sale of the island is highly dubious and questionable.

Vincentians are denied access

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to some beaches and it is illegal for SVG local fishermen to fish in the sea around Mustique.

2.

A large part of Canouan — denying Vincentians access to large parts of the island and some beaches. More seriously, there is significant environmental damage done to the land space in Canouan.

3.

Petit St. Vincent - the authenticity of the original sale of the island is highly dubious and questionable. The ownership of Petit St. Vincent needs to be sorted out.

4.

Palm island - own by foreigners. Ownership needs to be sorted out.

5.

Hundreds of acres of land sold in South Leeward in the Buccament area to foreigners — taking away

precious agricultural lands, endangering the food security of our people and forcing Vincentians off their land.

6.

Hundreds of acres of land sold in Mount Wynne, Central Leeward to foreigners at a significantly knockeddown price of EC$4.5 per square foot. Vincentians were not offered the opportunity to buy these lands in Mount Wynne at EC$4.5 dollars. This was totally unacceptable.

7.

Hundreds of acres of land in Bequia have been sold to foreigners.

The most effective method of retaining our land for our children and grandchildren is to adopt legislation similar to many others countries, including Cuba and Singapore, and ban the sale of land to foreigners. Land should only

be able to be purchased by people who are Vincentians by birth or descent.

Recently, an Australian Prime Minister apologised in the Australian Parliament to the Aborigine people, for the gross injustice thrown at them for the loss of their indigenous lands, and for laws and policies that “inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss”.

Who will apologise to the children, grandchildren and future generations of Vincentians for the injustice of their country being sold off to foreigners, and them being pushed out of their own country? Future generations of Vincentians deserve the right to have a place to live in their own country.

Leader of SVG Green Party, Ivan O’Neal Current laws and policies in SVG are “inflicting profound grief, suffering and loss” on our young people.

We must stop the land grab by foreigners and recover the land in ‘alleged’ sales of lands to foreigners, in order to protect and preserve it for our children, grandchildren and future generations.

May God bless SVG. Ivan O’Neal BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA SVG Green Party

V No pay for Buccament Resort workers

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 15.

News

THE BUCCUMENT BAY Resort is set to open in 2018, but the workers who were unceremoniously sent on the breadline when the Resort closed officially on December 14, 2016, will not receive monies for outstanding wages.

The startling revelation was made by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves as he answered a question by THE VINCENTIAN newspaper, during a press conference at the Cabinet Room on Tuesday 17th.

Gonsalves, however, in trying to allay any new controversy, said that he “suspects” that most of the workers affected by the closure would be reemployed when the Resort reopens in 2018.

Some, he conjectured, may have already been employed already.

‘We had made the point that we can facilitate further training, retraining, and some of them have chosen to access programmes, but I don’t know immediately how many of them have been employed somewhere else,” Gonsalves explained.

And he made it clear that “..a new management is not going to take on the wages of the previous owner,… and (I) am not going to excite expectations which I know would be false, to say that the new management company that comes in is going to pay the back wages.”

The Buccament Bay Resort has been embroiled in one issue of contention after the other.

At the time of the

Resort’s closure, its parent company, Harlequin Property, had already gone into interim receivership, 2013.

At that juncture, managers of the Buccament Bay Resort went at lengths to explain that the St Vincent Resort was a separate entity and therefore, would be unaffected.

However, the St. Vincent Resort was soon caught up in what the international press said was another of David Ames’ web of “fraud and dishonesty”. David Ames, was the highly profiled principal of the Harlequin Property and played a direct, in country role in managing the resort.

As a period of uncertainty regarding the operations of the

Resort ensued, the picture beamed clearer when Harlequin Property St. Vincent Ltd., faced solvency proceeding under St Vincent and the Grenadines jurisdiction, in October, 2016.

Further, David Ames found himself slapped with tax evasion (allegedly to the tune of EC$26m) and theft, by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines authorities.

But before the Englishman could be made to answer the charges in a local court, he was allowed to leave the country, i.e. cleared by immigration officials here, and headed, reportedly, for the French Territory of Martinique from where he made his way to the UK. A period of unrest engulfed the Resort in

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and David Ames in ‘happier’ times. Government had given its fullest blessings and extended patronage to the Buccament Bay Resort.

November and well into December 2016, with workers demanding payment of outstanding wages. When it became clear that this was not forthcoming, some disgruntled workers resorted to acts of vandalism of the Resort’s property, and officers the Special Units of the SVG Police Force were called in to handle security.

A government

minister contacted Ames in England, but this proved meaningless, as neither the minister nor Ames could shed any light on how or if the workers were going to be paid.

Meanwhile, Ames lives to fight another day, seemingly ‘free’ of any further action on the part of Government and judicial authorities here.

(KH)

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16. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Independence Feature

INDEPENDENCE MESSAGE 2017 “Reflecting on the past while surmounting the future challenges” Y FELLOW Vincentians who are geographically located in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and in the diaspora, residents and visitors to the Gem of the Antilles, on behalf of the Gazetted Officers and other Ranks of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, I bring you warmest greetings on this our 38th Anniversary of Independence.

The age of thirty-eight (38) years is what is generally regarded in Vincentian context as approaching middle age. It is an age when the hybrid characteristics of youth and maturity are merged. At this age, we are expected to make use of past experiences, learn from others whilst having a positive attitude of foreseeing our way ahead.

The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force is making use of this glorious opportunity to momentarily look back while focusing onwards, and making an honest assessment of the current status.

There are numerous success stories of which the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force can boast.

We take pride in the dedication and

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witnesses to testify in various ways that will enable the Court to obtain the best evidence. Some of the ways in which this Act assists a witness to give his/her evidence, is by giving evidence from behind a screen. In this way, the witness does not have to face the accused person directly, therefore reducing the incidents of intimidation.

Another method by which a witness can give evidence under this Legislation, is by giving evidence via loyalty of most of the In retrospect, we have video link from an undisclosed Police Officers who have benefited from the location. In extreme cases, a witness gone and continue to go knowledge and skills of can give evidence via video link from above and beyond the persons who have been an undisclosed location and his call of duty; who, members of this Noble identity can be withheld. His voice without a frown, will Organisation. We have sacrifice their personal also been the beneficiary can also be modulated, his face hidden, and information peculiar to him time in service of the of numerous training citizens and country. I opportunities to enhance withheld. This piece of Legislation was utilized for the first time this wish to use this public our crime fighting and year. There is currently a person forum to thank those crime prevention Police OfficRes and their capabilities. before the High Court awaiting trial families for the Additionally, the Royal following the ruling of the Magistrate tremendous sacrifice St. Vincent and the that a prima facie case was made out. that they are making.

Grenadines Police Force The Royal St. Vincent and the Another success story has been the recipient of Grenadines Police Force continues to that must be highlighted several pieces of utilise the Interview of Suspects for is the achievement of equipment to aid in Serious Offences Act 2012, and the the Anti-Trafficking in realizing our Mission equipment to facilitate same. This has Persons Unit. As a Statement, which is: ‘To resulted in 100% successful admission result of their epic effort Mr. Colin O. John, ensure national security of confession obtained by the Police. It Commissioner of Police and hard work, St. by preventing and has also led to an increase in guilty (Ag.) Vincent and the detecting crimes, pleas.

Grenadines has been preserving the public Persons with criminal intent are removed from the Tier Two Watch List peace, and protecting the life and asked to amend their ways, to exercise and has been placed on the Tier Two, property of the people of St. Vincent which is the second-best placement. and the Grenadines, through effective (more) restraint, and to have more respect for human life and other The members of this Unit are very Law Enforcement’. people’s property. proactive, thus resulting in the halting As any other organization, the The Police and Coast Guard of several human trafficking poachers. Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines continue to guard our ports and waters Police Force has its challenges.

Among them are the several incidents to the best of our ability, in an effort to of murder, the offence of gun violence, prevent or reduce the importation of firearms and ammunition and other the use OF and trafficking in drugs, and the several cases of crime relating illegal items and persons.

At age thirty-eight (38), as a Nation, to sex, mostly unlawful sexual we are in a perfect position to build on intercourse with girls under the ages of thirteen (13) and fifteen (15) years. the solid foundation that was laid by We are, however, confronting these the excellent Officers who preceded us. challenges head on. Mechanisms have We can face the future with confidence, knowing that we have a been put in place to reduce cadre of well trained, educated, loyal significantly the occurrence of and committed Police Officers, and we murders. These include, but are not have a public who overwhelmingly limited to: increased, continuous and supports the Police; a public who targeted patrols and house searches; abhors evil and loves good. As we increased intelligence-gathering and glance back, we are extremely dissemination; increased education of the public on laws that are in place to confident that, notwithstanding the current challenges, our future would assist in ensuring that they can give be significantly better than our past. information and evidence while May God bless us all. Happy 38th remaining anonymous (The Witness Anniversary of Independence, St. Special Measures Act 2013).

Vincent and the Grenadines.

This piece of Legislation enables

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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 17.

Independence Message

MESSAGE FROM THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS – ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

Looking at the bigger picture ELEBRATION STANDS at the core of human existence as we look at the bigger picture in life. Every special event of commemoration provides an opportunity for honest reflection, objective evaluation and thoughtful analysis, as we consider the life that we have and the space we occupy on planet earth. Life in itself is a gift from God to be used holistically to bring honor, praise and glory to the Creator, and to be a blessing to humanity. Against this back drop, as we celebrate the nation’s thirtyeighth (38th) year of Independence, it is each one’s responsibility to draw back the curtains and personally inquire whether or not we have been fulfilling our purpose as God’s proud heritage and as responsible citizens.

This year, we have been challenged again by the scourge of crime and violence which have claimed the lives of several of our young, productive citizens. One life lost through tragic, violent circumstances, is serious cause for concern, much less to the spiraling number that we have recorded to date.

Many homes, families and communities have been plunged into sadness and mourning. A seemingly grip of fear is in the land and the negative publicity can be harmful to

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Pastor Dermoth Baptiste, President, SVG Mission of Seventh-day Adventists

our own investment climate. At this time of national reflection, it will do well for all sectors of society, Government and Civil to ask: “Couldn’t we have done something more to avert or prevent such human disasters?” “What have we left undone that may have given rise to this new normal?” This is a ‘dark spot’ on our Vincentian landscape for which we must accelerate the national conversation as we seek to stem this rising tide of evil and destruction.

To date we have been spared from the ravages and destruction caused by the more than active hurricane season. While we are in solidarity with our sister islands that have been severely impacted, we must pour out our hearts of gratitude and thanksgiving to God for His sparing mercies and loving graciousness to us.

Life for many of us could have taken several inescapable twists and turns, whether positively or negatively, but through it all, the Lord has been faithful. Though we are not ‘out of the woods’ as yet, we must hope and pray that we would be spared from such natural calamity.

As we celebrate the 38th anniversary of Independence, we must

look at the bigger picture and remind ourselves that hope for our great nation rests upon independent thinking and individual effort. The revival of discipline, integrity, work, determination, and healthy pride is not only a national matter, but a personal one. Inward change and Godliness are not legislated by Parliament; they are spawned in the heart and cultivated in the home before they are bred in the land. It therefore boils down to one person, you and me.

It is never enough to sit down and neglect to do anything, simply because you cannot do some great thing; we must do whatever our hands find to do, with thoroughness, energy and sincerity. We are not Biological accidents! We are here for a purpose.

God has given us His road-map for our life, for which He desires us to reach the highest standard of development.

Let us own His plan, follow it as revealed in the Bible, and better will be our days. On behalf of the SVG Mission of Seventh-day Adventists, I wish the Government and people of this blessed land a reflective and joyous anniversary celebration.

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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 19.

Charity

BBO gives to Layou Government School IN KEEPING with its commitment to assist with the ‘academic development of students in the community of Layou’, the Becket Benefit Organization (BBO) made a donation of a quantity of workbooks to the Layou Government School, on Monday 16 October, 2017.

The books, covering a wide range of subject areas catering to Grades 1 to 6, are intended for use by the teachers as class copies.

Mr. Purnell McDowall, Principal of the School, gladly Principal – Mr. Purnell McDowall (back left), members of received the the Becket Benefit Organization and students of the donation, and thanked the BBO Layou Government School at the handing- over ceremony. on behalf of the health and education of Layou, the staff and students.

Last year, the organization handed BBO has inaugurated an annual Christmas party for children of Layou over bursaries to 10 needy students. and surrounding communities, and as This year’s donation of books was at pioneered an annual post-Vincy Mas the request of the principal, who expressed concern that many students concert featuring Calypso/Soca icons of were not equipped with the necessary St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Funds to facilitate the work of the texts for class.

BBO are raised through various fundFunds to facilitate the work of the BBO are raised through various fund- raising events, the majority, to date, held in Layou. raising events, the majority, to date, In that regard, a ‘CREOLE FOOD held in Layou.

SALE’ is scheduled for Saturday 4th Formalised on January 10, 2015, November, in Layou. The sale begins the BBO was inspired by Layou’s at 11am, and all proceeds will be go to owned, internationally recording and the relief efforts on behalf of Dominica performing artiste Alston Becket and Antigua and Barbuda, which were Cyrus. severely affected by hurricanes Irma It is founded on a mission to ‘love, peace and unity within the community and Maria.

The BBO says it is more than of Layou,’ through, ‘…assisting, happy to divert from its expressed guiding and supporting the aim, and join the rest of St. Vincent community in health, education, and the Grenadines in coming to the sports and culture, social services, aid of its Caribbean neighbours, in disaster and the environment’. their time of need.

In addition to its donations to

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20. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Education

CWPP commissions Sick Bay and Counsellor’s Office Kiara Harrington (left), cutting the ribbon to officially open the Sick Bay, under the watchful eyes of Principal of the CW Prescod Primary School (centre) and Reverend Adolph Davis.

TWO ADDITIONS to the physical structure of the C W Prescod Primary School, a Sick Bay and a Counsellor’s Office, have been commissioned.

The enhanced facilities were funded by the Friends of the Methodist Church, while the Buildings, Roads and General Services Authority (BRAGSA) provided the labour.

An opening ceremony held last week Thursday, welcomed the new facilities, which are geared towards addressing real needs of the institution.

Principal of the school- Suzette King, outlined the factors which necessitated the fulfilling of the two amenities.

“When our students got sick, the only accommodation was a chair for them to sit on… Now we can boast of a room that can accommodate three students at once”, King reasoned.

And as for the previous physical conditions, King described them as having “limited ventilation and poor location.”

The Principal added: “We believe that it is our duty to assist students through regular and specialised programmes, such as those offered through our counselling programmes…. We believe that having a spacious and comfortable place where students can express how they feel in private, without being interrupted, and in a student friendly environment, can go a long way in alleviating some of the challenges and the societal problems we are faced with today.”

Speaking on behalf of the Friends of the Methodist Church, Gillian John said that the source of funds to effect the Sick Bay and Counsellor’s Office, was a series of fund-raising events which were commendably supported.

“Now there is very tangible proof that we do use some of our funds for such useful purposes which benefit not only the Methodist Church’s congregation but the community generally.” John noted.

Reverend Adolph Davis, Superintendent of the Kingstown-Chateaubelair Circuit of the Methodist Church, did the Consecration and Dedication, and Kiara Harrington, a Grade Six student, cut the ribbon to officially commission the facilities.

A section of the newly opened Sick Bay.

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V Teachers to get stipend 24. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Education

STUDENTS at the Division of Teacher Education at the St. Vincent Community College are in for some money beyond the period when they are doing practise teaching. The commitment came last week Thursday when Prime Minister Dr. Ralph

Gonsalves visited the compound.

His trip there was to discuss funding opportunities available for those wishing to study at universities.

The Prime Minister asserted that assistance will be provided during

those weeks of the practicum.

He admitted that the time had come “for us to give consideration to providing a stipend.” It will not be as high as that offered to nurses, the Prime Minister advised.

If teachers get results equal to those secured at the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination, they should be able to get scholarships to advance their education.

It is a competitive process for scholarships, and persons are encouraged to choose their sphere of study carefully.

Students are urged to select special areas so as to enhance the chance of gaining approval.

Students were exposed to the logistics of educational advancement from one who The audience included persons from all the Divisions of the SVG Community College.

admitted with some modesty, his eligibility to speak of the subject.

He boasted of having endured a long university stint, including being president of the Student Union at age 22, secretary of the West Indies Group of University Teachers, and Prime Minister for 16 years. He regarded himself as an authority in university matters.

Dr. Gonsalves justified his commitment to education, and assured: “That is why I am in politics... to make sure I give you the best opportunities.”

In a reference to suggestions that his visit to the Community College was to prop up his election campaign, Dr. Gonsalves hinted that elections were a “long way away in 2020.”

He urged students to check advertisements on the government’s

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves reiterated his and his government’s commitment to providing the best education opportunities for Vincentians. website, and listen to announcements on radio.

“Some people prefer to read commess and gossip and listen to music. You have to listen to serious things that concern your future,” the Prime Minister declared. (WKA)

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26. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

V INDEPENDENCE MESSAGE FROM Independence Feature

Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies - St. Vincent and the Grenadines District

„Nation builders‰ Bishop Sonny E. Williams - Presiding Bishop HIS MESSAGE seeks to address and challenge the Vincentian Church on the vital issue of nation building.

In the book of Genesis, we are introduced to how families became tribes, and how tribes became nations.

The account of the construction of the Tower of Babel shows how nations became separated by language differences, and consequently were dispersed over the earth. Viewed in this way, nations are simply families or tribes of people. Primarily, God views nations as peoples.

If we must, therefore, build nations, we must build people - families, villages, ethnic groups, towns, entire countries. This is the task Jesus gives to the church in Matthew 28:19: “Go out and train every one you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son and Holy Spirit “ (MSG).

This is Jesus’ plan - that his followers become nation builders.

How do we accomplish this? Where do we start? There has been a recent chorus of concerns in our own nation as to how we can turn our nation around. Loren Cunningham, founder of YWAM: Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ; and Francis Schaeffer, founder of L’Abri Fellowship, all provide for the Vincentian church, seven areas we must target. These are family, religion (church and mission), education, celebration (arts, entertainment, sports), public communication (media), economy (business, science and technology) and

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government. These are seven critically important areas of our Vincentian society that we, the church, should become involved in, in order to disciple our nation.

The eschatological position of many Christians, has paralysed any efforts toward nation building. The “endtime” view of many in the church has caused a focus on the present, and has discouraged future planning. The myth is, that if you plan for the future, you have no faith in Christ’s return. The misunderstanding of the second coming of Christ has resulted in many Christians withdrawing from politics, the arts, education and other influential areas. The Godly presence of the church is so needed in these critical areas.

Loren Cunningham challenges us “to recapture leadership in influential areas (of our Vincentian society) as Abraham Kuyper did in the Netherlands and William Carey did in India”. Our belief in the end times should not hinder us from doing everything to disciple St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Jesus commanded us to occupy until he comes (Lukel9:13).

When Jesus returns, he should find the Vincentian church busy building this nation and bringing every part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines into His Kingdom.

The Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies St. Vincent and the Grenadines District salutes our nation on its 38th National Independence, and rededicates our efforts to nation building.

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V Advancing the Medical Marijuana conversation 30. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Opinion

A response to AN EDITORIAL BRO. EDITOR, thank you for a biting editorial, that has made ripples through the Vincentian society.

Medical Marijuana is again placed on the front

Dr. Albert Lockhart pioneered research into the medicinal value of marijuana.

burner. Let me take this opportunity to commend you Bro. Editor for calling a spade – a spade! I am in total and fundamental agreement with your editorial of Friday 20th October, 2017, headlined: ‘Medical Marijuana? Make haste’.

Bro. Editor, indeed we are 43 years late in relation to the emerging legal and medical marijuana international market, which is estimated to value $55.8 billion US dollars by the year 2025.

Dr. Albert Lockhart’s scientific assessment of the value of medical marijuana and its economic importance in the world today, was correct then, and validated 43 years later,

by the same countries that have denied him his rightful registration and patent to market Canasol and Asmasol as legal, medical marijuana pharmaceuticals, and medicines, presently produced by the United States, Canada and Israel.

Dr. Lockhart, this brilliant, creative and innovative ophthalmologist, a son of the soil of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, is celebrated in Jamaica for his scientific discoveries and first class Medical Marijuana medicines.

Yet, his own country cannot see the wisdom in embracing him as our local expert in introducing Medical Marijuana to St.Vincent

and the Grenadines, as soon as physically possible.

Bro. Editor, what a wonderful opportunity missed by our political leaders to capitalise on the wealth of experience, scientific knowledge and economic possibilities that exist presently, in beginning the process to introduce Medical Marijuana in our smallisland state, reeling under economic strain and a host of social problems on the 38th anniversary of its Independence.

In my opinion, it is never too late to legalise, decriminalize or make small legal reforms to the marijuana laws which are definitely outmoded, colonial, and heavily stacked against the poorer classes of people of the state. The Prime Minister, for all his courage and bravery in speaking about Medical Marijuana locally and regionally, and support to efforts through the Caricom Commission on Medical Marijuana, has to take the first step in establishing a presence of St. Vincent and the Grenadines on the global market, as Jamaica has done outside of the Caricom Commission, which apparently would not be ready for another Caribbean Christmas.

All advocates of

Medical Marijuana in the Diaspora and in St. Vincent and Grenadines, need to agree on a consensus and take action now! The government has to regulate the medical marijuana market and establish a Cannabis Licensing Authority that will, in turn: regulate and implement a legal, practical programme for the cultivation and distribution of marijuana in St.Vincent and /Grenadines; and do due diligence and issue licences for the cultivation and export of Marijuana to Canada.

Bro. Editor, we do not have to re-invent the wheel, because of the example and guidance Jamaica and many US states have provided for our country, in this respect. These examples can guide us accordingly, in honouring our international obligations and treaties, while stimulating the economy and protecting the interests of the marginalised and vulnerable sectors in our economy, including the Rastafari brethren who have made supreme sacrifices to preserve and protect the ‘’holy herb ‘’.

Marijuana today is the ‘Green Gold’’ of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the major producer in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

The Medical Marijuana industry is one of the fastest growing commercial concerns in the world.

(OECS). The government has to take the bold step to become the first OECS country to decriminalize marijuana, and set the pace to transform the economic foundations of the society. It is long overdue, make haste.

Bro. Editor, as I write this response, at least two Canadian Medical Marijuana companies have expressed interest in investing in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Delegations from Toronto and the USA are expected to visit St. Vincent in November 2017 for discussions to explore the possibilities for establishing a legal and regulated Medical Marijuana Industry as a priority.

Vincentians need jobs and a steady income.

The government needs taxes and revenue to run the country. This is a win-win situation for everyone!

The time has come!

No more procrastination!

Medical Marijuana for Christmas 2017.

CONLEY‘Chivambo’ ROSE

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 31.

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32. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Idependence Messages

2017 Independence Message From The Christian Council of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

38 Years and the Vincentian Identity: A Conversation HIRTY-EIGHT years ago, we became an independent nation.

Congratulations SVG on the 38th anniversary of our independence.

“We praise God for what is past and trust him for what’s to come”.

The achievement of independence was a part of a larger narrative of struggle and rebellion in pursuit of selfdetermination and identity. The Caribbean people, with a history of slavery and colonialism, understood the language of struggle and rebellion, as these seem intimate to our continued effort at claiming a space for selfdiscovery and selfdetermination.

Independence was simply a part of that struggle which continued after 1979, and took different and varied forms.

Figuring out our own space in and contribution to the human family hasn’t been an easy task.

Various influences and impositions, along with our potpourri heritage, have always challenged our pursuit of a Vincentian identity. Who we are beyond the conversations like Black Fish, Jack Fish, La Soufriere, breadfruit, roast pork, black sand beaches, and such superficial characteristics, is still obscure for many Vincentians. Who we are beyond what others think, require and expect of us; beyond the sand, sea and sun, is still obscure to many. Who we are, apart from trying to be what others are and have what others have, is to many, elusive, since their only concept of being ‘Vincy’ is imported and often not indigenized. For a people whose emphasis on their physical home is unparalleled, it has become evident to some, that the deep yearning of the Vincentian to find

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our own safe space to exist and to become, is at the heart of our conversation identity.

For years, an integral part of our national identity and selfunderstanding included that single but significant banana tree, as it affected every aspect of our life. We, like many other Caribbean countries, inherited a monocrop type economy from colonialism (at one time and in some places this was sugar cane), and seemed never to have had the courage and a sufficient support system to risk going out of the circle of banana. As banana began to decline and, having become accustomed to the profitability and rhythm of banana, informal conversations heard arguments that “weed” was a justifiable alternative, particularly for those on the North Leeward end of the island. The fall of banana which seemed all too sudden (though it had been imminent for some time), appears to have adversely impacted our nation in many more ways than we have realized. It accentuated the anti-land, antifarming, anti-hard work sentiments that were already brewing (an unfortunate legacy of slavery). This was compounded by the appeal of American, a first world commercial model economy (as advertised on TV and with increased travel).

As such, over time, it became clear that our land strength and characteristic were diminishing even further.

We certainly were not a people celebrated for our prominent breadfruit tree (in fact there are other countries that seem to have done more with breadfruit in dishes and agro-processing);

neither were we as celebrated for our arrowroot. Our coconut industry, which had begun exploring soaps and other by-products, crashed with the cholesterol propaganda (it is now on the rebound). Now, we certainly are not a banana country nor, in many respects, a farming country. The search to locate farming and the land in the developmental narrative of St Vincent is challenging. We seem unprepared to maximize one of our greatest assets. So, who are we, and what are key characteristics of our identity, are questions which continue to linger and be shaped and reshaped.

For some time, we heard of our Caribbean counterpart, Jamaica, whose identity seemed for some, an unfortunate blend of reggae, Jerk and crime. None would have anticipated that our Hairouna would one day be at risk of having crime and violence as part of a conversation on our identity.

Comparative figures to other OECS and Caribbean states make our current crime trend a real possibility of being forged with our identity.

Undoubtedly, in this as with many other narratives on crime, education and economics are key factors but not the only determinants.

The demise of banana and the concomitant vilification of agriculture and toil, with an increased appetite for a world of NIKE, APPLE and SAMSUNG, have contributed to shaping a generation that believed in the easier alternatives of theft and drug trade, fuelled by an inherited culture where a significant portion of our men were the less literate, and seemed to

pay more attention to earning at the expense of education.

Where is God, faith, Christianity and church in this narrative? Was faith our guide or our tool? With God as an integral part of our national anthem, culture and heritage, where does God fit into the conversation on Vincentian identity?

While we can celebrate that we still have worship services as part of organisations’ week of activities, we still have a significant portion of our population as selfprofessed Christians, we have National Day of Prayer and independence church services with the Prime Minister participating. We still begin most public functions with a prayer, and whenever there is a national outcry, people still seemingly look to the church, some askance, and ask: What is the church doing? We do have a proud heritage of church schools and church influence, and this is something of which to be proud. Yet, with such a visible and palpable sense of godliness, we have become a nation with far too frequent stories of gun violence, child rape and molestation, incest, domestic violence, praedial larceny, breaking and entering, sex tapes and other expressions of ungodly and immoral behaviour.

This begs the questions: To what extent has our faith shaped our national self-understanding or continues to shape who we are and what we become?

This year, as we celebrate our 38th anniversary of independence, we are forced to confront the identity question afresh and the nature/authenticity of the relationship between

our faith and our identity, providing us with a fresh challenge to ensure our faith is not a tool but our guide. This can give new meaning to “whatever our future brings, our faith will see us through” — a faithinspired path. This is critical since it still is true that righteousness exalts a nation, while sin destroys it.

As we negotiate the current challenges, navigate a way forward and forge ahead with a restless and relentless struggle to formulate and articulate a Vincentian identity, the Christian Council is convinced that the shaping of what it means to be Vincentian and how we must function on this small space of 133 square miles, will benefit tremendously from a deliberate engagement and adaption of biblical principles. This will provide us with the space to interrogate modern philosophical and ideological trends and impositions, maintain a people-first not a moneyfirst value system, and give fresh expression to concepts like sustainable development, wealth generation and food security. The Christian Council, therefore, extols the following biblical virtues and principles: 1. As a man thinketh… so is he (Proverbs 23.7) — that schools, churches, community and political leaders and others who influence and shape selfunderstanding reaffirm Psalm 139.13-15 (intricately woven and deliberated made) and the concomitant principles.

I. That the uniqueness with which God made us demands a valuing, affirming and celebrating of self, over and against the common tendency to self-deprecation.

II. That this uniqueness fuels a continuous conversation which resists simply importing and borrowing from others and which embraces a deliberate search for our contribution to human society that addresses germane questions like, how we can evidence best practices and success stories that others can learn from.

III. That our small

size and topography no longer be seen as a ‘curse’, but in view of Matt 25.15 (God gave according to ability) as an opportunity for us to increase, develop, multiply and grow.

2. That consistent with this Matt 25 principle and Mark 8.36 (there is no meaningful profit/benefit in material pursuit at the expense of soul-worth), our developmental pursuit be guided by a deliberate engagement of the God, faith, morality, righteousness factor, avoiding the post-modern temptation of moneydriven development over and against peopledriven development models.

I. That political and religious institutions lead the way in deliberately building relationship bridges, pursuing reconciliation, and creating an environment of camaraderie, healthy disagreement, corporation and collective reasoning.

II. That we find space for a renewed commitment to “seek first the Kingdom” (Matt 6.33) mantra which is coupled with “they that wait” (Isaiah 40.31, nurturing a counter cultural patience that enables reflection and ruminations, responsible decision making, and guards keenly against haste makes waste.

3. In keeping with Proverbs 14.34 (righteousness exalts), through public education drives and a call to stewardship, we create an environment of transparency and accountability where functionaries in all sectors are encouraged and systemically called to account and to function with integrity and serve with dignity and honour.

I. This calls forth a consciousness among our people to think generationally, mindful that sins can visit even to the third and fourth generation. It is legacy thinking.

May peace reign from ‘shore to shore and God bless and keep us true!’

Happy Anniversary, St Vincent and the Grenadines!

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Crime

Foreigners committing crime here:

Trinidadian deported

Dwayne Brian Herbert died in a shootout with the police in May 2009.

He was wanted in Barbados in relation to a shooting death.

LAW ENFORCEMENT agencies here are aware that persons come to St.

Vincent and the Grenadines to commit crimes.

Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr. Ralph Gonsalves all but admitted this, when he told a press conference of October 17 that, “The intelligence is that persons do come from outside of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to carryout criminal activities.”

He cited the case of a Barbadian, Dwayne Herbert, who was shot by police in May 2009, in Vermont, as an example.

‘They are coming for criminal activities; in this case (Herbert), he was dealing with marijuana,” said the Prime Minister.

He then turned to disclosing a more recent case involving a national

of Trinidad and Tobago.

Two weeks ago, a Trinidadian, who arrived through the Argyle International Airport, was deported. He was suspected to have come to the country for criminal purposes.

According to Dr. Gonsalves, who is also Minister of Security, “the Trinidadian man came here to do a job which was connected to criminal purposes, but because the police were making all their rounds and were tracking the man, intelligence led them to him.”

The police conducted a search at the place where he was staying, and even though they found nothing material, he was deported after checks with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service turned up information

that there were three warrants out for the man’s arrest in that country.

“They send him back into the arms of the Trinidad constabulary,” Dr. Gonsalves quipped.

The PM conceded that the Trinidadian man should have been picked up under the ‘Advance Passenger Information System’, and should not

have been allowed in; but, he explained, “Sometimes, some guys are below the radar and do not get into the ‘Advance Passenger Information System’.”

The Prime Minister continued on the matter by saying that he found it very interesting that not too long after the man was deported, there were some shooting

incidents here.

He declared that he had more information, however, he just wanted to convey enough information to “responsible people,” so that they could appreciate that the police and security forces here “are alive to the issues, and are hard at work at it.” (KH)

Greed among major reasons for crimes, says PM GREED, said Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, was among the major reasons for some of the violence taking place here, and he lay blame squarely on the persons pulling the trigger for their actions.

The assessment was made by Dr. Gonsalves, who is also the Minister of National Security, at a media conference he hosted Tuesday 17th October, during which he addressed the issue of the recent spate of gun-related crime here.

“A person who pulls the trigger and that person has a particular history… I want you to tell me how is it that if a fella owes somebody

Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has refuted the claim that poverty has given rise to the spate of gunrelated violence here.

and kill and get more.”

That said, Dr. Gonsalves appealed, “Let us stop this some money, rather than paying the money, foolishness of absolving he go and hire somebody individuals who pull the to kill people. How is it trigger; let’s stop it.

Once upon a time, you in Heaven’s name that pull the trigger, the that is related to his poverty?” Dr. Gonsalves community turns on you. Nowadays, they asked. look at every other fault, He continued, “…. A and you get lamentation number of them are and negativism more decided on the basis of than the things that are just greed; there are positive in the country. other things in the mix “The guy who pulls too: that there is an the trigger, he doesn’t easier way for them to make a living. Yo don’t define our civilization; the policemen who have a skill, but you don’t want $50 a day. Yo defend us help to define our civilization,” the PM think yo could go rob concluded. (KH)

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Independence Message

An Independence Message From Dr. Reynold Murray, Environmental Consultant

S WE CELEBRATE 38 years of independence, I searched for a phrase or sentence to express how I feel about St. Vincent and the Grenadines - people and country. I finally settled on a simple but profound statement borrowed from Becket, a national artiste: “St. Vincent my homeland, I love you a million”. I witnessed all of the inaugural independence public events, and remained involved in SVG over the 38 years of its existence as an independent nation. I served this country in numerous capacities over those 38 years. I have worked across the Eastern Caribbean and had glimpses of the rest of the world over those 38 years.

Truth be told, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has done well; we held our own in the face of global recession, repressive and oppressive trade regimes and increased restrictions on the movement of our people.

As a nation, we fumbled the ball on many occasions and in many areas, but recovered well enough to rank No. 99 out of 210 countries as scored by the 2016 United Nations Human Development report. It is important to note that the UN report used indicators such as health, education, employment and national income to rank the countries. We are not in the top 10, but we are not in the lower 50%, so

A

that, while we may not be ecstatic about our position, there is enough of a base to build on, enough to give us hope for the future, ... ‘what e’er the future brings’.

Developing countries like SVG talk about the three pillars of sustainable development - Environmental, Economic and Social. In a cursory glance over the past 38 years, I will use these three pillars for reference.

Environmental: St. Vincent ratified several international environmental agreements and developed legislations to give effect to some of these but in reality, we fail to practise environmental stewardship. We still struggle with solid waste; bottles, cans and food containers are still flying from moving mini vans. Deforestation and the resulting consequences — floods and landslides- are common occurrences. We have massive infrastructure developments on our slopes with inadequate drainage or no drainage at all. The buildup of derelict vehicles on the side of our very narrow roads is an ever-present danger that no one seems willing or ready to address. The Prime Minister called climate change ‘’the premier existential problem’’, but we do not have an approved climate change strategy. The drive to replace fossil fuel with

solar, hydro and geothermal is commendable; again, a base upon which to build.

Economic: In the area of the economy, government is still able to pay public servant and generally keep the ship of state afloat, but where is the source of the revenue? What is the basis of our economy?

Despite the many qualified persons and fleet of vehicles in the Ministry of Agriculture, there is still no central agriculture focus nor any structure around which farmers can rally. We are converting our prime agricultural lands into housing and encroaching on the forest. Please, leave the forest alone; the forest represents the last remains of crown lands that provide tremendous benefits by way of water, clean air and a sink for carbon dioxide sequestration.

My grandmother warned me about ‘giving away my belly and stuffing it with banana bush’.

Social: While we have made significant strides in housing development, the family as a cohesive entity and nursery for our young people is failing miserably. Family values have been thrown in the trash, aided and abetted by schools that lack leadership and authority; television and other forms of electronic media that pump nonstop violence, sex (including homosexuality) drugs and gun violence. Homes are becoming cesspools of

incest and licentiousness.

Public transport is a bleeding ulcer controlled by lawless elements that turn the bus stops and the streets into places of profanity and perversion.

In the midst of this confusion, we put confused children, and send them to school to meet teachers lacking moral fortitude to help them.

Crime and violence have taken over towns and villages; policemen are being shot in the middle of the town in broad daylight by criminal elements who do not even see the need for disguise. Young people are shot in the midst of others in village setting and there is no outcry. Let me hasten to add that this is not a reflection of all of St. Vincent rather it is the work of a small percentage of criminal elements, but they are

sheltered and protected by a larger group and then paralyze yet another group with fear.

In this way, the entire country is affected. We therefore need a collective response to the crime situation in our country; everyone has a role to play.

In the midst of this moral declension, there is a proliferation of churches. This group is the silent majority with the power of God behind them. Why so silent if God is with us? We draw our silence from our nomenclature, geography and our individual dogma and pet heresy.

The bible teaches that when the people were in one accord on the day of Pentecost, the power of God came, and those people who experienced the power transformed their communities. Can this be repeated? Let us

put God to the test; but first we must find common ground; the current situation has given us a cause, now let us put away our tags for the benefit of our country and our people.

Anniversaries are times of celebration; unfortunately, I do not think that we are at a place or a point in time to celebrate. We have too much to do. Let us lay aside the weights and the sins that are besetting us, and get back to building, put aside our political, religious and class differences, and let us make Jesus’ prayer a realty. “That they all may be one ; as thou Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us”. John 17:21.

I pray that we all have a peaceful and crime free Independence.

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Views

Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill (Shakespeare) The Case for Removing Gonsalves constituency, he was sure to have his outriders with the occasional blast of Our dear Prime Minister presents the siren to suit. Then there were the himself to the audiences overseas as frequent weekend trips to Canouan one who is interested in reducing the Beach Resort, splashing in the pool immense powers of the Prime and sipping fruit punch, we are Minister. We on the ground know informed. Our beloved country boy better. We see, rather, an individual has attained the seat of political power who is obsessed with power. His hope that he had for long been dreaming is never to go back to the opposition about. In doing so, he has made benches, a worthwhile goal, perhaps. himself into the original I-man.

So for him, it becomes constant That was as far as the fun part campaigning, the result of which is went. Then we all began to suffer. that the development of the country Poor persons, fathers and mothers suffers at the hands of political being pushed out of work, often based expediency. on the perception that they were Everything our PM does is in an sympathizers of the NDP. Room had to effort to score political points. Initially, be made for some of his cronies and the office of the Prime Minister was supporters. His was not about creating like a game for him. Remember his jobs, but about musical chairs. His first day in the office when he brought voice, picture, comments were in the television cameras, swivelled in everywhere, every time. On one his chair, then called his mother and occasion, in one of the issues of the informed her that it was the first call “Searchlight”, there were about 30 he was making from his Prime photographs of him. This might, Ministerial desk. It appears however perhaps, have been a paid that he had already called his wife. advertisement aimed at showing the No one will forget the sight of the nation how he hobnobbed with the Prime Minister with two outriders and bold and the beautiful. But the nation sirens blaring as he moved through has been turned-off by this naked over town. By the way, we don’t know how exposure. Some of his erstwhile many people know or remember the supporters are only now seeing the comical case of the Deputy. On his other side of the man they once first day, acting for his boss, he was literally worshiped. driven to Layou with two outriders His other ministers have paled into clearing the way. Wanting to make insignificance. It was as though they sure that his constituents would be had no voice or at least had lost it. impressed as they see the hometown Remember our Comrade Elwardo boy drive to Barouallie, we are told.

Lynch sending out a call for Sayers He went around the park waving like who he said was missing in action. some character out of a comic book, Parliament became another playand then it was back to Layou. In thing for our dear Prime Minister. He those days, even when PM Gonsalves resurrected the idea of ministerial was making a routine trip to his statements so that he could speak incessantly and listen to his own voice, because he seemed to be very much in love with it.

The foregoing demonstrates that there were always people who warned about the spots of the leopard but, always Ralph was able to come up with plasters for the sore. Frankly, our people were either too lazy to think for themselves, given to bribes, or supremely selfish and individualistic.

Now, things have come to the crunch, the game is drawing to a close, the carnival is over.

For SVG’s sake, I hope that there is no bloodbath to stain the impending debacle, bearing in mind the saying- there can be no remission of sin without the shedding of blood of which our history had been generously pockmarked. “Who Car’ Hear Go Feel.”

Continued from Page 8.

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to the Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines on their

38

INDEPENDENCE

1979-2017

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Finance

FINANCIAL INFORMATION MONTH – OCTOBER 2017

Retirement planning -

a necessity now more than ever ONCE AGAIN, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) is celebrating the month of October as Financial Literacy Month, this year under the theme, “Retirement planning making your Golden Years Golden”. It will be remiss of me not to take this opportunity to commend the ECCB on their leadership role in educating our people on financial literacy.

In the past, only persons in their late 40s or 50s were interested in retirement planning. However, with persons living longer, and the risk of outliving their retirement savings being a real threat, retirement planning has come to the forefront.

With increasing health care cost, taxes, inflation and the volatility in financial markets, retirement has even become more challenging.

CNN Money News recently reported that one out of three workers in the US does not have money set aside for the future, which includes 30% of persons 55 years and over. These statistics, I believe, could be worse for countries in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU, based on the high levels of unemployment.

The challenges for retirees are real and can cause anxiety and feelings of unpreparedness for retirement. The biggest dilemma for a number of persons approaching retirement is their inability to balance the life they want to live today, with the life they want to live during retirement.

And the truth is, many persons still fail to start planning early for retirement because of several misconceptions. Firstly, most persons believe that their social security/pension (or in some cases both) will be sufficient to cover all their bills when they retire. Persons may not realize that these may only contribute 40% to 80% of their last salary.

Also, some persons are not willing to make lifestyle changes to facilitate savings for their golden years, which could result in them being saddled with huge debts at the start of retirement.

There is also the disregard of preparing for higher healthcare cost as they approach their senior age. With no long-term health care plan in place, health care cost could eat up a significant portion of retirement savings.

As you grapple with this dilemma, even as we look towards a comfortable standard of living during your retirement, my recommendations to you are as follows: 1) Start by placing retirement planning on your front burner and seek advice from a competent professional, who understands your needs. Don’t assume you can do it alone. 2) Open a new savings account now and start saving a little monthly; it will add up. 3) Avoid keeping all of your eggs in one basket; consider different interestbearing instruments and invest in equity based on your risk appetite and income bracket. 4) Finally, make plans to deal with long-term healthcare risks since these risks have the potential to eat up all of your retirement savings.

Retirement should be a time to either explore new possibilities, or a time to slowdown while enjoying the life you have spent years building.

Rest assured, if this is the case, failure to make the sacrifices now and to put plans in place to cater to your Golden Years, could see you working years after retirement age to make ends meet. This could result in a poor standard of living during what should be considered your Golden Years.

Cerlian Russell Senior Manager Business and Operations Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

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Diaspora

UN envoy remembers many ‘recent blessings,’ gives thanks Organizations, U.S.A., Inc., (COSAGO) — King said that, in a few days, kingnaking210@yahoo.com Oct. 27, the nation will US CORRESPONDENT actually celebrate its 38th independence AS VINCENTIANS in the anniversary.

Diaspora begin celebrating She said, while “it is their 38th year of political often man’s practice to independence from Great focus on what is wrong, Britain, St. Vincent and the to lament what he lacks, Grenadines Ambassador to to brood over the the United Nations, I. distance he has yet to go, Rhonda King, remembers the Holy Scriptures, “just a few” of the however, tell us in country’s “recent everything give thanks; blessings,” urging her for this is God’s will for compatriots to join her in you in Christ Jesus.” giving thanks in the process.

The Airport In addressing an The envoy listed the Ecumenical Service of opening of the country’s Thanksgiving on Sunday first international — at The Church of St. airport, the Argyle Mark’s Episcopal in the International Airport Crown Heights section of (AIA), on Feb.14, atop Brooklyn, New York, “just a few” of the multiorganized by the island state’s “recent umbrella Vincentian blessings.” group in the United She described AIA as States, Council of St. “a beautiful state of the Vincent and the art facility, arguably, Grenadines now the most beautiful Story and photo by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net;

in the Caribbean.

“I went home for the summer this year. I left JFK (John F. Kennedy International in New York) at 7:30 a.m., and I was in St. Vincent and the Grenadines before 3:00 p.m. on that the same day,” King said.

“Let us give thanks for AIA, for the vision and tenacity of our Prime Minister, Dr. the Hon. Ralph Gonsalves and his government. Let us give thanks for the rapidly increasing speed of accessibility to our shores; let us give thanks for the new possibilities this accessibility will bring,” she added.

“Infrastructure and accessibility are critical components in our quest for more sustainable development. They are not optional; indeed, they are imperatives.”

King also asked that thanks be given the Zero Hunger Trust Fund, “established by our government with full bipartisan support some time ago, but it continues to be lauded by the international community — in particular by the FAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization) as visionary and a superb example of public-private partnership worth of emulation.”

She said this is just one example of the Gonsalves government’s efforts to eradicate hunger and fight poverty in the country, urging that thanks be given for the projects already underway, through this initiative, in the schools and communities in rural mainland St. Vincent, for instance in North E R A D I C A T I N G Windward, “ensuring that children don’t go to HUNGER school hungry, and parents can develop skills to assist them to better care for their families.”

In addition, the ambassador urged that thanks be given to, among other things, the “Education Revolution” in the country and “the excellent Common Entrance, CXC and CAPE examination results this year.”

Work at the UN She told worshippers that, earlier this year, a resolution, titled “World Creativity and Innovation Day,” was successfully tabled by the Permanent Mission of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the United Nations and adopted by the UN General Assembly.

King said the resolution calls for the international recognition of April 21 as the day to highlight the role of creativity and innovation in problem solving and, by extension, the implementation of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals “and, ultimately, achieving the future we want.”

“Let us give thanks that this resolution received widespread support from Member States of the United Nations, with more than

88 countries joining St. Vincent and the Grenadines as cosponsors of the resolution,” she said.

“Let us give thanks, as our foreign policy endeavors, to underscore and draw attention and support for the importance of nurturing creativity and innovation St. Vincent and the in our quest to build Grenadines UN resilient infrastructure, Ambassador I. Rhonda and promote inclusive King and sustainable industry in the creation of decent Assembly Tuesday work.” morning.

Addressing SIDS Needs King said the nation must be praised for its ability to open its doors to hundreds of displaced students from hurricaneravaged Dominica.

“Let us give thanks that we are able to assist our sister island in their time of need,” she said.

“Let us remember that their plight could so easily have been ours.”

King said while Hurricanes Irma, Harvey, Jose and Maria may be over, the devastating impact of their path continues.

She disclosed that St. Vincent and the Grenadines, in its capacity as a vice president and member of the Bureau of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC), is assisting in organizing a special meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 24.

King said the goal is to bring this issue to the attention of the Council and to the wider UN Membership “to enhance coordination in response, recovery, rehabilitation, reconstruction and development efforts.

“We will re-examine the financial architecture of the Bretton Woods Institutions, which does not fully appreciate the real vulnerability of the Small Island Developing States and which we must navigate to seek assistance in the aftermath of these devastating natural disasters,” she said, revealing that Vincentian-born Dr. Douglas Slater will represent the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat in delivering a special address to the

Independence celebrations Vincentians in the United States actually began celebrating their 38th anniversary of independence Saturday night, when the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Association of Massachusetts, Inc., held its Independence Dinner/Dance at the Irish Social Club in Boston. On Sunday, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Nationals Association of Washington, D.C., Inc. (SVGNADC) held its Annual Independence Church Service at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. COSAGO’s Independence Cultural/Social Evening takes place on Friday, Oct. 27, Independence Day, at the Friends of Crown Heights Educational Center in Brooklyn.

SVGNADC Annual Independence Dinner and Dance takes place the next day at Martin’s Crosswinds, Greenbelt, Maryland.

Independence celebrations continue in the US with COSAGO’s Independence Luncheon, next Sun., Oct. 29, at Grand Prospect Hall in Brooklyn. During that event, community worker Ancilla Friday, and sports writer and soccer coach Patrick Horne will be honored.

Independence activities culminate on Saturday, Nov. 4, with St. Vincent and the Grenadines Organization of Pennsylvania’s (SVGOP) Annual Independence Dinner and Dance at Penn’s Landing Caterers in Philadelphia.

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Independence Message

AN INDEPENDENCE MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN T HE NATIONAL COUNCIL of Women (NCW) congratulates the Government and the people, and by extension, the Women and girls of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, on our 38th Anniversary of Independence. ‘Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His inheritance,’ Psalms 33:12.

John Adams said this about the meaning of Independence Day: “It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more”.

As we reflect on our journey from 1979 to 2017, we must thank the Almighty God for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, “Hairouna, Home of the Blessed”.

Many have made their contributions to the enrichment of our lives and livelihood. To those who would have matured in their secular positions and have passed on the baton so that others can lead, and those who have contributed and have exited this life. In whatever way, theirs was a positive contribution, and we say, Thank you!.

We celebrate and commend our people upon their achievements and aspirations, and encourage you to continue on your path in seeking hope, inspiration and a brighter future.

Each and every one of us has something significant to celebrate.

We may not be likeminded, but we must be high-minded.

This year, once again, we have been plagued with the horror stories of crime and violence: young people killing one another, gang violence,

domestic violence, rape, incest, cheating, stealing (Praedial larceny), blackmail, slander. We are bent on cutting down to size with humiliating and degrading words or some sort of “amusing” light violence. We fantasize the perfect smack down of some while elevating ourselves. But it does not end there; in real life it rarely does; the Cycle of Violence continues.

Conflict and disharmony escalate very fast. If you use violence against someone, the intensity of your energy will invite an intense reaction. Avoid engaging in violence, even those snide remarks or whatever body language or gesture. Avoid situations that would force you to use violence.

Surround yourself with supportive people, filter your environment; there are negative people, avoid them. If someone

attacks you, you can use the law to restrain or punish them.

Loyalty cannot be won through the barrel of the gun, but through persuasion of the heart.

Put the guns down! Too much gun violence - no longer can we recognize the right or wrong place at the right or wrong time.

STOP the raping and hurting of our boys and girls. STOP the Killing of our women and men.

We condemn all aspects of violence, and believe that the perpetrators must be brought to justice.

This 38th Year of Independence is a milestone and should be a memorable one. Let us celebrate our creativity and innovations as we embrace positive values for the strengthening of ourselves, our families, our church, our communities and our nation. As we chart our

way to destiny, let us embrace every opportunity towards peace, progress and prosperity. We have a country to build. Let us urgently join together against the crime and violence which have invaded our land, and STOP the downward trend of our youth to gangs, drugs and guns. Let us be honest and trustworthy, and make safer and secured homes, streets and communities. Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.

We continue to look towards the removal of all aspects of discrimination against women and girls, thus allowing them to play a full part in national development and the advancement of women in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

May our Eternal Father grant us the wisdom, courage,

patience and grace to join hands and hearts all across our country.

“What ere the future brings, our faith will see us through, may peace reign from shore to shore, and God Bless and keep us true.”

The National Council of Women wishes all Vincentians at home and in the Diaspora a happy 38th anniversary of independence.

Beverly Richards President

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50. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

North Windward

Fancy School Bus runs off the road

A school bus, assigned to transporting persons from the North Windward communities, crashed last Wednesday.

The government owned bus, G916, had begun its journey at Fancy and, according to a report given to the police by the driver, Denniston Lavia, 46, of Sandy Bay, the bus experienced problems with its brakes as it got into Sandy Bay, around 7:10am.

Lavia reported that after the “brakes fall in” when the bus got to Sion Hill, Sandy Bay, he applied the emergency (hand) brake in an attempt “to slow down” the bus, but this proved futile.

The bus hit a retaining wall along the roadway, The Fancy School Bus, not one of the 10 careened over the wall and buses recently leased by private individuals, came to a stop only when it came to a stop when it hit a tree. hit a Five Finger tree, the police said. following repairs occasioned by an At the time of the accident, seven accident in Orange Hill in June. students, one teacher and an The bus was a replacement for the undisclosed number of residents from privately-owned school bus that the North Windward area, were in the crashed at Rock Gutter on the 12th bus.

January, 2015, killing seven students.

A police source told THE At least one student who survived VINCENTIAN that it was because of the 2015 accident was involved in the the driver’s skill and alertness that accident on Wednesday. there were no casualties. “I think the Last month, one of the 10 driver must be commended because he government-owned school buses that prevented a major accident,” the was leased out to private operators, officer said. crashed in Georgetown. Only the The accident took place only days driver, Simon Glynn, was in the bus at after the bus was re-commissioned, the time. He escaped uninjured. (KH)

$1.00 challenge causes Owia man’s death AN OWIA MAN who jumped into the usually challenging waters off the Owia Fishing Complex for a $1 reward, met is death from drowning.

Denzil Lorraine. 49 years old, was said to have ‘mental issues’ and was a known drug user.

According to a reliable source, on Saturday 21st October, Lorraine asked a man for $1.00, and the man requested that he jump into the sea water before he grant his request.

Denzil, from all reports, accepted the challenge, jumped into the water, only to encounter problems.

Efforts to save him proved futile.

Police confirmed that Lorraine drowned between 5:30 and 6:00pm.

One villager described Denzil as always very

willing and helpful to the community.

“He would do work for you and only ask for $1 payment. He even sings and dance for us for a dollar,” the villager recalled.

The villager said that he usually sold coconuts and breadfruit for a living, was always respectful of other people’s “property,” and would never venture into anyone’s yard to pick fruits before asking permission.

“Denzil was a drug addict so he would be around anyone only to ask for a dollar,” the villager said, reiterating that he was well-known in the community for approaching various homes with his bowl in hand, and ask.

The villager quipped that if he met you on ten occasions in a day, he would ask for $1.00 on

Denzil Lorraine accepted a challenge but never collected his reward. each occasion.

Denzil, from all reports, found shelter in a house which was built for him by his brother. “ (I) Am just so sorry for him,” said the villager.

Police said that they are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

(KH)

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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 51.

Opinion

How has the ULP developed the Coast Guard?

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES is an archipelagic state with 32 islands of which only 9 are inhabited, and comprises 84 miles of rugged volcanic shorelines with large portions being inaccessible by land. It has a maritime jurisdictional area of about 10, 600 sq nm, compared to its land area of only 389 sq km. Maritime activities feature prominently in virtually every aspect of its affairs. Given the above, one can easily conclude that the maritime domain provides significant opportunity and challenges to the island nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and a well-organized Coast Guard Service will be an imperative.

On page 8 of the ULP 2015 Manifesto under the rubric “We kept our

promises, we delivered!”, the ULP listed what they described as their major accomplishments between 2001 to 2015, and among them the “upgrading of the Coast Guard” was identified as one of their crowning achievements. They further declared on pg58 that “It is widelyacknowledged, inside and outside the Police Force, at home and abroad, that no government in the history of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has spent the extent of resources and effort, as the ULP administration has done, in building the Police Force (inclusive of the Coast Guard, and Fire Services) into a highly professional unit.”

What exactly did the ULP do to upgrade the Coast Guard and make it “into a highly

The “George Mc Intosh” was commissioned under the St. Vincent Labour Party .

Left: The “Captain Mulzac” was added to the Coast Guard fleet under the Sir James Mitchellled New Democratic Party.

provided the SVG Coast Guard with an immense flexibility for drug interdiction strategies.

The ULP came into government in 2001 professional unit”?

Milton Cato-led In 1979, St. Vincent government received a 75 and subsequently purchased a 45 ft vessel and the Grenadines was ft patrol vessel, the granted political “George McIntosh”, from named the “HK Tannis”, which was commissioned independence from the British government Britain. With this as an Independence gift. on 13 August 2005. The “HK Tannis” could, in no change in status came This vessel was way, be considered an the responsibility for commissioned on 21 offshore patrol vessel, as external affairs and November 1981. When its capabilities were defense. Given the the New Democratic severely restricted in political instability of Party gained office in comparison to the that period and the 1984, the “Captain “George Mc Intosh” and resultant geographical Mulzac”, a 120 ft patrol polarization of the cold vessel, was added to the the “Captain Mulzac”. It had no generator, and as war, the formation of the fleet on the 13 June such could not offer that Coast Guard Service on 2 1987. These two vessels offshore capability as December 1980, was provided the Coast was provided by “Mc considered an inevitable Guard with the Intosh” and “Mulzac”. and necessary capability to conduct The “George requirement of the new maritime Search and McIntosh” was independent state.

Rescue, Exclusive decommissioned in 2009 After the formation of Economic Zone and and the “Captain the Coast Guard, the Fisheries patrols and Mulzac” followed in 2011, after providing stalwart and yeoman service for over twenty years.

Unlike these two vessels, the “H.K. Tannis” served for five years until it was damaged in a storm in 2010, and had to be taken out of commission.

Undoubtedly, personnel were added to the Coast Guard over the years, gifts of fast interceptors were received from the United States, and a base was constructed in the Grenadines, the latter to what avail if they cannot properly patrol our

maritime domain. More than that, the skills and knowledge required to operate an offshore platform are very different from what are required on a fast interceptor. As such, therefore, it is my contention that the brave men and women of the Coast Guard will be suffering from ‘skill fade’ and would have lost most of their skills, necessitating their being retrained, by the time an offshore platform is acquired.

While no one can definitively say at this point how much drugs, weapon and ammunition are coming through our porous borders, one can make an informed guess, given the number of gun related incidents and the high volume of ammunition being expended in these incidents, that there seems to be a fair supply of these instruments coming into this country.

So, what is the basis of the ULP’s claim that they have made the Coast Guard into a highly professional unit?

It is evident that this is more rhetoric, as the Coast Guard today has less capability than it had ten years ago.

Tyrone James Coast Guard Commander - Retired

The “HK Tannis”, the smallest of the three, came under the Unity Labour Paty government led by Dr. Ralph Gonsalves.

52. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 53.

Police News

Police make cocainerelated arrest THE ARREST and subsequent charging of a Paul’s Avenue man, Lamont Hector, and his companion, Natella Millington, were, according to reports, the results of recently stepped up patrols and action by police, in a number of communities across the state.

Reports are that Hector and Millington were arrested on Tuesday 24th October, after a search executed by police officers as per a search warrant obtained for the purpose, turned up seven rocks of cocaine on their place of abode.

The two were arrested and charged with possession of the cocaine with

intent to supply to another.

When the accused appeared at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday 25th October, Hector pleaded guilty but Millington maintained her innocence.

Hector was charged $900.00, $450.00 of which was to be paid forthwith, and the remainder in two weeks. Failing so to do, He would be imprisoned for three months.

The charges against Millington were withdrawn.

THE VINCENTIAN could not confirm, at press time, whether the fine was paid.

Vagrants and other such persons sit quietly in the police transport. (Credit: Hot FM Facebook)

Operation Clean-up Kingstown POLICE ACTION here took on a new complexion of sorts, when, on Monday, members of the Special Services Unit could be seen ‘hauling’ vagrants and other shabbily and scantily dressed individuals off the streets, sidewalks and public places in capital Kingstown.

Those ’picked up’ — primarily males - were ‘loaded’ into a truck, but persons were unclear as to where they were being taken.

Up to Wednesday, THE VINCENTIAN was unable to confirm exactly where the majority of those picked up were taken; but inquiries about some well-known characters, revealed that they were at the Mental Health Centre.

Show your ID THE ROYAL SVG Police Force, through a release made available to media houses here on October 24, is appealing to the general public to adhere to a new regulation regarding

The majority of persons with whom THE VINCENTIAN spoke welcomed the operation, with some declaring that the ‘clean-up operation’ was long overdue.

One person opined that the authorities seem to turn their attention to these persons only to “please the tourists but forget that we have to put up with them begging you and smelling so bad, all year.”

A person connected with a social work agency here lamented the fact that SVG, in the main, does not seem equipped to deal with these young men, many of them being drug addicts and not persons with permanent mental problems. “They need our help,” said the person. doing ‘business’ at the Central Police Station, Kingstown.

The police have advised that persons wishing to visit, do business, etc. at that station, will have to identify themselves to the Sentry (officer on duty at the main entrance on Bay Street).

Identification must include the presentation of a National Identification Card or any other form of photo.

Official ID is now required before permission will be granted to civilians visiting the Central Police Station.

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54. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Arts

Warm feeling for Soca D Left: Delisha ‘Soca D’ Brackin entered the rare air of victory when she took the Climate Change Calypso Competition title.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, she placed second in the Junior Secondary School Calypso Competition held at Victoria Park, during the Vincy Mas celebrations.

Last Wednesday October 25, Delisha ‘Soca D’ Brackin, a fifth form

Sandy Bay Secondary School student, made amends, so to speak, by taking the Secondary Schools Climate Change Calypso competition.

With her number ‘Global warming’, Soca D drove home her message sufficiently to persuade the judges in her favour.

She earned $3,000 for her efforts.

She beat Kristiana ‘Singing Kristy’ Christopher into second place Kristiana ‘Singing Kristy’ with her rendition Christopher of Thomas ‘Climate change Saunders Secondary School and we’. ‘Singing remains among the top Junior Kristy’ collected Calypsonians in the land. She $2,000. took second place.

Ladonna ‘Singing Lala’ Free from West St. George Secondary took the third spot with the number ‘All of us can’, and secured $1500.

Seven others vied for the title in a competition organised by the Red Cross Society, in collaboration with the Calypsonians Association and the Ministry of Education.

They were: Till-J Cyrus from Intermediate High Ladonna ‘Singing Lala’ Free School with ‘Bad from West St. George memories’; Sakura Secondary, took third spot.

‘Soca Princess’ Ryan with the Ronard Joseph with ‘Ini song, ‘Feeling the heat’ mini my nee mo’, representing the Sandy completed the Bay Secondary School. programme.

Two other colleagues The competitors were from her institution, accompanied by the band Bevern ‘Crystal B’ Nex Level with brass.

Baptiste with ‘Scared’, Independence Calypso and Javed ‘Ejay’ Baptiste Monarch Kenneth who sang ‘Whip them’, ‘Vibrating Scakes’ ensured a wide North Alleyne delivered the Windward participation. composition, Our Nation Reigning Junior Soca Is Born’, which remains Monarch M’riah ‘Young the symbol of national Siah’ Robertson from independence.

West St. George who did Resistance Heart Beat ‘It is a warning’, Lisa Drummers entertained ‘Mona Lisa’ Williams the scattering of from the Girls High spectators with a series School with ‘Our climate of songs before the has changed’, and North results were announced.

Union Secondary School’s (WKA)

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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 55.

Business

Harris Paints launches new product

HARRIS PAINTS has unveiled for their St. Vincent and the Grenadines market, their latest line of decorative paints that the company says is designed to assist professionals.

The new product was unveiled at an event dubbed ‘Breakfast of Champions’, hosted by local Harris Paint Agents Coreas Hazells Inc., last week Thursday at the Beachcombers Hotel.

A number of building and paint contractors were invited to get a front row introduction to the performance properties of each of the new line of Harris Paints.

The new product, PRO Speed Cover, is available in three sheens — Flat, Eggshell and Gloss - and has been formulated to provide key benefits as well as cost savings.

Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing/Harris Paints International, Orlando Vasquez, was on hand to explain that there was a need for the company to come up with the new product.

A consultation process involving over 1,000 contractors across 15 territories, revealed some of the concerns that needed to be addressed: increased profit margins,

durability of product, smooth application and low odor.

The product, Vazquez said, was created with these concerns in mind.

He also referred to Harris Paints unveiling of the higher quality paint, the Ultima Plus, but that, “If customers cannot afford the Ultima Plus, then there is a product that offers a good finish and quality, but at a lower price,” he said, adding that the new product — PRO Speed Cover - spreads up to 40 percent or 200 feet per gallon more than similar products.

This, he reasoned, translated into considerable savings for contractors.

The PRO Speed Gloss was also unveiled. It features a high shine lustre that is usually associated with traditional oil paints.

One of the features of this new product was that it contained a fastfuse technology that allowed for the product to dry for a recoat in as little as one hour, thereby improving significantly the turnaround time of a job.

The new line of Harris Paints products is already on sale locally, through the local agents.

(DD)

The new Harris Paints PRO Speed Cover on display.

Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing/Harris Paints International, Orlando Vasquez (inset), addressing paint and building contractors.

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56. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Arts

Some of St.Vincent and the GrenadinesÊ Unsung Cultural Icons ASHELY KIRBY – Musician and Pan Virtuoso

WALTON ‘TANNY’ PETERS – Pan Pioneer, Calypso Composer

Olsen ‘CARIBBEAN PETE’ PETERS – Musician (trumpeter), Composer, Musical Arranger

GODFREY ‘CHERRY’ INCE – Musician, Composer, Producer, Musical Arranger

HARMONITES STRING BAND – Traditional Caribbean music exponents -

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 57.

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58. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Recognising our own Plants aplenty IF YOU NEED anything farming-related, the Sunshine Valley Farm, located in the South Leeward district of Clare Valley, will be a good place to visit. Kazembe Miguel is the farm’s propagator, who is intent on ensuring that Vincentians have a range of high quality plants from which to choose.

Kazembe was at last week Monday’s World Food Day Exhibition at Heritage Square, where his display of plants raised eyebrows of the many patrons.

A collection of desert rose, crown of thorns, ferns were among the display. Cuttings of fruit trees and vegetables were also on show, and are available, and

Kazembe Miguel, propagator of Sunshine Valley farm.

Just a small section of what the Sunshine Valley farm had on show and has to offer.

Kazembe informed his booth’s patrons that rabbits, ducks, and pigeons were also available from his farm.

And as far as the response was concerned, “Everybody likes it,” Zazembe said.

This was his second time at a World Food Day exhibition, and with this exposure and the use of social media (facebook), Sunshine Valley Farm is now a fixture on the local agricultural landscape.

Completely local

Grantley ‘Conker’ Daniel maintains the legacy of genuine Vincy craft.

‘Conker’ offers one of the widest ranges of authentic local craft anywhere in SVG.

His name is Grantley ‘Conker’ Daniel from the South Windward constituency of Bridgetown. He can be found at the Central Market in Kingstown Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, with his wares of authentic Vincentian craft.

‘Conker’, dreadlocked, has been honing his craft for 35 years.

He uses local material, especially wild pine and ‘pointers’ from coconut branches, from which he skilfully weaves baskets of different shapes and sizes; purses, hats, pot mats, fans, and if you have a request, he will be pleased to complete your order.

He added flair to the World Food Day Exhibition with his creativity. It was a worthwhile opportunity for him. He admitted that he was getting “little sales in between.” (WKA)

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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 59.

Health

Trinity School of Medicine employees with banner.

Trinity Security Officers turned out for the 5K event.

Trinity supports breast/prostate cancer awareness FACULTY AND STAFF of Trinity School of Medicine demonstrated their resolve in the fight against breast and prostate cancer here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, by continuing their partnership with the SVG Medical Association in its annual Pink Cap City Walk (October 13) and the recently inaugurated 5K Walk/Run (October 15).

Both events were geared towards promoting awareness of issues related to breast and prostate cancer.

In the past, students of the School participated fully in the SVG Medical Association activities: however, this year, as Director of Physical Operations at Trinity, Ms. Amoy Munroe, explained, “A change to our internal examinations will see our students doing midtern exams beginning Monday, 16th October.

We, (faculty and staff), therefore, recognized that our students would not be able to participate as in former years and, understanding and appreciating the need to raise awareness, we decided we will come out both in support of the cause, and on behalf of our students, as we realize they have to study.”

Clearly, the active participation in and the number of observers, indicated that awareness of breast and prostate cancer has heightened.

At the City Walk, Dr. Rosalind Ambrose,

President of the SVG Medical Association, forwarded the statement that the events have been creating a significant impact on the population. “We have, in fact, witnessed more women coming forward even on their own, to say that they’re now forty and should have a mammogram because they now understand why. This activity has had a very positive impact. More women are reporting that they do their breast selfexamination. Some come for help from us as health care providers to aid early detection.”

As for prostate cancer, Dr. Ambrose acknowledged, “Over the last five years, we’ve had a spike in deaths related to prostate cancer and unfortunately, some of them have been younger than the population that should be getting it in the rest of the world.

We, therefore, thought it was time that we encourage the men to come forward a little earlier, be a little more brave.” She agreed that men shy away because of the rectal examination, but stated that they need to come home to the fact that that is all part of the exercise of having early detection.

At the culmination of Sunday’s 5K, Luke Browne, Minister of Health, a fifth-place finisher in Sunday’s 5K, said, “By now, I don’t

have to tell you the big problem breast and prostate cancer is in the society and the world,” he said, “and these claim many lives yearly.” He vowed to ‘furnish’ more than lip service by annually participating in the walk/run and giving tangible support.

Top finishers in the 5K were as follows: Males - 1st — Keyon Constance, 22 mins, 2nd — Michael Butler, 22:25 mins; 3rd — David

The SVG Medical Association took the lead in the march.

Browne, 23:29 mins; Females: 1st — Araceli Salazar, 27 mins.; 2nd — Tamira Browne, 33 mins.; and 3rd — Patricia Foster, 35:30 mins.

Plans to organize these events for 2018 have already been indicated. The involvement of Trinity School of Medicine will Organisers, sponsors and winners of the 5K event. continue.

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60. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Poet’s Corner

A Freedom Fighter

by ALANCIA LEBOGANG MOGOROSI Editor’s Note: This is an extract from a longer poem.

It was provided by a reader (name withheld on request) with a note attached saying, “If printed, it should be dedicated to George Augustus Mc Intosh, whom I strongly feel should have been declared a National Hero of St. Vincent and the Grenadines a long time ago.”

We share the reader’s sentiments and are glad to oblige, and consider this time of celebration of our 38th Anniversary of Independence as fitting an occasion as any, so to do.

A respected man he is A loved man he is For his doings, for what he did Yes he is a freedom fighter

He was the one who was punished Punished for the wonderful things he did for the people He did them with his power Now he earn the people respect They love him he’s their hero He fought for them He fought for people’s freedom Yes he is our freedom fighter

Yanic Sayers St. Vincent and the Grenadines 2017

Taken from OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE FOLK SONGS OF ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES Compiled by: Junior Sutherland & the Grammar School Music Students (Form 3, Year 2002)

Editor’s Note: Lest we forget what makes us VINCY, here’s a reminder from “Don’ Sutherland, a Georgetown (SVG) native who currently resides in the USA. He was a prolific songwriter, and contributed to the rise of the Georgetown Folk Group, directed by Alban Henry, and which entertained nationwide during the late 1960s and 1970s.

Yo eat it once, yo go want it twice Yo eat it once, yo go want it twice

Chorus Vincentian local dish, is de bess in de Caribbean It’s something you can relish, come visit we island

Yo eat it once yo go want it twice Yo eat it once yo go want it twice Verse 2 Coconut boileen, corn pork an dasheen Energetic an’ satisfying, use it hot in de evening Roast breadfruit an buljow, salt fish cake an dough boy Try some ah dis slush anytime fo yo breakfast Verse 3 Rice wid pigtail an bhajee, ferrine an cocoa tea Raise up yo stamina fo wuk in any wedder Mackral an sweet potato, fresh beef and blow-go Mek yo lick yo finger, when tekking it for dinner Verse 4 Chokee bam bam an mint tea, Tumalay sauce an starch fungi Are food of special class, mek baby grow real fas Dry peas an cattle skin, roast black fish an plantain Gee yo plenty vim an increase yo living Verse 5 Fresh sprat an tannia, pork fat an chichira Have plenty vitamin more dan fruit in de tin Madongo flops an eddo, smoke herring an okra Bring yo whole family, an try these delicacy

ThatÊs Independence Day Editor’s Note: Adapted from a poem by American poet Loyd C. Taylor

Independence Day Thirty-eight years ago, No one would have thought to see this day.

Tears, pleas, even mercy Were thrown aside, Like they were nothing worth looking at.

Although we tried to free our minds Our fears we kept awakening, Surely this might be the end Then news!

Oh how sweet it was, Hearing of our freedom from the oppressors.

Song of the emancipated Joy spread throughout the land Our prayers have been answered Thanks to the Almighty!

A Vincentian Folksong by Gordon ‘Don” Sutherland

Verse 1 Crayfish an callaloo, bobas yam an manicou Real delicious menu, sweeter than stew Wid fresh fish an banana, boil dumpling an iguana So holiday in dis place, tek a bit ah we local taste

He never stood and watched He was part of them Those who had hearts for the innocent people But in the end he was a leader

Editor Note: The writer is a young Vincentian male who has been contributing to The Vincentian since he was a student.

He wrote this one in commemoration of our 38th Anniversary of Independence.

Vincentian local dish

When the Prime Minister perfects his address, And the parade leader calls the tune For police officers in their special wear, When SVG again is loved as home; And little girls and boys get excited, As flags are waved, And patriotic eyes become all moist; As we salute the flag and sing the anthems And celebrate the sound of freedom..

Control Freak Editor’s Note: Taken from the archives of THE VINCENTIAN. We consider it appropriate food for thought at this time of marking the Anniversary of Independence.

Why is it People Control Other people?

What is there To be lost In independence Or gained From co-dependence?

Why is it That the powerful Must control the weak?

The rich need Control the poor?

The greedy Control the needy?

The healthy Control the sick?

Why is it so?

Why? Why? When will we learn The power of freedom?

When will we uphold The dignity of each individual?

When will we see The dawn of new nationhood?

When will we live As one human family?

Writer Unknown

That’s Independence day.

When the parade watchers search for shade And visitors watch in awe And excitement hit their faces When the uniform school band march with dancing feet, And their bandmaster stands tall, As the three jewels adorn the streets; When the parade master bellows his commands And officers stand at ease And the sun shines with blessings from above...

That’s Independence Day.

A Fight For Freedom Marilyn Lott Editor’s Note: Marilyn was a 19th century American poet. This poem was written in 1858.

So many gave their lives To keep our country free But we rarely think about it We treat it so carelessly We go about our daily chores Expecting our freedom to remain We raise our children, go to work Thinking life will be the same But it doesn’t all just happen For when you look back in history Challenges came to the forefront Folks fought hard for victory It seems each generation Has a challenge that must be met Luckily there are special folks Who have goals that are bravely set So let’s all think about them Let’s hold them in high esteem Pray for the strong brave souls And what freedom always brings!

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 61.

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62. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Opinion

What will be promised this year’s Independence Day?

seem to have lost that spirit of hope. The root cause of this erosion of hope, is easily traceable to the mismanagement by those who had been entrusted with the leadership and governance of the land.

They seemed to have misunderstood their role, Warranty Officer Grantley Williams so that, instead of diligently applying (right) accepting the new flag (the their energies to devising systems and flag featuring the breadfruit leaf) approaches which were aimed at from Premier Milton Cato, for addressing the needs of the people, in hoisting at midnight on October 27, their desire and pursuit of progress 1979. and prosperity, they, the administrators, behaved like demigods, and in their ego-driven ON THE 27th of October, we will excursions, have squandered a good celebrate thirty-eight years as an The grand portion of the resources of the land. independent nation. We will quite likely investments at Erroneously, they interpreted congregate at the Victoria Park, as we places like development to be the construction of had done in 1979 when we hoisted our Prospect strike a impressive edifices over a short period own flag for the first time. It was just stark contrast to of time, and so they were attracted to after midnight and there was light rain, what still exists tourism, and that has seen us losing a but we cheered warmly, for we were elsewhere in SVG. lot of the control of our valuable land buoyed up by the spirit of hope that we to expatriates, so that they can pursue would succeed on the new journey. The remarkably. They main feature of that flag was a bold leaf their interests, while they offer little have seen good jobs for our local people, often with of the beloved breadfruit tree; it was a results over a symbol with which every Vincentian soul insensitive treatment. relatively short could have identified. What a pity we had period.

Education to change it!

The European colonisers had left us No one can doubt that our education In comes the ULP with reasonably adequate has been evolving to a fair degree The promise to infrastructure. The layout of the Since the since 1951 when we took charge of ‘our towns and villages can still be year 2001, St. revitalize the own affairs’, and the impact of banana industry appreciated today; Calliaqua, technology has been tremendous. Ever Vincent and is still to be Barrouallie and Georgetown are so often, our newspapers carry reports the meaningfully impressive in that area.

Grenadines fulfilled.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines had of the impressive achievements of our has been young people in their academics. They been an agriculture-based society governed by are surely adequately preparing which was to a fair degree selfthe ULP which is led by Dr. themselves for their roles in the sufficient in food, and supplied Gonsalves as Prime Minister. responsibility for the development of markets in the region on a weekly They took over the reins of their country. Selling out the land to basis. They were also keen on the government following an expatriates runs counter to the real rearing of animals - cows, sheep, goats development of people ultimately. Just unhealthy season of protest of our feeder roads so vital to the and pigs. The hardworking farmers which almost resulted in the flowing of Agriculture Sector. look at Ratho Mill, Brighton and had been making a valuable blood on our streets. The Prospect, hundreds of acres of contribution to the welfare of the dissatisfaction of the majority of the developed territory conceptualized and New promises? society and the authorities; recognition people, prompted by the seeming effected by local people, representing of the work of the farmers was insensitivity of the Mitchell regime investments of billions of dollars, will Today, seventeen years after Dr. reflected in the organized way in who had been in office for seventeen be owned by the progeny of the Gonsalves made those seemingly which the roads were maintained. The years, found expression in the call for fervent promises, we ae shipping no citizens who had developed them. wharves also were not neglected, for change by some “organized bodies”, And if it is God’s will, two or three bananas to the U.K, and our roads they played a significant role in our some of whose leaders consolidated as have never been worse. It is now hundred years from now, the export trade. the ODD, “Organization in Defence of recognized that the Prime Minister prospering and progressive Democracy”. This expression of Vincentians living in those has the propensity for making Where are we? communities will be cognizant of their dissatisfaction was effectively fanned attractive promises at the celebration by the ULP, to the degree of whipping of Independence Day, but given the Today, sixty-six years after we had origins, the foundations of which are the NDP at the ‘early-election’ poll of being laid in this era. That is real documented high incidence of his assumed the responsibility for the March 2001, twelve seats to three. development! Singapore and Taiwan unfaithfulness to his word, and by now management of our own affairs (i.e.

During the campaign prior to that he ought to be ever conscious of this had gained Adult Suffrage), our people have not sold out their land to 2001 election, Dr. Gonsalves and the expatriates, and they have developed short-coming, the Prime Minister ULP emphatically promised, that they should no longer hope to enthuse the were going to do many good things for majority of Vincentians the people. Very with any new promise this important to the Independence Day. majority of the people What we need now is to were: (1) The ULP were have serious discussions on going to revitalize the the areas where distinct Banana Industry, and weakness has been evident, they informed the so that a workable plan people that they were in which offers a reasonable close contact with chance of success could be important people in the arrived at. All patriotic U.K who were standing citizens should involve by to assist. (2) They themselves in the exercise! were going to Perhaps we can get a We have been caught in a wave of building edifices and foregoing attending aggressively address the LeRoy Providence to the genuine needs of the economy. repair and maintenance promise like this one.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 63.

History

1979 – A year that brought more than independence

Editor’s Note: What a year it was – 1979! Here are a few reminders of the more significant events of that year: April 13, 1979 (Good Friday): La Soufriere erupted, displacing thousands of residents of the northern communities of mainland St. Vincent.

Many of the displaced were housed in ‘shelters’ like this one at the then Richmond Hill Government School.

August 1979: Hurricane David left a trail of damage to the banana fields and some houses, and went on to wreak havoc on Dominica.

Saturday 27th October, 1979: Independence Day - Robert Milton Cato became this country’s first Prime Minister, and Sir Sydney Gun-Munro its first Governor General.

Wednesday 5th December 1979: The first General Elections since St. Vincent became fully independent. The results showed that the St. April 13, 1979 - Displaced residents of the north, Vincent Labour Party, led by incumbent Prime Minister Robert Milton Cato, obtained a clear victory housed at the Richmond Hill Government School, welcome the arrival of food supplies. as it captured 11 of the 13 seats.

Friday 8th December: A small group of disgruntled residents, primarily young men, demanding a greater say in the administration of the affairs of Union Island, seized the Union Island Airport and police station, and burned government buildings, among other actions, in what became known as the Union Island Revolt. Vincentian and Barbados Defence Force personnel were used to quell the revolt. A State of Emergency was declared across the entire state of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

August 1979 - Already damaged by the fall out of volcanic dust, the banana fields suffered even further damage by the passage of Hurricane David.

Left: Saturday 27th October -Sir Sydney GunMunro, a retired General Surgeon, was installed as this country’s first Governor General.

Saturday 27th October - Robert M. Cato became this country’s first Prime Minister.

The first national flag, unveiled at midnight on October 27, 1979, and referred to as the Independence Flag, carried a representation of the breadfruit leaf.

Friday 8th December The remains of the Revenue and Post Office building after it was set on fire by those involved in the revolt.

The general election of December 5, 1979 marked the last general election contested by Ebenezer T. Joshua, this country’s first Chief Minister.

Friday 8th December - Many of those involved in the Union Island Revolt were detained, chained and taken under heavy police guard to prison on the mainland.

April 13th 1979 - La Soufriere erupted with a bang on Good Friday, spurting mushroom-like clouds of volcanic dust into the atmosphere.

V

64. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Farming

We are what we eat On display is a wide variety of food grown in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

by WILBERFORCE EMMANUEL I NOTE WITH INTEREST, the theme for this year’s World Food Day was: ‘Change the future of migration, invest in food security and rural development’.

After listening to the various speakers on the subject, I am of the opinion that the voice of the producers was absent. I agree with the Prime Minister that we need, as a country, to continue the discussion on this very important theme. Food is an essential part of our lives. We eat to live and stay healthy, and if we don’t eat in the right way, we ultimately become sick and we die.

An article in the Spore Magazine No. 158, April 2012, written by Oliver De Scatter, Special UN Rapporteur on the Right to Food, stated that hunger is not simply a technical issue but first and foremost, a political one. In that article he noted that governments can take caution at the local level by guaranteeing prices to producers, and also by offering subsidies to consumers. He stated that the governments of China and India had launched a scheme to stockpile food, so as to prop up producer’s revenue, only releasing these stocks when the need arose.

Clearly, it is in the interest of the politician to ensure the people of the state are healthy and wellfed. I feel offended when politicians, anywhere, look down on farmers, while bending backwards to serve the interest of the pharmaceutical and chemical companies. The loss of food production keeps rising, while producers are exposed to high risk factors.

There are the challenges of climate change manifested in more violent storms, flooding and severe spells of droughts; but producers are also up against the thieves who don’t want to plant but want to reap. This will be addressed in another article.

On another hand, there is the cost associated with certification of farms - such as HACCAP, GlobalGap, Organic, Fairtrade, etc. - for export to certain markets. The problem is that getting certified is no guarantee to accessing the market. In some cases, these certification programmes are used as a barrier to trade.

I challenge the people of the medical profession doctors and nutritionists included - to do more; not just to help with caring measures, but in helping to educate our people and influencing national policy on more preventative measures. Eating healthy reduces the number of visits we make to the doctor, the pharmacy, and the hospital, and adds cost to the nation.

I agree with the Prime Minister that we must continue the discussion, and I look forward to this Independence Day address, hoping he and the government will have something in it for the farmers.

Happy Independence Day to all.

V INDEPENDENCE MESSAGE Remaining a resilient people

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 65.

Message

of the Windward Islands to gain Independence, in 1979.

MUST THANK the management and It has not been an easy staff of THE VINCENTIAN Publishing task getting civil society to Company for affording me the privilege adjust its mindset to the of writing this piece, as we celebrate our changing circumstances and 38th year of Independence. conditions, as successive It has not been the smoothest of political and other leaders leaned into roads travelled for this Gem of the the traces of progress, in a bid to Antilles called St. Vincent and the propel her forward.

Grenadines. She has been through Not the largest of the Islands, and much, but she has been resilient and amidst changing fortunes, she marches stoic as she forges onwards and onward into the future. upwards.

Our people are a proud one, humble, From a Crown Colony Government creative, and for the most part, in 1877, a Legislative Council in 1925, industrious. Still she is not immune to through Adult Suffrage granted in encroaching globalisation, trade 1951, and the granting of Associate liberalization, and the global economic Statehood in 1969, she became the last realities that pervade the planet.

by NEGUS BYNOE

I

Like all of the other developing economies, she faces many challenges, and certainly an uphill task, that will require her leaders to be resourceful, creative, determined, and durable.

Nonetheless, she stands proud amidst her Windward Islands sisters.

May I encourage our people to continue to be proud of our Heritage.

Even in the face of many challenges to our Caribbean Civilization, the many extraneous influences that are not

always positive, let them not define us, but let us as a people extract from deep within our souls, the love and warmth that we are noted for, and begin to unite as one.

Let us lift up the flag of St. Vincent and the Grenadines high once more.

Join me in wishing our blessed Isle a happy 38th Anniversary of Independence.

Long live St. Vincent and the Grenadines, long live Hairouna!

V

66. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Teachers exposed to gender equality concerns

Harriette Da Silva, Dean of the Division of Teacher Education, accepted her Division’s responsibility as one of training teachers to impart sound knowledge.

Second year students at the Division of Teacher Education/SVGCC, formed the core of the workshop participants.

Dr Sheron Burns, Lecturer Early Childhood Education, UWI, Cave Hill, drew a parallel between GENDER ROLES are ceremony, inculcating gender specific roles determined by society October 10, of a in our children and what we where responsibilities are workshop held at expect from them when they assigned from a tender the SVGCC for become adults. age. second year And according to Ann students at the them to gender related Hamilton-Dopwell, Division of Education. issues so that they can Lecturer at the Division “Being sensitized plan and incorporate of Teacher Education at equips you with both boys and girls in the St Vincent and the strategies that you can their setting, so the Grenadines Community use to help students in activities and lessons College (SVGCC), these the classroom and better that they do would not be roles are either prepare them for geared to one sex or the consciously or opportunities as they get other.” unconsciously carried older,” Hamilton-Dopwell into the classroom. told her audience.

Being what you want to “[So] think of whose Speaking as facilitator be dreams and creativity for the workshop, she are being stifled because told THE VINCENTIAN Dr Sheron Burns, of a lack of awareness of that the participants of Lecturer Early Childhood gender related issues by the workshop will be Education at the the more responsible going out into the University of the West adult,” Hamilton-Dopwell classroom to ‘practise Indies, Cave Hill said. teach’ in 2018.

Campus, explained that She was at the time “And we thought it children tend to speaking at the opening would be best to expose internalize and come up

Ann Hamilton-Dopwell, Lecturer - Division of with gender stereotypes Teacher during the first five years Education/SVGCC, of their lives. purported the workshop And by that, boys are as one of sensitizing told that they ought not trainee teachers in preparation for their to cry, or girls do not ‘practise teaching’ play with trucks or assignment. tractors, or boys do not play with dolls. be assigned from Grade “But while we attach K to 6, this according to gender specific roles to Dean of the Division of our children, we expect Teacher Education, the men in society to Harriette Da Silva grow up to be loving “And they would find fathers and husbands,” students who may want Dr Burns argued.

“So what we are trying to be their own to do is to have our early individual; the girls may want to play with the childhood practitioners toys that are defined as be aware of these stereotypes, so we create for boys, while the boys environments where boys may want to play with a doll,” she said. and girls can be what “We are educating they want regardless,” them for development, she said. and to learn to respect The issue was one each other, respecting such that there were who they are and not territories where stereotyping, but moving education practitioners out from that boundary.” had never seen a female The Division is firefighter, or a male celebrating its 53rd year nurse, Dr Burns said. of existence this year “So sometimes, if and, according to Da students say that they Silva, as the leading want to be these things, institution in delivering and the gender does not teacher education, the fit, then there is the onus was on the Division tendency to say that that of Teacher cannot be what they said Education/SVGCC, to ensure that the trainee they would like to be.” teachers receive adequate training to Education for impart sound knowledge development to the students of the nation. (DD) The participants will

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 67.

Extends congratulations and best wishes to the people ofSt. Vincent and the Grenadines on their

38

th

METROCINT GENERAL INSURANCE CO. LTD. St. George’s Place, P.O. Box 692, Kingstown, St. Vincent. Tel: (784) 456-1821 Fax: (784) 457-2821 Email: metrocint@vincysurf.com Website:www.metrocintsvg.com

V Government, Illegal Regime, or What?

68. THURSDAY OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Opinion

by LENNOX E. A. DAISLEY abroad.

First, a bit of political THIS IS THE million-dollar history. I am aware that question! It is the virtual a similar question of tip of a long-standing government legitimacy conversation-piece, which had been around ever has been gaining since Sam Slater “crossed prominence among the Floor of the Vincentians at home and Vincentian Parliament”

in the mid-1960s. In more recent times, though, the present government employed the notion of illegitimate government as the rallying cry and driving force behind the so-called “Road Block Revolution”,

which shortened the mandate of a sitting government by three years, in March 2001.

The basis of their claim of legitimacy was that they won the popular vote by a very narrow margin, even though the

NDP won the majority of seats.

There is very little doubt that the leadership and some supporters of the Unity Labour Party (ULP) are of the unyielding view that the current administration is the legitimate government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. To support their contention, they continue to point to the fact that the Prime Minister and chosen members of its Party were duly sworn in by the Governor General the Head of State and the Queen’s Representative on St. Vincent - to form the Country’s Cabinet and, accordingly, the legitimate Executive authority of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as per the Constitution.

On the other hand, the leadership and supporters of the New Democratic Party (NDP) are equally adamant that an illegal government was foisted upon the country when the Governor General swore in members of the ULP into office, and they steadfastly point to the fact that several election petitions, alleging wrongdoings and electoral fraud, have been duly filed in the Courts awaiting resolution.

The Constitution of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines identifies three separate branches of Government. They are: The Executive; the Parliament (legislature); and the Judiciary. Each branch has different and specific powers and authority in the interest of good governance.

We, therefore, have the untenable situation, as far as I can discern, where the Executive Branch (Cabinet) claims legitimacy; the Queen’s loyal Opposition in Parliament claims that they have been wronged and that the Cabinet is illegitimate; while the critical and decisive opinion on the Petitions has been dangerously

delayed by the Judiciary.

This situation is clearly untenable. It has been almost two years since the disputed elections, and no resolution is in sight, and the country is at a standstill. Informed commentators have suggested that: “St. Vincent and the Grenadines is in a virtual stalemate and, worse, a quagmire. And, until the matter of the disputed elections of 2015 is settled, no foreign government or agency is going to be seriously interested in us. We are marking time; the country is going nowhere; the economy is fast deteriorating; and heinous crime and violence have been skyrocketing out of control”.

It is, therefore, of utmost importance that the Court grasps this moment to undertake its established function and urgently intervene to prevent chaos, further social erosion and economic demise. The highest law of the land — The Constitution - has charged the Courts with that duty, and determined that the swift resolution of electoral matters is the responsibility of the Judicial Branch of government.

In the meantime, there is serious talk of an alleged plan that is being finalized and tested to strategically delay the Petition Hearings for as long as possible, even up to the point of any imminent court decision to uphold the petitions. It is believed in the likelihood of any such decision, the plan also incorporates the machinery for the holding of snap elections with the retention of the proven corps of Electoral Officials to guarantee victory for the current administration to extend its current mandate and power. All of this occurring against a backdrop of loss of trust in the independence of the Judiciary.

Well, if the Court can’t get this one right, then what good is it? Then, our people’s confidence in our institutions of justice will virtually disappear.

What then? Whither goest Hairouna, Home of the Blesssed?

Is our Country doomed?

V

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 69.

International

Law Ministers pledge to reform key legislation COMMONWEALTH CITIZENS are set to benefit from improved legal services in a range of areas, as law ministers ended their meeting in The Bahamas with a package of agreements and pledges.

Tackling terrorism, addressing climate change, responding to natural disasters, meeting sustainable development goals and eradicating early and forced marriage were all on the wide-ranging agenda.

After three days of deliberations, ministers pledged to pursue key law reforms in a number of areas.

“This was a critical moment for the Commonwealth for so many reasons,” said Secretary-General Patricia Scotland. “Dominica and Barbuda are still in ruins after devastating hurricanes Irma and Maria, and millions of people in Asia and Africa are still suffering the after-effects of mudslides, floods and desertification.

“Countries at the table are also dealing with a frightening escalation of violent and virtual crime, the impact of global terrorism and violent extremism, and with young girls being taken out of school and forced into marriage. These are just some of the challenges facing the nations represented at our meeting, and I am so proud of the diligence, commitment and resolutions of law ministers to find solutions to these issues.”

Ministers and attorneys-general agreed to review and strengthen legal frameworks and legislation to prevent the grooming and recruitment of terrorists and to stop them crossing borders and being funded.

They discussed how to make this aspiration a reality, and recognised the importance of community involvement.

Delegates also focused on law reforms to help their countries achieve targets to lower global temperatures and to support the smooth operation of relief efforts during and after natural disasters.

They discussed how they will work, as legal advisers to government, to develop legal frameworks to improve health, education, employment, financial and other critical services relevant to the achievement of their sustainable development goals.

“There were many aspirations expressed at this meeting, and to ensure that we are able to turn them into action, the Secretariat offered ministers a number of tools and support mechanisms,” said the Secretary-General.

“Our new legislative drafting handbook and guide to law reform will take legal drafters and those responsible for law reform through a step by step, stage by stage guide to create or amend laws in any of the areas discussed. These are going to help all our countries, but will be particularly valuable to developing and smaller nations with limited resources.”

She continued, “The theme of the meeting was Strengthening the Rule of Law through Technology, so we offered all ministers access to our Office of Civil and Criminal Justice Reform, which provides technical assistance and an online platform with best practice guides, model laws, standards, templates and legal insight on a range of issues.”

The Secretariat also presented a new secure messaging mobile app which will be trialled in 2018.

This app will enhance international cooperation by helping countries to collaborate to tackle crossborder and organised crime.

Delegates underscored the importance of these meetings as a forum for sharing best practice, one of the Commonwealth’s greatest advantages. Marlene Malahoo Forte, Attorney General of Jamaica, said this year’s summit provided an opportunity for vibrant discussion and collaboration on key issues. (Source: Commonwealth Office) Anisul Huq, Minister for Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs in Bangladesh, said “The issues that have been taken up in this conference are very pertinent to us and it is important that we come here, we share our experiences and we exchange ideas to improve on these issues.”

Samoa’s Minister of Justice & Courts Administration, Faaolesa Katopau Ainu’u, praised the Commonwealth Secretariat for preparing a strong agenda.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Law & Justice & Electronics & Information Technology in India, said, “This is an occasion to share the best practices,

the smaller countries, the big countries. In that way this interaction is very very meaningful, very very purposive.

We make good friends, many of the problems are similar in many ways, the solutions can be similar.”

The Bahamas’ Attorney General, Carl Bethel, who hosted the event, described the summit as a very important forum for law ministers across the Commonwealth, “to come together to share best practices and consider our

responses, both as a commonwealth and as individual countries to shared challenges.” (Source: Commonwealth Secretariat)

Commonwealth Law Ministers at their recent meeting in the Bahamas.

V

70. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Domestic abuse?

SPEAK OUT!!

by DAYLE DA SILVA

Aphine Simmons gave a detailed account of the abuse she endured.

APHINE SIMMONS is a survivor of domestic and sexual abuse.

She told her story during a panel discussion on domestic violence, held at the Marriaqua Government School on October 14.

According to Simmons, she was sexually abused at the age of 8 — “so I from a young age.” learnt self-preservation The abuse she

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38

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(L-R): Attorneys Ronald Marks and Vynette Frederick drove home the point of the need to report abuse and to whom and where those reports can be made.

endured was not committed by a stranger, but by someone who lived in the same house as she did as a little girl, Simmons recalled.

Her father was already old, and she admitted that she did not have a good relationship with her mother. She was, however, determined to make something of herself, despite the fact that the abuse was having an effect on her emotionally.

She became pregnant at 17, but never lost her determination. She “educated” herself, and eventually went on to become a Hospital/Clinic Ward Assistant, with dreams of going on to become a Registered Nurse.

Left: The attendance at the panel discussion might have been sparse, but those who attended agreed that it was enlightening.

She fell in love, and the next chapter in the saga of her life commenced after she moved in with her new beau.

about being abused before.

Setting the night’s discussion

And that was the focal point of the night’s discussion: that there is It started with small a role for the rest of the remarks, and then came community in combatting the blows, she said. domestic violence.

But being the “It was not my determined person that business to go from she was, Simmons said house to house and say that she did not intend to what was going on, lie down and play dead. because all it would have Her now former lover been for people was gossip,” Simmons told would go off to drink those gathered. with friends, and get “That is how we are as offended when she a society and we need to refused to spend time get away from that…that with him — resulting in is why people are afraid physical abuse; but she to come forward,” she said that she would opined. strike back, never submitting to the lashes Reporting abuse that she received.

The abuse continued Vynette Frederick, until she said that she Attorney and one of the had had enough and panelists representing asked her mother to move back home; but no the St Vincent and the support was forthcoming Grenadines Human Rights Association, said from her mother, she during her presentation, decided to stick it out. that any member of the It got to the point public, once aware of a where her former lover attempted to set her and situation where domestic violence was occurring, her daughter ablaze, was able to report it to following which some the authorities. time shortly thereafter, “You can be a so she said she took a neighbour, grandparent — knife into the bedroom you do not have to be a that she shared with the relative, but you too can abuser, with the intent of report instances of putting an end to the domestic violence, and source of her misery. the police must respond,” Simmons eventually Frederick said. got out of the There are a number of relationship and went places that individuals public with her story, can go to make these only for individuals to reports too, she take to social media to continued. accuse her of lying, on the basis that she never Continued on Page 73. came out and spoke

Round Two of abuse

Leisure

ARIES (Mar. 21‐ April 20) Avoid arguments with relatives who might be conservative and outdated. Organize all the responsibilities that have to be attended to and make sure everyone knows what to do. You will be prone to carelessness that could result in accidents.

Travel and communication will be lucrative for you.

TAURUS (Apr. 21‐ May 21) A romantic infatuation from your past may surface if you frequent places that you both used to go. You will find yourself tied to the phone. Friends and relatives may be hard to take this week. Intellectual stimulation is what you are looking for.

GEMINI (May 22‐June 21) Your intuition will be right on. Follow your feelings in matters pertaining to financial investments. Expect problems with settlements that you are trying to resolve.

If you can't trust someone, question the connection. Uncertain changes regarding your personal life are evident.

CANCER (June 22‐July 22) You could experience unusual circumstances and meet eccentric individuals. You will learn easily if you put forth an effort. Disappointments are likely if your mate embarrasses you in front of friends. Beware of someone who is trying to make you look bad.

LEO (July 23‐Aug 22) Sudden changes regarding friendships are likely to occur if you have tried to change others. Opportunities for romance will flourish through travel. Be honest if you wish to solve the problem. Talk to the party involved and make sure that they are informed as to what actually happened.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 ‐Sept. 23) Colleagues may try to undermine you.

Someone left a real mess for you to sift through. Do things for them but don't allow them to make unreasonable requests. You will have some problems with children, but if you are patient you

will win their favor.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 ‐Oct. 23) Make creative changes to your living quarters. Your personal life will still be experiencing difficulties and you are best to avoid the issues for the time being. You will meet potential new mates through friends or relatives. You will be uncertain of your feelings.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 ‐ Nov. 22) You can get phenomenal returns if you present your ideas to those who can back your interests. You may win favors if you present your ideas and include your family.

Get busy putting your place in order. Self‐ deception about relationships is a problem.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 ‐Dec. 21) Deceit around you is evident. Your emotional partner will push the right buttons this week. This is a wonderful day to look into courses or hobbies that interest you. Don't be a pest or a troublemaker this week.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.‐ Jan. 20) You must consider yourself for a change.

Avoid overloading your plate. Pleasure trips or friendly get‐togethers will be satisfying and intellectually stimulating.

Communication must be open, precise, and honest.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.‐ Feb. 19) You won't be well received by superiors or by your spouse. Be sure to double‐check the house on your way out. Try to understand their point of view. You're best to avoid disputes.

PISCES (Feb. 20‐Mar. 20) You may be in love this week, but who knows what tomorrow may bring. You may be tom between two possibilities. This has left you in a confused and uncertain state.

There could be opposition or temper tantrums on the home front. Get the red tape and the unwanted paperwork out of the way.

CROSS 1. Remain 5. Ornamental fabric 9. Upper limb 12. First man 13. Monkeys 14. Hawaiian acacia 15. First‐class 16. Immerses 17. Consume 18. Ostrichlike bird 20. City in Central Belgium 22. 40th president of the U.S. 25. Revole 26. Paddled 27. Flat circular plate 28. Before 29. Taxicab 30. Fem pronoun 33. Sharp bristle 36. Music hall 37. Large white stork 40. Vast seas 41. One‐celled protozoa 42. Seize 43. Fur scarf 44. False god 45. Title of respect for God 50. Musical instrument 51. The villain in Othello 52. Peruse 53. Attempt 54. Fellow 55. Game of chance DOWN 1. Bleat of a sheep 2. Revised form of Esperanto 3. Son of Jacob 4. Develop 5. Burdened 6. Capital of WesternSamoa

7. Brown‐ capped boletus mushroom 8.Compositions 9. Pack leader 10. Heat excessively 11. Dull surface 19. Did possess 21. Curve 22. Fish eggs 23. Organ of hearing 24. Part of verb to be 25. Male cat 27. Tap gently 29. French vineyard 30. Ocean 31. Vandal 32. Printer’s

measures 33. Front part of an apron 34. Semitic language 35. Wood sorrel 36. Disembark 37. Ruffle 38. Love affair

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

V

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 71.

39. Beadlike 40. Lowermost deck 42. Infatuated 45. Exclamation of surprise 47. Honey insect 48. Prohibit 49. Fuss

V

72. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Advice

You complied, why complain Dear George,

her. But as soon as we were done, she got dressed and asked me to leave and never to contact her again. She explained what she did as “beneficial to her relationship” and therefore, was not to be viewed as an act of infidelity or cheating. I am angry with myself because I feel used.

I GOT A CALL from my ex fiancée who asked of me a very unusual request.

She told me that she was about to get married in a couple of weeks, but she wanted to have one final fling with me.

She invited me to her house not before telling me that her husband to be was not in the country. This, she said, would Mouse in a trap be a perfect send (gift) off for her.

Dear Mouse in a trap, I struggled with this for a while and wondered if I should comply.

You should not have allowed After all, I was not in a relationship at yourself to be used in this way. Your the moment. Eventually, I obliged

ex seemed well aware of your weaknesses, and she did a good job of that knowledge to satisfy her selfish desires.

I must say, though, that you consented to her request because you too saw an opportunity for instant gratification. You did not do what you did only for her benefit, but for yours as well. Maybe you just wanted to kill two birds with the same stone.

No need to complain now; you willingly complied with the request.

More attention was needed accepting what she has done.

What bothers me most MY WIFE LEFT me for a is the reason or reasons man who is beneath my why she left me, standards, and I am according to her. She having a hard time

Dear George,

said in a note to me that the man brings her chocolate, flowers; gives and receives oral sex; and allows her to go out with her friends anytime

she wants.

The thing is, George, my wife never brought up any of those things when she was with me.

She was the kind of woman who never said what was on her mind.

How am I supposed to know she wanted flowers and chocolate? About the oral sex, she knows I am not into that, and the one time I told her so, she never asked about it again. It is not fair for her to leave me for that!

You could have come out of this like a shining knight, had you rebuked her at the time of her request, and encouraged her to practise being faithful to her partner. Maybe she would have had greater respect for you in the end. Lesson learned.

George

He can have her if he wants her that badly. I will just find myself a wife who does not make oral sex, chocolate and flowers a major issue.

Her Loss Dear Her Loss, Making excuses after the ball has been dropped would not cut it. Your wife should not have to tell you she needs for you to bring her flowers, and you ought to have had more than a hint that she is into chocolate. The subject of sex should

have been discussed at length before entering into a marriage contract.

Had you made more effective use of the dating period, assuming there was one, her basic likes and dislikes would have been known to you.

From the picture you have drawn, it appears as though your wife or ex-wife needed more from you in terms of attention and affection.

To effectively address that, you would have had to have been paying closer attention.

George

Keep your nose out

Two of my closest neighbours are sexually I DO NOT KNOW what involved with each other’s partners, this country is coming and I know if this to. Lately, I have been information gets out, struggling to think of a married woman who was there will be hell to pay.

I do not want to be the not involved with another man or woman. one to be the bearer of bad news, because one of It is a crying shame. the husbands is a very The sad part is many of ignorant man, and I do these men would swear that their wives are true not want to be blamed and committed to them. for anything that may

Dear George,

happen as a result.

Should I continue to keep silent or should I say something?

Not sure at all but uneasy Dear Not sure, I am not going to advise you to go barging over to your neighbours to break the news of infidelity to them. Such an action cannot guarantee maintenance of the peace. If, however, an opportunity is handed to you to speak on the situation, then you should do so intelligently and fairly in the interest of preserving the relationships/marriages.

It will be also useful for you to encourage the parties in question, to seek professional counseling.

In the meantime, it is not your call to poke your nose where it does not belong.

George

V

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 73.

News

DPC commends law THIS COUNTRY’S Deputy Commissioner of Police, Colin John has commended the Interviewing of Suspects for Serious Crimes Act, saying that since its enactment, there has been no successful challenges to confessions obtained by criminals.

Speaking on a morning radio programme last week Tuesday, he said that before the legislation was introduced, persons would confess to certain crimes, but when they appeared in court, would claim that they were, coerced into making a confession, either by being beaten or tortured otherwise.

“Right now, for most of the serious offences, it is recorded. They (the accused) are given the opportunity to call their lawyers to be a part of that interview, [and] the recording is then played in the court in the presence of the magistrate, or in the case of the High Court, in the presence of the

judge and jury,” DPC John explained.

“Since we have used that piece of legislation and we have obtained confessions, there were no successful challenges to these confessions, so it’s a very, very useful piece of legislation,” he continued.

The Act was brought to Parliament in 2012 and subsequently passed and Colin John, Deputy enacted into law.

Commissioner of Police, Prime Minister, welcomed the Suspects for and former lawyer Serious Crimes Act as being Dr Ralph fair to both accused and Gonsalves, in interrogators. moving the motion for the Bill convicted using the in parliament, said then Interviewing of Suspects that the law was being for Serious Crimes Act in proposed in order to tie 2014. up the loopholes that Roberts was found lawyers, to help accused guilty of attempted persons evade murder after being convictions. arrested for an attack on Brenon Roberts his common-law wife, became the first chopping her about her individual to be body in April, 2013. (DD)

Domestic abuse?

SPEAK OUT!!

Continued from Page 70.

The police being the obvious, but there was also the Welfare Department or even the court.

The court has a lot of power, and can make a number of decisions to deal with the perpetrator of domestic violence.

Law makers have also revamped the legislation as it pertains to domestic violence, Frederick said.

Yet some women are abused and continue to suffer in silence.

Often, the community is aware of what is going on, but until a homicide is committed, it is only then that individuals tend to speak out.

“So society has a role to play in getting people to come forward,” Frederick agreed.

Not spoken about Ronald Marks, Attorney and also a member of the panel said that

domestic violence was not something that was spoken about.

“Nobody wants to talk,” Marks said.

But the issue was a real one and has been occurring for some time.

And in an age of increasing technology and communications, there are ways for individuals to come forward and speak out, Marks said.

There is a fear, he said, but the police are not better trained to deal with the issue.

He explained that during his time as a lawyer, there has been instances where cases brought to the court are dropped before they got started.

Domestic violence was a serious issue, and Marks encouraged those present to speak out.

“Don’t just sit and laugh and play it off because it’s a serious thing that can have long term effects on people, so it is our duty as a community to stand up against all forms of domestic violence.”

74. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

V Bailey re-elected head of SVG Olympic Committee

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 75.

SVG Olympic Committee’s executive: Standing from left- Vanburn Harry, Wayne Williams, Keith Joseph. Seated from left- James Bentick, Trevor Bailey, Jacintha Ballantyne, Suzanne Ollivierre.

the time allocated to him just prior to the elections, to woo affiliates.

His scathing attack on operations of the SVG Olympic Committee’s executive were particularly aimed at Bailey and long—standing General Secretary Keith Joseph.

Joachim, who was elected as one of two trustees of the SVG Olympic Committee’s executive in 2013, deemed as “arrogance”, the non -response of Bailey and Joseph to several internal e-mails sent to them, about the operations of the executive.

Affiliates placing their ballots during last week Thursday’s Another of Joachim’s elections of the SVG Olympic Committee. Among those lamentations was the failure pictured are Stephen Joachim (2nd from left) and Sophie to host a meeting of the Goddard (right). general council within the last quadrennial of the executive’s TREVOR BAILEY was last week Bailey’s return to the tenure.

Thursday re-elected President of presidency was not without He also cited the disregard the St Vincent and the turbulence.

by Bailey and Joseph, for his Grenadines Olympic Committee, He, in fact, triumphed proposal to have the mother of with the promise of addressing despite a pre-election media this country’s most decorated some of the concerns which bombardment from Stephen athlete - Kineke Alexander, have been expressed by Joachim, Trustee of the SVG facilitated to see her daughter affiliates.

Olympic Committee and compete at last year’s Olympic Bailey retained the top post President of the SVG Amateur Games in Rio de Janeiro, by a vote 10-7, after warding Swimming Association, Brazil. off a challenge from Stephen leading up to last week Joachim’s verbal punches, Joachim, during the Olympic Thursday’s elections. however, did not sway the Committee’s General Meeting Joachim made full use of last week Thursday evening, at the Xpert Computer Centre Conference Room.

Admission and promises In thanking those who supported his re-election bid and by extension his presidency, Bailey, who has been at the helm since 1997, promised that in the next two weeks, his executive will be meeting with the affiliates “to find out their needs.”

He admitted that his executive has “lapsed” with respect to interfacing with the affiliates, during the last four years.

Bailey also committed to reviewing the commissions, adding, “We all are going to work together to carry sports forward in our beautiful island”.

Turbulence

affiliates in his favour.

Further futility followed Joachim after losing to Bailey, when he was defeated by Joseph, 9-7, as the two duelled for the position of General Secretary.

Some old, some new Also retaining their posts were Wayne Williams and Jacintha Ballantyne, as Vice President and Treasurer, respectively.

Williams registered a 10-7 win over Vanburn Harry, while Ballantyne was returned unopposed.

Making their way on the executive for the first time were Suzanne Ollivierre, Vanburn Harry and James Bentick.

Ollivierre stopped Sophie Goddard 9-6, on her way to the position of Assistant Secretary/Treasurer, while Harry and Bentick were voted as the two Trustees.

Ollivierre replaced Shaun Young, while Harry and Bentick got the positions held

by Earl Bennett and Joachim, on the outgoing executive.

A pensive looking Trevor Bailey during the counting of votes for the presidency.

All seventeen affiliate associations and federations, representing Athletics (Track and Field), Aquatics, Basketball, Boxing, Cycling, Football, Gymnastics, Karate, Netball, Rowing, Rugby, Sailing, Squash, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis and Volleyball, were present at the General Meeting.

In addition to the holding of elections, the General Meeting also adopted the Minutes of the General Assembly 2013, heard the President’s Address, received the Executive Report as well as the Treasurer’s Report and Financials.

NLA SVG Independence Masters 20/20 Bowls Off

FORMER NATIONAL PLAYERS as well as other prominent local cricketers, will have an opportunity to compete with their overseas counterparts, when they clash in the 2017 National Independent Masters 20/20 cricket competition.

The competition bowls off today, Thursday 25th October, and climaxes on Sunday 28th October, with matches being scheduled primarily for the Arnos Vale, Cumberland and Park Hill playing fields.

At a press briefing held last week, Nelson Hillocks, Coordinator of the Organizing

Committee, said the event was an important one.

He was pleased that even in the face of competition from the branded Michael Holding Masters Tournament, that the SVG event was able to attract participation from ten teams one from New York, three from Trinidad, and six local teams.

The competing teams are: New York Masters; Munroe Road Masters, CCTT — Central Trinidad Touring Team Masters and EMCC East Masters Cricket Club from Trinidad; Barrouallie Masters, Police Masters,

North East Masters, Vincy Log Masters, Mustique Company Masters and North Leeward Masters from SVG. A cash prize of US3,500.00 will go to the winner of the competition, with the runnersup taking home $US 2,000.00.

The losing semi-finalists will each received US$500.00 “We are happy to have the NLA on board and the other ministries (including the Ministry of Tourism and Sports), and (we are) looking forward to make this event bigger and better in years to come.” Hillocks said.

Nelson Hillocks, Coordinator of the Organising Committee, is pleased with the level of participation in the first year of the Competition.

I.B.A.ALLEN

V

76. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

Police take North Leeward Cricket title RSVG Police, champion team, with champion trophy.

RSVG Police are the new champions of North Leeward 20/20 cricket.

The lawmen took the title when they beat Ajuba in last Sunday’s final of the 2017 edition of the VINLEC North Leeward 20/20 Cricket Competition.

The match, played at the recently commissioned Cumberland Playing Field, saw Ajuba taking first turn at the crease and battling to 120 for 9 in their 20 overs.

Casmond Walters topscored with 35 and Casnel Morris bagged 3 for 20.

Police responded positively but cautiously, and eventually got to 121 for 5 off 18.1 overs, to register victory by a comfortable 5 wickets.

Salvan Browne hit an unbeaten 44 and was named Man of the Finals, and the in form Desron Maloney got 37.

Earlier in the day, Ajuba knocked out defending champions Sweetie Pie Bakery Peto Stars by 48 runs in a semi-final match to advance to the finals. In a match, reduced to 10 overs because of rain, Ajuba made 89 for 5 off 10 overs, to which Peto

Salvan Browne of TSVG Police, MVP of the Finals.

Stars replied with 41 off 10 overs, with Asif Hooper claiming 3 for 6 for Peto Stars.

Ajuba had advanced to the semi-final after disposing of Carlos James Troumaca Starlight in the last of the quarter final games.

Ajuba posted 148 for 5 off 20 overs, with a top score of 76 coming from Hooper. Starlight, in an innings readjusted to 16 overs because of rain, reached 113 for 7 off 16 overs, Leshawn Lewis 54. Hooper 2 for 13.

RSVG Police had stormed into the finals with a 31-run victory over

Robertson Surveying Future Legends of Rose Hall, also on Saturday.

Police compiled 193 for 6 off 20 overs, Nigel Small 56,. Bennitton Stapleton took 3 for 49; Future Legends 62 for 9 off 20 overs, Winston Samuel 54 not out, Nigel Small took 2 for 14.

During a brief presentation following the finals, Medals for MVP in all matches along with trophies for the first and second place teams were presented.

A formal Awards ceremony is slated for later in the year.

Wendell Corridon, Desroy Lavia 21 each, Donnalson Harry 2 for 13.

Next Level defeated Combine Rangers by 158 runs. Scores: Next Level 206 for 5 in 18 overs Marvin Harry 63, Rawdon Bentick 53, Deptor Culzac 33, Keith Gibson 3 for 31; Combine Rangers 48 in 11.2 overs Winston Holder 2 for 8, Keymo Browne 2 for 14, Colin Lee 2 for 18 Gairy Construction Simple Boyz beat Full Click by 10 wickets. Full Click 64 in 16.5 overs - Lionel Cumberbatch 36, Danroy Hazel 3 for 15, Kenny Hunte 2 for 14; . Simple Boyz 65 without loss - Jabari Cunningham 39 not out, Kentish Phillips 19 not out.

A SUPER OVER stole the spotlight, as Kirk DaSilva’s LaCroix Masters held their nerves to defeat Marriaqua Masters, after the game ended in a tie, in one of last weekend’s matches in the 2017 the SVG Masters 20/20 Cricket Competition.

Marriaqua Masters made 121 for 8 off 20 overs Olando Lavia 27. Norman Robinson 2 for 12. Kirk DaSilva’s LaCroix Masters did likewise (121 runs) losing 4 wickets in 20 overs - Raymond Ryan 36, Grantley ‘Ipa’ Constance 2 for 8. In the SUPER OVER, Kirk DaSilva’s LaCroix Masters scored 11 runs for no wicket, while Marriaqua Masters reached 10 runs for 1 wicket.

In other results, A R & G Trucking Ptani Masters defeated Marriaqua Masters by 13 runs.

Scores: P’Tani Masters 98 off 19.5 overs - Zenus James 46, Andrew Little 3 for 10; Marriaqua Masters 85 for 7 off 20 overs - Ricky King 30, Adolphous Campbell 2 for 8.

Stanley Browne’s Stubbs Masters defeated J G & Sons Glamorgan Masters by 6 wickets. Scores: Glamorgan Masters 77 off 18.5 overs - Michael Stephens 25, Theo Wallace 3 for 10; Stubbs Masters 80 for 4 off 11.5 overs - Kissinger McLean 22, Anthony Richards 2 for 11.

North Leeward Masters trounced Pastures Masters by 77 runs. Scores: North Leeward 158 for 8 off 17 overs (overs reduced to 17 because of rain) - Orville Franklyn 71, Ardon Hall 3 for 38; Pastures 81 all out off 14.1 overs Reginald Jeffery 4 for 23, Ancil Hooper 3 for 16.

RSVG Police Masters set aside Sion Hill Masters by 31 runs. RSVG Police: 109 for 5 off 12 overs (overs reduced to 12 because of rain) Elgin Richards 32, Gosnel Cupid 32. Ronald Medford 2 for 22; Sion Hill 78 for 4 off 12 overs, Ashley Cordice 21. Elmore Alexander 2 for 15 Mustique Company Masters defeated Computec Belfongo Masters by 28 runs. Mustique Company 153 for 3 off 16 overs (overs reduced to 16 because of rain) - Elroy Baptiste 65 not out, Chadwick Carrington 28; Computec Belfongo 125 for 7 off 16 overs - Joycema Browne 31, Elvis Browne 22, Oneil Thomas 3 for 25, Roy Baptiste 2 for 12.

Teachers Credit Union North East Masters defeated J G & Sons Glamorgan Masters by 7 wickets.

Glamorgan Masters 72 all out off 20 overs - Hollis John 2 for 16; Teachers Credit Union 76 for 3 off 8 overs - Harvey Pope 36, Winsbert Springer 33 not out.

(Fixtures on Page 77)

I.B.A.ALLEN

I.B.A.ALLEN

I.B.A.ALLEN

Ajuba, runners up, with trophy.

Roberts slams century in TBPO 20/20

SHAMIC ROBERTS stroked the first century of the 2017 National Lotteries Authority TBPO Softball 20/--20 cricket competition, in one of last weekend matches played at the Dauphine playing field.

Roberts, playing for Sion Hill Tallwahs, tore the Carib Top Shotter bowling apart, hitting 17 sixes and 5 fours in an innings of 147 that took him a mere 47 balls.

His innings propelled the Shamic Roberts helped himself to a century off some hapless bowling by Shotter.

Tallawahs to 257 for 3 in 15 overs, to which Carib Top Shotter replied with 46 all out in 10.2, handing the Tallawahs a massive 211-run victory. Daxford Lavia 3 for 9, Shawn Williams 3 for 7 and Marlon Baptiste 2 for 15 accounted for Shotter’s demise.

There were also wins for Just For The Fun, Nice Radio Clinchers, Next Level and Gairy Construction Simple Boyz.

Just For Fun beat Stingers by 44 runs. Scores: Just For Fun 122 for 7 in 20 overs - Veno Da Souza 38; Stingers 78 for 9 in 20 overs, Junius London 3 for 5.

Nice Radio Clinchers won over Doc Thomas Injectors by 56 runs in a match reduced to 10 overs per innings. Scores: Clinchers 128 for 4 in 10 overs - Okeiph Andrews 62, Javon Nero 2 for 10; Iinjectors 72 for 5 in 10 overs -

Super Over Highlights Masters Weekend

V

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 77.

Sports

Gibson keeping the Karate National pride legacy alive

IT WILL BE A European Under 17 World Cup winner. England disposed of Brazil in the semifinals, and Spain beat Mali, to eliminate any hope of an African champion.

The Concacaf representatives did not have much impact, highlighting the situation that that zone has a long way to go to catch up with their European rivals.

The Indians saw their home team out of contention early, as was expected, and their favourites Brazil dumped. But the interest aroused by the hosting of that tournament will improve that country’s credibility in world football.

The Senior World Cup is not far off either, both in terms of distance and time, given India’s closeness to Russia, and indeed Qatar four years later.

Cricket is the cross denominational religion in India. There is the feeling that football has gained a foothold on that subcontinental territory.

That will, in no way, lessen the passion with which cricket is held there. With India perhaps on its pinnacle of world recognition in cricket, intensity in that sport is likely to increase.

When there is rivalry in sports, there tends to be conflict. Coordination is necessary. Provision of facilities is vital.

There was a time when grounds were shared between football and cricket. That was when the games were seasonal. These days, persons are more specialised.

Consideration must be given to the creation of designated football grounds so that there is no grudge by one sport against the other.

In SVG, the separation may not be so severe.

Action in the North Leeward area is expected to start this Sunday at Petit Bordel.

That comes on the heels of the closing of the VINLEC North Leeward T/20 Cricket competition.

It was a magnificent sight at the Cumberland Playing Field. Police did justice to the arena with an all-round display of fitness and application.

They kept Ajuba to 120 for 9 from the allotment.

That might have been considered a small score having been used to reports from the Petit Bordel Playing Field. The venue was changed and some batsmen have not adjusted to the new surroundings.

Batsmen are still of the view that they are in Petit Bordel. Clearing the ropes at Cumberland is not as clear-cut as previously at Petit Bordel.

Spectators relished the new setting. It is a multi-destination venue. Besides the sporting facility, other attractions are within reach.

The beach renowned for its activities, and the jetty makes it a likely hub (connection point) to any part of mainland, Grenadines, Caribbean or beyond.

An Invitational Independence Masters tournament has been arranged, with Cumberland included as one of the venues.

Cumberland is expected to become an integral part of the sporting network/landscape. Provisions will have to be made for the ground to live up to its expectations. Sight screens will also have to be installed, along with dining room areas to cater for teams from far.

Seating may not be immediate, but will be in the midterm.

Chelsea Glenn – sixteen years old holds a Karate black belt in karate.

Jamar Williams – a ten-year-old student KEI DOJO.

SELWYN GIBSON, founder and instructor of the KEI DOJO (Karate School), has fixed his the ten levels (belts) attention primarily on in the sport, black being playing his part in the highest. The black developing the sport belt level is itself divided here, and grooming into different levels or disciplined citizens in degrees. the process.

In a chat with her at Gibson, who the KEI DOJO, Chelsea represented this said, “My aspiration is one country in the sport day to compete in a in the 1970s and 80s Selwyn Gibson, tournament and represent instructor and at the Pan American founder of the KEI SVG and teach students tournaments, has Karate and further my DOJO, is decided to focus on education as well”. committed to coaching.

Ten-year-old Jamar ensuring that “When I started Williams, another Kei the Karate sessions, Karate plays a part in developing DOJO student, said he there were around became attached to Karate disciplined ten students, but it because of its discipline, citizens. has since grown to and he is looking forward 50 students,” Gibson to representing SVG in the sport told THE VINCENTIAN in an and “make my country proud.” exclusive interview recently.

Aran Clarke, 16, chose Karate That said, the experienced Karate exponent moved quickly to explain that the Martial Arts (Karate including), “are not where you look to beat up on each other: it’s where we teach a high level of discipline, and which also help the students’ concentration, and this spills off positively in their school work.”

Staying with what the art comprises, Gibson said, “The spiritual and mental aspect both work together, and that’s why we strive our best all the time to help the students understand the philosophy… one that can change Students at the KEI DOJO going your personality for the better.”

Gibson looked back on his training of young persons with a degree of satisfaction. “One of the most satisfying things for me, is when I could change a kid’s mind … having them understand that Karate is not all about fighting and beating someone, but about changing the mindset and attitude of a person, say from being hostile, to someone being calm and understanding, and willing to make a friend instead of trying to make a fight.”

He highlighted some of his students, singling out Chelsea Glenn of Bequia.

Chelsea started Karate lessons at age six; she is now 16 years old and the holder of a black belt, meaning she has progressed through

Aran Clarke is turning his ‘ways’ about since enrolling in Karate classes.

to become disciplined “and stay away from trouble,” in which he often got himself. “It also helps me to keep fit,”, and like his colleagues, he hopes to represent SVG and eventually become an instructor.

And even as he lamented that “There has not been a national tournament for some time now,” he is hopeful that one would be staged soon, “so we can start putting in the work to get back a national team and look to give the kids an opportunity to compete at another level.”

In the meantime, Gibson remains steadfast in his commitment, through his KEI DOJO, to “keep the Karate legacy alive.”

I.B.A.ALLEN

through a training session.

78. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN

V

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017. 79.

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ONE GRANTED BAIL, TWO DENIED: PROSECUTOR EXPLAINS

by HAYDN HUGGINS

Man’ Tash of Rockies, charged with the October SENIOR Prosecutor 15 attempted murder of Adolphus Delpleche told Jawanza ‘Sanga’ Frazer, THE VINCENTIAN on because the investigator Monday that he made no told him that he had none. objection to bail for 26The publication had year-old Jamarno ‘Small contacted Delpleche for a comment after he subsequently objected to bail for Ricardo ‘Shrek’ McFee, 28, of Villa and Colin ‘Coco’ David, 28, of Fair Hall, both men also having been charged with attempting to murder Frazer.

McFee and David, who are both additionally charged with using a firearm with intent to commit the offence of murder on Frazer, and possession of a firearm to endanger Frazer’s life, appeared at the Serious Offences Court on Monday. They were not required to plead to the indictable charges.

Tash, who is additionally charged with Jamarno ‘Small Man’ using a firearm to Tash was granted bail for an attempted murder commit the offence of murder, appeared in that charge.

Court last week Thursday.

Tash, represented by attorney Kay BacchusBrowne, was granted $30,000 bail with one surety, while David and McFee were denied bail.

“The investigator told me he had no objection. I take my cue from the investigator. I always consult with the investigators because they will know. If they don’t have an objection, I can’t create one. If they have an objection, then I, as prosecutor, will build on it,” explained Delpleche.

In objecting to bail for McFee and David, the Senior Prosecutor had told the Court that the current climate in St. Vincent and the Grenadines regarding gun-related crimes had to be taken into account, and the police were still looking for a gun allegedly used in the shooting.

Delpleche added that

it was the third gunrelated offence with which David was charged, and this one was higher than the others. He also stressed that the police were investigating other gunrelated offences.

David’s attorney, Grant Connell, in his application for bail, pointed out that when Tash appeared in Court last week Thursday, the Prosecutor made absolutely no objection to his bail, and there was no indication then about a hunt for a firearm.

Connell also stressed that his client could not have committed this offence while on bail on the previous charge, because the current offence allegedly occurred on October 15, and he was last granted bail for a matter which allegedly occurred on October 18.

Connell added that David never breached any of the conditions

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

imposed in relation to any of the charges on which he was granted bail, and even if he did, the Magistrate, by law, could still grant bail and impose further conditions.

He noted that his client had been on bail for the past six months in relation to the two previous charges.

McFee was unrepresented.

The Magistrate, after listening to both sides, told the men that she would not be granting bail at this stage, and remanded them until November 3, at which time the issue of bail will be reviewed.

McFee and Martin ‘Jahson’ James created national headlines on April 25 this year, after Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne ruled that they had no case to answer on charges of murdering nine-monthold Mozarie Lee, and the attempted murder of the

Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche willingly offered an explanation of why he did not object to bail for Jamarno Small. baby’s father Mozart Lee and mother Ann Durham, during a shooting incident at Glen last year.

The Chief Magistrate had discharged the men at the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) after upholding no case submissions made by their attorneys Grant Connell and Israel Bruce, representing Martin and McFee respectively.

(More Court stories on Page 4)

Printed by the SVG Publishers Inc., Campden Park.