THE VINCENTIAN PDF - 27-11-20

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER

27, 2020

VOLUME 114, No.48

New Public Service Act Page 3

www.thevincentian.com

Missing prison cell key Page 5

Portuguese milestone Page 14&15

EC$1.50

Problem Child ‘unfazed’ Page 16

Needed: Lobster fishers Page 24

DR. FRIDAY: ‘COMMENTS

MADE TO INSTILL FEAR’

Dr. Godwin Friday, President of the New Democratic party, cited fear as a factor which prevented a win for his party.

So said Leader of the Opposition, Dr Godwin Friday THE COMMENTS MADE by Prime as he reacted to what Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves Gonsalves had said during the about sailors not supporting the NBC Radio Programme ‘Face Unity Labour Party (ULP) at the to Face’ on November 18.

November 5 polls, are meant to Friday went further and create fear. said that the sending of “coded” messages to people suggest that somehow the ULP has their voting information.

“And all that is a means of intimidation,” the Leader of the Opposition said, adding, “It is a way of creating in our country a system that appears to be democracy but functions anything but in a democratic way.”

According to Friday, he had heard that it was said that people stayed away from the polls on Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Leader of the election day due to a Unity Labour Party, is accused of lack of interest. He creating a climate of fear. refuted this saying

by DAYLE DA SILVA

that he believed that many of the ULP supporters were are fed up and wanted to vote for the New Democratic Party (NDP), but were too afraid to do so because they were told that members of the ULP would know how they voted.

“So that is really the effect of creating this culture of fear in our election system…. where people don’t know if their ballot is safe or not,” Friday said.

Continuing to pick away at what he described as other disturbing features of the electoral process, Dr. Friday alluded to the majority of returning officers and presiding officers being known supporters if not members of the ULP. Confidence in the process could well have been eroded because of this clear partisan approach, Dr. Friday implied.

The NDP leader, not for the first time, spoke openly about the handouts before the elections as having made the playing field uneven, and amounted to bribery of the electorate.

ULP could not rely on these undertakings to drive the economy, Dr. Friday reasoned.

The country, according to the NDP leader, will continue to wallow in poverty.

“How do more cars and an airport improve people’s lives?” Dr. Friday questioned.

“The NDP has the mandate of the people — support of the The Budget majority of the people. This is the basis on which I will Taking time out to address continue to advance the what the 2021 Budget could programme of the NDP,” the look like, Dr. Friday posited Northern Grenadines that he did not expect any Parliamentary Representative serious plans for generating assured. revenue.

Among the NDP proposals “The ULP will have to that he will continue to borrow money to support advance is the Citizenship By projects,” he deduced, and Investment (CBI) programme, referenced the Development and he pointed to the CBI in Bank, as proposed by the Dominica as providing the NDP, as a facility to assist finance for four hotel existing businesses and to development projects in support the startup of new Dominica, as evidence of the businesses. potential of this programme.

And in the face of an airport “The NDP will continue to that is yet to deliver on its propose the CBI as a bona fide potential as a boast to opportunity to raise money for tourism, and the failure of the direct investment into the geothermal project that put economy,” Dr. Friday said.

(More on Back Page) spend to “cheaper energy,” However, Dr. Friday asserted, the NDP was going to do all it can to “push its agenda,” and cited advocating for affordable student loans and a revision upwards of the YES programme wage, which he said must be brought above the poverty line, as being among the party’s concerns.

2. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

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lHE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020. 3.

News 3

New Public/Police Service Commissions sworn in Vincent and the Grenadines, the Members of the Public Service Commission will automatically comprise the Police Service Commission.

In this case, however, Browne-Harry will not sit on the Police Service Commission. She will be replaced by Sidney Morgan, a former Sergeant of Police.

Browne-Harry is the sister of Assistant Commissioner of Police Richard Browne.

Speaking at the swearing in ceremony, Governor General Dame Susan Dougan thanked outgoing Chairman Cecil “Blazer” Williams for his service. Williams had served for 19 years in that position.

Dame Susan described Credit Union (GECCU); the Commission under Patricia Martin, former Cecil Williams as having Permanent Secretary in exhibited “a high the Ministry of Foreign standard of Affairs; Anastasia Browne-Harry, professionalism, always former Civil Servant.

In accordance with the Constitution of St.

(From Right) Stephen Williams (Chairman), Dr. George Bristol, Lennox Bowman, Patricia Martin, Anastasia Browne-Harry and Sidney Morgan.

WITH THE TENURE of the Public Service Commission under the chairman ship of lawyer Cecil Blazer Williams coming to an end on November 17, 2020, a new PSC was sworn in on November 20 at Government House.

The New Public Service Commission is chaired by lawyer Stephen Williams of Williams and Williams Chambers. He was a member of the outgoing PSC. Williams will have

under his chairmanship: Dr. George Bristol, former Principal of the George Stephens Secondary School; Lennox Bowman, former Chief Executive Officer of the Government Employees Cooperative

resourceful, reliable, committed and served faithfully and well.”

She extended congratulations to the incoming Commission and expressed her faith in their abilities “to make informed and good decisions.”

The Public Service Commission oversees the operation of the Public/Civil Service and the Police Service Commission does the same for the Royal SVG Police Force.

The Service Commissions Department serves as the Secretariat for the Commissions informing the membership as it relates to and assisting with the implementation of the various Public Service Orders, Public Service Regulations and Statutes, governing the management of the Public and Police Services.

‘Public Service Act Needed’ Service.

He cites the need for change in the public sector so as to capture and channel the resources that sometimes can be lost.

Williams remarked on changes planned for the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital as the type that should be used in government services. “We need one national employment act,” Williams cited.

The former PSC chairman endorsed the introduction of Chief Executive Officers to oversee the productivity of the various departments.

He is of the view that a CEO on contract will lead to a “better service.”

Reflecting on the role of Chairman of the PSC, Williams described it as “one that imposes a heavy responsibility.”

He recounted contacts with persons for many reasons. “I listen to everybody… things that you might not think about. Information that you are not privy to. Those things help you in your work,” he testified.

He knows that the position “calls for lot of Cecil ‘Blazer’ Williams was appointed Chairman of discipline and personal sacrifice,” and confessed that the Public Service and Police Commissions during “People go through difficult situations,” and that “you have to consider a lot of factors.., you have to the first period of administration of the Unity weigh things.”

Labour Party.

New Commissions have been appointed with a stipulated tenure of two years. Its membership CECIL ‘BLAZER’ WILLIAMS served 19 years as might just be calling on Williams for guidance and Chairman of the Public Service and Police Service advice.

Commissions; he is at liberty to talk on matters in A man of many talents, writing not being the that regard.

He is anticipating the passage of a Public Service least among them, there will be more time available Act here. He comes to that assessment based on his to him now, and he intends to use it to complete his now intimate knowledge of the structure of the Civil next novel. (WKA)

Keisal Melissa Peters is one of two female Government senators.

All Government Senators named THE CONSTITUTIONALLY allowed complement (four) of Government senators is now complete.

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves announced on radio on Wednesday 18th November, that 34year-old lawyer- Keisal Melissa Peters of Campden Park will join Julian Francis, Rochard Ballah and Ashelle Morgan as government senators.

And in keeping what with the Prime Minister promised at the November 10 swearing in ceremony of the Cabinet, Ms Peters will, at the first sitting of parliament on November 30, be sworn in as Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Her assumption of ministerial duties will be delayed as she has to clear her desk of outstanding matters at the Elizabeth Chambers, headed by Stanley “Stalky” John, QC., where she has been employed.

V Prison cell key missing 4. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

Courts

Louis Cupid pictured leaving the court after he was arraigned on October 4, 019.

Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS ON THE MORNING of October 1, 2019, just prior to the time murder accused Veron Primus was reported missing from his cell at Her Majesty’s Prison, Kingstown, no one could account for the key to his cell.

That’s according to the evidence of Senior Prison Officer Edson Matthias, on Tuesday, during the ongoing trial of Prison Officer Louis Cupid, who has been charged in connection with Primus’ escape.

Cupid is charged with, being employed in the Public Service in St. Vincent and the Grenadines as a Prison Officer, did make abuse of the authority of his office, an arbitrary act prejudicial to the rights of the Superintendent of Prisons, to wit, conspired to aid the escape of Veron Primus from lawful custody. The offence was allegedly committed between September 29, 2019 and October 2, 2019.

Cupid is also accused of agreeing with Primus, between September 24 and October 2, 2019, to the commission of the offence of escaping lawful custody.

Matthias told the Serious Offences Court on Tuesday that he took up duties around 7 a.m., October 1, and after feeding was done, an alarm was raised from the dormitory area that the key for the cell in which Primus was housed, could not be accounted for, and there was no response when Primus was called.

“I began calling Veron Primus from the side door but there was no response,” Matthias recalled.

He looked towards the corner of the cell and saw what appeared to be someone lying on the floor, beneath a sheet.

He called again and when there was no response, Matthias said he gave instructions to remove the lock. A hammer and chisel were used to forcibly remove the lock from Primus’ cell.

“When I entered the cell there were two shoes under the sheet, but there was no sight of Primus,” Matthias told the court.

After checking the cell and finding no sign of any opening or break-in, he ordered a complete lock down of the Prison. A thorough search of the Compound was conducted. Primus was not found on the compound.

The matter was then reported to Superintendent of Prisons, Brenton Charles.

Matthias said that Officer Steve Richards, who was in-charge of the night shift, had reported that everything was in order, other than that an officer had reported that he was not feeling well.

Matthias could not recall all the officers who worked the night shift, but indicated that Cupid was one, as well as Andrews. Additionally, he could not recall all the persons who work under his shift, but mentioned Corporal Gareth Clarke as being one of them.

The officer said that Primus alone was housed in that cell, one of a bloc of single cells.

Under cross-examination by Cupid’s lawyer Grant Connell, Matthias

admitted that the key to Primus’ cell was not on the bunch. He said that keys are usually left at the gate for the person who takes over from the Officer in-charge of the previous shift.

He admitted there were duplicate keys, but when Connell asked why one of these duplicates was not used to open Primus’ cell, instead of pounding off the lock, Matthias said that it was thought that maybe Primus was ill, and getting the duplicate would have taken some time as those keys were secured in a particular area of the Prison.

Matthias also admitted that wellbehaved prisoners have access to keys for cells, as they assist the prison officers from time to time.

Matthias further revealed, under cross-examination, that Cupid had vision problems.

Corporal Clarke, who is supervised

by Matthias, told the Court, that he worked the 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift on September 30, 2019, and on October 1, 2019.

In recounting the events of October 1, Corporal Clarke said, “I went into the yard where the prisoners are kept.

An Officer took a count of the prisoners, and reported that to me. I supervised their diet. I made my normal checks of the main prison yard.

I checked the dormitory and when I got to cell No. 3 where Primus was kept, I called three times but got no response. I asked Officer Springer who was also on that shift if he saw Primus, and he said no.

“I then reported it to Mr. Matthias, and he called and got no response, and he got the lock removed, and we entered.”

However, according to Clarke, what had appeared to be someone lying on the floor turned out to be pieces of fabric and shoes, under a sheet, but no sight of Primus.

Clarke could not recall who was assigned to that area on the night shift, but said he was told that it was Cupid.

Clarke said the last time he saw

Veron Primus – murder accused – was slapped with a 16-month sentence for escaping lawful custody.

Primus was around mid-morning on September 30, and he was in his cell.

Neither Clarke nor Matthias could say how many keys were on the bunch and when the key to Primus’ cell had disappeared.

Primus was charged with the death of 38-year-old Real Estate Agent Charlene Greaves of Dorsetshire Hill.

He was reported missing from the Prisons on the morning of October 01, 2019, while awaiting trial for the November 2015 stabbing death of Greaves.

Primus turned himself in 3 pm the same day, accompanied by Attorney Jomo Thomas.

Superintendent of Prisons Brenton Charles is the only other witness to have testified so far at Cupid’s trial.

He took the stand when the matter commenced about two weeks ago.

Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche leads the case for the Prosecution, while Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne presides.

The trial will continue on December 2.

Adult awaits fate for raping child A 26-YEAR-OLD MAN who forced himself on an 8-year-old girl seven years ago, will know his fate at the High Court

Criminal Assizes on December 3.

A 9-member mixed Jury on Monday 23rd November, had found

Kawanie Williams of Green Hill guilty of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13, but sentencing was adjourned.

Williams was 19 at the time of the incident, while the victim was eight.

The Prosecution’s evidence revealed that on November 16, 2013, the victim went to the home of the accused to have his sister assist her with her homework.

While there, his sister took some food and went to a bedroom to lie down.

The victim was in the drawing room watching

television by herself when Williams came home and went for his food. He then returned to the drawing room and pulled the child into a bedroom. She tried to pull away, but did not scream.

Williams then lifted the child and placed her on the bed on her back.

He undressed her from her waist down, undressed himself, and had sex with her. He then told her to put on her clothes and to return to the drawing room. He then left.

The victim went home but did not tell anyone about the incident.

However, about two weeks later, while at school, her teacher asked the pupils if anyone was ever sexually molested and the child raised her hand.

The teacher informed the Principal about what the child said, and when the child’s mother came to pick up her children from school, the Principal informed her, and the matter was reported to the police.

The accused, who was represented by Attorney Stephen Williams, opted not to take the stand, but the defence’s was that he did not commit the offence.

Shackell Bobb successfully prosecuted her first case in the High Court.

The matter was prosecuted by Attorney Shackell Bobb, who was prosecuting her first case, having been called to the local Bar as recent as November 16, two days before the matter started at the High Court. (More Court stories on Page 19)

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020. 5.

Health

Seven Dengue related deaths recorded THE SURVEILLANCE COMMITTEE of the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment (MOHWE) has confirmed that a 10-year-old female “with an underlying cardiac condition was admitted to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital on November 14 and died on Friday November 20 from Severe Dengue Fever.

“The death of this child brings to seven (7) the number of persons who have died as a direct result of dengue fever during this current epidemic.”

As of November 14, 2020 there were sixteen hundred and seventeen (1617) laboratory confirmed cases of dengue fever in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as confirmed by the MOHWE)Ministry of Health.

The Ministry, though, noted that, “There has been a consistent decrease in the number of laboratory confirmed cases of dengue fever since epidemiological week 41, the week ending October 10, when 194 cases were recorded. There has also been a decrease in clinically diagnosed cases of dengue fever.”

According to the health officials, the disease continues to affect all health districts, with the majority of cases reported in the Pembroke, Kingstown and Calliaqua Health Districts, followed by the Marriaqua and Chateaubelair Health Districts.

Persons in the 0-15-year-old age group continue to account for the majority of cases, with 3.54% of the cases accounted for by the 5-14-year age group, the Health Ministry disclosed.

As for preventive measures, the Vector Control Unit of the Environmental Health Department of the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment has intensified its integrated vector control programme, aimed at reducing the population of the mosquito which spreads the dengue virus.

Towards this end, the number of fogging teams has been increased, thereby allowing for more frequent fogging with larvicidal agents, in all communities. Since then, the Vector Control Unit has reported a reduction

in the mosquito breeding indices throughout the country in the first half of November, when compared with the month of October 2020.

Notwithstanding the effectiveness of the current mosquito control effort, and in an appeal to the public not to become complacent, the Ministry of Health hastened to remind that, “The fight against dengue fever is a shared responsibility and we must continue to work together to further reduce the number of new cases and the occurrence of bad outcomes.”

And in its outreach effort, the MOHWE provided information to wit: “Symptoms of dengue fever include fever, headache with pain behind the eyes, a rash, abdominal pain, vomiting and bleeding. Home treatments for dengue fever should focus on reducing the fever by using cool, not cold baths, acetaminophen (paracetamol) not ibuprofen and maintaining hydration by drinking lots of fluids such as coconut water. The early and consistent use of papaya leaf extract for five days in persons with dengue

While there has been a reported reduction in the mosquito breeding indices, the public is warned that this is not a signal to become complacent. fever symptoms, is encouraged.

Persons with symptoms of dengue fever are asked to seek medical care early and comply with the advice given to avoid the possible complications of dengue fever infections.” (Source: MOHWE)

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6. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

Diaspora

Vincy heads Brooklyn Outreach Lions

by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net US CORRESPONDENT

been heading it for the past decade, is inviting civic-minded men and women to join the club, AS THE Brooklyn, New York towards “making a Outreach Lions celebrates difference in our its 10th anniversary, a communities.”

Vincentian, who coThe Lions motto is ‘We founded the club and has Serve’, “and the Brooklyn

Outreach Lions Club has been living up to it for 10 years,” said Yolande Diane Chewett Hall, in a VINCENTIAN interview.

“The club has been doing different kinds of community service projects, including caring for seniors and the disabled, feeding the hungry, collecting used eye glasses, caring for the environment, and many more,” added the Bentick Square, Lower Kingstown, native.

“In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever that we do whatever is necessary to help our local communities,” continued Chewett Hall, who migraed to New York on Jul. 18, 1986.

Chewitt Hall, a Bishop’s College Kingstown graduate, said that Brooklyn Outreach Lions Club was chartered on Sept. 30, 2010 under District Governor Pauline Francis.

“I followed a friend to a meeting, which marked the beginning of my service in Lionism,” she said. “I joined what was called the Brooklyn Rising Stars Lions Club and diligently provided services to the less fortunate for nine years.

“At this point, I gathered together 27 of my friends and formed the Brooklyn Outreach Lions Club in 2010,” Chewitt Hall added.

She said she has held several positions in the club, including president, treasurer, membership chairperson and lion tamer.

“Becoming a Lions club member gives you the opportunity to volunteer locally, make new friends and get involved in projects that will make our community a better place to live,” said Chewitt Hall.

She said that the Association of Lions Clubs is “a great service organization.” The

umbrella organization has 1.4 million members, in 209 countries, with over 47,000 clubs, “of which Brooklyn Outreach Lions Club is one,” Chewitt Hall said.

“We are the largest non-political service organization in the world,” she boasts.

In recognition of her services to the community, Chewitt Hall has received numerous awards, including the Melvin Jones Award (the highest award), and Bachelors and Masters Awards in Lionism.

Besides Lionism activities, Chewitt Hall, who is employed in the Traffic Department with the New York City Police Department (NYPD, said she volunteers at the Veterans of Foreign Wars — Post 5298 — in Springfield Gardens, Queens, New York, giving out non-perishable food to the community.

She also serves as an usher at the Church of

Yolande Diane Chewett Hall the Nativity, at the corner of Farragut Road and Ocean Avenue, in Brooklyn.

V Christmas promotion in full FLOW

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020. 7.

Business

THERE WAS A ‘JOY JOY’ atmosphere at the Kingstown office of Wayne Hull, Country Manager of telecommunications company FLOW, last week Friday, November 20.

The occasion was the rolling out of the Company’s 2020 Christmas Promotion by Hull and his Marketing Manager Nikala Williams.

As has been the company’s tradition at this time of the year, FLOW is connecting with its customers with special and rewarding ways for Christmas 2020.

And as a preface to the rolling out of the details of the promotion, Hull took the opportunity to disclose that FLOW had taken a decision to donate to a Charity for Christmas 2020.

While stopping short of naming the recipient charity, save and except to refer to it as a ‘Home’, Hull said that among the package to the ‘Home’ will be several tablets, free Broad Band TV, fixed line telephone service and supplies/items used by the ‘Home’.

That said, Hull and Williams shared the responsibility of detailing the Christmas promotion.

The Promos Existing and new customers who sign up for a 3 or 7-day data plan will be rewarded with 5 times the usual amount of data.

Customers, old and new, who are on an Allin or an All-in Plus Bundle and add a mobile service to that Bundle, will have the opportunity to purchase a Samsung A7 T500 tablet for $54.00, down from the usual price of $800.00.

And those who bundle an unlimited FLOW plan with a mobile plan, stand to get a free tablet.

Mobile pre-paid customers who top up

from $10.00 upwards acts, led by the music of will have their top the Royal SVG Police up/credit increased by Force band. three times their purchase, to allow for calls across the FLOW mobile and fixed network. These customers will also be rewarded with 3GB of data.

Those with existing Post Paid Plans or persons purchasing for the first time, and who bundle it with a fixed line, TV and internet services, will have their plan price slashed by half.

And on each Sunday in December, any prepaid mobile customer can purchase 1GB of data for $1.00.

In addition, there will be daily draws for prizes of ham or turkey.

Persons zeroing their balance and/or taking up new plans will be entered in this draw beginning December 01.

And to crown the promotion, FLOW will stage an online/virtual Bingo Game for its mobile customer base.

Bingo cards will be issued whenever a transaction is made and this allows registration for the grand Game Night, December 23, when there will be six games.

Prizes with a total value $20,000.00 will include a $7,500 cash prize, Play Station 5 systems, tablets and I Phones when they become available.

All of these promotions will be executed across the nation through FLOW’s Sunday Shopping, Community Pop-up Shops, Nine Morning Shopping and the FLOW Virtual Store.

To formalise the launch of the Christmas Promotion, FLOW staged a Street Parade through Kingstown in the afternoon of last week Friday. The parade featured dancers, a float and Santa, among others

FLOW Country manager Wayne Hull (left) and Marketing Manager Nikala Williams at last week Friday’s launch of FLOW’s 2020 Christmas promotion.

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8. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020. 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

A two-party Democracy TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT, our Democracy has been relegated to a contest between two parties who have dominated our politics and between them, governed the nation for the last thirty-six years.

During that period, they have transformed Vincentian politics from a public service to a career path for those who embrace the culture, authority and ideology of the party, and who accept willy nilly the opinions and deductions which their leaders define for them, especially as they relate to the common good.

Regardless of how otherwise they would want to describe themselves, each party is a private organization and represents first the interests of their members.

Winning is all that matters and “whatever it takes” is the basic rule.

The question arises: Can we expect our politicians to behave differently from what is implied above?

We have a representative democracy with a Westminster system where the Parliament is supreme. In essence, Parliament cannot be questioned.

That supreme body has the power to pass both just and unjust laws which, in practice, our Courts are obliged to use. To the letter of the principle, God forbid, this ‘supremacy of parliament’ can effectively oblige judges to be complicit in injustice.

But, should Parliament not be about making just and valid laws which the courts will use to protect individuals and minorities?

Parliamentarians are not legally required to act in the public interest or tell the truth. In fact, politicians are on record as saying that they don’t have to tell the whole truth, only that which serves their interests.

Neither are they forbidden to act in their own interests or the interests of their supporters.

The Westminster system takes it for granted that political power will be exercised by people who know how to behave properly and can be trusted so to do. That assumption might seem foreign in today’s reality, given how our politics has unfolded especially over the last 25 years.

The bottom line is that ordinary people have a very limited role in this thing we call our Democracy, with its Westminster system.

Yes, periodically, citizens are encouraged to vote. Since one or other of the dominant parties always wins, there is very limited practical choice. Worse, many people vote only because they’re feel obliged to do so, many in ‘blind’ support of their party.

The dominant parties’ response – predictably leading to a further loss of credibility – is to ridicule one another for their distorted views, impractical proposals, and ‘pie-in-sky rhetoric.

Campaign paraphernalia- billboards, posters, leaflets, etc., become targets of abuse.

The cumulative impact of the dominant parties’ rejection of community standards and concerns will amount to, if it has not already done so, to public anger and contempt for politicians. It becomes what a former Labour Minister in the UK described as a ‘discipline’ “drowning in distrust”.

Those who control the dominant parties must be aware that they are not far from creating a risk of political chaos.

Democratic nations, like ours, which cry out for more informed citizens and trusted governments, will find it extremely difficult to function effectively in a state of widespread unemployment, mass deception and an unbridled incentive to party fanatics to misbehave.

What we should clamour for is broad public support for an anti-corruption body, an independent parliamentary ethics and privileges commission with investigative powers, and a bipartisan parliamentary committee with power to impose penalties for breach.

Unfortunately, it appears that the dominant parties are united in their opposition to effective supervision of political behaviour, and even if an anti-corruption commission is established they can limit its effectiveness.

Who among us will bring the first block of change?

Fidel Castro: Vikin goes to Valhalla in a blaze of glory his principles come what might. One of his American sympathetic writers Herbert Matthews described a scene at the lowest ebb FIDEL CASTRO died at age 90, November 25, of the Revolution.

2016, a household name in the annals of The Fidelista were virtually wiped out, Caribbean History and the wider world in being reduced to a handful of fighters, general. surrounded in the hills by Government troops I was never a communist and ruthless and facing imminent slaughter. Castro in his dictator for which Fidel has been acclaimed capture would be broadcast to the world as a and condemned, but I am convinced that in his revolution crushed. So he arranged his suicide neck of the woods he did what was necessary, if he were surprised at night: his gun nozzle even essential to the freedom of the human was placed near his chin, with the trigger spirit by total social transformation in the within easy reach of his feet. It is History’s gift mid-20th century. His perhaps was the only that he lived to fight another day, which way a backward, benighted and oppressive turned out to be about 30 years of progressive country could over-leap and qualify for a activity. vanguard place in the comity nations, This may sound far-fetched, but it is not. especially in the areas of popular education Luzette King and company for instance and socialised medicine of the prohibitively must take heart that often the greatest event high standard accessible to the subsoils of his has had a very small beginning: commitment, country. perseverance and the belief in the justice of Instinctively, the unlikely Cuban Revolution one’s cause can in the end pay handsome smacked me in the face about the close of my dividend.

It must never be forgotten that Castro met secondary schooling. Instinctively, despite the his home ravaged by a ruthless dictator acting colonial brainwashing, we took to the side of Cuba in what we saw as a David-and—Goliath in the interest of the USA. Cuba had degenerated into being partly brothel, a large encounter. We immediately produced a casino, and a holiday resort on the US carnival band that was supportive of the doorstep for the idle rich and famous. He left it Fidelitas, which was anathema to the a fairly stable and egalitarian society but not dominant colonial trend. I recount with glee quite democratic as we understand the term.

Rudolph (Junior) Baynes and myself hailing Even after the Cuban Revolution had got each other as the representative of Fidel going, it received a set-back to the fury of himself. So much so that the ruling Labour Party and its counter-parts in the Windwards Fidel when Russia responded to the USA did what little they could do to undermine the threat over Russian missile emplaced on Cuba revolution’s flow and momentum. They refused soil. The Russians simply moved them out to the chagrin of Fidel who later learnt that it for instance, to recognise degrees issued by was all part of a quid pro quo deal: that the revolutionary Cuba to their own citizens.

US had quietly removed weapons which it had After “Son” Mitchell was installed as based in Turkey pointed threateningly at Premier, he accepted some Dominicans Russia! After that Cuba became circumspect in educated in Cuba, but rejected by Dominica’s its relations to the Russian on whom it “Iron Lady”, Eugenia Charles. nevertheless heaped praise, shoring them up The truth is that our people proved themselves “simpletons” in being discomforted against an American embargo.

Castro threw his weight behind Liberation by the aspiring Mitchell because he looked too struggles in Africa, particularly Angola and much like Fidel. Mitchell’s answer was to South Africa. clean shave his beard which apparently He remained the Black man’s friend even became acceptable when grown back on native creating a diplomatic nightmare by staying in soil!

Harlem on an official visit to the UN Mitchell in fact took advantage of his headquarters. resemblance to Castro, glorying in a witticism The Caribbean man of letters, CLR James, of Castro who said at a conference that saluted Castro warmly and spread his word Mitchell’s attendance provided him with some particularly in Canada, where he influenced security; they will not know which one to Vincentian students such Alfie Roberts, shoot! Such anecdotal incidents brought Kerwyn Morris and Arnhim Eustace.

Castro and Mitchell into a fairly tight Further, CLR’s favourite disciple Eric embrace, which significantly stopped short of Williams, in his epic “From Columbus to the bear hug reserved for the communist Castro”, virtually described Castro as the brethren. ultimate in the West Indian journey in selfOf course this leads us into the “charmed” discovery. So, whatever his shortcomings may life that Castro lived, especially after the Bay have been, Fidel remains a legendary figure of Pigs invasion. Castro was ready to die for for all time.

(First published in THE VINCENTIAN OF December 6, 2016)

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lHE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020. 9.

Views

Changing political theory THE Right Honorable Dr Ralph Gonsalves, an authority in Political Science, can propose and promote new theories and practices in his field that may eventually gain acceptance in Academia.

In 1998, the New Democratic Party retained Government with the majority of seats, while the opposition gained the popular vote. Gonsalves and the opposition forces then condemned the first past the post system and theorized that because the NDP got a minority of votes overall, they did not have the moral authority to govern.

Consequently, Gonsalves apparently masterminded the forcing of the minority NDP out of office by 2001.

Twenty years later, the tides have turned the NDP has the support of the majority of the people but the Unity Labour Party has more

seats and retained governance.

Questions abound: Will the NDP use its popularity to force the minority ULP out of power before their term ends? Will the ULP respect the laws of the country? Will Shevon

John take back her teaching post? Will Civil Servants and Policemen be promoted on merit?

Will the parliament be managed with the rules of the tried and tested style of Western Democracies? Can a Motion of No Confidence

be brought and debated?

Will court rulings against the Government be honoured? Can private members bills be given the priority intended in a timely manner? Will efforts be made to exhibit fairness or will they wear out the

patience of the majority?

Those involved in the teaching and practice of Law, Government and Political Science are noting the apparent new theories of Dr the Honourable Ralph Gonsalves.

Anthony Stewart, PhD

Gonsalves, Francis and Kingstown IN INTRODUCING Senator Julian Francis as Minister of Local Government, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves said that he, Francis, will be responsible for ensuring the upkeep and development of Kingstown, our capital, with particular attention being given to the new port expansion project.

There is nothing new about Francis being responsible for Local Government including the Kingstown Town Board and Kingstown, I dare say, nothing has improved in the city except the number of street vendors increasing by the day. All

Francis has done is to make one expect anything much from are not ‘town boys’. In that promise after the other without Francis and his cousin Dr. regard, they are no different delivering.

Gonsalves as far as keeping the from Sir James.

Let me remind Senator capital clean and without all This is probably the last Francis, in case he is not aware, the interferences we have with chance that the ULP, Dr. Kingstown our capital is the vendors and traffic, since they Gonsalves and Francis will seat of have to do something government, the about the vendors, centre of traffic, Little Tokyo, commerce and China Town all those trade and the seat spots of illegal activity. of the judiciary.

I pray they would hospital.

People often judge HOW DOES someone make good on all their However, a much move on from a loss or a a country by how promises this time more courageous act in disappointment? well it takes care around.

Some people have an my mind would be of its capital. finding ways to be easier time moving on I am not one of Terrance - Town Man than others. Being good inclusive. I know that those who insist would make some at moving on is an art that we cannot people nervous and feel and one worth mastering if you want to vulnerable, but being politically safe is not be a great opposition what we need today. party with an eye on Without embracing the one day leading. Those vulnerability that comes of us who learn that letting go does not mean with listening to others, * If the SVG we will see much of our we no longer care, will Constitution have a much easier time ideas and projects makes provision for lingering in controversy. adjusting to our new a Deputy Prime As for the opposition role.

Minister?

It is now a few weeks NDP, it is time for this * If there is no after the election and we able body group to focus means of sending on an appropriate still have people mail out of SVG balance of “What and discussing the simple through the post How”. I feel you wasted question: Who won the office? election? That question much of your last term * If police officers chasing an illusion. We was answered on the could complain to night of the election: “It have to find a way to the PM about being interact with the is what it is”. The next overlooked for government to get few weeks or maybe promotion by the months will define us as things done.

Commissioner and Listening to both individuals and a party. he could make the parties on the campaign The ULP, the declared Commissioner winner, must now show trail, I came away with us that they can govern the feeling that apart explain, why then from the differences in a a much more divided doesn’t he officially nation and the NDP, in few policies, everyone take over all wanted the best for our opposition with a promotion matters? nation. I would like to majority of the total * Now that we had encourage you to find votes cast, must show a gay professional that they can find a way the courage to do being a featured something different; find to influence the guest (Peter ways to offer conversation. Both Wickham) on the constructive opposition parties will serve our national radio nation with distinction, to some of those projects station’s coverage of that would improve our if they heed the advice the recent elections, of our Governor General country; find ways to has the government make them better. If and find ways to work experienced a you are on the train for together. change of heart as the ride, your chances of I fully expect the far as homosexuachanging the course is Comrade and the ULP lity is concerned? greater than if you to continue bringing Anybody see the choose not to take the new and aggressive hypocrisy in the ride. “big” projects to the whole Peter Looking forward to an table. This time around Wickham thing?

I would like to see them exciting five years and * Will our gay our growth delivered in a timelier professionals be opportunities. manner; it simply encouraged to come cannot take five to out of the closet?

Horatio seven years to deliver the new port or the

Moving on

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10. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020. THE VINCENTIAN

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Investing in a more climate resilient SVG Crisis in Governance in SVG (Pt2)

OVER the last 20 years of the Unity Labour Party administration, this country has seen an unprecedented number of weather events that have wreaked havoc on the physical infrastructure of this country, caused unspeakable tragedy and disrupted the lives of thousands of Vincentians for extended periods. As a reminder of some of those occurrences, we can go back to: 2010, the year of hurricane Tomas in October, that destroyed a number of homes and downed power-lines, caused Major flooding and landslides throughout the country; the December 2013 floods caused by a trough system that dumped over 20 inches of rainfall on this island in less than 24 hours, damaging approximately 17% of our country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and taking the lives of 13 Vincentians, including a family of 3 in the North Eastern village of Rose Bank; and most recently, the drought of 2020 that was the worst in almost a century.

These are just three of the major events, as there were other storms and other instances of persistent rainfall that caused damage to property and infrastructure across this country.

These events remind us of our peculiar vulnerabilities as Small Island Developing States that sit on the very frontlines of the global climate crisis.

Based on the challenges this country has faced in dealing with the impacts of climate change, and the warnings that things are not likely to get better based on the failure of the world’s largest carbon dioxide emitters to take decisive action, the government has shown its intent to ensure that rebuilding and reconstruction would be done to ensure resilience, building back better and stronger.

Building Back Better and Stronger One aspect of this country’s physical infrastructure that has taken a significant beating over the period is bridges, cutting off communities and causing significant inconveniences to the travelling public. The ULP, with the construction of the bridge at Rabacca, has proven itself as being capable to handle large projects of this kind previously thought impossible.

After the December 13 floods, a number of bridges across the country from Fitz Hughes to Langley Park, were left in various degrees of disrepair, from marginal damage to complete destruction. In the Georgetown area alone, three bridges were severely or completely damaged: the Mt Young bridge, the Caratal bridge and the bridge at Langley Park; significant infrastructural damage for just one community. In Chateaubelair, damage was sustained to bridges in Fitz Hughes, Golden Grove, and Sharps Village, with extensive damage to the bridge at Spring Village making it unusable. To replace these bridges the ULP administration led by Comrade Ralph moved swiftly to mobilise financial resources from some of the usual institutional partners, but also used our progressive foreign policy to negotiate assistance from our allies.

What took place over the subsequent years was a reconstruction drive that saw the replacement of a number of bridges in Spring Village in North Leeward, Vermont, Mt. Young, Caratal and Langley Park. In every instance, the bridges were widened so two-lane traffic can be easily accommodated; they were raised higher (the Caratal bridge being the most obvious example of this) and more reinforcement used in construction material showing columns four times the dimensions of what existed previously. These visible,

(Excerpts of Dr. Friday’s Address to the Nation)

structural characteristics of the bridges depict the emphasis placed on constructing bridges that are climate resilient, to withstand weather events of the magnitude of the 2013 floods and greater.

The reconstruction of these bridges cost the government tens of millions of dollars, raised through loans and other instruments, as well as through technical assistance from the government of Ecuador that also supplied Bailey bridges that were used temporarily in some instances. The cost of reconstruction was great and the process of mobilising funding slow, but today SVG has a bridge network that would rank among the most resilient among SIDS anywhere in the world.

The Vision of SVG’s Contingency Fund The repeated lessons from resource mobilisation after the passage of a storm or other types of natural disasters teach us that having to turn to external sources can be slow, because of various levels of bureaucracy. This government recognised that there must be something in place that gives this country an immediate source of funds that can be used to begin reconstruction or at the basic, clean up work as well as assisting families impacted in the days immediately following a disaster. To achieve this, the government in 2018 introduced a hotel levy on nightly stay for visitors, of EC$3 with the sole purpose of creating a contingency fund that would be an immediate source of funds to respond to the impacts of natural disasters.

By early 2020, that fund had already accumulated in excess of $33 million that could be used for national disaster response. Very importantly, the presence of this contingency fund gave the government a source of funds that was used to form part of the relief package to assist Vincentians who lost their jobs as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is also worth noting that the Parliamentary opposition in its usual obstructionist fashion opposed the contingency fund, claiming erroneously that its introduction would “kill” the tourism industry.

Needless to say, our tourism product pre covid-19, was stronger than it had ever been and much growth is anticipated post-Covid-19.

Conclusion This country’s quest to ensure that we build a country with infrastructure that is resilient against the impact of climate change continues in this the historic 5th term of the ULP administration. Every effort will be made to ensure that our roads and bridges are constructed in a manner that allows them to withstand the harsh weather events that have been a feature within recent years in this region. The government also continues its work on sea and river defence, with work ongoing in Georgetown, San Souci and expected to begin in Sandy Bay. The very important contingency fund will continue to play its role in making local funds immediately available in the event of these unfortunate and unpredictable weather events. Building a resilient SVG is very much a part of us lifting SVG higher.

MOST damning for the government and painful for our people is the widespread incidence of social and economic decay that is seen in the high unemployment rate, especially among our youth, poor health care services and rising crime. It is seen very clearly also in increasing poverty among our people.

That poverty was documented in the poverty assessment survey that the government itself commissioned but buried for over two years, because they did not like the stark reality of growing poverty exposed by the survey, which only came to light when it was obtained and published by the NDP. The survey showed that since 2008, poverty overall increased from 30.2% to 36.1%. Even worse and more telling is the fact that the poorest of the poor - referred to in the survey as the indigent poor - increased from approximately 2.9% in 2008 to over 11.3% ten years later. Poverty is growing in our country. The survey said it but you felt it long before that.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic remains a matter of grave concern. Our economy, already weak and rudderless before the pandemic, has been brought virtually to a halt.

Tourism has dried up and our hotel and restaurant operators struggle against growing odds. There are no new capital inflows through investments to spur economic growth and create jobs, and there are no credible plans to revive our farming and fishing industries.

These are matters that we addressed honestly and constructively during the election campaign and which we will continue to pursue.

They are problems that we intend to address, whether we are in government or not. Our opponents, for short term political gain, distorted and misrepresented the policies and programmes we presented and lied about our motives and intentions.

Through shameful, jingoistic rhetoric and appeal to the basest instinct of our human nature, the usual refuge of populists and autocrats, they sought to mislead our people, while offering nothing constructive and hopeful in return.

Some believed it; but thankfully most did not. And even after all of that, more people voted for the NDP than the ULP. This tells me that there is much work to be done. But more importantly, that there is hope that it can and will be done, though it may now take a little longer.

Overshadowing all of this, is the doubtful legitimacy of the present ULP Government and the impact this will have on governance in the country.

As I mentioned earlier, on the basis of our shared values that at its core, democracy is expressed through the will of the people shown by a majority of the votes of the people, the legitimacy of the minority government that the ULP has now become is in doubt.

This minority government has resulted notwithstanding the widespread exploitation of state resources by the ULP to influence voters and the widespread buying of votes in key constituencies. Clearly these circumstances, including the meagre margins of the results at the recent polls and the unfavorable

decisions in the final count in North Leeward which gave the seat to the ULP candidate, cast a dark and growing shadow over the legitimacy of the new ULP government.

At Dr. Gonsalves’ swearing in ceremony, our Governor-General expressed her intention to support all and urged Gonsalves as PM to be inclusive in the way he governs. That is welcome advice. If nothing else, it should remind Dr Gonsalves that after taking office, he should not continue with the politics of divide and rule, of victimization based on partisan politics, and with the immoral exclusion of over half of our people from constructive engagement in the processes of governing and from sharing the benefits of our nation’s resources.

Regrettably, from his responses including references to “a cock-eyed notion of democracy” and the blatantly false suggestion that he has always sought “to include the Opposition at all levels”, there is little hope that this advice will be followed. Nevertheless, our circumstances demand hope, in all its aspects. And we will by all proper means at our disposal ensure that the majority voice of the people which the NDP now represent will not be silenced or marginalized. We will be heard and will insist on shaping the direction of our country’s future.

In replying to the Governor General exhortations to be inclusive, Dr. Gonsalves basically confirmed his intention to continue along the path of division and exclusion that he followed over the years. This is a far cry from the stance which he and the ULP adopted in 1998, when his party won the popular vote and the NDP won the majority of the seats.

At that time, they argued that: The ULP acknowledges that St. Vincent and the Grenadines has a first-pastthe-post electoral system and that in a narrow legal sense the NDP has the right to be called upon to form the government for the time being. But politics and good governance have always been more than narrow legalisms. A truly functioning democracy demands that the consent of the governed, that is, the consent of real flesh-and-blood voters, be obtained. Fifty-five percent of the voters have stated unequivocally that they do not want to be ruled by the NDP. At that time, the ULP called for dialogue with the NDP aimed at working out an interim arrangement pending fresh elections, which they proposed should take place within six months. They appealed to the Christian Council, the Chamber of Commerce and other social partners to act as brokers in the negotiation process.

But when Ralph Gonsalves became leader of the ULP in December 1998, he refused any form of co-operation with the NDP government, not even to attend official functions including welcoming a foreign head of state, and the ULP vowed to make the country ungovernable. This situation led to the so-called “road block revolution” and ultimately to the shortening of the constitutional term of the NDP government.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020. 11.

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Diversity, Divisiveness and Division Gonsalves’ unsavoury tactics

“Unity, not uniformity, must be our aim. We attain unity only through variety. Differences must be integrated, not annihilated, not absorbed.” – Mary Parker Follett (1868-1933) – American social worker, management consultant, and philosopher.

THERE IS BEAUTY in diversity. It is truly amazing what can be accomplished when individuals with different talents and experiences come together to enrich workplaces, neighbourhoods, political parties, churches, and so on. There is a richness that is evident when group members respect the differences that exist and work fervently to use those dissimilarities for a common good; each person committed to doing the best that they can as they seek to guarantee outstanding overall performance. There is beauty in diversity.

There seems to be a natural/normal tendency for us humans to look at each other with “jaundiced eyes”; focused on identifying and magnifying differences in a negative and counter-productive way. This seems to be especially so as nations prepare for general elections.

Politicians tend to highlight differences between themselves and their opponents. Unfortunately, the focus is not always on policies. Regrettably, too many encourage divisiveness. Too many seek to incitetheir followers and potential followers to engage in sowing and nurturing discord. In many cases, the comparisons and contrasts are often linked to “non-issues”. Political tribalism does not dissipate following the general elections … even as these same guilty politicians verbalize about the need for national unity.

Unfortunately, those who may have been engaged in creating division and championing divisiveness are disqualified from advocating the need for unity and reconciliation. Their followers are unlikely to respond positively and their opponents will understandably not trust the new “allinclusive” utterances. To them, the spring that provided bitter water cannot now produce sweet water. And so, politicians and their acolytes must commit to avoid speaking with forked tongues. Leaders in business and society must commit to appreciating and encouraging the spirit of diversity.

This is critical in avoiding the pitfalls and dangers throughout society when divisiveness is at play. This is as true for those in the developed world as it is for the citizens in emerging economies like ours.

The thoughts shared in the foregoing paragraphs remind us of the dangers that emerge when division is evident among and within groups.

Intolerance is often a common trait when differences are highlighted among citizens. That bias, if not managed and curtailed, can be very dangerous and disruptive. History records how well Adolf Hitler (18891945), the German politician and leader of the Nazi Party, fueled division among the German people, highlighting the differences between the “pure Arian race” and those deemed untermenschen (subhuman) or socially unwanted. Jews, blacks, the physically handicapped, and the mentally or emotionally unstable were placed in this category. The division was highlighted and the powder-keg of prejudice ignited. History records that Hitler and his Nazi regime killed 19.3 million civilians and prisoners of war.

This example is provided to remind us that fueling division and prejudice, in whichever forms they are spewed, can be very destructive.

Margaret Cho, an American comedian and songwriter, reminds us to be forever alert to the plight of those who may appear different to ourselves.

In her own way, she cautions us about the dangers of the prejudices and divisions that are created when we practice intolerance … and maintain divisions that retard societal inclusiveness. She notes that, “If you are a woman, if you’re a person of colour, if you are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, if you are a person of size, if you are a person of intelligence, if you are a person of integrity, then you are considered a minority in this world.” Minorities very often discover that they are physically, emotionally, and/or socially maligned and too often unfairly ridiculed. Such behaviours are unacceptable. Such divisions are often unwarranted. While we may not condone some of the behaviours of the individuals Cho refers to in her quotation, we must make sure that we do not infringe on their civil rights or separate/divide them so that they are rejected from mainstream society.

Mohandas ‘Mahatma’ Gandhi (18691948), the Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, and civil rights activist, advocated the need for unity across races, nationalities, and religions. He reminds us that, “Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and test of our civilization.” This is as true for those who live in developed countries as it is for those of us who reside in developing countries. The test of our civilization will be our ability to reach unity in diversity. It is not beyond us. We have the capacity, the potential, to make this a reality.

But each of us must commit (and recommit) to the process. Amidst our differences we have enough in common to appreciate and respect those differences and to work with each other to build and maintain the beautiful and diverse societies of which we are a part. Our fore parents may have resided in the region long before the Europeans “discovered” these territories. Or they may have arrived in our part of the world on slave ships that sailed from the West African coast, or on vessels used to transport indentured servants from India. Or they may have been among the more recent arrivals to our region having flown in from Syria, Lebanon, North America, or Europe. Regardless of how they came, they had a right to be here.

They added to the beautiful societal mosaic of our Caribbean collective tapestry. We are who we are because of who they were and where they came from.

As enlightened citizens, we appreciate the beauty of our diversity.

As fair, progressive and open-minded citizens, we will be at the forefront of the opposition to those who may selfishly seek to engender divisiveness and division. Unity, not uniformity, must forever be our focus.

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

YET AGAIN, an official of the ruling Unity Labour Party has brought into question the secrecy of the ballot. This is the second time in just over a decade that prominent individuals in the ULP government have made the claim that the party’s leadership knows the political choice of citizens.

Back in 2008, Julian Francis, the ULP General Secretary and longstanding, successful campaign manager, told a stunned nation that he knew how the Syrians voted. This wild and sinister statement was repeated by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves on November 19, while addressing the nation on the stateowned National Broadcasting Corporation NBC. Gonsalves said, ‘Despite what I did for the sailors, objectively, most of them voted against the ULP...And they form a network across the country, I am telling you, who opposed me.’

There is a lot that is wrong with this statement and those of us concerned about democracy and the democratic process in St Vincent ought to be both alarmed and concerned. We cannot remain silent.

All democracies pride themselves on the secrecy of the ballot. The vote during elections is reflective of the sovereign will of the people.

Therefore, if PM Gonsalves and his party leadership know how people voted, it means that that the vote is not secret. To violate the secrecy of the ballot strikes at the heart of the democracy.

Without knowing what Francis and PM Gonsalves know, we remain convinced that the ballot is secret. If he speaks with scientific certainty in proclaiming that he knows for which party sailors voted, then he is admitting to violating the constitution of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

This bold face admission is nothing less than misbehaviour in public office.

Therefore, Gonsalves should be asked to stand in the parliament and tell the nation, in a clear and detailed fashion, how he knew the manner in which the majority of sailors voted.

As we noted in the Views and Issues programme on SVG TV last Sunday, if Gonsalves cannot prove to the satisfaction of citizens how he knows what he claims to know, then we can only conclude that his statement was intended to spread fear and alarm in the nation, and to intimidate citizens. We recall that Patel Mathews, who lost by one vote, said some voters told him that members of the North Leeward constituency said intimidation was one reason they might have feared voting for him.

Whichever way we answer these questions all citizens must ask: What manner of man is this? What kind of political animal leads our nation?

Here is a leader that has won five consecutive elections and yet remains unsatisfied. Gonsalves narcissism his constant desire to crave the nation’s attention - has repeatedly brought unnecessary negative attention to himself.

His attitude begs the question: What shall it profit a man if he were to gain the whole world and in the process, lose his own soul?

Opportunity to clean up Voters’ list

The November 5 elections present our nation with yet another opportunity to clean up the voters’ list. During those elections, more than 65,000 Vincentians cast their votes for the party of their choice. The opposition New Democracy Party (NDP) garnered 32,859 votes while the governing Unity Labour Party (ULP) received 32,329. This was a very high turnout considering the fact that there remains residual fears about the coronavirus.

One of the priorities the new parliament should tackle is a way to make the electoral list as accurate as possible. One way to do this is for parliamentarians to agree that the only registered voters are who voted in the last elections. Following the agreement, the Supervisor of Elections should be mandated to purge the list of all remaining names.

The voters’ list has more than 98,000 names. We are a country with about 106,000 people. We know that about 32,000 Vincentians are between the ages of 1 and 17 years. Therefore, we can safely account for 97,000 Vincentians. Many of the remaining names on the list are of persons who are dead or abroad. It means that less than 10,000 or 15 percent of Vincentians on the island made the decision not to vote in the last elections.

A voter turnout rate of close to 85 percent is an impressive amount. The turnout rate is a sign that our people remain interested in the democratic process. In Jamaica, the turnout rate in 2015 was 49 percent and 37 percent in 2020. In Trinidad, there was a 66 percent turnout in 2015 and 58 percent in 2020. The turnout in the Jamaica and Trinidad elections were negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, all effort should be made to encourage even more Vincentians to register and vote, while ensuring that the voters’ list accurately reflects the number of eligible voters.

The Organisation of American States Democracy project offers assistance to member states to address these matters. We should access such assistance to ensure that our system of elections becomes even more transparent.

The office of the Supervisor of Elections can then embark on a voter registration drive to ensure that all eligible voters are included. It should be equipped with mobile caravans that travel across the nation to encourage registration. We should also put in place a system to facilitate automatic registration of persons who get driver’s license, and connect the Registry with the electoral office so that once per month all registered deaths can be sent to the electoral office, so that names of dead persons can be removed.

There is really no reason why we cannot have a more accurate list. All we need is the political will of legislators and the commitment of the workers at the electoral office.

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

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12. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

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Replace Tourism Ministry with Science & Technology Ministry WARRANT OFFICER Ivan Bertie O’Neal BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, Leader of SVG Green Party, who was awarded the British Royal Air Force “Certificate of Merit” in engineering in recognition of his initiative and inventiveness towards the improvement of the engineering services of the RAF in 1989, contends that we should urgently replace the Tourism Ministry with a Ministry of Science and Technology.

We need to prepare our country and our people for the future and the future is Green jobs and Green economies.

The Global Commission on the Future of Work identified the greening of economies among the central transitions impacting the future of work. This transition would create millions of jobs as countries adopt sustainable practices and clean technologies, with 24 million new jobs estimated to be created globally by 2030, if the right policies and the right skills to promote and respond to a greener economy are put in place.

Germany wants to lead the green recovery and has just allocated some $46 billion to sustainable investments in areas like renewable power and electric vehicles. One in four start-ups in Germany contribute to environmental and climate protection.

Innovation and start-up companies are a major driver of change towards a sustainable economic system and increasingly important in the transition to renewable energy.

Warrant Officer Ivan O’Neal BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA is making a strong call for a billion dollar investment a

year in education in SVG, to provide free, high-quality education from preschool to university.

In SVG, we should focus on educating our children in Science and Technology and have a focus on Green engineering for immediate and longterm economic development of our country. We must also provide our people with the skills to set up their own business, so they can work in the global Green industry.

The richest and more industrial countries in the world have highly educated populations. Technology and high-quality education are the driving force of rich countries with strong economies. The young people of SVG are the future of SVG and it is important that they are given all the resources they need to reach their full potential, so they can be great leaders and problem solvers.

According to the UK Guardian newspaper, some of the top Green jobs are Green engineers, Water footprint managers and Virtual health support workers.

Choosing a Green economy and renewable energies is a great way also for communities and individual Vincentians to make money, with community and individual ownership of renewable energy production. In 2013, 50% of the entire Germany production of renewables was owned by individuals, communities and cooperatives — with the sources ranging from home rooftop solar panels to wind power and biogas production on agricultural land.

In SVG, there is a high level of

turnover of EC$31.3 billion.

We must modernise the SVG economy and create thousands of new unemployment. Making the change to jobs by setting up a renewable energy a Green economy will create thousands industry, a recycling industry, a green of new jobs. In Germany, in 2011, technologies and innovation industry, there were 372,000 people working in helping entrepreneurs to set up Green the nation’s renewable energy sectors businesses, providing incentives to and the projections are that this help existing businesses make their number is expected to be in the products environmentally-friendly in 400,000 to 500,000 range by 2021. order to gain a competitive advantage, A Green economy in SVG would and by building a Science and boost the amount of money circulating Technology university. in the country and significantly We should replace the Tourism increase businesses’ sales. In Ministry with a Ministry of Science Germany, the booming renewable and Technology and modernise our energy industry alone has an annual economy.

Why ULP won the Nov. 5 General Elections

The ULP, led by their charismatic and very experienced political leader Dr Ralph Gonsalves, secured an unprecedented 5th term in office in the November 5th General Elections.

The party limped across the finish line, battered and bruised. There were some nervous moments for the ULP on the night of the Elections as they faced a strong challenge from the NDP.

NDP: What went wrong?

The NDP was riding on a ‘wind of change’ which was quite evident in the weeks leading up to the General Elections. The party had hoped that its promise of jobs, jobs and more jobs would resonate with the electorate resulting in victory at the polls. It painted a gloomy picture of the country, outlining the high levels of unemployment and poverty in many areas, in an effort to convince Vincentians that the ULP had failed miserably, and it was time to once again give the NDP the opportunity to govern the country.

The party failed in its effort to achieve this. Why did the NDP fail in its efforts to turn this obvious wind of change into a significant swing away from ULP and emerge victorious? The answer is simple: the NDP did not convince sufficient voters that it was the better party. The CBI programme which the party highlighted throughout its campaign seemed to have created much doubt and confusion in the minds of many voters, and the party did not do enough to quell those fears, especially when concerns were raised by the leader of the ULP regarding the programme.

In short, the policies and even the seemingly attractive promises put forward by the NDP, including the promise to pay all CXC fees for students, apparently made little impact on the voters.

ULP: Standing on its record The ULP, on the other hand, had

two main things in its favour. Firstly, as the ruling party, it had the machinery of government and resources at its disposal and was led by a shrewd politician. The party has been severely criticized, for what some view as ‘unfair tactics’, in its desire to win. This cast my memory back to the period prior to 1989 when the Grenadines, which was then one constituency was spilt into two (Northern and Southern Grenadines), thus giving the then ruling party, the NDP, an advantage, not only in the 1989 General Elections, but in future General Elections. The ruling party will always have the advantage in any General Elections. Once the Elections are generally ‘free and fair’, that is what matters most.

In my opinion, ULP’s victory at the polls is attributed mainly to its achievements in its first three terms in office. In their last five-year term, the party performed poorly and it is the poor governance of the ULP that left room for the NDP to resurface and put up such a strong challenge.

The apparent issues of victimization, poor representation, virtual neglect of constituencies and the obvious lack of transparency seemed to have turned off many voters, even their own supporters. So, were it not for its strong record of achievement, the ULP may have failed in its bid to win a 5th consecutive term in office. Does this strengthen the view held by many that no party should remain in office for more than two or three terms? Does the ruling party become too complacent and ‘stale’ after two terms in office?

The NDP, by making significant in-roads into ULP strongholds while solidifying its position in the six constituencies it now holds, lives to fight another day. How the party performs as an opposition this time around will determine how much of a challenge it would be in 2025. It would be interesting to see what level of governance the ULP provides in the next five years.

The Watchman

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14. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

A BRIEF Historical Overview of the Portuguese in St. Vincent and the Grenadines Madeira Island- from whence the Portuguese came.

Editor’s Note: Friday 27th November, 2020 marks the 175th Anniversary of the arrival of the first the Madeiran Portuguese people in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

search of work and a better life, migrated westward to Venezuela, Brazil, British Guiana, St. Vincent, Trinidad, Antigua and the United States.

Between 1835 and 1846, over 12,000 Madeirans migrated to British Guiana.

We are pleased to commemorate this milestone Arrival in St. Vincent with extracts from a soon to be published booklet entitled, ‘An A group of 249 Portuguese Historical Overview of the immigrants left the island of Portuguese in St. Vincent and Madeira on the 6th November the Grenadines & the Bellevue Roman Catholic Church’, authored by Rev. Mark De Silva, to whom we are grateful for allowing the use his work.

We have taken the liberty to concentrate on the first portion of the Rev de Dilva’s booklet but will encourage all, especially students, to purchase the booklet to garner more detail on the topic.

1845 on the galley ‘Helen Thompson’, and landed in St. Vincent 21 days later on the 27th November 1845 - 175 years ago.

With the end of slavery in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (1834) and in the Americas, the planters lost their cheap, traditional labour force and were now seeking additional workers for their sugar cane plantations. Between 1845 and 1850, about 2,100 of these

From Whence They Came ITUATED IN THE EASTERN ATLANTIC OCEAN off northern Africa, the Madeira islands are an Autonomous Region of Portugal and consist of the main island of Madeira plus the islands of Porto Santo and Desertas, and includes several uninhabited islets.

Madeira is the largest island in this archipelago and is more than twice the size of St. Vincent, with a surface area of 741 km2 (286 sq. mi).

In the mid-1800s, poor Madeirans began migrating in answer to a call for sugar Portuguese children gather for Sunday School. plantation workers. Many, in

S

Madeiran/Portuguese immigrants landed in St. Vincent as indentured and contract workers. They were initially allotted to ten estates throughout the island.

The Portuguese that came had their passage paid for them, and were indentured for only one or two years. They received a small parcel of land (yam piece) for cultivation, and their wages were eight-pence a day — less than the postemancipation wage authorized for ‘infants and the infirm’. They were initially given free ‘housing’ and ‘medical attendance’ and provisions for the first six months, or until the ‘yam piece’ allotted to them was capable of producing food.

With the unaccustomed hot and humid tropical climate, and the poor hygienic living and working conditions, they found themselves in serious difficulties. For example, twenty-six out

Frederick Casson- politician, land owner, businessman.

farmers, shopkeepers, and eventually small traders and merchants. Over a period of time, some of the Portuguese anglicised many of their family names, e.g.

Francisco became Francis; Marques was corrupted to Marks; Correira became Corea; Sardinha became Sardine; and Diaz was replaced by Daize.

After a relatively short time of indenture, the Portuguese quickly left the sugar belt of North Central Windward and the uneconomical cane-cutting work of the estates and literally ‘set-upshop’ in Park Hill, South Sir Phillip Veira- businessman Rivers, the Marriaqua Valley, extraordinaire. and places closer to Kingstown like Paul Over, Lodge Village Dias in Belle Isle, Gomes in and Murray Village.

Queensbury, Marques in In St. Vincent, small scale Spring, Gonsalves in South anti-Portuguese riots occurred Union, de Jesus in Lodge in the early post-emancipation Village, de Freitas in era, and during the riots of Chateaubelair, Ferreira in 1862 there was heavy racial Mesopotamia, Sardinha in tension. The prime targets Fountain, Francisco in were the planters, but Calliaqua, Caldeira in immigrants, both Portuguese Cumberland, Mendes in and East Indians, were the Buccament, Fernandes in other secondary targets.

Escape, de Nobriga in Kingstown, Rodrigues in Mt. Bentinck, Pereira in Waterloo, Politics, Business and more Viera in Belair.

of the fifty-eight immigrants (45%) on one Estate (Cane Grove, Central Leeward) who arrived in January 1846, died within one year after their arrival. Many soon escaped the Names changes deplorable living conditions The Portuguese progressed and fled to other islands, rapidly to become peasant particularly St. Kitts.

The survivors, however, quickly acclimatized and by the end of their indenture period some settled on the eastern side of the island in an area that became known as ‘Madeira Valley’ (located on the southern end of the Massey Estate, at Bridgetown, Biabou), while many spread throughout St. Vincent.

By the late 1850’s there were family names like da Silva residing in Frenches,

Today, Vincentians of Portuguese descent can be found throughout the business sector and hold their own in

every single area of the professions and services.

In the area of politics the Portuguese were very present.

H. Agostinho da Silva did a stint in the 1920s as representative for Kingstown on a Representative Government Association ticket as did Frederick Corea (later re-named Casson). ….. Alban Dos Santos was included in the conservative Peasant and Planter’s Party in the 1940s and went on to serve as nominated member from 195561. Edmund Joachim was elected representative for the North Leeward area in 1954, and Sylvester De Freitas was elected to represent the Grenadines in the local

Labour Party; and Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, leader of the Unity Labour Party became Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in 2001.

As early as 1932, Ulrick Da Costa won an Island Scholarship and became a medical doctor, while Marcelle De Freitas, a teacher all her life, was the first woman to win an Island Scholarship in 1938.

Jobe Fernandes became a Pointer of the Spiritual Baptist Church, Conrad De Freitas Superintendent of Agriculture and Ralph Rodriguez Superintendent of Police.

Marcelle De Freitas- first female scholarship winner. their love of festivals, music, dress and dancing, as well as their deep-rooted Roman Catholic faith, expressed publicly with their numerous religious feast days and novenas. Their most famous celebration was the Christmas Novena that took place very early (often at 3am) in the nine mornings before Christmas. Its popularity continues today as a very secular but uniquely Vincentian festival called Nine Mornings.

Ulric DeCosta - Island Scholarship winner.

Dr. Ralph Gonsalves- locally, regionally and internationally respected politician and Head of Government. legislature in 1950.In modern times: John Joachim was a Government Senator between 1972-1974; Marcus De Freitas was elected in 1984 and was a Cabinet Minister; Julian Francis, became a Government Senator, Cabinet Minister and General Secretary of the Unity

Portuguese businessmen have been very successful and very numerous over the many years. Dennis Da Silva made a lucrative business out of bottled water; wine merchant Frederick Gonsalves became famous for his ‘Black Wine’ fame; Hilary (Antonio Hilario) Da Silva bottled ‘O-So’ aerated drinks as well as the De Nobrigas with their bottled ‘Fruity’ beverages, are but a few.

They also brought with them

Rev. Patrick Da Silva- Roman Catholic Deacon.

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16. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

Entertainment

ÂProblem ChildÊ unfazed Shertz James, aka “Problem Child’ has made his name with and among some of the leading soca artiste in the Caribbean.

TYPE IN ‘PROBLEM CHILD’ in the Google search engine and this is what pops up from Wikipedia: Problem Child is a 1990 American black comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan in his directorial

debut, and produced by Robert Simonds. It stars John Ritter, Michael Oliver, Amy Yasbeck, Gilbert Gottfried, Jack Warden, and Michael Richards. It was released on July 27, 1990.”

However, here in Vincy we know ‘Problem Child’ to be the sobriquet of Shertz James, a vibrant, energetic, multiple Road March winner, a highly regarded recording and performing artiste, and song writer. In fact, some say he is a one of the more sought after writers in the business.

THE VINCENTIAN recalls catching up with ‘Problem Child’ for an Instagram interview right after the finals of the 2020 Trinidad and Tobago International Soca Monarch. On that occasion, he took to venting his frustration about being a victim of an unprofessional Audio Engineer. For those who might not know, what the performing artiste hears on stage and what the audience is privy to, can be manipulated so that it undermines the performance of the artiste.

This difference is known by musicians and engineers as ‘Monitor Mix for the Artiste’ and ‘Main or Front to House Mix’ for an audience.

Lest we forget, our own ‘Problem Child’ is a major player in the Soca Industry, with collaborations with other top soca artiste, e.g.

‘Motto’ of St Lucia and Patrice Roberts of Trinidad and Tobago.

‘Problem Child’s’ dedication and attitude to his craft has afforded him the privilege of being a full time artiste, even in this time of the Covid19 pandemic.

When THE

VINCENTIAN caught up with James again on Instagram on Monday, he was promoting his new album, now available on all Platforms including Apple ITunes.

Addressing the hundreds of fans on his Live Podcast, he urged viewers to remember that due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting protocols like social distancing, he is unable to perform live, but, in jocular manner, told them he wanted a new 40 mm Rolex, costing US$40,000, for Christmas, implying perhaps that he expects them to purchase downloads of his album.

He was joined by ‘Motto’ and the two spoke about another collaboration.

‘Problem Child’ is optimistic that unlike Trinidad and Tobago which has already officially cancelled their 2021 carnival, Vincy Mas will not follow suit and if the recent political rallies are anything to go by, Vincentians are looking forward to celebrating Carnival 2021.

A quick search on YouTube revealed a cut, ‘Thief Piece’ from ‘Problem’s’ new album.

It has a slower than usual ‘Problem Child’ like tempo, utilizes the ‘Uber Riddim’ as backing tracks and is highlighted by the Video Graphics work of young Junior Lee, aka ‘Flea’, of Precisely Productions.

James ended the Live Broadcast promising to be in Vincy soon. (CD)

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020. 17.

18. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020. 19.

News/Court

Lowmans Windward man on murder charge

JOFFREY JAMES, a 46year-old labourer of Lowmans Windward, will return to the Serious Offences Court on February 8, 2021, the scheduled date for a Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the stabbing death of fellow villager, Oketo Bowems.

Bowens, 33, died after receiving two stabbed wounds to the chest during an incident at Lowmans Joffrey James – Windward around 2 pm. on murder accused.

Sunday, November 22.

James was not required to plea to the charge of the murder when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne at the Serious Offences Court, and was remanded.

He was unrepresented.

Accused bank burglars denied bail THE TWO MEN who are charged with burglarizing the First St. Vincent Bank, are expected to return to the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court today (Friday) for bail review.

Jason Williams and Solomon Laborde, both of Long Wall, are charged with entering the First St. Vincent Bank between November 14 and 15, and stealing $37,000 the property of the Bank. They are also accused of damaging a window-pane of the bank valued at $900.00.

The men pleaded not guilty to both charges when they appeared before Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett, at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court last week Friday, and were remanded.

The Prosecution had objected to bail at that stage on the grounds that only $8,000 of the stolen cash was recovered, and if granted bail, the men could obstruct the investigations.

More lobster fishers needed Continued from Backpage.

“We have to incentivize more people to go and to get involved in the lobster business. So these things require our people, too, to be listening — not just to listen to garbage,” he said.

Rainforest Seafood SVG Ltd. is a subsidiary of Rainforest Seafoods Ltd. headquartered in Jamaica. It is listed as generating annual sales in the region of US$41.87 million.

In April 2018, Rainforest signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, inter alia, promising to invest EC$10 million in a 30,000 sq. ft. fish processing facility at Calliaqua. That construction is ongoing and was originally scheduled to be complete in 18 months.

In return for their investment, Rainforest was granted a 15-year tax concession, beginning with the waiver of all duties and taxes for materials used in constructing the Facility, and continuing with waiver of taxes (e.g. corporate tax) related to operations.

Rainforest Seafoods SVG Ltd., at the time of signing the MOU, promised to purchase EC$20 million worth of lobster and fish annually, from local fishermen.

Simply More with Digicel DIGICEL is taking its promise of ‘Simply More’ simply more right through the festive season this year offering more ways for customers to get more, and be able to share more – if they wish.

And according to a Digicel press release, Digicel has an app and an experience for everyone no matter what they’re into all year round.

The app BiP is offering a 2-day Spin and Win challenge so customers can win great prizes.

D’music is coming with its Stream to Win competition, where listening to specific playlists gets

customers chances to win cool prizes.

GoLoud’s Christmas Conversations showcase local influencers talking local Christmas traditions and then offering up a relevant podcast or radio station to keep customers in the festive mood.

PlayGo’s is offering deals on HBO and 25 days of Christmas movies from Hallmark climaxing on Christmas Day. And this Christmas (and all the time really!), the MyDigicel app is the place to be for shaking and sharing. Customers can gift a

Digicel Prime Bundle in the MyDigicel app, and more chances to win cash, gift vouchers and more with the popular Shake It Back guaranteed wins every Saturday.

Country Manager at Digicel St. Vincent, Fanta Williams said, “Simply more! That’s our promise today and all through the year.

Every minute of every day in fact.

This Christmas, when we talk about ‘Simply More’, we don’t mean your everyday more — we mean better than ever, bursting at the seams… .” (Source: Digicel)

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20. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020. THE VINCENTIAN

Advice

DonÊt give up Dear George, SOMEONE pinched me and told me my girlfriend was cheating on me. After some initial doubt I decided to follow her movements to see for myself; so one day when she was finished working I followed her.

She was walking with one of her female co-workers and a male whom I didn’t recognize. I decided to call her.

I could see when she looked at the phone (number) and passed it to her co-worker, who told me that my girlfriend had forgotten her phone at the office. She passed the phone back to my girlfriend and they both burst out laughing. Both of them then got into a car driven by the male who was with them.

When she got home I asked her why she did not answer my call earlier and she replied that she believed she left her phone at the office. George, I forced to restrain myself. I decided then to cut her off completely. I blocked her from calling me.

I hope she reads this and weeps.

Needless to say, I’m very hurt and will NEVER trust another woman.

Done and dusted Dear Done and dusted, It must have been an emotionally wrecking experience to have witnessed your girlfriend playing you like that.

You must not, however, make the mistake of making every woman pay for her sins. There are good women out there who will commit to you and compliment you. Find your reset button and give yourself a fresh start, when you think the time is right to do so.

George

Trust your wife trust. and if it gets to the place You fail to mention an where you are unable to occasion when she would do that, then it’s time to SOMETHING really have broken that trust, get professional needs to be done about these unscrupulous sex- so this whole thing boils counselling so you can down to insecurity and navigate your way back crazy businessmen in distrust on your part. to a happy marriage. this country. My wife You should be able to told me she plans to ask George her boss for a promotion trust the word and integrity of your wife, that she is convinced she deserves. This man, though, has a reputation of demanding sex from anyone he promotes or gives a raise. There are always strings attached.

Dear George, My wife assured me she I AM WRITING this to send a warning to all is not one of those “soft Vincentian men to stop engaging in unprotected head women.” sex.

I insisted she should I know of this young and attractive lady who is leave it alone because we HIV positive — she showed me the report — who are not that badly off plans to spread the virus among a list of men. I financially. However, a understand that list has 20 names who she plans few days ago she said on checking off. I begged her not to do it, but she she got the promotion would hear none of it. with no strings What can I do to get her not to do this because attached. once she follows through with her plan, then we George, to this day I are talking about a serious HIV spread in this do not believe her. This country. God help those men and the women they is not like the man I have. know. This whole thing has put a damper on our Concern citizen relationship and honestly, I cannot move Dear Concern citizen, past it.

The most that you can do at this point is to Suspicious. warn this individual that it is a criminal offence to knowingly spread the HIV virus to another person. I believe they can be charged with Dear Suspicious, grievous bodily harm.

If she still insists on doing so, then you may I am assuming here want to notify the AIDS Secretariat. that one of the reasons Having said that, it remains the responsibility why you married this of everyone, including men, to always engage in woman was because you protected sex. trusted her. You need to ask yourself what has George happened to that level of

Dear George,

HIV threat

Leisure

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Get back down to earth and to basics.

Try not to overspend on friends or family. You can bet that someone in a higher position is watching to see how busy you are.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) Payoff all your debts before you go out and celebrate. Your mate may not be too sure about your intentions. Don't let anyone take credit for a job you did. Be an observer before getting involved.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) A little rest will do wonders. Don't be too eager to cut those who have disappointed you from your life.

Work quietly at your own goals and forget about situations that you can do little about.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Favors will be offered readily. Your fight for those less fortunate is not likely to end in sweet victory. Use your obvious talent to work with detail and you can come up with something great.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Make any necessary changes to your insurance policy. Situations could easily get blown out of proportion if you have made unreasonable promises.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Use your genuine warmth and compassion to win hearts. Talk to someone you trust if you need advice about broaching the subject. You are best to back away from commitment.

Trouble could be brewing at home.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) Sort situations out as best you can.

Watch your spending habits. New hair, new outfit, new you. Take time to listen to the problems of family members.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) You need to look into new philosophies.

Your loved ones could set you off. New partnerships will develop if you join investment groups. You need to reevaluate your situation.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) You hard work and dedication will payoff, so stick to your guns and do your job well. Be careful that you don't overextend yourself. You may find that you are a little lucky this week.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19) You need to do something that will make you feel better about yourself. Don't reveal any personal details. Finish projects that have been hanging over your head.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) You need to get out if you want to meet potential partners. You can mix business with pleasure to get favorable results. Be creative in your pursuits.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Try to be a bit more understanding or you may end up spending the evening alone. Listen to a good friend who is truly looking out for your best interests.

Control those desires to cast your fate to the wind.

ACROSS 1. Summon by phone 5. Rhythm instrument 9. Church seat 12. District 13. Detroit export 14. Stunning Gardner 15. Throat spot 16. Vegas transactions 17. Fastening pin 18. Morning beverage 20. Announce 22. Faithful 25. Halibut eggs 26. Simple card game 27. Corn portion 29. Uses a sponge 33. President Eisenhower, familiarly 34. Stewing vessel 36. Significant span 37. Hornet homes 40. Sunlit period 42. Tear (fabric) 43. “— all over!”

45. Catholic services 47. Belly 51. Pasture noise 52. Toothpaste tube top 53. Pained sound 55. Freshly 58. Woodpile tool 59. Aristocratic pastime 60. Anger 61. Bulk-food receptable 62. Store away 63. Mailbox feature DOWN 1. Soup container 2. Have being

3. Auditorium deliveries 4. Minnesota sights 5. Apply (paint) 6. Felt remorse about 7. Express aloud 8. Russian city 9. Mama’s mate 10. Always 11. Rate of pay 19. Enjoyed hummus or hamburger 21. Hawaiian souvenir 22. Exact image 23. Leaf gatherer 24. Bark sharply 28. Metal bar 30. Individual, as

preferences 31. – Canal, 1820s construction 32. Weakens 35. Scottish hat 38. Funny Allen 39. Postal seals 41. Orange potato 44. Hurry (off)

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020. 21.

46. Rises (above) 47. Wound protector 48. Airport car 49. Uncover 50. Angelic light 54. At once 56. Vanity 57. Saturated

22. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMB ER 27, 2020. 23.

Douglas, Hikers dethrones Ambris, Layne: Top VPL Breakers in VPL performers

Hodge, 2 for 7, Beniton Stapleton, 2 for 3, and Molaney, 2 for 2, being the main destroyers of Breakers innings.

For his all round performance, Sunil Ambris scored Dillon Douglas shared Hodge was most runs in the 2nd the honour of being the named Player of edition of the VPL.298. tournament’s leading the Final.

Dillon Douglas (left) wicket taker.

Casmos Player of the SUNIL AMBRIS, Hackshaw was Tournament – accept his Captain of the Salt Pond recognized as Breakers recorded the La Soufriere Hikers – had a convincing victory on their having taken the award from SVGCA President Dr. Kishore most runs in the second way to become the new VPL Champions.

Catch of the Shallow. edition of the Dream 11 Finals, to T20 Vincy Premier dismiss Ambris.

League that closed last But it was Dillon weekend at the Arnos Douglas of Hikers who vale Playing Filed. emerged as Player of the Ambris tallied 298, Tournament with his 284 including three half runs and 14 wickets. centuries with his Jeremy Layne of highest being 2 at an Breakers took the average of 7.2 and a Emerging Player of the strike rate of 188.61, to lead all batsmen.

Tournament for his 14 Deron Greaves of Dark View Explorers was wickets. followed Ambris with a total of 225 with two half La Soufriere Hikers Desron Maloney (left) centuries. Hyron Shallow of Botanical Garden walked away with Captain of La Soufriere Rangers with 203 runs was the only other $10,000.00 and a trophy Hikers gladly collects Salt Pond Breakers – defending champions - were batsman to total over 200 runs. for winning the the champion’s trophy not disgraced by their second place.

Other leading tournament, while from Prime Minister Dr. Jeremy Layne was batsmen were: Roland runner-up Salt Pond Ralph Gonsalves.

LA SOUFRIERE HIKERS their Captain - Sunil joint leading wicket Cato of Fort Charlotte are the new champions of Ambris in the first over. Breakers got a trophy taker and was named Strikes and and $2,500.00.

Divers fifth with Fort the Dream 11 T20 Vincy They never recovered Emerging Player of the Emmanuel Stewart of Botanical Gardens Charlotte Strikers in the Premier League (VPL). and lost wickets Tournament.

Botanical Garden Rangers finished third, sixth position.

They emerged so when regularly, eventually Rangers, 192 each; Dark View Explorers they comfortably crawling to 66 for 9 in Miles Bascombe of Dark View Explorers, 191; fourth, Grenadines I.B.A.ALLEN disposed of defending their ten overs.

Desron Maloney of La Soufriere Hikers, 186; Champions Salt Tyrone Theophile of Pond Breakers by 68 Grenadines Divers, 185; and runs, in the final Asif Hooper of Grenadines played last Sunday Divers, 180. at the Arnos Vale In the bowling Playing Field.

ENHAMS ONE edged Hillside Rollers and department, top honours Asked to bat first, out Fair Hall 3-2, to take second place Calli were shared by Dillon Hikers got off to a the knock out title of the Ballers.

Douglas of La Soufriere flying start with W & J Construction Enhams Two, along Hikers and Jeremy Layne of openers Desron Calliaqua Football with Choppins One and Salt Pond Breakers, each Maloney (Captain) League.

Two, were the other snaring a total haul of 14 and Salvan Browne They did so last competing teams in the slaps. racing to 60 in 4.3.

Saturday night at the league.

National seamer Delorn overs, when Maloney Calliaqua Playing Field, A Presentation and Johnson of Salt Pond left by the run out when the shortened Closing Cermony of the Breakers followed the route for 25. tournament ended. league is planned for a leading duo with 11 wickets, Browne followed Scoring for Enhams later date, according to and Tyrone Theophile and in the same over for One were Jeron John, organisers.

Kevin Abraham of 31.

Romario Dennie and The Calliaqua Football Grenadines Divers captured But the Dillon Malden Scrubb, who hit League, which got going Enhams One – Knock Out Champions of the 8 wickets each.

Douglas, 22 not out, the winning goal late in in early October, like Caliaqua Football League.

Three players followed and Windward the match. many of the other with 10 wickets each: Islands batsman Registering Fair Hall’s leagues in the country, The late finally being completed Kimali Williams and Kavim Hodge, who goals were Giovanni made use of the six-wees commencement of the in September.

Romario Bibby of Botanical hit a top score of 40, Forde and Sagimo Mc operational window, community leagues came The National Club Garden Rangers, and propelled Hikers to Dowall. provided by the St as a result of the Championships were Beniton Stapleton of La 131 for 3 in their Earlier in the season, Vincent and the 2019/2020 National Club delayed consequent upon Soufriere Hikers. allotted 10 overs.

Enhams One finished Grenadines Football Championships, which the declaration of the Breakers got off to behind champions- 1998 Federation. were set to in May, COVID-19 pandemic.

I.B.A.ALLEN a poor start losing

Enhams One takes Calliaqua knock out

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24. FRIDAY, NOVEMB ER 27, 2020. THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

Record transfers among football clubs A RECORD ninety-one (91) male players were transferred for the 2020/2021 St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation’s (SVGFF) National Club Championships, which open this Friday at the Victoria Park.

The transfers, effected during the months of September and October,

show movements among the various divisions.

Players moved across Premier Division clubs; from Premier Division to First Division and vice versa; from First Division to First Division as well as Second Division to First Division.

Among the notable transfers is that national

King lauds AV Football League CURTIS KING, newly elected Parliamentary Representative for West St. George of which Arnos Vale is a part, has lauded the commitment of those responsible for organizing the Arnos Vale Football League, one of the oldest in the country.

King, in delivering remarks at the closing (November 15) of the 2020 Comsports Arnos Vale Football League, Curtis King was high in said, “This competition praise of the over six weeks has organisers of the Arnos ensured that our young Vale Football League. people were fully engaged. This Arnos Vale Football Competition is quite an old one dating back to the 1980s when it was organized

by AVESCO.” He continued, “It has always been a major league that attracts players from throughout the constituency and around, and it is indeed commendable that AVESCO and Michael John, the main organizer, have been able to make sure this competition continues.”

This year marked the 18th edition of the League with a short break of two years.

Directing his attention to the players, King reminded them that participating in sports was very important for their overall development.

“Remember, sport is very important. When persons engage in sports they develop a lot of skills, it’s not just a competition, but it allows youngsters to develop very important and valuable life skills, perhaps none more important than teamwork and cooperation,” he told the players.

The area Representative also commended the players for the quality of the football exhibited, especially as players who ply their skills in the Premier Division of the National Club Championships, are barred from participating.

In that sense, King posited, the League is a vital “feeder” for the Clubs which participate in the National Championships.

I.B.A.ALLEN

midfielder Nazir Mc Burnette, formerly of Camdonia-Chelsea, who has joined the ranks of 2019/2020 Premier Division Champions Hope International.

Also making a move is acclaimed National Under-20 midfielder Tevin Thompson, who leaves Premier Division Club Awesome, to join Hope International.

Among those moving is National Under-20 goal-keeper Jellando John, who departs System Three to join Sion Hill.

Another of the significant moves is that of national senior team goal keeper Dwaine Sandy who spent the 2019/2020 season with Premier Division Club

Sion Hill.

He heads to the First Division to be the shot stopper for Glenside Jellando John Nazir Mc Burnette Ball Blazers.

The North Leeward Predators National Club versus Sion Hill at the Championships kick off Victoria Park on at 6:00 p.m at the Saturday from 5:00 p.m.

Victoria Park, with a And on Sunday, also Premier Division double at the Victoria Park, header featuring the Largo Height takes on 2019/2020 First Division Awesome from 4:00 p.m Champions Layou United and Je Belle engages against Avenues United, BESCO Pastures from to be followed by Hope 6:00 p.m.

International versus The First Division System Three, who kicks off on Wednesday, placed third in the last also at the Victoria Park, edition of the with an opening championships. matches: Volcanoes The Premier Division versus QCESCO Titans rolls on on Saturday with from 5:30 p.m, and

Tevin Thompson Camdonia-Chelsea versus Greiggs from 6:30 p.m.

The other teams in the First Division are Bequia United, SV United, Glenside Ball Blazers, Owia United, Parkside Rollers, Pride & Joy, Richmond Hill and Sparta.

The Championships will also involve a Male Second Division, the Female Division, the Junior Divisions, along with a Development Division.

Keartons United in winnerÊs row again ONE WEEK after winning the Rudy’s Electrical/Hairoun North Football Leeward League, Keartons United added another title to their 2020 collection.

In front of massive home support, Keartons United beat Youngsters FC 6-5 on penalties last Sunday at the Keartons Playing Field, to win the 2020 Bank of SVG Barrouallie League.

Both teams had played to a 2-2 draw in regulation time. Trivis Fraser and Delano John netted for Keartons, while Lamont Grant and Nazir Mc Burnette registered Youngsters FC’s goals.

Fraser scored in the 3rd minute, as the home team went

into the ascendancy. But Mc Burnette brought parity to the final, when he equalised in the 12th minute.

Grant netted in the 61st minute to give Youngsters FC the go ahead goal, only to see John tying up the match in the 66th minute.

Neither of the teams could break the deadlock, thus sending the match to be decided from the penalty spot.

Keartons got to the final, by defeating Reccos 7-6 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in their semifinal, while Youngsters overcame Emerald Stars, 2-0 in the other.

Reccos took the third place,

winning by default over Emerald Stars.

For champing the league title, Keartons pocketed $2500; Garwin DavisYoungsters Best Goal Keeper FC earned $1500, while third placed Reccos got $1000.

Youngsters FC, Knock Out winners, earned themselves $500.

Awards Garwin Davis of Reccos was adjudged the Best Goal Keeper, while Morrison Mc Kie of Keartons was the Best Defender, at the awards ceremony held at the Keartons Hard Court, following the final.

Emerald Stars’ Dougal Frederick was named the Best Midfielder, and Jamarie Fraser of Emerald Stars with 11 goals was the top goal scorer.

Keartons United’s Trivis Fraser was named player of last Sunday’s final. Owia United copped the award for the Most Disciplined Team.

Keartons United, champions of the 2020 Barrouallie Football League.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMB ER 27, 2020. 25.

Sports

La Soufriere Hikers peak LA SOUFRIERE HIKERS lived up to the billing and proved themselves by taking the second edition of the Vincy Premier League.

They beat first time winner Salt Pond Breakers by 68 runs. The margin of victory testifies to the one sided nature of the final.

That the action took place is complement to the local Cricket Association. Six teams were on show and the package rolled over in precise fashion. The venue was the Arnos Vale Playing Field and viewers had another opportunity of absorbing Vincentian scenery.

The other teams are Grenadines Divers, Fort Charlotte Strikers, Dark View Explorers, and Botanic Garden Rangers. With the Tourism Ministry engaged in the promotion, there was a platform on which the country gained attention.

It is an opportune moment for the installation of lights at the facility, that the runway is not needed for landing purposes. Expansion in the road network is a priority for the area, especially with ongoing plans for the ground.

The potential in there for this Vincy Premier League to blossom into a spectacle as attractive as any.

This edition saw the participation of players from sister Windward Islands. The West Indies batsman Johnson Charles did not complete his contract, and placed by Grenadian Roland Cato.

The “overseas” players did make an impact and provided that element of rivalry.

It is a pity that Salt Pond Breakers chose that moment to falter. They had been unbeaten till then, powered by tournament’s top run getter Sunil Ambris. Fate had it that he fell for nought in the final, but the 298 runs he acquired remained insurmountable.

He was followed on the runs chart by Dillon Douglas 284. Deron Greaves 225 was third on the runs column.

If there is a Most Valuable Player in the tournament, Douglas must be in the reckoning.

His 14 wickets took him to the top of the wicket tally, shared by Jeremy Layne. Delorn Johnson with 11 scalps took the third position.

Tyrone Theophile and Kadir Nedd placed their team Grenadines Divers in the record books with an emphatic 134 opening stand in the bid for fifth spot. That proved to be the tournament best opening partnership. Gidron Pope and Roland Cato almost guided their team Fort Charlotte Strikers to within touching distance of victory.

Their 91 run second wicket stand was the tournament’s best.

Kavem Hodge and Dillon Douglas (65) was the best stand for the third wicket while Drumo Toney and Deron Greaves 92 for Dark View Explorers shared the best fifth wicket partnership.

The competition served as a training ground for the Vincentian cricketers who have their sights on the 2021 Cricket season.

The VPL came as a tonic for sport crazed Vincentians who longed for entertainment. But there is no escape from the tension that sports engenders, and the banter while not as deep rotted, could be as venomous as that on the political front.

2020 NACAC Chatoyer 10K cancelled THE NORTH AMERICA, CENTRAL AMERICA and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) Chatoyer Endurance 10K, which was slated to take place this Sunday from Gordon Yard to the Sharpes Playing Field, in the North Leeward area, has been cancelled.

Organised by Team Athletics SVG (TASVG) and funded by NACAC, the event, a staple on the local road racing calendar and dubbed the ‘World’s Most Challenging 10K’, was forced to be shelfed for this year, because of the “lack of funding.”

Also weighing heavily in favour of the cancellation was the absence of the international category.

Word from TASVG is that it could not have justified funding from NACAC for an event

with an international slot, with no guarantee of participation from overseas athletes.

The current coronavirus pandemic and the mandatory health protocols, inclusive of quarantine, is the main cause of that lack of interest from persons outside of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Since the introduction of the International Category in 2015, participation has come from across the Caribbean region, inclusive of Martinique, Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, Guyana and Jamaica. There have also been entrants from as far as Kenya.

In the introductory year, Kenyan Kenneth Rotich took the Male International category,

with Trinidadian Tonya Nero inking her name on the Female category.

From 2016 to 2018, Vincentian Junior Ashton was the Male International winner.

He was toppled by Kenyan Alex Akesa last year.

However, in the Female category, it has all been Vincentian Linda Mc Dowall. She has topped the podium from 2016 to 2019.

Apart from the International category for both males and females, local athletes compete for honours in the Under-20 and Open categories.

With the NACAC 10K cancelled, the next calendar event for TASVG is the PreSeason Relays, which are scheduled for 11th December at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

Linda Mc Dowall at the finish line, taking her fourth straight lien on the International Female Category last year.

Warrican elated by first title IRVIN WARRICAN, coach of the La Soufriere Hikers, the new Champions of the Dream 11 T20 Vincy Premier League (VPL), was quick to praise his team for emerging from a “shaky start” to lift their first title.

Warrican, whose team was the losing finalists to the same opposition (Salt Pond Brakers) in the VPL first edition, believed the team peak at the right time.

“I am very pleased and proud of the guys. As a team we started shakily but bounced to win the tournament. As people will say, we peaked at the right time,” the coach reasoned, adding, “As a team we really stuck to our intention to enjoy each other’s success and enjoy the cricket.”

Warrican singled out Desron Maloney as being “a good leader, a man with a bright future, who leads from the front.”

Salvan Browne and Dillon Douglas also came in for much praise as well Kavin Hodge, the Windward Islands player assigned to the Hikers.

“He (Hodge) would have added his professionalism to the team,” Warrican said.

As for the VPL, the former Windward Islands player who now devotes his time to coaching, said, “his second edition of the VPL was a success and for that, I want to thank and commend Kishore Shallow the SVGCA President and his executive for organizing such a prestigious tournament…. This tournament not only gives our players an opportunity to play cricket at a semi-professional level, but it is also an opportunity to advertise themselves to the world and I think they did a pretty good job in advertising the product.”

With respect to the actual field of play, the veteran player/coach acknowledged that “we would have also picked up some weakness that need to be Irvin Warrican, addressed, and coach of the one example is victorious La the suspect Soufriere action of some Hikers, is of our fast obviously a bowlers. The happy man.

Association along with the coaches must put some things in place so we can correct these shortcomings.”

I.B.A.ALLEN

Canouan Football League kicks off SANDY LANE YACHT CLUB (SLYC), Celtic Boyz and Yard Boyz shared the honours that were at stake, when the 2020/2021 Canouan Football Association Football League opened last Sunday, at the Fisheries Sporting Complex.

Five teams are contesting this year’s League: SLYC Celtic Boyz, Yard Boyz, Mexican Family One, Mexican Family Two and Canouan United.

SLYC Celtic Boyz copped the March Past and Best Dressed Team awards.

As part of the opening, the five teams registered for the League were involved in the Soccerama, in which teams played for 15 minute-halves, and accumulated points by goals scored, throws, fouls, offsides and corner kicks.

Points were deducted for yellow

and red cards.

Yard Boyz secured the first accolade for actual play when they won the Soccerama, defeating SLYC Celtic Boyz 37-22 in the final.

In the first game, SLYC Celtic Boyz won Mexican Family 2, 108 to 66 points.

The second game saw Canouan United defeating Mexican Family 1, 84 to 71 points. In Game three, Yard Boyz made their presence felt when they trashed Canouan United 50 to 19 points.

Matches in the competition will be played on weekends only.

Yard Boyz - Soccerama Champions The Canouan Football and the Grenadines Football League is being held in Federation. conjunction with the St Vincent

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Classifieds

AGNES MILLINIA DORMAN Friday, 20th November, 2020 St Mary Anglican, Buccament Viewing: 1:00 p.m.

Tributes: 1:30 p.m.

Service 2:00 p.m.

CELITHA LETISIA DAVY NEE WILSHIRE Saturday, 21st November, 2020 St. Sylvan Anglican Church Stubbs Viewing: 2:00 p.m.

Service 3:00 p.m.

Interment: St. Sullivan Church Yard Cemetery

DEMETRIUS CHARLES

AUSTIN ELSON GLOSTER

Sunday, 22nd November, 2020 Eden Memorial S.D.A Church Spring Village Viewing: 1:00 p.m.

Service 2:00 p.m.

Interment: Spring Village Cemetery

Sunday, 22nd November, 2020 S.D.A Church Barrouallie Viewing: 2:00 p.m.

Service 3:00 p.m.

Interment: Glebe Hill Cemetery

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER

27, 2020

VOLUME 114, No.48

www.thevincentian.com

EC$1.50

SAILORS CONSPIRED AGAINST THE ULP

by DAYLE DA SILVA DR. RALPH GONSALVES, Prime Minister and leader of the Unity Labour Party (ULP) has accused cruise ship workers who were forced to return home following the outbreak of the coronavirus earlier this year, of forming a network across the country which opposed him and the ULP. “Despite what I did for the sailors objectively, most of them voted against the ULP. Life really ain’t fair, eh?” the Prime Minister said on Radio last week.

He further said that he met cruise ship workers during the campaign who were opposed to him, and who indicated that he had taken too long to facilitate their return home.

But the Prime Minister reiterated that it was he, in the face of an opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) call for a lockdown of the

country, who refused to budge in this regard, and worked to ensure that the sailors were returned home.

According to him, “Citizenship calls for something… and I worked to ensure that they (sailors) returned home in accordance with certain protocols.”

Cruise line sailors returned home after a period of intense negotiations between the cruise line companies and the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, negotiations in which the Prime Minister playing an integral role.

As part of the government stimulus package to ease the displacement of workers occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, sailors received a $300.00 per month unemployment benefit on their return home.

On the issue of the EC$300

unemployment benefit, Dr. Gonsalves said that he had to explain to a sailor that he could not give them more, while other persons in the hospitality industry received the same amount.

It is against this background that, that Dr. Gonsalves seemed to have predicated his belief that the sailors should have been more forthcoming in support of him and his ULP, in the recent general election.

MORE LOBSTER FISHERS NEEDED

THERE IS need for more persons to get involved in lobster harvesting if this country is to meet the demand Rainforest Seafood SVG Ltd. is expected to make.

Prime Minister Gonsalves alluded to a report from the company in which it purports that it “is going to need up to about 300 persons selling them lobsters …. at least150 pounds of lobster per week, each of them.”

He referenced information relayed to him by Finance Minister and MP for the East St. George constituency of which Calliaqua is part, indicating that during the (lobster) season, the

lobster fishers in Calliaqua would do 200 or 300 pounds plus per day.

“But, we need more people,” Dr. Gonsalves reiterated during an intervention he made on the Issue at Hand programme on WE FM on Sunday.

The Prime Minister noted that the lobster fishermen in Calliaqua will now have to supply the hotels, in addition to the demand from Rainforest Seafood SVG Ltd.

Some persons here are concerned that the lobster stock might be depleted with the increased demand.

Continued on Page 19.

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

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves (inset) caused a stir among the public with his reference to the cruise line sailors.

Not to be outdone, the NDP moved quickly to dispel the Prime Minister’s allegation that it had called for a lockdown of the country, including the closure of all ports of entry.

A NDP spokesperson explained that the call was for the closure of ports of entry to foreigners and not nationals, adding that the party had held firm to the position that all should be done to facilitate the return of the sailors in particular.

Meanwhile, Dr. Gonsalves’ declaration that he knew the sailors did not vote “for me” caused eyebrow raising across the country, with members of the public questioning how the PM could have known who cast votes for him, unless something unbecoming had taken place with respects to votes cast.

This reference to knowing who voted for whom is not a new occurrence. After the poll in 2015, member of the ULP is alleged to have said that he knew who among the Syrian community here had voted for the ULP.

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