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FRIDAY,
JULY 25, 2014
VOLUME 108, No.30
www.thevincentian.com
EC$1.50 Police locked down Paul’s Avenue as they conducted searches for gun, ammunition and drugs.
Left: Plead as much as she could, this woman was not allowed to proceed any further into Paul’s Avenue during the police search.
Stories by KENVILLE HORNE POLICE ON TUESDAY continued their stepped up operation aimed at uncovering illegal guns, ammunition and drugs, in certain areas of capital Kingstown. On the day in question, four police vehicles converged on Paul’s Avenue, dispatching a large
contingent of heavily armed police officers, members of the Rapid Response Unit (RRU), commonly referred to as Black Squad, and the Special Services Unit (SSU), who proceeded to conduct searches of private and commercial properties. A staff member of the Financial Intelligence Unit was also noticed to be a part of the contingent.
Tuesday’s search was a continuation of an operation that has seen similar exercises in Rose Place, Cemetery Hill and Kingstown Park. Paul’s Avenue was literally locked down for upwards of three hours, beginning just about 11: 00 am. Vehicular and pedestrian traffic waereat a minimum, and
several businesses complained about their patronage being severely affected. When contacted, Frankie Joseph, Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of crime, said the operations in the Kingstown area were as a result of information received by the police, but he could not comment on whether or not the objectives were achieved. “We are still carrying out our investigations”, Joseph said. Joseph admitted that the homicide rate had exceeded that for the corresponding period last year. He acknowledged that citizens were concerned, and promised that a heavy police presence around the country would form part of the constabulary’s response. “It is a fact that persons are getting concern, we are aware of that. That heavy police presence you saw, it is part of the response,” said the senior officer, adding, “We really want to assure the public that the police are doing all in their power to make them feel safe.” Continued on Page 3.
Elderly woman stripped, searched by police ‘IT’S AN OUTRAGE!” That’s how one resident of Paul’s Avenue reacted to news that Beryl Sam, a 78-year-old woman of Paul’s Avenue, was strip-searched during a police operation in that community, last Tuesday, July 22. Four pick-up loads of members of the Rapid Response Unit and the Special Services Unit converged on the community in an operation that was said to be one in search of guns, ammunition and illegal drugs. Access into and out of the community was impeded for well over three hours, during which Senior citizen Beryl Sam is trying to come to grips with her recent experience at the hands of local law enforcement officers.
time a number of houses were searched, including Beryl Sam’s house, but nothing illegal was recovered by the police. According to Shanique Sam, one of Beryl Sam’s granddaughters, who didn’t want her picture to be taken, police arrived at their house and said that they had a warrant to search the premises for drugs and ammunition. The warrant was secured on the suspicion that Beryl’s grandson might have hidden the items at his grandmother’s residence. Shanique further stated that the police wanted to show the warrant to her grandmother, but she told them her grandmother would have difficulty reading it, and suggested that she read the warrant, but the police objected, and proceeded to search. It was not until the grandson
concerned arrived at the scene that the authenticity of the warrant was confirmed. “They search up all over,” Shanique told THE VINCENTIAN. “They search all over, the kitchen, the yard, and the bedrooms.” The search turned up nothing illegal. It was following the search that Shanique and her grandmother were made to strip by a female officer. “They told me to strip, squat, and cough,” explained Shanique, adding that her grandmother was asked to strip and squat. Shanique admitted that she resisted at first, but complied after she was told she would be taken to the police station and be forced to strip. Continued on Page 4.
2. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. THE VINCENTIAN
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. 3.
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Report on CARICOM Heads 35th Regular Meeting [Pt. 2] by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net; neloking@msn.com US CORRESPONDENT EDITOR’S NOTE: We are pleased to present the second part of our report on the 35th regular Meeting of CARICOM heads, held in Antigua, July 1 – 4, 2014. We trust that readers have been enlightened as per decisions our Heads have made on our behalf.
Strategic Plan The Draft Strategic Plan for the Community identifies eight integrated strategic priorities over the five-year period, 2015-2019, and key areas of interventions for each. The integrated strategic priorities are: Building economic resilience; social resilience; environmental resilience; technological resilience; strengthening the CARICOM identity and spirit of Community; and strengthening Community governance, along with coordinated foreign policy, and research and development and innovation. The plan is the product of widespread consultations in the Community, with Heads of Government selecting a “narrow range of priorities to be accorded top priority
CARICOM leaders observed CARICOM DAY, July 4, during their 35th Regular Meeting in Antigua. attention over the next fiveyear period,” the communiqué said. Priority areas of focus identified were: accelerate implementation and use of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME); introduce measures for macro-economic stabilization; build competitiveness and unleash key economic drivers to transition to growth and generate employment; human capital development; advance health and wellness; and
enhance citizen security and justice; climate adaptation and mitigation and disaster mitigation and management; develop the single ICT space; deepen foreign policy coordination (to support strategic repositioning of CARICOM and desired outcomes); public education, public information and advocacy; and reform of the CARICOM secretariat, the organs, bodies, institutions and governance arrangements.
The Marijuana issue On the issue of marijuana, CARICOM leaders agreed to establish a Regional Commission on Marijuana mandated to: conduct a rigorous enquiry into the social, economic, health and legal issues surrounding marijuana use in the region; and to advise whether there should be a change in the current drug classification of marijuana, thereby making the drug more accessible for a
Eustace to ‘straighten’ Sir James LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION Arnhim Eustace says that he intends on going public with a letter written by former talk show host, Elwardo ‘EG’ Lynch, that proves that he was owed money by Rishatta Nicholls — his former receptionist. Eustace made the comment Monday, following comments made by former Prime Minister Sir James Mitchell last Saturday, while paying tribute to Lynch. Among the reasons stated by Eustace for dismissing Nicholls back in 2013, was that she had used funds which were allocated to Lynch. However, according to Sir James, when he visited Lynch, the former New Democratic Party
talk show host informed him that Nicholls did not owe him (Lynch) any money. “Sometimes I don’t like to speak, you know, because your emotions, when you know, tend to get the better of you,” Eustace said. “I listened quite attentively, but I didn’t make no fuss, and I will circulate a letter this week where he showed that Miss Nichols took money that belonged to him, and was paying it back every month,” he continued. “But Sir James says on the radio Lynch said she didn’t owe him anything. I will deal with that in writing.” Eustace also questioned Sir James’ motives for raising the issue last Saturday.
range of users.” Prime Minister Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves, who had initiated debate on the marijuana issue, had indicated, prior to attending the summit, that,while he would not prejudge the work of the commission, (since) it would most likely consider changes to marijuana legislations in countries around the world, including Jamaica, the United States, Sweden and Uruguay.
Major police operation in Kingstown Continued from Frontpage.
Founding father of the NDP Sir James Mitchell (left) and current leader of the NDP Arhnim Eustace seem heading for a head-on clash over an issue concerning the late ‘EG’ Lynch. “Is it to say that I am lying?” He said that the founding father of the NDP has been making a lot of public comments
about the NDP, but he never responded. But the letter that he will circulate will prove that he is not lying.
He noted the importance of the public’s support for the police’s effort to combat crime and even as he recognized that there are times when citizen are hesitant to provide information to the police, he applauded the residents of Paul’s Avenue for the co-operation extended to the police during last Tuesday’s operation. “We appealed for persons to call and give information. We will be very grateful. It would be a challenge to solve crime without the public,” said Josephd as he emphasized the need for the public cooperation. Crime in SVG has seen an upsurge in 2014, and many criminals appear to be operating with impunity. On July 14, two men were shot and killed and two others injured in a drive-by shooting in Evesham and last Sunday, two men were shot in Walvaroo, Sion Hill. The deaths in Evesham, brought the homicide count to 24 for the year, and accounted for the fifth and sixth homicides since June 12. (See related story on page 13.)
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4. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. THE VINCENTIAN
News
Dark areas should be lit
Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS
THE VINCENTIAN had contacted Charles after a ELVIS CHARLES, Manager of the group of persons from Paul’s Housing and Land Development Avenue, which falls in the Corporation (HLDC) and Central Kingstown unsuccessful ULP candidate for Constituency, complained Central Kingstown in the 2010 about dark areas in that general elections, admits that community, and called for street lights should be placed in those areas to be lit. dark areas in every constituency, David ‘Earthquake’ Laidlow as one way of ensuring the claimed that persons who live safety of citizens. in dark areas in Paul’s Avenue He told THE VINCENTIAN or have to use those areas as that several persons in his routes, are uncomfortable, as ‘constituency’ have complained those places could be used as to him of feeling unsafe getaway points for persons because of the dark areas in involved in criminal activity. their communities, and given He pointed out that on the that the problem also exists in street where he lives, a stone’s the other communities, he is throw away from VINLEC’s adamant that something needs main headquarters, there is to be done. extreme darkness in the area “Many people feel unsafe of a car park and in front of leaving their homes at nights. his house. Some parents are afraid to “You can’t identify nobody even let their children out of passing there. People could sit their sight. down where the car park is “I would appreciate if and you don’t know who it is, VINLEC would assist in it could be man waiting to kill whatever way possible in somebody, man waiting to lighting up dark areas in every chop up somebody,” Laidlow constituency, be it in alleys or said, adding, “It is scary.” on the main. I am willing to Laidlow recalled that a work along with VINLEC group of concerned persons officials towards providing from Paul’s Avenue had information on dark areas,” written to VINLEC some said Charles,. months ago, concerning the He acknowledged there is a issue, but to date, there has cost to everything, but been no response. indicated that the situation is Other residents in the one for concern and he was community also made the call offering suggestions. for more street lights in some
areas. “A lot of people don’t realize that Paul’s Lot (Paul’s Avenue) is at the centre of Kingstown and has become much more commercialized in recent years. The lack of street lights here will attract more criminal activity,” one businessman said. Another resident expressed the view that Paul’s Avenue is neglected because it is a ‘ghetto’. However, one resident is of the view that, while there is need for more street lights, that is only part of the solution. He thinks there are other measures which could be put in place such as increased police presence and security cameras. When contacted on Tuesday, VINLEC”s Communications Officer, Tamara Job-Sprott, recalled that some persons from Paul’s Avenue had spoken to her about a community project, and during the conversation, they mentioned the need for street lights in some areas. Job-Sprott said she informed them of the usual procedure, which is to make a formal application to VINLEC by filling out a form. VINLEC would then forward that application to the relevant authorities for approval. She also indicated that the
St Lucian fined $10,000 for weed David ‘Earthquake’ Laidlow, a resident of Paul’s Avenue, considers the ‘dark areas,’ as invitations for criminal activity.
Elvis Charles, manager of HLDC agrees that steps should be taken to light ‘dark areas’ as a deterrent to criminal acidity. area/areas for which the street lights are requested would have to be assessed. One person attached to the group, told this publication that an application was made in which a form was filled out and sent to VINLEC since about April of this year. “That’s where we are at now, nothing else happened since,” that person said.
Elderly woman stripped, searched by police that.” Beryl Sam’s treatment by the police “I was annoyed,” she said. did not go unnoticed by fellow residents, The older Sam was more emotional, as many expressing vociferous condemnation she recounted her experience in stutters, of the action. tears flowing from her eyes. “It was unnecessary to treat an elderly “When police come (in the past) them lady in such manner,” one resident told never do me all them thing dey,” she said. THE VINCENTIAN. She is not sure what course of action On February 28, 2014, forty-nine-year she should take, but declared, “I don’t like Continued from Frontpage.
old Sylma ‘Codo’ Thomas died a day after police raided her home in the North Leeward town of Chateaubelair, in search of weapons. The police officer, who was said to have headed the search on Thomas’ home, was among the contingent that conducted the search of Sam’s residence, but he was not engaged in the strip search of the females.
MARLON DETERVILLE, a 37year-old national of St. Lucia, was this week ordered to pay the court $10,000 forthwith or serve three years in prison, for having 2,019 grams of marijuana with intent to supply. Magistrate Zoila Ellis-Browne handed down the penalty at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court, on Monday. Deterville had pleaded not guilty when he initially appeared in court in January of this year, but changed his plea to guilty when he returned to court last Friday July 18. Sentencing was adjourned to Monday. Deterville was arrested on January 20 of this year, during a joint operation by the local Coast Guard and the Rapid Response Unit (RRU). The facts presented in the court revealed that the lawmen were on patrol of the North Leeward area, when they saw two men, including Deterville, standing on the Duvellet Beach. On recognizing the Coast Guard approaching, the men started to run, and the police gave chase. During the chase, Deterville dropped a knapsack he was carrying. It was retrieved by the lawmen, and they found Deterville hiding in some bushes. He was brought back to where the knapsack was retrieved. It was searched, during which two taped packages were found, which when cut open revealed the marijuana. Up to press time on Wednesday, his companion was not found. Deterville who was not represented by a lawyer, had not paid the fine up to press time.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. 5.
Regional
Antiguan women condemn Chris Gayle THE MAN ON WHOSE behalf Dr. Ralph Gonsalves. Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, intervened with the West Indies Cricket Board during an impasse that had seen the man removed from West Indies cricket duty, is playing himself again. Christopher Gayle, the man with whom West Indies cricket fans have a love-hate relationship, has found himself embroiled in controversy, yet again. This time, he has fallen afoul of a women’ rights group in Antigua, for a comment he made in response to a female reporter, during a press conference in the lead-up to the Jamaica TallawahsAntgiua Hawksbill Caribbean Premier League (CPL) game in Antigua. Gayle, a former West Indies Test skipper, was asked by the journalist: “How does the pitch feel so far in terms of the
training (and) the weather?” The Jamaican, responded: “Well, I haven’t touched yours yet, so I don’t know how it feels,” before adding, “I like your smile; that’s nice.” That comment has evoked the ire of the Antigua- based Women Against Rape (WAR), headed by gender equity advocate Alexandrina Wong. Not only has the group condemned Gayle’s comments as “sexist”, but it also criticised the response by the CPL to the incident. The Antigua Observer reported CPL as saying that Gayle was sharing a light moment with the female journalist. “Chris is excited for the tournament and was having a laugh with a journalist, who had a laugh back; there was no malice intended,” the Antigua Observer quoted a CPL spokesman as saying. “The lady in question had a
jovial goodbye chat with him and we don’t believe this was the action of someone who was offended.” Wong slammed Gayle’s statement, and also called on the CPL to elicit an apology from the Twenty20 star. “What it’s implying is one person’s power over another in the use of the language, and so we can either say it’s sexist and hegemonic,” Wong said, adding that the response from the reporter, “indicates that she obviously doesn’t know her right to autonomy.” “She obviously doesn’t know Alexandrina Wong, of the her right when it comes to agency of body so that she can Women’s Against Rape group in Antigua, has called identify certain types of for an apology from language, how they allude to Christopher Gayle and the her biology and what it’s saying about her as a person,” CPL. (Photo Credit: Photo Shack Antigua) Wong continued. “CPL should demand [an when it comes to gender apology] from him because, as equality.” senior officials, they ought to Up to press time, the CPL know and to behave better
One again, Christopher Gayle is having a laugh at the expense of West Indies people. had made no further comment on the matter. Yet again, it seems Christopher Gayle will escape with what seems to be ‘his right’ to stamp on the pride and personages of Caribbean people. What can we expect when both the highest decisionmaking body of West Indies cricket and Caribbean prime ministers by their support for him, condone his continuing attitude of ‘I’ll-do-as-I-please’ attitude. (Source: Caribbean 360)
St. Lucia Police on the attack
AS SPECULATION RUNS rife about a Venezuela drug cartel presence in St. Vincent and the Grenadines as being responsible for recent fatal shootings here, in neighbouring St. Lucia, Commissioner of Police Vernon Francois says intelligence obtained by that country’s police suggests that the recent spate of violence and shootings in that country’s capital over the past two weeks, is a result of the activities of criminal gangs. Addressing a news conference last week Thursday, Francois is said to have declared that his men will spare no effort in going after the criminals, and ensuring that they are brought to justice. Police have been investigating five murders and several other shootings within city limits over the past weeks, and this week announced that a number of
arrests had been made. Francois told journalists that the police force has added the new strategy of using intelligence to target specific, instead of conducting regular patrols. The Commissioner reported that the police force was able through intelligence-led policing to deal with a spate of violence in an area known as Morne Du Don. He assured that the same strategies will be used to rid (the currently affaected) communities of the individuals responsible for
the recent shootings. “We will not back down…we have achieved some degree of success,” he added. And in a no holds barred warning, François declared, “I want to warn the criminals in those areas that we are out to get them, and there is not going to be any back down on our part. We are going to do everything it takes, within the laws of St. Lucia, to deal with the criminal elements in our midst.”
Armed police patrols will be lessened in St. Lucia in favour of the use of police intelligence.
ÂBring back the fire,Ê says Curtly
ANTIGUAN-BORN Sir Curtly Ambrose, one of the most menacing fast bowlers to have ever played the game of cricket, says the game’s rulers need to make test matches more exciting, by creating quicker pitches and removing restrictions on short-pitched bowling. The former West Indies pacer made the comments while speaking with ‘Standard Sport’ news, just before the start of the test series between England and India, currently underway. Sir Curtly warned that if changes are not made to make test cricket more exciting, the level of interest in the format will continue to decline. “The two-bouncers-per-over rule [restricting the number of short-pitched balls a fast bowler can deliver] has also taken away a lot of the flair from cricket,” said Ambrose. “The International Cricket Council needs to look at it again.” Vernon Francois, St. Lucia’s The former fast bowler’s comments Police Commissioner, has come against a backdrop of decreasing warned the criminals in his attendance at test matches around the country that the police are out to world, not least being in the West get them. (Photo: St. Lucia Star)
Sir Curtly Ambrose made many a batsman take evasive action. Indies. “If a fast bowler can bowl only a limited number of short balls, you’re taking away a weapon from him,” he said to Standard Sport. “If a batsman is playing the hook shot, the fast bowler needs to be able to see whether that was a fluke, or whether he is serious. Of course, the umpire should step in if the bowler is overdoing it, but don’t take away the excitement. It’s so difficult for a fast bowler today.”
One of the 405 test wickets that Sir Curtly Ambrose took in his 98 test matches for the West Indies. He lamented that today’s cricket is too one-sided; that it is all about the batsman. “If you go to a Test match and there is no excitement, it is going to turn people off. If there is a good fast bowler who can rattle the batsman, people enjoy that. When a batsman takes on a fast bowler, people love that competition, regardless of which teams are playing. That is certainly the case in the Caribbean.” (Source: Standard Sport, UK)
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6. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. THE VINCENTIAN
News
Reginald Thomas, Executive Director of the NIS (SVG), called for a single space that would allow freedom of movement and safeguards against loss of Social Security benefits.
Delegates at the Social Security/Freedom of Movement Workshop that opened here on Monday.
Social Security issues in CARICOM discussed
by KENVILLE HORNE
DELEGATES FROM CARICOM member states gathered at the National Insurance Headquarters in Kingstown, for a workshop on the CARICOM Social Security Reciprocal Agreement. The two-day workshop which
commenced on Monday, was held under the theme, ‘Move and don’t lose’, and against the background of the freedom of movement of CARICOM nationals, accorded by the CSME to certain categories of workers and the self-employed and their families. Social Security agencies recognized
that CARICOM nationals desirous of moving to another territory would have been deprived of much of its effect if persons, in exercising these rights, risked losing out on social security (national insurance) benefits acquired in their home state. Therefore, an agreement, the Social Security Reciprocal Agreement (SSRA), was designed to offer protection of the benefits and rights of migrant workers and their dependents. The agreement was founded on two fundamental principles: Totalization (aggregation), for the purpose of acquiring and retaining the right to benefit, and of calculating the amount of benefit of all periods taken into account under the laws of the member countries; and payment of benefits to persons resident in the territories of member countries. Among the core objectives of the workshop were: to re-examine the Agreement in the context of globalization; to clarify and analyze the salient tenets of the CARICOM Social Security Reciprocal Agreement; and to undertake a cursory examination of the ILO Sea Farers Convention with a view into a bilateral agreement. Fourteen CARICOM countries have already signed on to the agreement. These are Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St.Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago.
more than collecting contributions and paying benefits,” Thomas said. “What we represent is more sacred and nobler than just receiving and just accounting for the contribution that we received, and just ensuring that we pay the contribution at a material time,” he added. The NIS Director advocated for the single space and a CARICOM Social Security System, that would allow persons to move freely, “and move in ways that we don’t lose.” Thomas said that the coming together of the various delegates meant that they have recognized, and will work towards ensuring that there is a single space, “and whether or not I am Dominican, Barbadian, St.Lucia, Guyanese, and if I move throughout all of those member territories, my competent authority and my competent institutions, that is institutions where I choose to retire, must treat me as a national, and give me no less a treatment and respect that you would give the Guyanese, the Dominican, the Barbadian , the St. Lucian.” He appealed to the participants to try within their respective jurisdiction to create a single space within “our framework”, so when people move they don’t lose.” He said additionally, “What I am asking us to do then, is not to examine the CARICOM Social Security Reciprocal Agreement in the context of our domestic legislation and then so fit a member institution against a national of a particular country, Call for a single space because if we do we will all ways find reasons to create obstacles.” Delivering welcome remarks at the Thomas’s sentiments were endorsed opening of the workshop, Executive by Olivia Smith, Deputy Programme Director of the SVG National Manager for Free Movement & Labour Insurance Services, Reginald Thomas, at the CARICOM Secretariat. spoke about the expectations of Smith said the workshop was members when accepting the challenge important and timely since the to work in social security institutions. CARICOM Secretariat would be “For some of us, we thought that looking at reviewing the whole Social administering a social security system Security agreement, and urged would be all about receiving member countries to submit their contributions and paying benefits. I views on the matter, to the don’t think that view holds truth, Secretariat. because what we are about is much
V Police step up fight against gun crimes Crime
Right: Members of the Police High Command, including (L-R): Acting Commissioner of Police THE HIGH COMMAND of Reynold Hadaway, Assistant Commissioner of the RSVG Police Force has Police Frankie Joseph, and Head of the CID, ASP assured that the police are Sydney James, continue doing all in their power to to assess the crime address the upsurge in situation on a day to day gun-related crimes in the basis. last six weeks. Acting Commissioner message to the criminals. of Police Reynold “The police force will Hadaway told THE not sit on its laurels and VINCENTIAN on allow them (criminals) to Wednesday, that the continue as if we are High Command has living in the Wild West, made an assessment of as if there is no law and the situation and is order,” Hadaway warned. continuing to assess the situation on a day to day He noted that there has been heightened police basis. “We know the general presence across the country, thus ensuring public is very much that their (criminals) concerned about the space of operation is existing situation, and extremely limited. we as an organisation “We do not want to will like to take the opportunity to assure the give them any space at all to operate. We would general public that we not tolerate a breakdown are doing all in our of law and order in this power to address the situation, in the shortest country, where the citizens are driven into a possible times. state of panic,” Hadaway “It is a very serious declared. issue which is being However, while the given the utmost Acting Commissioner attention, hence the admits there is an entire police force, upsurge in gun-related including the High crimes, he pointed out Command, have been that the statistics show mobilized to arrest the that crime has not situation. We are increased generally. therefore, appealing to From January to May the public to be 2014, 2,609 crimes were supportive and coreported overall, while in operative with the police in our drive at this point the same period 2011, 2012 and 2013 — 3,647, in time,” the Acting 3,067 and 2,852 crimes Commissioner said. were reported His comments were respectively. made in the presence of Seventeen of the 24 Assistant Commissioner murders recorded so far of Police in charge of this year have been gunCrime, Frankie Joseph, and Head of the Criminal related. Fourteen murders are still under Investigations investigation. Department (CID), From January to June Assistant Superintendent 2013, eleven murders Sydney James. were recorded, while The High Command thirteen there were over has also sent a strong the same period in 2012. by HAYDN HUGGINS
THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. 7.
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8. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. 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
Beyond the booing IT MUST BE SAID, up front to any commentary on the ‘‘booing’ of the Prime Minister at the Georgetown Anglican Church last Saturday, July 26, during the funeral service for the late Elwardo ‘EG’ Lynch, that unruly behaviour is unacceptable and must be abhorred, regardless of who indulges in such expressions, demonstrations and outright manifestations. Unruly behaviour has nothing to do with age, sex, religion, social standing, or political affiliation. Unruly behaviour is a ‘No No’, plain and simple. And we must admit that what transpired last Saturday in Georgetown was unambiguously unruly, since it was clear that those who indulged in the misbehaviour were openly resistant to control, and had refused blatantly to submit to some order, rule or discipline. There can be no apology for that type of behaviour overflowing into the confines of a place of worship, where, take it or leave it, we are expected to conform to a certain order, if not ritual. But that is another story. To step out of those bounds is to be unruly. Yet, even as we say that, we cannot be blind to the circumstances and reality that gave rise to the disorder. The circumstances and reality are instructive to our accepting, our admission, that something is dreadfully amiss in our society, and that something may just have been exacerbated over the last thirteen years or so, or for that matter, long before that, as referenced by similar demonstrations of unruly and aggressive taunting of persons of high office in this country. Regardless of how much the family of the late ‘EG’ Lynch would want it not to be, the very essence of the man he had become, or made into, pointed clearly to the fact that a large percentage of the people of this country considered him ‘their own’, al la Glen Jackson. They felt his hurt, and they rejoiced with him in his achievements. He had become a central figure in the political machinations of this country, and while he endeared himself to those who now claimed him as ‘their own’, he might have equally raised the ire of those who found him overly provocative and bordering on the ridiculous. Understand, though, as Leader of the Opposition Arhnim Eustace referenced him, ‘EG’ was a ‘great propagandist’, who just might have been singularly responsible for (re)galvanising the New Democratic Party (NDP) after it had sunk to its lowest ebb following its defeat in 2001 general elections. If that is the case, it should not have come as a surprise that the almost 49 percent of the electorate in this country who support the NDP, would have wanted to show him unbridled thanks for the job he had done. Pity, though, that in walks a person whom those 49 percent had considered his (’EG’s) nemesis, to ‘irritate’ the emotions of those who had claimed him as ‘their own’. The Prime Minister must have known that the invitation to speak at ‘EG’s’ funeral service was a ‘Catch 22 situation’: “Damn if I don’t, they will say I am a coward and really not as I have said, a friend of EG; damn if I do, they’re going to show their disgust.” He opted for the first, and the second happened. It was clearly a no win situation, but he would have well recognised the possible outcome if he accepted the invitation. But they might have been, in his calculation, political fallout from his accepting the invitation that might work in favour of him and the ULP. That is the measure of the man. All in all, there has been no more impacting demonstration of how much this country is divided. This puts to pasture all the mass demonstrations and the daily political, childish wrangling of the radio talk shows. Additionally, the whole affair points to the degree to which people now view once perceived independent and sacrosanct institutions like the church; that they are now seen as having compromised themselves; and that certain institutions, church included, are no longer immune to the demonstrations of disgust by persons who see no future under a particular regime. Order has or is heading for a total breakdown. People seem not to care any longer, about where and how they express their opposition to an issue, and/or a person. That is what we ought to correct, instead of prolonging the debate on which political side gained most of the ‘unruly behaviour’ of last Saturday. Are we up to the task?
A Labour of Love, (Clarence “Looney” Dublin) THERE ARE SOME THINGS in life that one simply cannot resist. Here I am at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, 76 years old as a diabetic patient, immobile, and confined to my room, having suffered the amputation of a toe after two bouts of surgery, awaiting word as to whether there are to be more! And here comes Shirley Lynch with a request that I present a eulogy at the funeral of her first cousin, Clarence “Looney” Dublin, whose body is scheduled to be interred on Monday, July 21. My reaction was immediate. Although I am somewhat troubled and disturbed by the onset of my current problems, my love of Clarence conquered all. I shall make the effort to pen this little message which someone else will read at the funeral service. I really had no alternative; Clarence was like a blood brother to me. And as I sit in my hospital room, I am but a stone’s throw away from the house in which I was born and shared with Clarence, up to 1960. Though the home is sheltered from my view with extended hospital buildings, a part of the cemetery comes into view, reminding me of my childhood days when Clarence and I would trudge through the cemetery, either to tie out our goats or feed our pigs, which were then our common chores performed by boys. On the hill now sits commodious homes owned by descendants of the Windsor and Romeo and families of old: Kenneth (named after me), the youngest son of our peanut vendor, and Vin Romeo, an upholster of class, represent those families. If one swung left instead, he will begin the climb to Battery Hill where some families like the Smiths of New York bakery fame, used to join us in tying the animals on the road to Edinboro. Back in Rose Place proper, Number 4 was our home, an unpretentious wooden structure. The family had previously lived at Old Montrose near to Clarence’s mother and her sister Winnie, two sparkling dames in their village at their time. Clarence’s mother died and for a short time he lived with his aunt Winnie, then opted to live with his old neighbours, the Johns, of Rose Place. There were ten of us, of which I am the last, so I fitted in nearest Clarence who was my senior by six years. In fact, Clarence was treated as if he were an eleventh child. Certainly, I was with him on many escapades. Actually, Clarence and I slept in the kitchen section, separate from the main house, which boasted a separate bathroom with running water flowing later. The independent latrine was located a safe distance away to avoid off scents, it being served by brigades once or twice weekly. My “old queen” was a generous and fair person, but had her peculiar weaknesses in which she indulged, at the younger children’s expense. For instance, at the end of a hard day, she would end in bed with bible in hand, and someone scraping her skull and another wiping
between her toes, until she fell asleep. One day, from an adjoining class in “Fraser” School which we attended, I heard Clarence pleading for his life against flogging threatened by teacher Mildred Williams-Dublin, because he had been late for school, having overslept after wiping Mrs. John’s toes until the wee the hours in the morning. It turned out that Clarence played truant from school often, bowing to the lure of the sea. With time, he came to master the building of fish pots. After a time of constant pleading, I allowed myself, just having entered the teens, to team up with Clarence in his fishing enterprise. Particularly on Saturdays, I will “hold up” the boat for him while he cast and reaped his fish pots, and did a spot of line- fishing beside. Clarence not only supplemented the family income with his catches, but he certainly introduced us to exotic ways of dealing with baked sprat on tins. “Old wife” skinned made an delicious broth. Clarence grew up as a child of peace in Rose Place, and it is difficult to associate him with crime which has overtaken Bottom Town which, until lately, had been a beautiful place despite the material poverty. And it produced great fishermen like Messrs Linley, Tailor and “Dickey Fan” Lowe. Shopkeepers like Hewitt, famous for his mauby; Netta Farrell and Hamilton Palmer with his Labour Party talk shop. Characters aplenty such as Palmer’s brother “The Tiger”, “Rider” and crazy Roseanna. Carnival persons as Winston Samuel, Vibert Deshong, and Rapphi Davidson, and to top it all, great sportsmen “Rabbit” Warner and Alphonso Roberts who went on to play West Indies Test cricket in 1956.The colts football team of the late 1940’s did Rose Place proud. I parted company with Clarence just about the end of the 1960 when I went abroad to study and returned later with a wife and child, and set up an independent home. In the meantime, Clarence too quitted my family home to live at his dearest cousin Shirley White, at the edge of Bottom Town. Apparently he still carried on his fishing business, transferring the centre of his operation to the home of Douglas Horne, another fish fanatic. It was probably about this time that “Son” Mitchell’s NDP gave respect and a new lease of life to the fishing industry. Among other things, Fishermen’s Week was instituted. Although getting on with age, Clarence demonstrated that he had not lost any of his art, by thrice copping the first prize in the small fisher’s category, until illness and other problems plagued Clarence to the end. But he bore all with stoic aplomb. We never gave up each other through thick and thin. Whenever a sibling visited SVG, that person was sure to be supplied with several large fishes, courtesy Clarence. Still living among us are Elsie and Rita in the USA and Ena in the UK. I join with them in wishing Bon Voyage to our true brother.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. 9.
Letters
FLOW versus Vincentians THE GREAT CONCERN is that Columbus/Flow cannot offer the channels that Karib Cable had because of various reasons. But what about us, Vincentians, who give a foreign company the right to take over our only cable channel and give us what they want with no notice and at
their price? Must we shut up and pay? Actually, I do get it; they will make a lot of money from us. One of the first things they did was to raise my rate. They must feel that we are a bunch of stupid, dotish people, so treat them as such. We
are an English-speaking country, but no matter, impose the Spanish channels and charge for it. Remember SVG has Welcome and Enhams. One of your subscribers.
From FLOW to the PM structure of the basic package . Christopher Gordon, I WANT TO THANK YOU Country Manager of for taking time from your Columbus, SVG, will also busy schedule to meet reach out to Senator with us today (July 22, Camillo Gonsalves and 2014) ; we certainly other stakeholders from appreciate the frank and the Ministry, the open discussion . Regulatory office and Further to the meeting, Invest SVG, to schedule a and based on the meeting to develop a considerable feedback framework and identify from you, our customers priorities for social and other stakeholders, development the Columbus team is collaborations. reviewing our current Once this meeting has channel line-up in St. taken place, I will send Vincent and the you an update on Grenadines, including the adjustments made to our pricing and content pricing and content structure, as well as, priority areas identified for collaboration . I expect to get this Dear Prime Minister Gonsalves :
* Are there new procedures regarding getting copies of marriage registrations at the Registry? * Have these (procedures) been introduced following allegations of unprofessional actions by a certain former employee there? * What, if anything, did the Tourism Authority do to woo persons to Vincy Mas 2014? Does the authority really consider this as part of its responsibility? * Can we expect the CDC to say whether it had an increase or decrease in gate receipts for Vincy Mas 2014? * Why are some farmers saying that the cocoa industry dead if government going to assume control of it? Do they know something that the public doesn’t?
communications, to you within a week. Again thank you for the opportunity to meet with you and your team. We look forward to developing a stronger collaborative working relationship. Please be assured that I took particular note of your thoughts on how Columbus entered St. Vincent & the Grenadines. I can assure you that it was not our intention to sidestep any regulatory requirements, or to disrespect your office. My personal commitment is to work tirelessly to prove that Columbus not only “plays by the rules” but is a company that considers its
industry participation a privilege and not a right. Very best regards John Reid President & Chief Operating Officer
Who cares?
‘good’ they did for them, and therefore they must having to leave their WHILE THE PUBLIC vote for them. homes ‘four-day’ morning, SERVANTS and private And while all this is walk long distances and sector employees in this being endured by common country have shoulders to then spend hours in some folk throughout this back-breaking work, lean on when things get country, we have public rough, I wonder about the whether is on their plot of servants ripping off common man; I wonder if land or on somebody’s government money, not plot. he has a shoulder to cry living big. How many of us spare on. What are we really a thought for these I don’t know if we are encouraging in this people? These people all living in the same country? have no unions to place. I have to ask this We might have a lot of represent them; they when I see the ordeal churches in this country, depend on the generosity but we are not living a common folk have to go of politicians and wouldthrough on a daily basis, true Christian life. be politicians who return and those who should come election time to care, turn a blind eye. Thomas. T remind them how much I see common folk
Those mini bus drivers HAS ANYONE else noticed how lawless we have become? Take the traffic laws for example. I can’t help but decry the manner in which our mini bus drivers use the roads. They stop anywhere, anytime, and leave on their indicator light, making the person behind believe that that they pulling into traffic. However, the real reason is that they want to keep you behind, and there you are, stuck for minutes on end as they allow their passengers to disembark and others to enter. Worse, they pull out from some bus stops without the slightest bit of respect, and with no indication. I dare the Mini Bus Association to deny these actions. Last Friday, I happened to witness two mini buses, one behind the other,
literally fly down that road through Frenches along the Ever-Ready funeral home. I bet my last dollar that they came down Sally Spring, which they are not supposed to do, and then broke the NO ENTRY sign by the Ballantynes residence in Frenches. They must have been going at well over fifty miles an hour. Pity I didn’t get their registration numbers, or I would have surely reported them. Then again, how could I get the numbers when they were flying? Mini bus drivers must realize that they have the lives of their passengers in their hands. They must be a lot more caring on the roads. I pity the Traffic police. Sam, Kingstown
Vincentians against FLOW THINK OF ALL THE LEGAL monopolies you do business with. Now, out of all of those companies, think about the one you hate the most. Answer: FLOW( SVG). If you’re like many people, though, you probably thought of telephone companies. If you have broken down in tears or literally pulled your hair out while dealing with FLOW cable television service, you are not alone. FLOW is the least satisfying cable TV provider in the Caribbean, based on my survey of FLOW’s operations here and St Lucia, Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados. Despite service disruptions, high bills, and awful call centre experiences, consumers are dependent on their services because there is no other competition presently. This past week, thousands of Vincentians (lawyers, government workers, teachers, doctors, parliamentarian and more) have signed a petition organized by concerned citizens called, WE- Work For Everyone, demanding better service or pack up. If there is no change, if they don’t respect the views of their customers, all subscribers here would be asked to cancel their contract with FLOW, by returning their boxes on a date to be announced soon. What should have been a quick and easy call, turned into a national cry — a customer service nightmare. The customer service representative block us from their Facebook page every day, and most of all the customers care service is being answered in Trinidad and Tobago. What it is that FLOW Customers Service doesn’t understand? Blocking us Vincentians and declining to provide a reason shouldn’t have been the end of it, but instead it becomes a ridiculously extended back and forth about why on earth you all are treating us Vincentian with disdain, disrespect. Based on the evidence here on the petition signed by Vincentians, I will never use their service, either. If we don’t stand up to corporate bullying, then companies like FLOW will continue having jobs while good people like us pay high rates for nothing. D. R. Stowe.
Shame on Gayle I THINK THERE IS ENOUGH said about that ‘booing’ incident in Georgetown last Saturday, so I will not comment on that. However, I want to address something of a similar nature which happened in Antigua a week or so ago. Christopher Gayle, our celebrated master batsman, is reported to have been rather rude to a female reporter. In fact, he was not only rude, but what he is reported to have said was obscene. Christopher Gayle, you will recall, has to thank our Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves for his being able to continue to play cricket for the West Indies. Vincentians, therefore, should feel responsible for all his inconsistencies since then and moreso, this recent attack on the person of a female reporter. It is clear that Gayle has no inkling of an idea about when he is being offensive. Is this a typical Jamaica ‘bad boy’ attitude? When he said, “I haven’t touched yours as yet so I don’’t know how it feels,” in respose to a question by the female reported about what he felt about the cricket pitch, he showed a blatant lack of respect for the person and for himself. He should be made to apologise to the young woman, and the CPL should also apologise for tolerating persons like Gayle, who perpetuate a warped sense of male superiority. Sandra
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10. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. THE VINCENTIAN
Views
The NDP disrespects The house of the Almighty
The Issue ON SATURDAY, JULY 19th, 2014, at Georgetown, Elwardo Gideon Lynch, the iconic radio talk show host who used his skills on radio, for eleven years, in support of the opposition New Democratic Party, was laid to rest. His funeral service attracted Vincentians from all walks of life, and from both sides of the political spectrum. It attracted the attention of Vincentians at home and abroad. To be sure, the life of EG Lynch touched that of many a Vincentian. He was a titan of a radio talk show host, following in the shoes of the late Glen Jackson. His funeral occupied the attention of the hierarchy of the New Democratic Party, as they reviewed the life and times of the late talk show host. It also galvanized some persons in the NDP, with the tacit support of the leadership of that party, to devise a plan, in the event that Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves attended the funeral. On Face Book, one NDP radio talk show host advocated that there should be some form of protest action if Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves attends the funeral service for the late EG Lynch. Indeed, through last week, the NDP, on their radio programme, New Times, gave the impression that Prime Minister Gonsalves would not be a welcome figure at the funeral service.
supporters of the NDP, mainly from the constituencies of East and Central Kingstown, proceeded to disrupt Prime Minister Gonsalves, as he was delivering his tribute to the late EG Lynch. It was clear that this was a planned and well orchestrated strategy by the NDP to demonstrate further their hatred for Comrade Ralph. In the process, the NDP disrespected a place of worship, the House of God, and showed an absence of sensitivity for the event, and dishonoured the memory of the late Elwardo Lynch. Despite appeals from a family member of “EG”, the small crowd could not be controlled. Most importantly, the leadership of the NDP, including Arnhim Eustace and St. Clair Leacock, made no attempt to address the situation, and neither did the presiding cleric, Ulric Jones. They failed in their leadership responsibilities. But their plan backfired badly. Instead, the entire exercise was a show of disrespect for a house of worship, where people are gathered to praise the Almighty. Further, this was total disrespect for the memory and the legacy of Elwardo Gideon The attendance by Prime Minister Lynch, who did so much for the NDP. Gonsalves And Vincentians at home and abroad, including those on Facebook and The decision by Prime Minister Twitter, were right to administer a Ralph Gonsalves to attend the funeral verbal flogging to the leadership of of EG Lynch, was made concrete on the opposition. July 18th, 2014. This followed a visit on that day, by Shafia London, Conclusion daughter of “EG” to his office, and a personal invitation on behalf of the Whatever the intentions of the family, for him to speak at the funeral NDP, it is clear that they emerged service. from this situation badly beaten and So it is very clear, that the Prime battered. Their attempt at damage Minister was invited to attend the control has placed them even further funeral, and further, to deliver a into the quagmire, and Vincentians tribute to the late EG Lynch. In fact, are not likely to forget this despicable the original programme was changed performance. to reflect the fact that the Prime Whatever the intentions of the Minister was expected to speak. That NDP, it is clear that Prime Minister programme was in the hands of the Ralph Gonsalves emerged from this cleric, Ulric Jones, and Arnhim situation with his reputation as a Eustace knew that there was a statesman intact, and even enhanced. change, as he admitted on radio. The tribute that Prime Minister In any event, Prime Minister Gonsalves was due to deliver, before Gonsalves could have attended the he was rudely interrupted, has been funeral, simply because he was a close circulated to the media and on Face friend and associate of “EG”. They Book, for all to read. So far, shared my experiences. “EG” was a indications are that the tribute was member of the former Movement for well researched and prepared, adding National Unity, where he received a humanistic side to the life and times early training in the field of politics. of the late EG Lynch. Prime Minister Gonsalves provided At the end of the day the NDP has free legal advice to “EG” from time to demonstrated that they are unfit for time, and was a patron of his business the leadership of this country. activities from time to time. Vincentians are watching, and have So it was clear that there was a already confirmed in their minds, that relationship between both persons, they cannot support a party that and that, despite the single court shows scant regard for the church, for matter related to defamation, there the sanctity of worship, of funerals, was mutual trust, friendship and and of Almighty God. respect between Dr. Gonsalves and They will do well to remember the the late NDP radio host. scriptures, in the form of Psalm 93, verse 5, as quoted in the King James Disrespecting the House of the Bible; “Thy testimonies are very sure; Almighty holiness becometh thy house, O Lord, forever”. It therefore came as a shock to most persons, when a small group of
Elwardo Lynch was loved by the people TRIBUTE BY THE Hon. Arnhim Eustace at the funeral of the late E.G Lynch. Today we all say farewell to Elwardo Lynch, from this earthly realm. ‘EG’, as he was fondly called, was well beloved, by thousands of Vincentians both here and abroad. He loved being host of the New Times Programme, and he was a natural for that type of programme. Natural, because he was an excellent communicator; he touched and moved the emotions, and affected the thought patterns of thousands of our people, including some from neighboring islands and the Vincentian Diaspora. He really did love people, and was adored by his radio audience. Most of them today, in addition to the large numbers here, will be glued to Nice Radio listening to this funeral service. Despite efforts to silence him, through the courts and in other ways, he persevered and implemented the New Times NDP Programme without fear or favour. Despite his natural talent and ability, ‘EG’ possessed an admirable work ethic and a very quick mind. He controlled the airwaves for three hours a day, five days a week, and his performance contributed immensely to Nice Radio being ranked as the number 2 station in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. I am also advised that during the hours the New Times Programme was aired, Nice Radio ranked number 1 in listenership. It must be said that ‘EG’s’ phenomenal success as a talk show host was not simply due to his Godgiven talents but also to sheer hard work and dedication. Every work day before the programme, he could be seen at the NDP’s Office computer doing the necessary research work for the programme. He did not guess; he prepared and he was always on time. I particularly admired that hard work and dedication. Stories abound about the reactions and attitudes of many of ‘EG’s’ followers. To give some examples: I have heard about listeners, particularly some of the elderly listeners, having their radio set on Nice Radio but never wanting it moved from that station, but wanted the knob removed from the radio so that nobody can change the station and cause them to miss ‘EG’ Lynch at 10:30am. I have heard from some banana farmers and other farmers that many workers often tried to finish their work by 10:30am, so that they could go home to listen to Lynch. I have spoken to several ladies who organized their day around the Lynch programme, as they called it. They did their chores early because they did not want to miss any of the programs. They did not want to miss ‘EG’ Lynch because he was the highlight of their day. Such was his influence. During the Christmas season, Lynch would take a break into the New Year. As soon as New Year’s Day passed, we would start getting calls at the office, and they would say, “What day Lynch coming back?” This went on, even though Lynch himself would have announced the day of his return, even before he took his holidays. The New Times Programme was indeed a major contributor to NDP’s improved performance at the polls in recent years. Indeed, Lynch went on the air when NDP was at its lowest ebb after the 2001 elections defeat. He continued his contribution, and today the NDP vote in 2010 resulted in a mere one seat majority to the government, and NDP’s support is
still growing. As we lay him to rest today, our party owes ‘EG’ a great depth of gratitude. Lynch’s circumstances began to change during the election period of 2010 when we recognized that he had a serious problem with his eyes. I recall travelling home one night from a political meeting in South Central Windward, and as we drove back to Kingstown, Lynch was driving a vehicle immediately ahead of us, and we all noted and commented on the fact that he was driving mainly on the right hand side of the road, and only shifted back to the left when another vehicle approached from the other side. The following evening, on our way to a political meeting in Clare Valley, I noticed the same situation occurring frequently. Something was indeed wrong. I discussed the matter with Lynch, and he admitted difficulty with his eyes, and I found out also that in his preparations for the programme, he had to use very large prints for his notes. We decided that we would have to launch a campaign to raise funds to have him seek medical attention overseas, and over the last few years, we raised and also borrowed some monies to assist with the financing of medical expenses. During 2011, he returned full time to the programme, and seemed to continue as he usually did. In 2012, his general health deteriorated, as one day during his conduct of his programme, his thought patterns and statements were confusing, and he had to leave the programme and be hospitalized on that day. He spent some time at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, with numerous visits from people from all walks of life. He was eventually transferred to the Garden of Eden Nursing Home, where he resided until his death a few days ago. Over the period, I visited Lynch very often, and I must take this opportunity to thank the staff of the Garden of Eden Nursing Home for the kindness and attention which they showered on Lynch, during his period at that facility. Probably the most difficult time for ‘EG’ came when he had a stroke which resulted in him being unable to speak for months, up to the time of his death. I usually visited him on Mondays before I went on my programme, and when leaving, I would say to him, “I am going on to the program now.” In earlier times he would say to me, “Tell them ah improving man, ah improving.” But after the stroke which led to the lost of his speech, you could see his frustration over his condition increase, and he displayed less and less interest in what was going on around him as he became noticeably weaker. After a while, he became so weak that one couldn’t be sure that he was aware of your presence in the room. It was indeed heartbreaking to see a once vibrant man with so many gifts being unable to speak and fend for himself. As we lay his mortal remains to rest today, I say to his family and to the radio family, the Psalmist says, ‘Weeping may endure for the night, but joy, real joy cometh in the morning’. May his soul rest in peace, and light perpetual shine upon him.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. 11.
Views
Discovering Contentment
Ah Never See More Mess
“Nothing is miserable but what is thought so, and contrariwise, every estate is happy if he that bears it be content.” — Anicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius ( 480–524 AD), Italian philosopher and politician.
REASONABLE MINDS can differ as to whether PM Gonsalves should have attended or spoken at the funeral of his ‘former’ comrade and fierce political rival EG Lynch. I think that it was imperative for him to attend, if only to send a message to the population at large that, as Dr. Kenneth John said so many years ago, ‘people can be personal friends, but political foes.’ Funerals in SVG are highly political. If someone supported Labour, only on rare occasions will the representative of the NDP attend the funeral. If the dead person was an NDP supporter, it’s unlikely the Labour representative will attend. This foolishness must stop, and who are better than the leaders of the parties to start the trend. The booing and catcalls were inevitable. For years, Lynch and Gonsalves mercilessly jabbed at each other. Lynch as the main ‘hatchet man and flame thrower’ for the political opposition, Gonsalves as the ‘hot rod and mighty explainer’ for his party and government. I expected the boos. Gonsalves must have anticipated the reaction. Opposition personalities encouraged supporters to make him feel unwelcomed. I even understand the booing in the church, given the hyperpartisan political climate fostered by both political parties over the last decade. But what the church leaders and the leadership of the NDP allowed at that church is inexcusable, and represents a new low in Vincentian politics. Someone, anyone with religious or political authority, should have attempted to stop it after a minute or so. Saturday’s affair was a funeral service in a church, not a political rally. As PM Gonsalves rose to speak, booing erupted, and was allowed to continue for at least 10 minutes. This behavior was totally and completely unacceptable, because the mayhem occurred in a church. What was allowed to happen was shockingly disrespectful, if not to EG Lynch, certainly to his family; evident where a son and a daughter tried desperately to restore order and to bring the melee under control. That Father Jones, a man of tremendous Christian love and devotion and experience, sat there in smug consternation and uttered not a word in rebuke, is a wanton abdication of responsibility. His inaction is compounded by his words, ‘In my 37 years of ministry, I have never seen nothing like this.’ He could have easily said he never saw more mess. That the entire high command of the NDP sat through that sordid episode in evident contentment with the going on of its supporters tell me that SVG has a leadership deficit of monumental proportions. For Mr. Eustace to say that his intervention would have been of no use, exposes him as an un-insightful leader at best. His inaction damaged his kinder and gentler brand, and branded him as unwilling or unable to take decisive steps so often demanded of good leaders. Even more frightening for the SVG is that in the yard of the church and
NOT MANY OF THIS column’s readers will be familiar with the name Anicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius. I first read about this interesting individual in the Daily Bread Devotional Booklet. The devotion was written by Dennis Fisher, and described how this talented, intelligent philosopher and politician fell out of favour with his Italian king. He was accused of treason and jailed. It was during this period of solitude that he penned the words that were used to introduce this week’s article. He reflected on the things that really mattered in life, and shared those beautiful thoughts with the rest of the world. We can be encouraged by his writings. We can find contentment (and be optimistic) as we go through what we may describe as our “period of imprisonment” or our “wilderness experience”. Life will not always appear to be kind to us. As a matter of fact, we may even conclude that life often appears to provide us with regular doses of unkindness. There can be so many situations that invite us to conclude that life is tough. It is sometimes so very difficult, and extremely traumatic, to cope with the betrayal of a friend or loved one. It can be so distressing to be challenged by unemployment or underemployment, and still have a family to feed. Being diagnosed with a chronic, life-threatening disease,can blow the winds from our sails. But sometimes, those are the moments when we are drawn closer to God, and can find the strength to take a totally new perspective on life. We can discover peace and contentment on the far end of a tragic situation. A host of biblical examples now flood my mind. We can be inspired by so many of these historic events. Think, for example, of the life of Joseph. He was loved by his father but despised by his brothers. Their hatred for him resulted in him eventually being sold off as a slave to traders heading to Egypt. The plot thickened as the brothers deceived their father into thinking that Joseph was dead. However, as we read the passages in Genesis we never see any records of Joseph being angry with his brothers for doing him this evil. Joseph prospered in Egypt and eventually turned around to help his brothers when there was famine in their land and they had to seek grain in Egypt. We get the impression that Joseph was forever content with the experiences that his God allowed to come his way. For certainly, he also had several bitter experiences in Egypt en route to becoming the deputy leader of that country. Time and space will not allow us to capture all of these moments in so brief and article. However, readers are invited to visit the Old Testament Book of Genesis and read chapters 37 through to 45 to get a gist of what he went through. The historic records show that Joseph continued to be blessed and to be a blessing, even as individuals sought to do him harm. Joseph appeared to continue to flourish, even as persons did him wrong. And there is no indication in those many verses that he demonstrated any discontentment. There is a lesson there for us; for you and for me. We can be content through the good times ... and through the bad. The second biblical example that comes to mind may be considered a sequel to the first. This revolves
around the life of Moses. The bible tells us that after Joseph had died and the Children of Israel had grown in numbers in Egypt, the Egyptians forgot the outstanding contribution that Joseph and his descendants had made (Exodus 1). The new rulers then burdened Joseph’s descendants with back-breaking work. They were slaves in a foreign country. Exodus 1 describes how the new leaders in Egypt commanded the midwives to kill the male babies in an effort to control the population growth of the Hebrews there. However, fearing God, the midwives disobeyed Pharaoh’s commands. In response, Pharaoh commanded his soldiers to kill the male babies and cast them in the river (Exodus 1:22). The second chapter of Exodus describes Moses’ birth during this baby-killing period. It records how his mother, not wanting him to be slaughtered, hid him for three months. Good fortune befell baby Moses and his family when Pharaoh’s daughter discovered him in the basket while bathing in the river. She adopted him and recruited his mother and sister to care for him in her home. Moses was cared for and educated within the same palace where the decision had been made that children his age were destined to die. We can then fast forward Moses’ life and reflect on his losing favour with his “adopted palace family” and having to flee for his life. Fast forward yet again and discover his wilderness experience; moving from the pleasures of the palace to the back side of the desert tending sheep. But God had a much bigger plan for Moses. This was the same man, with his human frailties and shortcomings, who was chosen to lead the children of Israel across the Red Sea, through the wilderness, and towards the Promised Land. In both of these Old Testament examples, these outstanding servants of God appeared to discover contentment, even though they faced tremendous challenges. Both of them appeared to flourish after their “comfortable lives” had been overturned. And maybe, just maybe, you and I need to take some lessons of encouragement from them at this time. Sometimes we appear to become so easily distracted by looking back at what used to be or what we have lost. And in that backward gaze, we can fuel feelings of discontentment and selfpity. But now we can forget those things that are behind, and press forward to accomplish the outstanding feats destined for us. Those “frills” may have given us some sense of security, but we now discover that they were really not needed for us to do what we know we must. You and I have special tasks to perform, and can draw hope and encouragement from the experiences of Joseph and Moses. We can discover contentment amidst our trials. We continue to give God thanks for His many blessings, whether we are on the top of the mountain or down in the deepest valley. We know that those who bless God in their trials will be blessed by God through their trials. We can discover contentment in the least likely of places and the most challenging of times. Send comments, criticisms & suggestions to julesferdinand@gmail.com
at the burial ground, I spoke to a few NDP parliamentarians and many more NDP big wigs. All of them were gleefully pregnant with contentment at what happened to Gonsalves. Lynch would have loved it, one of them told me. None mentioned or gave a thought to the grieving family members; none had the slightest shade of disagreement with what occurred in the church. Funny, I met some ordinary opposition supporters who thought an attempt should have been made to quell the unruliness. EG Lynch was very unkind to me. But I went to his funeral anyway. In 2005, less than a year after returning from a 21-year sojourn in the United States, E.G Lynch told his radio audience he had the goods on me that will destroy me forever. I was wanted by the American FBI, he claimed, for stealing millions of dollars from mostly poor, defenseless Caribbean women. Evidence of my fraudulent acquisition could be found in a million dollar home I owned in Grenada. I was shocked, hurt and incensed. I knew that EG’s tales amounted to reckless disregard for the truth. I sought legal counsel, but in the end let the slander slide because I came to realize that EG Lynch was a man of straw. I did not want to damage Dougie DeFreitas’ Nice Radio. EG Lynch was no innocent saint. It was not the last time EG Lynch took a reckless swing at me. But I went to his funeral anyway. His death represented the passing of an era. E.G Lynch was one of the twin towers of talk radio in SVG. Glen Jackson, the other plank in the tower, fell tragically in 2006. Glen was the taller of the two towers. He, like EG, carried sharp political knives; but EG, apart from working mightily and successfully to guide the NDP to revival after the 2001 defeat, never played crucial roles in cross party, national events as Glen Jackson. Few will forget Jackson’s role in raising consciousness in our banana fight with Chiquita and Dole; as well as the battle against Cable and Wireless. Both men had huge fan bases. People ate out of their mouths, and this accounts for the mass attendance at their funerals. It is therefore understandable that emotions will run high at either funeral. But nothing, not politics, not Gonsalves’ presence, not election fever, nothing justifies what took place at Lynch’s funeral. Saturday represented a bad day for St Vincent. Saturday was an even worse day for the NDP -whether they accept it or not. If our political differences cause us to suspend our common sense, our good Vincentian sense; if politics causes us to disregard Godliness and the holiness and sanctity of the church: - it is high time we pause and pull ourselves back from the edge Send comments, criticisms & suggestions to wefirst@aol.com
V Illegal dumping of solid waste can cause an outbreak of illness 12. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. THE VINCENTIAN
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ILLEGAL DUMPING of solid waste is a serious problem in SVG. It can cause a dangerous outbreak of illness, and is polluting our environment. Almost every week, the Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) is on SVGBC TV complaining about the widespread illegal dumping of solid waste, but no solution is put forward. It is very important that this problem be solved. A Green government would separate the SWMU from the Central Water Authority to make a new, independent statutory body. The monthly $11 environmental fee would be taken out of the water bill to help poor households, and an environmental fee of $11 would be levied on tourists as part of the departure tax. To protect and preserve our environment, a Green government would place recycling skip units around the country to collect solid
waste such as metal, plastic, glass and paper. As in other countries, a system would be set up so that Vincentians could call the SWMU and arrange for the free collection of old white goods, such as fridges and washing machines. It is more cost effective and environmentally beneficial to collect solid waste as above, rather than dealing with the expensive alternative of clearing up polluted areas and dealing with outbreaks of illnesses afterwards. The uncontrolled burning of plastic is a major environmental health hazard. It is associated with extremely harmful pollutants, from carbon monoxide which affects mental function, to dioxins and furans that cause cancer, respiratory illnesses and affect the immune and reproductive system. A Green government would empower the SWMU to enter into joint venture projects
with Vincentian-owned, private businesses to collect and recycle solid waste material. The recycling of plastic, glass, paper and metals, including fridges and washing machines, would be a good opportunity for Vincentians to start small businesses and create jobs. The recycled waste could be exported, and can help stimulate economic growth. At present, much of this recyclable solid waste material is dumped, and valuable metal is being wasted as dumped fridges and washing machines rust away. Economically, it does not make sense and, in this time of high unemployment, initiatives that create jobs and revenue earning opportunities should be developed. This will happen under a Green government. In 1997, in Gambia, West Africa, The Njau Recycling and Income Generating Group (NRIGG) was set up by six
Gambian women, to find solutions to devastating problems such as waste management and low income levels in rural Gambia. Today, hundreds of women have been taught the skill of recycling waste, and received home composting training to answer a demand for cheap, high quality, organic fertiliser. NRIGG’s members have gained financial freedom and are now able to pay school enrolment fees for their children, buy school supplies, plant/grow vegetables to add nutritional value to family meals, pay for transportation fees in emergency situations, and provide food and clothing for their families. Recycling in the UK
employs thousands and turns over billions of pounds. The fact that the majority of waste in SVG is dumped or put in to landfill, rather than turned into a recycling industry, creating hundreds of jobs for our people, shows that the ULP regime is economically incompetent and lacks vision and innovation. The current solid waste management system is unsustainable, and will lead to our children and grandchildren inheriting a polluted country. SVG needs change; SVG needs a Green government. SVG Green Party www.svggreenparty.org
ECCB should publish report on evaluation THE ECCB has been, for several years, headed by a distinguished son of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He is an eminent scholar who would have knowledge of the struggles of the Vincentian people. He would know that since Emancipation, we have been workers of the land agriculturists and farmers. There is a tremendous amount of experience among us, and with exposure to the appropriate technology and reasonable access to operating capital, we could only get better, more efficient at our job. It was on the shoulders and backs of the farming community that St. Vincent and the Grenadines returned to feeding itself, and to heightened economic activity after the hurricane of 1898 and the eruption of the volcano in 1902. We shipped a number of products to Trinidad, as far back as the 1920s: yams, pumpkins, peas, potatoes, tannias, fowls, pigs, goats, farine and cassava starch. The potential is still there for us to earn a healthy income from trading in these commodities: but we need to apply more scientific methods
in the process.
Agriculture ignored So, when the governor of the ECCB, Sir Dwight Venner, and his technocrats and the leaders of the sub-region, in response to the worldwide economic down-turn, decided that they would stimulate the economy by injecting significant sums into Tourism, Fishing and Construction, and they did not include Agriculture, they had failed St. Vincent and the Grenadines as an economic entity. The disdain for agriculture and the farming community came out when Sir Dwight posited that we, the sub-region, could buy food cheaper from outside of the region, if we purchased collectively. That was a sad indictment of indifference, coming, as it did, at a time when progressive nations were exerting themselves to realize higher levels of food security. That pronouncement by Sir Dwight, seemingly supported by the important persons in leadership of the sub-region, demonstrated that we the people, particularly those
involved in agriculture, do not at this time have the leadership necessary to seriously pursue our interests and protect our traditional values. While they were constructing the Eight Point Plan, Sir Dwight and his team of experts, and Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, must have been aware that we in St. Vincent and the Grenadines were having great difficulty with our bananas. The farmers’ agonies were very clearly ventilated by them. Some of the main ones were: the neglect of the feeder roads; the unreliability of the supply of inputs; and the breakdown of the pest and disease control mechanism superintended by government.
injection of capital several years ago. With a base of six thousand (6,000) farmers, agriculture had the capacity to absorb twenty-four thousand (24,000) farm workers and two thousand (2,000) ancillary service providers, mechanics, soil technicians, food processors, animal-care specialists, construction workers and refrigeration technicians. That would have been a significant reduction in our unemployment levels. There would have been a decrease in crime; the index of ill-health would have been lower, as more families would have been able to provide for the nutritional and educational needs of their family members, keeping frustrations at bay. Thirty-five years have elapsed since St. Vincent and Creating Jobs the Grenadines was declared to be an independent nation; When one hears talk of but we are not where we stimulating the economy, one expected to be by now. While thinks of creating jobs. We some may say that we do not should, therefore, be told how have exploitable natural many jobs were created by the resources by which to generate Big Plan, and compare these wealth, we do have enough to results to what might have allow every citizen to have two accrued if Agriculture had reasonable food meals for the been given the clearly needed day, in 2014.
Mismanagement of resources But our leaders have not managed our resources responsibly. Some of them have been ego-driven, and this has led to recklessness on their part and serious stagnation of the masses. The Kingstown Vegetable Market, the Ottley Hall Marina, the Ju-C Building and the Argyle International Airport will, for some years, stand out as monuments to this failing of leaders to prudently chart courses in the long term interests of all the people. That is quite likely why today we have the situation where the perception is that the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital is not providing the quality of service that it did thirty of forty years ago. So the remainder of this year should be for stock-taking and evaluation, so that 2015 should see us launching an approach that would assure us a reasonable chance of success. Therefore, an evaluation of that Eight Point Plan of the ECCB is urgently needed. Leroy Providence
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. 13.
News
Commissioner gets one year contract Charles assumed the top position in the Commissioner of Police Police Force. His MICHAEL CHARLES, who will appointment took effect attain the age of retirement, 55, from November 1, on August 31, will serve the 2013. He had acted in RSVG Police Force and the that capacity from July people of St. Vincent and 16, 2013, after then the Grenadines for another Commissioner Keith year at the helm of the Miller proceeded on constabulary. pre-retirement leave The top cop confirmed to the same day. THE VINCENTIAN on Charles had assured Tuesday, that his application that he intended to for a one-year contract as continue to work Commissioner has been towards fostering a granted. Charles, however, closer relationship declined to comment further. between the police and The Police Chief told this the public. He told publication May 20 that he reporters, “The media had applied to the relevant should be free to authorities for a one-year consult with the Commissioner of Police Michael extension of duties as Commissioner at any Charles has made himself readily Commissioner. He had time,” something that available to the local media. given no reasons for the he has demonstrated application. was still honeymooning, after practically. Last week Wednesday, July marrying Police Sergeant Up to press time 16, marked one year since Wednesday, the Commissioner Juliana Browne, July 15. by HAYDN HUGGINS
Thompson out, James in THE CHATEAUBELAIR Methodist School was washed in a sea of red last Sunday, July 20, 2014, as the governing Unity Labour Party (ULP) staged its constituency council meeting, to advance (L-R): Dr. Jerrol Thompson, Dr. Ralph a nomination for Gonsalves, party leader, and candidacy in the proposed candidate Carlos James, in North Leeward area. a show of solidarity after last A report going into Sunday’s vote. Photo Compliments last Saturday’s Jules Anthony meeting said that the choice had boiled caretaker going into last down to between Dr. Jerrol Saturday’s meeting. Thompson and Barrister-atReports say the party Law, Carlos James. faithful of North Leeward However, at Sunday’s overwhelmingly endorsed meeting, Thompson James as their candidate for apparently withdrew elections due in December officially from the race, 2015, at last Sunday’s leaving James to stand alone. meeting. Dr. Thompson had been James’ nomination will the party’s candidate in the now be advanced to the last three general elections, party’s candidate selection 2001, 2005 and 2010, and committee, which will meet after winning in 2001 and on July 30, 2014, and then to 2005 he was ousted by the the National Council for final New Democratic Party’s ratification, at a meeting Patel Matthews in 2010. He scheduled for the next day, remained the party’s July 31.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. 7.
Education
Port Authority awards scholarships
Stories by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY
THREE STUDENTS, the newest recipients of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority Clarence Keizer award, have been encouraged to aim for the top. The advice came from Andrea Bowman, Headmistress of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Girls’ High School, during her address at the awards ceremony, last Tuesday. It was a fitting tribute to Clarence Keizer, that Bowman was chosen to make the feature presentation. She is daughter of the late Keizer who established a foundation on the Port. Bowman recounted her father’s story, with him having to forego secondary education as a third former at the Intermediate High School, following the death of his father. Bowman encouraged the students to make good use of the opportunity provided, even as she decried the lack of discipline shown by some students nowadays. She recalled one of her father’s favourite expressions
in reference to there always being room at the top. “Put yourself in a position where you can compete for a place at the top,” Bowman advised. This year’s scholarship winners are: Donye Fergus, Javanne Sam and Khalie Wallace. Fergus, a former Kingstown Preparatory School student, is the son of Ludwig and Simone Fergus. He feels great having been given the reward. He enters the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Grammar School in September. Javanne is the daughter of Leopold Sam and Jemma Warren. The former student of the Parmenos Burke Primary School, Byrea, will attend the Thomas Saunders Secondary School in September. Wallace is pleased that the Port Authority has blessed her with this scholarship. She placed 212th for Girls and 314th overall in the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment. She enters the Bishop’s College Kingstown. Her mother Dynecia Peniston expressed satisfaction that the Port Authority is acknowledging the students’ hard work.
(L-R) Front: Scholarship winners Donye Fergus, Javanne Sam and Khalie Wallace. (L-R) Back: Charmane John, Simone Fergus, Ludwig Fergus, Leopold Sam, Dynecia Peniston and Edwin Snagg. Chairman of the Port Authority Edwin Snagg is pleased with the thrust in education which the Port Authority is endorsing. He described it as fitting into the government’s emphasis on students’ training. He urged the awardees to continue to work hard, and echoed that “education is the gateway out of poverty,” but warned that “We can’t leave these children up to themselves.
Two to make strides with Striders Awards
ACCORDING TO ONE observer, the legacy of the Striders Cultural and Social Oraganisation continues unabated with the annual scholarship awards designated in its name. And true to form, the Striders Scholarship awards continued in 2014, with recipients being Ronisha Creese and Jenique John, both former students of the Brighton Methodist School. Ronisha and Jenique were top performers in the 2014 CPEA, and are both heading for the Girls’ High School in Septwember. The awards were handed over in a brief ceremony at the office of THE VINCENTIAN, Thursday 17th July. Sister Patricia Caruth, wife of the late Julian Caruth, a former Permanent Secretary and foundation member of Striders, serves as liaison officer for the organization, whose members, in the main, reside overseas. She made the presentation to the students and encouraged them to continue to make themselves and their families proud. Sister Caruth expressed, on behalf of the members of Striders, their continuing willingness to assist families to provide for the secondary education of their children. The Striders Cultural and Social Organization, formed in the 1970s, was active
Sister Patricia Caruth (centre) with 2014 Striders Scholarship winners Ronisha Creese (left) and Jenique John. in the communities of Diamond, Stubbs, Brighton, Enhams, Revierre and McCarthy. Even though many of its original members are today resident in North America, they come together to raise funds to support the ongoing scholarship awards and an annual Christmas outreach programme of support to elderly and infirm residents.
“Show me a parent who is concerned, I will show you a child who can learn,” Snagg indicated. Each scholarship is
expected to run for five years, with an opportunity for a further two years to cater for tertiary education.
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18. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. THE VINCENTIAN
News
Fred ‘Uncle Fred’ Copeland, was on hand to share in the excitement that greeted the commissioning of the new swing and slide.
Green Hill Children get new slide and swing A REFURBISHED SWING and slide was officially commissioned at the Green Hill Children’s Playground, Sunday 20th July 2014. The swing was rebuilt after the one installed through the Social Investment Fund project, became unsafe due to decay of the construction materials. The refurbishment of the swing and slide was made possible with
support from a church based in Scrabo Northern Ireland. A representative from the church, Fred Copeland, aka ‘Uncle Fred’, was on site to hand over the swing and slide, which were constructed locally. For the days leading up to the commissioning of the swing and slide, a local religious team, comprising representatives from different churches in
SVG, and which receives support from the Northern Ireland church, in collaboration with the Green Hill Sports and Cultural Club Inc., held a Vacation Bible School (VBS) on the compound of the Children’s Playground. The GHSCC Inc. wishes to express its gratitude to the team, ‘Uncle Fred’ and the Northern Ireland Church. (Contributed)
More help for flood victims ASSISTANCE FOR PERSONS affected by the Christmas Eve 2013 floods in St. Vincent, continues to be received by agencies here. Earlier this month, Vinsave received a donation of clothing, educational supplies, utensils and other materials for Some of the items received by Vinsave for distribution distribution to to families affected by the December 2013 floods. affected persons. The donation came from Mrs. from Vincentians in the diaspora. Marcia Sutherland, a Vincentian According to Director of Vinsave, living in the USA. This was the Janice Fraser, the materials will be second time that Vinsave has donated to a family in Spring Village received assistance for flood victims and another in Chateaubelair.
UWI students attached to VINSAVE TWO STUDENTS, Melanie Waldron of UWI Cave Hill Campus, who is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Education, and Nekisha Slater, who is pursuing a BSc Social Work at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College, are now attached to Vinsave for their summer internship. According to a release from VINSAVE, the two students will be engaged in a number of programmes at Vinsave, including conducting workshops with staff, working in the communities of Byera and Layou and in the
Melanie Waldron is a Nekisha Slater is graduate degree student pursuing an at UWI, Cave Hill, undergraduate degree Barbados. through the SVG Community College. Agency’s Summer UWI, under whose Programme. Ms. Waldron is hosted auspices students have been placed for over 10 under the Caribbean Internship Project of the years.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. 19.
News
One BMW, 10 hopeful owners by KENVILLE HORNE
TEN PERSONS WILL engaged in a game of luck and chance to see who would win the ultimate prize of a BMW Z4. The ten persons would participate in the St. Vincent Brewery/Hairoun THE VINCENTIAN’s Kenville Horne (2nd from left) beer carnival assisted in the selection of the 4 qualifiers from promotion, dubbed ‘Unlock your among those who had submitted six ‘Hold your own Carnival”, which Hairoun Crowns. climaxes today at the the same time it was not Solidarity Inc Car Park, addresses and contact information. the deciding factor for Kingstown. Today’s activity will us.” The promotion was Today’s activity was launched on May 23rd at involve a series of exercises, during which a also expected to feature Heritage Square, and number of prizes will be entertainment by triple during the two month crown winner ‘Fireman’ period leading up to the won, on the way to final, several consumers eliminating the number Hooper, Mad Skull, the Hairoun Hit squad and of qualifiers to two. of Hairoun Beer won The two finalists will MC Candy Man. instant prizes, including The ten persons vying be faced with the ‘task’ cash, carnival show of seeing which one has for the car are: Cherrytickets, carnival the key to the door Ann Baptiste , South costumes and Hairoun behind which is the Rivers: Nani Billingy of Beer. Buccument Bay; Carlos BMW Z4. Six persons were On being reminded John , Ottley Hall; Kelly lucky enough to each Ann Sam ,Town Hill; procure a Hairoun crown that persons, Hairoun Sheldon Anderson, with an image of a door. drinkers included, had Questelles; Alfred Howe, complained about the that crown. The image Chateaubelair; Lawrence strenuous nature of the guaranteed them Stephens, Park Hill; demands of the automatic qualification promotion dubbed ‘Hai Cherise Durrant, Reeves for a shot at the car. Life’ with a grand prize Level; Alex Thomas and The other four Errol Haywood — of a Mazda RX-8 car and persons were selected on addresses not given. Wednesday, from among that there was a complete change to the Persons had to be the thousands of eighteen years and over promtion’s format, Hairoun drinkers who submitted six ‘Hold your Shafia London-Williams, to be eligible to the Brewery’s participate in the own Hairoun Crowns promotion. Commercial Manager, along with their names, said, “We listened, but at
EU approves SVG’s request for assistance THIS COUNTRY IS expected to receive further assistance from the European Union to help in the reconstruction effort occasioned by the December floods. The announcement was made on Tuesday by Ambassador H.E. Mikael Barfod, Head of the European Union Delegation to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, during a visit here. The Ambassador was here to sign an agreement with the government of St Vincent and the Grenadines for physical works to be undertaken in the Health Sector. (See page 25 of THE VINCENTIAN of Friday 18th July, 2014.) He took the opportunity to address this country’s request for assistance with the reconstruction effort, saying, “I would like to take the opportunity to announce that the Government’s request for EC$22.5 million (6.17 million Euros) to support the reconstruction effort following the Christmas Eve floods, have been approved by our headquarters.” The EU Ambassador assured that the money was a grant. He also noted that the funding adds
Ambassador H.E. Mikael Barfod, Head of the EU Delegation to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. to the 400,000 Euros which were previously allocated to this country and St Lucia immediately following the floods.
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20. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. THE VINCENTIAN
Advice
Go ahead and get married Dear George, I HAVE 3 SISTERS, and they are all divorced. I have recently been engaged to be married to a wonderful man, and since introducing him to them, it has
been problems for me. They have been telling him that his marriage to me would not last; that he must look at them and he will see where his marriage will end up. I was appalled at this, and I
Trapped!! Dear George,
Trapped
I’M NOT SURE what kind of hot water I have landed myself into, but I really want to get out. I have a tenant who is a single woman with no children. George, this woman has the shape of a Pepsi bottle, as we would say, and has indicated by her smile and mannerisms that she likes me in a sexual way. I committed the inevitable sin and slept with her for several months. Things have taken a turn for the worse, now that she has stopped paying rent. After I insisted on collecting the rent, she threatened to expose our relationship to my wife, and proceeded to show me a few photos she took of us in bed, unknowing to me. How do I get out of this without much ado? I love my wife and do not want this to break up our marriage, and at the same time, I need to collect my rent.
Dear Trapped, It is folly on your part to think that you can jump into a pool of hot water and expect not to be burned. Pleasure should never be mixed with business, and you cannot continue to sacrifice rental income for a secret that will inevitably come to the fore. Your tenant gets her fuel from the decision you made to keep this from your wife. Be a man and confess your faults to your wife, in the first instance, and then take the wind out of your tenant’s sail by letting her know that she has no leverage on you, so step forward with the rent or face the consequences for her delinquency. In the future, it would not be so bad an idea to let your wife do the rent collection. Lesson given, and hopefully lesson learned.
George
confronted them, but they continued with more of the same. They are telling me things like they do not see why I should bother myself with getting hitched to a man when he would only end up leaving me in the cold, just like they were left in the cold by their ex-husbands. My wedding is in three months, and I have made a decision not to invite my sisters, given how they feel about the future of my relationship. They have gotten wind of this, and have blasted me for it. My fiancé has not said he has his doubts about marrying me, but he acts that way at times. Should I go ahead as planned and ignore my sisters completely?
Unsure Dear Unsure, While it can be said that your sisters, after their unsuccessful attempts at marriage, ought to be positively spurring you on to become
the first among them to have a happy and lasting marriage, you should not allow their views on your relationship to deter you from marrying the man of your dreams. Meet with them and let them know how their actions and attitude to you and your fiancé are affecting you, and that it is not your wish to exclude them, but will do so if it comes down to it. Your fiancé should be focused enough not to let your sisters get to him. Take this opportunity to thrash all of this out in your pre-marital counseling sessions, and take it from there. On the day of your wedding, there should be no doubt or reservations about the decision to marry.
George
Doing the right thing exchange for the favours she needs from me. One time, she actually THIS WOMAN has took her clothes off in been asking me, on a regular basis, for help to desperation, begged me buy groceries, with her to lie with her, but still I refused. car payments, cell What do I do now? phone charges, etc. She All of this has put me in is married, but begged a very uncomfortable me not to let her position, and I feel very husband know what is bad for her and also her happening between us. We have nothing sexual husband. If only he knew the lengths his or intimate going on, wife has gone and would because I am not that kind of a man. She said go to in order to meet her husband is a proud the bills! man, and if he knows Between what is going on, he would flip. Recently, things have Dear Between, gotten hard with me, It is good that you and I cannot meet her have been there for this needs as before. She is woman, but one must of the view that I am always remember there deliberately pulling is a right way and back from helping her, although I have told her wrong way to do things. I question the action it is not so. Now, she is going further in offering of joining with her in making her husband me her body in
Dear George,
believe that all is well and she has had no outside assistance, especially from another man. I do not advocate that couples keep secrets from each other, but rather they put their heads together to come up with creative ideas to beat the financial hardships of the day. Encourage your friend to seek other methods/ways to solve her financial problems, and one way to do this for them to see a financial counselor. It is good that you have maintain your moral and ethical standards by refusing to sleep with this woman, and I am sure she would appreciate you more in the end as a friend.
George
Leisure
ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) You may blow situations out of proportion when dealing with the one you love. You are ready to blow up and your stress level has gone into over drive. Don't make a move; your confusion has caused this dilemma and you are best to back away and reassess the situation. Be aware that you might be at fault as well. TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) Changes in your residence will be favorable in the long haul. Don't let others know about your private affairs. Delve a little deeper if you really want to know the score. Don't overspend on friends or children. GEMINI (May 22-June 21) You may be fortunate while traveling. You will enjoy physical activities more than you think. Be cautious while traveling to foreign countries. You can meet friends who will let you know how valuable you are. CANCER (June 22-July 22) Get into fitness programs to keep in shape. Your ambitious mood may not go over well with loved ones. Try to channel your energy into professional endeavors. Travel will initiate new friendships or love connections. Ask those in key positions to help you overcome the delays and to support your concerns in order to move on. LEO (July 23-Aug 22) You will have original ideas for ways to make extra money. Real estate investments could be to your advantage. Get involved in a competitive sport that will bring the challenges you thrive on. Try to ease any disappointment by making amends. VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Those you work with may have little consideration for the underdog. You will be in the mood for entertainment. Do something together and you'll be surprised how sweet a deal you can make. Take care of any medical problems if they've been troubling you.
LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) You will not be able to contain your emotions this week. Do not expect others to do your work. You must deal with an emotional problem with your loved one that you have been avoiding for some time now. Romantic opportunities are evident if you get involved in large groups or organizations. SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Don't be too hard on your mate. Your health may suffer if you don't control your present situation. Throw yourself into your profession. Don't let your personal dilemmas interfere with your goals. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Don't let opposition from those envious of your talents daunt your progress. Back off if you want to keep the relationship intact. Don't overlook that fact that someone you care about may be hiding something. Encourage the youngsters in your family. CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) You can get your point across and make valuable connections. Don't allow someone to do a job that was designated specifically for you. Take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves. You must consider yourself for a change. AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19) You can't always have your own way. Use your high energy and dynamic approach to win favors from superiors. Relatives may not be telling you the whole truth about a family situation. Opportunities for romance may develop through dealing with groups that have a purpose. PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Take time to find out all you can. Travel opportunities should be your first choice. You are best to put your efforts into redecorating or inviting friends over. You can learn a great deal if you listen to those who are older or more experienced.
ACROSS 1. Greet one’s dog 4. Ham and _ 8. Gymnast’s move 12. Portugal’s cont. 13. Ache’s kin 14. Gossip purveyor Barrett 15. Refreshing drink 16. Mirages 18. Speed _ 20. Eager 21. Play a trombone 23. Thrashes 27. Complexion mishap 30. Fawns’ moms 31. “Me,” to Miss Piggy 32. European steel center 31. TV’s “Mad _” 35. Samovars 37. Chewy candy 39. Actress Gallagher 41. Took to court 42. Singer Graham _ 45. Slide along 48. Use subliminal messages 52. Chair’s sidepiece 53. Actress Dillon 54. “_ you care!” (2 words) 55. Name (Fr.) 56. Partner of curds 57. Rudely inquisitive 58. CIA agent DOWN 1. Resound, as bells 2. German car 3. Shaking
4. Prototype 5. Slangy female 6. River of Arizona 7. A bit too tight 8. Very cold 9. Brit’s washroom 10. Tavern 11. Mas’ mates 17. Fa’s follower 19. _ du Diable (Devil’s Island) 22. Neighbor of Mich. 24. Joke tellers 25. On an even _ 26. 9-digit item (abbr.) 27. Dull person 28. Retirement benefit agcy. 29. Towel pronoun 31. Fall flower 33. On Santa’s bad side 36. Mental soundness
38. Crooner Tormé 40. Fabray, to friends 43. Graceful swimmer 44. Angelic symbol 46. Hard candy
LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. 21.
47. Sitcom’s award 48. Munich’s car co. 49. Football cheer 50. Had a snack 51. “Help!”
22. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. THE VINCENTIAN
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. 23.
Female football coaching course in session who are going to fight hard but still not make it……and finally there are those who just play for the sake of participating.” The last tier, according to the facilitator, was representative of the story in most countries where women’s football is played. Rodebaugh told the participants that the onus was on them to help to create players who will develop all the requirements to see their team into the second tier, with a view to moving up further. “Getting to the second tier for those in the lower section should be the objective because, once you get to that section, it then becomes easier to move to the top level…but this would require hard work and a commitment to give your all…..the top teams train every day and for hours…it is not an easy task to be that competitive at that level,” she went on. Yolande London, the SVGFF FIFA Instructor Andrea Rodebaugh course co-ordinator for women’s facilitator. football, told THE VINCENTIAN that the course by E. GLENFORD PRESCOTT should kick start the Federation’s thrust to expand women’s football. FEMALE FOOTBALL coaches here are “We have always suggested to being urged to commit themselves to clubs and leagues to include female helping to develop players and the game teams in their programmes, but they in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. have never really taken us seriously. This encouragement comes from We hope with this course, the coaches FIFA Instructor, Andrea Rodebaugh, will go back to their communities and the chief facilitator at the FIFA put the necessary things in place,” Proactive Courses for Women’s London said. Football, which began on Tuesday and She expressed the hope that the will run until tomorrow, Saturday. coaches who are employed in the Rodebaugh, a former Mexico school system, through the Ministry International, told the participating of Sports, will try to conduct twenty-two prospective female coaches programmes in the schools, thereby that there is a three tier standard in spreading the game among juniors. Women’s football, and it was London is also very excited about a imperative that they strive to instil female grassroots programme which right lessons in the heads of their she sees as having the possibility of charges, from a very young age. bringing more children age six to “There are the top teams who are twelve to the game. always going to qualify…then those
Participants in rapt attention.
CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb recently disclosed that each of the 41 countries in CONCACAF is granted US$100,000 per year towards their women’s football programme. The course includes the demands of football, fitness for football, analysis of fitness testing, planning sessions, marketing women’s football, developing an annual programme, strength development and the Women’s football co-ordinator Yolande London importance of nutrition with SVGFF PRO Earl Bennett. among other things.
Bramble contests CFU decision ANDREW BRAMBLE, coach of the national female football team, believes the team was hard done by the decision taken by CFU, not to allow the team to advance to the next round of the CFU Qualifiers. Bramble’s contention has to do with what he sees as a reneging on a clause of the Tournament Regulations, to wit: Runners-up of Groups which contain less than four (4) teams will not be applicable for the final Phase. St.Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Kitts & Nevis were the runners up in the only two groups that had four teams. All other groups had three teams. In what Bramble views as “totally unfair,” Puerto Rico, runner-up in a group of three, qualified for the next round. “It is indeed unfortunate that the CFU will give one set of rules governing a competition and then so blatantly go back on their word. How can we trust the CFU for any sober and impartial decisions in the future?” Bramble contended. In response to Bramble’s concerns expressed in writing, General Secretary of CFU, Damien E. Hughes, stated that several teams withdrew from the Women’s Caribbean Cup for one reason or the other, chief among these being the recent outbreak of Chikungunya throughout the region. This, according to Hughes, created a situation of three groups with three teams each, and two groups with four teams. “Since none of the teams left in the three-team groups were at fault, the
Andrew Bramble, coach of the national female football team, will continue his effort to have a CFU decision rescinded. CFU was left with a dilemma,” Hughes proffered. “Given that the three-team groups now outnumbered the four-team groups, it became impossible to maintain the Regulation that three team groups would not be considered for qualification,” Hughes explained. The original Regulation, according to Hughes, was agreed when there was to have been only one three-team group. Notwithstanding the explanation, Bramble maintains that the CFU should have applied its original regulation, which would have allowed SVG to advance. He has all intention of continuing his quest for “justice” through the local Football federation. I.B.A.ALLEN
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24. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. THE VINCENTIAN
Sports
Butler is senior team coach by E. GLENFORD PRESCOTT
THE ST. VINCENT AND THE Grenadines Cricket Association (SVGCA) has appointed another new face to take charge of a national team. According to an official of the SVGCA, former West Indies seamer Deighton Butler has been appointed head coach of the senior national team, as it prepares for the defence of the Windwards Kenroy Martin was Frankie Joseph, titles in St. Lucia, in the McLean’s choice to Assistant coming weeks. replace him. Commissioner of Butler replaces former Police, is tipped to be SVGCA West Indies speedster, Nixon McLean, the new manager of who called it a day last week after five ignored his the team. suggestion years in the position, reports said. and went for the more experienced One source suggested that Butler. McLean’s decision may have been Reports reaching THE influenced by the demise of Julian VINCENTIAN are that team manager Jack who was booted from office, Elvis Browne could well be removed following a vote of No Confidence a and replaced with Assistant few weeks ago. Commissioner of Police Frankie Jack, who served as SVGCA boss Joseph. for almost five two-year terms, and Joseph, a regular spectator at club some of his executive members were matches, especially when the police shown the door after questions were teams are in action, came in for high raised about his operations in office praise for his handling of the SVGCA and some of his decisions over that Special Meeting to remove Jack from period. office. Many people felt then that Reports say that McLean in his Joseph conducted business in a note of departure had recommended former SVG and Windwards batsman, professional, firm and respectful manner, which accounted for the Kenroy Martin to take over, but the
SVG beats St. Lucia in U19 rugby
The victorious SVG U19 Rugby team. EVEN THOUGH THEY were not able to compete in this year’s NACRA U19 Men’s Tournament, all was not lost for the SVG Under19 Rugby Team. They beat St Lucia in a 3-match series, in St Lucia last week. The 7-a-side matches were at the Castries Community Secondary School. Try as much as they could, the St. Lucians could not defend their home
Deighton Butler new coach of the senior national cricket team. smooth running of the meeting. Another lawman, Parnel Browne, was appointed manager of the SVG U19 squad which finished third in the Windwards tournament here. One source tells THE VINCENTIAN that changes will be made to other positions, including the selection panel currently under the chairmanship of Elvis Browne. The panel came under fire two weeks ago when they ignored the talented but temperamental Harley Skerritt, with many attributing his
Nixon McLean resigned as coach of the senior team after five years in that postion. omission to an incident in 2007 in St. Lucia, when Browne was the team manager. A spokesman for the executive told THE VINCENTIAN that they never gave any instruction on the player. Skerritt, a Team Rivals player, is seen by those with knowledge of the game as a quality player whose progress has been stymied “by his own attitude.”
SVG ready for OECS senior cycling championships
WITH JUST UNDER one month to go before the National Lotteries Authority OECS senior cycling championships ride off here in St Vincent and the Grenadines, advantage, and though the Sunday , 24th August, six island first two matches were drawn, teams, including the host, have they went under to the mighty confirmed participation in the 70Vincentians in game three. mile event. Scores in the matches: 4-24, Set to face the starter’s gun are 15-15 and 26-15. cyclists from Anguilla, Antigua and According to rugby officials Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, here, this was the SVG U19’s Grenada, St Lucia and St Vincent first competitive experience outside of training, and it has and the Grenadines. The race is set to pedal off at helped to set a positive 11am, and the competitors will mindset as the players traverse the Colonarie to Georgetown look towards future to Mt Grenan circuit, doing so eight competitions. times. The SVG U19 team When the 2013 championships comprised Benson Nanton were held in St Lucia, St Vincent (Captain), Otis hooper, Jayvan Lucas, and the Grenadines did not get a Leon Mckenzie, Nixon Mcallister, podium finish. Hartiem Farrell, Kareem Mathews, But the St Vincent and the Brendan Mathews, Kyron Cordice, Grenadines Cycling Union is Mark Cordice, Shane Samuel, Darriel drumming up preparations to Browne, Alonzo Darrell, Dayne facilitate a change in fortunes. Mcallister, Steven Quashie, Joanie Among those who are expected to Mathews, Allisko Samuel and Philon lead the Vincentian charge are Delpesche. Cammie Adams, Tortola based Orano Andrews, Peter Durrant , I.B.A.ALLEN
Vincentian cyclists are hard in training to ensure this country’s gets a podium finish this time around. Lucky Antrobus and Zefal Bailey. When the 2013 championships were held in St Lucia, Bailey was 15th overall and docked in third in the juniors. His time then was 2:14,43.9. In last year’s championships, Antiguan Andre Simon won in 2:12:14 hours, just ahead of St. Lucia’s Kurt Maraj, who clocked 2:12.15.0 and Anguilla’s Justin Hodge was third in 2:12.15.7.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. 25.
Sports
Church Road takes Stubbs cricket title
Honour for Frank Lucas WHEN THE FINAL CHAPTER of sports is written about St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the name Frank Lucas will stand out. Lucas is a symbol of the Vincentian spirit. Having left here at age six, he took up residence in England. His natural ability came to the fore, and when the British authorities omitted him from the British contingent to represent that country at the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand, that served as inspiration to the 20-year-old Vincentian born. He represented his homeland, and his being the lone representative carrying the flag at the opening and closing ceremonies, conjures some aspects of near comedy. But there was a sense of determination about Lucas and he promptly turned up St. Vincent and the Grenadines first Gold medal at those games. For that, Lucas ought to be recognised. The Vincentian sporting fraternity must do something to maintain Lucas’ legacy. It is sad that a boxing squad could not make it to these games. However, there is nothing that could erase the impact of the Frank Lucas’s accomplishment. It was not until the Delhi event in 2010 that St. Vincent and the Grenadines secured its second gold medal. And that was after Natasha Myers having placed third originally, filled into the gold berth after the original first and second places were disqualified. The other medal a bronze, was this country’s first, earned when George Manners pulled off a bronze in Weightlifting at the Edinburg splash in Scotland 1970. In 2014, the showpiece returns to the Scottish soil. St. Vincent and the Grenadines will be looking for their fourth medal at the Commonwealth Games which winds up in Glasgow, Scotland next week. Whether any of the individuals from the five disciplines, or any of the teams can break into the top bracket will be another feat in this country’s sporting accomplishments. Our representatives will be in Athletics, Swimming, Cycling, Table Tennis and Squash. Kineke Alexander should be able to come into her own, having shown potential at some previous outings. It will be useful exposure for our swimmers, and the experience will serve them in good stead in the future. Anything in the medal count will be nothing less than remarkable. It will be a test of character for our cyclists, and so will it be for the table tennis and squash contingents. Elton Anderson, this country’s first participant made his appearance at Cardiff in 1958. Vincentians and perhaps the Caribbean seem to have taken a distant view of these games. Jamaica hosted the exercise in 1966, but even though that country has progressed by leaps and bounds, as the medal chart shows at the Olympic level, there is the feeling that the region has not taken to the Commonwealth Games with the gusto that they ought to. In any event, those facilities have been left to deteriorate, and the fact that there has been no effort to try to attract such an event is testimony of the absence of passion it needs to at local level. Athletics, the foundation of the sporting extravaganza, continues to drift into doldrums. The aspect of field events to which we seem to have some natural inclination, has not been encouraged to flourish. Our competence in squash, table tennis and cycling is not entrenched enough to engender any thought of winning a medal. Swimming is something of a new phenomenon for St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Whether we will be able to make a meaningful initiation will be disclosed in a matter of time. Perhaps by the time the 2018 event comes off at the Gold Coast, New Zealand, we will be better equipped to enhance our medal haul. But we still have time to take in the impact of the 2014 exercise.
Kissinger McLean, captain of TPSS Church Road Connection, displays the champions trophy. TOTAL PROTECTION Security Services Church Road Connection emerged as champions of the South East Champions Total Protection Security Services Church Road Connection. Development Incorporated Shaquille Browne bagged 4 Stubbs 2020 cricket competition, when they defeated Future Stars by 4 for 27 and Junior Adams overs in the finals last Sunday, at the took 2 for 21 for Top Guns. As far as individual Stubbs playing field. awards went, Azim Future Stars batted first and Richards of Victoria Village were dismissed for 103 off 17.4 Young Future Star, with 18 overs. National wicketkeeper batsman, Seon Sween, struck a top wickets, was the Competition’s top bowler. score of 39. Keron Cottoy, national The most runs was scored leg spinner, was Church Road by Casmond Walters of Connection’s best bowler with Third World who was figures of 2 for 16. rewarded as the top Total Protection Security batsman, having amassed a Services Church Road Connection total of 285 which included in reply reached 107 for 6 in 19.3 Azim Richards took the most wickets, overs. Roland Wilkinson, the man of one century. The most 18. disciplined team was the finals, stroked a winning 43, Glamorgan. which included three sixes and a MVP’s for the competing pair of fours. Osbert George contributed 22. Bowling for Future teams were: Keron Cottoy Stars, Kentish Bascombe took 2 for for TPSS Church Road Connections; Jerome Samuel 16 and Terron Simon 2 for 19. On Saturday, Top Guns emerged for Glamorgan; Joey as third place winner with a six-run Welcome for Nuts and Rum Mix up Moods; Verrol Henry win over Nuts and Run Mix Up for Panthers; Lawrence Moods, at the same venue. Top Guns posted 125 in 19 overs. Kevin Kydd for Rate Your Boys Challengers; Kody Horne for Toby was unbeaten on 28. Joey Third World; Roneil Jeffery Welcome, better known for his for Top Runs; and Azim batting, took 3 for 34 for Mix Up Richards for Victoria Village Moods. In their chase, Mix Up Moods were dismissed for 119 in 20 Future Stars. Casmond Walters hit the most runs, overs; Ronaldo Coombs hit 29 and I.B.A.ALLEN 285, including one century. Joey Welcome contributed 23.
Titans, Hawks in Winners Row TITANS AND HAWKS recorded close victories in the Under 16 division of the Vita Malt Bequia Basketball Tournament, in games played at the Clive Tannis hard court last weekend. On Saturday, Titans defeat Dragons by 2 points, 22 to 20 margin, with Titans’ Kelroy Durham getting 6 points and Dragons’ Kirsta Bailey 10 points. Hawks had the better of Hornets, 16 — 12. Dession Stowe led for Hawks with 6 points and Hornets’ Michael Peniston
had 9. In the Second Division, Warriors succumbed to Young Duke, 35 -66, after a blistering display by Young Duke’s Marko Browne who registered 24 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists. Jermaine John top scored for the losers with 10 points. Also on Saturday, Warriaz defeated East Blazers, 56 to 37, in a First Division action. Warrican Myers led for Warriaz with 18 points, 26 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals, while Cosmus Hackshaw with 16 points
was East Blazers’ top scorer. In Sunday’s action, in the Under 16 division, Dragons defeated Young Wizards, 22 to 10. Leading scorer for Dragons was Jovanni Derrick with 10 points. Mario Tannia with 6 points led for Young Wizards. In the second division encounter, Blazing Heat defeated Rising Stars 2, 61 — 52, in overtime. Cemal Bess of Rising Stars 2 had a game high 20 points. Blazing Heat’s Denroy Hutchins ensured his
team’s victory with with 18 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. In a closely fought First Division encounter, Duke defeated Rising Stars 1, 75 to 69. Leading scorer for Duke was Lamont Gordon was big for Duke with 29 points, 17 rebounds, 6 assist and 3 blocks. Leading scorer for Rising Stars 1 was Kirstin Lampkin with 16 points. The Championship continues this weekend. I.B.A. ALLEN
26. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. THE VINCENTIAN
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014. 27.
Classifieds
CLARENCE DUBLIN
BERYL SIMMONS
Chebar Evangelical Assembly Monday 21st July, 2014 Service at 3:00 p.m.
Mt. Sinia Spiritual Baptist Church Georgetown Monday 21st July, 2014 Service at 3:00 p.m.
MARTHA W. PRIMUS Richland Park S.D.A Church Sunday 20th July, 2014 Service at 3:00 p.m.
LOUISA MARIAN DURRANT
EZEKIEL µ6&$77(5¶ BUTCHER
LORAINE RAWLINS
Lowmans W.D S.D.A Church Sunday 20th July, 2014 Service at 2:00 p.m.
St. Georges Cathedral Kingstown Thursday 17th July, 2014 Service at 3:00 p.m.
Greggs S.D.A Church Sunday 20th July, 2014 Service at 2:00 p.m
F O R
The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
S A L E
FRIDAY,
JULY 25, 2014
VOLUME 108, No.30
A.I. REAL ESTATE Arnos Vale 3 bedrm Property on 4,862 sq.ft. - $350,000.00 - H802 Cane Garden 4 Bedrm Property on 5,228 sq.ft. - $495,000.00 - H549 Ribishi 8,327 sq.ft @ $10.00 p.s.f. - $83,270.00 - BB498 Other listings are available Phone: 457-2087 Fax: 457-1382 Toll Free (USA): 866-978-0951 718-732-0545 Email: donp@vincysurf.com Website: www.aisvg.com
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COCOA COMPANY CLOSES OPERATIONS: MINISTER CONFIDENT OF ADVANCEMENT
Cocoa farmers and Ministry of Agriculture officials in emergency session last Tuesday. THE CLOSURE OF OPERATIONS of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cocoa Company will not mean that the focus on reviving the cocoa industry here will be shifted. This is the assurance given by Minister of Agriculture Saboto Caesar as he spoke following official confirmation, late last week, that the Cocoa Company was closing operations here. Given that, since the commencement of the Cocoa revival programme here some four years ago, there are now some 200 acres of land under cocoa cultivation, a gene bank, three nurseries and over two hundred thousand plantlets, Caesar is confident that the local cocoa industry can be advanced, since, “we (SVG) are more than capable of utilising the investment we now have.” In what appears to be an immediate response to its assumption of full control of the cocoa initiative here, the Ministry of Agriculture convened a meeting with some twenty cocoa farmers on Tuesday, July 22. According to a release from that Ministry, a subcommittee, including five farmers, was formed “as part of the beginning process of formalising a cocoa co-operative”. The Minister of Agriculture, while admitting that “we have lost an opportunity of having an international distributor to help us,” he was confident that the “local chocolate making cottage industry is going to expand. He pointed to a plan to establish a ‘Cocoa Condiment and Spices Unit’in his ministry’s Tree Crop Department, which will assume responsibility for the continued propagation of cocoa here. Some fifty-three farmers are listed as being involved in the cocoa revival programme to date.
Changing the tune The St. Vincent Cocoa Company was the trading
name of ECom, which had assumed ownership from the original owners Armajaro, with whom this government had signed an original Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) in 2011, to revive the cocoa industry here. ECom assumed ownership of the St. Vincent Cocoa Company in 2013. The indication was that the Company was not prepared to invest any new monies to sustain it through another forecasted ‘unviable’ five-year period.
Cocoa Agreement According to the Cocoa Support Programme, terms of which are affixed as Appendix 1 to the MOU referred, some 5000 — 7000 acres of suitable land space were to be identified for cocoa cultivation/production. In addition, the Company was obligated to provide planting material and credit (on a commercial basis) to farmers, and transfer technical skills, appropriate to the industry, to Vincentians.(Regarding the latter, Manager of the SVG Cocoa Company, Andrew Hadley, assured that his job going forward was to ensure the transition of all knowledge and expertise gained over the past few years.”) In return, the Cocoa Company was given, by way of legislation, exclusive rights in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, to buy and sell cocoa beans (in both wet and dry bean form), and sell and market St. Vincent and the Grenadines cocoa within the period of the MOU, with an exception made for the traditional cottage industries that produced cocoa sticks for the local market. The period of the Agreement spanned fifty years from the date of its signing, with provision for review after twenty years. Readers will recall that in December 2011, the St. Vincent Cocoa Company, by way of a radio
Published by The VINCENTIAN Publishing Co. Ltd, St. Vincent and the Grenadines;
One of the cocoa nurseries at Orange Hill which will come under supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture. announcement, declared that it will buy only wet beans.
Company Obligations It is understood that in the circumstance where the Company has not given the agreed two-year notice of intention to cease operations, the Company will forfeit all its assets to the government. Also, all credit extended to famers is to be written off and farmers whose fields were used as demonstration plots, will be compensated to the tune of $1,000 each. There was no indication from personnel attached to the cocoa company as to when these payments will commence or if, in fact, they have already been made. Meanwhile, the Company has assured that its nineteen employees will receive severance, in accordance with local laws, and there is indication that some of these persons will be recruited by government as it prepares to assume direct responsibility for the continuance of the cocoa initiative.
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