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FRIDAY,

OCTOBER 02, 2015

VOLUME 109, No.40

ÂAPOLOGISE NOW,Ê SAYS EUSTACE

www.thevincentian.com

EC$1.50

Arnhim Eustate, Leader of the Opposition, posed a question in the House about the status of the associate degree courses.

tell the truth about the status, because people had to bear the cost of sending THE RELEVANT AUTHORITIES ought to their children there. apologise to the students, parents and “And when they expect that their the nation as a whole, for deliberately children can receive a degree and misleading the public on the issue of therefore, not have to spend the accreditation of the associate degrees expected number of years at offered at the St Vincent and the university, they are now finding out Grenadines Community College. that this is not so,” Eustace said.

The call was made by Leader of the The opposition leader said openly, Opposition, Arnhim Eustace on he was calling on the authorities to Monday. apologise for what he termed as Eustace said then that he hoped the “deception,’ adding, “People may not authorities at the institution will now

by DAYLE DA SILVA

like what I say, but I speak frankly on this matter.”

Eustace first raised the issue of accreditation in September 2014. It was not until the September 21, 2015 sitting of Parliament that the Minister of Education, Girlyn Miguel, admitted that none of the 22 associate degree courses offered at the SVG Community College was accredited.

According to Miguel, in response to a question put by Eustace, the institution was in the process of

Girlyn Miguel, Minister of Education, after some insistence from Eustace, admitted to the nonaccreditation.

becoming accredited, but since the SVGCC is not currently accredited, the associate degrees were also not accredited.

“That is our highest level institution in St Vincent and the Grenadines, and I expect from them, the highest standards, that’s what they are there for - to bring the highest levels for a college of that type,” Eustace insisted last Monday.

‘A DISTORTION,’ CLAIMS DR. FERDINAND

Dr. Jules Ferdinand, displaying his fork, his guide, at an NDP meeting in Campden Park, September 12.

DR. JULIAN ‘JULES’ FERDINAND, the New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate for West St George constituency in the upcoming general election, has refuted claims that his intent was to instil fear and violence, when he brandished a gardening fork at a public meeting.

Ferdinand, during a political meeting at Campden Park on September 12 - while holding the fork - said that he had brought the tool to signify that the NDP was going to dig the Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration out of office.

He continued: “We will dig them out with this,” (raising the fork).

Ferdinand added that the garden fork signalled another important message to the people, i.e. that the fork had four prongs, that the ULP had already spent three terms in office, and they were now looking for a fourth.

“But hear this, they must look at this, because this has four prongs,” the West St George hopeful said.

Ferdinand explained that the fork originally had a wooden handle, and like the ULP who

had ‘bad spent’ the money in the treasury, a stronger handle was put on and this symbolized that when the NDP got into office, it will be unbreakable just like the new handle.

However, at an NDP meeting in Chateaubelair last Saturday, he referred to an article which appeared in one of the local newspapers - a letter written by Dr Richard Byron-Cox in which he (Cox) responded to the actions of Ferdinand and the garden fork.

Continued on Page 3.

V

2. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Digicel awards top essay writers WINNERS IN A DIGICEL sponsored Back to School Essay competition have received their prizes.

Four winners - Anard Jackson (St. Vincent Grammar School), Nirella DeRoche (Leeward District S.D.A Primary), Jadiah Sampson (Kingstown Preparatory School) and Kevisha Andrews (Biabou Methodist School) - were selected.

Each received $500, and each of the schools they represented was awarded $1000.

Each entrant was required to submit an essay on the topic , ‘How did Digicel keep me connected this summer’.

Marketing Executive Danielle Cupid said that the Competition was another demonstration of Digicel’s commitment to provide

ongoing support for education in St. Vincent and The Grenadines, i.e. “to the development of productive societies and to the community on a whole.”

She added, “We recognize the importance of the institutions that school our children, and this is why we decided to reward the student and their respective schools.”

(L-R): Kingstown Preparatory School Principal Mrs. Carol Ross, Marketing Executive Danielle Cupid, student (winner) Jadiah Sampson and winner’s mother Sharlene Williams.

Biabou Methodist School student (winner) Kevisha Andrews (front) (L-R): Principal Ms. Delia Ollivierre, Marketing Executive Danielle Cupid, and winner’s mother Lesha Richardson.

(L-R): St.Vincent Grammar School student (winner) Anard Jackson, Students’s mother Jasmine Jackson and Marketing Executive Danielle Cupid.

Winner’s mother Lorencia DeRoche, student (winner) Nirella DeRoche, Leeward District SDA Primary School, Principal Ms. Pierre and Marketing Executive Danielle Cupid.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. 3.

News 3 Eustace condemns post-accident reaction

by DAYLE DA SILVA

LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION, Arnhim Eustace has condemned the behaviour demonstrated by some who he said “rejoiced” at the news of the accident involving supporters of the New Democratic Party (NDP) who were making their way to a political meeting in Chateaubelair, last Saturday.

He did not disclose any detailed incident where persons were visibly seen or heard expressing such sentiments, however, Eustace spoke out against some he alleged rejoiced on hearing the news.

“I don’t know what our society is coming to,” Eustace said on Monday on the NDP sponsored ‘New Times’ radio programme.

“Even though you are

MP’s Rowland ‘Patel Matthews and Terrence Ollivierre also rushed to the Spring Village Clinic where some of the injured were taken for medical attention. on different political sides, for a vehicle to overturn to cause damage and people find that to be something to laugh about, that tells me something about our society,” he

continued.

According to the opposition leader, the society had hit a low and that was “unbelievable.”

It was reported that 12 persons had to receive medical attendance after

sustaining injuries when a truck, TQ406, overturned in the Gordon Yard area, while en route to Chateaubelair.

Reports are that one serious casualty resulted from the mishap.

ELP programme to be launched TEACHERS AND OTHER supporting staff here will soon be getting assistance to boost students’ reading levels.

This opportunity comes via the Early Learners Programme (ELP), which is implemented through the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and USAID. Students from Grade K to Grade 3 throughout the state are expected to benefit from the project which is expected to bring students up to their chronological reading levels.

According to Lou-Anne Gilchrist, Chief Education Officer, statistics indicate that less than 60 percent of students are reading at their respective Grade level.

Gilchrist, while speaking at a one day meeting of stakeholders that will be involved in the implementation of the ELP, on Wednesday, said that the principal objective of the project was to address issues

regarding students’ reading ability.

The local statistics, according to the Chief Education Officer show that there is cause for concern.

“It is not meant to be a sticking plaster, or band aid,” she said.

“We are not going to apply a band-aid, we are going to have very targeted interventions when it comes to students’ reading ability and their literacy, because we know that literacy skills are skills that carry across the curriculum, and can determine to a larger extent the students’ academic outcome.”

And for those students in Grades 4 to 6, Gilchrist said that her ministry will continue to have interventions aimed at improving their reading ability and literacy.

Marcellus Albertin, Programme Director, explained that the programme was created after teachers and principals from across

Leader of the NDP, Arnhim Eustace at the Spring Village Clinic checking in on further reports concerning the accident.

Shirley Baptiste, a 32 year-old resident of Sandy Bay and mother of three, is said to have lost one of her legs, after it was crushed by the impact of the truck.

This prompted Eustace to declare on the radio programme, that a human life was almost lost, yet there were some who were rejoicing.

He went on to apologize to Baptiste for what occurred, saying that members of the NDP have assisted in making arrangements for persons living in the Kingstown area to get “things” to her, while she

remains a patient at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

The opposition leader lauded the driver of the truck, Samuel Spencer, saying that he was able to avert any serious injuries or potential fatalities through swift action, thereby preventing the vehicle from going over the precipitous embankment on the right side of the road.

According to media reports, Spencer was successful in banking the truck on the left side after he realised that the brake had failed.

‘A distortion,’ claims Dr. Ferdinand Continued from Page 1.

According to Marcellus Albertin (standing), Programme Director of the ELP, students leaving primary school with deficient reading skills, will become a thing of the past. the nine OECS member states had identified areas of priority within the education system, over the past three years.

“During that time, we have been engaged in a number of activities with our member states,” he said.

“At the end of these four years, this thing about people ending

primary education unable to read and write, this thing is going to be a thing of the past,” Albertin said.

“This is the mission that we are on, and we are determined, with your support and the support of others in the region, to meet that goal,” he said.

He wrote: “At an NDP meeting, Jules Ferdinand paraded with a pitchfork. Many expressing shock, interpret this action as dangerously provocative and may incite violence. For me, it was indeed a symbol of violence, expletives, and deadly hate towards his political opponents.”

But Ferdinand explained that he brought the agricultural tool intending to use it as a guide.

“It had four prongs, with each prong focusing on a slogan for the ULP that they have not lived up to,” he told party supporters.

He said that his presentation was directed against the corruption of the ULP and not against any supporters of the political party.

“I don’t know where Dr Richard Byron Cox is getting his information from,” Ferdinand said.

“But it was sad,” Ferdinand went on, “and unfortunate that some members and supporters of the ULP distorted what I said.”

(See Dr. Jules Fedinand’s Column, ‘In Touch’, on page 11 of this issue, for his wholesome response)

V

4. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

News

NOBA plans strike action responsibility for Transport and Works, said that what he finds strange SENATOR JULIAN FRANCIS thinks that about the planned action, is that the “something is in Ministry has not been contacted. the mortar Francis pointed out that in the past, besides the NOBA’s President Anthony ‘Code Red’ pestle,” with Bacchus had always contacted him on respect to the issues of this nature, and that he National (Francis) has a long track record of Omnibus discussions with NOBA on public Association transportation matters.

(NOBA) planned “How all of a sudden, he (Bacchus) islandwide does not want to contact me?” Francis strike, questioned, adding that Bacchus was scheduled for in possession of his cell number.

October 12, to Bacchus had on Monday, before protest the Senator Francis’ response, told THE condition of the VINCENTIAN that NOBA will be roads. withdrawing its services on October On his 12, and appealed to the travelling Tuesday night public, including employees and school programme, children, to stay at home. aired on Star Senator Julian The NOBA president explained that FM, Francis, Francis has called NOBA’s withdrawal of service was in Minister of out Bacchus on his protest against the condition of the State in the comfort zone while roads.

Prime others, he says, Bacchus also stated that NOBA Minister’s years for repairs to would not be contacting the Ministry Office with their homes. or Francis on the planned action, since Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS

Privately owned Omnibuses provide the only nationwide transportation service in SVG.

continuous efforts by the Association to get government to fix the roads have failed, and made it clear that NOBA’s decision to resort to strike action has nothing to do with politics.

He was especially animated in saying that he had received information from certain sources, that the government is bringing in building materials to distribute.

“Some of that money (spent on materials) , should be used to develop the country, including road repairs,” Bacchus insisted, adding, “They say they love us, but they don’t love us, they love themselves.”

NOBA is expected to meet on Sunday 4th October to finalize plans.

When contacted subsequent to Bacchus’ conversation with THE VINCENTIAN, Senator Francis said the only materials he knew about are those which are expected to come here for the continuation of the government’s repair and reconstruction programme for persons whose possessions were damaged from storms, dating as far back as hurricane Tomas in 2010. He added that some of those materials are also earmarked for the ‘Lives to Live’ programme.

He admitted, “We know that some of the roads are bad”, but added, “We are committed to repairing them, and we have started.”

Anthony He noted that Bacchus, the government had purchased two President of brand new asphalt NOBA has gone to pains to say zippers which that the planned together cost about strike action by $1 million, saying his organization further, “We would has nothing to do be doing an island- with the local wide road repair politics. programme dealing with the worst roads first.”

According to Francis, repair work has started in some areas, including East St. George, Diamonds, and Mt. Grennan.

On his Tuesday night programme, Francis declared that, while Bacchus enjoys the comfort of his bus, “Many persons out there need to have their homes repaired because of the damage and ravages of the storms over the past four or five years”.

No communication from NOBA, lawyer says MIKHAIL CHARLES, the lawyer who represented the National Omnibus Association (NOBA) during negotiations in a planned industrial action matter October 2014, has confirmed that he has not been instructed on any other matter related to NOBA since.

Charles was retained and instructed by NOBA then, to advise, negotiate and mediate on behalf of the Association with respect to planned strike action by omnibus owners/operators of Redemption Sharpes and nearby communities, aimed at prompting government to have the roads repaired.

Charles told THE VINCENTIAN that since that matter was settled October 26, 2014, he has had no communication from the president or any other member of NOBA’s executive.

The publication had contacted Charles on Wednesday after NOBA’s president, Anthony ‘Code Red’ Bacchus, told media houses that NOBA would be withdrawing its services on October 12, to protest the condition of the roads generally.

Charles also said that he had left the country in August this year to

attend a funeral and had returned a few weeks ago.

As a result, he was in no position to comment on NOBA’s recent decision to resort to strike action.

In the October 2014matter in which Charles had represented NOBA, the Association had suspended its Mikhail Charles, decision to take industrial action the lawyer who represented the after it was National Omnibus agreed that the Association in a road network previous matter, from Block 2000 says he has had upwards, no recent contact including Green with any executive Hill and member of NOBA. Redemption Sharpes, would be repaired.

When contacted, Bacchus told THE VINCENTIAN that while Charles is not currently active, he is still on record as NOBA’s lawyer.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. 5.

Regional

Machel makes acting debut in movie about love IT IS NOW official. The world has been introduced to the Caribbean’s latest screen actor, none other than the selfproclaimed ‘Happiest man Alive’, soca star extraordinaire, Machel Montano.

Montano’s first film, ‘Bazodee’, originally scripted as ‘Scandalous’, had its worldwide premiere on September 23 at the historic Globe Cinema in Port of Spain, Trinidad, as part of the Annual Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival (TTFF).

In the film, Montano plays Lee, described as ‘a hopeless romantic,’ who falls for Anita Pachouri, a young woman visiting from India.

Anita, played by renowned British actress Natalie Perera, falls for Lee as well and decides she wants to be with him, just once, before she enters a loveless marriage for the sake of her father’s future.

The 90-minute love story is set in the midst of the annual Carnival celebration in Trinidad and Tobago, and is said to be in keeping with Montano’s oft-repeated goals to unite the world with love. Initially inspired by his song “Real Unity”, the movie is a Bollywood-type musical in which two cultures merge under the banner of love.

It features an accomplished cast of locally and internationally-based actors, among these being Triniborn UK actor Valmike Rampersad and acclaimed Bollywood (Indian) star Kabir Bedi.

‘Bazodee’ was written by Claire Ince, a New York-based writer who won the Bahamas International Film Festival Screenwriting Contest for the movie in 2008. It is directed

by American film and television

writer, producer President Maduro pledged greater cooperation and director, with St. Kitts and Nevis during his inaugural visit Todd Kessler, to the CARICOM member. known for his directing and producing of the feature film ‘Keith’.

Addressing a packed hall just before the premiere, Montano said, “All in all, this is a dream come Lee (Machel Montano) and Anita (Natalie Perera) in true. It says to a scene from ‘Bazodee’, which is reported to have me and to all of AMIDST TENSION between CARICOM member set heads turning. (credit: ttfilfestival.com) us that you Guyana and Venezuela over land and maritime various points in the film, and there boundaries, another CARICOM member has should never give up on your were many light moments that dreams — put your heart and soul welcomed a visit by Nicolás Maduro, president of elicited laughter from the patrons at Venezuela into it and be patient, but be the premiere. The on screen passionate and do it with love!”

Dr Timothy Harris, Prime Minister of St Kitts and chemistry between him and Perera He added, “The word ‘Bazodee’ Nevis, welcomed President Maduro to the Federation felt natural too, and they looked means to feel dazed, light-headed, of St. Kitts and Nevis, last week Wednesday. good together’. caught up in a magical moment It was the Venezuelan President’s first visit to the ‘Bazodee’ is one of the films up where you forget everything else Federation, and the reason for the visit was said to for the Best Feature Film — Fiction that’s going on around you… be, ‘to strengthen ties of cooperation and solidarity’.

Basically, you’re head over heels in prize at the TTFF 2015. (Source: In welcoming President Maduro, PM Harris said, Trinidad Express, Loop News, love! So I want us all to get lost in “It is a distinct honour for me to welcome the this magical moment, for this is our others) President to the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis. Mr love, and I’m sure we would President, your visit here highlights a major strategic all agree that our greatest approach of the government of St Kitts and Nevis’ love is ah Carnival. So let’s foreign policy outlook of boosting relations with our all go ‘Bazodee’.” friends with whom we share a long history of LOOP News, one of the friendship, while simultaneously forging new many to have reviewed the alliances.” film, noted that ‘in the Harris said that the government is proud that acting front, Montano held his own. After all, his Venezuela is among some of the Federation’s most character was not a far time-honoured international partners, adding that stretch from his real life as Lee (Montano) serenades his new found since the early 1980s, St Kitts and Nevis and musician and performer, Venezuela established diplomatic relationships and, love; another scene from the movie. but he did show glimpses of since then, the relationship has strengthened. He (Internet photo) his comedic timing at highlighted the many areas in which the country has benefited, with help from Venezuela, including assistance in healthcare, education, energy transportation, agriculture, housing, as well as the contribution made by the PetroCaribe agreement.

President Muduro’s visit to St. Kitts and Nevis POLITICS HAS NO Mahabir, the widow of the comes in the wake of a reported Venezuela’s build-up RESPECT for the dead. late former PNM deputy of military personnel and equipment near the border This was demonstrated political leader and with Guyana, which the Guyana government last Friday in Trinidad minister of petroleum and disclosed last week Tuesday. and Tobago when mines in the cabinet of Dr Guyana’s President David Granger called on Attorney General (QAG) Eric Williams, when the Guyanese at home and in that neighbouring country Faris Al-Rawi was served process server came an election petition, while holding the document. to be alert. attending the funeral The AG revealed that However, following a weekend meeting brokered by service of PNM stalwart following the funeral the Secretary General of the UN, Ban Ki Moon, Errol Mahabir. service he contacted Presidents David Granger of Guyana and Nicolas Al-Rawi obviously former attorney general Madura of Venezuela agreed to restore their expressed displeasure at Anand Ramlogan, Gerald respective ambassadors despite the continuing border Former PM of T&T, the manner in which the Ramdeen and Kelvin dispute.

Trinidad and Tobago Kamla Persadpetition was served.

Ramkissoon, all of whom In July, Venezuela recalled its ambassador and Bissessar is feeling the Attorney General (QAG) The Trinidad were listed as lawyers in earlier this month stalled its acceptance of Guyana’s Faris Al-Rawi is aghast brunt of UNC members’ Gurardian of September the election petition. nominee for ambassador to Caracas. at having been served disappointment over 27, reported that a man However, both Ramlogan On Sunday, according to a BBC report, President an election petition their electoral defeat. walked up to the AG and and Ramdeen claimed Maduro said that Venezuela would restore its during a funeral. thrust the document in his they were unaware that certain that the people of ambassador to Georgetown “immediately,” and accept face. the petition was served at T&T would appreciate Guyana’s nominee.

They informed him he the funeral, and more decorum and class in losses at elections.

He described his meeting with President Granger had to immediately serve Ramkissoon also denied conducting the affairs of Reports, according to as “complex, tense, difficult”, but insisted Venezuela the document, which was giving any instruction for political parties. the Trinidad Guardian, was “not an imperialist country” and that he wanted the election petition by the the document to be given Former prime minister are that UNC members to restore “brotherly relations” with its eastern United National Congress at a funeral. and Leader of the are “disheartened” with neighbour.

(UNC) with respect to San Al-Rawi said that, Opposition Kamla Persad- Persad-Bissessar, and are President Granger thanked UN Secretary-General Fernando West. while he accepted that looking to vote against her Ban Ki-moon for mediating at the meeting, which he The AG was in the members of the UNC were Bissessar is, meanwhile, facing serious heat inside in the long overdue said “afforded both sides the opportunity to explain middle of expressing his anxious to serve the the party (UNC) for the internal elections. their individual positions.” condolences to Yvonne election petition, he was

No respect for the dead

Maduro in St. Kitts and Nevis: Guyanese on alert

V Same-Sex Marriage not in my lifetime: PM 6. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Brooklyn, New York.

After McKie, a Vincentian-born student at Brooklyn’s Medgar Evers College and an employee at the Friends of PRIME MINISTER Dr. Ralph Crown Heights E. Gonsalves does not Educational Center, asked envisage, in his lifetime, the prime minister about that St. Vincent and the the possibility of moving Grenadines will move towards same-sex towards same sex-marriage marriage in St. Vincent on the law books. and the Grenadines, the “We all understand vast majority in the that, in much of the audience erupted in a Western World, there’s a deafening “No! No! No!” great movement towards But Gonsalves reacted same-sex marriage…that diplomatically, using very may happen in St. Vincent careful language, and the Grenadines, but I ostensibly concerned about don’t envisage that will the implications of his happen in my lifetime,” remarks. said Gonsalves in response “It’s not every to a question on the issue conversation that a

by Shafana McKie during government can comment the question-and-answer on,” said the Vincentian segment of a town hall leader, adding that meeting Saturday night, organizations, such as the that featured the prime Church, are in a better minister at the Friends of position to comment on Crown Heights such issues.

Educational Center in Gonsalves, however,

by NELSON A. KING US Correspondent naking@verizon.net; kingnaking210@yahoo. com

No knowledge of sexual predator PRIME MINISTER Dr Ralph Gonsalves said that he has no knowledge of any police officer here who is alleged to be engaged in unlawful sexual relationships with teenaged girls, resulting in a number of pregnancies.

Gonsalves was responding to a question posed by an individual during a town hall meeting in New York last weekend.

The question was posed by a young lady who purported that the alleged miscreant was someone whom Gonsalves knew personally.

“You know the police officer just as well as I do,” the young lady charged.

In his response, Gonsalves admitting to knowing a lot of police officers, but assured that was not aware of any that was guilty of the act to which the question referred.

noted that, in the nation’s Constitution, there’s no provision for sex discrimination, and that, on the statute books, buggery is a criminal offense.

On lesbian activities, he said “The provision concerns behavior not acceptability.”

And in reiterating that he was not inclined to start a conversation on and not be intolerant of same-sex marriage, the people of same-sex prime minister admitted, “It’s a very serious subject. privileges.”

During his 30 years as We have to be very careful

THE MATTER in which Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Camillo Gonsalves was arrested while serving as the United Nations Representative for St Vincent and the Grenadines, has been resolved.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, responding to a question during a town hall meeting in New York last Saturday, said that, “As far as the matter with Camillo is concerned, the representative for the US at the time, who is also now a member of the

Cabinet of Obama, went to his office and made an apology to Camillo on behalf of the government, and he has accepted that and moved on.”

Sen. Gonsalves, then Ambassador Gonsalves, was arrested in March, 2012 when he walked through a barricade on his way to his official office.

According to reports, the New York Police Department (NYPD) officer on duty at the time confronted Gonsalves, and even after the then Ambassador had entered the building, the officer pursued him and proceeded to grab him by

“There are some issues for people to discuss them and work them out,” he said. “But, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, I don’t see, in the immediate future, that a lawyer, Gonsalves recalled that issues of that same-sex marriage will become the law of the nature have not come land.” before the court.

PM wants calm in GuyanaVenezuela dispute question Saturday night,

by Guyanese, New Yorkbased lawyer and political activist Colin Moore, about Gonsalves’ intervention in the dispute, the Vincentian prime minister urged PM Dr. Ralph elements on both sides to Gonsalves, before tone down the rhetoric. fielding questions from “In both countries, the floor, made a fervent there are elements who want to ratchet it up,” appeal for support for him and his party (ULP). said Gonsalves during the question-and-answer segment of a town hall Story and photos by meeting at the Friends of NELSON A. KING Crown Heights US Correspondent Educational Center in naking@verizon.net; Brooklyn, New York. “It kingnaking210@yahoo. has to be done (settlement com of dispute) in the framework of ST. VINCENT AND THE International Law.” GRENADINES Prime With the death of Minister Dr. Ralph E. Norman Girvan, the UN Gonsalves has appealed appointed mediator in the for calm among “agitators” Guyana-Venezuela border in the Guyana-Venezuela dispute, Gonsalves said border dispute.

Guyanese feel they In response to a “should go to a different

Matter of Camillo’s arrest resolved

by DAYLE DA SILVA

Left: A standing room only crowd turned out to hear the PM of SVG outline why his party, the ULP, should be returned for a fourth consecutive term, and his position on a number of issues, including same-sex marriage.

the neck and shoulders and spin him around.

Gonsalves was handcuffed, and placed under arrest, despite the reported intervention of other diplomats, who tried to reason with the officer that the Vincentian diplomat enjoyed diplomatic immunity – as did the other country Senator Camillo representatives.

Gonsalves suffered the The officers cited ‘disorderly conduct’ on the ignominy of being part of Gonsalves. arrested and charged In reacting to the during his tenure as incident, Prime Minister SVG Ambassador to the Gonsalves had stated that United Nations. his government would have been seeking redress, further detail as to what type of action would have but he did not give any been taken.

process under the auspices of the UN, but we have to tone down [the rhetoric].”

The Vincentian prime minister was expected to meet with Guyana’s President David Granger and his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, on Sunday, on the margins of the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Granger and Maduro were expected to hold talks on Sunday in a meeting facilitated by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.

On May 26, Maduro issued a decree claiming two thirds of Guyana’s territory, igniting controversy from a dispute that was settled since 1899 by an Arbrital Award, according to the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

The purported annexation of the waters off Essequibo now takes in the oil-rich Stabroek Block, where American oil giant Exxon Mobil in May found a “significant” reserve of high quality crude oil, CMC said.

Tension between Guyana and Venezuela ratcheted up significantly since the May 26 decree, with the presence of “extraordinary” amounts of troops on the Venezuelan side of the border, according to iNews Guyana.

It said Venezuela had also deployed naval vessels laden with highpowered weapons in the Cuyuni River.

Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defense Force, Brigadier Mark Phillips,

A question by Colin Moore, a Guyanese, New York-based lawyer and political activist, prompted Dr. Gonsalves’ take on the Guyana-Venezuela border dispute. told Guyanese soldiers at Camp Ayangana Saturday morning that they should stand ready to defend Guyana’s borders, iNews said.

“We are ready to ensure that we have peace throughout Guyana,” Phillips said. “We are defending Guyana, we are defining aggression on our frontier, because we want to have peace in our country.”

But CMC reported on Sunday that the Venezuelan military was scaling down its presence at the Guyana- Venezuela border.

According to Guyana’s Minister of State Joseph Harmon, “The way we were responding to Venezuela is appropriate…as of yesterday, the report we have is that Venezuela has started to remove. … the gun boat that was in the Cuyuni is now removed, and the armament they had there is now moved towards inland Venezuela,” he said.

V Gonsalves: ÂProvide more aid to eradicate extreme povertyÊ

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. 7.

Politics

by NELSON A. KING US CORRESPONDENT naking@verizon.net; kingnaking210@yahoo. com WHILE STATING that “spectacular” progress has been made on targets embedded in the United Nations’ Million Development Goals (MDGs), Prime Minister Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves says much more still needs to be done for almost a billion people living in extreme poverty.

In addressing the Special United Nations Sustainable Development Conference last Friday, the Vincentian leader warned that time was not on the side of addressing the issue.

“It is a damning indictment of our world civilisation that one in five persons in its developing regions lives on less than US$1.25 per day,” he said. “We must thus make haste, and sustainably so, to lift these, our fellow brothers, sisters and our neighbours in this global village, out of indigence and poverty, and to end hunger.”

He said that faith and reason have brought together world leaders in adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to build upon the achievements of the MDGs in ending poverty, promoting prosperity and well-being for all, protecting the environment, and addressing climate change.

Stating that faith is not an abstraction, and reason is not a fanciful construct, Gonsalves said all the major world religions “correctly advise that faith is made perfect with works, made complete with deeds.

“And reason must always be grounded in the real conditions of life and living,” he said.

“Always, too, we must apply our hearts to wisdom.”

He said that making Mother Earth a much better place for to live means that deeds must match words.

“I acknowledge that the world is a complicated place awash with contradictions, and that humankind is not perfect,” Gonsalves said.

“Still, it is surely unacceptable for our global economy to be designed and elaborated, in practical ways, to condemn nearly a billion persons living in abject poverty.”

The prime minister said the current model of “a perverse and environmentallydestructive, global capitalism needs to undergo fundamental restructuring, for the SDGs are to be accomplished.

“And, they will not be achieved, too, if there is failure in SDG Number 17, which mandates a revitalisation of the global partnership for sustainable development,” he said.

Gonsalves said the revitalisation of the

global partnership demands that the richer countries retreat from considerations of a “jaundiced self-interest and a myopic, counterproductive narrowmindedness, and embrace a meaningful solidarity in every material particular with developing countries.”

SVG’s place in the milieu Gonsalves said St. Vincent and the Grenadines, like all Small Island Developing States (SIDS), has an “especial vulnerability to the deleterious effects of climate change,” adding that the poor “globally suffer most from the maddening acceleration of global warming.”

Global warming for St. Vincent and the Grenadines represents “an existential issue of survival; yet we contribute nought to this threatening danger,” Gonsalves said.

Therefore, the Vincentian leader said, the global conversation on the Post 2015 Development Agenda must necessarily involve, too, the legacy of underdevelopment “devolved from centuries of colonialism and imperial suzerainty, which historic wrong which must be righted.”

In the Caribbean, he said the “reasonable, non-confrontational quest” for reparations for native genocide and African slavery must be

Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, making his case at the UN for more to be done to eradicate world poverty. “part of this global development dialogue and the revitalisation of the partnership for development.”

Over the past 15 years, Gonsalves said St. Vincent and the Grenadines has made progress in the eradication of extreme poverty, achieving

universal primary education (and universal secondary education), promoting gender equality, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, and ensuring environmental sustainability.

“We commit to consolidating and building upon these accomplishments and pursuing, in a focussed way, the Sustainable Development Goals over the next 15 years with the help of our global partners,” Gonsalves pledged.

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8. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. 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 SVG and India: The Mosquito and the Elephant SO DR. RALPH EVERAD GONSALVES, the 4th and current Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a multi-island state of some 389 sq. km and populated by 109,373 (2013) people, met with Narendra Damodardas Modi, the 15th and current Prime Minister of India, which has a landmass of some 3.288 million km² and a population of 1.252 billion (2013) people.

A case, some might say, of David meeting Goliath, though it is unlikely, given the real odds, that this David would ever slay this Goliath. Others might see it as a meeting between a mosquito and an elephant.

Whatever the description, if the truth be told, this meeting, held last weekend and as an aside to a UN Assembly which both prime ministers attended, was not the first time that our prime minister was ‘boxing in a class beyond his weight’.

Like all corporate executives know so well, it is the side meetings, those away from the formal conference presentations, that reap the most and immediate benefit.

Our prime minister, from all accounts, has worked and continues to work away in those small rooms just off the main conference halls… whether it’s over some tea, a stronger drink or simply an exchange over nothing.

What we expect, though, is that those ‘meetings on the side’ between the mosquito and the elephant, were and are about something.

And we have heard the official reports about how Prime Minister Modi acknowledged our prime minister and our country’s role on the international stage, and our contribution to international agendas; and of how our prime minister took the opportunity to bring the Prime Minister Modi up to steam on how this mosquito size country was serious about moving ahead with its campaign for a seat on the UN Security Council.

We are to assume that our prime minister was canvassing support for this ambitious move. Why else raise the issue with Mr. Modi, a heavyweight among world leaders?

And we learned all about the areas of co-operation that could be forthcoming between the two miscast countries.

The truth is, Mr. Prime Minister, India has always stood among the world order and as a foremost member of the Commonwealth, as a country with the resources and preparedness to help developing countries.

That India has registered, once again, its willingness to put its money where it rapidly expanding voice lies, is nothing new to the world and nothing new to this country.

The question is: Why has this government and no government before it accepted, or made ample use, of the range of assistance programmes that India has made available to its fellow Commonwealth countries?

This publication knows for a fact, that whether it be a government to government offer or one through the Commonwealth Office or otherwise, India has offered tertiary level scholarships, technical assistance, and put a range of assistance programmes that are tailor-made to facing up to the challenges of developing island states, in, e.g. agriculture, aqua-culture, re-cycling (especially alternate use of spent products like rubber tyres).

We return to the question: Why has there not been anything near serious and genuine responses by this country and the majority of CARICOM countries, perhaps with the exception of Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana, which boasts the largest clusters of persons of East Indian descent, to the range of assistance programmes and investment that India offers?

As wild as it might sound, though it is genuinely advanced with no intention to divide, perhaps it is that developing genuine relations with India, beyond the exchange of ambassadors and honoray consuls, that politicians/governments in the OECS especially, see no political gain to be had, locally, from developing those relations?

Is it that the Rastafarian is feted with a trip to their ceremonial homeland, Ethiopia, because of a perceived political mileage they offer, while no such delegation has ever been mounted to India?

The percent of people of East Indian descent of the total population of the English-speaking Caribbean, pales into insignificance numerically, politically and culturally. Their demographic offers, it appears, no real political value to the ambitions of politicians.

By the way, did anyone notice with whom Prime Minister Modi met while he was in the US? Yes, the large technology corporations — Apple, etc.

Seems the elephant had a completely different agenda and a much more meaningful purpose.

We wait to see whether, in fact, there will be a difference in approach to relations between the mosquito and the elephant.

Election Countdown NO:3 The Speaker and Chairman of the PSC JUST ABOUT every right thinking person finds it difficult to understand the erratic and abusive behaviour of Hendrick Alexander, when performing in the role of Chairman of the House as the honourable Speaker.

Let me jump ahead and say with conviction that Hendrick Alexander has been my longstanding friend for upwards of forty years.

Ever since he came out as a young star of Cato’s Labour Party, we have engaged in friendly political argument. He was assured of my sympathy when Ralph called him all manner of names. when he was one of Labour’s senators that happened to be in opposition to Ralph’s own party, the MNU. But after the party-political upheavals of the 1990s , out of which emerged the ULP with Ralph ultimately as leader after much blood-letting, Hendrick suddenly and fanatically became attached to the Comrade leader, who had much despised Milton Cato the founder-leader of labour, and the object of devotion of Calliaqua young activists, including Hendrick.

But Hendrick clearly calculated on which side of the bread was buttered and he clung tenaciously to that side. Ralph in turn made him speaker (plenipotentiary) with all his support, in a two- way street in which the Prime Minister could do no wrong.

For the last two 5-year terms of parliament Hendrick has allowed Ralph a more or less straight run-through. That is why there has never been time for a hearing of the Opposition’s cherished bill- Social and Redemption Charter; why they were unceremoniously bundled out of the House at the drop of a hat so to speak; why the Speaker is yet to confirm his ruling of the AG’ bogus vote on the Speakership; why there has been the striking out of a question

by Arnhim Eustace touching on the balances of the AG’s mortgage which stemmed from the days of the NCB, now owned by a third party; why no question is entertained on the running Account of the Argyle International Airport. And so on, endlessly.

Indeed, few questions are given with respect to that most sacred cow, the Argyle International Airport which has been a million dollar suck-hole so far, and continuing.

My good friend Hendrick has to go for the country to get a modicum of replies to queries. I certainly would not miss that Speaker even as I lovingly embrace him as a personal friend. I think that there is a recent photograph of me hugging him and another ULP big-wig, Jomo Thomas, Deputy-Speaker, who would fit the senior

position with distinction.

The Chairman of PSC I honestly grieve over the moral degeneration of Cecil “Blazer” Williams over the last 14 years, which he spent as chairman of PSC. I had been close to Blazer when he was an executive member of the SVUT and I was legal advisor, as we took on the Labour Government in 1975, and as he made his terrific contribution as leading member of NAM, a poet of some standing and a penetrating writer of short stories.

I equally admired him as standing maker and critic of our Carnival and, politically as a fellow-member of UPM, then second man of the MNU, led by Dr. Gonsalves.

There are, of course, four classic cases that highlights the hollowness and backwardness of ULP’s policy- the three “aspirationally contracted” teachers who have been fired then vindicated by an Appeal Court plus the case of Otto Sam. The PSC had a moral obligation to intervene. But the winds of change will blow away all humbugs come next election.

The PSC in a poor country as SVG literally has fire power really in its constitutional power to hire and fire, to make rather crudely a bold statement.

The ULP regime began in 2001 with a rash of victimisation. I stated the situation crassly. It was between Prime Minister Ralph and PSC chairman Blazer a straight case of the one saying “kill” the other replying “dead”.

Even, or especially, the churches kept their silence while the couple did their thing with impunity. Eustace had to write down names, describe in detail the circumstances, and carry his case to Barbados media people before he attracted some belief in his complaints.

The ULP’s victimisation policy proceeded apace with an unperturbed Blazer covering up for his ULP. When some cases, like that of Bassy Alexander nurse-granddaughter hit the fan. Blazer pleaded lack of knowledge.

I now ask Blazer: In the 14 years chairmanship of the PSC could he name six persons, (half-a-dozen) taken from the nurses, police or general service, who received meaningful promotion, even though they were known to be political supporters or allies of the Opposition NDP? Blazer has accused me of being motivated by envy, malice and greed. But the fact remains that I resigned from the post of chairman of the PSC with more than a year and a half to run. Nobody fired me.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. 9.

Letters

2B or not 2B In want of balance ELECTION is in the air, and both parties are campaigning.

Let us look at the ULP. Can or will it convince the citizens of SVG that if it is given another term, that it will get all those extra weight (old buddies) off the back of the tax payers of SVG)?

That it will prosecute all civil servants caught doing wrong? That given the slum in world finance, will it pass an order that says ‘one man one job’.

Are you, the ULP, willing to listen to reason and let the public know of all government plans, except security? Will you listen to reason?

All those little plots of land you’re giving away, there will soon be some persons who have to go to the hills and dig caves to live in. What we need for you to do is establish housing complexes of 3 or 4 storeys high. Think of how many houses/apartments could be housed in the Financial Complex.

And, is it not time persons are not allowed to build concrete tombs for departed ones? Our land space is shrinking. There are concrete tombs over 100 years without even bones in them.

It is time a new village/settlement comes on line. Restart the cross country road. Persons complain about it passing through our rain forest.

Does not the overland linking St. George’s to Grenville in Grenada pass through their rain forest of Grand Etang and does not cause any loss of yearly rainfall?

The seaweed does not have to be washed to be used in the lands; the land need the salt, and not those artificial manure. I have used it for over 40 years in diverse crops. You bury it in your banks using a hoe, then turn it down in the ground with the fork.

All business houses must display clearly the prices of items they sell.

Now let us see. The NDP wants to lead.

DURING this past week, I happened to hear some of the talk-in programme on Star Radio, hosted

by Mr. Hans King.

During the portion I heard, Mr. King waxed lyrics about his recent trip to Mespo; how wonderful the new road leading to Crick Corner will be when it is finished; and how he marvelled at the construction of the new roundabout at Crick Corner. All this is quite true; but in the interests of a balanced programme, he should also, to my mind, have mentioned the negatives as well as the positives.

In fact, so far, this roundabout has been a total waste of the contractor’s time and effort and, more so, a total waste of tax payers’ money!

I use this route on a regular basis, and can attest to the fact that ever since this roundabout was completed, almost 80% of car drivers and 100% of van drivers still negotiate this corner as if the roundabout had never been built!

This means that the 20% of us

Tax Payer

I am just a little girl Who needs some tender love, But the pain that I feel Makes me scream and shout!

Stop abusing me, Daddy Stop abusing me!

I need a chance so I can grow Stop abusing me!

Football PEOPLE in authority must not make silly statements which show that they are not equal to the task at hand. Mr. President, remain silent and be thought a fool, rather than open your mouth and remove all doubt.

You said that you are not getting any foreign coach to prepare us for the World Cup Qualifiers.

Mr. Huggins has done a very good job in getting this far. Now you have Mr. Hendrickson on board.

Both men have their limitations; they can take us across the street, but cannot take us around the corner.

If you follow world football, you should know that even the top Premier League clubs in England have European coaches, and the USA has Klinsmann, a German.

I think if our team is properly prepared, we can give the Americans a warm reception when they visit.

We have a year to get our team ready, but can we get our team ready when there is so much confusion within the Federation, and over getting our account in order?

FIFA will be here, and if funds can’t be accounted for, all heads should roll.

Gerry Parsons

A child’s cry Stop abusing me, Daddy Stop abusing me!

Every day, every night I cry, Stop abusing me!

I scream for help But no one seems to hear.

I want the world to see To make him stop hurting me.

Stop abusing me, Daddy Stop abusing me!

Am just an innocent child, Stop abusing me!

I tell my mommy But she just shuns me away, When I show her the signs She pretends not to see.

When will you see the hurt in my eyes?

When my life turns to misery?

Stop abusing me, Daddy Stop abusing me!

Call the doctor, call the police!

Stop abusing me!

Look at my body, Mommy, I want you to understand, When he touches me The way I moved his hands!

Stop abusing me, Daddy Stop abusing me!

No one seems to care No one sees my fears.

STOP ABUSING ME, DADDY!

By Nadine Gibson SVG, September, 2015.

that follow the correct procedure when transiting this roundabout, take our lives in our own hands.

I can only assume that this lack of road sense equates to two things: 1. The car/van driver does not know how to negotiate a roundabout in the proper manner, and, if that is the case, they should take themselves off the road and invest in a refresher driving skills course.

(2) These drivers are too bone idle, lazy and inconsiderate to obey the rules of the road, and think that the roundabout is for decoration only. Even more reason why they should cease driving until they can be educated in such a way as to learn how to negotiate such an obstacle.

Also, as stated above, Mr. King made reference to the “new” road leading to Crick Corner. I ask: Why in the interests of an impartial programme he did not make mention of the state of the road from Crick Corner into Mespo? The condition of this road is appalling; it is littered with an absolute profusion of potholes, some large enough to swallow a

small goat, and stretching across the whole width of the road.

This again presents a major hazard to all motorists who use this stretch of road. Vehicle drivers are forced to bob and weave from one side of the road to the other, to avoid damage to their vehicles. Not to mention the utmost hazards that these potholes create for anyone unfortunate enough to be riding a motorbike or a pedal cycle.

However, both of the above pale into insignificance when one considers the plight of one young man who is unfortunate enough to be confined to a wheelchair.

Many times I have seen this individual having to wheel himself into the centre of the road to be able to clear these potholes.

How he has been able to survive without serious accident this long, I do not know! It is about time that this road underwent serious repair, if we want to keep this young man out of MCMH, and to give us motorists some reward for the 650.00 dollars we spend every year on road tax.

A. W. Indupp

Same only campaign THE MORE things change, the more they remain the same.

Every five years or so, there is a great clamour for politicians involved in the general election campaign, to deal with ‘the issues’. I am beginning to wonder why we continue to make that repeated demand, when we should have realised a long time ago, that the issue is that the politicians have no intention of dealing with the issues.

In the final analysis, we make those demands, but we end up accepting whatever they have to throw at us. And worse, we jump on the ‘boodow’ train, the ‘gimme gimme’ train, the ‘leh me see wha I could get’ train. Unfortunately, some of us still feel that our vote is a bargaining chip to see how much we can get for ourselves.

I dare say, that since independence, there has not been one politician, not one Prime Minister, who has had the ‘,,,,,’ to try to change the culture of our politics.

When all is said and done, it is who can say the worst and most things about his or her opponent, who grabs the attention of the electorate. Pity but true.

Benjamin

* Do women now outnumber men at the Customs and Excise Department?

Will these women be assigned to some of those tough on board tasks that Customs Officers have to fulfil? * Why are there so many cases of persons’ names being spelt incorrectly on new birth certificates issued at our Registry? How many of these errors relate to persons whose names were spelt correctly on their old birth certificates? * Would somebody please tell ManAbout-Town that Victoria Park didn’t get a sprucing up just to accommodate the Miss Unity Show? * What really wrong with calypsonians in this country? If they can’t take proper care of their own business, how can they expect others to care about them? *Will somebody look into why some text books remain used for a whole school especially at the primary (school) level? Why are parents made to ‘fork up’ all that money for some book when they are never used?

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10. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

The stupidity of Arnhim Eustace The NDP ready to revive the Tourism Sector The Issue FOR SOME TIME now, Vincentians have been wondering about the thought process and decision-making methodology of the leader of the NDP, Arnhim Eustace. Over the last fifteen years, as leader of the opposition, Arnhim Eustace has made a number of statements which have led most persons to believe that there is something wrong with his thinking. His failure to provide proper analysis to situations, and his obvious dependency on hearsay and “commess” information, are astounding, to say the least.

It has often been said that “he who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool”. Arnhim Eustace has contrived in some form or fashion, to place himself in this category.

Consider this for a moment.

Arnhim Eustace holds a Master’s degree, he was a permanent secretary in the public service here, was employed at a senior level at the Caribbean Development Bank, and in turn became the fiscal adviser to Sir James Mitchell, then Minister of Finance, and Prime Minister for a brief period. Based on this, one could say that this is a man with much experience in matters related to the state. And so we ask the question, why then is he making so many stupid mistakes in matters related to the development of the country?

their associate degrees are valuable.

And what of the role of the NDP candidate for West St. George, Jules Ferdinand? He sits on a related board of the UWI, is conversant with the procedures of the University, and was in an ideal position to advise his leader as to the merits or demerits of the associate degree programme, offered by the Community College.

To the best of our knowledge, one can only assume that he did not, since his leader has persisted with his attacks on the College. Alternatively, if he did, and his advice was ignored, then that further confirms the stupidity of Arnhim Eustace, and points towards a campaign of scaremongering.

The facts

The Community College has been officially recognized by the National Accreditation Board as a duly registered institution in the state.

This was pointed out by Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves in his 2015 budget address. The College is now in the middle of its accreditation process before the Accreditation Board. A number of universities have gone this route, For example the Cave His latest Stupidity Hill Campus of the UWI, opened its doors in 1963, but only became Last year, Arnhim Eustace raised accreditation in 2013, some 50 years the issue of the accreditation of the later.

Community College, and questioned Over the last five years or so, the the validity of the associate degree College has engaged in a number of programmes being offered there. He was at pains to say that the associate initiatives to allow its students to degree being offered, was not worth seek further studies abroad, and the paper on which it is printed, advance placement for those with a because there was no accreditation. good GPA. These include the UWI, the At the time, a number of education University of Technology in Jamaica, officials responded to Arnhim Eustace, The University of Trinidad and clearly stating that the programmes, Tobago, a number of universities in while recognized, were not accredited. Canada and the United States, and The same message came from the the Association of Caribbean Tertiary Community College, and from the Institutions. Our students, who have UWI. In fact, as far back as 2012, come through the Community College, Nigel Scott, the current director of the are doing well at regional institutions college, in an interview with Tony of higher learning. Some of them have Regisford of IKTV, stated then that testified to this on radio, giving the lie the college was not accredited, but to the strategies of the NDP. that the process was underway. Scott also stated at the time that this did Conclusion not affect the quality of the courses being offered.

The continued attacks by Arnhim This information is in the public Eustace and the NDP on the domain, but it is no big surprise that Community College, is a sign of Arnhim Eustace and his advisers did desperation. Even more damning is a not pay any attention to it. The NDP statement by Jules Ferdinand, that he is bent on scaring our young people would advise students who consult into staying away from the with him, to continue their courses at Community College, and further to the College. Well, here is a political discredit in some form or fashion, the leader saying that the associate Education Revolution. They are degree is worthless, and one of his telling parents not to spend their junior members, an “expert” in hard-earned money to educate their educational matters, advising that children at the community college. students should continue the These statements are made, even programme! while children, who attended the The truth is that Arnhim Eustace College, are busy continuing their has exposed his stupidity for all of St. education at the UWI campuses.

And worst of all, are the lies being Vincent and the Grenadines to see. He told on the hard-working people at the is not prime ministerial material, he Community College. Arnhim Eustace has poor leadership and analytical skills, believes too much in third hand and the NDP are claiming that the stories, and wants nothing good for College has duped Vincentians into spending money on associate degrees, poor people.

That is why the people of this which are not worth their value on paper. They have accused the College nation will reject him and his party of “lying” to Vincentian students, and when the Comrade rings the bell.

Four in a row! of “fooling” them into thinking that

TOURISM CONTRIBUTES substantially to the Vincentian economy, and if properly developed and managed, has the potential to make an even greater contribution.

In recognition of this, the New Democratic Party (NDP) will place emphasis on the continued development of the tourism sector here, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as it has done in the past.

Today, a significant number of people around the globe are employed in the tourism industry. In fact, the rate of employment generation is much higher when compared to most other economic sectors. The tourism industry is likely, in the future, to see unprecedented growth in this regard. That said, we must admit that we have not yet fully developed this lucrative aspect of our economy. The potential for growth is not surprising, since St. Vincent and the Grenadines possesses a wide range of tourist attractions - natural physical beauty, wildlife, beaches, historical attractions (e.g. forts), and a number of unique cultural activities.

The inability of the Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration to develop our full tourist potential is due to ineffective international marketing, inadequate infrastructure, the lack of planning, and the lack of specialized personnel in the tourism industry. The NDP will solve these problems, driven by the objectives of: increasing employment opportunities at all levels; creating linkages with other (local) economic sectors; and ensuring the protection of our environment and cultural resources.

Moreover, the NDP will position St. Vincent and the Grenadines as leaders in tourism in the Caribbean, by means of the following: * Diversification of the tourism product: We will identify specific areas and develop strategies to promote and exploit each of them, e.g. diving, yachting, cruise tourism, eco-tourism, retirees/returnees, entertainment/cultural events such as carnival, music festivals, and nine mornings. * Targeted marketing: Europe, Canada, United States of America and the Caribbean. We will develop special packages for Caribbean tourists, e.g. four-day weekends offered at special rates, especially at off season through collaboration with LIAT and hoteliers. * Development of marina facilities in Bequia and the Southern Grenadines for power yachts * Focus on high end stay over visitors: We will promote the development of small to mid-size luxury hotels/villas, * The establishment of a training institute to meet the needs of tourism operators and workers. * The encouragement of yachting, especially cruising. * We will provide better security in our harbours and bays, by frequent coast guard patrols and police patrol in resort and beach areas. * Improvement of air transportation, in terms of cost reliability and frequency of service to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. * Promotion and development of historical and natural sites as tourism sites.

Cruise tourism The NDP will work with the private sector and all relevant stakeholders in developing a cruise tourism policy, which will be focused on manageable numbers, with a fair distribution between all appropriate ports within St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The development of a smaller cruise ship

pier in North Leeward will be considered as per its market and financial feasibility.

The NDP sees the improvement and upgrading of Kingstown as an integral part of a successful cruise tourism policy, and will work assiduously in developing a short to medium development strategy towards this end.

Also, identification and development of appropriate strategies will be critical to achieving the level of visitor expenditure that will be desirable.

Sourcing and availing supplies for cruise ships and encouraging the employment of Vincentian nationals on cruise ships, will be other important thrusts in the NDP’s Cruise Tourism Development Plan.

Yachting The global yachting industry is in a state of growth. With an increasing number of persons retiring early, and higher average incomes, there is an increasing amount of leisure time. A greater proportion of that leisure time is now being spent in water-based activity.

The growth of the yachting industry is also evident by the growth in the production of pleasure craft and mega yachts. This increase in the number of recreational boats worldwide is creating additional strain on the existing yachting infrastructure, and the demand for marina space is increasing.

Culture As a nation, we have reached a crossroads where culture is concerned.

The way forward must involve the removal of politics from culture. The best and the brightest of St. Vincent and the Grenadines must be invited to the table to ensure that we create a viable, sustainable industry, which can usefully contribute to our country’s economy.

Towards this end, the NDP pledges to: * Retool the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) as an umbrella body which the cultural and creative industries can develop and flourish; * Create links between culture and tourism to ensure that the cultural industries benefit from the EPA agreement; * Support music education in schools from the earliest levels, with a view to establishing a Youth Orchestra and permanent music programmes in schools; * To design training progammes, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, for teachers, with the view of improving the visual arts element in schools; * Support and encourage the use of information technology to promote the cultural identity of our nation; * Implement the SVG policy framework and development strategy for cultural and creative industry development;* Provide fiscal incentives to encourage private sector investment in the music industry, carnival and the performing arts; * Enforce copyright legislation to protect our local cultural stakeholders.

The programmes and policies advocated here for tourism and cultural development will undoubtedly redound in benefits for St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Do the right thing. Elect the NDP. WE READY!

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. 11.

Views/News

Responding to Dr. Richard A. Byron-Cox

“At an NDP meeting, Jules Ferdinand paraded with a pitchfork.

Many expressing shock, interpret this action as dangerously provocative and may incite violence. For me, it was indeed a symbol of violence, expletives, and deadly hate towards his political opponents. ...”— Dr. Richard A. Byron-Cox, The Searchlight Newspaper, Friday, September 25, 2015.

DR. RICHARD A. BYRON-COX’S article entitled “Jules Ferdinand and the devil’s pitchfork” appeared in The Searchlight Newspaper on Friday, September 25, 2015 (pp. 9 and 16).

While I cannot claim to know Dr. Byron-Cox (a Vincentian who resides in Europe), he certainly does not know me. The picture that he sought to paint of me in his article, is certainly not the Jules Ferdinand that many schoolteachers invite to motivate and inspire their students to excel. The descriptions of an “angel-tongued patter” and “a dark horse” that he portrays is not that of the motivational speaker who is regularly invited to deliver the feature address at secondary school graduation ceremonies. The person that he claims to have “lost all sense of truthfulness,” is not in line with the image of the individual who is regularly invited to deliver sermons at various church denominations throughout St. Vincent and the Grenadines. His commentary that “Jules’ recent behaviour shows that in place of a moral compass, he has a terrible thirst for power” leads one to wonder if he was referring to the individual who has served in so many humanitarian projects, preferring to stay in the background rather than to take the limelight for the contributions he continues to make to the development of people.

Having read Dr. Byron-Cox’s article, I could not help but conclude that he was not present at the event that he referred to, did not see the video recording of my presentation, and did not listen to the audio recording. He could not be so inaccurate in his

interpretation of my presentation that was referred to in his article; an article that seemed so very focused on discrediting me. Could his vision have been so very jaundiced by the fact that his very good friend is a candidate for the Unity Labour Party (ULP), and I am a candidate for the New Democratic Party (NDP)? Is his perceived loss of objectivity driven by his commitment to retaining the “crab-in-the-barrel” syndrome that still plagues so many segments of our society? I would hope not. I expected much better from him. It therefore becomes necessary for me to present the facts to him and the many readers of his article.

I was invited to address the gathering at the Campden Park Hard Court or Saturday, September 12, 2015. As is my custom whenever addressing crowds, I sought to provide a visual image that will gain the audience’s attention and would encourage them to remember the content of the presentation. Persons who witnessed the presentation, viewed it via the Internet, or listened via radio, would recall that, the description was that while many supporters of the ULP would show four fingers to indicate their quest for a fourth term in office, the four prongs of the fork were being used to describe four slogans that the ULP never lived up to: Together Now; Hard on Crime and the Causes of Crime; Own the Government; and Labour Loves You. It is interesting to note that nowhere in Dr. Byron-Cox’s presentation he referred to the foregoing.

The presentation provided listeners and viewers with examples of how the ULP administration has engaged in divisive, partisan politics and, as a result, created friction between and within homes and communities. Examples were also provided in relation to senior civil servants who “ran afoul of the law”, but did not appear to receive adequate punishment for their

“indiscretions”. These examples were used to impress the viewing and listening audiences that the ULP administration is not hard on crime or the causes of crime. It was also noted that it is immoral to allow people (especially our young people) to think that this is what “owning the government” means.

The final thoughts in relation to the slogan “Labour Loves You” sought to drive the point home that the activities and behaviours of the ULP, in my opinion, do not portray true, genuine love. Dr. Byron-Cox’s article in no way provided the reader with any of the insights shared in this paragraph. Instead, he sought to demonise me for using “the devil’s fork” to “incite violence” against the supporters of the ULP. This is so far removed from the truth. Violence was never advocated in that entire presentation. The focus was entirely on removing the corruption and injustices.

Dr. Byron-Cox should be assured that I will continue to focus on the issues that plague our society. We must seek to eradicate corruption and white-collar crimes whenever and wherever they appear.

Individuals must no longer assume that they are exempt from the laws that govern our country because they are card-carrying members of a political party, their relatives hold high positions in the party or in government, or that their vehicles and/or homes have stickers indicating their party loyalty.

Justice must be seen as fair to all.

We can therefore extend the image of the pitchfork to convey the message that we must uproot evil, dishonesty, and corruption wherever it seeks to take root.

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

Midday shooting in Kingstown UP TO THURSDAY midafternoon, medical personnel at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital were doing their best to save the life of Dexter Rodney.

Rodney is said to be in his thirties and resides at Rockies.

He was rushed to that institution shortly after midday, after being shot outside the business place operated by Junior ‘Spirit’ Cottle, on Lower Bay Street/Rose Place, police sources at the scene said.

When contacted around 1:30 pm yesterday, Superintendent of Police (SOP) Ruth Jacobs, Head

of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), said that the information was just coming in, and (she) could not provide any further detailed information.

However, one resident of the area told THE VINCENTIAN that there were at least six gun blasts.

Investigations Officers from different branches of the RSVG Police Force are continuing, moved quickly to cordon off the crime scene. police assured.

International Land and Property Consultancy launched FORMER CONSULTANT to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), and Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) — Jamal Browne — believes that there is an urgent need for matters related to land and property to be mainstreamed alongside other national and international development Jamal Browne: priorities — particularly Founder - Land and within developing Property Network countries.

(LPN).

According to Browne, while there are numerous international organizations that have demonstrated their commitment to tackling some of the most complex land and property issues across the developing world, the acute dynamism of contemporary international development is urgently demanding greater innovation from land and property experts, and other leading stakeholders.

It is with this urgent demand for innovation in mind, that Browne, a final-year Doctoral Candidate with The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, and an EKACDM 2014-2015 Scholar, has taken the bold decision to establish Land and Property Network (LPN).

LPN is a Caribbean-based startup within the global land and property sector. It was created with the information dissemination and consultancy needs of international land and property stakeholders — in civil society, international development, government, and the private sector — in mind.

According to Browne, LPN seeks to promote socially responsive, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable practices within the land and property sector, in keeping with the globally-accepted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and global best practices in large-scale landbased investments.

Browne, , considered one of the Caribbean’s leading thinkers on the subject of Land and Property, outlined that LPN’s consultancy services, and media and communications products, are expected to meet the highest international standards, and are specifically geared towards addressing the most urgent land property issues across the developing world.

These issues include, but are not limited to: Sustainable Land Management; Land Tenure Systems Development; Land Governance; Large-Scale Land-Based Investments for agriculture, tourism, and industrial development; Land in the Context of Disaster Management and Disaster Risk Reduction; Sustainable Urbanization; Slum Upgrading; and Sustainable Housing.

According to Browne, the task of creatively demonstrating the linkages between Land and Property and other globally resonating subjects such as Climate Change, the development of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), Energy Security, Sustainable Urbanization, and Food Security, rests squarely on the shoulders of his generation of Land and Property experts.

Browne, therefore, considers LPN a “natural and timely response to an urgent need”; and believes that his expertise and passion for Land & Property, combined with his proficiency in Media and Communications, have optimally positioned him to lead what he considers a “new movement within the global land and property sector”.

V Air service reliability worse with Argyle airport 12. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

THE ARGYLE AIRPORT has major flight safety problems, two of which are strong and dangerous crosswinds and very strong sea blast.

The strong and dangerous crosswinds make it highly unlikely that Argyle airport will achieve the mandatory 95% usability factor, i.e., the airport will be available for use at least 95% of the time. This will severely affect the Argyle airport’s ability to get a licence to operate.

Argyle Airport will be plagued with flight delays and flight diversions to Barbados, St. Lucia or Grenada, as aircrafts will frequently have problems trying to land or take off there, during times of high winds and wet runway conditions. In times of wet weather, the crosswind speed does not need to be high to cause aircraft diversions.

There is absolutely no significant advantage of Argyle airport over E.T Joshua airport, and given the fact there will be frequent flight delays and diversions, it is likely the air service to and from St. Vincent will be less and with much uncertainty. Our country has been ripped off by about EC$850 million by the ULP regime.

Passengers will be highly fatigued being diverted to other airports and having to overnight or wait

long hours seated on their aircraft waiting for the high winds or rain to cease at Argyle before attempting another landing. Flights out of Argyle airport will carry much uncertainty for inter connections. The overall reliability of air service to and from Argyle will be significantly reduced.

There will be serious problems with the strong sea blast at Argyle airport. Landing or taking off in an area of strong sea blast can hinder visibility for pilots as their windscreen can get a layer of salt residue obscuring their view.

At Cork airport, Ireland, in January 2014, an ATR 72 aircraft (same as LIAT’s new fleet) had severe difficulty in landing. The aircraft had an aborted first landing due to strong gusty winds.

During the second landing attempt, the captain noticed “a considerable build-up of white contamination forming on the windscreen,” but did not immediately know its origin.

During the second approach, the captain said the residue made the windscreen opaque, “diffusing the [runway] lights into a complete blur,” and forcing a third landing attempt. The windscreen wipers had no effect in clearing the residue as the atmosphere

was dry, the captain stated, adding that the windscreen heaters, turned on to prevent any ice build-up, may have exacerbated the problem by drying the salt residue. The ATR 72 does not have windscreen washers.

Sea blast will also affect planes parked at Argyle frequently or for long periods, leaving them highly susceptible to corrosion. Sea salt combines with oxygen in the air to corrode aircrafts.

It is downright shameful and vulgar that the highly incompetent ULP regime started the construction of this wasteful project without doing the mandatory five year wind study beforehand.

Our country has been ripped off by about EC$850 million by the ULP regime. SVG Green Party is calling for an external audit of Argyle airport, and the finances provided for its construction, by the international community.

IADC has destroyed hundreds of acres of prime agricultural lands, destroyed the homes of hundreds of families at Argyle, torn up historic and religious sites, destroyed a community church and destroyed the economic livelihoods of hundreds of people who were living at Argyle.

Our country is mashed up under the highly incompetent ULP regime. Strong and dangerous crosswinds and very strong sea blast will cause major flight safety problems at Argyle airport, severely reducing its ability to be used.

We need a change in SVG to a Green government. A Green government will create the jobs our people need, and create a strong economy. Vote SVG Green Party for new jobs and money in your pocket to care for your family.

SVG Green Party www.svggreenparty.org

Financial Information Month - October 2015 SO, HERE WE ARE at the start of October 2015. This year is quickly coming to an end. There is a lot happening. Of course, it’s the month in which we in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) celebrate Independence. It is also the month of remembering the breast cancer fight.

But for us at the financial institutions, it’s also the month for sharing information with our customers and friends. In fact, it’s Financial Information Month (FIM)!

FIM is a time for sharpening your understanding of money matters. We at the financial institutions, such as banks, credit unions, insurance services, and financial regulators, offer tips about financial management, giving insight into planning your financial present and future.

In a formal way, FIM is a regional financial education campaign, executed in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) since 2002. It is done through the collaborative efforts of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) member governments, financial and academic institutions, the media, other private and public sector institutions and community based groups. It aims

to stimulate financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial thought and action.

Let me go back to the start of the article for a moment. I talked about independence. Well, think about it.

Independence for each of us is also being able to organize our personal finances, so that we do not depend on others. And I talked about breast cancer. Any illness can create problems of money to pay for treatment. However, if we plan for possible occurrences, we can minimize the impact of any event, including an illness, on our finances.

Thus, FIM is a month to reflect on how we are organizing our money and help us in planning for the events known and unknown, that are likely to happen. Having a saving (of any amount) is the first step in financial management. In fact, one of our institutions says, “Save until it hurts ...” Most purchase plans ask for an “amount down”, (a first payment or some such term). Well, you have to save to have that amount “to put down”. Saving shows that you can meet the payment on a credit purchase. It also shows you can make the repayment on a loan. Most importantly, it shows, “wise financial

thinking”.

Let’s look at the theme, LEAD — Learn, Empower, Achieve, Develop. It is designed to inspire and challenge all citizens to LEAD in order to effect the change needed to spur financial, entrepreneurial, business and economic success at the personal and institutional levels, and in so doing, transform our lives and the region’s economy in a positive way.

The logo and the FIM Theme Song and Video were launched during a media briefing on Thursday, 13 August 2015. The theme song was written and composed by soca artiste Orande “Bomani” Charles of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Here are the activities planned for FIM, October 2015: At the REGIONAL level: 8 October 2015 — ECCU Business Symposium and Innovation Forum; 3 October 2015 — ECCU Train the Trainers Workshop for Teachers; 22 October — ECCU Train the Trainers Workshop for Financial Practitioners; 17 November — ECCU Train the Trainers Workshop for Financial Practitioners; 19 November — ECCU Youth LEAD

Conference At the NATIONAL level: 4 October 2015 - FIM Church Outreach at Faith Temple, New Montrose; 4 October 2015 - Community Financial Advise Workshop- session for NOBA; “Learning - National Insurance Services”; 12 October — Radio Discussion on Police ‘On the Beat’ programme on the topic of Savings and Budgeting; 18 October — Radio Discussion on NBC Radio Views and Issues; 22 October 2015 -Financial Fair in the Square; 30 October — Lead and Learn — Mini Educational Verandah at the ECCB Agency Office; 31 October 2015 — Walkathon: Calliaqua -Choppins -Harmony Hall Prospect —Calliaqua.

In addition there will be weekly newspaper articles on various topics related to financial management and visits to schools.

Prepared by: Anthony Theobalds Ministry of Culture Member of FIM Planning Committee

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. 13.

News

LIME & ECMMAN revive Tululu beach “MY BODY STILL ACHES all over from shoveling all that garbage, but it was worth it,” commented Nikala Williams, Marketing Manager of LIME, after a day spent of cleaning up Tululu beach.

“I speak on behalf of the LIME team here, when I say it was very hard labour, but when we looked at what we accomplished, we will LIME employees with other volunteers after beach clean up. definitely do it again,” Williams Tasheka Haynes, Project pesticide bottles and continued.

Coordinator of ECMMAN, containers, vehicle parts, Tululu is a beautiful but said, “Since my first approach refrigerator parts, tyres, secluded beach located in North Union. It was identified to LIME in early August, they electrical appliances, shoes, have proven to be great plastic bowls, household items by a community group to the partners… passionate about and even syringes.

Eastern Caribbean Marine this project as we are… .”

Some of the activities Managed Areas Network The LIME-led clean-up ECMMAN has completed (ECMMAN) project and, upon removed a range of items from previously in conjunction with inspection, was deemed a the beach. These included LIME are, Public Awareness great candidate for this bottle caps, plastic bottles, Programme, Family Movie exercise.

Tululu Beach before and after the clean-up.

Night, a Back to School Awareness Exhibition, Lion Fish Awareness Exhibition and Sampling.

“LIME is officially a friend of the Marine Environment, and we will do our best to help

the folks at ECMMAN spread awareness about the threats to the marine environment and how we can all play our part in preserving its beauty,” Williams assured.

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14. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

News

CDC holds prizegiving ceremony

by KENVILLE HORNE THE CARNIVAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (CDC) held its long awaited prize-giving ceremony, some three months after the carnival season climaxed.

Mas Bands, steelbands, calypsonians (including soca artistes), Queen Pageant contestants, along with sponsors of Vincy Mas 2015 were rewarded during the ceremony on Thursday 17th. A number of addresses were delivered before the presentation of prizes and trophies.

Minister of Tourism and Sports, Cecil Mc Kie, said that from all indications, Vincy Mas 2015 was a huge success, but lamented what he said was the shortcomings of not emphasizing the Vincy Mas brand.

Carnival, he said, continues to bring in revenues, and highlighted and complimented the contribution of Vincentians in the Diaspora in this regard.

Minister Mc Kie also recognized the silent contributors to the festival, citing the sanitation workers and the police as unsung major players in the success of Vincy Mas. Chairman of the CDC, Dennis Ambrose, said that, despite carnival 2015 being a success, his Corporation will endeavor to improve on many aspects of the festival.

President of the Calypsonians Association,

Mas icon, Louis Boucher (left), in whose tribute Nelson Bloc is named, collects the Band of the Year winner’s trophy on behalf of Nelson Bloc.

Veteran masquerader and costume builder Oxley Lockhart (left), collects the winner’s trophy on behalf of 2015 King of the Bands, David ‘Sky’ Llewellyn, whose winning presentation he built from scratch.

Anne Miller, in asking a question about whether the calypso was dying while the soca genre was advancing, assured that her association is calling for young persons to get involved in calypso, and cautioned that instead of “putting then down,” we should be “building them up.”

Miller also highlighted the importance of producing work that is appealing not only to the local market but also to the international market.

President of the Youlou Pan Movement, Oneka Morgan, in congratulating the winners, acknowledged the Starlift Steel Orchestra for their hat trick in the Junior Community Bands category and for their performance in representing SVG in the International Panorama

IKEBANA is a Japanese floral art form that, interestingly, originated in China around the sixth century.

This design style emphasizes harmony between humans and nature.

IKEBANA designs seek to improve on nature by pruning and bending floral materials. Many IKEBANA designs portray a three way relationship between heaven, humans and earth, where heaven represents the future, humans the present, and earth the origins of life or the past.

IKEBANA is considered a linear design as it represents the straight line of a triangle.

Presented by the SVG Horticultural Society.

competition that was held in Trinidad, earlier in the year.

Chairman of the Mas Bands Association, Hugh Ragguette, declared the 2015 carnival as one of several milestones.

According to him, 2015 marked the 50th year of the Queen of the Bands Inset: Cecil Mc Kie, Minister of Tourism, Sports and competition, 50 years for Culture, highlighted the contribution that Vincy Mas Dragon Mas Band, 30 continues to make to the tourism sector here. years for the Miss Carival pageant, and 30 titles. years since the St. Vincent have been around for a very long time,” said But even as Ragguette Brewery Ltd., a major congratulated the various contributor to Vincy Mas, Ragguette.

He congratulated bands for their milestone, has been in existence. the crowd questioned him “It is important that we Digicel Nelson Bloc for their return to winner’s concerning the car that record these was promised to Semone achievements, and that we row, and noted that they have now tied with Richardson, for winning ensure that our people know that our festival and Dragon Mas Band for the the 2015 Queen of the most Band of the Year Bands title. its various components

FLOW hosts second Back to School Fair

by KENVILLE HORNE HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN and their parents flocked to Victoria Park on Saturday 26th September, to be part of a grand Back to School Fair hosted by Flow.

There was no entrance fee, and as persons entered the venue, they were presented with tickets which gave them access to the various activities free. Among the activities were face-painting, horseback riding, Go-karting, and movie watching.

There were also photo booths, bouncing castles, haircuts and not least, the activities stage side from where the hundreds of patrons were entertained by the likes of pannist Rodney Small and artiste Kiedo, the Sion Hill Euphonium Steel Orchestra, Arabesque Dance Company and the Yin yang Taekwondo Group.

The children also had the chance to meet and greet their favorite cartoon characters.

Marketing and Communications Manager at Flow, Corey Garrett said the event was just one way of giving back to the communities for their support. He explained that the fair was the second one, the first being held in 2014 at the Solidarity Car Park.

Desron Bynoe, Country Manager at Flow, said he was pleased with the turnout by the public. He underscored the primary purpose of the event as one of giving back, “because with any entity, the corporate responsibility is always important.”

Bynoe continued, “We don’t always like to blow our whistle about the things that we do, and that has always been a part of our

Children had an opportunity to meet their favourite cartoon characters.

Right: Time for some facepainting.

In addition to Flow as the primary sponsor of the event, other corporate entities involved First Caribbean International Bank (FCIB), JU-C, Premier Distributors, LIME, JuJubee Bookstore, Bickles, Subway, and LIME. One person perhaps summed up the sentiment of the day by saying, “I was very surprised to see a company giving away so many things for free.”

(L-R): Flow’s Desron Bynoe, Country Manager, and Corey Garrett, Marketing and Communications Manager were pleased with the turnout. value train, but we felt it necessary to give back to the community and to make sure that for those persons who give to FLOW, that we in turn give back,” declared Bynoe.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. 15.

Education

Joelle Campbell for OECS Reading Competition

by GLORIAH NINE-YEAR-OLD Joelle Campbell, of the Spring Village Methodist School, forged past nine other competitors in the Seventh Annual Courts Reading Competition Finals, to be awarded first place and cop the right to represent St. Vincent and the Grenadines at the regional competition, to be held in Dominica early in 2016.

The Competitors Ten primary school students all under the age of nine years and representing schools from across the state, convened at Frenches House on Friday, 25th September, for the finals of the competition.

The finalists were selected from a preliminary exercise, and included, in addition to Campbell: Jaydealeah Chambers of the Barrouallie Government; Shaquan Sam, Langley Park Government; Azarez James, Lauders Primary; Brianna David, Cane End Government; Kristy Ollivierre, Paget Farm Government; Caitlyn Polius, Windsor Primary; Nadira Morgan, Kingstown Preparatory; Janos Lucas, Calliaqua Anglican; and Saskia Truchot of the Sugar Mill Academy.

The competition comprised two rounds of reading; a narrative or story entitled ‘The Proud Red Rose’; and a news item entitled, ‘Books Come into SVG Schools from Hands Across the Sea - McMillan Education’.

Neither passage was seen by the contestants prior to the contest, and each student was given one minute to peruse the passage before reading in each round.

The Competition The narrative passage demanded expressiveness, fluency, accuracy, enunciation, and confidence. Those criteria were also required for the news item, but the news called for heavy accents of accuracy and fluency more than anything else.

After listening to all students read, it was clear that the contest boasted students with great potential. Most were expressive, while others showed excellent vocal variety and pleasantness of voice, and some with a confident determination to triumph.

Notwithstanding, there were several crucial errors which included monotony, mispronunciations, lack of confidence, and problems with fluency, among others.

Pleasing was that the competition brought out the individual differences of each competitor.

In the end, Joelle Campbell was adjudged winner of both the narrative round and the news item round. The overall second place went to the quietly disposed but steadily confident Janos Lucas of the Calliaqua Anglican; while the reader with the golden voice, Saskia Truchot of the Sugar Mill Academy, placed third.

In the pre-recorded ‘Visual Profile of Students’ shown during the activity, Joel Campbell had forecast, “I’m going to win this thing!” And that’s exactly what she did.

Joelle Campbell reading her way to victory in the 2015 Courts Reading Competition.

Addresses Prior to the actual rounds of competition, the gathering heard addresses from Mrs. Aldia Dyer, Senior Education Officer Curriculum, who outlined the Ministry’s perspectives on the activity; and from Mrs. Michelle Samuel, Senior Manager of Courts St. Vincent Ltd, who reaffirmed her company’s

Participants in the 2015 Courts Reading Competition proudly display their Certificates of Participation. commitment to the continuation of the competition.

Also featured was Rheanna Harry, the 2014 competition winner, who, in her Windsor Primary School uniform, recounted her journey to the top position, explaining, in the process, some of the techniques she employed.

She acknowledged the

support she received from her mother, teacher, principal and friends, and jokingly recounted her mother’s elation at her success and how she recorded and shared a video of her performance. “I believe,” as she expressed pride in her mother’s enthusiasm, “that somewhere in Timbuktu, there is a video of me reading!”

Reading champ happy with her victory of her school, and the people of Spring Village for helping and JOELLE CAMPBELL of the encouraging her.

Spring Village Methodist School Campbell was especially will represent this country in thankful to her mother, Jozel the regional Courts Reading Campbell, whom she described Competition, scheduled for as her “coach,” and to her Dominica early in 2016. father, Noel Campbell, “my She won the right so to do biggest fan.” when she captured the top She admitted feeling a little position in the local Courts nervous on the day of the Reading Competition, held at Competition, “but I knew that I Frenches House, Kingstown, didn’t need to be nervous September 25, 2015 because I was going to win it, Speaking with THE and I won” said a confident VINCENTIAN after being Campbell. declared the winner, Campbell She said she intended to use said she was feeling very happy some of her earnings to give as that she had won the tithes and offerings to God, and competition, adding, “I just added, “I might want to do some want to thank God for helping stuff so I might do that, and put me, and I should give most up some for my university and thanks to Him.” college.”

She also expressed thanks to The winner took home $2,000 the principal, staff and students for herself, and her school was

by KENVILLE HORNE

rewarded with a similar amount, both amounts, compliments of Courts.

Additionally, Campbell received a one-year subscription from the Searchlight newspaper, a trophy from Multigraphic Services, books from JuJube Bookstore, six months free broadband internet service from Flow, and a cell phone compliments of LIME. Second placed Janos Lucas of the Calliaqua Anglican received $750 from Courts , one year subscription from Joelle Campbell overcame the Searchlight newspaper; a pre-competition nervousness trophy compliments to capture the 2015 Courts Multigraphic Services, books Reading Competition title. from JuJube bookstore, and six months broadband internet from Courts and other prizes. service from Flow.

All finalists received six Saskia Truchot of the Sugar packs of Vita Malt, courtesy the Mill Academy placed third and St. Vincent Brewery. was rewarded with EC$500

Schools get RBTT backpacks TWO PRIMARY SCHOOLS in St. Vincent were recipients of school bags/backpacks donated

by RBTT bank, through its parent company’s (RBC Royal Bank) community outreach programme.

The recipient schools were the Kingstown Government School and the Lodge Village Primary.

Specialized Services Officer from RBTT bank,

Ava John, explained that the bank continues to play its part to support the development of the youth in St. Vincent.

Apart from the backpacks, the bank, through its ‘Soul to Sole’ programme, has provided school shoes for students in many primary and secondary schools across the state.

Principal of Kingstown Government School, Thedica Commissiong, and

Principal of Kingstown Government School Thedica Commissiong (left) and bank representatives with the proud young students during the presentation.

All smiles as Shirla John, teacher of Lodge Village Primary (center) and the happy students share a photo with representatives of the Bank.

representative teacher, Shirla John, of the Lodge

to the Bank for its kind gesture, and encouraged

Village Primary School expressed their gratitude

the students to take good care of the school bags.

16. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. 17.

News

National Day of Prayer set for Monday Wade Carter, he said.

Chairman of the A twohour period National Day of — 4:00 pm to Prayer Committee, 6:pm — will views the Day as be dedicated one on which to prayers persons would for the recognize the nation, its need for God’s civil, intervention in the religious, nation’s life. business and political leaders. servants and persons in Churches are the private sector to set requested to open their aside some time on the doors from 6am to 6pm day for devotions. on Monday, to allow Cater is hopeful that persons to offer prayers some of the radio stations in quiet. will open their lines so

by KENVILLE HORNE “Most of the that people could call into denominations are pray or be prayed for.

THE CARIBBEAN YOUTH working with us, so we Going forward, the Entrepreneurship Summit, anticipate that most Committee is trusting hosted by Youth Business churches across the that all Vincentians International, was held the country will be opening would recognize the need 23rd and 24th of September their door so that for God. 2015, in Barbados, and persons can come in to “It would be nice, as despite not walking away pray” said Carter. we go forward, that with any of the top awards, Prayers will also be Vincentians recognize this country was said to be well represented. said in schools across that this is something The Summit group young the state, this to be co- that we need. … Some of entrepreneurs, 25 — 35 years, ordinated with the the things that we will be from across the Eastern The SVG delegation to the 2015 Caribbean Ministry of Education praying for will be specific Caribbean, Youth Entrepreneurship Summit (L-R): Kenrick and an Organization and we will be looking madepresentations on their Quashie, Malika Joseph, Petrus Gumbs and Dr. called Child forward in the next few work, and the effect they are Reynold Murray.

Evangelism Fellowship. weeks and months ahead having on their respective The National Day of to see how God answers for two awards: the countries.

Prayer Committee is those prayers,” said Social/Environmental Entrepreneur Two delegates were selected to also appealing to public Carter.

Award for , entrepreneurs whose represent St. Vincent and the Grenadines: Malika Joseph and Petrus businesses are helping to solve social problems or effecting social change; and Gumbs. Each was nominated for the Technology Entrepreneur Award for individual awards.

Malika Joseph is the founder of Push businesses that have demonstrated success at implementing or promoting Fitness, and Petrus Gumbs, a technology. programme that guides persons into While none of the delegates were keeping themselves in shape using spin successful in winning any of the awards, cycles.

Gumbs said they were happy for the Joseph was nominated for the Start Up Entrepreneur award, an award that experience, and that they were able to goes to the entrepreneurs who have been represent SVG well.

The delegates were accompanied by involved with their project for less than Kenrick Quashie and Dr. Reynold a year, but is already demonstrating Murray, Chairman and Director great business acumen. respectively of Youth Business St. Petrus Gumbs founded and directs Vincent, the local affiliate of Youth STEM SVG (more commonly known as Business International. the STEM programme), a summer Representation at the Summit also programme that targets youth ages 7 came from Barbados, Dominica, Trinidad and over, and is designed to guide and Tobago and St. Lucia. youngsters into creating new and In attendance were a number of interesting things with their pre-existing Government ministers from the region knowledge of Apps, video games, etc. and representatives from various Trusts The STEM programme was nominated and funding agencies. has been held annually for the past nine years ANOTHER NATIONAL DAY of and explained that it is a Prayer is set for Monday day set aside to call on all 5th October at Heritage Vincentians to pray for Square. the nation.

It is being co-ordinated “It is to help us to by the National Day of recognize our need for Prayer Committee headed God and to actively

by Wade Carter. depend upon Him as a Carter said the nation, as we commit National Day of Prayer ourselves to the nation,”

by KENVILLE HORNE

said Carter.

The prayer rally, as Cater described it, will be held from 3pm to 6 pm.

The first hour will be dedicated to the nation’s youth, “So we are encouraging children to come around for that time. We are hoping to have representative from most of the schools,”

SVG represented at Entrepreneurship Summit

Vinlec saddened by death ST. VINCENT ELECTRICITY Services Limited (VINLEC) is expressing sadness on the passing of Mr. Julius Nanton of Calder.

Mr. Nanton died on Wednesday (September 30th, 2015) following an incident at Cane Hall where he was engaged in tree-trimming activities.

At the time of the incident, Nanton was employed with a tree-trimming contractor, who conducts work on behalf of VINLEC. VINLEC’s Senior Advisory Safety Committee convened a meeting on Wednesday afternoon and initiated an internal inquiry into the matter.

The Company will work closely with the relevant authorities involved in the investigations of this incident.

The Management and Staff of VINLEC extend sincerest condolences to the family of Mr. Nanton during this time of bereavement.

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18. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

News

‘Soca mafia thing going on’, says one artiste entertainment industry as ‘Stoppalus’, found himself in conflict with JUNO JOHNSON is the son some DJs. of Lennox ‘Dinks’ Johnson.

This year, Johnson, a So like father, Juno Concrete Plant Operator continues the musical attached to the Argyle journey.

International Airport But Juno is his own project, recorded a man. Last year he did a number dubbed ‘Animal song called ‘Soca Gals.’

Farm.’ It was done at That number hardly saw Megawattz, owned by the light of day. And Dougal ‘Fresh’ Allen.

Johnson, who is also This a dancehall genre, known in the Johnson outlined.

He did a video production of the song to help with promotion.

Johnson is not satisfied with the way some DJ\s are playing local music and indeed his songs.

Johnson contends that DJs have the platform to launch singers’ careers by playing their songs.

“They can refuse to let the public hear your music,” Johnson indicated.

He highlighted the power of radio by stating, “You alone can’t get to Juno ‘‘Stoppalus’ 40,000 people at the Johnson wants people same time.” in the music business He outlined that DJs here to be more do not care whether your patriotic.” song is a good song.

by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY

“They will wait for someone else to make it popular.” Johnson rapped the DJ’s for opting for a “response when they play a popular song.”

In his view, singers are being “exploited.” He added that “most are underpaid or not paid at all.” Johnson stressed the importance of the

artistes in the cultural landscape, and that “it costs a lot of money to produce a song.”

But he is not daunted by the expenses. “I decide if I invest my money in my talent, I am not wasting money,” he affirmed.

Johnson echoed his sentiment about the extent of foreign music

as opposed to local creativity. He pondered why there is the perception that local music is sub-standard.

He thinks that “people in the music business here should be more patriotic.”

There ought to be public engagement on this issue, according to

him.

One with a love for travelling, cooking and reading, Johnson has a concept that: “a popular song is not always a good song; a good song is not always a popular song, but it should be a popular trend for a good song to be a popular song.”

Ragga/Soca artistes get US$ offer RAGGA AND SOCA artistes here have an opportunity to win some United States dollars.

The attraction of cash prizes in United States currency comes as awards in what was originally dubbed an Xtreme Vincy Soca Blow Out, scheduled for October 24, as part of the week-long, heritage-related activities, which commence on October 20 with the Annual Heritage Parade, and features the Heritage Village at Heritage Square, that showcases local crafts, food and clothing.

Entrants for the Heritage Week related Raga and Soca competitions have until October 13 to submit their songs, new or old, on CD or MP3, to the St. Vincent Co-operative Bank, one of

the major benefactors of the National Heritage Committee.

Ten artistes will be selected for the finals and an opportunity to grab a winner’s purse of US$1000 in each of the two categories, or second prizes of US$500 each and US$250.00 each for second and third positions respectively.

The rules of the competition demand that those selected attend at least two practice sessions with the band Kinetics. The use of accompanying dancers and props will not be allowed.

A People’s Choice forms part of the competition, the winner being the contestant who attracts the most votes in a process coordinated through the

communications company Digicel.

The People’s Choice takes home a Digicel Handset.

Ezzy Roberts and Jemron Delpesche of the National Heritage Organisation outlined arrangements for the event at the Ministry of Culture’s Conference Room last Tuesday.

This is the first time that such a Competition forms part of what is now annual heritage-related celebrations.

All the activities, beginning with the October 20 parade and including the Ragga and Soca competitions, form part of the build-up to the now heralded Miss Heritage Pageant, scheduled for Victoria Park October 31, 2015.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. 19.

News

Special Olympics Fun Day: More to be done Not even a high pass in rugby proved too much for the challenged ones.

also have wept quietly over the disappointing Had Eunice Kennedy turnout of the persons Shriver, founder of Special the Fun Day had Olympics, been alive and targeted. at the Calliaqua Playing When questioned Field last Saturday, 26th about this situation, September, she would Director of Special have found every reason to Olympics SVG, Mrs. be justly proud of the Janice McMaster tenacity and enthusiasm O’Loughlin, told THE of Special Olympics St. VINCENTIAN that, Vincent and the “First of all, I’m happy Grenadines, for their that students from the determination and various schools and the enthusiasm in working athletes came commemorating her out today. One real special day. disappointment is that Special Olympics SVG we expected more of the had organized a Fun public to come out and Day, centred around the interact with our persons universal theme of with disabilities, because ‘Acceptance, Inclusion this Day is about and Unity’ with the acceptance and inclusion. tagline this year of ‘Let’s This shows that we have Change the Game’, to do a lot more intended to have persons awareness activities to without intellectual get persons to disabilities get an understand disabilities understanding and and how their appreciate persons with interactions could make disabilities. a difference.”

And while Ms. Mr. Woodrow ‘Keylee’ Kennedy Shriver would Williams, volunteer with have applauded the work Special Olympics SVG of the volunteers, who from its inception, said, made sure the activities “My biggest concern is of the Day were well that after thirty-four coordinated and years of Special Olympics executed, she would in SVG, people have not have been extremely come to accept that these elated that the persons have a right to volunteers provided an be here and to be opportunity of maximum involved.” He spoke with enjoyment for the reference to the intellectually and UNESCO Charter on physically challenged Physical Education and athletes. But, she may Sport which claims that all individuals have a right to practise physical education and sport regardless to ability, age, sex, religion, and political views.

‘Keylee’ further lamented that the stigma associated with Special Olympics is still strong.

“There are still a lot of people who Commissioner of Police Michael believe if you Charles was on had to share his associate with soccer skills.

by GLORIAH…

them, you become like them. That is not true.

There could only be a relationship of mutual benefit,” he asserted.

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20. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

Advice

Women, oh women!

York. It was on FB that I saw wedding pictures of I WILL NEVER bring myself her.

To be honest with you, to trust women again as long as I live! I have been I did not see this dating this girl for 3 years. coming. I treated this From the onset, I told her woman the best way I know how. We hardly that I am in the had any arguments, and relationship for the long she lacked nothing. haul; that I was very The day before she serious about her. Twice I left, we made passionate brought up the subject of love that morning, and marriage, but each time she said she was not quite she reaffirmed her love and commitment to me. ready. Being the perfect gentleman that I am, I did There were tears in her eyes as she spoke to me, not press the issue.

George! My head is in a She left SVG at the end of August for a short tail spin right now and I do not even know what vacation in Barbados, from where she sent me to do or where to turn. I am like a fish completely post cards of the places visited, and let me know out of water. Women! how much she was Lost Love missing me. George, all the time while I was receiving the post cards, Dear Lost Love, this woman was in New It is unfair to blame York getting married. this unexplained She put a friend of hers up to the mischief of behaviour of your girlfriend on (all) women. sending me post cards Of course, your girlfriend that she had pre-signed could have found a before moving to New

Dear George

more civilized way to end the relationship.

Whatever her reason was for leaving, it will not do you much good to try to figure it now at this stage. What you do know is that she has moved on with her

life, and you should too.

You may need to get some supportive counseling to help you sort your feelings out, so that you can begin to heal from this unexpected emotional trauma. The reality is

-Dear George,

Soon we started having problems in our sex life because she insists on assuming her favourite sexual position, which is to be on top of me. George, with my girlfriend at over 200lbs, I cannot bear to be under her in bed! She doesn’t remember, it seems, that she is not the same weight as when we first met.

The weight subject remains very touchy and it is becoming a burden in our relationship. I think we need help.

How can I get her to understand that?

that there are some get over blaming women people who are just for the immaturity of awful at ending your girlfriend. relationships.

Whatever you do from George this point on, you have to

A weighty problem MY GIRLFRIEND was 170lbs when I met her.

In the 3 years we have been together, she has put on weight and now weighs well over 200lbs.

I talk to her about her weight in a way that would not put her down, but she thinks I am putting her down. I told her that in the interest of her health, she should be careful not to put on too much weight, and assured her that I wanted her to be around for a long time with me.

number of reasons, including medical ones.

She too may be at a loss Dear Unhappy M., as to the reason for her continual weight gain.

Sometimes in Maybe if you engage attempting to deal with subjects that are close to the services of a dietician home, we can transmit a to work with both of you tone that is interpreted as a couple, (to improve as offensive and your eating habits and hurtful by the other recommend exercise), party. At the end of the your girlfriend may not day, although good was feel so targeted. I do not intended, there was the know what lifestyles you opposite outcome.

Your girlfriend can see both lead, but this may be a good time to reyour well-intended examine that and move remarks as a personal on from there - together. attack on her person.

Her steady weight gain George can be as a result of a

Unhappy M.

A sex animal throwing me on the bed many times and ripping my clothes off. Many MY HUSBAND is an nights I would cry myself animal and he does not care when I call him that to sleep, and I don’t like it. because that is exactly I would like for my what he is. He comes husband to stop this home after work and demands sex from me. I attack on me, and start treating me as his wife would be fixing dinner, but that does not matter and not like a piece of meat. to him. I could be not feeling well physically, Crying Wife but he totally ignores that, and hauls me off to Dear Crying wife, the bedroom.

Most of the times Having sexual when we have sex intercourse with that’s what we haveSEX. He would force me someone against his/her to do so. I can recall him will is legally defined as

Dear George,

rape, and your husband needs to understand this.

It does not appear as though he is one who would listen to you articulate your feelings regarding the treatment meted out to you, so you might need to take a different approach in order to get his attention.

I recommend that you both go see a marriage counsellor to work through the issues that are on the table. Let him know that you are not happy with that monstrous side of him, and you are not prepared to continue living with his savage behaviour. Suggest to him the type of changes you are expecting him to make if he is expecting not only to remain married, but to be happy throughout.

George REPAIRS Washing Machine, Microwave repairs.

Home Service.

455-5018

Leisure

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Travel will be on your mind; however, be careful and proceed with caution as minor accidents will cause delays. Your competitive nature will enable you to win any contest you enter. Don't let your emotions get out of hand. Don't make large purchases or investments.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) Real estate investments will be profit able. Don't be shy to promote your own interests. You may be frazzled this week. Your fight for those less fortunate is not likely to end in sweet victory.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) You can make rewarding connections through the organized groups you associate with. Your ability to work with detail could help you achieve your goals. Hold your temper and refrain from doing anything that might cause injury. Your family may be feeling neglected and unloved.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) You can make a difference if you offer your help at functions that involve children. You may find that your emotional partner will not be too eager to accommodate you. The locks, stove, gas, or electric wires may not be secure. You can ask for favors but don't take them for granted.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) You can make new connections through friends or relatives. Check into art objects or precious stones. You can do well in group endeavors. Travel opportunities look positive, but be cautious while driving. Your ability to visualize will help you convince others of the possibilities.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Your high energy must be directed into productive goals, or frustrations will occur. Don't let others saddle you with guilt that isn't warranted. It is time to clear your decks. Invest wisely. Your personal life could have you tied up in knots.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) Be aware that joint financial ventures could fall apart. Romance can develop; however, it will most probably be shortlived. Be sure to find out all you can before you commit to anything. Don't let your mate bully you into thinking that you owe them your time and your life.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) You will be in the mood to socialize. You need an energetic outlet that will help you dissipate your anxiety. Travel opportunities look positive, but be cautious while driving. You can offer your help to others but back off if they appear to be offended by your persistence.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Get involved in a competitive sport that will bring the challenges you thrive on.

Make the necessary changes that will enable you to advance financially. Try not to take others for granted. Tempers could get out of hand this week. Be careful of the groups you join or the people you associate with.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) This is not the best day to visit relatives who get on your nerves. Loss is evident if you don't consider all the angles.

Consider selling your homemade crafts at the flea market. You could have a need to make some changes this week.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19) Do not get upset over trivial matters.

Relationships will be erratic this week.

You are best not to retaliate if members of your household are trying to pick a fight. You should put your efforts into creative projects.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Check your project over carefully if you were not the only one contributing to the end result. Think twice before you agree to take on any new projects. You'll have great insight. Direct your energy into physical entertainment.

ACROSS

name 56. Sound of 1.”Surfin’ __” disgust 4. Tramp 57. Light brown 8. Car efficiency 58. Cowboys’s stat topper 11. Bando or 59. “__ the seaMaglie son…”

12. King’s domain 60. On a voyage 13. “__ a Rock” 61. Ocean vessel (2 wds.) inits.

14. Actress Mendes DOWN 15. Like a séance 16. Apple 1.Manipulator computer 2. Squirrel away 17. Govern 3. Jai __ 19. Express scorn 4. Laughing 21. Greek letter sound 23. 9-digit item 5. Rowing tool (abbr.)

6. Utter 24. Kind of happiness checkers 7. Black cats, for 28. __ monster example 32. Midsection 8. Silent actor muscles 9. Former host 33. “Home on the Jack __” 10. Truck36. Bandleader maker’s Brown inits.

37. Broadway flop 12. Avis 39. Hangs from a customer string 18. Four-star 41. Inquire officer 44. __ Miguel (abbr.)

45. Bit of sand 20. Liverpool’s 47. Cannon locale sounds (abbr.)

51. U.S. spy org. 22. Cute __ 52. Military award button 55. Honest nick(2 wds.)

24. Bandleader Calloway 25. “Entourage” channel (abbr.)

26. Suffix for a doctrine 27. Break off 29. In need of chicken soup 30. Director Spike 31. Brayer on the farm 34. Service station offering 35. Empower 38. Meadow sound 40. Muck 42. “The Lion

King” lion 43. Knobby joints 45. 1958 Leslie Caron film 46. Football cheers 48. Hawaiian island

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. 21.

49. Advanced degs.

50. Hollywood backdrops 51. __ -and-dried 53. Gambling cube 54. Turkish title

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22. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

Court

Intruder takes nap on couch she met the intruder on the couch sleeping.

WHILE SOME persons enter the homes Bailey called the police at the of others as trespassers, to steal or to Questelles Station. The lawmen commit more serious crimes, Dwayne responded and met Moses there.

Moses told the court on Monday his When Chief Magistrate Rechanne entry was to sleep.

Browne-Matthias inquired of Moses Moses, 21, of Rillan Hill, gave the what he had to say, he explained that explanation when he appeared at the the house door was open and he went Serious Offences Court, and pleaded inside to sleep. guilty to entering the Rillan Hill home When Senior Prosecutor Adolphus of 85-year-old retired nurse Mary Delpleche inquired of his place of Bailey, with intent, on September 20. abode, Moses said his house was The facts revealed that Bailey, who located below the one in which he was lives alone, was awakened around 6 found sleeping. am by the sound of her television.

Moses was sentenced to eight When she went to the sitting room, months in prison.

by HAYDN HUGGINS

Youth jailed for stealing student’s phone An 18-year-old male was sentenced to one month in prison this week, for stealing a cellular phone from a female student of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College.

Iron Stapleton of Petit Bordel was charged with stealing a white Lenorva A850 cellular phone, valued at EC$300, a pink rubber phone case valued at EC$15 and a LIME Sim card valued at EC$10 from Zoe Riviere, a 17-year-old second year student of the Community College.

Stapleton pleaded guilty when he

appeared before Chief Magistrate Rechanne Matthias at the Serious Offences Court on Monday.

The facts revealed that around 10:28 a.m. on September 22, the student was using the route behind the old Ministerial building, Kingstown, when Stapleton, walking in the opposite direction, pulled away the phone from her and ran.

She reported the matter to the police and Stapleton was apprehended on September 26. (HH)

Arbitrators form new chapter in SVG THE FIVE CURRENT members of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (“CIArb”) who reside in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, have formed a new Chapter in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, under the Caribbean Branch of the CIArb. The new Chapter aims to promote the use of arbitration and mediation as an alternative way of resolving disputes. Going to Court can be a slow and expensive arbitration and mediation offers a faster and cheaper alternative.

The role and function of the SVG Chapter will be: to arrange, promote and conduct both social and technical activities, training courses and assessments on behalf of the CIArb Caribbean Branch; promote the use of arbitration and other forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution throughout

St. Vincent and the Grenadines; and to provide those members within the Chapter’s geographical area, additional localized networking and socializing opportunities.

An inaugural training course, entitled the ‘Introduction to International Arbitration’, was held at Grenadine House in Kingstown, St. Vincent on 3rd November 2014. The course was attended by 23 candidates.

The chairman of the new Chapter, Mr. Stuart Kennedy, a practising Chartered Arbitrator, Mediator and part-time Judge, said, “The formation of the new Chapter is a landmark in the development of alternative dispute resolution, known as ADR, in SVG. It is well known that taking a case to Court can be a very expensive business and

many people simply cannot afford it. ADR offers a confidential and simplified process of resolving disputes. It can be used by individuals and companies to satisfactorily resolve all types of commercial disputes.”

The other members of the Executive Committee of the New Chapter are: Deputy Chairman - Miss Rene M. Baptiste ACIArb; Secretary - Mr. Mikhail Charles, ACIArb; Treasurer is Miss Joan Millington; Public Relations Officer Mr. L.A. Douglas Williams ACIArb; Committee Member — Mrs. Euchrista St. Hilaire Bruce-Lyle.

The SVG Chapter intends to run further training courses, and anyone interested in learning more should contact Stuart Kennedy at legal@svgbarrister.com.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. 23.

SVGFF fills fitness void with ÂMERCYÊ

by E. GLENFORD PRESCOTT Players doing fitness workout.

Rugby has a softer side MIKE JACKSON, the international coach who recently began a six-month with the St Vincent and the Grenadines Rugby Union , wants, apart from imparting the technical skills of the sport, to emphasise the softer side of the sport.

“While there is a battle on the field, there is the softer side of the sport ...

Despite the sometimes brutal plays, the players at Rugby coach – the end of the match shake Mike Jackson hands and have a drink...

That is one of the aspects I want to make clear, as many people go away with the belief that Rugby players are downright enemies,” Jackson said.

Jackson, a British citizen, related several incidents which give credence to his claim.

He referred to one South African Rugby player who was also a gang member, recalling that that player was shot during one of his gang dealings, and when hospitalised, only his fellow Rugby players came to his aid.

Assessing his stint here thus far, Jackson is pleased with his engagements with the players.

“They have been playing some good Rugby so far... They are of a reasonable standard ... I am here to impose a bit of structure and give them a bit a direction to get them up to the next level...

The guys are eating up the coaching, and that is good from a coach’s point of view,” Jackson stated.

He highlighted the players’ ability to keep the ball as their major strength.

“They can improvise, they can create something from nothing, but what they have to work on is building a play from scratch, step by step... I can build on that athleticism ... Here the forwards are quite lean,” Jackson observed.

Jackson is no stranger to island life. He grew up in Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

He admits to feeling welcomed by the Vincentian public with whom he has come into contact since his arrival, just under a month ago.

Jackson is currently preparing the senior men’s team for a Sevens tournament in Tobago in December, and the NACRA 15’s in January next year.

CONCERNED ABOUT the fitness level of members of the senior man’s national football team, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF) has moved speedily to address that problem.

The federation has accepted an offer from top track and field coach, Michael ‘Mercy’ Ollivierre, to work with the team.

The team is currently now working under Ollivierre’s guidance three days a week.

Ollivierre said that, after looking at the team in some matches, he concluded that, while the players had good skill level, they were well short of the expected level of fitness for players performing at the international level.

“The guys were walking and standing at critical points in the match. This allowed the other team to take the initiative, and it created problems for the team,” Ollivierre pointed out.

He disclosed that it was based on this assessment that he approached the SVGFF, offering his service to the team, for two weeks initially, and after that to further analyse the situation with an eye on a future relationship.

According to Ollivierre, after the first few days with the team, it was clear to him that most of the players were some way below where they were supposed to be, and required a bit of work.

Coach Cornelius Huggins admitted that the players definitely were some way short of the level, and that this has resulted in them conceding goals late in matches.

“We need to be fit, and it was a problem in Aruba because we were slow to the ball…yes some of the players were playing on such a surface for the first time, but others had done so before, so that was no excuse….if you are tired, you will lose concentration, and this can cost you a game,” Huggins said.

(Foreground from left): Azhino Solomon and Shandel Samuel take a break.

In 1979, the St. Vincent a d the Grenadines football team, under the guidance of fitness trainer Reginald ‘Ounce ah Beef’ Boyd, was worked into one of the fittest units across the Caribbean. That Vincentian squad went on to defeat the likes of Trinidad, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Suriname, on their way to second position in the Caribbean Football Union Cup. One of the players who was part of that era was goalkeeper, Paul O’Garro who was among those to point out the low fitness level of the

current squad.

O’Garro after viewing the team in the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers pointed out that the team needed to do some running and gym work as he was unimpressed with their work rate. He said it was strange that for players who are playing so much football, they are struggling with fitness.

And as far as the team’s response to Ollivierre is concerned, he said, “They are calling me “coach wicked,” but they are enjoying it ….I can’t fault them for commitment....they are fully into it.”

Missing ball plagues TBPO cricket LAST WEEKEND threw up quite a stir in the National Lotteries Authority TBPO 20/20 Softball cricket competition, when the match between Sea Operation Nar Fren Dem and Godson Cain Highlanders ended prematurely.

Highlanders were routed for 38 in 14 overs but then failed to produce the ball for the game, so as to allow Nar Fren Dem to take to the crease. Nar Fren Dem were awarded victory.

The two other weekend matches, however, were played to completion.

In one of those matches, Carriere Blazers won by 4 wickets over Sunset Strikers.

Sunset Strikers struggled and were all out in 19.3 overs for a less than challenging 97.

Carriere Blazers Xavier Edwards, took 3 for 26.

In reply, Carriere Blazers raced to 99 for 6 in 12 overs, with Frankie Farrell top scoring with 45. Bowling for Sunset

Strikers, Rodney Gibson took 3 for 39.

In the other completed match, Simple Boys beat Dr. Thomas Injectors, after being given an adjusted victory target to get in 15 overs.

Injectors batted first and made 129 for 6 in their 20 overs. Wendell Carrington, 46, and Errol Nanton, 37 , were the primary contributors to that total. Glenroy John took 3 for 14 while Kevin Mc Kie captured 2 for 37.

Simple Boys almost

faltered on the way to victory, eventually reaching their victory target of 104 for 7 in 15 overs. Rafique Sayers made 42 and Eversley Payne 32. Bowling for Injectors, Wendell Carrington finished a good allround performance, taking 3 for 12.

Matches continue in that competition this weekend, at the Daphne Playing Field.

I.B.A.ALLEN

V

24. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

Dominica regains OECS Domino pairs’ title St Vincent and the Grenadines, represented

by Joel Pompey and Alex Davis, failed to retain the White Oak OECS Domino pairs’ title, when the subregional finals took place last Saturday, at the Octagon Bar and Restaurant at Diamond.

Instead, it was the Dominican duo of brothers Anselm and Lennard St Bernard, who claimed the title and a US $3000 winner’s purse.

In a keenly contested final, Dominica, St Maarten and St Vincent and the Grenadines all won four of their five matches.

Dominica defeated St Maarten, while St Vincent and the Grenadines stayed unbeaten by edging out Dominica.

But in the final round of matches, and with the

Vincentians only having to overcome the St Maarten combination of Louis St Claire and Rueben Prince, they faltered.

It was then left to the application of the rules governing a tie, with the first basis for determination being the number of wins.

On that basis, Dominica prevailed having won 65 matches.

Second place want to St Maarten with 63 points, followed by dethroned champions, St Vincent and the Grenadines, on 60.

The St Bernard brothers had previously won the title on home soil in 2012, with Dominica making it two in a row, when another set of brothers, — Roger and Kirth Abraham, champed in the final in Grenada.

Host St Vincent and the Grenadines and new champions- Dominica at the table in their nervy face off.

Lewis and Pompey took the title for St Vincent and the Grenadines last year in St Kitts.

The other competing territories were: St Kitts and Nevis, represented

by Steve Flemming and Carl Francis; Antigua

and Barbuda by Michael Freeland and the lone female Amy Lake; and Grenada, by Kerry Mc Queen and Andre Allard.

The competition was played on the best of three matches on a round robin format.

Winning combination: Anselm St Bernard (left) and his brother- Lennard St Bernard (right), with White Oak’s local representative – Lynton Greaves of LOG Enterprise.

Swimmers taste victory in Grenada Three Black Sands Swim Squad swimmers represented their club and country well over the weekend, September 25th to 27th, at the Grenfin Invitational Swim Meet in Grenada.

The swimming trio - Paige Cadogan and Shné and Alex Joachim, lit up the Grenadian waters with some outstanding record breaking swims.

Shné Joachim led the way by winning gold medals in all eleven of her events, and in the process smashed a total of five meet records, some of which have stood for over ten Shné Joachim left the Grenada Meet years. With such an outstanding with an outstanding haul of eleven performance, Shné was crowned the gold medals. over-all champion for her age group Paige Cadogan (age 13-14). improved on her Her younger brother, Alex, swimming in the first year in the age personal best times.

11 to 12 category, swam to similar success, winning four gold and seven silver medals, and broke the 500 Yard record. Alex managed to claim a deserving second overall position in boys’ 11-12 age group.

Paige Cadogan, recently one of SVG’s most successful CPEA candidates, placed with the top six in all her events and swam some well-deserved personal best times. She also met the Alex Joachim did himself and his club qualification standards to represent SVG at the upcoming proud with four gold medals.

OECS Swimming Championships in November, in Antigua.

Black Sands Coach, Kyle Dougan, in congratulating all three swimmers on their outstanding performances in Grenada, said he is now looking forward to helping the swimmers prepare for the upcoming OECS swimming championships.

SVG players get WICB coaching help But while here, Drakes also took time out to work with Ray COACH of the senior St. Jordan, Shaquille Browne and Keswick Vincent and the Williams.

Grenadines Cricket Jordan has been going team, Deighton Butler, says he is satisfied with through remedial work a recent three-day trip to as recommended by the governing body upon the this country by West Indies Academy Bowling completion of the ICC U19 World Cup. He was Coach, Vasbert Drakes. sent to Australia where The former West an assessment was done Indies medium pacer on his action and the had travelled to SVG results sent to the with West Indies WICB. He was Academy Director, subsequently put under Graeme West, to assess the supervision of the SVG players Obed McCoy and Gidron Pope, Butler, but his progress has been hampered, first who are short listed for by a shoulder injury and the West Indies Underlater a side strain, 19 team. according to cricket Obed McCoy impressed officials.

Vasbert Drakes with his Butler said that action and run up. despite this, Jordan has

by E. GLENFORD PRESCOTT

made good progress, with Drakes confirming this at the net sessions.

“He was happy with what he was seeing, but there were just a few tiny areas that still needed to be worked on, and I don’t think that these are going to take a long time to iron out,” said Butler, a former West Indies left-arm seamer.

Butler also disclosed that Drakes was impressed with leftarmer McCoy, and suggested that he needed to do a bit more on the “delivery stride” to get an “extra yard.”

Drakes was pleased with McCoy’s action and run up were good.

McCoy, the Team Rivals fast bowler, has

impressed all who have seen him, and is being ticked as ‘one for the future’.

He is expected to do sessions in the nets at the Buccament Resort, under the supervision of local coach, Cleton Burnett, Butler said.

Butler reported that West did extended work with Pope - helping the batsman work on some areas of weakness, including concentration, technique and shot selection. He said that Pope also had some attention paid to his off spin bowling by Drakes.

Pope and McCoy are expected to travel to Jamaica in December for another WICB U19 Camp.

Vasbert Drakes is the bowling coach attached to the West Indies Academy.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. 25.

Sports

Cricket: implications and discussions IF I WERE THE JOURNALIST interviewing Phil Simmons after the West Indies Camp, I would have advised him to think carefully about what he was saying. And knowing the implications of his comments, the delicacy of the situation and the sensitivity of the matter, I would have encouraged him not to mention anything about the team before it was officially announced.

It is not every story one has to rush to get into circulation. Sometimes, journalists have to adopt the role of counsellor and provide those they are interviewing the benefit of their experience.

Simmons ought to have been reminded of his role without it having to be played out in the public. The West Indies coach has his right to say things as he sees. In ideal conditions, there should be no fear of repercussions.

People have to be conscious of their environment, and tailor their actions to fit into the existing circumstances.

So a swift course of events erupted and continues to run in almost unbridled fashion. The impact has been alarming and will have consequences. Whether Simmons is retained remains a matter of speculation.

The West Indies Cricket Board has come in for criticism from numerous circles for their handling of this recent bravado.

The WICB is no stranger to controversy. The brand which they have evolved into has found itself at the centre of another storm that makes it look like it is in a permanent state climate change impact.

The WICB will have to shake off the distractions if they are to focus on the duties at hand in Sri Lanka.

Like the calypsonian Observer said in one of his compositions: I am “sorry” for the WICB. Every time they reach to some sign of stability, an incident occurs which disturbs the equilibrium.

Consequently, our cricket meanders through murky waters filled with obstacles.

Given the situation that all is not well with regional cricket, and that we seem adept at aggravating the dismal trend, hopes for a change in fortunes are distant and gloomy prospects.

The fall out of the abandoned tour are still being assessed. There have been breeches of agreements in the course of the healing process. But the WICB has shown that they are under no obligation to comply with terms they have arrived at.

It must have been a bitter pill for the WICB to have swallowed to condescend to the Indian Rebels.

The WICB should have made its position plain on the Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard issue, so that the region knew what their position was.

Regardless of who was at fault, the abandonment of the Indian tour should have been a signal for the WICB to change their direction.

That should have meant, nurturing a new crop of players who would have taken as a matter of pride, their responsibility to achieve success while ensuring that their industrial rights are guaranteed.

Players should realise that no matter how incompetent the WICB might be, they are in control of a franchise, and those who represent them must come under some direction.

It is a pity that the WICB is not accountable to anyone. In the absence of a coherent regional political entity, the WICB can do what it wants.

Regional leaders can curse and make statements, they have to rely on the WICB to schedule events in their territories in order to prop up their fledgling economies.

Unlike the governments who ensure that infrastructure and other measures are in place, the WICB can sit back and schedule matches, knowing that the authorities will be obligated to have things in place to enhance their prestige.

Until we reach to a point of making the WICB accountable, we will continue to experience tide surges time and time again.

We are in the throes of political integration. The West Indies Cricket team is the most potent symbol thus far.

Unless we find ways of deepening the integration policy, the CARICOM thrust is likely to remain in the doldrums.

Four half centuries for Masters THE NATIONAL MASTERS 20/20 Cricket Competition continued on the weekend with improved team and individual scoring, with four half centuries being registered.

Among the runs were former national player Dawnley Joseph and Leon Samuel, who struck 67 and 55 respectively in Stanley Browne’s Stubbs Masters’ total of 154 for 4 against Cato’s Heavy Equipment Glamorgan Masters.

That score proved too much for Glamorgan who imploded for 88 in their 20 overs.

Another weekend half century was recorded by Tommy King.

His 65 accounted for more than half of Belfongo Masters’ total of 155 for 5 in 20 overs, against Rudy’s Electrical Barrouallie Masters.

Barrouallie Masters replied with 118 for 7 off 19.5 overs.

Augustine Bentick bagged 3 for 12 for Barrouallie Masters and Samuel Holder captured 4 for 28 in Belfongo’s losing cause.

A fourth half century was

Leon Samuel hit 55.

registered by Isaac Haywood.

He hit an even 50 not out in a total of 176 for 2 off 20 overs, for St. Vincent Cooperative Bank P’tani Masters against Bequia Cricket Association Masters.

Good scores also came from Jerome Samuel, 39, Cassius Welcome, 33, and Alfred McKenzie, 28 not out. Bequia lacked fighting spirit, and eventually closed on 98 off 19.3 overs, under the weight of Pat Williams, 4 for 24, Ray Richards 2 for 10 and Cassius Welcome 2 for 12..

RSVG Police Masters defeated RYB Challengers Masters by 64 runs.

RSVG Police Masters scored 142 for 8 off 20 overs and RYB Challengers Masters replied with 98 for 8 off 20 overs. .Good scoers came from Gosnel Cupid — 33 for RSVGPF, and Uzzah Pope - 38 for Challengers.

Sion Hill Masters mauled Pastures Masters by 9 wickets.

Pastures Masters made 73 for 9

Dawnley Joseph stroked 67 with consummate ease.

off 20 overs, Titmus Trimingham getting 21, and Sion Hill cruised to 81 for 1 in 10.3 overs, Joseph Carrington being their lead run getter with 37. Andrew Bramble took 2 for 5, and Joseph Medford 2 for 7to undo Pastures.

The Park Hill United Masters Kirk Da Silva’s La Croix matchup provided a close finish, with the former romping home by a thin 2-wicket margin. La Croix Masters made 123 for 7 off 20 overs, Ricky King hitting 26.

Park Hill United Masters made 124 for 8 off 19.2 overs. Elton Matthias hit 19 and Reynold Adams 17 not out. La Croix’s Benedict, Phillips turned in the weekend best bowling performance, taking 5 for 15 Another round of matches is scheduled fir this weekend.

I.B.A.ALLEN

North Leeward T/20 into quarterfinals

by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY THE QUARTER finalists in the VINLEC North Leeward T/20 Cricket Championship will be decided tomorrow, October 3.

Thirteen teams in two Zones began the competition August 1, 2015.

So far, two teams from Zone One have been eliminated, and the four quarter finalists from that group are Circumstance, North Stars, Future Legends and Peto Stars.

The order will be known after tomorrow’s clash between Circumstance and Rose Bank.

In the other zone, three teams, Police, Starlight, and Sharpes, booked quarter final places. The other spot will be filled by either Rudy’s Electrical or Coulls Hill Rangers.

Knock out action begins Sunday, October 4 and continues Saturday October 10. Semi-finals will be October 11 and the final October 18.

Last weekend’s highlight was the season’s second century. Police opening left- hander, McLean Williams, hit an exact 100 to see his team to 267 for 6 against Somerset. Selrick Caine 27, Kenroy Williams 23, and Donson Andrews 22, also contributed.

Somerset were dismissed for 101 in 13.4 overs.

Sylvan Spencer 3 for 23, Romano Bibby 2 for 10, and Kenneth Dember 2 for 11 combined to rout the Somerset batting.

Somerset were taken to some sense of respect by two youngsters, Desroy Hooper, 14 ,and Gideon Richards, 06, who put on 29 for the eighth wicket.

It was a dismal weekend for Somerset. They were beaten by Sharpes United on Saturday. Sharpes scored 176 for 6 from 19 overs, led by Husani Porter 40 and Marquis Alexander 33. Orlando Charles 4 for 47 was the pick of the Somerset bowling.

David Porter, 33, and Nelson Williams, 22, were Somerset’s leading contributors with the bat, but they fell for 107 from 13.3 overs. Desroy Samuel 3 for 12, Christopher Howe 3 for 29 combined to rout the batting.

North Stars beat Robertson Surveying Future

Legends by 29 runs. North Stars scored 197 for 7 from 20 overs, with Kennard Forbes 61, Seon Sween 42 and Lyndon James 31.

Bennitton Stapleton, 2 for 21, and Shanghi John, 2 for 44, were chief wicket takers for Future Legends.

Oswald Soleyn, 38, and Amansford Richards, 24, gave Future Legends an 81-run opening partnership. However, from Soleyn’s dismissal, Future Legends were strangled.

Marcus Castello’s 33 kept up the fight, but Lyndon James, the Vincentian wicketkeeper, showed versatility and took 4 for 37.

McLean Williams, Starlight beat Petit Bordel Police left-handed Secondary School by 95 runs. opening batsman, Dorson Cottle 39 not out hit the second supported by Tilron Harry 21 century (100) of helped Starlight to 172 for 8 the 2015 VINLEC from 20 overs. Cklon Mckie 3 North Leeward for 23, was the best bowler for T/20 Cricket the Petit Bordel Secondary Championship.

School. Tevon Robertson took 2 for 31.

Rayon Murray 21 led the scoring for the School team. Kentis John 3 for 6, with two wickets each for Kishnell John, Donald Delpesche, and Zemron Providence restricting Petit Bordel Secondary to 77 all out in 17.4 overs.

Editor’s note: In last week’s edition on page 25, we carried an article captioned ‘James guides North Stars to victory’ credited to William ‘Kojah’ Anthony’. In said article, we reported, inter alia, ‘This was North Stars’ sixth win in the competition’.

This reference we now acknowledge as incorrect and the Editor assumes full responsibility for the misrepresentation.

26. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015. 27.

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F O R

The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

A.I. REAL ESTATE Union Island 5 bedrm Property on 6,794 sq.ft. - $250,000.00- H111 Stubbs 6 bedrm Property on 6,658 sq.ft. - $385,000.00 - H870

S A L E

FRIDAY,

OCTOBER 02, 2015

VOLUME 109, No.40

Belvedere 2 Properties on 7,517 sq.ft. - Call - H112

three masked men made their way into her house, which is adjoined to the shop she operated.

Sources indicate that the intruders were armed, and that Weekes was beaten in the head and other parts of her body.

The men made off with an undisclosed amount of cash, but before leaving, bound Weekes’ feet together and placed masking tape

across her mouth.

The incident has caused an outrage in the community, however, almost two weeks following the incident, the perpetrators are still on the run.

Within recent times, the business men and women in the Marriaqua community have complained about a number of break-ins.

In June 2013, the Marriaqua Friendly

Society, commonly referred to as ‘Bun Pan’, was broken into, and an undisclosed amount of cash removed.

So too in April of that year, the Western Union office was also broken into, with the perpetrator(s) making off with EC$40,000.

Residents have also been victims. In January 2014, 73-year-old Peruvin Joseph, a

COLLINS MAN SHOT

by DAYLE DA SILVA

Shooting victim Kensley Bascombe.

KENSLEY BASCOMBE, formerly of Carriere but now a resident of Collins in the Marriaqua Valley, is scared.

The man was shot three times about his body around 8 pm on Monday, September 28, as he was making his way to a nearby shop in the community where he lives.

When THE VINCENTIAN visited Bascombe at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) on Wednesday, he related that the gunman fired four shots in his direction, three made contact, and the other grazed his head.

Luckily, he fell in a dimly lit area, in close proximity to a gutter. “…because it was dark, they were not able to get a good shot.

The bullet grazed my head, if they had gotten me, that would have been it,” the 42 year-old man said.

He explained that when the gunman realised that he was not moving and assumed that he was dead, he fled the scene.

Office: 784) 457-2087/533-0431 Cell: (784)-493-9431 Office:718-807-4376 Email: donp@vincysurf.co Website: www.aisvg.com

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SHOPKEEPER REMAINS HOSPITALIZED

UP TO PRESS TIME Wednesday, Rose Claire Weekes of Montaque in the Marriaqua Valley, remained a patient at the Intensive Care Unit of the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

The 54-year-old businesswoman was taken to the MCMH over a week ago, after she was beaten and robbed during the early hours of September 22.

According to reports,

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It was then that he got up and went to a nearby church where he was assisted by members of the congregation who took him to the Evesham Health Centre. He was subsequently transported to the MCMH. Bascombe told THE VINCENTIAN that he grew up in the community and was not a known trouble maker, so for someone to make an attempt on his life is troubling.

Residents of Collins have had to deal with bloodshed in the community within recent times.

On December 8, 2014, Ronald Bascombe, a 59-year-old security guard, was shot dead by an unknown assailant while standing at a nearby shop in the area, in broad daylight.

Bascombe survived an earlier attempt on his life after being shot on the left side of his stomach back in March 2014.

Thirty-year-old Mervin Richardson, a labourer of Collins, was arrested and charged for his involvement in that incident.

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

resident of Freeland, was robbed and beaten by two men who covered themselves with sheets.

Police are said to be investigating this recent matter. (DDD)

EC$1.50

Rose Claire Weekes was beaten in her head and about her body, and bound and gagged before the robbers fled with their booty.

MAN DIES ONE DAY AFTER BEING SHOT DENNIS QUINTON, a 57-year-old shopkeeper, succumbed to the gunshot wounds he sustained on Tuesday night, in the Upper New Montrose area.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Ruth Jacobs, Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), confirmed that Quinton died on Wednesday night at the Milton Cato Dennis Quinton Memorial Hospital (MCMH), where he was a patient in the Intensive Care Unit.

The results of the post mortem are expected to be released sometime today, Jacobs said.

She added that the police responded to a shooting in the New Montrose area sometime after 8 pm Tuesday, discovered the wounded man, Quinton, and rushed him to the MCMH for attention.

Quinton’s shooting incident follows on one which occurred in Collins in the Marriaqua Valley, on Monday. In that incident, Kensley Bascombe was shot three times about the body by an unknown assailant; a fourth bullet grazed his head and remains a patient at the MCMH. Both incidents are under investigation. (DDD)

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