The Vincentian E-PAPER 22-02-13

The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

FRIDAY,

FEBRUARY 22, 2013

VOLUME 107, No.8

www.thevincentian.com

EC$1.50

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves (left) and Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace (right) have locked horns once again, this time wit hDavid Ames, Chairman of Harlequin Investments, in the middle.

PM UNDER ATTACK that he had been “accosted”, while on a LIAT aircraft that had FOLLOWING HIS HAVING to provide landed in Barbados, by two “white clarification on the $1 million men” , one with a camera and the withdrawn from his mother’s bank other with a tape recorder. account at Building and Loan just According to the Prime before the financial institution came Minister, one asked him, “’Prime “under stress”, Prime Minister Dr Minister, we have three witnesses Ralph Gonsalves has had cause to who would testify that Dave Ames defend himself against allegation of came into your office with a bribery. briefcase of money and then left Towards this end, the Prime without it. What do you have to Minister has declared his say’?” innocence, in a series of phone The Prime Minister told WE calls to local radio stations, FM that he suspected then that particularly; WE FM and Star the two journalists were from FM. Britain, allegedly from the BBC, Gonsalves, who was on his way and had come to St. Vincent to to the heads of government carry out investigation about the meeting in Haiti, during a calling Buccament project. to WE FM radio station , on The two men continued to stalk Monday 18th February, reported Stories by KENVILLE HORNE

the Prime Minister, even after he had disembarked the aircraft, and sometime later, supposedly in the terminal at the Grantley Adams airport, the men confirmed that indeed they were from the BBC.

Gonsalves implicates Eustace Dr. Gonsalves during his telephone call to WE FM, intimated that he had been informed that the men had interviewed Leader of the Opposition, Arnhim Eustace, on Wednesday.

He went on to say that the British men showed, to another man, a video in which Eustace Continued on Page 3.

Eustace refutes Gonsalves’ accusation LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION, Arnhim Eustace, has denied he made any allegation of bribery against Prime Minister Gonsalves.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Eustace stated emphatically, ”At no time in my BBC interview did I make a single allegation of bribery against Prime Minister Gonsalves.”

Eustace was responding to a claim by the Prime Minister that he, Gonslaves, had indication that Eustace had accused him, in an interview with BBC journalists, of receiving money from David Ames of Harlequin Property, developers of the Buccama Resort, at Buccament Bay. The opposition leader explained that on Tuesday 12th February, 2013, during an interview by BBC journalists, one of them, Paul Kenyon, “put to me allegation that Prime Minister Gonsalves received substantial bribes from Dave Ames and sought my response to these allegations if they were discovered to be true.”

Eustace said in response he indicated that if such were true, ““the prime minister would have to demit office.”

Continued on Page 3.

V

2. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

People

GHS students and alumnae mourn the loss of Norma Keizer

Norma Keizer can undisputedly be listed among those Vincentians who made it a vocation to ensure that the women in this country were molded along tried and tested virtues.

by KARISSA CLARKE THE STAFF, STUDENTS AND ALUMNAE OF THE ST. VINCENT GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL (GHS) are mourning the loss of beloved former headmistress, Mrs. Norma Keizer.

Mrs. Keizer holds the distinction of being the longest serving headmistress, to date, of the GHS. Mrs. Keizer, whose legacy lives on at the GHS in daughter Andrea, current headmistress, passed

away on Tuesday, February 19th 2013 at age 78.

Born 10th May 1934, she is arguably the most memorable headmistress of them all. Past students who grew under ‘Norma’s wings’ share stories of her innate ability to know when one of her students was up to mischief, and her determination to see all of her girls succeed.

At the milestone 100th anniversary of the school, Mrs. Keizer and other headmistresses were honoured. Mrs. Keizer’s citation read in part: “In 1975, when she was appointed as head, it was the climax of an association with the school that began in January 1948 when she was enrolled as a student. She was transferred to the Girls’ High School where she remained until her retirement in 1990.

Small wonder then, that the name Keizer and GHS are synonymous.”

Never having to say goodbye

Even though it was known that she was ailing up to the time of her passing, many GHS alumnae admittedly never imagined having to say goodbye to ‘Madame Keizer’.

Many remember Keizer’s own message in the Girls High School Magazine in celebration of its Rememberance banner made by GHS alumni circulating 75th anniversary internet.

in 1986: “Past students always speak of their headmistresses when they reminisce on their school days.” It continued: “It is inevitable that with the passage of time that there would be changes, But all is not lost, we still hold on to the time tested values — decency, honesty, integrity and excellence.”

When the news broke of her passing, past students took to different media, social media included, to reminisce on their Headmistress, and to express utmost respect and love for a woman who helped to inspire and encourage at all times.

today enjoy, and for which they must be rightfully thankful. The Learning Resource Centre, Library and Science Laboratories, built in the 1980s and funded partly by the PTA and Government who matched the PTAs funds, bear her name.

Mrs Keizer was awarded an O.B.E for service to the nation in the field of Education.

And among her other accomplishments, she was also an integral part of the creation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ third weekly newspaper – Searchlight - on March 7, 1995. Keizer managed and edited that newspaper for 12 years.

God thanks for the gift of my mother. Her unconditional love and unshakable belief in me continue to propel me to approach with confidence the many challenges life brings. Mummy, thank you and I love you.”

On the School’s website tribute is paid thus: “..She had 3 daughters... but she had thousands of girls. She made us feel that we were the best."

THE VINCENTIAN joins with the rest of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in extending condolences to her daughters: current GHS principal Mrs. Andrea Bowman, Editor of the Searchlight Claire Keizer, and Dr. Simone Visionary Beache, as well as her Legacy lives on extended family and Mrs. Keizer was a friends. visionary who instilled The Girls High School They can rest assured those values, to which flies a black flag to mark that Mrs. Norma Keizer’s she referred in 1986, in the passing of a School’s the girls who came under legend. None as much as legacy will live on in the hearts of every GHS her care. During her 36 her daughter, Claire, student, past, present years at the Girls High sums up the reverence in and future.

School, Mrs. Keizer is which this phenomenal Funeral and burial said to have influenced human is held. Claire and moulded the lives of wrote in the GHS 100th have been scheduled for Tuesday, February 26th. over 3000 young ladies, Anniversary many of whom have gone Commemorative See tribute on Page 27. on to have daughters Magazine: “I also give who attended and/or attend the GHS. In addition to inculcating time-tested attitudes, she saw to it that her girls were given the opportunity to be exposed to natural sciences and were served by a library capable of seating an entire class.

Her fund raisers during her time as headmistress are responsible for One of the many other facilities at the GHS that bears the many of the name of Norma Keizer , ensuring that her place in the facilities which annals of that school is guaranteed.

GHS students of

‘A shrine’ at the GHS compound which encouraged tributes to and a silent prayer for a stalwart.

V News 3 CARICOM leaders show support for Dr. Gonsalves

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 3.

CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Haiti for their 24th Intercessional Heads of Government Meeting, have issued a statement in support of the Vincentian Prime Minister,following his recent encounter with two BBC journalists.

The statement said, “The Heads of Government expressed their grave concern with the manner in which Prime Minister Gonsalves, a sitting CARICOM Head of Government, was reportedly confronted.”

The statement further noted, “While fully supportive of the freedom of the press and the vital role played by a free, active and responsible press in governance and development, the Heads of Government emphasized that the dignity of the office of Head of State or Government within CARICOM is equal to that of any other nation, as are the attendant

security concerns and expectations.

“This dignity and security concern of a Head of Government cannot be violated by unidentified representatives of a foreign press service who, for whatever reason, expect a level of access to CARICOM Heads of State or Government that they would not receive from Heads of State and Government in their countries of origin,” the statement said.

The regional leaders reiterated “their individual willingness to be accessible to the media and responsive and forthcoming to reasonable requests from the press,: and “recommitted to the values of transparency, good governance and the free flow of information, which undergird the free and independent societies of CARICOM.” Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has

vowed to clear his name, and has given indication that he intends to take up the matter with the BBC.

CARICOM heads at their recent meeting in Haiti.

Petition filed for Chatoyer Hero Day in Texas

by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net; neloking@msn.com US CORRESPONDENT A GARIFUNA GROUP in Texas has filed a petition to members of the Texas Legislature urging that March 14 be recognized as Chief Joseph Chatoyer Hero Day in the state.

The Greater Houston GarifunaAmerican Partnership, a Harris County, Texas, grassroots community organization, noted that Carib Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer had led a revolt against British troops in St. Vincent during the Carib Wars in the late 18th century.

Chatoyer, a national hero in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, is the highest cultural figure among the Garifuna community along Central America’s Caribbean coast and Garifuna-American communities across the United States.

“As part of celebrating and preserving Garifuna heritage, it’s important our children, friends and neighbors learn and become aware about the accomplishments of our ancestors and the role they played to secure justice while fighting colonization,” said Jerry CastroCyateano, of the Greater Houston Garifuna-American Partnership.

Chatoyer, who died March 14, 1795, was a Garifuna (Carib) chief

who led the revolt against the British colonial government of St. Vincent in 1795.

Descendants of the Black Caribs, Arawak Indians and free blacks from St. Vincent, the Garifuna were exiled by the British from the island, arriving in Roatan, Honduras, on April 12, 1797.

Today, Garifuna communities are found along Central America’s Caribbean coasts of Guatemala, Honduras, Belize and Nicaragua, said the Greater Houston Garifuna-American Partnership.

In the United States, the Garifuna community celebrates Nov. 12 — Dec. 12 as National Garifuna Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer, First Settlement, Education national hero of St. Vincent and the Awareness Month.

Grenadines, is revered by Garifuna the A monument to world over.

Chatoyer stands on Chatoyer’s role was played by Dorsetshire Hill where the national James Hewlett, considered the hero died.

A play based on Chatoyer’s life, leading African American actor and ‘The Drama of King Shotaway’, was Vincentian immigrant, one of the the first play written by Vincentian most popular black actors of his time in the 1820s, noted the merchant marine William Henry Greater Houston GarifunaBrown, who opened the first black American Partnership. theater, African Grove Theater in New York in the 1820s.

Eustace refutes Gonsalves’ accusation Addressing the Buccama issue And while on the subject of David Ames, the Opposition Leader told media personnel that the company that owns Buccament Bay Resort, was the subject of the BBC’s Panaroma programme; that it has been reported that Dave Ames owes millions and millions of pounds back in the United Kingdom; and that the Prime Minister’s close relationship with Ames had made him part of the BBC’s investigation.

Further, Eustace said that he has been informed that a United Kingdom- based lawyer, acting for a number of UK investors in the Harlequin Buccament Bay Project, had visited SVG “to ascertain the situation as it pertains to Harlequin’s Buccama Resort, and to further investigate the land title at Buccument as it relates to the resort.”

The opposition leader appealed for calm across the nation.

“Be resolute in your belief that the truth will come out. I am informed that the BBC’s Panorama programme on Harlequin and the Prime Minister is scheduled to air in March. It will not be long now,” warned Eustace.

PM under attack Continued from Page 1. accuses him of receiving money from Ames.

“But, I want Mr. Eustace to say that on radio and publicly; because, it is a dastardly lie. You see, they judge people by their own standard,” he declared.

The opposition leader denied the allegation, at a press conference on Wednesday of this week, stating “at no time in my BBC interview did I make a single allegation of bribery against Prime Minister Gonsalves.”

V

4. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

News Feature

COMFI: Big things ahead

Stories by WILLIAM KOJAH ANTHONY JUNIOR BACCHUS, president of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Small and Micro-Finance Cooperative Limited (COMFI), is projecting “big things ahead” for the new outfit.

Bacchus made the projection at the official launch of COMFI held Monday, February 18, on

the top floor of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Cooperative Credit Union headquarters, Kingstown.

Reviving agriculture Bacchus heralded the dawn of the new entity as a symbol of hope for the revival of this country’s agriculture.

He spoke of

Mrs. Jean Walker, retired teacher, cuts the ribbon to fomally open the office of COMFI.

discussions with the company Armajaro, which is investing in the return of the cocoa crop here and pointed to plans for coconut production and assured: “We can’t allow our people to remain hopeless.

Agriculture will see some its better days.”

To access loans from the new small and micro-financing entity, persons must be members of any of the eight Credit Unions which make up the body.

Bacchus described the organisation as the first of its kind in the Caribbean, and mentioned that the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions (CCCU) viewed it as a pilot project for possible implementation in other countries.

He anticipates that COMFI will set up branches throughout CARICOM so as to take advantage of the Single Economic space.

Bacchus traced the

COMFI is expected to address the unemployment situation among the rural poor.

Inset: Junior Bacchus, President of COMFI, expects that the entity he heads will play a role in reviving agriculture in SVG. not be a panacea, but pointed to the need for stages members to get of the information and to use it entity’s to their benefit. arrival, beginning with a study Combating which revealed that unemployment credit unions here provided $52.7 million in Colville King, who business loans to its represented the Ministry members. While that of Agriculture, welcomed was a meaningful the launch of COMFI. injection, Bacchus He stressed the aspect lamented the absence of of confidence to the resources to give needed stability of any outfit and support to borrowers. warned: “You must He is hoping to “build ensure credit delivery is an entrepreneurial class linked to formal market of ordinary Vincentians,” requirements and risk and pledged that this reduction.” new venture will cater King is looking for farmers, fisher folk, forward to CONFI’s vendors and other “rapid start up and full industries. implementation” of the He noted that it will new endeavour, and

envisages it as a “nexus for rural economic renewal,” since its foundation is in Cooperatives which combat “unemployment among rural poor.”

Julian Jack, Secretary to the new entity, deemed the launch as timely. He is hoping that members will make the best use of the facility so as to “become more independent.”

He endorsed the role of credit unions in helping persons to improve their lives. But he pointed out: “We need to produce some millionaires from among us, “so that more jobs will be created which will put more money into the economy.”

John calls for good business practices “ALL TRANSACTIONS must be legitimately approved.”

There must be no deals “in the corridor or in the bar.”

This caution was part of the advice given by Reuben John when he addressed the launch of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Small Business and Micro-Finance Cooperative (COMFI), last Monday, February 18.

John, one of this country’s leading Credit Unionists, was president of the Kingstown Cooperative Credit Union (KCCU) for a number of years.

He also served at the helm of the Credit Union League. His service and commitment to the cooperative sector is unquestionable. His contribution as a volunteer has been documented.

Perhaps those factors influenced COMFI to invite him to address their launch last Monday.

And John did not disappoint. He made available the benefit of his vast experience.

Need for good accounting practices

An accountant by profession, John’s address was tantamount to giving a template of good accounting and business practices.

John commended Credit Unions which he indicated have shown “remarkable growth since 1999.”

He welcomed the birth of this new lending agency. For him, development of small businesses can lead to productivity. That in turn can result in increased jobs and ease the strain on government to cater for the population’s needs.

“We’ve got to work for the development of this country,” John pointed out.

John underlined the importance of proper governance structures as well as proper accounting practices.

He indicated that transparency must be without question and, for him, compliance with regulators is critical.

John is firm on the practice of business.

For him, there must be “timely management

reporting,” and cautioned that, Vincent and the Grenadines $250,000 “You have to stop the water Teachers Cooperative Credit can be had before it flows under the Union. with rate of bridge.”

It provides business loans, interest He urged COMFI to develop savings accounts, fixed ranging an “accounting manual.” deposits, management services from 10 to Of vital importance to the as well as business training 18 per cent business is the need to and advice. on reducing manage risks carefully, and he Loans from $2,000 to balances. encouraged the build-up of reserves, but warned about the disbursement of loans in foreign currency.

The new outfit has to spread out the way in which it invests, but COMFI has to collect the money for loans it approves.

“If you can’t manage delinquency, get out the business,” John advised.

“You have to ensure that your credit policy is tight,” John indicated.

For John, the launch was timely, but he is urging that there be a high level of confidence A section of those invited to witness the formal launch of the new within the organisation. small and micro-financing institution.

COMFI’s office is located on the ground Inset: Reuben John, partner in KPMG Chartered Accounts, floor of the building cautioned the new entity about ensuring that it adhered to proper which houses the St. business practices.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 5.

Citizenship for sale

Regional

President Chavez back home

VENEZUELANS WOKE UP on Monday to a surprise: Their President, Hugo Chavez was back home.

President Chavez announced his return via Twitter. He had returned after spending more than two months in Cuba where he had cancer surgery and treatment.

In a serious of messages carried on his Twitter account which was last activated on November 1st, 2012, President said, inter alia, “We have arrived again to the Venezuelan motherland … Thank you, God. Thank you, my beloved people. We will continue my treatment here.”

When word broke that President Chavez had in fact returned, Venezuelans were happy as they were surprised.

For it was only on Friday of last week that the Venezuelan authorities had posted photographs in the media giving Venezuelans the first glimpse of their leader since a fourth round of cancer surgery in Cuba.

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez, is all smiles as he is surrounded by his daughters, Rosa Virginia (right) and Maria, in a hospital in Cuba.

This photograph was released by the authorities on Friday 15th February, 2013.

The pictures showed President Chavez lying on his back in a Havana hospital, with his two eldest daughters at his side, and leafing through an edition of the official Cuban newspaper Granma.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro, who has taken the lead of government since President Chavez’s return to Cuba more than two months ago, took to national television to to declare that Venezuelans were “absolutely happy” to have the president back, and called on his countrymen to show solidarity with Chavez “without disturbing his calm.”

The 58-year-old Chavez, at the helm of Venezuela’s government for more than 14 years,

was first diagnosed with cancer in 2011.

After surgery and treatment in Cuba, he declared himself free of the disease and went on to win another term in elections of last October.

But he suffered a relapse, and after the latest surgery on December 11 in Havana, he was still too ill to return to Venezuela to be sworn in on January 10.

The inauguration has been postponed indefinitely, and Maduro has essentially been running Venezuela in Chavez’s absence.

There was no immediate word whether Chavez will now take his oath of office to end the political uncertainty which his illness has caused. (Source: AFP)

‘Gravy’ shot LABAN ‘GRAVY’ BENJAMIN, internationally renowned Antiguan born cricket comic, was shot, Thursday, February 8, 2013, in what reports described as a botched robbery attempt.

The report said that ‘Gravy’ also suffered a beating at the hands of his attackers.

‘Gravy’ related that he pulled up in front of his house around 9:30 pm on the fateful Thursday. He had attended the Guyana versus Leeward Islandscricket match that day.

As he came to a halt, three attackers jumped the 61-year-old Gravy.

The local media records Gravy as saying, “When they ambushed me, I started wrestling with them and they started beating me. I couldn’t tell who they were because it was dark.”

He screamed for help and neighbours came to his aid.

“I was bawling for somebody to come help.

People turned on their lights and came out and chased them away. But when they were running, they fired the shots,” a teary-eyed ‘Gravy’ told reporters from his bed at the Mount St. John’s

Medical Centre (MSJMC), where he was warded.

Examination at the MSJMC showed that the 61-year-old ‘Gravy’ was shot in the left side of his chest, close to the shoulder, but no vital organs had been damaged.

It is the second time that the popular personality had been shot.

About six years ago, he was shot in his upper body when his vehicle was shot up after he refused to pull over during a highway chase.

“It’s frightening. I could have been dead. It isn’t fair for some people to be working so hard to put food on the table, and others coming with guns to bully us for our earnings,” he said from his hospital bed.

He thanked his neighbours for responding willingly to his calls for help, and urged that they continue to look out for each other.

Gravy was released from the MSJMC on Tuesday, February 12, and three persons were taken into custody in connection with the shooting, though police say that they continue to question only two of the three persons of interest.

Laban ‘Gravy’ Benjamin became popular

Laban ‘Gravy’ Benjamin is a familiar face throughout the Caribbean and in cricket-playing nations across the globe. when he began staging one-man shows at cricket games in his native Antigua, as early as 1988.

When television coverage of test cricket became the norm, ‘Gravy’ became ‘a must see’ at matches played at the Antigua Recreation Ground, and soon his ‘services’ were being requested throughout the Caribbean and beyond.

His face and antics soon became characteristic of the passion of cricket lovers in the West Indies.

Antiguans say that ‘Gravy’s popularity threw up many copycats throughout the region.

He retired from his ‘cricket comedy shows’ in the early 2000s.

THE ACT that will empower the government of Antigua and Barbuda to grant citizenship by way of investments hit a snag last week Wednesday, when four government senators voted against the Citizenship by Investment Act. As such, therefore, the bill has been sent back to the Lower House, a house of elected members; not for the first time since the bill was shot down previously by the same Senate.

One of the senators who voted ‘nay’ was Colin Derrick. He took exception to Section 1, subsection 2 of the act which gives the Prime Minister powers to preside over the granting of citizenship under the programme.

Another senator, Anthony Stuart, took umbrage with the provision which dictates that monies collected under the programme shall be deposited in the National Development Fund (NDF) and not, as Stuart would prefer, the Consolidated Fund.

The NDF is used to finance publicprivate partnership programme or approved charitable investments.

And while Antigua and Barbuda grapples with the pros and cons of ‘economic citizenship’, there are at least two Caribbean territories which offer the service.

An article in My Fox New York suggests “that the combination of political and sectarian unrest overseas and economic necessity in the region (Caribbean) has evolved into a mutually beneficial relationship whereby foreign nationals can secure the safety net afforded by an alternative passport.”

The article quotes Hadi Mezawi, a Palestinian resident in Dubai, the holder of a Dominican passport for which he paid $100,000, as saying that he keeps “meeting fellow Dominica passport holders in Dubai, mostly of Iranian and

Palestinian backgrounds.”

Victor Doche, the managing director of a company that offers condominium projects where approved buyers are granted citizenship in St Kitts and Nevis, said, “The more they fight over there (Middle East), the more political problems there are, the more applications we get here.”

‘Investor visas’ or ‘economic citizenship programmes’ are offered by many nations, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Austria.

The Caribbean countries, however, are known to offer a fast track to citizenship. It can take as little as 90 days to secure the status in St Kitts and Nevis. Additionally, the process is facilitated at comparably modest cost and there’s no need to ever live on the islands, or even visit.

In addition to Antigua and Barbuda joining Dominica and St. Kitts and Nevis in the ‘economic citizenship’ market, Grenada has hinted that it may revive its programme which it discontinued in the wake of the September 11 terrorists attacks in the USA. The Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonslaves, has said repeatedly that he has no intention of taking his country down that path.

V

6. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Court

BDS needs about $30,000 more Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS

THE ‘SAVE NICE RADIO’ appeal needs to raise another $30,000 to have the full Judgment, including interest and cost, paid to Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Bertram Commissiong Q.C. confirmed that BDS Gonsalves.

Bertram Commissiong lawyers had applied to the Court of Appeal for a Q.C. one of the lawayers representing BDS Ltd, stay of execution of the owners of ‘Nice Radio’, Order to appoint Peter told THE VINCENTIAN Alexander on Wednesday that Receiver/Manager. attorney Kay Bacchus Browne, one the persons Below: Attorney Kay spearheading the appeal Bacchus-Browne and and one of the Junior Bacchus are at signatories to the the vanguard of the account at RBTT Bank, effort to save NICE conveyed this Radio.

information to him.

Up to press time Wednesday, BacchusBrowne was out of the state.

Commissiong said however, that Bacchus—Browne had told him that a radio programme aired on ‘Nice Radio’ last week Thursday, February 14 raised over $20,000 which is in the RBTT Bank, and that being the case, only about $30,000 was needed to be raised to pay off the whole judgment.

At a news conference last week Wednesday February 13, Bacchus— Browne told journalists that the money raised by the Save Nice Radio Appeal was increased from $138,201.29 to $140,858.40 following a contribution of US $510 by the executive of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Progressive Organization of New York (Spoony). Jerry Scott, a Ministry of Government under the former New Democratic Party (NDP) regime, who is Spoony’s Liaison officer in SVG, handed

over the receipt to Junior Bacchus, another of the persons spearheading the appeal, at the news conference, as indication that the money was deposited in the account.

Bacchus-Browne had indicated then that about another $60,000 was needed to pay off the full judgment which she hopes will be paid by February 25.

lawyers had filed the notice of appeal against the order to appoint Alexander and for BDS to pay Dr. Gonsalves $138,000 in one day.

Master V Georgia Taylor Allexander had handed down the order February 30.

The order stated that Alexander be appointed Receiver and Manager as regards any sum remaining unpaid on the Application for stay of Judgment Debt, interest execution and costs, together with Trevor Edwards, and are Commissiong told to discharge their THE VINCENTIAN on obligations as joint Wednesday that the BDS receivers and Managers legal team had applied to of BDS Ltd Company. the Court of Appeal for a Commissiong said BDS’s stay of execution of the legal team has appealed Order to appoint Peter the entire judgment.

Alexander The Queen’s Counsel Receiver/Manager. noted that up to press The application was time Wednesday filed the same time the Alexander had not taken

up his position as Receiver/Manager as ordered by the High Court.

THE VINCENTIAN understands that Trevor Edwards, who was appointed Receiver/Manager in the application of Beachmont Inc., creditors of BDS/NICE RADIO, has taken up duties.

Bacchus-Browne and Community activist Junior Bacchus have been spearheading the ‘Save Nice Radio Appeal since October 2012 after Gonsalves had applied for a Court Order to have a receiver appointed, so that he could receive “the fruits” of a High Court Judgment, handed down against talk show host Elwardo ‘EG’ Lynch and BDS Ltd for defamation.

Magistrate recuses herself from Senator’s matters RECENTLY APPOINTED Magistrate, Rechanne Browne-Matthias, has recused herself from the criminal matters involving opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) Senator, Vynette Frederick.

Senator Frederick was last Friday, February 15, slapped with two charges of false swearing in addition to the three counts of making false declarations she was already facing.

Frederick, a lawyer by profession, was released on $110,000 bail on September 12, 2012, when she appeared at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on the first three charges.

She was charged with that on January 10, 2011 at Kingstown, made a false declaration before Sonya Young, Chief Magistrate, a person authorized to take a declaration upon a matter of public concern, under circumstances, that a false declaration,

if committed in a judicial proceeding would have amounted to perjury contrary to section 96 of the Criminal Code.

The senator was charged with making similar false declarations before Faye James on June 16 2011 and May 23 , 2012.

She had pleaded not guilty to all three charges before then Senior Magistrate Donald Browne.

Frederick is now additionally charged with falsely swearing before Faye James, a person authorized to administer the oath at Kingstown, on January 10, 2011 and May 23, 2012. She also pleaded not guilty to those when she appeared before Magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on February 15.

Initial bail conditions will continue.

The trial was slated to commence at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court, February 15th,

Senator Vynette Frederick has been slapped with two additional charges of false swearing. but the Magistrate said she was recusing herself because of personal issues.

She transferred the matters to the Mesopotamia Court before Magistrate Rickie Burnette, for hearing on March 6th.

Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Colin John is slated to prosecute.

Son to answer for mother’s death MUNROE DUNCAN, a 55-year-old man charged with the murder of his 85-year-old mother, Lydia Duncan, was on Tuesday, committed to stand trial in the High Court.

At the conclusion of a Preliminary Inquiring (PI) at the Serious Offences Court, Chief Magistrate Sonya Young ruled that a Prima Facie Case was made out.

Six witnesses testified for the prosecution, including Duncan’s

brother, Noel Duncan, Justice of the Peace (JP) Benjamin Haynes and Investigator Corporal Elmore Allexander.

The elderly Duncan died after being chopped to the left side of her neck, left hand and right leg during an incident at Vermont August 8, 2012.

The accused was not represented.

Inspector Adolphus Delplesche prosecuted.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 7.

People

Photographer in search of the perfect picture

by WILLIAM KOJAH ANTHONY EERO SORILA IS A 68-YEAR-OLD ROVING PHOTOGRAPHER AND WRITER. ORIGINALLY FROM FINLAND, he moved to Canada at age twelve and even as he nears three score and ten, he continues to broaden his horizons.

Sorila has an almost surreal approach to life. He is an avid traveler and he goes about his mission with a sense of creativity.

One of his prized possessions is a homemade camera. It has the smallest aperture imaginable and the speed is one tenth of a second.

Sorila carries a tripod well over five decades old. The photos are created on plates four inches by five inches and cost EC$27 to develop.

The pursuit includes SVG Sorila left these shores yesterday Thursday having arrived here three weeks

previously.

“After doing serious photography around the world for over 40 years, I have tried to take the perfect picture, but I have not succeeded yet,” Sorila said.

But he continues his pursuit and while here Sorila recorded images of Kingstown from Edinboro, and of Fort Charlotte. Another of Indian Bay Beach on mainland St. Vincent forms part of his cache. The Big Sand Beach in Union Island has also been captured through Sorila’s unique lens.

earth will have been completed,” Sorila stated.

He believes in seeing life in a country he visits the way locals do, and admitted that he encountered “no difficulties here,” and that he “met some interesting people.”

His next destination was intended to be Miami for a shot of Viscaya Castle. Sorila has published seven books of his adventures over 140 countries visited, including a He found the scenes in the hiking trip from Chile Eero Sorila shows off his homemade northern Grenadine island of across the Andes to capture the perfect picture.

Bequia fascinating and images Mountains to Argentina, captured there include in 1968. language, equips him for his Princess Margaret Beach, a He recalls having almost unfolding adventure. palm tree on Spring Bay, and died walking with an a wooden fishing boat and fish overloaded back pack and The digital age net at that same location. “If since then, he has minimized Sorila confessed to being my photographs convey the his luggage. His fluency in forced out of his style of beauty of creation, God’s Italian, French, Spanish, photography by the “digital miraculous handiwork, even in Japanese and English, in age.” Undaunted, he thrives a small way, my calling on addition to his native

camera with which he hopes on the conservatism of his era and outlook, and has satisfied himself that some of his experiences have value. His images are made into post cards and distributed worldwide. “When the time comes to take the picture, that is ecstasy,” Sorila contends.

V

8. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 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 Casting aspersions & Extending congratulations THE SAGA OF THE ST. VINCENT BUILDING and Loan Association (BLA) continues to be played out in public, not least among the football players in the two major political football teams here.

Interestingly, by the time this edition of this ‘errant’ newspaper (or so some have taken to describe us) hits the street, the shareholders and depositors of the BLA would have met and, hopefully, agreed on a course of action that will ensure their intimate involvement in the process of corrective action, as the Financial Services Authority and other Government Officials choose to describe what they knew to be necessary for such a long time, but seem to have had their hands forced, whether by design or accident, to act only recently.

Yes, this paper published the article by Mr. Luke Browne that started the ‘ball rolling’. For that we make no apology; for it is in keeping with our intention to unearth the people’s business, for the people’s attention, that we continue to publish every week.

How can we make an apology for allowing something as important as the (mis)operations of an institution so ‘dear’ to so many Vincentians, remain in the exclusive chambers of those ‘in authority’? Should we have kept silent and allow another potentially damning ‘misuse’ of our money to go attended to by politicians and a political directorate whose intent, given the CLICO debacle, seems always to want to give a ‘body wash’ before the ‘vehicle’ hits the road?

And by the way, for those who are wont to BLAME this publication for ‘the panicked reaction (read mad rush to withdraw deposits, etc) of some customers of the Association’ to an article entitled ‘Is the Building and Loan Association on the verge of collapse?’ which we carried in our edition of January 18, 2013, tell us, when did the panic really start?

Were there any sizeable withdrawals, for one reason or the other, long before the article of January 18 and that which is mooted as a period of ‘panicked reaction? (Then again, we may already know the answer to that, though it would be instructive if the ‘authorities’ could shed some focused light on this.)

What a pity that even after the matter of the BLA and the extent to which it might have been caught in a downward spiral have been released for public consumption, that we would want to cast aspersions at this one and that one, literally accusing them of having committed some grievous crime against the people.

The BAICO and CLICO tragedies must never be allowed to be repeated. We must not, as the editorial of February 8 said, continue to ‘sweep concerns of national proportions under the carpet and hope that when we trample on them, that the disease would simple go away’.

No amount of finger pointing at this publication will change the colour of the situation: the BLA was riddled with problems of mismanagement and ill-advised decision-making, and it is the right of every depositor and shareholder to information with respect to the ‘real situation’, and to allow for their godgiven right to decide what they should do with their money.

Dialysis treatment has arrived We need not rehash the clamor for dialysis services here; how if we had the services here, many more lives could have been saved. Repeatedly, the chant, ‘How many more must die?’, was heard. That is apt, since dialysis is all about saving lives.

Much was made, by one government after the other about the astronomical costs involved, though it became a political platform issue for those who found themselves in the opposition until they found themselves on the other side.

Much was made about how such a service would be an added strain on the national health bill.

Now that a private sector entity has moved, much like when the Caribbean Medical Imaging Centre pioneered the provision of CAT Scan services here, to provide this life-saving service to resident and non-resident Vincentians and visitors, SVG can say that it has entered a new threshold in the provision of essential health care services.

The situation begs one question on behalf of those in need and who cannot afford it: Would the government consider an arrangement with Health Solution Inc., the providers of the dialysis service, similar to the one with Caribbean Imaging Centre which accepts referrals from the national health care system? And let’s forget about one need being of an emergency nature while the other may be more prolonged.

Health Solutions Inc. has brought a new hope to many Vincentians who suffer from kidney/renal life-threatening complications. It has also positioned this country to entice more visitors with a guarantee that what is a basic service in their country, is now available in ‘paradise’.

Congratulations to the principals and staff of Health Solutions Inc. for their vision and commitment.

Goodbye Norma Keizer “THIS IS NOT JUST ANOTHER Speech Evening, a run of the mill graduation exercise that is chalked up every year. The occasion marked the end of the day of headmistress Mrs. Norma Keizer, and she received a rousing send-off from her charges that was impressive, moving and fitting.

After all, the modern GHS was built around Norma Keizer who had been associated with its growth for the past 36 years. In fact she entered the school in 1948 and until now, never left its environs except for intervals of study abroad.

There is a sense , too, in which Norma’s personal life epitomizes the school motto: “through hard times to the heights”.

Mrs. Keizer became a staff member in 1954 and worked her way up to the head mistress position which she attained in 1975. During her career she took in stride a B.A degree at the U.C.W.I — London, and Post-Graduate degrees in various aspects of education at universities in England and Australia.

iron fist, she must have first slipped them in silken gloves. Yet her point is taken, that below the calm exterior is fairly tough fiber which emerges when the occasion demands it.

Psychosomatic

I felt deeply honoured when Mrs. Keizer mentioned that I was her first student. At 9 years old, our primary school headmaster Cadman Fraser had asked the bright scholarship student Norma Keizer to coach me for the exam. Cadman Fraser was a stern disciplinarian and totally committed teacher who clearly had a seminal influence on the development of Mrs. Keizer.

One day at about twelve years old, Norma had conjured up a psychosomatic fever that kept her home and incidentally away from a feared Test at school. Naturally, her absence was noted by Mr. Academic Achievements Fraser. At about ten o clock, he visited Norma’s home nearby where, now feeling better, she had Miss Joye Browne, President of the SVTU, who repaired to the yard making waves in a tub of gave the feature address, noted the impact which water.

Norma had on her contemporaries when Norma Mr. Fraser gave her a dressing- down in the returned from the Mona Campus, as a graduate. presence of her embarrassed mother, ordered her In those days, scholarships were hard to come by, to dress for school, and duly marched her into and graduates generally hailed from England, Wesley Hall in view of the assembled classes.

Barbados or Trinidad. Norma Keizer immediately became a role- model and standard-bearer by Beautifully Crafted which aspiring students could set and adjust their sights. And how well has Norma fitted the part, The theme for the evening’s programme how impressively has she shouldered that taken from Shakespeare’s “As You Like It”responsibility.

“When service sweats for duty not for meed,” Throughout the turbulent 1970s to 1980s perhaps subconsciously harked back to the days of when globally everything seemed to be falling Cadman Fraser, even as it applied appropriately apart, when respect for authority had hit an allto the services rendered by Norma Keizer. For in time low, and traditional values had all but Norma Keizer there is a residual streak of eroded, Mrs. Keizer was able to keep the GHS on Cadman Fraser. a fairly straight and narrow path, both at a The entire programme was beautifully crafted commendable level of all-round discipline and a to focus on the serene and dignified guest of reasonable standard of academic achievement. honour who has given so much to successive generations of girls, all of whom she knows by Modern trends name, to her Alma Mater; to the nation.

In particular I love the two renditions by Steel Mrs. Norma Keizer is a truly remarkable Orchestra “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” and person. Gentle but firm, with a minimum of fuss “Lean on Me”. The Poem in tribute by Virdine she maps her way and plans her strategies as she Green was touching. And sitting up front, I could works noiselessly but assiduously to achieve her see all the tears rolling down the cheeks of goals. several members of the choir as they movingly Educated in the classical tradition, Mrs. Keizer sang “You are the Wind beneath My Wings”. read the times and was instrumental in securing After 42 years in an institution, Norma will for the school its own modern science Laboratory. find it hard to adjust to civilian life, even with the Minister of Education John Horne, announced nation’s love, thanks and appreciation to boost that the entire complex will be called the Norma her up. Would that present generation of young Keizer Laboratory and Resource Centre in her women fashion their lives after Norma’s”. honour.

The foregoing had been my statement in This Coming out of a traditional mould, Mrs. Week of July 13th 1990, describing the Keizer was surprisingly able to blend old ideas formalities of Norma’s disengagement from the with modern trends in a synthesis that has GHS. The current piece now adds that I had kept produced a balanced educational programme for my date made through Claire to pay a visit to the her school. Few of us who knew the “old” Norma ailing Norma last Valentine’s Day, Thursday Keizer, believed that she could show such elation 14th. Norma recognized me as I presented to her over the establishment of a Girls High School a token of our “undying love” in the form of a Steel Orchestra! photograph which we had taken together on a In her final report, Mrs. Keizer was in an social occasion to celebrate her retirement from unusually “boastful mood”. She used statistics GHS. and records to telling effect, to make the point Then I slowly read the aforementioned that over the years the Girls’ High School had appreciation followed by tender kisses. Kisses chalked up a record of achievements of which any naturally followed. Norma died within five days, associate could be justifiably proud. She also used taking with her part of me. the opportunity to indicate some of the problem Norma would be particularly remembered for areas of the future. In regard to man-made her participation in the “Flambeau group of obstacles, she advised resort to the “iron-fist”. writers” 1964-68, and for the “Searchlight” The truth is that if Mrs. Keizer ever used the newspaper she founded and edited in 1995.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 9.

Letters

Thank you Luke Browne – A Shining Star

Caribbean Rhodes Scholarship - no mean accomplishment for the LUKE, A PERSONABLE, young man who is an HUMBLE, FRIENDLY, unassuming genius.

SCHOLARLY AND GODLY It also seems clear to YOUNG MAN, is indeed a me that he is not in gifted citizen with a politics for money or passion for helping, as power. Who would have was demonstrated, anyone turned down lucrative (U.L.P or N.D.P) in need. offers while at Oxford to Clearly, by his return home to work commendable revelations alongside young people, or observations about the to clear drains and St. Vincent Building and reduce mosquito Loan Association, he is infestation in stagnant not doing so to secure pools in East Kingstown? personal popularity. His Eustace, Gonsalves, name is already a Joshua and Charles had household word in the to be without a job region and beyond when overseas before coming the Caribbean wide back home for a published that he had retirement job. won the CommonWealth He is the new kind of Editor’s note: Edited for purposes of length.

politician we have been longing to see. He is just the opposite to the old guard with their ‘smart man’ tricks, greed and immoral behavior, posing like ‘glad men’ with deputies who they think are essential. Oh, what a refreshingly different chapter in our politics Luke has brought! Let us encourage him.

ALL POLITICAL PARTIES should praise Luke for alerting shareholders of the approaching red light at the St. Vincent Building and Loan Association (BLA). He alerted the whole nation, while our politicians in the House of Assembly were asleep

at the wheel of the ship of State as it headed for another rock. We could not take another hit after CLICO and British American. In fact, it seems as if politicians paid more attention to ‘antics’ and ‘walking out’ than to (the) ‘woodlice in the pockets of citizens’.

Thank you Luke for being so compassionate, and for your most gracious and kind act which saved the BLA. If you were not proactive as a member, all the parliamentary antics would have been going on without the intervention of the FSA. Luke, though young, you have emerged as a

Questions for the MCMH Editor’s note: This has been edited for content.

MY SISTER, NOREEN HARRIS OF WINDWARD LOWMAN’S, HADLEY’S VILLAGE, was 48 years old when she died. She was a loving mother of two children (son and daughter), grandmother, and enjoyed the support of an extended family that included brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews.

About a week or so ago, my sister began experiencing some physical discomfort and was taken to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH), where she spent a day and half before being discharged.

According to her son and his girlfriend, my sister was upset that hospital staff had discharged her; my sister

felt that she was not well enough to be discharged.

While in a vehicle parked in the car park of the MCMC, readying herself to be taken home, my sister began gasping for breath. She died of cardiac arrest in the parking lot of the MCMH. The pathologist said my sister’s life expired because a blood clot went from her leg and got stuck in her lungs.

I’m very angry and disappointed with the medical staff at the MCMH for discharging my sister from hospital before she was ready to be discharged.

I’m a grieving brother and I have some questions for the people who worked on my sister when she was gasping for breath; Did you know that my sister

That complaint to BBC I LISTENED WITH INTEREST TO MY HON. PRIME MINISTER discard as rubbish, what a BBC report had asked him.

The issue was one of immense concern to the PM, since he called in to one of his radio stations while on his way to Haiti for a CARICOM heads meeting. He seemed bent on ‘putting this matter to rest’ before he sat with his CARICOM colleagues.

One could hear the vehemence in his voice as he spoke of his

intention to write the BBC to complain about the behavior of two of its employees.

Now, I am certain if it was a Vincentian journalist who was brave enough to ask the PM that question, about him accepting money under cover, that journalist could expect more than a complaint.

The question making the rounds is: Is Dr. Gonsalves going to sue the BBC? What a country!!!!

Ball Boy

was having a heart attack? Did you try to resuscitate her? Does anyone on your staff know how to administer CPR? How could someone die from cardiac arrest in this age of modern medical technology, in a hospital facility?

Some top government officials run through the length and breadth of this country saying SVG is a modern and competitive society. I think they should start modernizing the MCMH and ensure it is equipped with lung and heart machines like defibrillators and electrocardiographs, so that the medical staff at the hospital could monitor the many other bioelectric functions of a patient’s body.

I encourage all Vincentians, especially the media, to keep a watchful eye on the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital. We only live once.

Rest in peace, my little sister; we will always love and miss you.

Errol Duncan

National Hero — not a nine-day hero, but a hero forever. For over six (6) weeks your noble national effort dominated the media. That’s another first for you.

What others like Cools Vanloo and Junior Bacchus tried to do for years, with a great deal

Welcome to dialysis WELL, WELL, WELL! ALL OF A SUDDEN THINGS CHANGE. Not so long ago, a certain Minister of Health was telling us how expensive it would be to bring a dialysis service to this country. How quickly he had forgotten about all the complaints from persons suffering from kidney disease. Those who could afford it travelled to Trinidad and Barbados for dialysis.

Some died because they could not afford to continue the treatment.

Now, in comes the private sector, and just like that, SVG can boast about a dialysis centre.

Now that is a good

sign, i.e. the private sector getting involved in providing services that the government either truly cannot afford to or simply will not.

I understand that the cost for treatment will not be the usual doctor’s fee. Nonetheless, congratulations to Health Solutions for taking this bold but vital step.

And by the way, it is good, to say the least, that we can eventually make good use of one of our leading doctors in the field, Dr. Malcolm Samuel.

Gill

The Dream

by ASHAKA LETT

* Can we expect that that road in New Montrose outside Roxanne Cole’s residence will get some much needed attention during this round of road repairs. * Is the switch board at that all important number, 457-1211, back up and running? Do you know whose number it is? * When will other banks follow the noble lead of the BOSVG and provide the public with a computer terminal where customers can check their balances on their accounts? * Do drivers understand what two solid lines at an intersection mean? Perhaps the Traffic Department could help in this regard? * When will the traffic department see it fit to provide service at all funerals in Kingstown, and not only for a chosen few? Ain’t poor people does have big funeral too? * Apologies for last week where a reference was made to Tamarind Beach Hotel. It should have read Canouan Beach Hotel.

of noise, you did quietly in a quarter page article.

Clearly, you have ushered in a new era in politics. May God bless and protect you from the wolves in sheep’s clothing in every political party.

Yours faithfully Mano

IN A ROAD OF REFLECTION I CLOSED MY EYES As thirty-three years of Independence went by: I saw politicians seeing beyond the polls And living up to the ideals they ought to uphold’ Citizens no longer seen as election objects But agents of change determining what happens next.

I saw self-loathing stopped in its tracks We no longer stab each other in the back, No longer did we see clear skin, good hair or ‘coolie’ Instead we saw one people, all of us Vincy.

I saw a greater level of objectivity and maturity And the realization of genuine meritocracy, Not half the way not perceived but completely Where morale is enhanced and thus productivity.

I basked in the joy of us

living together Even when our ideologies may differ, We agree to disagree and disagree to agree And move on without malice and animosity.

Clearly I saw an end to political tribalism And smiled at the ousting of the element of Colonialism, I sing and dance and clap to the sweet Rhythm Of political unity and an end to all isms and schisms.

I saw education being viewed more holistically Not confined to the walls of a school or University, So that discussions are not left to holders of degrees But every citizen contributing on issues affecting our country But Alas!! I open my eyes to be sadly disappointed It’s only a dream!! A dream I hope is not dead,A dream I hope is not lost in the winds of time But with time, will be a reality etched in our conscious minds.

V

10. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

Excerpt from the 2013 Budget Address Public Finances and Public Debt THE FISCAL SITUATION of the Central Government improved during 2012, but still remains challenging. This improvement was attributed to a narrowing of both the current and overall deficits. The overall deficit moved from $58.67 million (revised) in 2011 to $35.42 million (preliminary) for 2012. The overall deficit of 2.0% of GDP was well within our policy target of 3% - 4% of GDP over the medium term.

Current revenue during 2012 increased by 1.9% following a 5.6% decline in 2011. Tax revenue was, however, more buoyant increasing by 4.5% as non-tax revenue continued its downward trend during the year.

Despite this modest growth in collections, total current revenue fell well short of the budget estimate by about $37.5 million (7%). There was also a steep decline in capital revenue from $46.56 million in 2011 to $12.37 (preliminary) during 2012.

Current expenditure for 2012 amounted to $489.98 million which was slightly less than the $495.19 million expended in 2011. Most categories of current expenditure recorded lower levels of expenditure, the exceptions being wages and salaries and retiring benefits payments.

Perhaps the least satisfactory aspect of the 2012 fiscal performance was the slow-down in capital spending which is unlikely to reach the 2011 figure of $75.52 million when all relevant adjustments and accounting are made. Accordingly, we have already implemented a number of actions to ensure a more robust Public Sector Investment Programme for 2013 and beyond, including early identification and completion of negotiations for project financing from several donors.

Mega International Commercial Bank Co. Ltd. to assist in financing the Argyle International Airport Terminal Building; (ii) A loan of US$ 8 million from the Export/Import Bank of the Republic of China for the Public Sector Investment Programme; (iii) A loan of US$ 5 million from the Caribbean Development Bank for a Technical Vocational Education and Training; (iv) A loan of US$ 13.6 million from the Caribbean Development Bank for reconstruction of the South Leeward Highway; and (v) A loan of US$3.26 million from the Caricom Development Fund for the International Airport Project.

Foreign Currency Credit

During 2012, also, St. Vincent and the Grenadines foreign currency credit rating was downgraded by its rating agency Moody’s from B1 to B2.

The agency cited poor growth prospects following protracted recession, elevated vulnerability to external economic shocks and significant deterioration of the Government’s balance sheet as the main drivers of the downgrade.

While we are naturally concerned with this development and its potential impact on our debt dynamics, we have not experienced any adverse consequences as a result of the downgrade, largely because we do not borrow in the foreign Government currency. Indeed our instruments continue to be in high demand and are trading at historical low rates. For example, the December 2012 issue of the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Treasury Bill settled at a rate of 3.25%.

We have taken cognizance of the The Public Debt issues raised by Moody’s and are addressing some of the weaknesses As at September 30, 2012, the total identified by the rating agency. It is public debt of St. Vincent and the interesting to note that the two Grenadines amounted to $1.31 billion, factors identified by Moody’s as most 6.9% more that the figure as at likely to change any future rating September 2011. The total public debt upward are the completion of the was comprised of domestic debt of Argyle Airport and an increase in FDI $565.1 million and external debt of in the tourism sector. As can be seen $747.3 million. Major developments from this Budget Address, we are well which impacted on the public debt on the way to achieving these goals. during 2012 included: Mr. Speaker, on a related matter in 1. Issuance of a new $40 million the financial system, I am pleased to bond on the Regional Government report that earlier this month we Securities Market (RGSM), which was launched the IPO for sale of 2,000,000 oversubscribed. shares in the Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, so far the response 2. Drawdown of over $62.1 million from the public has been from the ALBA Bank to finance the overwhelming.

Lowman’s Bay Power Expansion In the first four days since the offer Project and the Public Sector was made, over three hundred Investment Programe. persons applied for shares amounting to approximately forty percent of the 3. Drawdown of an additional $14 amount offered, and we continue to million from Petro Caribe to finance have a steady flow of persons making the International Airport Project. application. Allotment of Share will be made at the end of January after Further, during the year a number the January 25th deadline for of new loans were negotiated with application. Our policy is to ensure several financial institutions and are the widest possible distribution of now ready for drawdown. These shares for individuals and institutions include: in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the rest of the OECS. (i) A loan of US$10 million from

Press Statement by Honourable Arnhim Eustace – Leader of the Opposition Re: Recent Developments between the Prime Minister, Harlequin and the BBC THESE DEVELOPMENTS relate to allegations of bribery made against the Prime Minister and Harlequin’s Dave Ames, who, by virtue of his investments, has been granted Vincentian citizenship.

Mr. Ames and Harlequin’s project here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Buccama Resorts, has had a troubled history. Locally, the project has been plagued by labour and land ownership disputes, litigation by investors, and arrears owed to vendors, the combination of which has prompted questions as to whether the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines exercised thorough due diligence in its assessment of Dave Ames and Harlequin. I have on many occasions, publicly called upon the project to honour its debts to local contractors and workers, with little success.

Internationally, UK investors have instituted legal proceedings which have attracted coverage by British and regional press.

Most recently, allegations of bribery against the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in relation to the project, are causing unease among Vincentians locally and in the Diaspora, and have cast a pall over St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ investment landscape.

In light of the concerns expressed to me by nationals at home and in the Diaspora, and statements made by the Prime Minister on a daily basis since this past Sunday 17th February, here are the facts: 1. On about January, 2013, the UK’s Financial Services Authority issued an alert to British investors in Harlequinn advising that there will be no financial assistance by the British Government in respect of losses from their investments.

2. During a January airing of my weekly Monday programme on NICE Radio, I advised Vincentians of this development.

3. I am in receipt of a copy of submissions to the UK Serious Fraud Office, which I am informed is investigating the project. I shall say more on this at a later date. This is as yet a development matter.

4. On Tuesday, 12th February, 2013, the BBC, in the persons of an investigative team working with that institution’s “Panorama” programme, requested of me an interview in relation to Harlequinn and Dave Ames.

5. I consented to be interviewed at my home on Wednesday, 13th February, 2013.

6. While the cameras rolled, Mr. Paul Kenyon of the BBC put to me allegations that Prime Minister Gonsalves received substantial bribes from Dave Ames, and sought my response to these allegations if they were discovered to be true.

7. In response, I indicated that if such were true, the Prime Minister would have to demit office.

8. I was advised on about Thursday 14th February, that a United Kingdombased lawyer from Regulatory Legal Solicitors, acting for a number of UK investors in the Harlequin Buccament Bay Project, had flown to St. Vincent and the Grenadines for the purpose of ascertaining the situation as it pertains to Harlequinn’s Buccama Resort, and to further investigate the land title at Buccament as it relates to the Resort.

9. I am further advised that all options — including an international freezing order, the effect of which would be to halt the operation of the Buccama

Resort — remain on the table for the UK investors he represents.

10. On Sunday, 17th February, Prime Minister Gonsalves, while travelling to the CARICOM Heads of Government Summit in Haiti, called into a programme airing live on WE FM, to apprise Vincentians of an encounter with members of the BBC team on board a landed LIAT plane and on the tarmac at Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados.

11. On a daily basis since the incident, the Prime Minister has been calling into radio programmes from Haiti and stating and or insinuating the following: * That in my BBC interview, I alleged that he had accepted a bribe; * That I have made such allegations because I judge him by my own standards; * That the said allegations were generated and or orchestrated by the NDP; and * That he has never accepted a bribe of any kind.

I say this: * To the claim that I alleged that the PM accepted a bribe: At no time in my BBC interview did I make a single allegation of bribery against Prime Minster Gonsalves. * To his conjecture that I made such claims because I judge him by my own standards: In so stating, the Prime Minster implied that I have in the past and/or would in the future accept or be inclined to accept a bribe. The very suggestion is plainly untrue and, ironically, libelous. However, I do judge the Prime Minister by my own standards. I therefore, shall assume him to be innocent until such time as he is proven otherwise. * To the Prime Minister’s claim that the said allegations were generated and or orchestrated by the NDP: Another unacceptable and frankly incredible claim. The NDP can no more dictate to the BBC than the BBC can dictate to the NDP. * That he has never accepted a bribe of any kind: As stated, the Prime Minister is in Haiti attending a summit with other CARICOM Heads of Government. Clearly, weighty matters of local and regional importance are being handled there. The Prime Minister’s lengthy, daily, sometimes twice daily, radio calls to plead his case with the BBC and Harlequinn are a distraction from his work at the Summit, and do not at this early juncture, shed any light on the Buccama situation.

Nonetheless, this matter, which is still unfolding and in respect of which I expect that there shall be further developments, is significant to the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

I encourage nationals to remain calm.

Be resolute in your belief that the truth will come out. I am informed that the BBC’s “Panorama” programme on Harlequin and the Prime Minister is scheduled to air in March.

It will not be long now.

May God bless St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 11.

Views

„The Role of the University of The gravest danger the West Indies in Regional Competitive Development‰ “We need to create a new young person who is prepared to learn to learn.”

—Professor E. Nigel Harris, Vice Chancellor, University of the West Indies THE ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES Chamber of Industry and Commerce Inc. must be commended for inviting the esteemed Professor E. Nigel Harris, Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI), to be the feature speaker at their business lunch that took place at the Haddon Hotel in Kingstown on Wednesday, 13 February 2013. The Chamber’s Executive Director, Mr. Michael Nanton, was the Master of Ceremonies at the event which also heard brief opening remarks from the Chamber’s President, Mr. Andrew Woodroffe. The Head of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Open Campus, Mrs. Deborah Dalrymple, also provided brief remarks prior to introducing the distinguished Professor Harris. She indicated that the Guyanese-born Professor had graduated from Howard University with a degree in Chemistry and proceeded to Yale University where he received a Master of Philosophy degree in Biochemistry.

He also obtained a medical degree from Pennsylvania before proceeding to secure his post-graduate degree, Doctor of Medicine (DM), at the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies. The Head of the local Open Campus also noted several of the Professor’s outstanding academic and professional accomplishments. Mrs. Dalrymple noted that Professor Harris was previously Dean and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, USA. Professor Harris’ presentation highlighted the fact that the UWI is well on the way to achieving its mission: “To advance education and create knowledge through excellence in teaching, research, innovation, public service, intellectual leadership and outreach in order to support the inclusive (social, economic, political, cultural, environmental) development of the Caribbean region and beyond.”

He noted that the UWI is repositioning itself to be an instrument of growth in the Caribbean. In this regard, it now offers in excess of 800 degree programmes; many of which are specifically tailored to meet the needs of Caribbean nations in relation to climate change, protecting and preserving the environment, etc. The Vice Chancellor remarked that the university has produced graduates who lead in all sectors of Caribbean life, and further noted that the university has a rich bounty of research, innovation and creative thinking. He proceeded by indicating that UWI has generated a total of 25 patents. This is ample evidence that the institution continues to encourage innovation. In addition, he saw this as critical, as the people of the Caribbean emerge to be more conscious of the value of intellectual property.

The distinguished Professor commented that, while the Caribbean researchers and academics have generated many brilliant ideas, a major challenge continues to be one of implementation. He remarked that

great ideas have emerged in several of the disciplines offered at UWI, but too many remain underutilized or not utilized at all. He challenged the private sector to consider the role that they can play in encouraging the implementation of such worthy initiatives.

The renowned Vice Chancellor noted that, while the regional governments have committed to providing financial support to the UWI, the institution’s visionary leaders and faculty have embarked on a number of self-financing and commercial endeavours aimed at securing its sustainability. He informed the audience that UWI presently has 47,000 students and receives 30,000 applications for admission each year. Dr. Harris indicated that the UWI is focused on creating a new young person who is prepared to learn to learn. He saw this as critical if the region is to maximize its intellectual capital and encourage innovation. He explained that the speed with which knowledge is evolving will demand that our youth constantly focus on grasping “new knowledge” if they are to remain on the “cutting edge of development”.

Professor Harris’ presentation was occasionally punctuated by a number of jokes. However, these “lighter moments” did not detract from the many useful insights that he shared with the attentive audience. The audience was most attentive as he reminded listeners of the need for the Caribbean to intensify its efforts to engage in value-added agricultural products rather than relying on the traditional practice of exporting primary products. He indicated how delighted he was when he was served “Mango Pepper Cocoa” at a function recently held in Jamaica. He beckoned Caribbean people to accept the challenge to be more innovative in relation to agro processing as we seek to develop a more competitive Caribbean. He commended the organisers and sponsors of the Compete Caribbean programme, and viewed this as a step in the right direction as the region seeks to develop models that will foster greater competitiveness.

Over the years, the University of the West Indies has fostered excellent relationships with the private sector.

This event was yet another example of the tremendous benefits that can be derived when the university collaborates with local private sector organisations (like the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Chamber of Industry and Commerce) in an effort to disseminate information about its many programmes and accomplishments. We look forward to more events of this nature as the university continues to champion efforts to enhance local and regional competitiveness.

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

THE GRAVE DANGER confronting our country is that the political class may have talked the Building and Loan fiasco into a point of no return.

In May, we will certainly get the chance to gauge whether Building and Loan 20,000 members will stay with the institution or take their money and run. Worse, based on the disclosure of PM Gonsalves, it is an open question as to whether the association has the capacity to pay all of those who may be making demands.

But that is only Building and Loan, and this is why the political conversation, especially that of the PM and the PM in waiting, is so unfortunate. As Plain Talk queried 2 columns ago, why should we have confidence that the financial contagion that is ravaging Building and Loan is not eating at the foundation of other local banking, loans and credit unions?

Suppose the uncertainty surrounding the Building and Loan drives depositors, members and shareholders in other credit unions to run for their moneys. Suppose further that these institutions are not in financial positions to honour the just demands of their members. Suppose even further that the failure of Building and Loan brings on the doomsday financial collapse that St Clair Leacock tunneled in his partisan drivel two Mondays ago. And suppose finally that our lovely SVG sits in financial ruins with all of the attendant chaos and mayhem that such a calamity could birth.

Where would all of this leave the people of SVG, especially the poor who salted away their ‘rainy day’ pennies in these local institutions? Is this the SVG St Clair Leacock wants his party to assume leadership of?

Could the NDP manage such mess?

Could a national government of both Gonsalves and Eustace take us through this very economic and financial down turn of this dimension? Plain Talk doubts. So why wish doom on our country? Why deal with BLA as if a fire wall of safety protects all other local institutions?

Consider this scenario: In 2009, British American and CLICO collapsed, and it shook the Vincentian economy to the core. Not only did private investors and persons with pension and health plans and life insurance lose, institutions like NIS, and the Credit Unions lost millions of dollars from their investments in BAICO and Clico.

What we did not know until last week is that this crisis may have sparked a run on BLA that resulted in the withdrawal of $9 million. Since Luke Browne’s January 18 letter, the disclosure of Gonsalves family withdrawals and the unhelpful pronouncements of Gonsalves and Eustace among others, the crisis of confidence in this institution must be at its lowest level in the association’s 72 year history. In the ensuing weeks, countless other millions could have been withdrawn.

We have said all along that for SVG to survive, the political tribes must die. Political talk is good and useful because we live in a competitive, electoral society. But there are limits to political tribalism.

We must recognize those limits before, in our haste to gain political points, we talk our country to hell with no recognizable way out.

Now more than ever, PM Gonsalves needs to call a unilateral political truce on discourse regarding Building and Loan and other at risk financial institutions. The opposition may spy a chance to make political hay, but in their haste, they will expose their hand as being primarily concerned about sipping from the honey cup of power, rather than in the financial stability of our nation.

Gonsalves’ disclosure that the $6 million which BLA owes the government will be plowed back into the institution is a good start. But such commitment to this cash starved institution will make little difference.

The PM needs to tell the nation that under no condition will the BLA be allowed to fail. He must announce a contingency that will cater to any short term run on BLA or any of our other institutions.

But SVG is not the USA. There are limits to Gonsalves’ power to create confidence or generate money. A commitment from a reputable regional or international institution such as the Caribbean Development Bank to stand by the BLA will go a long way in building confidence.

A further commitment from PM Gonsalves and chief Lieutenants and Opposition Leader Eustace and his top supporters to cease and desist from saying anything that will aggravate the situation is needed and will be welcomed. Central to Gonsalves’ stewardship as PM is for him to learn when to don his prime ministerial suit and remain above the fray.

We know that Building and Loan is in dire straits and it will take more than the sweet words of our Prime Minister and Opposition Leader to save it. In fact, opposition leader Arnhim Eustace gave the distinct impression last week that he had abandoned the worthy project of saving the association. St Clair Leacock’s views about abandoning the business class is so wildly beyond the pale that no explanation suffices to correct his clearly anti-national utterance.

By reading from the confidence shattering report about the state of Building and Loan, Gonsalves, was he lured into a political fight that might benefit the ULP or NDP, but discredits the nation? Even worse, this nasty political discourse places the nation’s financial foundation on shakier ground.

Nothing further must be said or done that will sap the confidence of citizens in these institutions. We will not be able to live with ourselves or in this society if we choose politics over the national interest.

Send comments, criticisms & suggestions to wefirst@aol.com

V

12. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

SVG needs its own central bank and currency

SVG HAS SUFFERED FROM A HIGH LEVEL OF FISCAL DEFICIT BETWEEN 2005 AND 2013, AND THIS HAS CAUSED PUNISHING negative economic growth for many years. Add to this the killing of the National Commercial Bank (NCB) with a $185 million government overdraft in 2008, and more recently, gross financial incompetence at the St. Vincent Building and Loan Association, and there are clear signals that the present protocol under the OECS Central Bank is an utter waste of time.

SVG urgently needs its own central bank and its own currency to stimulate economic growth. A central bank

could undertake the responsibility of economic growth and stability of the SVG economy.

Without economic growth, we are simply burying our head in the sand, relying on the OECS obsession with tourism being the engine of their economies.

A central bank in our beloved country would have the monopoly of issuing notes, act as banker to the government, serve as the bankers’ bank, serve as the bank of last bank resort, control and regulate credit and maintain external stability. The exercise of these very important functions would build

and sustain much confidence in the banking and nonbanking sectors. It may be the case that some OECS countries may feel that they have no other choice but to hang on to tourism as the engine of their respective economies, but in SVG we are blessed with a magnitude of alternatives to tourism as engines of the SVG economy. We have over 10,000 square miles of sea space, plus the right to fish for tuna in the Atlantic Ocean. A tuna fishing and canning industry could bring in $1000 dollars for every one dollar earned from tourism. Also, with our

economy based on science, technology and education, we could boost economic growth by exporting innovation.

There is no good reason why our country should remain in the lazy tourism club of the OECS, nor as a member of the sleeping OECS Central Bank. We have very strong alternatives.

With our own central bank, we could develop an integrated commercial banking system. We could assist farmers with forward financial planning and offer credit facilities to farmers in a new greenhouse, short crops sector that would produce three to four harvestings every year.

With our own central bank, we could assist entrepreneurs with forward financial planning and offer credit facilities for investment in innovation and research. Our own central bank would set interest rates to keep inflation low and preserve the value of our money. It would contribute to protecting and enhancing the stability of the financial system, and promote and maintain monetary and financial stability for a healthy economy. Monetary stability means stable prices - low inflation and confidence in the currency.

Our own central

would develop a proper interest rate structure that would encourage investment and discourage unproductive investment in dead capital. It would oversee credit unions, banks, building societies and other non-banking institutions to ensure loans are secured, stabilise bank interest rates, and control bank liquidity and reserve ratios.

We must leave the OECS Central Bank. The fact that Gonsalves killed the NCB shows that the OECS Central Bank is a failure and of no good use to us.

SVG Green Party www.svggreenparty.org

THE THOUGHT TODAY 18/02/13 OF E = MC2, ADAM, MAN AND A NEW LIFE (Luke 4:1-13)

YESTERDAY, THE 17TH FEBRUARY 2013, I PRESENTED MY YOUNG SON, KIRANI CAIN, at the Richland Park Methodist Church for baptism as an infant. With mixed emotions, my wife Juni and I stood, with a group of Godparents, at the altar to offer him up in Baptism to God, as is our Methodist tradition. As we did so, I was very mindful that we were also at the beginning of the Lenten season.

The previous day, I had also celebrated my own birthday with thankfulness in my heart. I listened carefully as Rev Janet Thorne, a friend from my Methodist Youth Fellowship days of thirty years ago, delivered an engaging sermon based on the temptations of Jesus, as told in Luke 4:1-13 and Mark 1:12,13 in the New Testament scriptures. I listened as she related the type of temptations

which Jesus endured and overcame as he began his journey of redemptive love for all mankind.

For some strange reason, Albert Einstein's famous and well known mathematical equation, e = mc2, came into my thoughts.

According to this sublime and simple formula, as modern physicists and scientists study, the energy potential of a given mass of matter can be expressed as the mass of the object multiplied by the squared value of the speed of light. Many persons, scientists and ordinary people included, have pondered in awe how the deepest mysteries of our universe can be explained by a formula / relationship with three symbols.

In the world of science, this formula contains an idea so simple that any young child may easily learn and understand it. To understand its full power and elegance, however, one has to read, study and master the mass of scientific thinking and ideas to which this "simple" relationship may be and has been applied, for good and bad. After all, it is the key to understanding the deepest depths of God's created universe.

With this flash of intuition, my attention came back to the message being preached by Rev Thorne.

In Genesis we learn that man's separation from God took place in Eden's garden of idyllic bliss. Adam,

the first man, disregarded the simple instructions of God his creator not to eat the fruit of a specific tree of life. At the urging of the tempter, and encouragement from his wife Eve, Adam disobeyed God. He ate of the forbidden fruit. With this act, the relationship between God and man (his creation) was broken. Adam was chased from the garden.

With love and concern for man, God moved with "lightning speed" to offer mankind a chance to regain the type of relationship between God and man which he intended at the time of creation.

What was the plan? Since by one man came man's separation from God, then God will again offer salvation and a right relationship with him if a man could "live a fully human life and overcome the temptations of Satan". Through the full and faithful obedience of one man, Jesus, to God's wish and word, all men may be reconciled fully to God and experience the eternal life quality which God had planned for mankind - his created being.

In the same way that Einstein's sublime formula e = mc2 holds the key to our understanding the deepest mysteries of the created universe, faith in the sinless life and sacrifice of one man became and becomes the key for reopening the possibilities of eternal life for all mankind.

I pray that as we go through this season of Lenten reflection and celebration, that we accept, in a personal way, God's simple and sublime offer of eternal life to whosoever may come Today As You Care, Share The Thought Today Ashley R Cain

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 13.

News

Invest SVG to host Expo

by KENVILLE HORNE

ONE OF OUR MANDATES IS TO STIMULATE THE EXPORT DEVELOPMENT potential of our local manufacturers and the creative sector.

This was the core sentiments expressed by Acting Executive Director of Invest SVG, Allan Alexander, as the Investment promotion agency gears up to host the Vincy Innovators Expo (VIPO), a showcase of Vincy product, to be staged at the Cruise Ship Terminal, March 22 — 24, 2013.

At a press briefing (when) to outline the plans for VIPO, Alexander said that Invest SVG strives to realize its role in helping to encourage investment and engineer economic development in SVG. VIPO is designed to give locally based businesses the opportunity to show cases their products in front of a large audience.

Special emphasis will be given to individuals and businesses with a unique or innovative product, with Alexander explaining that “while we do not intend to turn away exhibitors of traditional products, we specifically want to give individuals, and businesses with a unique or innovative product, the opportunity to showcase their products.”

Alexander is hoping to see a large percentage of those persons who

attended a recent Invest SVG-hosted Export Readiness Seminar, returning as exhibitors at VIPO. VIPO is also expected to serve as a platform for government/ statutory bodies to showcase their services and how they may be used for the improvement of the goods and services produced in SVG. The event will be financed by the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export), the Eastern Caribbean Group of Companies (ECGC) and Bank of SVG (BOSVG. Marketing Officer at Bank of SVG Omari France said the bank was proud to be part of VIPO. “As part of our Customer Service Relationship policy, we are committed to sustainable development,” said France. The VIPO is a platform for innovators to interact, share ideas and examine ways for development.

France is encouraging all to be a part of the event. “Your ideas are never too big to be a hit, come down on March,” he said.

Invest SVG Business Facilitation Manager Nadine Agard said the VIPO is an effective platform from which entrepreneurs can

launch their services, thereby enhancing their competitiveness as a whole. “VIPO can facilitate and encourage businesses to reengineer their products and services towards integrating into the global economy,” Agard said. The Event will provide 50 booths set up at the Cruise Ship Berth for businesses to showcase their products.

There will also be cultural performances and a mini product demonstration.

Invest SVG Communication Officer, Tedra Kirby, assured persons that the event will be a worthwhile venture.

The VIPO logo, designed by Multigraphics, was also officially presented during the press conference.

VIPO is part of Invest SVG’s 10th anniversary yearlong celebration.

(L-R) Allan Alexander, Nadine Agard, Omari France and Tedra Kirby at the press briefing that addressed plans to host a Vincy Innovators Expo.

V

14. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Senior Citizens

ÂDaddy PalÊ still endorses family

Frederick “Daddy Pal” Beache takes a best wishes during his Birthday Thanksgiving Service.

by GLORIAH… FREDERICK “DADDY PAL” BEACHE OF CAMPDEN PARK, considered to be the oldest man here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, still professes his firm belief in the institution of the family.

‘Daddy Pal’ turned one hundred and eight (108) years old on Saturday, 9th February, 2013, and the vibrant stalwart of the Beache family, even at that point, was adamant that his family should continue with the unity they have shared over the years.

At a Birthday Thanksgiving Service held in his honour at his home in Campden Park, ‘Daddy Pal’, despite his age, was the livewire of the affair.

He reaffirmed his commitment to “family”, and insisted that his son, Ian Beache make an announcement of it to

all gathered for the occasion.

According to his daughter and caretaker, Mrs. Verna Shallow, ‘Daddy Pal’ has always been a strict disciplinarian. “He always taught us love and unity.

Even when we would have little spats and one of us would shout something like, ‘Stop, I not taking that!’, he would become very upset and would administer punishment to encourage us to desist from unruly behavior,” she told THE VINCENTIAN. Even today, Shallow believes that ‘Daddy Pal’ spoils his grandchildren because he wants them to understand that they are really loved and that they must love one another.

Frederick ‘Daddy Pal’ Beache has had an illustrious life. He was born in Long Wall in Kingstown but grew up in Greiggs where he established his family.

It was from Greiggs that he migrated as a youth to Santo Domingo to work.

At his birthday party, he spent some time regaling the guests about some of his call of exploits, and recalled several instances of humorous experiences.

He was a good cricketer and was also known to be an excellent guitarist who performed at concerts in Greiggs, where he was known to ‘hold a good tune’, and has taught many youngsters to play the instrument.

‘Daddy Pal’ was known to the people of Greiggs as the village handyman. He was the proverbial Jack-of-all-trades. Among his many professions were: artisan (working in bamboo and other media to produce craft items), lumberjack and building contractor.

It was noted that for ‘Daddy Pal’s’ age, his family was still relatively small. Of his seven children, two sons and four daughters are still alive. He has fifteen grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren.

Left: Frederick “Daddy Pal” Beache cuddles one of his great grandchildre n with Dean Patrick McIntosh, who led the Service, at his side.

V Sir George Alleyne lectures Trinity

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 15.

News

appointed Professor of Medicine. In addition to serving on the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee of A STANDING ROOM only gathering of the WORLD Health Organisation students, faculty and invited guests (WHO), Tropical Disease Research attended an inspiring lecture by Sir Program and the Institute of Medicine George A.O. Alleyne at the Trinity Committee on Scientific Investigation University School of Medicine’s main in Developing Countries, he served as lecture hall, on Monday Feb. 18, 2013. a member and chair of the The Pan Dr. Alleyne began a career in American Health Organization academic medicine at the University of (PAHO) Advisory Committee on the West Indies where he was

by BEN HARRISON – International Correspondent

NCW raffle winners receive prizes

by KENVILLE HORNE WINNERS IN THE NATIONAL Council of Women (NCW) Christmas raffle received their prizes during a brief presentation at the NCW office in Frenches, on Thursday 7th February.

The NCW is SVG’s premier women organization, which works across national boundaries for the common cause of advocating human rights for women. The Raffle was part of the organization’s fundraising imitative to assist in carrying outits mandate.

Moso Richards took the first prize of a food hamper, while Laundreth Ferdinand collected a stainless steel kettle on behalf of Cecil Ferdinand, for his second place.

Both winners are residents of Rose Hall.

On collecting his winning, Richards pledged his continuing support for the NCW. He promised to enjoy his hamper.

Ferdinand promised “to continue to support as long as we have breath.”

President of NCWSVG, Anesta Rodney, said she was pleased to be part of the initiative. She explained that the event was an effort to raise funds to assist the organization.

“As women of this organization, we know the needs of our people, we know the needs of our women,” said Rodney.

She explained that most activities need finance to be successful, therefore, the NCW has other activities planned. “The raffle is the first venture,” she disclosed.

Rodney maintained eye contact with the winners and in a tone of

L-R: President of National Council of Women, Anesta Rodney hands over food hamper to Moso Richards.

L-R: President of NCW hands over a Kettle to Laundret Ferdinand , who collected on Cecil Ferdinand's behalf. gratitude stated, “It may seem to be a small fee but your contribution towards it, is great.”

The NCW president added that she was looking forward to their continued support, and thanked all those who have contributed.

Second Vice President of NCW, Kaskie Miguel, also congratulated the winners and thanked those who supported. She said the Council has a lot of exciting plans ahead, starting with a set of consultations scheduled to begin in early March.

She promised that the public will be made more aware in the coming weeks.

And in a direct appeal to women, she said, “The issues we as women face today can only be

combated if we work hand in hand with each other.”

Norma Williams, Committee member of NWC, was elated to be a member of the Organization, but confessed there was a lot more work to do. She called on all women to assist NWC in stamping out the issue of domestic violence in SVG. The NCW is SVG’s premier women’s organization, which works across national boundaries for the common cause of advocating human rights for women. The Raffle was part of the organization’s fundraising towards ensuring its continued operation.

Medical Research. He was appointed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean region.

He is currently Chancellor of the University of the West Indies. He was knighted in 1990 for his Sir George Alleyene is expected to be services to medicine, and in 2001, just one of many Caribbean luminaries was awarded the Order of the to be invited to do the lecture series at Caribbean Community, the highest Trinity Medical College. honor that can be conferred on a Caribbean national.

Dr. Alleyne urged that strong His lecture, supported by an partnerships should be formed with excellent series of slides and statistics, adolescents and young people, not only referred to the Millennium because they are the adults of the Development Goals (MDGs) in which future, but also because many of the health is a key component, and the risk factors and patterns of approach to the prevention and control consumption that contribute to NCDs of non communicable diseases (NCDs) begin and must be stopped in where governments have adopted a adolescence. Prevention, particularly goal of a 25% reduction in mortality by relating to life style of parents and the year 2025. society, must begin during the first NCDs are leading causes of death 1000 days of life, starting from and disability, and include cardioconception. vascular, diabetes, hypertension and Kudos must be given to Trinity cancer. The direct cost and economic University for its initiative in bringing loss attributed to NCDs reach world class academics to St. Vincent staggering amounts of money, and the Grenadines, providing the amounting to trillions of dollars, finest quality of education to its creating devastating consequences to medical students as they prepare for economic stability in both high and low their career in this most important income countries. field.

V

16. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Education

GMS highlights comprehension skills

by GLORIAH… THE ANNUAL LITERACY WEEK celebrations of the Gomea Methodist School were this year conducted from February 11th to 15th, with the theme: “A Comprehending Community Reduces Literacy”.

The event included activities which involved not only the students, teachers and parents, but also the wider community. The school compound provided the platform for the majority of the activities.

On Tuesday, 12th, the school held its Comprehension Parade, in which students and teachers banded together to showcase a variety of interpretations of the vital skills of comprehension. This activity took the school’s Literacy Week to a whole new level as the participants engaged in a parade of bands — an aspect of our carnival culture which was

cleverly used to highlight obvious participation among the students, excitements at the opportunity to wear costumes, and an inherent knowledge of the fundamentals of comprehension.

Students, in their own hand-made costumes and other get-ups, portrayed ideas in their several bands with titles like: ‘The Reading Detective’, ‘Fact and Fantasy’, “’e Thinking Higher Order’, and ‘Is Figurative We Mean’.

According to Literacy Co-ordinator at the school, Mrs. Elizabeth Austin, the parade was “really a display heightening the importance of comprehension. Reading is an active, engaging process and it is good to focus on the importance of utilizing the skills necessary to understand what is read.”

Mr. Oswald Robinson, Principal at the school, expressed his satisfaction

The ‘Fact and Fantasy’ portrayal stretching the limits of imagination and comprehension.

Mrs. Elizabeth Austin, Literacy Co-ordinator at the school, spoke about the need to utilize the skills necessary to understand what is read. with what was taking place at the school during the week. He gave those gathered at

the Comprehension Parade some insight into the effectiveness of applying comprehension

SVG-JICA Alumni Association launched ON THURSDAY 31 January 2013, the St.Vincent and the Grenadines JICA Alumni Association was officially launched with a ceremony and cocktail At SOV Restaurant and Club in Calliaqua.

The association was formed with the assistance of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to encourage former participants of the JICA Training Programme to form a network of opportunities for knowledge sharing, community activities, sustained friendship with Japan and to acquire assistance in converting JICA training programmes into development study and technical cooperation projects.

The mission of the association is to provide a forum for Vincentians who are former participants of JICA technical training programmes, persons who have been to Japan or who are interested in Japanese culture and prospective training participants, through which continued relations and education between St.Vincent and the Grenadines and Japan can be fostered.

Invited guests included exparticipants of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Training Programme, JICA staff and related institutions involved in the management of the training programme in

skills to reading, and invited all to pay attention to what the bands were portraying.

The Gomea Methodist School is an institution that has been raising ‘Hats Off for Reading’ since the inception of that programme. That original format has since evolved into a more substantial event that has been incorporating the community in which there were persons who

needed the knowledge too.

Other events held during the week included a Community Reading Party, Reading and Spelling Competitions, Writing and Choral Speech Competitions, Calypso Performances, a Request Programme, and a Literacy Treasure Hunt and Games.

St.Vincent and the Grenadines Alumni Association members.

Inset: Mr. Yamaguchi, Deputy Director JICA Regional Headquarters, Dominican Republic.

St.Vincent and the Grenadines.

Mr. Yamaguchi, Deputy Director, JICA Regional Office, Dominican Republic gave the feature remarks and promised that JICA will continue to support the efforts made to fortify the status and function of the association.

Membership is open to persons who have completed a JICA training programme and associate membership is open to all Vincentians who wish to have cordial ties with Japan as well as Japanese residents in the country.

The St.Vincent and the Grenadines JICA Alumni Association is only a small part of the wider network of JICA Alumni Associations found in all 13 Caribbean countries. JICA convened a JICA/CARICOM &

Dominican Republic Alumni Association Forum on March 22 2012 at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, Port of Spain, Trinidad to enhance mutual collaboration for sustainable development in the Caribbean region between Caribbean territories and Japan. Three executive members of each JICA association were represented at the forum to share experience, exchange opinions, ideas and challenges.

The association plans for growth and expansion as it seeks to serve as an orientation agency for prospective JICA training participants and promote the importance of training for human resource development through Japan’s Cooperation initiatives for CARICOM. (Contributed)

‘Reading Detectives’ get to the bottom of the case of Comprehension Skills.

Getting to know and understand the history of indigenous peoples.

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 17.

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 19.

18. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

IT IS ESTABLISHED THAT GLOBALLY, diabetes mellitus and hypertension are major causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

Interestingly, the Caribbean renal registry has also identified diabetes mellitus and hypertension as the leading causes of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal failure.

Chronic non-communicable diseases, including chronic kidney disease, continue to be a major medical as well as financial challenge in the Caribbean, and patients with chronic kidney disease have high rates of mortality.

While emphasis should be placed on ways to reduce the incidence of kidney disease and the progression to dialysis, the need for dialysis service remains paramount, especially in a society in which renal complications continue to grow at what some say are alarmingly high rates. Enter Health Solutions Inc.!

Health Solutions Inc., a privately owned and managed health facility, has brought the delivery of outpatient

haemodialysis treatment to persons in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The Unit is located in Beachmont, adjacent to the Griffith Corporate Centre.

The service is described as the company’s “first foray into the provision of private medical services.”

SVG welcomes Health Solutions Inc., which offers a modern, professionally delivered dialysis service.

The homely ambience at the Centre offers six treatment stations like these pictured here.

Well equipped and staffed Outfitted with six (6) dialysis machines, the facility can treat up to eighteen (18) patients per day.

In addition, it boasts its own purification system, which employs the

process known as reverse osmosis, and with its stand-by generator, uninterrupted dialysis treatment is guaranteed, even in the event of a power failure.

In addition to three fully qualified Renal Nurses and the Managing Director who is also a Registered Nurse with a range of experience that spans some fourteen (14) years, two trained technicians are on call to attend to ongoing servicing of all equipment; a stipulated practice that Health Solutions Inc. demands, so that it ensures maximum efficiency of its equipment, and safe and professional treatment.

Public education But Health Solutions Inc. is not only about providing this life-saving treatment. It is equally concerned with facilitating an awareness of kidney/renal complications, offering counselling and attending to enquiries.

Plans are afoot for the launching of a full public education awareness programme which the facility hopes will not only highlight what the treatment of dialysis is all about, but also promote healthy life-styles that can help to reduce the risk of kidney/renal disease or how to manage it if a person is so afflicted.

Managing Director Pauline Garabedian (with microphone in hand) introducing her nursing staff (L-R) Keyon St. John, Alcia Archibald-Wilson and Kamora Bynoe.

Backed by eminent consultants

Residents are being encouraged to contact the facility with any inquiries and/or concerns they might have.

Referrals for further consultation can also be made if persons so desire.

In fact, the facility has as its first call consulting renal specialist, Vincentian born, renal transplant surgeon, Dr. Malcolm Samuel who, while practicing in Trinidad and Tobago, maintains a practice here in SVG, and is a phone call away for preliminary consultations.

Health Solutions Inc. also works with other nephrologists, including the preeminent Dr. Borris Mohammed of Trinidad and Tobago.

Already Health Solutions Inc. is serving a number of resident Vincentians, and has also extended its service to returning nationals from the USA and CARICOM territories.

Persons in the Diaspora can now breathe a sigh of relief knowing that a dialysis service is available in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Wellness and the Environment, as well as with the public health system in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Medical practitioners here, whether they work privately or through the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, are encouraged to liaise with the facility on behalf of their patients who have kidney-related issues or complica- The centre boasts its own water purification system, a key requisite in the dialysis process. tions.

Pauline Garabedian RN, Managing Director of Health and to provide an opportunity for those Solutions Inc. declares that “it is our with kidney disease to enjoy a better aim to complement the health care quality of life and overall longevity.” system in St. Vincent and the GrenaIn her words: “Health Solutions Inc. dines is but a phone call away.

Interfacing with the local health system Paramount to the intention of this new and essential health service is the desire by the Management of Health Solutions Inc. to develop a close working relationship A cross section of persons, including medical and insurance personnel, at the official launch of Health Solutions Inc. with the local Ministry of Health,

The Sutherland family (L-R) Ricky, Maureen (mother) and Stevie at the official launch of Health Solutions Inc. which was inspired by their vision.

Sutherland family inspires service MRS. MAUREEN SUTHERLAND, the matriarch of the Sutherland family operators of the successful Spectacle Shoppe and Multigraphics business enterprises, along with her sons, Steve and Ricky, were “beyond excited” to be present at the official opening of Health Solutions Inc., Friday 8th February, 2013.

With the help of others like the Pyle family, the Sutherlands were instrumental in conducting the research, sourcing equipment and supplies, locating local staff and teaming up with medical practitioners in starting the first dialysis unit here, located in Arnos Vale.

Mrs. Sutherland expressed that she was thrilled about the launch “especially because of the standard of the operation.”

The Sutherland family has firsthand knowledge of the cost and inconvenience that kidney disease can bring to a family. Rawle Sutherland, Maureen’s late husband, battled with kidney disease for the latter part of his life.

Prior to the establishment of the dialysis unit at Arnos Vale, Mr. Sutherland obtained treatment in Barbados for his end stage renal disease.

Having spent three months in Barbados to acquire treatment, Sutherland made the decision to return home to be with his family. To do this, the proper facility was necessary, and so the Sutherland family took the initiative to establish a dialysis unit here.

It was shortly after he began to receive treatment, in December of 2011, at the very same facility in Arnos Vale, that Mr. Sutherland passed away.

Despite this tragic event, Vincentians had heard about this facility by word of mouth, and patients started to come for treatment.

The family could have discontinued the operation of the unit after the passing of its patriarch; but instead, kept the unit operational to serve Vincentians.

The service that Health Solutions Inc. continues is thus an extension of the care that this family has for Vincentians.

The service not only provides life-saving treatment, but significantly reduces the overall cost, by excluding overseas travel and other ancillary expenses.

Mrs. Sutherland expressed her sentiments to families struggling with loved ones with kidney and renal disease, but offers hope with the words: “When you put your mind into it, anything is truly doable.”

V

20. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Dr. Malcolm Samuel – Consultant Renal Surgeon

Health Solutions Inc. Feature

Pauline Garabedian – Managing Director AULINE IS A NATIVE OF BEIRUT, Lebanon and has spent her formative years in Toronto, Ontario, Canada where she became a Registered Nurse. She possesses over 14 years of experience working across various areas of health care.

Since her graduation from nursing school in Ontario in 1998, Pauline has worked with: pediatric and adolescent patients with brain and spinal cord injury; the medical and surgical areas of adult acuity; orthopedics, especially in bedside nursing care; in the containment of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) during the outbreak in the Greater Toronto Area; and in case management as a Supervisor for the

P

Canadian Medical Network (CMN), an international health management company, in which she dealt exclusively with jurisdictions in the Caribbean such as the Bahamas and Trinidad & Tobago, just to name a few.

Since being married to a Vincentian and moving to SVG, Pauline identified areas in the Vincentian health care system that required additional attention, and felt that private sector health care providers could assist and complement the existing public health care system in SVG. HEALTH SOLUTIONS INC. and its initial services in haemodialysis treatment is the beginning of realizing that intent.

Pauline views Health Solutions Inc's provision of haemodialysis services in SVG as a means of assisting persons in SVG, and genuinely mitigating the cost of treatment for those with kidney disease.

MEET THE STAFF ~

KAMORA BYNOE (Miss) is from Bequia. She qualified as a Registered Nurse in July 2012 and obtained her BSc in Nursing from Cuba.

During her studies in Cuba, she trained independently for two years as a Renal Nurse, and specialized as a Dialysis Nurse at one of the public hospitals in Cuba.

Kamora is able and ready to avail herself and her competency to the Health Solutions Inc.

DR. MALCOLM SAMUEL comes to Health Solutions Inc. as qualified a professional as you could ever get.

While the Vincentian born surgeon works in Trinidad and Tobago, both in the public and private health systems, he maintains a practice in his homeland.

When he sought to deepen his specialized training in renal disease and particularly kidney transplantation, Dr. Samuel was welcomed at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, UK, world renowned for its expertise in organ transplantation.

Continued on Page 21.

Qualified and Ready to Serve

KEYON ST. JOHN (MR) is a resident of Ottley Hall. He is also a graduate of the Cuba tertiary education assistance programme that country offers to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and completed his BSc in Nursing in that country in 2012.

During his studies, he also trained independently for two years as a Renal Nurse and specialized as a Dialysis Nurse at one of the public hospitals in Cuba.

Keyon is excited with the opportunity of joining Health Solutions Inc. in providing a professional dialysis service to Vincentians and visitors alike.

ALCIA ARCHIBALD-WILSON (MRS) is from Greiggs. She graduated from the SVG School of Nursing in 2007.

She moved to Barbados where she became a Renal Nurse and worked in the Dialysis Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados for almost 3 years.

Alcia accumulated a great deal of experience while working in Barbados, and is positioned ideally to transition her knowledge and expertise to Health Solutions Inc.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 21.

Health Solutions Inc. Feature

Testimonials Kenvert Cyrus - patient "OVER THE YEARS, getting haemodialysis down here in St. Vincent was nonexistent. Once had to go to Trinidad or Barbados, which was a big hassle. Now that Health Solutions has filled that void, it has given hope to Vincentian patients with Kidney Disease. The staff is very professional and the service provided can be compared with that (which I used to get) in Trinidad.

The ambiance of the clinic is great and makes you feel very comfortable.

This is a great dialysis center!"

Mother of patient (name withheld on request) "HEALTH SOLUTIONS INC. is truly the solution for people who need dialysis treatment in SVG. I am satisfied with the services rendered and the level of professionalism displayed by the staff. I have an excellent relationship with both management and staff."

Dr. Malcolm Samuel – Consultant Renal Surgeon Continued from Page 20.

Since 2008, Dr. Samuel has been attached to the National Organ Donation Unit at St. Augustine, Trinidad, a unit that Dr. Samuel wants to develop to the point where it can serve the five million people who populate the English-speaking islands of the Caribbean.

Andrew Ready, Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s Clinical Service Lead for Renal Transplant Surgery, described Dr. Samuel’s time at that institution as being mutually beneficial, i.e. to both himself and the institution.

He described Dr. Samuel as “a valuable addition to the team,” and was pleased the partnership was working well, adding, “Malcolm is a totally dedicated surgeon, very skilled, so it has helped us to have him, but for the future we know we’re also giving something even bigger back to him and to the renal programme in Trinidad,” and the region.

Need we say more about the calibre of the man.

And as one patient would attest, Dr. Samuel is a phone call away. He is the first call reference for Health Solutions Inc.

22. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 23.

V

24. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Farmer sentenced for possessing Russian rifle

Oral Francois told the court that he found the AK-47 assault rifle while on an expedition in the Morne Rhonde mountains.

by HAYDN HUGGINS Continued from Backpage..

and marijuana.

Both guns were tested and found to be in working condition.

Ballistics expert, Sergeant Julian Caine, told the Court that the AK47 rifle, which is used by the Russian military, has a magazine capacity of 30 rounds of ammunition and a firing capacity of 600 rounds per minute. He pointed out that the gun was fully automatic but could also be fired semiautomatically.

Possible AK-47Grenada connection

The AK-47, which is among the top combat Police operation rifles in the world, is a selective fire gasFrancois was arrested operated 7.62 x 39 mm at the Morne Rhonde assault rifle. It was first Mountains around 7.15 developed in the Union am February 15, during of Soviet Socialist a joint operation by the Republics (USSR) by Rapid Response Unit Mikhail Kalashnikov (RRU) and Narcotics and became known as Unit. The exercise was the Kalashnikov and led by Sergeant Dwayne later in Russian slang as Bailey. the ‘Kalash’.

The police officers The AK-47 is known met Francois in a hut to have been used in next to a marijuana guerilla warfare, field. He was lying on a especially by the bunk, and another man, libration movements in Gosnel Jack, was Africa, Asia and Latin cooking. A search was America. conducted, and the Following the demise shotgun along with one of the Grenada round of ammunition Revolution in 1983, was found on the bed. some of the firearms Francois handed over assigned to the the other round of Grenadian shotgun ammunition to Revolutionary Armed the lawmen. Three Forces are believed to transparent wrappings have illegally entered containing marijuana neighboring Caribbean were also found. territories, including St. When questioned, Vincent and the Francois replied, Officer, Grenadines. One of everything here is those weapons is said to mine.” be the AK-47 rifle.

However, when Francois and Jack, Constable ‘Irackie’ the other man the law Myers checked the roof, enforcement officers met the AK-47 was in the hut, were charged discovered between the jointly with possession tarpaulin and the of the marijuana but the rafters. prosecution withdrew Francois was taken to that charge in relation the narcotics base at to Jack, after he pleaded Arnos Vale along with not guilty. the guns, ammunition

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 25.

Advice

ÂSpying GlassÊ worries

of his life with this married woman. I do not I CAUGHT MY HUSBAND know if I should tell her USING HIS ‘SPYING GLASS’ husband or confront her TO SPY ON OUR or just leave it alone. It NEIGHBOURS. He was at is weighing heavily on home during the day when my mind, and I’m this happened. One of wondering what I should these neighbours is his do. boss and a member of our church. I told him that Unsure what he was doing was not right and he should be Dear Unsure, ashamed of himself. His response was that he just It is certainly not a saw his boss in bed with good practice for your one of his employees who husband to be engaging is married to a friend of in such 'peeping Tom' ours. activities, and the fact I doubted him until he that it brings him delight forced me to take a look should be worrisome to and sure enough, there you. 'Peeping Toms' he was having the time sometimes have the Dear George,

tendency of taking things further, and I hope this would not be the case with your husband. Let him know why this practice of his is disturbing to you. The fact that he has to use his spy glasses to get some sexual entertainment should be of concern and ought to be discussed.

Confronting your church brother about his wife’s promiscuous behaviour may be the right thing to do, based on your religious

‘I found a new love, but…’

Dear George,

do I do?

I WENT TO TRINIDAD TO LOOK FOR WORK. BUT I ENDED UP FINDING MORE THAN I BARGAINED for, My girlfriend is in SVG, and we plan to get married sometime in 2014. I have been in Trinidad for 5 months now, and I met this girl immediately after arriving on the job.

The first day I looked at her, it was game over for me. We hit it off immediately! She asked me if I had a girl, and I just said, “NO." The word NO just came out like that. I did not mean to say “No” but I did. It was as though I was under some spell.

We went out a couple of times, and I made several attempts to tell her that I was involved but just could not.

We started sleeping together and that made it worse. Now, I think I am completely in love with her, and I do not know how to tell my girlfriend.

This Trini girl is now asking me to marry her. This is like a dream! What

Amazed Dear Amazed, What you need to do is to wake up!

You need to get back on track and remember the reason why you went to Trinidad, and the commitment you made to your girl in SVG. Yes, you reserve the right to change your mind and/or plans, but you have an obligation to let your girl know that you have found a new love, and she should not waste her time waiting for you.

You lacked the guts to tell your Trini girl that you were involved, and that amounts to dishonesty. Starting a relationship on a dishonest foundation is not a good idea. Take some time to think about this, and see whether you are throwing away the bone for the shadow.

George

principles; but remember that you may also have to disclose your method of evidence gathering, and that could make things a bit more complicated.

Ask your husband to get rid of the ‘spying glass’ and to focus more on what is happening in his own bedroom.

Sometimes the less we see is better for us; in fact, the more we look is the less we see. One of these may apply in your husband's case.

George

Sex toy woes Dear George MY HUSBAND BOUGHT ME A FEW SEX TOYS FOR VALENTINE’S, AND I AM STILL MAD AT HIM FOR DOING SO. I do not know what got into him to bring these polluted things into my house. I am wondering if he thinks I am not good enough for him why he had to buy this kind of stuff. He got mad and took them away but refused to tell me what he did with them. I hope he did not carry them to some other woman. Things are cold between us at the moment, and I do not like it.

Wrong Number Dear Wrong Number, I am sure your husband was just trying to be romantic, and you should not have dismissed his efforts without seeing his motives. Rather than wondering what he thinks about you by bringing you these toys, you should have used the opportunity to talk with him about your feelings and also his motivation for purchasing the toys.

You may have been able to come to some sort of compromise. You may have hurt his feelings in the way you dismissed his gift, and for that, an apology would be a good idea. I am sure that a sincere apology would open up the way for conversation and a possible unexpected happy ending.

George

Leisure

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) False information is likely if you listen to idle chatter or gossip. Work diligently and you will get ahead this week.

Conflicts over joint finances are likely.

You can enhance your cash flow if you pick up additional skills.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) You may have a problem dealing with elders. Tempers could boil if someone you work with has not been pulling their weight. You will feel tired and rundown if you have allowed yourself to get into a financial mess. Your determination may make you a little overbearing when dealing with others.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Don't overindulge in anyway. If you put your mind to it, you could entertain or host a multitude of social events.

Things at home may be somewhat rocky. Don't let your personal partner hold you back or slow you down.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) Your partner may be reluctant to tell you how they feel. You may be tired of working for someone else. Although it does look promising, be careful not to overextend yourself or you will lose in the long run. Deception and confusion regarding your status in society is likely.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Your practical approach to life may charm someone who has been observing you. You will communicate easily and should be able to develop new friendships. Your irritability will lead to family squabbles. Tell them to get out of the mess they are in and then you'll consider getting together with them.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Your desire for excitement and adventure may be expensive. Try not to lend or borrow money or belongings this week. Deception in your home is evident. Don't beat around the bush. Be

cautious when dealing with coworkers.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) If boredom has set in, find new and unique directions that offer interesting friendships. Try looking into new ways to make extra money. Deception is apparent. Younger relatives may seek your advice.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) You will do extremely well if you get involved in competitive activities this week. Mingle with those who can help you get ahead. Use your quick wit to win points with friends. Arguments will flare up if you get backed into an emotional corner.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Don't hesitate to present your unique ideas. You should be able to get a lot done. You can make major gains if you talk to your boss about your findings.

You will reap the benefits if you put money into upgrading your residence.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) So smile! You may have difficulties with someone close to you. Keep the promises you've made or you can expect to be in the doghouse. Romance will develop if you get involved in social events that deal with children.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) Broaden your horizons and look into programs that will teach you awareness and relaxation. You're best to avoid disputes. You could receive recognition for a job well done. Entertainment should include sports events or physical activities.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) You will find your vitality is lowered. You could have trouble persuading others to accept your ideas and opinions.

Changes in your domestic scene are apparent. Take time to listen to children and help them with projects that seem impossible to them.

ACROSS 1. Licorice__ 5. Particles 10. Clothes 14. Snack, Yiddish Style 15. Scientist Marie __ 16. Woman of rank 17. Sonny of Sonny & Cher 18. Up to the plate (2 wds.)

19. Reeled 20. Endeavour 22. Unkempt place 24. New York time (abbr.)

25. Bear 27. Cuplike spoons 29. Disclose 32. Correct 34. Shad product 35. Sportscaster’s report 37. Jackson and Hudson 41. Bonkers 43.Host Winfrey 45. Duncan product (hyph.)

46. Slangy nose 48. British good byes (2 wds.)

50. Historical time 51. Storage box 53. Ship’s steering mechanism 55. Added liquor

to 58. Church Officer 60. Chick’s mom 61. Breakfast food 63. Finales 67. Speak excitedly 69. Type of dress (hyph.)

71. Chicago district 72. Employer 73. Tears apart 74. Cheek’s neighbor 75. Actor Richard of “Sommersby” 76. Closes tightly 77. Slip

depressions 21. Certain hosp tests 23. Tug 1. Female sharply hoopster’s Relate league (abbr.) 26.

28. 6/6/44 2. Catcall (hyph.)

3. Negative .Samovars Contraction 29.

4. One of TV’s 30. Name word “Friends” 31,Reject 5. Mexican 33.

Pork or resort town beef 6. _ frutti 36.Selects 7. Spherical 38. Three body __sloth 8. Farrow and 39. Jane of an others 1847 novel 9. Put down 40. Float aloft roots 42. Punch 10. LP Toughness alternatives 44.

47. Penn’s 11. Part of a pronoun jacket 49. Took to 12. Divert court 13. Fender 52. Mystery DOWN

awards 54. Military exercises 55. “Who knows” gesture 56. “__- Porridge Hot” 57. Internal 59. McEnroe’s court rival

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

V

26. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

62. Popular Fox series 64. Cranny’s kin 65. Desert in Mongolia 66. Accelerated 68. Three, in Roma 70. ___ manner of speaking (2 wds.)

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 27.

Tribute

Norma Keizer

A tribute by: William ‘Kojah’ Anthony

PEGGY INCE-HULL is Norma Keizer’s youngest sister. Peggy distinguished herself as one of the region’s best netballers. She began at a tender age and attracted attention with her nimble and athletic movements.

Peggy balanced her athletic prowess with accomplishment in the field of education. But she is grateful to the role her sister played in her development.

“She took good care of me. She was like a mother to me. Without Norma Keizer her, I don’t think I would have reached where I reached,” Peggy confessed.

Norma Keizer died at her home in New Montrose last Tuesday morning.

Norma’s motherly instinct continued throughout her life, and many students, especially females, could testify to her qualities.

Norma had three children: Andrea, Claire and Simone. But her family seemed to have embraced the entire Vincentian population.

Testimonies of how she would have catered for students under her tutelage will keep surfacing. The extent of her contribution will perhaps never be fully revealed.

Even after her days in the classroom ended, Norma maintained that fervor, not just to see women empowered. She was a defender of the dignity of mankind. So when some men came under fire from the system for their so called radical views, Norma stood among them and acted as a safety net in the quest for social justice.

The number of scholars that she produced is symbolic of her knack for moulding the human mind.

Norma was respected across all strata of Vincentian society. If it turned out that someone had differences with her, more than likely that person or cause they represented would have been outside the realms of normally accepted reasoning.

Norma loved gardening, and that must have been her way of keeping in touch with nature. For like the Lord who guided her, she nurtured the seeds of love on earth. She was an environmentalist, and any aspect that brought out the beauty of God’s creation was a delight to her.

She was one of this country’s dedicated historians and, while she cherished every Vincentian tradition, there was profound appreciation for universal standards of humility.

She was kind to me in many ways. When I was married, Norma played the role of the mother figure to me. She knew my mother, and respected her for her own role in the upbringing of her own daughters (my sisters).

Norma took interest in my sisters as normal with her, for she had an interest in children, especially those from rural districts.

Norma adopted my wife as another of her children.

And when a son came from my marriage, Norma was the first to provide clothing of a unique type for him.

When I moved into a new residence, Norma assembled her immediate family for the celebration. Since that time, my home has never been so glorified.

To ensure some stature to the structure, Norma engineered an outfit of lights which has illuminated my path.

I will never be able to repay the gratitude she extended. And she never looked for anything in return.

She was firm and strong, and stuck to principles.

This was a Norma Keizer. There will hardly be another.

V

28. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Business

Gulf Insurance gets new parent ASSURIA NV, THE LARGEST INSURANCE COMPANY IN SURINAME WITH AN ASSET BASE OF US$180M, will acquire Gulf Insurance Limited, subject to regulatory approval. Gulf Insurance is a longstanding Property and Liability insurer in Trinidad and Tobago, with operations throughout the Caribbean. The company provides a variety of insurance services in Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Turks & Caicos, Cayman Islands, Grenada, Nevis, St Kitts, St Lucia, St Maarten (including Saba and St Eustatius), the US Virgin Islands and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

De Freiitas Insurance Agencies Ltd., located in Arnos Vale, is Gulf Insurance’s sole representative in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The local operation is headed by Danele Cyrus. Assuria NV’s CEO, Mr Stephen Smit, said the acquisition marks “one of the most notable developments in the history of the general insurance industry in the Caribbean.

“We bring to the table over 120 years experience

in the business, with some of the leading underwriters and other insurance professionals active in the Caribbean,” Mr Smit said. According to Gulf Insurance Managing Director, John A Gonzales, “This acquisition considerably enhances the ability of our network of operations to service the needs of an anticipated rapidly growing clientele.”

And Smit assured that, “Though insurance is our area of specialization, with years of experience and considerable financial strength, we are clearly not only about the insurance business. … Our interests take us into the realm of institutional investments, and areas of mortgages and real estate.”Assuria NV also has plans to enter the Life Insurance industry in Trinidad and Tobago.

Jason Clarke (sitting left), Chairman Gulf Insurance Ltd. and Stephen Smit, CEO Assuria NV, sign the Share Purchase Agreement in the company of (standing from left) Gulf’s Managing Director John Gonzales, Director Angela Lee Lay and Assuria Chief Commercial officer Mario Merhai.

Stanford investor sues Antigua & ECCB

Leroy King, former Antigua banking regulator, continues to fight an extradition request from the US. EVEN FROM HIS PRISON CELL IN FLORIDA WHERE HE IS SERVING A SENTENCE OF 110 YEARS, Allen Stanford continues to haunt the money market and financial sector in the

Caribbean.

Caribbean 360 News reports that a group of former investors of the Antigua-based Stanford International Bank (SIB) has filed a civil lawsuit in Texas, against Antigua and Barbuda and the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB).The investors’ claim is that Antigua and Barbuda and the ECCB “aided jailed Texas billionaire Allen Stanford in his massive US$7 billion Ponzi scheme.”Stanford, 62, was convicted in March 2012 of masterminding the Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors through the sale of bogus certificates of deposit at the SIB. The Texas-born Stanford, at the height of

his endeavours, circa 2008, was estimated to worth US$2.2 according to Forbes Magazine.

Testimony at Stanford’s trial revealed that he allegedly bribed former Antigua banking regulator Leroy King to falsify audits certifying SIB’s investment returns, and misleading US securities regulators investigating Stanford’s operations. King continues to battle an extradition request to the United States for his role in the Stanford Ponzi Scheme saga. He remains resident in Antigua while his lawyer, Vincentian-born Q.C. Dane Hamilton, continues to keep his matter alive in the local courts by way of a

constitutional motion.

This means that he cannot be handed over to the United States until the motion is heard and decided upon. The former investors, grouped under the name Official Stanford Investors Committee, are seeking repayment of at least US$90 million in loans that Stanford allegedly made to Antigua and Barbuda.

“Antigua knowingly provided necessary assistance to Stanford’s US$7 billion Ponzi scheme and, in exchange, received millions of dollars in loans whose repayment terms Stanford did not enforce,” the committee alleged in a complaint filed in Dallas federal district

court. The former investors have separately sued the ECCB, which nationalized Stanford’s other financial institution in Antigua, the Bank of Antigua, after the USA Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) seized Stanford’s Allen Stanford has left a enterprises on suspicion of fraud in mess which has thrown up a number of suits, while he February 2009.

“The considerable languishes in a Florida jail. value of the Bank of committee in the Antigua, believed to be in lawsuit. the tens or hundreds of In an earlier suit, Tom millions of dollars, Bayko, Antigua and should be distributed as Barbuda’s attorney, said compensation to its the country was rightful owners, protected from such Stanford’s victims and litigation by foreign creditors,” said the sovereign immunity.

CWC to invest in Fibre Connections IN ANOTHER MOVE TO DELIVER MORE VALUE TO CUSTOMERS, CABLE AND WIRELESS Communications, the parent company for LIME, plans to invest an additional US$20 million in network infrastructure across the region.

This is expected to further boost data speeds and build the company’s TV product, especially in markets such as Barbados and Cayman.

In addition to pointing to an ontarget financial position, the company further explained that as part of shaping the business to focus on the

Pan American region, it has accelerated some investments designed to reduce costs and improve services for customers. This includes commencement of a major deployment of fibre in Barbados and Cayman to upgrade the fixed line infrastructure enabling provision of high speed internet and TV services. The decision to accelerate customer focused efficiency investments in the Caribbean (excluding Bahamas) will increase the exceptional restructuring costs by around US$20 million to a total of US$55 million.

These and other initiatives will improve the efficiency and flexibility of the business and drive cost savings in future years which is critical as market conditions in the rest of the Caribbean remain difficult, particularly in the Eastern Caribbean and Barbados.Nonetheless. mobile data revenue grew strongly across the Group during the third quarter, driven by increasing smartphone adoption and usage. At 31 December 2012, Group net debt was $1,549 million, a decrease of $39 million since 30 September 2012.

Cable and Wireless sold the bulk of its businesses in the Monaco & Islands division for an initial US$680m in cash and is expected to use the funds to cut debts as the company moves to reduce its geographical spread and focus on Central America and the Caribbean.

Bijou Real Estate hosts Open House Event proprietor of Bijou Real Estate, hosts her first open house viewing next weekend.

The open house, which takes place on Saturday, March 2,from 11 am to 2 PERSONS LOOKING FOR THAT PERFECT FIRST HOME, OR EVEN A pm, opens the doors of the Belvedere property to the general public.

NEW ONE, WILL GET The The opportunity affords viewers a opportunity to inspect a first class leisurely look at the building, even as property, as Sharleen Greaves,

they savour snacks and other refreshments. Greaves will be on hand to provide information and respond to inquiries.Additional informational material will also be made available.

Greaves, a youthful but veteran real estate agent in her own right, said that plans are underway to stage

future open house viewings, which would be a key feature of Bijou Real Estate.For more information, Greaves can be contacted at sgreaves@bijousvg.com, www.bijousvg.com or 5307310, as well as on facebook at Bijou Real Estate.

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 29.

30. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Paul’s Avenue, P.O. Box 592, Kingstown Tel: 456-1821 Fax: 457-2821 E-mail: metrocint@vincysurf.com Website: www.metrocintsvg.com

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 31.

Windwards out front: Allen happy, Williams disappointed against Guyana and he went the similar route to Dwayne Smith against Barbados in 2005. Last weekend, he chopped one onto his off stump while attempting to cut leg spinner Yannick Cariah.

the Trinidadians to settle after being asked to take first knock. “We stuck to the task well……the bowlers pitched the ball in good areas and I must make special mention of ‘Petey’ ( Kenroy Peters) who made full use of the conditions…….he bowled well,” Allen a former West Indies seamer said.

Peters who may not have made the final eleven were it not too flu bug had match figures of 3-28 and 2-22 and broke the back of the Trinidad team as they were dismissed for 179 and 86.

Peters, when asked about his returns, said: "I think keeping a good line and length is one of my strengths in bowling, concentrating on what I want to do. Nine out of ten times I plan my over before I bowl, so I think everything just worked to plan."

that “possessed no so the young players will devils”. Williams told have to step up; and to THE VINCENTIAN, be honest this team has “When you get bowled a lot of experienced out for 179 on the players, so there should opening day of a four-day be no excuse for such a match you are going to performance,” the find it tough to get back diminutive former in the game, and the wicketkeeper said, Windwards took their disappointment coating opportunities and his voice. converted them into a Following the Super50 positive result.” Asked if match against the T20 format may still Windwards, played be affecting the players yesterday, Thursday, many of whom led their TnT travelled to St. Kitts team to a third to take on the Leewards successive CaribbeanT20 next Wednesday.

David Williams, T7T coach, was Ian Allen, Coach of the title in St. Lucia last Windwards, is pleased that his at pains to explain his batsmen’s Coach Allen month, Williams failure on a decent pitch. team stuck to the task. pleased scoffed at this, saying that “the T20 had

by E. GLENFORD champion opener Devon Coach Ian Allen was finished almost three PRESCOTT Smith, beat the CCC by happy with the win, weeks ago and there six wickets in St. Lucia; praised Smith for was no reason why THE WINDWARD ISLANDS they were even more another sound innings, that should still be in SITS AT THE TOP OF THE devastating at Arnos and commended the the heads of the STANDINGS of the 2013 Vale when disposing of bowlers for their players.” He also Regional four-day Cricket the Trinidadians in two part.Allen said the dismissed the idea Tournament with 24 and a half days.Once victory was even more the absence of four of points, following outright again their batting was remarkable since two of the top players wins against CCC and led by Smith, who went their top players, off —Darren Bravo, Trinidad and Tobago. for his third score of 99 spinner Shane Williams despondent Dwayne Bravo, The will oppose at the Arnos Vale Shillingford and batsman Guyana here next Trinidad’s coach David Keiron Pollard and Playing Field, as the Keddy Lesporis, were hit Sunil Narine - as Wednesday, hoping to Windwards, who were by the flu bug and forced Williams was extremely having contributed to maintain their hundred disappointed by the 124-0 at one stage, out of the match. He said the substandard percent record. performance of his stumbled to 260. In 2002, that the effort of the performance.“These The Islanders, on the batsmen, and was at a he was LBW by leg Kenroy Peters, Windwards bowlers created a big backs of hundreds in loss as to why they would players would not be spinner Mahendra seamer, kept a consistently impact by not allowing around all their lives, each innings by have failed on a pitch Nagamootoo for 99 good line and length.

Barbados outclass Guyana after they beat Guyana by 93 runs at the Kensington Oval.Barbados, who in Round One of the WIBC 4-Day Tournament had suffered a 63-run defeat at the hands of Jamaica, took revenge on the Guyanese.Set 378 to win, Guyana folded for 284, despite some good knocks from Zaheer Mohammed, 58, and Steven Jacobs, 51. Also contributing were Rajendra Chandrika and Leon Johnson, who both Miguel Cummins, a hit 40 and Derwin product of the High Performance Centre, had Christian, 37.Barbados’ bowling was shared a match haul of seven among Miguel Cummins wickets. who grabbed 3 for 55, HOST BARBADOS Ashley Nurse 3 for 59 MUST HAVE HUMMED and Christopher Jordan BOB MARLEY’S 3 for 68.Barbados had ‘REDEMPTION SONG’, nosed ahead in the first

innings, after scoring 367, batting first.Kirk Edwards led from in front with 120, made up of 13 fours and 2 sixes; Jonathan Carter hit 85, consisting of 13 fours and a six, with Shane Dorwich making 39.

VereesammyPermaul, who started the match, but who later was excused as he was summoned to West Indies duties in preparation for the One Day series against Zimbabwe, snared 3 for 82. Steven Jacobs had 2 for 61 and Devendra Bishoo 2 for 84.Guyana replied with 225: Leon Johnson, 40, Derwin Christian, 37, Vereesammy Permaul, 34 and Ronsford Beaton, 30 , were the main

scorers with the bat, as they fell 142 behind.Miguel Cummins, 4 for 42 and Ashley Nurse, 4 for 74, shared the bulk of the Guyanese wickets.

With the cushion, Barbados, batting a second time, declared at 235 for 7, setting Guyana 378 to win.Rashidi Boucher struck 81 and Roston Chase made 49, as the Barbadians went for quick runs to force an outright win.Steven Jacobs was the top bowler for the Guyanese with 2 for 49.Barbados faces Combined Campuses & Colleges at the Three Ws Oval in the next round of the Regional 4-Day tournament, starting next week Wednesday.

Right: West Indies discard, Kirk Edwards led the Bajans’ path to victory with a fine 120.

Right: Steven Jacobs continued to be steady with bat and ball for the Guyanese.

Guyana plays the Windwards here at the Arnos Vale Playing Field this weekend.

V

16. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

News

ÂSmoking JoeÊ welcomes return of Windwards football tournament’s restart was made by Venold Coombs, FORMER NATIONAL STRIKER, President of the SVG Football RAULTIE LOWE, is welcoming Federation, on Sunday as he the news that the Windward addressed the opening of the Islands Football tournament is Community Football League. to be revived within the next few He said the resumption will months. take place here in April with “This is something real teams traveling to SVG. A good…this will help to expose female component, which will the players in be an added feature, is set to Windwards……..man I feel so take place in St. Lucia in happy to hear this,” said Lowe December this year. Reports with his customary broad grin. say the tournament, which The announcement of the has its history dating back to

by E. GLENFORD PRESCOTT

the late 1940’s, was contested for the Popham Cup-a trophy named after Lord Popham, one of the many British Administrators who directed the affairs of the islands during that time.

Raultie recalls his trips

In the early years, the Former national footballer Windwards tournament was Raultie Lowe, with fond held in one country, but later memories of his shifted to a home and away encounters, says he is format. happy the Windwards Lowe, who made his debut tournament will be revived. in the Windwards elected President of the fourtournament in island grouping.

1972, “We are serious about recounted football, and this is the second many time that I am instrumental interesting in bringing back the incidents and Windward Islands Football experiences in tournament,” Coombs said.He his trips to also said that a sum of EC$60 the other thousand will be given to the Jamaica senior and islands, organisers (no source named) Junior teams as coach to including one to help with the resumption of many major to Dominica in the tournament.Reports say international and 1973 m during the tournament went on a regional events is which, Sabbatical for a number of questioning the decision according to years before being revived in by some schools and him, the St. the mid -eighties. This led to clubs here to travel to Vincent team Coombs elected President an OECS Champion of the Penn Relays in narrowly Champions with the winners On Sunday, Coombs Philadelphia since, escaped with of the Windward Islands indicated that the decision according to him, the their lives taking on the winners of the was taken by the football local athletes are still after being Leeward Islands. SVG won the associations in the some way off making the chased and last title by beating St. Kitts Windwards, and he had been sort of impact that will stoned by home and away. attract the attention of scouts and college coaches.

“More effort should be paid to taking the athletes to the next step, and it must be done systematically not in a way that seems as if it’s to boost the coaches’ ego….the objective must always be to help the athletes….not promote the coach,” said Oliivierre who was honoured at the Penn Relays, as an outstanding coach of the 1980s and being the Boys Coach with the The recently elected executive of the NLSA (L-R back) Dwight Roberts, Jodie most titles.A former Anthony, Troy Prince, Rayon Murray and Dennis Samuel (L-R front) Kenville Horne, Noland Allen, Julius Anthony and Rolmina Matthews. president of the then Athletics Association

by KENVILLE HORNE The Meeting received the here Ollivierre admits Association’s 2012 Annual Report, and there are some problems JULES ANTHONY WAS REdiscussed plans for the development of in the administration of ELECTED UNOPPOSED AS sports in North Leeward. The Annual the sport, but does not PRESIDENT OF THE NORTH General Meeting also included the think it is “in a state of LEEWARD SPORTS ASSOCIATION presentation of awards for the 2012 emergency.”

(NLSA), AT ITS ANNUAL GENERAL Rudy’s Electrical North Leeward.

He admits though that MEETING HELD AT THE PETIT Football Competition. Heritage Tour matters should be sorted BORDEL SECONDARY SCHOOL, Rivals and Catalans, both sponsored out by the executive who ON TUESDAY 22ND , 2013.

by Dr. Jerrol Thompson, former has a mandate to develop Also rerunning to office is Noland Parliamentary representative for programmes to move the Allen as Vice President. Others North Leeward, took the winner and sport forward.Ollivierre, elected to the Executive were: second place awards respectively. a former OECS Sports Rolmina Matthews - Secretary, Jodie Akeem Williams was adjudged the Co-ordinator, also called Anthony - Assistant Secretary, Rayon best striker, collected the most goals for the provision of Murray — Treasurer, Kenville Horne - (6) award, and was MVP of the finals. proper facilities here and Public Relationship Officer (PRO), The Most Outstanding Defender was suggested that a quality Dwight Roberts - Games Secretary, Allado Charles, and Most Outstanding track be laid at the Sion and two Committee Members, Dennis Midfielder Kevin Small.

Hill Playing Field.

Samuel and Troy Prince.

‘Lord Have Mercy’ on the Track and Field something to get out something,” he continued, moving from a sitting position to a standing one as he tried to look taller that his five foot seven.Ollivierre, who plied his trade in Jamaica for a number of years, is perplexed that hundreds of boys and girls are entering the secondary and Michael ‘Lord have Mercy’ primary school Ollivierre, renowned track and system every year, field coach, is not pleased and the coaches with the level of commitment with the Ministry demonstrated by many local cannot spot and coaches. nurture talent from among them.

by E. GLENFORD ‘I do not think all of PRESCOTT these children will be a TRACK AND FIELD top athlete….in fact COACH, MICHAEL many of them may not “LORD HAVE MERCY” even like sports….but Ollivierre is disappointed you have got to work at the output by coaches with them and encourage who have been successful them and you never can at the various training tell what you may end courses over the up with,” Ollivierre years.Speaking recently encouraged. Ollivierre to THE VINCENTIAN, currently works with a Ollivierre showed little group of children many mercy for those whom he of them from as far as described as lazy and South Rivers. A qualified unethical.

Football, and Cricket “There are about 139 coach in addition to his qualified coaches in St. track and Field Vincent and the credentials ,Ollivierre Grenadines, and they are was voted TASVG Coach doing nothing to develop of the Year for 2012. He the sport here,” believes that a certificate Ollivierre said with a or Diploma does not touch of annoyance in his make you a coach, it only voice.“These coaches qualifies you, but must go out there and according to him “your work….they must find work ethics and youths and train them commitment are what into becoming make you that athletes……you cannot professional sit down and expect to individual.”Ollivierre, only work with young who travelled with talent, you have to put in

angry citizens.

According to Lowe, the reaction of the fans in Roseau resulted from a defeat suffered by the Dominicans here at the Victoria Park and reports taken back by the players of mal treatment here. He said the ‘near- blood- running’ incident was so traumatic that he never returned to the ‘Land of many Rivers’ despite representing the country for almost two decades. Lowe, nicknamed ‘Smoking Joe’ by former captain Mori Millington, because of his lethal finishing and kicking power, formed one of the most feared partnerships with his brother Guy Lowe, for many years. “Outside of that one incident in Dominica, I really enjoyed playing against players from the other countries in those years…….this tournament should have been played every year…….I hope they can keep it going for a long time when they get it up again,” Lowe said with his usual passion when talking about sports.

Anthony is NLSA’s president again

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 33.

Sports

Standard low

Schools’ volleyball titles stay put

THE WEST INDIES MEN squad salvaged some pride when they took the only T/20 match on their Australian tour. Having been whitewashed in the 50 over version, it must have been a lift for a demoralised outfit.

Their female counterparts took regional fans to a level of ecstasy into believing that they could have Male division winners - the George Stephens provided some sense of pride in the region. It was a difficult task to repeat victory against the Aussies.

Secondary.

That the final was a one-sided affair gives credence Jesse Lewis of the Jamal Small, Player of in some quarters that the Australians arranged Georgetown Secondary, the final and best setter, Below: Female winners- the St Joseph’s Convent things in such a manner so as to avoid a more Kingstown. best receiver and best receives one of his experienced opponent in the final. defender, accepts a trophies from Education Some might say that I am downplaying the value trophy from Earl Officer for Physical of the West Indies victories on their way to the final.

Bennett of the Ministry Education, Rosmund But one cannot rule out anything these days. of Education.

Griffith.

There is the saying that it is not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game that matters.

THE GEORGE STEPHENS the male division. He also I dare say that for some, winning is all that SECONDARY and the St copped the best setter counts, and when it comes to the final, that is where Joseph’s Convent award. the glory lies.

Kingstown, last Friday Rondell Fraser of the Congratulations to the West Indies women afternoon at the Girls’ High Georgetown Secondary nevertheless. The fact that they have beaten teams School hard court, retained pouched the best receiver they never conquered before is a sign of respectively the male and and best defender improvement. female divisions of the Qtrophies, with Brandon Like their male counterparts, there is a long way Care Schools’ Volleyball Smart of George Stephens, to go. Whereas the men have a legacy to regain, the the best attacker, and women have to sail in unchartered waters. They have Championships. .

In commanding fashion, Devron Caine of the shown signs of accomplishing the goal. It will depend George Stephens laced the Georgetown Secondary, on teamwork however, and not on one or two Georgetown secondary the best server .

From this tournament, Third place in the male individuals as it turned out in India. three set to nil, 25-17, 26Among the awardees in division was taken by the the St Vincent and the The men meanwhile, seem set to linger for some 24, 25-15, while St the female play, Angelique Bethel High School, who Grenadines male and time yet.

Joseph’s Convent Allen of the St Joseph’s overcame the Petit Bordel female teams for this As it is, the West Indies will not test their Kingstown had a 3-1 win Convent was the best Secondary two sets to one, year’s Windward Islands strength against genuine opposition in a long time. over the George Stephens setter, the best attacker schools’ games, which will 25-19, 12- 25, 25-13.

Therefore they stand very little to gain, and Secondary, triumphing 25- and the Player of the be hosted here, will be The Thomas Saunders perhaps more to lose with their clash against 17, 25-12, 17- 25 , 25-22.

Final. selected.

Secondary took the third Zimbabwe.

Jamal Small of George George Stephens’ Jesse place among the females St Vincent and the The performance of players in the regional Stephens was named Lewis claimed the best as Georgetown Secondary Grenadines defends the tournaments suggests that coaches have a lot of work Player of the Final, for the receiver and best defender failed to show up last female title which they to do in order to bring teams up to scratch, as it second year running, in awards. have won since 2010.

Thursday. were, to cope with the demands of international cricket.

While I am happy that the Windwards overcame

by KENVILLE HORNE football tournaments regional and national players, like Kenroy Trinidad and Tobago in Peters, Atticus Browne, and Donwell Hector, organized by SVG the four-day format, it is RECENTLY RE-ELECTED PRESIDENT of Football Federation to participate actively. sad that the regional the North Leeward Sports Association (SVGFF), and they Recognition was also made of the area threshold has fallen so (NLSA), Julius Anthony, delivering the are giving stiff continuing to produce national players, not dismally.

President’s report at the Annual General least being Troumaca resident and Windward competition to all the What we seem to have Meeting held at the Petit Bordel Secondary teams they face.”

Islands under 19-player, Kenneth Dember, are coaches who talk and A senior North have the position, in some School, on Tuesday, 22nd, advanced the view who was called up recently for duty with the that the Association has made tremendous Leeward team national senior team. instances are short of progress, despite limited resources. started their Of major highlight was the continuing results.

Julius Anthony, reAnthony listed the failure by teams to pay dominance of the North Leeward Under-15 campaign in the Coaches can’t be elected President of 2013 SVGFF cricket team. expected to bear the brunt their registration fees, and lack of the North Leeward sponsorship as major challenges the NLSA “However, I want to see players playing for Hairoun Beer of the lack of technique has faced in carrying out its mandate.

Sports Association, National Football the West Indies senior team” Anthony that cricketers display. ,“Registration fees are hard to come by,” League quipped with pride in his voice. admitted that there Whatever is Championships, with were and are major responsible for the fall off Anthony declared, and disclosed that while there have been calls to refuse teams that, a 1-1 draw against Football making strides in cricketing ability challenges his are guilty of such delinquency, his Executive defending within the region will Association faces in has avoided taking such actions, because Champions Dwight Roberts, who has been charged have to be examined by fulfilling its mandate. “persons want to enjoy themselves.”

Barrouallie. with developing football in the constituency the administrators.

Anthony also cited transportation as being for the last ten years, showered thanks on Roberts expressed regret with respect to Drastic steps will have another problem area. the state of women football in North Rudolph Daize, Managing Director, Rudy’s to be taken to instill a However, according to Anthony, the NLSA Electrical Construction Company, for his Leeward, and promised to make a greater sense of pride and was able to continue to provide sporting effort to develop a women football team. ongoing sponsorship of the senior football commitment by players The sport of volley ball was described as competition, even as he, Roberts,admitted who wish to carry on with opportunities for the players and people of North Leeward. having relative success, but basketball, how challenging his task was. the sport. There are no He recognized the efforts being made with netball and track and field were deemed complaints about Cricket highlights affected because of the lack of adequate Uner-15 footballers by Gideon Lewis, in opportunities available. facilities.

Troumaca, and THE VINCENTIAN’s But whereas there is an Among the principal, successful All in all, Anthony expressed optimism for Kenville Horne in Rose Hall. abundance of water in the new term, anticipating a fully functioning Efforts will be made in 2013 to stage an today’s cricket tank, many undertakings of the NLSA in 2012, was the executive re-committed to a systematic Under-15 competition. cricketers are unwilling to staging of the VINLEC North Leeward Twenty/20 Cricket Tournament. approach to the development of sports in According to Roberts, “A North Leeward even try quenching their The President expressed delight with the team has been participating at every level of North Leeward. thirst.

Tournament’s attraction, including enticing

NLSA reaping success with limited resources

34. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013. 35.

Classifieds

Bijou Real Estate ´Turning your dreams into an addressµ OUR FEATURED PROPERTIES ARE

LAND FOR SALE locations Penniston -20,042 sq ft -$281,000.00 South Union ʹ 11,495 sq ft -$86,000.00 Fair Hall ʹ 35,196 sq ft -$179,000.00 Mc Carty - 8,153 sq ft -$98,000.00 Union Island ʹ 16 Acres - $5 Million Belmont -15,000 sq ft - $75,000.00 New Addelphi ʹ 21,780 -$ 55,000.00 Park Hill -39,208 sq ft -$120,000.00 Pembroke ʹ 6,014 sq ft - $70,000.00 Union Island ʹ 2 Acres - $300,000.00 Our Services range from * Sale Listings * Rental Listings to * Property Management Services P.O.Box 2054, Tel: 1 784 530 7310 Website: www.bijousvg.com

Email: sgreaves@bijousvg.com CALL OR EMAIL FOR OTHER LISTINGS

NOTICE OF CLOSURE St. Vincent Motors Limited regrets to inform our valued customers, that our gas station at Arnos Vale will be closed for renovation from Tuesday 19th February, 2013 until further notice. We regret any inconvenience this may cause.

“PROPERTY FOR SALE Residential Property located at Glen, lot number 5 occupied by two (2) buildings 985 and 274 Sq. Ft with land being in extent of Three Thousand Nine Hundred and Forty Eight (3,948) SQ FT. Contact: 532-9618/4524110”

FOR RENT 3 bedroom apartment furnished/unfurnished at Dorsetshire Hill Tel: 493-8578 454-4148

The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

F O R

A.I. REAL ESTATE Cane Garden 4 bedrm Property on 6,406 sq.ft. - $690,000.00 H810 Penniston 16,326 sq.ft @ $22.00 p.s.f. - $359,172.00 - BB886

S A L E

FRIDAY,

FEBRUARY 22, 2013

Oral Francois told the Court that he found the AK-47 assault rifle while on an expedition in the Morne Rhonde mountains.

VOLUME 107, No.8

Penniston 11,894 sq.ft @ 45.00 p.s.f. - $535,230.00 - H885 Other listings are available Phone: 457-2087 Fax: 457-1382 Toll Free (USA): 866-978-0951 718-732-0545 Email: donp@vincysurf.com Website: www.aisvg.com

www.thevincentian.com

EC$1.50

FARMER SENTENCED FOR POSSESSING RUSSIAN RIFLE

six children, ages ranging from two to 23, including two girls attending school.

A 53-YEAR-OLD FARMER WHO WAS RECENTLY “I want to finish away with this marijuana FOUND IN POSSESSION of a Russian made AK-47 life entirely and start a different life assault rifle, began a six-year prison term on alltogether because I find it getting harassing.

Tuesday after pleading guilty to four charges.

I am asking you to have some leniency on me,” Oral Francois of Chateubelair was he continued. sentenced to six years for having the prohibited gun without the authorization of AK-47 found the Minister of National Security. Francois was also sentenced to two years for possession While Francois admitted that he owned and of a Decostal 12 guage shotgun without a kept the shotgun for security purposes, he licence, six months for having two rounds of 12 claimed he found the AK-47 during the 2012 guage ammunition, and six months for having Carnival Season as he made his way to the 1,816 grams of marijuana with intent to Morne Rhonde mountains on the northern tip supply. The sentences, handed down by Chief of the country.

Magistrate Sonya Young at the Serious He said he took it to his shack and tried Offences Court, will run concurrently. That is, cleaning it with oil and sandpaper. He Francois will only serve six years behind bars. admitted that it was very dangerous but said A magistrate has the power to impose a the AK-47 was without ammunition and that sentence of up to seven years in prison for he had no intention of using it. firearm or ammunition possession. Francois had pleaded guilty to all four charges when he Continued on page 24. initially appeared at the Serious Offences Court on Monday, but the Chief Magistrate postponed sentencing to the following day.

She indicated that she was “going to pray” before sentencing the accused, and that she wanted to be fair with him.

by HAYDN HUGGINS

Plea for leniency Despite a passionate plea for leniency by the accused, who was not represented by a lawyer, the Chief Magistrate insisted, “I am going to put you in prison for a long time. It is not the drugs that scare me so much, it is the gun,” “Mom, I know how you feel. It is wicked and scary but please have some sympathy on me,” he The AK-47 (right) and shotgun which were found in the pleaded. Francois noted possession of Oral Francois. that he was the father of

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

Printed by the SVG Publishers Inc., Campden Park.