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The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

FRIDAY,

NOVEMBER 15, 2013

VOLUME 107, No.46

www.thevincentian.com

EC$1.50

by HAYDN HUGGINS DESPITE THE RIGOURS OF PRISON LIFE, ex-police constable Ericson Harris describes his time spent behind bars, on two charges of murder, as a learning experience.

“It made me more vigilant,” the ex-cop declared, while speaking to THE VINCENTIAN shortly after his release from prison last Friday, November 8.

Harris was breathing free for the first time since March 1, 2007, after the prosecution accepted his pleas of guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter for causing the death of Jenine ‘Lucy’ Gill, 21, of Villa/Fountain Road and Volney Llewellyn, 31, of New Montrose, December 15, 2005, at Villa/Fountain Road. Harris was 25 at the time of the incident.

Justice Wesley James, last Friday, sentenced him to ten years in prison on each charge to run concurrently, but the judge ordered that the time he spent in custody be taken into account.

Harris had already spent ten prison years awaiting Preliminary Inquiry, trial and retrial on both charges.

Investigator Station Sergeant Trevor Bailey and Sergeant Brian Archibald were the only prosecution witnesses left to testify at the retrial, when Harris pleaded guilty to manslaughter last week Thursday.

The retrial, which had commenced last week Monday, November 4, had been ordered after a 12member jury had on June 17, 2008, at the first trial, failed to reach a verdict in the matter.

The charred bodies of Gill and Llewellyn were discovered around 6 p.m., December 15, 2005 in a burnt out small concrete house where Jenine lived with her two children, who were not at home at the time of the incident.

Continued on Page 3.

Left: Ericson Harris and his lawyer Kay BacchusBrowne share a moment of relief after Harris’s release.

2. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

The National Development Foundation of St.Vincent and the Grenadines would like to extend a heartfelt Thank You to all those persons who supported their 30th Anniversary Fun Walk on Saturday 9th November, 2013.

The walk began at 5:15 am, with the last walker arriving back at the office at 8:15 am.

First persons to complete the walk: Odian Hillocks (above right), Junior Garrick (above left) and Jill Howard (below).

Odian Hillocks and Junior Garrick tied for first place.

Second was Franklin Bacchus, while third went to Reynold Baptiste and Zarran Garrick.

Jill Howard was fourth and the first female to complete the walk, while Zarran Garrick was the youngest person to walk the full route.Three children participated in the walk between the ages of 5 and 10.

The walk culminated at the NDF’s headquarters, where persons had an enjoyable time cooling down and interacting with each other. Special kudos to everyone for their endurance, their fun spirit and camaraderie.

Thanks to Sailor’s Cycle Center for their support in ensuring that everyone remained hydrated and that no one was left behind.

We look forward to seeing you next year.

Sharing a lighter moment after that invigorating walk.

V News 3 Ex-cop learns from prison experience

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. 3.

On June 5, 2008, at the first trial, Bailey testified that Harris told him that “the same day me and she (Gill) been in Town having a good time and fixing up passport for she and she children dem to go to Barbados. I In mitigating before the court, get the money Attorney Kay Bacchus-Browne from the bank. I said that provocation may Prosecution’s case give she $3,000 plus I spent other have led to the incident.

The prosecution’s case money on she.” was hinged on a Bailey added foh dead, she been foh conversation Harris had that Harris told him that jump out de window. I with Bailey at the back he called Gill that night call a partner and tell of the Calliaqua Police around 11 p.m. and him what to do and wey Station, in the presence heard a man’s voice in for walk when he done. of Sergeant Brian the background.

My money can’t go so, Archibald, then a According to Bailey’s nah boy. When he corporal, March 1, 2007, testimony, at the first (partner) done he call me and a statement Harris trial, Harris told him, and say ‘mission had subsequently given “Station, I call dat shot accomplished’. He nah to the police. dey. I nah been want she dey here now, he gone wey. She dead because she fight up, my partner go just so, he nah bin hah no mask.”

Bailey said Harris told him that he really loved Gill.

In his subsequent statement to the police, Harris identified the ‘partner’ by a name and said he was from Trinidad and Tobago.

Harris said in the Miller was statement that Gill had THE FAMILY of a 3-year-old killed in a northern Missouri taken to the city complained to him that house fire is outraged after police used a stun gun on the boy’s jail and released Llewellyn was harassing stepfather as he tried to run back in and save the child, 3-year- without being her, and he told the old Riley Jeffrey Rieser Miller. charged. He and ‘partner’, “if you have to A city official confirmed that an officer fired his stun gun at his wife were stab de man, stab de Ryan Miller, 31, as he tried to re-enter his burning home, later treated for man. If you have to bus which was destroyed by the fire. minor burns at the man face, bus up de Lori Miller said she witnessed two officers use their stun an Illinois man face, but not to kill guns on her son a total of three times, twice after Ryan Miller hospital. de man.” had been handcuffed. The final time, he was in a police squad Lori Miller said Three-year-old Riley Jeffrey Rieser Miller who was killed in a house fire. Photo: Veteran attorney car, she said. the family is Courtesy Miller Law Offices, AP Arthur Williams and his “It was police brutality,” said Miller, adding that she was considering legal son Stephen represented also threatened with arrest. “We’re still trying to mourn.” action against the Harris at the first trial.

City Administrator Bob Jenne called the police response a city. And Jenne said he expects a lawsuit.

Bailey had not yet “judgment call.” Jenne said Thursday that he is waiting to Jenne, who has served as a police officer and firefighter as testified at the retrial, review a police report from the fire. well as a police chief in suburban St. Louis, said Thursday that when Harris pleaded Emily Miller said the police response directed at her he is waiting to review a police report from the fire. guilty to manslaughter, brother-in-law was “heartless.”

Calls to the Louisiana police department were referred back but prosecutor Tamika Jenne said the fire started in an electrical outlet in the rear to Jenne. The officer in the incident has not been placed Mc Kenzie presented the recreation room where Riley’s parents fell asleep watching on leave. prosecution’s version of television. By the time they awoke, smoke and flames “Ultimately, their concern was that he himself might become the events to the court. prevented Ryan and Cathy Miller from reaching their son, a casualty of the fire as well,” Jenne said of Ryan Miller.

The prosecution was whose bedroom was at the front of the house. They fled Lori Miller said her son was preparing to adopt Riley. The led by Director of Public through the back, with Ryan Miller trying unsuccessfully to re- family had lived in the rental home, which was within walking Prosecutions (DPP) enter the home before the second attempt that led to his arrest. distance of the home of Ryan Miller’s parents, for Colin Williams, assisted Jenne said a firefighter tried to save Riley, but the house eight months. (Source: SF GATE and AP)

by Mc Kenzie. was too hot to enter.

Continued from Page 1.

In a document written Autopsies showed that by Harris and read to the Gill and Llewellyn died court in mitigation by as a result of blunt Bacchus-Browne, Harris trauma to the head. Gill expressed remorse for also sustained stab what had happened, and wounds as well as indicated that he was thermal injury. praying for the victims’ Harris would not be family and himself. able to resume duties as Harris also stated in a police officer because the document that he he was convicted. He told served his country as a THE VINCENTIAN that policeman with “pride he would miss his job and dignity,” and always which he loved very strove to be in the much. “forefront of progress.”

Harris was a police In mitigation, officer for about five Bacchus-Browne told the years, but most of all, he court there was some is happy to be free again. level of provocation that He expressed led to the incident. She gratitude to his mother, said Harris had really Julie Harris, for going loved Gill who had with him all the way, complained to him that and to his lawyer Kay she was being abused by Bacchus-Browne, for an an ex-boyfriend of whom excellent performance. she was afraid, and had “I just want to move asked Harris for on with my life,” he protection. declared.

Reflecting on some aspects of the evidence, Mitigation Bacchus-Browne said

that on the day in question, Gill, her sister and their children had gone shopping with Harris, during which he bought items for them and took them for lunch.

Harris later took Gill on the beach, walked her home around 7 p.m. and offered to spend the night with her, but Gill said “no” because she was tired. Harris then ensured that the house was secured and that Gill was safe before leaving for home.

On reaching home, according to BacchusBrowne, Harris called Gill to say he was safely home only to hear a man’s voice in the background. Harris thought it was the exboyfriend who Gill had complained to him about, and he called a friend to check on Gill. However, according to BacchusBrowne, when the friend went to Gill’s home

things got out of hand.

Bacchus-Browne said that because her client had sent the friend there, he (Harris) decided to take responsibility for what happened.

Bacchus-Browne called Station Sergeant Bailey to give character evidence on her client’s behalf.

Bailey told the court he and Harris had worked together and he knew Harris to be a dedicated worker and a man of good character.

U N - H E A D L I N E D

Police stun stepdad trying to save son from fire

N E W S

V Barrouallie man free again 4. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Court

Spence was arrested and charged January 23, 2007 reportedly based on A BARROUALLIE man who was in custody DNA evidence. since January 23, 2007 on two murder He was subsequently committed to charges, walked away free from the High stand trial on both charges, and his Court Tuesday, after the prosecution matter was traversed on a number of withdrew both charges. occasions at the Criminal Assizes.

Paul Spence, a 47-year-old mason, At the arraignment October 8, 2013, farmer and fisherman, was charged Spence complained to Justice with the murders of Mabel Pollin, 72, Frederick Bruce-Lyle that his matter and her daughter Veronica Frederick, had been pending since 2007. The 49, both of Barrouallie. learned judge responded, “We are only The body of the elder Pollin was human, when your matter comes up, discovered in her three- bedroom we will hear it.” house at Glebe Hill, Barrouallie, Assistant Director of Public December 21, 2005. Her daughter who Prosecutions Colin John informed the was there unconscious, was rushed to Court, then, that Spence’s matter was the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital but short-listed and was likely to be heard died January 2, 2006. in a week or two.

Post mortems revealed they succumbed to head injuries.

Getting a move with matters Following the killings, Spence was held for questioning, but was released However, when the matter was without charges. However, physical called on Tuesday before Justice evidence was sent to the United Wesley James, Crown Counsel Carl States for forensic analysis, with Williams informed the Court that the results returning about a year later. prosecution was withdrawing the Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS

charges. He gave no reasons for the decision.

When contacted on Wednesday, the Crown Counsel told THE VINCENTIAN, “There is no requirement in the law for me to give reasons for entering a nolle prosequi.”

Spence was among a A free Paul Spence and his lawyer Kay Bacchusnumber of defendents at Browne. the October 8, 2013 arraignment who openly was accused wrongfully. I don’t know vented their feelings about their anything about that, I don’t kill matters not being heard. people,” he told THE VINCENTIAN. Justice Frederick Bruce-Lyle had “The police beat me and I told them expressed the view, then, that if I don’t know nothing and they kept me lawyers for the prosecution and the in jail for all this time. They even tried defence continue failing to cooperate in to take a statement from me after the order to get the cases moving, the Preliminary Inquiry,” he added.

Criminal Justice System may start Spence described the male prison, heading for a collapse.

Kingstown, as unsanitary and unfit for The senior Judge had implored human beings to live. And he is calling lawyers for the prosecution and the on the relevant authorities to look into defence to “throw in the towel,” if they the conditions behind the walls. don’t have a case.

“Rats and bugs take over the prison.

Prisoners are sleeping on the ground.

Maintaining innocence Rats does walk over people head and come in the cells in the night,” Spence While Spence is happy to be free lamented. He added that the food was again, he maintains that he is poor and the washroom facilities were innocent. in an unsanitary state.

“Me nah really feel good because I

“A travesty of Justice,” says lawyer ATTORNEY Kay Bacchus-Browne has repeated her call for legislation to have persons who had their matters dismissed on no case submissions, or discontinued by the crown, compensated on monetary terms.

The prominent lawyer also wants the law to be amended so that persons charged with murder would be entitled to bail, if their matters are not heard within two years.

“I think it is a travesty of justice for someone to be in prison and cannot get bail and their matters are not being heard,” Bacchus-Browne told THE VINCENTIAN on Tuesday, after the prosecution withdrew two murder charges against her client Paul Spence of Barrouallie. She noted that Spence

had been in custody since January 2007 without trial.

Bacchus-Browne said that legal action could be taken against the state for false arrest, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution; but she explained that it is a difficult and expensive process because malice on the part of the prosecution must be proven. She, however, indicated that she was seriously considering taking this step in Spence’s case.

Noting, “We live in a society that is so oppressed economically,” BacchusBrowne questioned rhetorically, “How do you feel when seven years have been taken away from you just like that? How do you stay on the straight and narrow path?”

Youth granted bail on ganja charge A 23-year-old labourer of Arnos Vale will return to Court December 6 on a marijuana possession charge.

Johan McKay is accused of having 8,722 grams of marijuana with intent to supply.

McKay pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Sonya Young at the Serious Offences

Court on Monday. He was granted bail in the sum of $12,000 on condition that he surrender his travel documents, and report to the Central Police Station on Wednesdays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

McKay was arrested at the E.T. Joshua Airport last Sunday where he was reportedly destined for Barbados.

V More LIAT strike fallout

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. 5.

Regional

Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, is already on record as declaring that he was “absolutely fed up” with what he called LIAT’s selfinflicted wounds.

A frustrated Dr. Gonsalves referred to what could be a an embarrassment to him when he reminded that he only recently held talks with the president of the Regional Council of Martinique, who indicated some interest in becoming Prime Minister Dr. Gonsalves is fed up an equity partner in with all the disruption in LIAT LIAT. operations.

And while he anxiously awaits a LAST WEEK’S STRIKE action by report on the circumstances LIAT pilots has certainly raised that triggered last week’s pilot the ‘pressure’ of politicians strike action, he called for across the OECS region. “this kind of foolishness to Chairman of LIAT shareholder governments, Dr. stop,” and reiterated his support for designating LIAT Ralph Gonsalves, Prime

an essential services.

Support for this also came from Prime Minister of Dominica Roosevelt Skerrit (see story on this page), as well as Antigua and Barbuda’s Tourism Minister John Maginley.

The Observer Newspaper of Antigua reports Maginley as saying, in a direct attack on the Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association (LIALPA), “You can’t have one body creating a dysfunction in this thing because they have one work-related dispute. That is not right. It’s not responsible.”

He continued: “Does LIAT have other problems?

Absolutely! But compounding it with stupidity like that does not make it better,” he added.

Maginley went on to describe the pilots as “unconscionable,” claiming that “they (pilots) think they know more than anyone else, and it’s unfortunate.”

He declared his support to make LIAT an essential service.

'Make LIAT an essentialservice,’ says Skerrit. disarray.

Sherrit is reported by the Barbados Today newspaper, an online publication, as saying that the regional travelling public was being held to ransom every time there is industrial action at LIAT. “I don’t think we can build a region and a tourism product unless you address this particular problem. I am hoping that the matter can be resolved…,” he said noting however, “this might just be a temporary fix (and) we need to find a Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister permanent fix.” of Dominica, is the latest He told the newspaper Caribbean Head to issue a call to that the permanent fix designate LIAT an essential could be along the lines of service. an essential service, NOT FOR THE FIRST TIME, adding, “I think there is a a call has been made to make case to be made for that.”

LIAT an essential service.

Prime Minister Skerrit is The latest call came from not the first person, nor the Dominica Prime Minister first Prime Minister to speak Roosevelt Skerrit as he of making LIAT an essential responded to LIAT flight service. cancellations and delays Former Chief Executive resulting from strike action, Officer of the airline, Ian last week, by LIAT pilots.

Brunton, first broached the Pilots had not reported to idea of legislating LIAT an work from last week Tuesday essential service, thereby in protest against the restricting the right to strike suspension of their Union’s by its workers.

President, Carl Burke, and Both Prime Minister of another pilot, sending the Antigua and Barbuda, LIAT flight schedule into Baldwin Spencer, and Prime

Former CEO of LIAT, Ian Brunton, was the first high ranking LIAT person to make the call for LIAT to be made an essential service.

Minister of St, Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gionsalves, had supported the idea, with Dr. Gonslaves saying at the time that a move to make LIAT an essential service should not be viewed as a one intending “to deny workers the right to strike.”

The talk seemed to have waned after the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party, opposition to Baldwin Spencer’s government, voiced immediate objection to any such move.

Antigua and Barbuda is the headquarters of LIAT, which accounts for substantial contribution, both directly and indirectly, to that country’s GDP. (Source: CMC)

Meanwhile, Maginley’s pilots union. LIALPA refused colleague, James Lovell, further comment. (Partial Minister of Finance, Antigua Source: Antigua Observer) and Barbuda, responding to a question on radio about a move by other shareholder governments to gradually strip Antigua of the LIAT headquarters base, stated that he was unaware of any such move.

He, however, stated that his government will fight any effort to do so.

A joint release from LIAT and LIALPA said they held positive discussions and would continue talking to John Maginley, Tourism Minister in address “legitimate concerns” raised by the Antigua and Barbuda, has described LIAT pilots as ‘unconscionable’.

LIAT suspends flights to NEVIS LIAT IS SUSPENDING its service to Nevis for the winter season, according to the Nevis Island Administration (NIS).

The affected service is the Antigua-Nevis route.

The NIA said it had received a letter from LIAT at the beginning of the month (November), indicating that it would be suspending its service to the island from Dec. 3 to Jan. 14, 2014.

“The reasons they have given and I quote ‘as a result of the fleet transition is currently underway and limited resources they are unable to provide a service into Nevis for the period of winter, 2013, which will commence on December 3rd 2013 and will continue on to January 14th 2014’,” said Deputy Premier and Tourism Minister Mark Brantley.

The Minister said LIAT’s management had assured the NIA that they would “seek to resume the services on Jan. 15,” with an update to come in December.

LIAT has been in a period of turmoil in recent months, with continued service issues, delays and, most recently, a pilots’ strike. It is currently undergoing a large-scale refleeting exercise.

LIAT flights to St Kitts

Mark Brantley, Deputy Premier and Tourism Minister, officially broke the news of LIAT suspension of flights.

(Photo: Zimbio.com)

have not been disrupted.

Brantley admitted that LIAT’s suspension of flights was not good news for us. He underscored the importance of the airlift into Nevis’ Vance Amory International Airport, and acknowledged that it comes at the worst possible time.

Given the importance of filling the void, Brantley disclosed that the NIA had already moved to engage in talks with SVG Air, Fly Montserrat, BVI Air and Tradewind.

“We’re talking to all of them, with a view to see how best we can accommodate the traffic from Antigua and to Antigua, so that our people can connect out of Antigua for onward journeys especially intraregional travel,” LIAT has cited its current re-fleeting Brantley said. programme’s impact on its resources as (Source: reason for its decision to suspend flight Caribjournal.com) to Nevis.

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6. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Finance

RBTT helping small business operators

by KENVILLE HORNE MICRO AND SMALL BUSINESS operators in St. Vincent & the Grenadines were treated to an informative session on the processes and benefits of having their businesses appropriately registered under the Laws of St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

This business forum, hosted by RBTT Caribbean Limited and held on Wednesday November 6th in the Banking Hall of the Kingstown headquarters of the bank, had Barristerat-law, Solicitor and Notary Public, J. Julian Jack as its main presenter.

Jack is a professional legal practitioner with experience in areas which include International Law and Diplomacy, Company and Commercial Law and Intellectual Property Law. Participants were taken on a journey from the simplest form of registration, that is the Registration of a Business name, to the point of being incorporated as a legal entity, under the Companies Act, Cap 143 of 1994.

At each stage, Mr Jack

outlined the process as well as the benefits, and provided clarity on the following: separate legal entity with the potential for perpetual existence; the limiting of personal liability; the raising of capital or capitalizing the business; business confidence and credibility from dealing with an entity; and recognition.

The forum was regarded as an important thrust by the bank to add

value to the client through the provision of information that can enhance their business.

Among those that made up the audience were business woman Ella Cupid, owner of Ella’s Beauty Salon and Glamour Boutique, and Rhondel Dickson of Fashion House Caribbean.

Cupid described the business forum as “very, very enlightening. I think he (Jack) delivered

everything I needed to know. I am glad I came, and I like what I heard,” Cupid said.

Dickson said the information was excellent.

“Some of the things I knew, but others, for example , the discipline that is necessary when you form a company, that is important. I think it was timely,” she shared.

Delivering closing remarks, Omari Corbin,

Barrister Julian Jack (left) and Omari Corbin of RBTT don expressions of satisfaction with the forum.

Left: Business woman Ella Cupid found the forum very enlightening. the bank’s Team Leader—Business Banking Eastern Caribbean, underscored the Bank’s focus on continuing to

have forums of this nature, which could see topics like insurances being examined.

FSA marks 1st Anniversary ON NOVEMBER 12TH, 2013, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) of St. Vincent and the Grenadines marked its 1st anniversary by hosting two regulatory workshops.

The first was entitled ‘Promoting Financial Stability and Economic Growth,’ and the second, a more sector specific workshop on ‘Insights and Issues for the Credit Unions in SVG and the OECS’.

The objectives of the workshops, according to an FSA release, were: to provide an overview of the role of the FSA and regulatory regime in St. Vincent and the Grenadines; and to engage stakeholders in discussions on matters of mutual

and topical interest pertaining to financial services sector, the regulatory regime in SVG, and respective roles in promoting stability and economic growth.

Participants were drawn from members of the regulated financial services sector - both the international financial services and domestic non-bank financial sector - , and other stakeholders. They were Dr. Dave Grace (standing at top of picture) leads the second Workshop which focused on issues related to credit unions. facilitated by FSA management and staff, Prime Minister and Minister corporate governance structure members of the regulated sectors of Finance Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, and systems by Dr. Valda Henry, as well as external consultants. in opening the first and a panel discussion on the role day’s workshop, of the financial sector in commended the promoting financial stability and FSA for its economic growth moderated by “remarkable Mrs. Louise Mitchell-Joseph, with progress” since its panellists Mrs. Shafia Londonestablishment and Williams, Mr. Adrian Baron, Mr. commented that its Dave Grace and Mr. Rueben legislative ambit is Gomez. expected to be The second workshop targeted strengthened by the credit union sector, and was revised anti money facilitated by consultant Mr. laundering Dave Grace. Discussion and legislation and working sessions related to harmonised current trends in the sector and insurance requirements of credit processes legislation. and delinquency reduction were He indicated addressed. that the FSA had Mrs. Sharda Bollers, Executive been set up as an Director of the FSA, in independent commenting on the FSA’s 1st statutory body and year anniversary, stated that just that great care had one (1) year after its been taken in establishment, the FSA has been selecting persons able to build upon its sound with a high level of legislative foundation to structure integrity and a strong administrative and requisite regulatory framework, and so set qualifications and the pace for the continued experience, to sit development of an equally strong on the FSA’s Board regulatory regime in St. Vincent of Directors. and the Grenadines.

The first day’s The FSA committed to workshop’s organizing similar sector specific programme financial services consultations to included a engage all sectors in meaningful presentation on discussions.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. 7.

Court

Time for forensic pathology evidence

by HAYDN HUGGINS ATTORNEY Kay BacchusBrowne thinks the time has come for experts in forensic pathology to give evidence as to the cause of death in cases of murder and manslaughter here.

Bacchus-Browne was speaking to THE VINCENTIAN last Friday, November 8, following the conclusion of a retrial involving her client Ericson Harris, an ex-policeman, who was charged with the murders of Volney Llewellyn, 31, of New Montrose and Jenine Gill, 21, of Villa/Fountain Road.

Their charred bodies were found in a burnt out small concrete house at Villa/Fountain Road following a fire around 6 a.m.

December 15, 2005.

Autopsies showed they died from blunt trauma to the head. Gill also sustained stab wounds and thermal injury.

Bacchus-Browne said the cause of deaths in this case may well have been associated with the fire. She noted that one of the two doctors who gave evidence as to the cause of deaths was a family physician, with no expertise in pathology at all.

“That is not acceptable,” the experienced attorney declared.

Bacchus-Browne also

pointed out that the fire appeared to have been an electrical one, but there was no investigation done to determine the cause.

She noted that a prosecution witness who lived close to the house in which the bodies were found, testified at the retrial that she heard a popping crackling sound, following which she saw smoke and fire coming from a ‘lamp pole’, then a power outage at her house.

“There was a great possibility that it could have been an electrical fire,” Bacchus-Browne emphasized.

Another prosecution witness had testified that the fire truck arrived on the scene without water and the firemen asked a neighbour for a water hose, but the neighbour had none.

The witness said the fire truck then left, but by the time it returned, the house was already engulfed in flames.

During the course of the trial, Harris pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter on both charges. The

Bullets rain in Cane End PERSONS who had witnessed a football match at the Cane End Playing Field last Sunday, had to run for cover after the conclusion of the match.

This had nothing to do with rain, but had everything to do with a rain of bullets.

Police reports say that five persons were shot in an incident that occurred at the Playing Field.

Those shot were: Omarie Thomas, 16 years of Freeland, who was wounded on his right leg; Oranique Mc Kenzie, 16 years, a student of Mt. Pleasant, who was wounded on his left arm; Travis Mapp, 18 years, unemployed of Evesham, who sustained a wound in his back; Nicholas James, 34years, a labourer of Mesopotamia, wounded on his left hand; and Cassanique Dowers, 23 years, unemployed of Sayers, who was grazed in the back.

Mapp and Thomas were taken to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

Police are investigating.

pleas were accepted by the Harris was released as he prosecution, and Justice had already spent ten prison Wesley James sentenced him years awaiting Preliminary to ten years in prison on Inquiry, trial and retrial. each charge, to run concurrently. However, Attorney Kay Bacchus-Browne the judge ordered that was not satisfied that a family the time Harris spent in physician gave evidence in a custody be taken into case that warranted expert forensic pathology evidence. account.

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8. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 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

LIAt an essential service AND AS TURBULENCE of one making or the other continues to unsettle the (perceived) equilibrium of the regional aircraft service LIAT, there are loud calls from those who guard our shareholding in the airline, for it to be declared an essential service.

Neither the shareholder prime minister of SVG nor Antigua hid the fact that their recent reactions were all predicated on the right of the workers of LIAT (pilots in the most recent case) to strike.

The call brings into focus the thinking on the larger issue of industrial relations and what is the right of each side in a bargaining table scenario.

Essential services, such as water and electricity, are public goods, in that their benefits extend well beyond the consumption of the individual. According to international convention, they are essential (services) in that an interruption in their provision could endanger the life, personal safety or health of a whole nation. The question we must ask as we advance into a discussion on LIAT and the call to make it an essential service, is whether LIAT fits that bill.

The overriding reality is that Governments are so empowered here in the OECS that they can jump into their parliaments and overnight invoke a majority vote for literally anything they deem ‘right and just’.

So, in the absence of say, an Essential Services Commission (ESC), as exists in other open democracies, to determine which services fall within the fore-mentioned definition, a Minister of Labour can do whatever he fancies in that regard.

Is it fair then, that a service could be willy nilly declared an essential service? Is it fair that this designation could be made without any serious investigation as to whether or not the whole or part of any service is an essential service? Is LIAT characterized in accordance with the basic dictates so as to simply declare it an essential service? Is the interruption or for that matter its closure, one that will deprive the region’s people of their daily life and blood sustenance?

If the shareholder prime ministers want to be fair about this ‘move’, they ought not to make impulsive pronouncements from their positions of clout, but rather, in a more sober atmosphere, state an intention to investigate whether LIAT should be declared an essential service.

The leaders ought to set a process in place that will invite submissions to inform that investigation. (May be this could constitute the basis of a debate for the OECS Parliamentary Assembly?)

The sorry veil over this whole LIAT affair is that those leaders who made the call for making LIAT an essential service appeared not to have seen beyond the right of the workers to strike.

So back to the ‘right to strike’ issue.

The right to strike for the purposes of collective bargaining or to force management to the bargaining table, is one of the fundamental rights enshrined in most if not all of the constitutions of LIAT shareholder countries.

Without this right to strike, management/ownership will always assume the upper hand, with the power to close down an operation whenever it feels it ought so to do. The right to strike brings balance in a modern world of industrial relations, because it lessens the draconian power of management as referred.

Without bargaining power on both sides, any ‘bargaining’ would lack credibility; and no leader worth his salt would want to be judged as having railroaded a process to the detriment of the workers — the salt of the electorate.

It is as one writer said somewhere, sometime, “There can be no equilibrium in industrial relations without a freedom to strike.” Do we want to endanger that equilibrium?

In order to achieve an appropriate balance, workers in essential services are conventionally excluded from the right to strike in open democracies, and this exclusion has been sanctioned by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) - but only to a limited extent.

The Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, recommends that the right to strike should only be restricted in relation to public servants exercising authority in the name of the State and in relation to genuinely essential services, namely (and repeated) those where interruption would endanger the life, personal safety or health of the whole or part of the population.

The question: Is LIAT so poised? Maybe we ought to forgive the leaders for their emotional outbursts.

Remember November From “The Tree” November 1975 “THE EVENTS OF FRIDAY November 14, 1975, will long be remembered in the political annals of this country. For on that day all pretence to living in a free society was brutally shattered, and we came face-to-face with a dictatorship unveiled.

On that day a peaceful and welldisciplined procession was broken up by police staves, teargassed and trampled upon, innocent bystanders terrorised, and peaceful protesters manhandled, as the last screws were tightened in the coffin of our much vaunted democracy.

On that day ten freedom fighters, including a woman (perhaps as a bizarre mark of Government’s respect for International women’s year), were huddled into the most inhuman conditions for the following three days. “A taste of prison” to teach them a lesson! ...on that day in the name of the Nixonian cries of “ Law and Order” and “The Silent majority”, a multitude of sins were committed of which any fascist tyranny can be proud.

On that day, the clouds of gas provided a smokescreen under cover of which Government perpetrated the “Cyrus Affair”, victimised nurses; replaced Elma Dougan as delegate to a Nurses Training education programme; blocked Jerry Scott from attending a Youth conference; fired Shake Keane; transferred Mike Browne; raped the constitution to make Mrs. Joshua leader of the Opposition.; and set the stage for the starving out of the Striking Teachers as part of the final solution to the teacher problem. ...From that day, the lessons have been learnt that you cannot win a logically argued case with those who cannot reason; you cannot have your voice heard over the din of bursting gas-canisters and the staccato of gun-fire; you cannot oppose naked oppression by soul force; nor stand up to riot squads on the strength of the justice of your cause; you cannot fight an arsenal by linking arms, unarmed; People’s Power is meaningless as a counter to firepower.

From that day all Freedom-loving Vincentians have pledged to restore Democracy to this fair land of ours.

ONE DAY, ONE DAY, ONE CONQUER DAY...”

Teachers in Court It all began when twenty-eight teachers staged a sympathy march in silent protest against the shabby treatment that the Labour Government of the day had handed out to the nurses. Like the nurses, the teachers were hauled before the courts in October to answer charges of taking part in an illegal procession.

They won that case on a preliminary point.

Two months later, Mike Browne and Yvonne Francis Gibson had their no case submissions upheld on charges of organising an illegal march in the teachers’ own cause.

However, in the general charge arising out of the same facts, Browne, Francis and eight others were convicted. They had persisted with a march in defiance of the riot police, then under the Home Affairs Ministry of Grafton Isaacs.

Attorney —General Arthur Williams had aggressively led the case for the police, with this columnist defending the teachers. The conviction was quashed on Appeal where crown Counsel Theo Browne had no answer.

In March 1976, 31 teachers were tried for obstructing a police officer in the execution of his duty during a sit-in at Dacon’s Education Ministry on the eve of tear-gas Friday. This case again was dismissed, though the thirtyone teachers were found guilty on the alternative charge of assembling at a public place for a disorderly purpose. The appeal by Catherine Johnson whose name headed the list of 31 was successful. ...There was some interesting by-play. The top ten were locked in cells and refused bail for three days. At the Calliaqua Station, a man arrested for rape was kept in custody in the charge room in order to make room in the cell for Yvonne Francis. She collapsed from the stench! ...The police authorities thought it necessary to pass “the 31” through the cells even while bail bonds were being prepared for their release. ...Lemuel Ottley found himself in a cell when he passed an innocent enough note to the arrested Mike Browne. His offence was unlawful communication with a prisoner, but the charge was later dropped.

Samuel Gordon was charged with intimidating Magistrate Collymore, but his matter was never heard.

Dr. Anne Williams-Daniel and Mrs Judith Hull Ballah, Devoted Methodists, refused to apply for separate trial of their case against the 31 which was being tried by Methodist local preacher, Chief Magistrate Desmond Collymore !! ...Tim Ottley was summarily dismissed from teaching for calling Arthur Williams Attorney General an ass.

A teacher was “invited” to help the police in their enquiries concerning the knocking out of Radio 705 while Premier Cato was addressing the nation on the teacher’s affair! ...In the end, teachers had none of their demands met, including authority to take an active part in party politics.

There were only dismissal and mass transfers including that of kidney patient Decent Henry to the “hard area” of Sandy Bay. Many stalwart teachers left the island during those bleak days.

That is why the entire profession and its supporters are determined always to “Remember November”. ( The Tree has been the paper and the symbol of the DFM)

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. 9.

Letters

A marijuana story

RECENTLY, there has been a whole lot of talk about marijuana and whether we should legalise it.

I want to share a story I came across recently; but before I do, I must say that we should not do anything that would make it easier for people, especially young people, to get marijuana.

The story supports my view, and it goes as follows: “A teenage babysitter who was high on marijuana and had left her gun on the coffee table where a 5-year-old boy picked it up and shot and killed himself - while she had gone in another room to take a nap because she was so high on marijuana.”

That may be an extreme case, but it is a case nonetheless.

Sandy D

Remembering Primus GERALD PRIMUS is no longer with us and he will be missed. He may have ‘gone out of circulation’ for a while, so to speak, but those who knew him never forgot him.

I first got to know Primus when he worked at Cross Country, and our association continued

That West Indies cricket team THE WEST INDIES cricket team went to India on the heels of six consecutive test match victories. We seemed to have forgotten that those victories were against minions Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and New Zealand, no offence meant to New Zealand.

The Indians didn’t let that bother them, and they proceeded to show our boys just what those victories meant — nothing! My question after that humiliating defeat within three days in the first test in India is: Can the West Indies do any worse? They can’t; they can or should only do better.

But when I look and see that a person like Tino Best leads our bowling, I simply wait for another set of Indians to score their first test centuries. How in anyone’s wildest imagination can Tino Best be considered a frontline test opening bowler? And that Jamaica fellow?

Maybe the selectors chose the wrong Jamaican fast bowler?

The laughable thing about the defeat is that it was a fast bowler — an Indian fast bowler if you please - who destroyed us, not some Indian spinner.

Looks as though the tables are being turned on us. And it was a spinner, Shane Shillingford, who took wickets for us. Why in heaven’s name can’t our selectors go with a twin spin attack of Shillingford and Narine?

Isn’t Narine supposed to be a world class spinner? Whoever said he was a specialist T20 bowler, Coach Gibson?

Do we not remember the spin attack of Ramadhin and Valentine?

I might be wrong, but I don’t think we have had two good spinners (Shillingford and Narine) at the same time since the Ramadhin-Valentine days. Can we do any worse by including them in a test team?

Poor Shillingford!! He might have done even better if Captain Sammy had used him in shorter spells. Then again, Sammy may have realized that he had very little to choose from to allow him to use Shillingford in shorter spells.

We may never return to the glory days of the 1970s and 1980s, but the least we can do is go down fighting like big men, not cower like little boys under pressure.

Cricket Fanatic

A reminder An ardent reader of THE VINCENTIAN shared this photograph and asked that we publish it as a reminder of how blessed we are; that we have been spared a devastating hurricane so far for the year.

The aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan in Samar province Philippines, on Nov. 11, 2013.

(Photo: Dennis Sabongan, epa)

when he joined THE VINCENTIAN. It was to THE VINCENTIAN that he was most committed. He felt a certain extra affection for that paper because he worked there when it was the old VINCENTIAN, and he also spoke of how proud he was to be part of the new VINCENTIAN. If Primus had one shortcoming, it was his neglect of his own health. In the years prior to his eventual confinement, I had reason to speak to him about this. He would always brush it off with a smile and get back to what he was doing.

If Primus’ life has one lesson for us, it is one that says we must care more for ourselves.

I regret that I was not able to spend more time with him in his latter

In the mist The density of the fog Blindfold our eyes Journeying through this mist Of uncertainty.

Time of joy, sudden fall short Of an inland’s main health institution Then again socializing, singing On this narrow path, we shall meet again.

From the great beyond and above Who, as silent whispers Amputation, prescription seen similar Of medication only on the shelves.

days, but I will also remember the discussions, more like arguments, we had over politics. He was a committed member of the ULP, if ever there was one.

May my friend rest in peace wherever he might be.

Paul

Thanks for caring like Joshua WHAT MORE must the ULP do to show that it cares about people? Now, I understand the role of the opposition, but isn’t it high time that they acknowledge that good has been done, and maybe say what they would do to improve on what the ULP has done, rather than just objecting to everything?

The latest demonstration by the ULP is the handing out of lands to persons in Glebe, Barrouallie, who have been on those lands for generations now.

I recall the project when it started with the Christian Council back in the early 1980s, and thought that the people had title a long time ago. I must commend Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and the ULP government for attending to something that rightfully should have been attended to a long time ago.

The ULP government has proven time and time again that it cares about the ordinary people. Its housing and land programme is just one of these. Interestingly, the programme reminds me much more about the Joshua years than the Cato years. Is it that Dr. Gonsalves is influenced more by Joshua than Cato? If he is, he has nothing to be ashamed of or to apologise for.

Joshua was a true champion of the people, and Dr. Gonsalves is also one. The less said about Cato, the better.

A Joshuaite

Shady, calling for help, emergency Calling on CB Impatient caretaker, personalities drawn down Red alert, low battery, no frequency.

Another to the cemetery Where ever I may be of this poor visibility Whatever just what it seems A little stumble, causing so much casualty.

Elvett G. King St, Vincent and the Grenadines November 2013.

* Is that young lady at the centre of all that fuss at the St. Joseph’s Convent now a comfortable student at the Thomas Saunders Secondary School? * Are some ‘G’ vehicles finding themselves overnight at private homes? * When will the agriculture authorities disclose what chemicals make up the spray they use in the banana spraying exercise? Is it that they don’t know, or is it that they have something to hide? * How could LIAT shareholders be looking for new investors when they know that there are a lot of matters still to be resolved? Who would want to invest in something riddled with problems?

V

10. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

Preparing for the 2014 Budget

The NDP will return to office

The Issue

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF reasons why the NDP will return to office when the general elections are called in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Firstly, the ULP regime has failed to deliver on the many promises that it made to Vincentians in 2001. The ULP administration has failed to deliver the cross country road, the national stadium and the indoor sporting facility. Also, Vincentians are still waiting for the ULP government to: introduce integrity legislation; create jobs for the young people; be tough on crime and the causes of crime; move resolutely against corruption in government; develop sports and culture; launch a war on poverty and illiteracy; and to modernise and reform government.

In addition, the infighting in the ULP camp, the division of ULP supporters over the selection of (general elections) candidates and the low turnout of delegates from some constituencies at its recent National Council meeting are indications that all is not well within the ULP. As a result, most of the discussion at the Council meeting of the ULP was focused on those issues. Based on the report in the Searchlight newspaper of Tuesday 12th November, 2013 which headlined, “Constituency group should put an end to internal struggles — PM”, one can only conclude that the division in the ULP is deep.

Furthermore, the ULP government has not done anything meaningful to assist the farmers of this country.

Farmers are crying out for help, and because of its neglect of agriculture, the ULP will pay a heavy political price at the next general elections.

Farmers are unable to purchase inputs; they cannot get their produce sold; and there is an increase in praedial larceny. This ULP government, for the twelve years it has been in power, has not constructed or repaired a single foot of feeder road that serves the farmers.

The deplorable condition of the feeder roads has created tremendous hardship for our farmers in getting to and from their farms. Farmers are undoubtedly, experiencing their worst days under this wicked administration. Their standard of living has declined significantly, and they have now moved from being middle class that was made possible under the NDP government, to being poor once again, thanks to the ULP. The ULP has mismanaged the economy of this country to the extent that for the first time this country has recorded four consecutive years of negative growth, creating more hardship for Vincentians. We have had more unemployment, and find ourselves in a situation in which the government owes the private sector $60 Million dollars. And just last month, the government borrowed $15.

Million in an effort to pay the 1.5% that was owed to public servants since 2011. All these are signs to show that the economy of this country is in a sad state.

Therefore, with all those problems within the ULP, the broken promises and the sad state of the economy, Vincentians are saying they have had enough of the ULP, and it is time for them to go. As a result, the electorate will vote for the NDP when the next general elections are called, because they are satisfied with the programmes and policies of the NDP advances. The NDP has what it takes

OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, the ULP administration will begin the process of making final arrangements for the 2014 estimates of revenue and expenditure, traditionally known as the budget. This is a very important exercise since it will define the plans of the government over the next twelve months.

All government ministries have completed what is called their advance proposals. The Pe-rmanent Secretaries will meet with their divisional heads and examine their plans for the 2014 financial year. This will involve an evaluation of their work plans for the year 2013 and the preparation of a new work programme for the year 2014.

This must be done within the framework of the policies laid done by the ULP administration. Many of the policies are found in the ULP manifesto of 2010, and from time to time, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves will articulate a clearer vision of the these policies, so that the Public Servants will get a clearer understanding, when they are preparing their work plans.

By now, all ministries and some statutory bodies have conducted preliminary meetings with the budget officials in the Ministry of Finance.

The next step is a meeting between the individual ministries and the Cabinet, where these preliminary plans are discussed. Public Servants call this process “defending the advance proposals,” and this is an apt description. The discussion is always intense and robust, and in some cases, ministries are asked to re-submit their proposals, if the Cabinet is not happy with certain programmes.

Agriculture.

Last year, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves had this to say: “Clearly, the national political economy of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has to engage modern global capitalism, and its political architecture in a creative manner, twinning efficacious accommodation and resistance, so as to obtain economic and political space for genuine national development benefiting the people as a whole”.

In all this, the ULP administration must consider the National Debt of the country, and the ability to maintain the debt. The idea is to achieve a Debt to GDP of around 65% to 70%. St. Vincent and the Grenadines is within this range, unlike many other countries in the ECCU.

Managing the Budget

When the budget is presented, it will hold insights as to how the government will manage the economy, and what are the key areas of focus.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is going through a phase of slow economic recovery, with two years of positive growth (2011 and 2012) after three years of negative growth (2008, 2009, and 2010). Will the ULP continue its strategy of a deficit budget (used by a number of international countries), or will there be a meaningful surplus?

Will the government continue its focus on education and training, and will there be an expansion of the Factors to be considered Education Revolution, perhaps in a new direction? What about the poor There are many factors that the and the disadvantaged, and will the Cabinet and the Public Servants will government increase its safety net for take into consideration when these people? And then there is the preparing the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure. One critical factor is continued revival of the agricultural sector, and the resources required for the state of the economy and the this. Funds will come from the activities that will be generated European Union, but the government within the economy, to produce the is expected to fund any shortfall in revenue for expenditure. the expenditure.

So issues related to revenue and What about the critical areas of job revenue collection, taxes, the VAT, the creation and poverty reduction. The Customs and Excise charges, and ULP administration has a great revenue from the financial and record in this regard, and much is tourism sectors, etc., are important. expected. The budget will speak to all Then there is an examination of the this, but most important, it will point financial inflows, from grants, soft to the quality of leadership, of loans, and aid from institutions like planning, of the understanding of the the World Bank, the CDB, the European Union and ALBA, and from external factors that affect us as a countries like Taiwan. Foreign direct country, and to a level of fiscal investment and remittances from our management never seen before in this citizens abroad, are also important in country.

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves this respect. and the ULP have already been tested Against this must be factored the in this regard, and they have passed demands of the citizens of the state, particularly in the areas of education, the test with flying colours.

Let us recall the words of Prime health, national security, and the Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves as he social services. In short, Cabinet and presented his 2013 budget. “Let us go the Public Servants have to conduct forth with honest appraisals, a an inventory of the condition of the compelling developmental narrative, State, so as to fashion practical and sensible efforts to build a solutions to problems. sustainable, resilient economy in Most important is the state of the world economy, since St. Vincent and challenging times, in the people’s interest”. the Grenadines does not exist in a We await the presentation of the vacuum. So the current global economic and financial crisis will be a 2014 Budget, safe in the knowledge that we have a government that by its critical factor, since this will affect words and deeds, has shown that it any drive to raise revenue from cares for this country called St. foreign sources, and will impact Vincent and the Grenadines, and for sectors such as Tourism, its people called Vincentians.

Construction, Manufacturing and

to move St. Vincent and the Grenadines forward.

Programmes of the NDP The NDP track record from 1984 t0 2001 is an impressive one.

It was the NDP that rescued this country after the Labour Party destroyed it between 1974 and 1984, and most Vincentians are aware of that. Therefore, that is one of the reasons why they are willing, once again, to put their trust in the NDP. For instance, they know of the massive land reform programme where thousands of acres of lands were given to the poor and working class; the building of roads, improved electricity, water and telephone services and the jobs that were provided for the people. And the list goes on and on.

The NDP is increasing its support rapidly from day to day. The electorate is excited about the NDP’s programmes and policies that have been outlined to them so far. Our Economic Programme, Basic Needs Approach, 20/20 Vision and Development Projects when implemented will return the economy to growth, and create the jobs that are needed by the thousands of Vincentians.

Moreover, tremendous emphasis will be placed on agriculture, tourism, manufacturing and other sectors to get the economy up and running. We will work closely with the business community and establish a Ministry of the Private Sector.

Our young people can also be assured that emphasis will be placed on sports, culture and information technology.

Most importantly, the issue of health will get the attention that it deserves when the NDP returns to office. It will introduce a “back to basics approach” in the delivery of health care in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Access to proper health care remains a fundamental right to every citizen, and the NDP is committed to facilitate the delivery of this right. A New Democratic Party administration will focus attention on the basic principles of decentralizing the primary health care delivery system. We will also put emphasis on preventative medicine, as a means of significantly reducing the need for hospitalization and lifetime medication.

In order to meet the health care needs of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the NDP will: build a new state of the art hospital; improve and upgrade the Georgetown Hospital and the community clinics; examine different models with a view to the implementation of modern management techniques within the health sector; implement our plan for National Health Insurance; ensure by prudent management and accountability that throughout the system, availability of basic medication is a priority.

The NDP is ready to take the reins of government in this country, and we are confident that the electorate will elect the NDP when the bell is rung.

It’s time for the NDP and we are ready.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. 11.

Views

Life lessons by Denzel Caribbean needs ‘big Washington conversation’

“Living consciously involves being genuine; it involves listening and responding to others honestly and openly; it involves being in the moment.” — Sir Sidney Poitier, KBE; born February 20, 1927; Americanborn Bahamian actor, film director, author, and diplomat.

MANY OF MY GENERATION still vividly recall the sense of pride we experienced when, in the 1960s and 1970s, we flocked to the cinema to see Sidney Poitier play leading roles in such films as “To Sir, with Love”; “In the Heat of the Night”; and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”. He was an outstanding actor ... and he made us proud. He was the first black person to win an Academy Award for Best Actor. He achieved this in 1963 for his role in the movie ‘Lilies of the Field’.

I regularly use Poitier’s life experience to inspire young persons to excel at all that is noble. He was born two months premature and was not expected to survive. His parents were poor Bahamian farmers who farmed lands on Cat Island and regularly travelled to Miami to sell agricultural produce. It was during one such trip that his mother gave birth to him thereby enabling him to automatically gain U.S. citizenship. Imagine that, his mother (Evelyn) was seven months pregnant and still busily engaged in such strenuous tasks to help make ends meet for the family. But she was also illiterate. However, she encouraged the youngster to read ... and to read with expression. Poitier spent most of his formative years in the Bahamas before heading off to live with his brother in Miami at age 15. Two years later, he travelled north to New York City where he gained employment as a dishwasher at restaurants. It was while on one of these assignments that a Jewish waiter befriended him and assisted him in reading newspapers. He eventually joined the American Negro Theatre (after initially being rejected as a result of his Bahamian accent and his not being skilled as a singer). He excelled as an actor in Broadway. This opened opportunities for him to act in films in Hollywood. The rest is history.

Sidney Poitier achieved tremendous success as an actor against great odds.

It was not easy. His accomplishments emerged during an era when America was steeped in colour prejudice. In a sense, this magnified his achievements.

But even as Poitier opened the door for the many other outstanding black actors that would mentor and model him, he stretched out a helping hand to help them up the ladder to success. Denzel Washington (born December 28, 1954), the great African American actor, film director, and film producer, has publicly acknowledged Poitier’s role in encouraging him to excel in these fields.

Denzel Washington has received two Academy Awards (recognizing excellence in cinematic achievements).

He received the Best Supporting Actor Award for his role in the movie “Glory” (1989). He also secured the

Best Actor Award for his role in “Training Day” (2001). This outstanding actor and icon also received two Golden Globe awards (recognizing excellence in film and television) and a Tony Award (recognizing excellence in live Broadway theatre performances).

The November 2012 issue of SUCCESS Magazine featured an interview in which the Oscar awardwinning actor opened up to the entertainment writer Mike Zimmerman in relation to the important life lessons that propelled him to the top of his profession. We can all learn from his insights. Denzel suggests that we should find a partner who brings out the best in us. He advocated that we should never burn a bridge; as best we can, we should maintain good working relationships with others. He highlights the value of being totally prepared. Washington continued by emphasising the need for humility (and not letting fame “get to your head” — my paraphrase). And he credits Sidney Poitier for mentoring him in this regard. It is therefore understandable that, amidst his many accomplishments, Denzel Washington is perceived to be very low key. He concentrates on being an actor — not a celebrity.

These are wonderful and powerful words of wisdom. They seem to beckon us to revisit each - fleshing the thoughts out as we do so. This writer is trusting that we will each endeavour to make the time and exert the effort to do so.

We will discover that our lives can be richer and more fulfilling as we embrace the philosophy that he expounds — that we will see the value of lifting others, even as we climb.

Poitier was an outstanding role model for Denzel. And Denzel is now considered to be an outstanding role model to so many. He is admired all around the world. His influence has transcended colour, class, ethnicity, religion, and nationality. We (you and I), regardless of our profession, family history, age, and so on, can model and mentor him to success. We can be that friend that brings out the best in others (even as we nurture friendships that bring out the best in us). We can focus on strengthening relationships in all of the spheres where we operate (home, neighbourhood, school, church, workplace etc.). We can ensure that we are totally prepared for the various life assignments ahead of us. We can embrace the challenge to be humble regardless of our possessions, professions, and accomplishments. We can commit to encouraging and inspiring others, even as we pause to thank those who have exerted the effort and dedicated the time to take us to new heights of success.

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

ST LUCIA’S PM, Dr Kenny Anthony, has called on regional leaders to engage the people of the region in a big conversation on the current state of affairs confronting the region. We could not agree more.

Dr Anthony, at a lecture in Barbados, said some Caribbean countries are refusing to face up to the impact of the global economic crisis: “The tragedy of the times is that we are in the throes of a major crisis like the Caribbean has never ever experienced before, but we are refusing to face the reality that confronts us and all of us are engaged in one form or another of self —denial.”

Speaking on the theme Education in the Caribbean - Challenges and Opportunities Facing Small Developing States, the St. Lucian prime minister challenged his regional colleagues “to be honest about the hard and unusual decisions that must be made because of difficult global economic conditions.

“It is a costly business to tell your people that things are hard, things are difficult and precisely because things are hard and things are difficult, that you have to take unusual measures to deal with it. But it is necessary that we do so,” he added.

Dr Anthony did not speak to the unusual measures the region needs to take. I want to suggest some. First among these is the notion that we must tell no lies and claim no easy victories. Another is for us to rethink our thinking on what are the sources of our difficulties, and how we can get out of the morass the region and the world currently face.

Dr Anthony’s view that our leaders close their ears and minds to frank and honest talk is evident. And for emphasis he charges us all with, “We don’t like frank talk. We don’t like open talk. We don’t like honest talk.”

Some may explain this failure on the part of our elected officials by pointing to the fact that we live in a parliamentary democracy, with periodic elections. And that truth may spell certain electoral defeat. Others say we cannot expect better from the opposition because, instead of looking at the systemic difficulties, they lay all of the blame for the country’s woes on the government.

This reality does not make for people having a true understanding of the realities they face. This failure to speak openly, frankly and honestly explains the level of false expectations that has taken hold among the people.

It is no wonder, as Dr Anthony says, that voters increasingly demand some form of economic reward for their votes.

Dr Anthony said that we are going through a global economic crisis the likes of which we have never seen before. Yet, in most of the discourse people are told that the international economic crisis is not the main reason for the difficulties they face daily.

Anthony expressed frustration that countries are busy looking inwardeach busy with its own agenda rather

than pursue a Caribbean solution to the economic crisis. But we have to look deeper. Regional integration that will allow for a singular approach to the outside world is definitely superior to the individualized responses we currently have, but let’s not fool ourselves.

The countries of Europe are banded together in the EU, the United States, Canada and Mexico by the trade pact, NAFTA. These are some of the most developed and powerful countries in the world. Yet they are encountering enormous problems that are having hurtful and harmful impact on their populations. Therefore, solutions to our problems are not to be found simply by a regional approach.

We have to do a better job of explaining the problems and difficulties to our people. We have to demand sacrifice from everyone. And most of all, we have to admit that these societies are not possessed with the resources to solve all of the problems which our countries face.

The task then is to fight to make the countries more equitable. We have to break down class and racial barriers and give more people a stake in the countries in which they live.

There is no doubt that we have studied our problems. Institutions such as Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have made numerous suggestions as to how we can solve our problems. In the main, we have adopted most if not all of these suggestions, but to no avail.

We are reminded of an interview given to the New York Times by former PM James Mitchell in 1993. In it Mitchell expressed frustration over the fact that his government and others in the region literally swallowed every EU, World Bank and IMF prescription. We are yet to realize the promised relief from these measures.

In the last 30 years, we have adopted a raft of neo-liberal policies that calls for selling off of state assets.

Everything must be privatized for our economies to function well. But to a large extent, a significant section of our region and population remain mired in poverty and underdevelopment.

Therefore, the big conversation Dr Anthony called for must include an indepth discussion of all of the strategies for economic development.

Unless we are prepared to place everything on the agenda, including the thinking that ungirds the current international financial and economic architecture which dominate discourse on development, we are in essence refusing to have the big conversation called for by the esteemed brother prime minister of St Lucia.

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

V

12. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

Job creation and job security – SVG needs a Green Government

thousands of government jobs. No university means not enough skilled workers, and not enough skilled workers means no foreign investors pumping money into our country, and no foreign investment means more debt and economic crisis.

Any good economist, i.e. not Gonsalves, knows that at the beating heart of a strong economy is skilled workers and lots of thriving small businesses. SVG needs a comparative advantage in an economic sector to attract foreign investment.

The N.O.N.S.E.N.S.E. should be disregarded as yet ONE OF THE MAIN problems in SVG is that the economy creating a strong economy, thousands of new jobs another illustration of ULP regime’s economic is virtually dead. and bringing job security, is that the ULP incompetence.

This ULP government has spent over 12 years leadership is walking away from the challenges the Almost two thirds (60%) of UK employers living off of loan after loan. Now, the country has so country faces. One challenge is the fact that SVG expressed the need for the workforce to be given much debt, over $1.3 billion, that we are at a does not have the appropriate skilled workers with a skills education. SVG Green Party has been calling greater risk of a serious economic collapse, which comparative advantage in any economic sector to for our own science and technology university to will cause thousands of government jobs to be lost. attract foreign investment. build a knowledge-based economy as part of the To avoid this, SVG must go Green.

We need our own university to skill our people. solution for economic growth and job creation and The ULP government has no competent That, in turn, will attract foreign investors to pump job security. leadership, and Gonsalves has been utterly hopeless money into our country, and that in turn will create A Green government is needed to create a strong in terms of building a strong economy in SVG. There thousands of new jobs and bring long-term security economy. A Green government will focus on is no innovation or creativity in trying to build a to the jobs that already exist in SVG. providing our people with skills, and will do this by strong economy from our own initiative. It seems as Gonsalves has recently bestowed upon the nation building our own science and technology university. if they are waiting for a miracle to fall from the sky. a ‘master plan’. However, The SVG National We must invest in the education of our people to Under a strategy of begging and borrowing, the Economic and Social Development Plan 2013 — 2015, give them skills in order to attract foreign investors ULP regime cannot offer government workers long- which nicely abbreviates to N.O.N.S.E.N.S.E., does to SVG and to give our people job security. term job security. Only a strong economy can offer not mention building our own university. our people long-term job security, and only a strong In the N.O.N.S.E.N.S.E., the ULP regime lay out SVG Green Party economy can bring thousands of new jobs. a clear plan for economic ruin and the loss of www.svggreenparty.org One of the main barriers in our country to

SVG advocates TaiwanÊs participation in the UNFCCC IN A LETTER DATED 16th October, 2013, to Mrs. Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Camillo Gonsalves, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Commerce and Information Technology of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, urged the Secretariat to take necessary measures to accommodate Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change nineteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (UNFCCC COP 19), scheduled for Warsaw, Poland from 11th to 22nd November, Camillo Gonsalves, Minister of Foreign 2013.

Affairs, Foreign Trade, Commerce and Minister Gonsalves stated Information Technology of St. Vincent that, although the Republic of and the Grenadines, has called for China (Taiwan) has been Taiwan’s meaningful participation in excluded from the UNFCCC and the UNFCCC – COP 19. its related mechanisms, it

remains keen to join international efforts aimed at saving energy and reducing carbon emissions, by making effective use of its advantages in high-tech and design.

In light of the realities of Taiwan’s unique political status, Taiwan has been represented until now, by the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) as Taiwanese are passionate about their an observer in sessions of the commitment to the effort to combat the impact of COP. As an observer, climate change. delegates from Taiwan have only limited access to COP events. ITRI has been holding side events at COP sessions since 2010, so as to demonstrate Taiwan’s determination to join global efforts to combat climate change. However, Taiwan can only enhance its contribution if it is able to participate in COP and the UNFCCC in a more comprehensive manner.

In his letter, Minister Gonsalves indicated that the challenges posed by Partners from around the world join the climate change have Environmental Protection Administration Taiwan continued to grow during (EPAT)to exchange and collaborate on priorities the past decade. As no and solutions to shared environmental country will be immune to challenges. (June 2011) the impact of global warming, it is of extreme St. Vincent and the Grenadines, importance that we address these Minister Gonsalves advocated the challenges in a global manner to participation of non-party actors, such as ensure our planet’s sustainable Taiwan, in the Convention, and strongly development. Taiwan’s meaningful recommended that the Secretariat invite participation in the Convention Taiwan’s Environmental Protection would conform to the spirit and Administration (EPA) to participate in purpose of the UNFCCC, which acknowledge that “the global nature the COP as an observer, and record Taiwan’s National Appropriate of climate change calls for the Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), submitted widest possible cooperation.” through ITRI, in the UNFCCC Registry.

On behalf of the Government of (Contributed)

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. 13.

News

Elite Club holds 2nd Camp & Awards Dinner FOLLOWING MONTHS of intense planning and fundraising, some 50 elite campers and adults gathered at the St. Joseph’s Convent Marriaqua for the second annual induction Camp and Awards Dinner of the SJCM Elite Business Club.

Camp Elite began on Thursday 24th October to much hype and excitement. The campers eagerly cleaned and prepared the dorms and session hall for their orientation session that evening, following a night of jokes and pizza.

Campers were awake by 6:00am on Friday and got busy preparing for a day that was packed, not only with many setbacks but with many more moments etched in memory forever.

There were sessions on Project Management, tie dyeing and a visit to the Trade Fair at the Geest Shed. That night saw the hosting of the much anticipated Awards Dinner and Induction Ceremony, even though the weather delayed the proceedings.

Campers helped in transforming the school’s auditorium into a spectacular dining room.

The elite campers were stunningly dressed as

VIP Pix on hand to photograph the distribution of some 120 awards given in varying categories.

The Elite Award 2013 went to Stephen Ferdinand and Elisha Pompey for their outstanding development in all areas of business training.

Following the awards, guests and campers were treated to a sumptuous buffet style three course dinner prepared by the kitchen staff. Sleep was far from coming that night, as persons stayed up reviewing the many events of the day.

Saturday morning arrived very quickly,

NOVEMBER 14, 2013 was World Diabetes Day and a Cultural, and Health Fair at Heritage Square on that day, was billed as the highlight of a week of activities to mark the Day which is marked across the globe.

Spearheaded by the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, and involving the Community Nursing Service as facilitators, the week of activities opened with an address by the Minister on Sunday 10th November, and continued through the week with a series of radio broadcasts on the Health Word and Health Microscope programmes.

In addition, each Health Centre was

expected to have one or more of the following activities: open day at health centres where clients can be screened and receive information on Diabetes and Hypertension; educational sessions at schools; a fun walk; prayer session.

According to a release from the Ministry of Health, the Week was celebrated under the theme, ‘Diabetes Education and Prevention’ and the Slogan, ‘Diabetes protect our future’.

Activities were aimed at: promoting Diabetes as a serious public health concern; encouraging self-care management; and

Campers and directors of the 2nd Elite Business Club Camp. with two more sessions being held on that day dealing with the need for ethics in business and the importance of goal setting and working towards them.

To the delight of many, dinner on Saturday evening was done as a grill night, with the telling of stories around the grill. After dinner, there was a very moving prayer session hosted by the club’s founder.

The Camp ended on Independence Sunday with a procession down to the St. John’s Roman Catholic Church, Mesopotamia, for mass.

(Contributed).

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14. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Diaspora

Vincy pastor publishes first book

Government schools and ex-police officer in both the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines (1970 — 77) and Anguilla AFTER LIVING ABROAD for Police Forces (1978 — 80) 35 years, a prominent — told THE Vincentian pastor in VINCENTIAN that the Brooklyn, New York has book, published less than published his first book as two months before he he prepares to return returns home, is written home to spend his “Golden for readers to discover Years”.

“God’s unlimited, eternal The Rev. A. Nelson and unconditional love Samuel, pastor and for His creation. founder of Love “That God loves the Tabernacle Fellowship unsaved, un-churched, as International, Inc., a much as He loves His nondenominational own children, is evident,” church in the said Rev. Samuel, who Brownsville section of became a Born-Again Brooklyn, has published Christian shortly after “The Goodness of God: migrating to Anguilla in Principles of Living 1978.

Victoriously.”

“It’s my prayer that The Layou native — a the discovery of God’s former school teacher love will encourage His (1967 — 70) at the Layou people to trust Him to and Buccament Bay meet all their needs,” he

by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net; neloking@msn.com US Correspondent

care of us in every area of our lives,” Rev. Samuel said.

“Even so, there Finding inspiration on the plane, God’s spirit said Rev. Samuel, who to me that, when retired as a New York God could have City public school wiped us out for teacher in June this year, our rebellion said the inspiration to against Him, write the book came through our aboard a flight to his sinning, because native land on Jul. 5, of His goodness, 2012. he washed us up He said being aboard with the blood of an airplane — flying His son, Jesus, above the clouds and and made us His Rev. Samuel and wife, Vernetha, display book, ‘The oceans to any destination own loving Goodness of God: Principles of Living Victoriously’.

— is “a real good place to children in an plans to assist the youth team. understand the goodness instant,” he added. in the Buccament Valley He also represented of God. “Therefore, my area “holistically — the Anguilla Police Force “Many people are purpose for writing this spiritually, educationally, in athletics between 1978 afraid to set foot in an book is that the reader emotionally, socially and and 80. airplane because of fear; may fully know the Rev. Samuel worked but God’s goodness nature of God; and, in so physically.”

He and his wife have as an insurance assures us that, if we doing, he (or she) will trust Him, He will take appreciate His goodness already organized an all- salesman for four years, after migrating to St. and love Him in return,” male soccer team, Dunamis, which has 35 Martin/St. Maarten in he said. members, and plan to 1980.

“My prayer is that A year after he, his God’s goodness could be form a female soccer wife and Nelvern seen in His Plan, Power, team soon.

Mrs. Samuel — who migrated to New York in Peace, Protection, was among the first 1983, Rev. Samuel said Provision, Providence, batch of female police he was ordained as a Perpetuity and deacon. Four years later, Permanency to all people officers as mothers to join the force, and was he became a minister. throughout all also among the first In 1986, Rev. Samuel generations,” he added.

Each of the above are female recruits in the St. founded Love Tabernacle Vincent and the Fellowship International, addressed in the book, Grenadines Cadet Corps, Inc., and served as the and the message under the leadership of pastor, while owning a contained therein will Major St. Clair Leacock, trucking business, form the basis of his now Senator Leacock — working in Loss work on his return to served in the local Prevention and pursuing SVG. constabulary from 1977- further education.

78.

Rev. Samuel holds a The Samuels Rev. Samuel bachelor’s degree in represented the local psychology from the Rev. Samuel and his police athletics team, College of New Rochelle, wife,— the former Eliza competing in Trinidad New York and a Master Vernetha Sylvester, of and Tobago in the police of Science degree in Vermont, also an erstwhile member of the games, and was the first education from Brooklyn police constable to College, City University Royal St. Vincent and captain the local of New York. the Grenadines Police constabulary soccer Force and retired Staff Analyst with the Bureau of Vital Statistics in New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene — will leave their six children in New York.

Their eldest son, Nelvern, will take over the leadership of the ministry in New York when they depart.

Rev. Samuel was also a soccer (football) coach in the Central Brooklyn Rev. A. Nelson Samuel autographs a copy of his Soccer League and the Spanish Soccer Leagues first book for former school teacher Vernalyn in New York, during the Blencoe, of Union Island, after SVG Independence Anniversary Church Service in Brooklyn last 1980s and 1990s. He month. added. “This is primarily why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to die for all.”

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. 15.

Government

Road rehabilitation in high gear Editor’s Note: Motorists and commuters in general will have to endure temporary inconveniences while several road projects are underway.

This report/commentary, while not going into the finest of detail, is presented as a civic duty on the part of this publication, to sensitize the public that these projects are on-going, and to urge caution and patience, especially by the motoring public, during the time these projects are undertaken.

The main projects currently on stream that have caused the flow of traffic to be diverted are: Langley Park where river defenses and a new bridge are being built; the Vigie Highway that has occasioned increased use of the Cane Hall-Belair roadways; and the main road in Belmont where repair work is undertaken as a result of damage caused by a massive landslide earlier this year.

Vigie Highway According to the Project Manager for the Vigie Highway project Mr. Ramdeo Ramgoolam, the construction of drains along the Vigie Highway is on stream. The work morale is great and the project is actually one week ahead of schedule.

The scope of works for that project includes: the demolition of 550m of existing drains; the construction of 520m of Box drains and 30m of slipper drain; installation of 240m of French drain under the center line of roadway; ripping up the existing surface and placing a proper foundation before asphalting; and construction of a paved sidewalk.

The contract value for this segment is $1.7 million. Mr. Ramgoolam represents Kelectric.

Some motorists, while rcognizing the temporary inconvenience as necessary and understandable, describe the use of the Belair by-pass roads as “torturous.”, given that they have to negotiate a proliferation of potholes.

Some lament that these should have been patched before the Vigie Highway Project commenced.

Meanwhile, motorists have also raised concern that a section of the ‘Wimp’ by-pass road in the Belmont area is breaking away and needs urgent attention. That broken

embankment is especially hazardous at nights.

Motorists are warned to be extra careful when using this by-pass.

Other Complaints

Slipper drains under construction at the Motorists are allowed access along the Vigie Vigie Highway.

Highway in a direction that leads out of Kingstown.

Also fretting about the conditions of the roads are minibus operators and other motorists who use the Leeward Highway. Taxi drivers have complained that the road leading to the Vermont Nature Trails and our largest hotel resort at Buccament are in dire need of rehabilitation.

One irate taxi driver commented that if the roads were good, he might make two or even three trips to the trails

per day, when a tourist ship is in port; but given the need to ensure a comfortable ride minimize wear and tear on the vehicle, “the ride has slowed down considerably.”

The taxi driver did acknowledge, however, that the last 1/2 mile before the nature trail is good because work was done on it some time ago.

There is good news in the pipeline, however.

Government recently announced plans to

reconstruct and rehabilitate parts of the Leeward highway.

Again, patience is required by the motoring public.

And while this is welcomed, other concerned citizens point to the need to attend to a bypass road from Kingstown through Edinboro, Ottley Hall and Campden Park, as well as another from Gibson Corner to Largo Height.

Others have registered concern about the state of the feeder road system on mainland St. Vincent and the

road from Spring Village to the VINLEC hydroelectric intake at Hermitage., where the Ministry of Tourism has constructed a ‘Rest and Recreation Facility’ (gazebo included).

All in all, roads are essential to the development of any nation, and in our blessed country, it should not be any different.

Report and commentary by: Donald De Riggs

Local Accreditation conferred

by KENVILLE HORNE FIVE TERTIARY institutions received accreditation status, and sixteen persons received certificates as External Evaluators, at a ceremony hosted by the SVG National Accreditation Board (NAB) last Monday, November 11.

The ceremony, held at the National Insurance Services Conference Room, saw accreditation status conferred on the Trinity School of Dr. Rosalind Ambrose, Medicine , All Saints Chairperson of the NAB, University , St. James reinforced the importance of School of Medicine, accreditation in ensuring the The National Centre The ceremony attracted the attendance of a wide-ranging highest quality level of of Technological representation of persons involved in education-related fields. education.

Innovation (NCTI), and The SVG function. She said that ceremony were Chief Community College ( SVGCC). each step of the accreditation procedures.”

As for the External Education Officer Ms. LouDr. Rosalind Ambrose, programme is aimed at Evaluators, the NAB Anne Gilchrist and Senior Chairperson of the NAB, in ensuring a quality of higher chairperson said that they are Education Officer her address at the ceremony, education at the institution. expected to provide a level of Accreditation Unit Mrs. enlightened the audience In applying for reporting that is required by Descima Hamilton. comprised of educational accreditation, Dr. Ambrose an external body, “so that we The NAB was established officials, the newly appointed explained that, “Each can confirm the quality of the by The Further and Higher external evaluators, (institution) is required to education and services Education (Accreditation) Act administrators of the five reveal its physical and provided to students is institutions that were Nos. 35 of 2006. This Act academic capabilities, reliable and reproducible. We gives the NAB the power to accredited, along with other infrastructure and facilities, must know what constitute institution policymakers register and accredit tertiary their governance, their faculty credible information to about the importance of being structure, students’ students and the public, since level institutions and their accredited. programmes. The Act also performance and support the graduates of the Dr. Ambrose described the services… and is required to institutions of higher learning gives NAB the authority to ceremony as the climax of the undertake self-study, selfderegister or cause the closure will eventually be integrated first public sensitization of any institution that assessment, exercises which into a work force which will programme aimed at building provide introspection of their operates outside the impact on society across the awareness of the National implementation, of their provisions of its boundaries. world.”

Accreditation Unit and its policies, practices and Also addressing the

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16. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Education

„Education canÊt wait,‰ says PM

He recounted his involvement in the educational sphere, and “I’ve been a teacher all my alluded to his writings on life. I remain a teacher in a range of subjects. heart and my soul.”

For the Vincentian leader, the Education THIS WAS AMONG the Revolution, pursued by sentiments expressed by his government, has a Prime Minister Dr. Ralph challenge, and that is Gonalves when he because it has to be addressed the opening of maintained by a the SVG Teachers Union’s “ramshackle” Education Conference, last management system.

Monday at Frenches It will take time to House, Kingstown. correct the by: WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY

administration, but for Dr. Gonsalves, “education can’t wait. “ As far as Dr. Gonsalves was concerned, “quality teachers,” is what is required. He pointed out that “substantial resources,” as 26 per cent of the recurrent expenditure, were put into education.

In 2001, $1488 was spent on a student each year at the Primary

level, compared to $3,200 in 2013.

One teacher in the primary school has an average of 12 and half students in 2013, compared to 17 in 2001.

He noted improvements in the pass rate to as high as 58 percent at the Common Entrance Examination.

He is asking however, if better can’t be done.

As far as Dr. Gonsalves is concerned, “what we need is to have better teaching.”

He traced the gamut of teaching categories, and is suggesting that the Ministry of Education ought to be given some latitude in assessing graduates from the Division of Teacher Education of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College.

He concluded that some persons were using the Division of Teacher Education Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves outlet as a wants to see better teaching. pillar of advancement. students at Girls’ High He is not worried about persons upgrading their School. He compared that to 9.6 students a academic qualifications, but conceded that “many teacher at Adelphi Secondary School. of them, are not He urged teachers not committed to teaching or to take vengeance on to be teachers.” students for their lack of Dr. Gonsalves used upward mobility. He the occasion to dispel drew a line between myths that the St. Vincent Grammar School party politics and professionalism and and the Girls’ High pointed out: “I know School get the bulk of children who suffer government’s resources.

He indicated that the because some teachers want to take out their student to teacher ratio was one to 15 and half at political frustration on the Grammar School and people’s children.” one teacher to 13

Teachers not showing up PRESIDENT OF THE St. Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Union, Oswald Robinson, is not happy with some teachers taking time off and not attending events.

He lamented that point last Monday at the Opening of an Education Conference, at Frenches House, Kingstown, saying that he was not pleased with some teachers who don’t show up “even to the March and Rally.”

The March and Rally is the signal event in the Union’s Annual Solidarity Week of activities, to commemorate the November 14, 1975 ‘tear gasing’ of its members during a period when they had taken

industrial action to highlight poor working and salary conditions.

The Conference was one of the events to mark this year’s Teachers Solidarity Week, which ends today with the march and rally.

The President also expressed disappointment with the number of Oswald Robinson, President persons in of the St. Vincent and the attendance for the Grenadines Teachers Union, Education took umbrage with teachers Conference. for not turning up to Union “Something is events. wrong somewhere,” Chief Education Robinson mused.

Officer Louann Gilchrist He explained that education was “central to praised the Teachers Union for organising the everything we do,” and urged teachers to ensure conference.

Gilchrist emphasised that they live up to their the importance of end of the bargain, and teacher appraisal to work to continue make sure that quality raising standards. teachers were retained.

He noted that this was the digital For the CEO, training era, hence the need and monitoring of to produce students teachers must be who can function in ongoing.

The role of students in any part of the the exercise is not lost on world. Teachers Gilchrist and for her, have a students are “critical.” responsibility to There must be a ensure that they harmony along the Teachers’ attendance or lack produce students education chain to fulfil thereof at the Education who can think Conference was also a critically, Robinson the aim of a genuine community. concern for the President of surmised. the Teachers’ Union.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. 17.

Art and Culture

Artist bent on telling the Caribbean story

by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY Flying Fish’, by February 2014. He is hoping to submit BARBADIAN BORN David ‘Guru’ the edition for judging in the McClean, a graduate in Fine Barbados Film Festival in Arts, wants to bring out the March next year. regional story in a different way.

In 2006, McClean copped Of regional pedigree, his the Caribbean Film Festival mother Ida Patterson being award with his production born in Campden Park, St. ‘Tek dem out.”

Vincent and the Grenadines, ‘Operation McClean is using his visual Flying Fish’ will arts training and experience to include footage pursue his dream. secured in the If things go according to recent Bike plans, McClean and his crew Festival, which will complete a two-hour long formed part of this movie entitled, ‘Operation country’s 34th Independence anniversary in his latest production, and it will also feature Vincentian actors and Vincentian sceneries.

McClean’s focus is afro-centric and David ‘Guru’ McClean is committed to using the medium of visual arts to tell the story of the Caribbean.

Get ready for CANFEST 2013 food. The promoters say that over the years, some 200,000 cans or more of food have been THAT IS THE THEME of the donated and distributed 2013 CanFest, its 7th among less fortunate Edition, scheduled for sectors and individuals Victoria Park, December in society, including the 13, 2013. shut-ins.

A release from the Cabfest 2013 will promoters, R.O.K enjoy support from Entertainment/ ScotiaBank, LIME, the MainEvents, assures: St. Vincent Brewery, “Patrons attending the IBS, Finishing and event can expect the Furnishing and Global same high level of Highlights. comprehensive Persons are being entertainment featuring encouraged to keep top regional and local locked into the media artistes, dance groups, during the lead-up to the DJs and other event. Exciting performers.” promotions, giveaways CanFest is a unique and surprises await the event which requests public, say the patrons to donate cans of promoters.

‘Each one, Help One...Building a better Vincy Land!’

he makes no apology for this leaning.

The Caribbean likes to “assimilate other people’s lives,” while our “culture is left behind,” he said, adding that Caribbean people are obsessed with movies which do nothing to uplift themselves.

“My idea is to tell the Caribbean story using visual effect to drive home the message more forcefully,” he emphasised.

His afro-centric leaning is perhaps informed by his three- month stint at the University of Excellence in

Dakar Senegal, 2006, and his attachment to the Commission of Pan African Affairs.

McClean is planning to take advantage of his Vincentian connection to produce another movie, complete with Vincentian heritage and footage.

18. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. 19.

V St. Martin De Porres Day celebrated 20. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Community

ST. MARTIN’S SECONDARY SCHOOL (SMSS) celebrated the St. Martin de Porres’ Day with a community day on November, 1st, 2013.

The day began with a service conducted by Monsignor Michael Stewart of the Roman Catholic Church, himself a past student of the school. He related that St. Martin de Porres dedicated his life to serving the poor and downtrodden as he came from a poor family. He implores those present to make this the beginning of interaction with the poor, not only today but throughout theirlives.

Fortified by Monsignor Stewart’s inspiring and edifying words, students and teachers journeyed, by van and foot, to a number of institutions in and around Kingstown on a mission to

develop a better understanding of their responsibility to the wider community, and to appreciate the various needs of the Vincentian society, imitating that of St. Martin de Porres.

Institutions on the roster included the Mental Health Hospital, Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen, Happy Days Pre-school, Level Garden PreSchool, St. Mary’s R.C School, Kingstown Anglican School, Salvation Army Pre-school and Soup Kitchen, Aunty Nichole’s Pre-school, Kingstown Government School, YMCA, the Workshop for the Blind, and the School for Children with Special Needs and Vinsave.

There, the students and teachers distributed gift baskets of food, fruits and

Students at the Vinsave Pre-school.

snacks.

The students and teachers expressed being filled with joy after visiting the institutions and to share with persons and children whom the institutions serve.

Kyle Alfonso, a student, declared: “I felt good giving back to my Alma Mater, the Kingstown Government School.�

Students of Form 4 Science who visited the Loaves and Bread Soup Kitchen shared that it was a rewarding experience to have helped the homeless and those in need who make use of the service there. They indicated their plan to visit in the future.

Happy Days Pre-school welcomed some Form Ones who immediately joined the morning prayers. Students

Below: Visiting with students at the Kingstown Government School.

remarked how delightfuland fulfilling the visit was.

The day culminated with students reflecting on their roles and the responsibilities shared during the morning

sessions, and how the lives of others impacted their own.

They laughed and cried as they pondered on plans for another year of giving service to the community.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. 21.

Agiculture

Readily available plants at nursery.

Progress of St. Vincent Cocoa Company In April of 2013, the company embarked on a project to involve farmers in the production of Tabasco peppers.

Fifteen demonstration plots were set up, and by July, harvest had begun.

The company buys the fresh peppers from farmers at a rate of $1.16 per pound, and to date, over 4600lbs of peppers have been harvested and over 4500lbs of mashed peppers are in storage. A market has already been confirmed for the mashed peppers.

SVCC also caters for the youths of SVG. In October of 2013, a Youth Agricultural Development Programme commenced. Schools with an agricultural curriculum and community Completed Projects groups were invited to participate in a competition which will climax from In 2012, a project was implemented to March-April 2014. This initiative is revitalize the interest of farmers in cocoa geared primarily at exposing youths to cultivation through the establishment of the agricultural sector, in an effort to demonstration plots. By November 2012, have them consider agricultural careers by way of an agreement between the and open entrepreneurial avenues. farmers and the company, 129 acres of There are currently six (6) schools and demo-plots were cultivated. Fifty (50) one (1) community group participating acres of old cocoa fields were also in the programme. rehabilitated through a pruning SVCC’s main objective is to encourage programme in collaboration with the farmers. For farmers wishing to plant Ministry of Agriculture. cocoa, a micro-finance system has also On the windward side of the island, 2 been implemented to assist with the shade houses were constructed to house purchasing of plants and fertilizer. cocoa seedlings and a nursery in Orange Interested farmers are invited to receive Hill which is also used as a shade house all information about the crediting and for grafting and propagation of new process, and if desirous, plants that are seedlings. readily available at the nursery are A main office is also in place for all distributed to them. Many farmers have informational purposes. already come on board with this In February 2013, our first two-week initiative and have received the benefits. training session was held in February.

It was conducted by Uriel Buitrago- a Future Projects representative from Armajaro operations in Ecuador - for prospective extension Currently, another shade house and a officers and demonstration farmers. He warehouse are under construction on the returned in May, and another training windward end of the island. The shade session was held for potential farmers, house will be used to house seedlings with the help of the three recruited and warehouse/factory for processing of extension officers, who are continuing to produce and housing of the main office. conduct training.

The company has already started buying from farmers with rehabilitated Continuing Projects cocoa farms, and is continuing to buy cocoa from farmers at a price of $1.36 per pound of wet weight, which is equivalent to $3.40 per pound of dry weight.

The company will also undertake the responsibility of fermenting and drying the beans so as to maintain the standards required by end buyers. A guaranteed market is in place for the export of these cocoa beans.

Apart from the main purpose of reviving the cocoa industry in SVG, we have created employment for Vincentians, and also aim to promote tourism for SVG. Currently, there are 19 permanent persons employed through the company. (Contributed) Section of 1 month old pepper field.

SINCE THE SIGNING of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Armajaro Trading Limited in 2011, the St. Vincent Cocoa Company (SVCC) has been making significant progress to rehabilitate the cocoa industry in St. Vincent and Grenadines.

SVCC aims to re-establish the cocoa industry in SVG using feasible strategies including the provision of high yielding cocoa planting material, demonstration farms, farmer training and provision of farmer finance. Here is a walk through our progress and future plans.

Double Data is coming to town!

All LIME mobile data customers get 2X their data plan until Dec 31st, 2013 It’s our Christmas gift to you!

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LIME Terms and Conditions apply. Visit www.lime.com for more information.

V Jazz Safari heads to SVG 22. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

News

featured guest with the Original Unit Jazz Trio of Barbados, when that ‘Unit’ appears as a cast item on the Naniki Caribbean Jazz Safari stop in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Friday 29th November, 2013 at 8:00 p.m.

The venue for the Safari is the National Tennis Courts at Villa, and the event is being held in partnership with the local Ministry of Tourism, as part of Tourism Month here in SVG. SVG is the Safari’s final stop for 2013, having made overwhelmingly successful appearances in Barbados, Grenada and Antigua and Barbuda.

In addition to the Original Unit Jazz Trio, the Frankie McIntosh will appear in a typically SVG leg will non-calypso setting in his homeland.

VINCENTIANS will get an opportunity to witness live their own musical maestro, Frankie Mc Intosh, in a setting that is not typically shaded with calypso.

The maestro will be a

feature as its lead act, internationally acclaimed Grammy Award nominee Barbadian-born Shontelle.

She will be complemented by the likes of the dazzling pianist Guy Marc Vadeleux and his Trio from Martinique, and the riveting USA guitarist Derek McKeith and his jazz funk band.

According to Tom Hinds, organizer of the event and a well-known promoter of jazz events at his scenic Naniki Restaurant in St Joseph, Barbados, the Safari concept was based on moving quality jazz performances to idyllic venues across the Caribbean,

thereby enhancing both the local cultural landscape and the tourism product.

He noted that the Naniki Caribbean Jazz Safari would allow local and regional artistes to perform with their international counterparts at home, and provide educational opportunities for local music students through a workshop and guitar donations, that will take place in partnership with the Travelling Guitar Foundation.

Barbadian superstar Shontelle Tickets for the event are priced at EC$60.00 and, Secretarial and Consultancy among other outlets, are Services Inc., Kingstown. available at Professional

Ham Tasting and Exhibition this Friday A HAM TASTING AND EXHIBITION will be held in Kingstown this Friday, November 15th, at LIME’s promenade in Kingstown.

The event is a joint effort of Alita Garraway of Aurora’s and Carlton Ottley of CAO Poultry Investments, and is sponsored by the Centre for Enterprise Development Inc (CED) and LIME (St. Vincent) Ltd. According to Miss Garraway, they decided to have the Ham Tasting and Exhibition to promote chicken and fish hams to the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines, especially for those who do not eat pork.

“The Ham Tasting and Exhibition is just our way of getting more people to learn about our products, and to get them to buy them. It gives us the opportunity to assess our Fish ham with lemon butter sauce. target market, and allows us to be flexible in meeting the needs of our customers and consumers.

“Chicken and fish are healthy foods, and we are using them to create some of the best hams ever produced here in St Vincent and the Grenadines. With Christmas just a few weeks away, we think it is the right time to promote our products. It is also an opportunity for us to market our other products. For instance, I also produce various Honey glazed chicken ham. flavours in pepper seasonings and green at 6:00 p.m. Patrons will also be able to seasonings, and Mr. Ottley produces chickens and chicken purchase and order chicken and fish hams from Aurora’s and CAO Poultry Investments. meat part.”

Those who buy hams on Friday will also get an The Ham Tasting and opportunity to win a hamper, which would be Exhibition will take place drawn December 22nd. They will also have from 10:00 a.m., and ends ham sandwiches and breadfruit pizza on sale.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. 23.

Diaspora

SVG Consulate in Canada gets computers take up his duties in August, it was immediately obvious that the Consulate’s computer facilities were WHEN Gilbert Weekes met his long time friend Fitz seriously in need of an upgrade. Not surprisingly, Huggins in Heritage Square during Carnival 2013 and provisions had not been made in the office budget learned that Huggins was being appointed St. Vincent for new computers. and the Grenadines Consul General for Canada, Weekes CG Huggins met with Gilbert Weekes, shared his made a commitment to give back to his homeland by need, and Weekes immediately responded with a assisting the Consul General any way he could, with the donation of three Acer AXC 600 ES computers. He operations of the Toronto office. also volunteered to assist with the design and When the Consul General arrived in Toronto to management of a website to facilitate Ben Harrison – International Correspondent

communications and service to the Vincentian Diaspora throughout Canada.

Furthermore, Gilbert and his wife Ayana have promised to work with the Consulate office to give assistance to the Consul General Fitz Government in the Huggins (right) Early Children acknowledges the kind Education donation of Gilbert and programme. Ayana’s Ayana Weekes. academic background is in early childhood education, with post-secondary education in both childcare management and child psychology. She looks forward to working with the Consulate and the government to form the Ayana Weekes Foundation, to assist with the Early Children Education programme.

Gilbert Weekes, a Vincentian national, is a Project Manager for Consun Contracting Ltd, an Aboriginal heavy construction company based in Alberta, Canada. Weekes also indicated that his construction firm is interested in employing workers from St Vincent and the Grenadines, and is exploring the requisite qualifications for workers from St. Vincent to work in Canada.

During the Vincentian Independence Day dinner celebration in Montreal, Consul General Huggins expressed his thanks to Gilbert and Ayana Weekes for their contribution of the computers and their interest in continuing to work with the consulate.

Since taking up his post as Consul General in Canada, Fitz Huggins has been making contact with the private sector to participate in investment opportunities and projects throughout the Diaspora and in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Gilbert and Ayana Weekes have committed to assist in other ways with development programmes in SVG.

V Methodist Dramatists not under the „Stone‰ 24. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Theatre Arts

by GLORIAH…

THE AGAPE METHODIST DRAMATISTS were the first to break out of the blocks for this year’s Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Drama Festival. Their presentation, staged on the weekend of November 1st, 2nd and 3rd, was entitled “Stone”.

The start

‘Stone’ was a dramatic presentation that experimented with the concept of life after death.

The principal setting was a cemetery, with the main actors being persons who had passed away. The play began with a funeral procession which stopped front stage and ended in a family quarrel that had

even the minister eager to find out the juicy details of the “bassa-bassa”. This was funny and at that point, many among the audience were guessing at the genre of the presentation, bearing in mind its theme.

The characterization As the curtains opened,

The play’s principal setting is a cemetery which the Methodist Dramatists did an exceptional job of re-creating on the small Peace Mo stage. the dead man from the funeral, Ronald Jackson, played by Keron Browne, was actually seen to be waking up from his grave in the cemetery. He was confused and did not want to be there. For other main characters, there was Elude, played by Kevin Rodrigues, the “after-life know-it-all”. He provided all the information to the newly dead people and kept all the ‘residents’ in order.

There also was Pastor played by Caldon Charles, who continually warned the ‘residents’ of gloom to come unless they repented. The Comrade was played by Kit Bailey, a crooked politician who continued his dishonesty under the “Stone”.

Matilda was the cemetery sorceress. She was played

by Keisha Johnson.

Junkie was fantastic. He nailed down that drunken performance to the letter.

Matilda’s husband and his new wife were a hit, especially with the Nigerian accent displayed

by Charleen Rodrigues.

impossible after death. As a result, it relied heavily on humour. The audience were in stitches after hearing, “I’ve learnt a lot about life, being dead!” from Comrade; or “You dutty politician, even though you dead, you still bring yuh dutty ways beyond de grave. Him dead and he still ah bad spend we money!” and “If you like the life you have, get up off that woman grave!” from Elude.

The set and play action

With an excellent set of graves, headstones, crosses, and a dark, towering tree in the background without leaves but with branches that provoked ideas of everreaching, death-grabbing hands, and a great controlled dimness of lighting, the actors were then left to make the presentation complete.

Elude from first appearance was good. His signature crunched stance, shifting walk, and spot-on make up pushed his character to the fore. He topped it off with a The play elements credible drawl, even “Stone” sought to bring though at times he tended to straighten into question the unconsciously. The other “activities” of the dead, characters were well made and needed to find clever up, especially their faces. ways of tying these in Comrade and Matilda with what obtains with were executed well. the living, without Matilda, maybe, could creating confusion. It have adopted a darker hinted on issues of past voice for the grave, but sins and current conditions. The play chose her sorcery was well done. to make subtle references Ronald Jackson professed credible confusion, and to current Vincentian political issues through characterization and snide comments. Its language was heavily metaphorical, as it is understood that these conversations are

‘Stone’ tackled the highly speculative world of ‘life after death.’

Pastor was able to keep up his constant rebukes in good fashion. There were many instances when the play action was stagnant, resorting to repetitions of humour.

The Conclusion At the conclusion of the play, a figure, easily resembling the Grim Reaper, entered the stage, having walked through the audience from downstairs. His entry was very gripping. He proceeded to call into question the sins of the individuals under the “Stone”. “Your deepest sins have been revealed under these stones,” he said, “it is time to return and be buried even further, for judgment await you!” It was at this point that one was left to wander: “Exactly where is this stone? Is it hell, is it Hades?” This consternation was added to when one considers that the Grim Reaper collects the souls of the living who are about to die and not from ones who have already died.

“Stone”, which was a concept of Kevin Rodrigues, written by the Agape Methodist Dramatists and directed

by Caldon Charles, finally ended pricking the audience’s thoughts about hidden sins and consequent judgment.

The Agape Mathodist Dramatists certainly receive a ‘thumbs up’ for their 2013 performance.

V Prisons Week of Prayer planned

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. 25.

Community

PRISONS HERE WILL BE the focus of a Week of Prayer, November 17 to 24.

The Week, spearheaded by the SVG Chapter of Prison Fellowship, will see its members joining with local churches and community members to highlight the opportunities to help all those affected by crime — including prisoners, prisoners’ families, exprisoners, corrections and justice officials, prison chaplains and victims of crime.

A release from Prison Fellowship SVG further describes the Week as an opportunity for those in community to reflect on their ability to seek

justice and restoration for all.

“These people (prisoners) will one day be part of community,” says the Board of Directors of the Prison Fellowship in their release, “so the support and encouragement they receive from the community is crucial.”

The release continues: “Prison Fellowship Week of Prayer of Prisons reminds the church and the community of their role in restoring prisoners to help them become productive members of society.”

The activities for the Week of Prayer will be themed as follows: Sunday 17th -0

Kettle Appeal launched

which include the school children feeding programme, food baskets for the needy, a Thrift Shop, a Day Care and Pre-school in Kingstown, and the more recent Children’s Home at Buccament.

Last year’s target was EC$100,000. 00 Pre-schoolers making their donations at the launch of the and Major Pierre Antoinne, head of 2012 Kettle Appeal. the local Salvation THE 2013 ANNUAL Army, is hopeful that Salvation Army Kettle that target could be Appeal is being launched attained again, if not this morning. exceeded.

The launch, in keeping He is appealing to the with tradition, tales charitable spirit of all place on the precincts of Vincentians, even as he the Kingstown Post acknowledges that times Office, and will feature have not been the musical renditions by the easiest.

RSVG Police Force and As always, he appeals other groups. to all Vincentians, to give Mr. Godfrey Pompey, and experience the Permanent Secretary in satisfaction of knowing the Ministry of National that their generosity Security, is down to serves the less fortunate deliver the feature members of society. address.

THE VINCENTIAN The Kettle Appeal is joins the Salvation Army the Salvations Army’s in encouraging all primary fund-raising Vincentians to give activity. generously to the Kettle Funds raised are used Appeal, reputedly a fund to service the Salvation that is used in service to Army’s community those in need. outreach programmes

Reconciling Relationships; Monday 18th — Caring for Victims; Tuesday 19th: Restoring Communities; Wednesday 20th — Welcoming Ex-prisoners; Thursday 21st — Justice and Correctional Services; Friday 22nd —

Supporting Families; Saturday 23rd — Visiting Prisoners; Sunday 24th — Transforming Lives and Communities.

In spearheading the Week of Prayer, Prison Fellowship SVG will do so along with Prison

Prison Fellow SVG will spearhead a Week of Prayer for Prisons here, including Her Majesty’s Prison, Kingstown (pictured).

Fellowships chapters from 129 countries across the world who will also host similar exercises.

“We are pleased to be part of this worldwide effort,” said the Board of Directors.

There are 467 persons

currently incarcerated in three penal institutions here: Fort Charlotte Female prison — 12 inmates; Her Majesty’s Prison Kingstown — 225 inmates; and Belle Isle Correctional facility — 230.

Leisure

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Turn things around, make sure that they do their share. Social activity should be on your agenda. Social activity with friends and relatives will be most successful. Try to calm down and listen to your partner’s complaints. Compromise may be necessary.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) Take care of chores that have been hanging over your head. Residential moves will be favorable, and larger quarters the most probable direction.

Comfort is a necessity. Check your motives. Now is the time to concentrate on building a strong financial future for your family.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Avoid getting involved with married individuals. You will have no problem getting your point across to those in a position to help you. Verbal abuse may lead to walkouts; don’t make any rash statements you may regret later. Take time to help children with projects that may be too hard for them to do on their own.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) You might find that the extra cash will come in handy when an opportunity to invest comes along. You must take care not to over exert yourself if involved in sports. You should catch up on correspondence. Escapist tendencies will result in a poor reputation and a lack of confidence.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Beware of colleagues who don’t have your best interests in mind. Take care of your personal needs. Be courteous if you wish to avoid major delays.

Arguments will flare up if you get backed into an emotional corner.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) You can make major gains professionally by completing projects on time. You can gain distinction; however, it may be for the wrong reasons. Problems on the home front might be a little disconcerting. You can make headway in the workforce if you put your mind to it.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) Look into ways to better yourself

through improving your dietary habits and daily routines. You may be fortunate while traveling. Be careful that you don’t overextend yourself. Job changes are in order. Go for interviews or send out resumes.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) You will have to be careful not to fall into traps set by jealous colleagues. Try to keep to yourself; work diligently on domestic chores and responsibilities. You should be traveling to that exotic destination you’ve been dreaming about. You can make sound financial investments if you act fast.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) You could easily lose your temper at work. Don’t push your opinions or ideas on others. Dream a little this week. You may have difficulty trying to get your mate to understand your position. You should avoid getting involved in the personal problems of colleagues.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) Traffic will be busier than you anticipated, so try to get a head start if you have made plans to travel. Don’t let your emotions interfere with completing your chores. Your ability to dazzle others with your unique and innovative ideas will attract attention. You can become obsessed with detail and must be sure to divide your time appropriately.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19) Do not allow colleagues to hinder your ambitions. You would be wise to consider attending lectures that will broaden your awareness concerning your professional direction. Secret affairs may only cause complications in your life. Set aside any decisions regarding your personal life this week.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Opportunities to make advancements through good business sense are evident. Travel will be on your mind, but you should be sure that you’ve got all your work up-to-date. You will not be able to contain your emotions this week. Don’t let your partner get you going. You are best to travel or attend lectures or seminars.

ACROSS 1. On-line auction house 5. Critic Roger 10. Placid 14. Passenger 15. Wait tables 16. Lover of an Irish Rose 17. “Big Chill” actress (2 wds.)

19. Stiller and Affleck 20. Towel embroidery 21. Cereal grasses 22. Locations 23. Pinches 24. TV lawyer Marshall 26. Go against 29. Treasure containers 32. Haul up 33. Noah’s son 34. LP abbr.

36. Letters on a rocket 37. Cook’s protector 39. Crowd uprising 40. Columbus Day mo.

41. Nights before holidays 42. __ a good word for (2 wds.)

43. Occur 45. Lox recipients 46. The woman’s 47. Adams and Rickles 48. Motion picture 51. Tribe of Israel

52. Summer, in Paris 55. Subject of blind adoration 56. Finds fault 59. “__ Marleen” (1981 Film) 60. 12 61. Pitfall 62. “Raindrops __ Fallin’…”

63. Catch and hold 64. __ chair DOWN 1.D to I link 2. Indonesian island 3. Greek war god 4. Yearning 5. Get free 6. Pants holders 7. Greek love god 8. Campers’ vehicles (abbr.)

9. Kickoff gadget 10. Cruise ships’ accommodations 11. Aid 12. MasonDixon__ 13. Mishmash 18. Disturbance 22. Appear 23. __ Scotia 24. Eight, to Eduardo 25. Reporter’s query 26. Cry of dismay (2 wds.)

27. Fruit like a

nectarine, but fuzzy 28. Macaroni, e.g.

30. Stale 31. Mar 33. Last-year students (abbr.)

35. Alps, e.g. (abbr.)

37. Declare confidently 38. Animal enclosures 39. Persian specialties 41. Fencing weapon 42. Sudden fright 44. Sleuth Marlowe 45. Cowlike 47. Hinder 48. Cookie-

eater’s drink 49. Garfield’s canine friend 50. Lemming’s kin 51. Singer Minnelli 52. Old Testament book

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

V

26. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

53. Chinese beverages 54. See at a distance 56. New-style LPs 57. Director Howard 58. Resident (suffix)

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. 27.

Advice

Wondering if something Get up, get out and look happened Dear George,

his money, but my wife is saying that I would be stupid I HAVE recently done some renovations to a kitchen counter at my to do so, seeing that we could well use the break. house, and the workman charged me more than we agreed to before the job Worried started.

I objected to the change, and that was when he turned to my wife and Dear Worried, said he would charge me the You are correct in saying that original price, just because my wife getting the payment to this man in is so beautiful. question was no emergency, since it My wife did not reply to the statement. I told him he would get was agreed that it would be ready the next day and that he should pick his payment the next day and he it up. must come to pick it up.

It would be no use worrying about The next day, my wife came home what possibly happened at his house very late from work, and when I your wife went there. Giving asked her why, she said she went to when him the money would not change take the money to this man at his the fact that something did happen home. She then proceeded to tell between them, if in fact something me that he did not take the payment did. because he knew things are hard You will have to trust your wife with us. on this one. It takes trust to make a Based on the statement he made relationship work, and starting an argument over something that you to my wife, now not taking the have no evidence about would be money from her, and the fact that she chose to go to his home without indeed senseless.

This is your opportunity to show invitation and there was no urgency, how much you trust your wife, and I am worried that something went down between them. I asked her to if you find that you do not and cannot trust her, then that is tell me the real reason why she another matter which needs to be went to this man’s house, and she addressed. just told me to “ask him.”

I want to go back and give him George

Dear George,

I am 45-years-old and I do not have a man. My friends tell me that I am old fashioned and that is why I am still like this.

I do not have a cell phone because I DO NOT believe in wasting Dear George, money on stupid things like that. I do not have I PUT THE idea of having an open relationship to my girlfriend of 4 years and she told me that I am not ready the latest hair style, and my hair is always for her, and disappeared from off my radar. combed in one. I do not Since then, she doesn’t answer my calls, and has not go out because I love to visited my house like she used to. I do not know why she is over-reacting like this. eat my own cooking, etc.

I suggested to her that we see other people but that I think men are all liars would not mean we would disrespect each other. I made and just want to use the suggestion because our relationship had got to the women. Yes, I would place where things just went dormant and there was no like to have a man of my life or motivation left. This was just my suggestion to own one day, but I don’t inject some life into what we have. I am at a loss right now! want a man who would use me and abuse me.

Puzzled I prefer to stay the way I am if I am to get Dear Puzzled, such a man. My Your suggestion to your girlfriend is not the way to go question is, how do I find the man that I if you want to reactivate your relationship. You needed to sit down and frankly discuss what was going wrong want? and come up with solutions to fix whatever it was. You also had the option of seeking professional counsel.

Pan-niky Your suggestion of seeing other people was a loaded one and can be interpreted in many ways. You should Dear Pan-niky, not be surprised that your girlfriend jumped ship, for that was what she mnight have wanted to hear so You cannot want to she could jump from a ship that was on its way down anyway. have a man in your life You now have your chance to see the ‘other’ and still hold on to the people that you were thinking about. belief that all men are liars and users. People George are different, and you should not use the same blanket to cover every man.

There are good men out there but locking yourself down at home will not create opportunities for you to meet other people. You have to do some work on your preparation methods. Stepping out of your comfort zone and getting a makeover might prove very useful in your search to attract the opposite sex.

Being among men and getting to know them will allow you to make informed choices and in the end, get the type of man that meets your expectations.

You have to make up your mind as to what you really want, and if it is true that you need to find a suitable life partner, then you need to shape up, get out and go get him!

Wrong suggestion!!

George

V Stubbs launches Nine Mornings activities 28. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Tradition

Stories by GLORIAH… NINE MORNINGS 100th Anniversary celebrations in Stubbs were heralded in with loud blasts of local bamboo cannons and the booming banging of bursting balloons, last Saturday, November 9.

The activity, organized by

‘Celebrating 100 Years of a Unique Vincentian Tradition South East Style’

the Stubbs Nine Mornings Committee headed by Mrs. Rosita Snagg, began with a march involving persons carrying flambeaus and old lanterns, from the junction at Diamond to the area outside the grounds of the Stubbs Government School, where a

A group of elderly residents played a series of rings games much to the delight of the gathering.

THE CELEBRATION OF All Saints and All Souls used to take on a very quiet form long ago. Persons would go to the gravesides of their departed loved ones and take flowers, and light candles “to show them the way”. Nowadays, however, come November 1st and 2nd each year, persons come out in their droves to the cemetery; but what goes on there leaves many to wonder about the purpose of their coming.

THE VINCENTIAN took to the streets to glean from persons who have had the ‘grave lighting experience’, their opinions on what is taking place these days.

MAXWELL ‘TAJOE’ FRANCIS – Teacher/Calypsonian In my opinion, lighting up of graves has been a part of our tradition. I like the fact that persons take the time out for this particular activity.

They visit the graves, clean them, and light candles for the good times they have shared. It also brings people in the community together to celebrate the memory of the dead.

These days, however, it has been turned into more of a party with the drinking of alcohol. The atmosphere, the music and dress code have deteriorated. I think that when it is done in that manner, it comes like a form of desecration of the dead rather than a celebrating of the memories of loved ones. Sometimes we take our pure culture in its raw form and we transform it into something completely meaningless; we take it out of context.

LEEONNEY BENTICK - Clerk/Legal Affairs I do think that this activity has been getting out of hand because traditional items like star light and

formal ceremony was held.

Addresses were delivered by Area Representative, Hon. Frederick Stephenson; Mrs. Rosita Snagg, and Mr. Michael Peters, Chairperson of the National Nine Mornings Committee, each speaking to this year’s theme, ‘Celebrating 100 Years of a Unique Vincentian Tradition South East Style’, and reiterating the uniqueness of the festival as they charged those who had gathered to keep it alive and growing.

Other remarks came from Mrs. Merle Trotman and Mr. Cecil ‘Blazer’ Williams, both from Stubbs, in which they highlighted what Nine Mornings used to be like long ago.

Mrs. Trotman spoke of having no clocks and having to

The ‘bursting of bamboo joints’ helped to herald in the launch of the Stubbs Nine Morning programme.

Right: Old time lanterns used in the march. rely on the crowing of the ‘fowl cock’ to get everyone out of bed. She recalled an experience of her particular group seeing a light in the distance early one morning, and hiding for fear that it was a ‘jack-o-lantern’.

‘Blazer’ spoke of the two prominent steel bands at the time, moving in opposite directions with their merry followers, away from Stubbs and then journeying back to their original starting point,

pop-pop are being used to make sport in the cemetery.

Sometimes bush fires are ignited because of the misuse of these items as well. I don’t know how it was long time ago, but these days people are dressing inappropriately to go to the cemetery. I think that some people don’t even go there to think about the dead.

For them, it is a ‘lime’. They should be more respectful of the dead.

ERICA ANTOINE – Communications Officr/Ministry of Agriculture I don’t support this kind of tradition because biblically, it is not sound. However, if people choose to participate in this kind of activity, I think they should conduct themselves in an orderly fashion and desist from the loud music, the drinking of alcohol, and the obscene dress and language — just do it in remembrance of the dearly departed. To me, I don’t find it necessary because the dead person does not know all this is going on. According to the Bible, the living know they are going to die, but the dead do not know that they have died. Therefore, what’s the sense of the tradition?

ASHECIA SAM – Reporter API The whole tradition is getting out of hand, in the sense that people are dressing inappropriately, and people consume too much alcohol. Honestly, I think that it is not only this event, because our people

all the while providing melodious strains of music from their pans.

Other staged items included a group of elderly folk playing ring games, and performances

by Carlton ‘CP’ Hall and 2013 Calypso Monarch Shernelle ‘Skarpyon’ Williams.

The Stubbs Community has been named Best Nine Mornings Community’ for the past two years, and observers at last Saturday’s launch agree that they are well poised to retain that title.

have been allowing other cultures to infiltrate our culture. What we have been doing traditionally has been replaced by other cultures like the American Halloween.

Why do we have to call it Halloween? It has a name — an original name! Our people need to be sensitized about our culture and in particular about this grave lighting event, and for God’s sake, let the dead rest in peace! We need to be mindful and respectful of the dead. When they go into the cemetery with all their noise, they are disturbing the peace of the cemetery. It should be a time of quiet reflection.

SYBIL LAMPKIN-MATTHEWS – Retiree Long ago, when I was a little girl, people used to go to the cemetery to weed up the graves and light them up. They just used to have a little assembling among themselves. Nowadays, I have been noticing that there are so many people. There is so much violence in and near the cemetery or in the churchyard itself. People light car tires and roll them away through crowds of people. They also throw lighted starlights in between groups of people.

There is drinking of beer and alcohol. All of that is not needed! Imagine that people have ice box with alcoholic drinks there for sale! At some burial grounds close to the road, too, they block the traffic. Some people dress ridiculously with ‘belly out’ and ‘pum-pum’ shorts and so on. These are disrespectful and uncalled for.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. 29.

Sport Feature

Commitment pushes Team Rivals to record success, Butler says

by E. GLENFORD PRESCOTT

prepared to send this youngster to get the feel of batting in a pressure situation, and he batted with maturity which pulled the innings around….we are prepared to experiment and it has worked for us”, he said a smile clearly in his voice.

In addition to Latchman, a former SVG U15 wicketkeeper, whom he identified as a talent to watch with the glove, Butler also praised Hooper, offspinning allrounder Saints Manager Foster Casman Walters and Huggins: doing good work developing fastbowler with his team.

Kimali Williams as players well placed to Victors ONE placed joint carry on the Rivals Team Rivals captain Deighton Butler, seen here chatting West top of the Premier Division; name.

Indies A team pacer Delorn Johnson, has set no time on his third in the Super40 and lost He also spoke about retirement from the local game. in the semifinals of the Neil the role of the been with Saints for the last (manger of Victors) must be Williams T20, while Guardian experienced players such as commended for the work they few years must be Life Saints finished third in himself and Jackson, as well do….always around getting commended…..they have given the Premier Division, second as the talented but enigmatic a great deal”, Butler who things sorted out..looking out in the Super40 and reached duo of Skerritt and Hyron for the players…..these guys began his career with Victors quarter-finals in Neil Williams Shallow to play their part in and Foster (Huggins) who has said.

T20. the team’s development.

While setting no time on his retirement from the domestic game, the former SVG captain said he will focus his work of helping the young players.

“I am not saying next year will be my last, but I will not be looking to play the entire season…my main thing would be play if the team needs me, but for the main just to stick around to help out where-ever”, he said.

CAPTAIN OF TEAM Rivals Deighton Butler is attributing the unprecedented success of his team in the 2013 domestic cricket season to commitment and ‘a never say die’ attitude.

Team Rivals became the first team in local cricket to collect three titles in a single season, when they won the Premier Division title jointly with Victors ONE, then went on to collect the inaugural Super40 title, and last week the Neil Williams T20 title.

“We have a group of players who are prepared to give their all for this team…..they want to win titles and they are satisfied that this is the team that they can do it with”, Butler told THE VINCENTIAN on Wednesday evening.

On Sunday, Rivals won their third title after beating LIME Radcliffe by five wickets at the Park Hill Playing Field.

SCORES: LIME Radcliffe: 107 all out in 18.3 overs, Team Rivals: 108 for 5 off 18.5 overs.

Rivals, who were asked to bowl first, restricted their opponents to 107, with the veteran allrounder Orlanzo Jackson grabbing 4-22 with his legspin, and young allrounder Asif Hooper 3-17as Andrew Thomas 41 and Rodney Lawrence 29 led the Radcliffe batting.

Despite some hiccups on the way, Team Rivals reached 108 for 5 off 18.5 overs, with the talented Harley Skerritt 38 and Marvin Small 23, as Dyke Cato 2 for 15, Andrew Thomas 2 for 20 attempted to spoil the party.

Butler felt that, while the score was “runs on the board”, his team had enough depth to overhaul the target.

“We are always confident of getting any target, so even Managers though we lost some quick wickets, the guys still felt we Butler was also were going to win”, he said. full of commendation for The difference the work of team manager, Carlos In assessing the season, the Fatman’ Veira who former West Indies seamer felt he said is that the difference between responsible for the Team Rivals and the other team being such a teams was their efforts “to try unit. different things”. ‘”Fatman’ has “For instance, look at young really done a great Hanson Latchman and what work with this we did…we lost some quick team, and both he wickets at times, and we were and Venold Coombs

30. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. 31.

Flag stays down as executive commits blatant fouls

by E. GLENFORD PRESCOTT SOME AFFILIATES of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF) are still not certain if the decision not to ask for the resignation of the Venold Coombs–led executive over its failure to provide information on near one hundred thousand dollars, was the right one.

One representative of an affiliate, who was denied active participation in last Saturday’s meeting at the Federation’s office at Bentick Square, told THE VINCENTIAN that the executive got off lightly, since in other countries the members could have been forced out of office.

The executive has admitted, following disclosure by the auditors that the monies cannot be accounted for, that it lacks the proper documentation to identify how the monies were spent.

Second vice-president, Marvin Fraser, in an address which could have fitted nicely with Mark Antony’s ‘Friends, Romans, Countrymen” piece from Shakespear’s Julius

Caesar, implored the affiliates to take his word that they must not bury football “too deep,” but instead, give it the chance of “a second coming.”

Despite the look of unease on the face of many, Fraser’s pleas were able to enter the external auditory canal and lodge snugly into the cochlea, with resounding sympathy for the speaker. In the end, it was decided that the executive would use the time between last Saturday, November 9th 2013, and mid March 2014 to locate information relating to the spending of EC$96, 485.00.

The meeting, conducted under guard of members of the paramilitary Special Services Unit (SSU), saw another large turnout by members of the football fraternity. An attempt by one executive member to have the media barred from the meeting soon fell through, and all were allowed in.

The executive report presented by president Coombs, while outlining what can be described as a high level of onfield and boardroom activities, spoke glibly about

Former national captain Dexter Walker raising concern about “missing funds.”

Left: Auditor Arrian Barnwell remained focused throughout her presentation of the financial statement. the state of affairs regarding the financial position, doing so in just half a page.

In fact, no effort was made from the head table or the floor to address the myriad of concerns raised by former First Vice-president Lloyd Small in his letter of resignation submitted last week.

Among the things the experienced football administrator mentioned in his letter which was copied to regional and international governing bodies of the sport, were the failure of members to return monies given for travel even when they never left the island, and paying out of the SVGFF’s funds for favours.

Despite the negative attention directed at the management of the sport, it took a representative of the Roseans Club to call for the resignation of the “entire executive.” This call was

simply laughed away, and delegates chose instead to give the executive a chance to locate the “missing documents” within the next four and a half months.

Following the adjournment of the meeting, when asked what would be the next step, should the documentation not be found, reports say some of the most vocal representatives looked perplexed and left in a state of confusion.

Representative of Auditing firm BDO, Ms Arrian Barnwell, gave a lucid explanation as to the reason why her firm was forced to present a “Qualified Opinion” on the SVGFF accounts, citing missing documentation from a number of transactions. Even in the face of attempts to ‘back her into the proverbial corner’, Barnwell remained focused and professional in putting out the information and listing

An SSU officer on duty at SVGFF AGM. some of the problems encountered in getting supporting paperwork from the Federation.

Swimmerstake gold and break records ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES 24member swim team returned from the 23rd OECS Swimming Championships with a tally of 19 medals and a number of recordbreaking performances.

The Championship concluded on Sunday 10th November at the Rodney Heights Aquatic Centre in St Lucia.

St Vincent’s team captain Nikolas Sylvester led the way, swimming in a total of eleven events over the weekend’s competition.

One of his best performances came when

he won the boys 11-12 year-old 50 meter Breaststroke in a personal best time of 33.74 seconds, a new OECS record.

He then went on to smash a second OECS record in the 100 meter Breaststroke in a time of 1.13.44. In total, Nikolas returned home with two golds, six silver and three bronze medals, and a place in the OECS record holders archive.

Shné Joachim was St Vincent’s next performer.

She destroyed her competition in the girls 50 meter Breaststroke which she won in a time

of 35.11 seconds to break a record that had stood for over ten years.

Battling against tough competition, Shné still managed to return with one gold, one silver and two bronze medals.

Team Coach, Kyle Dougan contributed to the medal tally, claiming an individual silver and bronze medal in the Breaststroke events in the 18 years and over category. He also competed with his team members, Prince Richardson, Trevin Williamson and Arthur Laborde in the senior boys Freestyle and

Medley relays, bringing home two more bronze medals.

Team SVG placed a respectable fourth overall.

Coach Kyle Dougan commented: “Every member of our developing team swam extremely well at this year’s OECS. We had personal best swims from every swimmer, and with Shné and Nikolas breaking OECS records, we are witnessing how swimming in St Vincent is making an impact on the sport within the region.”

The next major event

Gold medalists and record breakers Shné Joachim (left) and Nikolas Sylvester (right) with proud coach, Kyle Dougan. for Team SVG will be the championships to be held CARIFTA swimming in Aruba in April, 2014.

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32. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

Team Rivals take T20 title Team Rivals are the 2013 kings of national cricket.

LIME Radcliffe, losing finalists.

Team Rivals, National T20 Champs.

THEY LAID CLAIM TO the title when, last weekend, they clinched the National Lotteries AuthorityNeil Williams T20 title, to add to their title inaugural 2013 super 40 competition and their joint championship of the 2013 National Premier Division.

Team Rivals latest title came last Sunday at Park Hill, where they dispensed of LIME Radcliffe in the finals of the T20 competition.

In a rather disappointing final, LIME Radcliffe took first knock and managed a less than formidable target, when they were all out for 107 in 18.3 overs. Andrew Thomas top scored with an aggressive 41.

LIME Radcliffe’s undoing

came at the hands of veteran leg spinner Olanzo Jackson, 4 for 22, and the youthful Asif Hooper, 3 for 17.

Team Rivals then cruised to victory, losing 5 wickets in getting to 108 in 18.5 overs.

Man of the Match Harley Skerritt marshalled the chase with a classy 38. Dyke Cato took 2 for 15 and Andrew Thomas 2 for 20.

Teams Rivals and LIME Radcliffe had earned their places in the finals after semifinal encounters against Victors 1 and Triumph United Cri8cket Club respectively, on Saturday, at Park Hill.

LIME Radcliffe piled on 176 for 3 in 17 overs, and then held Victors 1 to 92 for 9 in

their 17 overs. Jomo Toney made 61 for Radcliffe while Donwell Hector led for Victors 1 with 26.

Dyke Cato proved too good for Veterans Orlanzo Jackson (left) and Deighton Victors 1, Butler have formed the back-bone of Team closing with Rivals’ success over the years. the enviable loss of 6 wickets, with Harley figures of 4 for 8.

Sherrit hitting a top score of Team Rivals had as easy a 78. Travis Cumberbatch was win as Radcliffe when their Triumph’s best batsman with score of 166 proved too much 26 out of a dismal total of 61 for Triumph. Team Rivals in 17.2 overs. Casmon total came in 20 overs for the

SVG TT Association hosts ITTF course home of the sport.

Supported by Olympic Solidarity, the course was organised under the auspices of the ITTF Development Programme in conjunction with the Latin American Table Tennis Union, with the resource person being Swiss Georg Silberschmidt, a Joseph Carrington receiving his certificate coach who is well from Georg Silberschmidt, Course known in these facilitator. parts.

by E. GLENFORD PRESCOTT “I am happy with the enthusiasm of the THE ST. VINCENT and the participants...they were Grenadines Table Tennis willing to learn and showed a Association continued its deep commitment to the manful march towards programme,” Silberschmidt development with the hosting of said. an ITTF/PTT Level One Coaches Among the persons taking Course, which concluded last part in the programme were weekend at the West St. George national female champion, Secondary School-the adopted Unica Velox, and former

national men’s singles champion, Joseph Carrington.

Carrington, in assessing the programme, said there were lots of things that he was able to understand and appreciate that may have escaped him as a player. “t was a great experience and he (facilitator) ensured that you had an understanding of what he was doing……it was hard work…..real hard work,” Carrington said.

Silberschmidt said that he expects the coaches to spend time teaching and coaching the game to others and not to sit and admire their certificates.

‘It doesn’t make much sense to attend these courses then just sit on the information and not pass it on. ….Teaching and coaching are the only ways the game will spread, and that must be done by those who attended the programme,” he said at end of the programme.

Silberschmidt said that

Harley Skerritt, Man of the Match, stroked a top score of 78 for Team Rivals.

Walters, 4 for 5, Deighton Butler, 2 for 3, Olanzo Jackson, 2 for 12, were Team Rivals best bowlers.

I.B.A.ALLEN

there are many opportunities for coaches in the sport, but they have got to continue to get certified and advance to the higher levels up the ladder. He alluded to six Levels which coaches must complete to reach the top of the Coaching ladder.

The SVGTTA is A beaming Unica Velox gladly expected to benefit from accepts her certificate from Georg the ITTF as a result of Silberschmidt. the programme, through a gift of six tables, a quantity 2010 he visited St Kitts and Nevis in addition to Anguilla of racquets, balls and other to conduct ITTF/PTT Level related equipment.

One Coaches Courses.

President of the SVGTTA, One year later in 2011, he Tyrone Jack, said that his organisation is happy with the returned to St Kitts and Nevis to lead a further ITTF Level programme and the One Coaches Course; and certification of the visited Antigua and Barbuda participants, and was to conduct a similar course confident that these types of and implement a programme programmes will serve as for schools. vehicles to move the sport In addition, at the forward. beginning of 2011, he was in Silberschmidt previously conducted an ITTF Level Two Trinidad and Tobago where he conducted an ITTF Level Two Course in Jamaica; then in Course.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. 33.

Sports

Football, the executive suite THE COOMBS-LED football administration has been given a reprieve, with Vice President Marvin Fraser opting to accept responsibility for failing to account for some $96,000.

It is pathetic that Football has turned into a free for all, and the persons who have helped to place this country on the football map have nothing to show for their sacrifice.

Once the elections are held, those entrusted with office assume full range of Federation’s matters.

Turmoil in the ranks of the governing local body has been the order of the day from since our elevation to FIFA ranks.

Whereas executive members continue to procure some type of dividends, the standard of play as far as St. Vincent and the Grenadines is concerned, continues to wane.

Some persons still regard Jack Warner as the best thing ever to have happened to football in this part of the hemisphere. It is inevitable that Jack Warner will be exposed for what he has been.

I thought that the Vincentian executive would have found out what has happened to the television rights that we have squandered over the years.

It is coincidental the current president revealed that he retrieved some money entitled to this country as a result of the TV Rights.

FIFA has a lot of soul-searching to complete. It seems that Jeffrey Webb is being given some leverage and appears in good stead for further consideration.

Whether Webb will be able to galvanise the support to hurl himself into that sphere of influence on to the world football stage, is left to be seen.

That scenario will depend on the board room negotiations.

The world has awokened to the reality of living conditions. One might have thought that a place like Brazil would have no semblance of protest and ensure that games arranged for that country with an international flair go on with minimal interruption.

What happened at the Confederation Cup serves as a foreboding of events for the World Cup scheduled from next June.

By December, the final stage will be set. But there is no guarantee that it will be peaceful.

Things seems even more uncertain for the next two World Cup. There are clouds over the Russian, and the one in Qatar continues to be mired in controversy. FIFA might find itself having to make some adjustments, and questions will surface as to the legitimacy of their operations.

FIFA has asserted itself as a body almost beyond reproach. The passage of the World Cup trophy through this region underlined their capacity to put on a show.

There is a feeling that the Brazil World Cup will test FIFA’s credibility.

The Brazilians are some of the most passionate when it comes to their support for football. There are suspicions that the nation may have been caught up in the tide of an international quest for better living conditions for the ordinary folk.

Brazilians are not allowing the glitter of the World Cup to dim their demands for better services from their authorities.

This scenario has implications for the Olympic Games in Brazil two years following the World Cup. After the World Cup, SVG and the rest of the Caribbean Football Union affiliates will be looking towards the other big tournaments with the hope of improving their ranking.

It will take a huge turnaround of events for us to create an impression on the world stage.

As long as we wallow in disorder and distrust, we will lose the basis for providing a platform for our footballers.

Digicel Academy: Teaching more than football The Digicel Kick Start Academy is making its mark as not just an exercise in imparting technical footballing skills, but also as an opportunity to developing these players as young ambassadors for their countries.

Some 39 aspiring young footballers from 12 The young footballers who benefited from this week’s clinic of the Digicel countries across the Kick Start Academy.

Caribbean and Central American region converged in Barbados this week, to “Before going to the Academy, I was that it would be a challenge to get concerned because I do not speak the players to come together and spend the week receiving English. But when I got there, I get to know each other, given the instructions and guidance from realised that the coaches and my different cultures and languages; coaches from the Chelsea Football Academy teammates were very but to see such teamwork and Club Foundation. helpful, so it has been a great camaraderie happen from the first Two players who have stood out day of training was indeed a when it comes to breaking barriers experience for me so far.”

Tyrell was a bit more optimistic humbling experience.” at the Academy are 16 year-olds, in his expectations, saying: “Well, I Now in their sixth year, the Te’vahn Tyrell from Bermuda and didn’t think I would have a problem Clinics saw thousands of aspiring Juan Checa from Panama. because for me, football is all the young footballers from across 11 While going through their same language, and once we are on countries in the Caribbean and training exercises on the first day, the field as players, we would be Central America try out for their the coaches noticed that they were able to work around it.” chance to travel to the Digicel able to interact and communicate Chelsea FC Foundation coach, Academy. During the Clinics, with each other despite the obvious Kane Cowburn, praised Juan and the best players from each country language barrier. trained under the coaches in the When asked how he thought he Te’vahn as young ambassadors for their countries, saying; “It has been hope of being one of the top four would be able to interact with his a brilliant experience for me, seeing chosen by them to go to the Digicel teammates who spoke a different the players interact on the field.

Academy in Barbados to represent language, Juan had this to say: Coming into the Academy, I knew their country.

Digicel Grenadines Basketball opens The 2013 Digicel Grenadines Basketball Championship opened at the Ashton Hard Court in Union Island last weekend, with four Grenadine Islands competing.

The competing teams are Bequia All Stars, Canouan Islanders, Mustique Icons and Union Island All Stars.

In the opening matches, Defending Champions Bequia All-Stars went unbeaten in their three encounters.

Under new coach Cornelius Farrell, they disposed of Canouan Islanders 59 to 52, Union Island All Stars 50

to 49, and Mustique Icons 64 to 44.

Union Island All Stars rebounded from their defeat by Bequia to claim victory over Canouan, 66 to 42, and Mustique, 88 — 41.

Mustique had their lone win over Canouan, 72 to 67.

In an address at the opening ceremony which preceded the matches, Area Representative Terrance Ollivierre underscored the Sabrina Mitchell, Coimportance of sports in the social ordinator of development of any country. He the thanked the tournament cocoordinator, Sabrina Mitchell, for the tournament, addressing important role she has played and THE QUARTER finaists in the National Masters continues to play in the development last weekend’s opening of the Cricket Competition were decdied last weekend of sports in the Grenadines, and Grenadines after the final preliminary round matches. urged the local associations to give basketball The teams qualifying are: from Zone A - Stanley her their support.

Browne’s Stubbs, who topped the Zone with 22 In her address, Mitchell expressed Championship. points;, St Vincent Cooperative Bank P’tani; gratitude to Digicel for their Computec Belfongo and Arnos Vale; from Zone B commitment to a three-year sponsorship arrangement.

Log Enterprises Kingstown who finished top of She highlighted the Championship as an opportunity Zone B on 16 points, Sion Hill, North Leeward and to play at a high level of competition, and urged the RSVG Police. local Associations to continue to make sure The RSVG Police Force and Rudy’s Electrical competitions are held regularly, since these Barrouallie Combine finished on 10 points each, but competitions act as a feeder system for the Grenadines the lawmen got the edge on a superior net run rate. Championship.

In the final preliminary round match at Digicel representative, Mr. Gershom Dick, officially Buccament, Log Enterprises Kingstown Masters handed over the tournament sponsorship cheque to Ms defeated North Leeward Masters by 16 runs. Log Mitchell, confirming his company’s sponsorship of the Enterprises Kingstown Masters made 144 all out Championship for three years in the first instance. off 20 overs. Joseph Medford top scored with 33.

The Championship is scheduled to close on Jamal Jeffrey bagged 4 for 35. North Leeward November with the Masters replied with 127 for 6 off 20 overs. Joseph playing of the finals and Medford took 3 for 26. an awards presentation.

Masters 20/20 into Quarter Finals

At Stubbs, St. Vincent Cooperative Bank P’tani Masters defeated Arnos Vale Masters by124 runs.

I.B.A.ALLEN St.Vincent Cooperative Bank Ptani Masters totaled 212 for 6 off 20 overs. Alfred McKenzie led with 58.

James George had 3 for 33. Arnos Vale Masters in reply folded for 88 for 5 off 20 overs. Ted Roberts led with 28. Isaac Haywood took 2 for 13.

The quarter finals line up this weekend will feature: On Saturday - Stanley Browne’s Stubbs Masters taking on RSVG Police Masters at Stubbs and Computec Belfongo Masters opposing Sion Hill Masters at Sion Hill; On Sunday - St.Vincent Cooperative Bank P’tani Masters against North Leeward Masters at Sion Hill, and Log Enterprises Kingstown Masters against Arnos Vale Masters at Stubbs.

I.B.A.ALLEN

34. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013. 35.

Classifieds

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FRIDAY,

NOVEMBER 15, 2013

VOLUME 107, No.46

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North Leeward in speculation mode The 3D games in particular, have become daily fixtures in the lives of many Vincentians.

by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY

Right: (L-R): Ezra Ledger and Dr. Coleen Phillips of the Standards Bureau/Council, spoke to the Bureau’s responsibility to assure the public about the validity of the lottery games here.

IS THERE to be a new Unity Labour Party (ULP) candidate in the North Leeward constituency?

That is the question that has been reverberating throughout the constituency, and the person around whom this call is being generated is British trained Lawyer Carlos James did lawyer, Carlos not commit to trying to James. wrest the ULP candidacy in The answer to North Leeward for the next the question could general elections. well be answered by the time the ULP stages its Convention in December.

Asked for his reaction to the situation, James exercised caution.

“The people of North Leeward will have to make that decision,” James declared.

A lawyer with offices in Kingstown, James was called to the local Bar in 2010.

He is a Troumaca native and attended the Troumaca Primary and Troumaca Ontario Secondary schools before launching into a work and study regime. He underwent training in Communications at the Carimac Institute, University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, and did an Undergraduate Degree in Law at Huddersfield University.

He completed Post Graduate studies at the CSITY Law School, formerly known as the Inns of Courts School of Law. Patel Matthews won the North Leeward constituency for the New Democratic Party (NDP) in the last general elections held December 13, 2010. His victory was one of four new constituencies for that opposition party.

Dr. Jerrol Thompson, who secured the seat for the ULP in the 2001 general elections, maintains a presence in the constituency. He positions himself as the caretaker. He served as Minister of Telecommunications and is currently a Special Advisor on Special Projects, attached to the Prime Minister’s Office.

The next poll is due no later than March 2016.

In the meantime, speculation abounds in the North Leeward constituency, especially as it relates to a ULP candidate.

GOOD NEWS FOR LOTTO/ 3D PLAYERS dimensions of lottery balls and provide verification/calibration PATRONS OF THE LOTTO AND 3D reports as per the balls’ weight games here have been thrown a and size specifications. reason to put their minds at ease.

This verification is done in an This, as the St.Vincent and the effort to bring further confidence Grenadines Bureau of Standards and trust in the game by having (SVGBS) disclosed plans to validate an independent third party such the lottery balls as soon as today. as the SVGBS provide validation The disclosure was made by the of the consistency of the balls.

Executive Director of the SVGBS, “This is a programme that we Ezra Ledger, during a press feel will bring further confidence conference on Tuesday 5th to the general public in terms of November, at the Bureau’s the game of chance,” declared headquarters in Campden Park.

Ledger.

The SVGBS is responsible for He said the Bureau should be the administration of weights and seen as an independent third measures as stipulated by the party so that there is no conflict of Weights and Measures Act No. 16 interest. of 2003. This legislation gives the During Monday’s press SVGBS responsibility for conference, Ledger assured that regulating all weighing and the Bureau was finalizing the measuring devices used for trade trial run and hopefully by the in Saint Vincent and the 15th, the programme would Grenadines. Prior to 2003, the commence. “We are happy to see responsibility was assigned to the that this programme is about to police force. take off,” said Ledger.

Ledger explained that the Dr. Coleen Phillips, SVGBS will verify the physical Chairperson of the National

by KENVILLE HORNE

Standards Council, added that the programme would only enhance the consumers’ confidence in the lotto process.

“Sometimes you hear on the road, ‘how come the Jackpot only gets to a particular point at a particular season?”’ So we want to assure the consumers that everything is regulated, everything is ok and you can play your game and win.”

The Bureau of Standards was established by Standards Act No. 70 of 1992 (amended by Act No. 28 of 2001) which gives the Bureau the authority ‘to prepare and promote standards relating to goods, services, processes and practices produced and/or used in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, to ensure industrial efficiency and to assist in industrial development as well as to promote public and industrial welfare, health, safety and to safeguard against negative effects to the environment’.

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

Printed by the SVG Publishers Inc., Campden Park.