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The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

FRIDAY,

NOVEMBER 22, 2013

VOLUME 107, No.47

www.thevincentian.com

EC$1.50

by HAYDN HUGGINS

Marshal Hadaway shares a moment of joyous satisfaction with his aunt, Senator Vynette Frederick.

HIGH COURT JUDGE Wesley James issued a strong spiritual warning to a young man on Tuesday after the youngster was cleared of a murder charge, hanging over his head since 2009.

Before Marshal Hadaway left the defendant’s dock, Justice James asked him, “You are a Christian?” Hadaway replied in the affirmative.

“You sure?” Justice James further asked.

Hadaway again replied in the affirmative.

“You must continue to serve God, eh?” the Judge warned.

The 24-year-old Gomea resident was charged with the October, 14, 2009, murder of Cuthbert ‘Cutty’ May, 30, of Penniston.

Hadaway was also charged with unlawful use of a firearm, possession of a firearm with intent, and possession of a firearm with intent to injury. All four charges stemmed from the same incident.

‘God is good’ When the matter was

Justice Wesley James cautioned Marshal to continue to serve God. called on Tuesday at the Criminal Assizes, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Colin John, informed the Court that, pursuant to Section 67(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code Chapter 172 of the Laws of St. Vincent and the Grenadines revised edition 2009, the office of the DPP entered a nolle prosequi on all the charges.

Continued on Page 3.

2. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

V News 3 NPS formalization:

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

ÂStuck in the bureaucracyÊ

He pointed out that the constitutional office of the DPP has always been dependent on the “IT IS STUCK in the bureaucracy”. generosity of the Attorney General’s That’s the response of Director of Chambers.

Public Prosecutions (DPP) Colin But he disclosed that, while it is Williams to a question by THE important to get into new premises, VINCENTIAN, regarding the delay in the release of an allocation to have the space is at a premium at the present location. The DPP noted that staff National Prosecution Service (NPS) members have to be crammed into formally instituted. small spaces and offices.

“The formal launch of the NPS is He added that prosecutor at the delayed because we haven’t had the Serious Offences Court, Adolphus allocation that is required from the Delpleche, is now a member of his staff Ministry of Finance to have it as a senior prosecutor to head the formalized,” the DPP revealed while summary Prosecutions Division, but speaking to THE VINCENTIAN on because of lack of space, he is still Wednesday. based at the Central Police Station.

The NPS is primarily aimed at The DPP explained that basically having all prosecutors fall under the everything is stored in his personal direct control of the DPP, on a day to office. day basis.

“If you want to photocopy, you have For the first time in the history of the prosecution services here, premises to come to my office. If you want to use we have had remarkable output.”

He noted that the DPP’s office has have been identified to have the DPP’s the fax machine or any reference material or to check out files, you have had excellent results in Court matters office in its independent office. to come to my office,” he lamented. at every level, right up to the Privy Counsel, as well as in its public Space is an issue DPP office performing, despite…. outreach programmes.

Regarding the latter, this year, the The DPP underscored that, “It will The DPP, however, pointed out that, DPP’s office released, on World Press be a positive day and forward march Freedom Day, two publicationc — for the Administration of Justice when “While we have to be doubling up in offices and crammed into small spaces, ‘Social Media Identification Policy’ and we have the fully functional NPS”.

by HAYDN HUGGINS

Colin Williams, DPP, laments the failure by the Ministry of Finance to release the allocation that will allow the NPS to be formally launched.

Left: Adolphus Delpleche, Prosecutor at the Serious Offences Court, is still based at the Central Police Station.

‘National Prosecution Service Media Protocol’.

The DPP said that, with assistance from the US Embassy and British High Commission, the DPP’s office was able to author a ‘Points to Prove’ booklet, which will be released soon.

“Despite the conditions, we are doing lots of things. One of the things that underscores our work was the recent recognition by our counterparts in the region who applauded the office of the DPP/NPS for outstanding work.

“We were adjudged, in the Inaugural ‘Indictment’ awards, along with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) for having the best work team.”

‘Indictment’ is a publication in the region which is available on line and deals with law enforcement issues.

“Continue to serve God,” Judge warns Continued from Page 1.

“Home sweet home,” Hadaway was heard saying, just after emerging from the High Court building, accompanied by his aunt, Senator Vynette Frederick, an attorney, who, along with Ronald Marks, represented Hadaway in the matter.

“God is good, God is the one that helped me through all this,” Hadaway told reporters, adding, “Prison not a nice place for young people; they should never get themselves in trouble to go there.”

Luckily for him, he received the support of his family, while behind the walls. “They were always visiting me and keeping me strong,” he emphasized.

Hadaway had been in custody since November, 30, 2009 in connection with the matter. He was 20, at the time of his arrest.

“His family is extremely

happy to have him. It has been four years, and it is a pause in his life,” an obviously elated Frederick said while hugging her young nephew with joy and affection.

A measure of joy Marks told THE VINCENTIAN, “I can’t help but feel some measure of joy and satisfaction from this victory. I am convinced that justice has been served in this matter.”

Marks seized the opportunity to express gratitude to Justices Wesley James and Frederick BruceLyle for their intervention.

“When the matter came up for arraignment on different occasions, we asked both judges to look at the files. We raised issue with the judges regarding the state of the evidence, and the matter was short-listed at previous sittings of the Assizes”, Marks

explained.

He added that, following the death of key witness Azique Roberts of Villa, the matter was again raised before Justice James, and it was set for Tuesday. The DPP reviewed the files and nolle prosequied the matter.

“It is clear that he (DPP) agreed with our arguments on the files that the evidence was not sufficient to convict the defendant on the charge of murder,” Marks said.

The incident May was shot in the back by a masked man around 11 p.m. October 13, 2013 while reportedly playing a game of dominoes with others in an area next to the beach at Rose Place, Kingstown.

On receiving the bullet, May reportedly ran to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, located a few yards away, where he died about six

Attorney Ronald Marks (right) thanked the High Court judges for their intervention on his client’s behalf. hours later. An autopsy showed that the bullet caused injuries to the spleen, left kidney, stomach, traversed the colon and exited the rib cage.

Hadaway was charged, based on a statement Roberts

had given to the police.

Marks told THE VINCENTIAN that his client had several witnesses who could verify his whereabouts on the night in question.

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4. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Senior Prosecutor believes in swift justice been effective since October, Delpleche only recently NEWLY APPOINTED SENIOR received the letter of Prosecutor in the office of the appointment.

Director of Public Prosecution Delpleche told THE (DPP), Adolphus Delpleche, VINCENTIAN that the new assures that he would do his position has given him more best to ensure that all accused autonomy in making decisions persons and virtual as it relates to case files in complainants have their day in matters that he has to court, within reasonable time. prosecute.

He gave the assurance He revealed that former during an interview with THE prosecutors had complained to VINCENTIAN on Wednesday. him that matters were being Delpleche, who prosecutes prosecuted too fast, and the at the Serious Offences Court, police were not getting enough has been appointed Senior time to investigate.

Prosecutor in the DPP’s office But Delpleche explained to head the Summary that, “When a report is made, Prosecutions Division. the police have all the time in DPP Colin Williams told the world to investigate; but THE VINCENTIAN that the once a person is arrested, new position is equivalent to there is a time line when the that of Assistant case files must be ready for Superintendent of Police. prosecution or Preliminary Before, Delpleche held the Inquiry.” rank of Inspector in the local Delpleche pointed out that, constabulary. “in the past, I did not have While his new position has

by HAYDN HUGGINS

absolute authority to demand those files, but now I have that authority to demand that the files are ready for prosecution.”

The senior prosecutor declared, “I believe in swift justice, and a man must have his day in court within a reasonable time. Justice delayed is justice denied.

“I think it is unreasonable to have a charge hanging over a man’s head for any long, inordinate time, and with my new position I will do my best to assure that all accused persons and virtual complainants have their day in court within reasonable time.”

Delpleche says he is happy, humbled and thankful to be given the position.

“I am the same person in terms of my personality, but as a professional, I am much more up-beat,” he quipped.

Adolphus Delpleche now heads the Summary Prosecutions Division in the DPP’s office.

Policemen back to work their colleagues, are back on the job.

Acting Commissioner of Police Michael Charles told THE VINCENTIAN on Tuesday that he had taken the decision to reinstate Sergeant Julius Morgan and Constable Orlando Collins, both of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The officers, who had been on suspension with half month’s pay, pending the outcome of their matters, resumed duties at the CID last CID Officers, Sergeant Julius Morgan (L) and week Thursday, Constable Orlando Collins returned to duties last November 14. week Thursday.

Sergeant Morgan, however,

by HAYDN HUGGINS subsequently proceeded on vacation leave.

TWO POLICEMEN WHO were The detectives were charged with recently freed of criminal charges in connection with the shooting of one of conspiracy to defeat the course of

Another road fatality ASBOURN SIMON, a 22-year-old electrician of Fairbaine Pasture, is this country’s latest road fatality.

A police report states that Simon was riding a pedal cycle along the Belmont public Road, when he was hit by behicle PU — 884, driven by Jadese Francis of Richland Park.

Reports are that both the vehicle and the cycle were traveling in opposite directions of each other

when they collided.

Simon was pronounced dead on arrival at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

He showed signs of having sustained injuries about his body.

Up to press time, Wednesday, there was no indication of a post mortem examination report which would have verified the cause of death.

justice, unlawfully and maliciously wounding corporal Milford Edwards of the Narcotics Division, unlawfully discharging a firearm, excessive use of force, and acting in a manner so rash or so negligent as to be likely to cause harm to a person.

The charges stemmed from an incident at Rose Place, Kingstown December 5, 2012, during which Corporal Edwards was shot in the right upper arm.

The charges of wounding,

negligence and conspiracy against Morgan and those of negligence and conspiracy against Collins were dismissed on no case submissions, while the others were subsequently dismissed following closing submissions by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Colin Williams, as well as defence lawyers Ronald Marks and Duane Daniel.

Chief Magistrate Sonya Young presided over the trial at the Serious Offences Court.

Marketing specialist to share expertise THE UNIVERSITY OF the West Indies Open Campus, in collaboration with Youth Business SVG, will host a Young Entrepreneurs Session with International Speaker and Social Marketer, Mr. Julian Hall, of the United Kingdom. The sessions will take place on Tuesday November 26th at the TeleConference room of the Open Campus from 9:00am.

Ten (10) young Vincentian entrepreneurs involved in emerging business enterprises will meet with Mr. Hall for halfan- hour each via Skype.

Mr. Hall is expected to share his expertise and experience with the Vincentian entrepreneurs on how they can maximize the potentials of their fledging businesses.

Mr. Julian Hall is Chairman Julian Hall is considered a leading social of the Hall Business Group in media marketing expert. the UK and is a bestselling author who ‘specialises in meet and exceed their revenue targets helping companies big and small to using digital strategies.’

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

Regional

Bajan police defend charges against journalists BARBADOS POLICE authorities have defended their decision to file criminal charges against three media workers in an ongoing school sex scandal in that country.

The publisher of the Nation newspaper, Vivian-Anne Gittens, Editor-in-Chief Roy Morris and senior journalist Sanka Price, were placed on BDS$5,000 each, and ordered to hand over their travel documents after appearing in court last week Thursday.

They have been charged with showing an indecent photograph of two minors.

Two teenage boys, aged 16 and 15, who were allegedly responsible for capturing the act on film, appeared in court on a charge of taking an indecent photograph sometime between September 1 and October 31.

They were released on BDS$10,000 bail and placed on a 7:30 pm to 6 am curfew.

The police allege that the photograph which accompanied the story caption, ‘Sex Scene’ and published in the October 26 issue of the Nation newspaper, was an indecent picture of two 14-yearolds and in violation of the Protection Of Children Act. Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime), Lionel M. Thompson, in a statement, said that, while it is important to acknowledge the critical role the “press plays in a liberal democratic society like ours” with specific reference to the criminal justice system, the press by its transmission of the information, helps to ensure that the integrity of the system is not robustly called into question.

“In the context of information sharing, some persons believe that freedom of the press and the rights to freedom of expressions are sacrosanct constitutional rights that can be abridged in very limited circumstances.”

He said those who posit this

Yasin Abu Bakr, in ankle-length Muslim wear, led a group from the Jamaat Al Muslimeen in a 1990 attempt to overthrow the then government of Prime Minister ANR Robinson. (Internet Photo)

Publisher of the Nation newspaper, Vivian-Anne Gittens (in white jacket), senior journalist Sanka Price (walking behind her) and Editor-in-Chief Roy Morris (2nd from left back row) being led to the District “A” Court to answer the charges. At left is Queen’s Counsel Alair Shepherd (front left) who is leading the Nation’s defence team. (photo: Nation) view fortify their assertions by cautioning that the constitution and not the state is supreme, and that these notions and the need for transparency have compelled the police to offer an explanation for the charges that were brought against the media workers.

“The charging of the three persons ….represents the conclusion of one of (the) three investigations,” he said, adding that the second investigation had resulted in the charges being laid against the children.

“The other investigation remains open,” said Thompson, adding that in considering the charges against the media workers, the police “took full cognizance of the debates on the issues as the public saw them.”

The case of the three media workers, well known by colleagues throughout the region, has had its fallout across the region.

The Jamaica Gleaner, in an editorial in its issue of Sunday 17th November, declared, inter

alia, endorsement of the law under which the three were charged, but expressed “serious reservation about the application of the law in relation to The Nation newspaper and its staff.

The editorial caught the attention of the Barbados Minister of Industry and International Business, Donville Inniss, who reports say, blasted the Jamaica Gleaner for its Sunday editorial calling it shameful and “one of the nastiest pieces of editorial, work which I have seen in any media house in the Caribbean.”

According to Inniss, the Jamaican newspaper “sought to give the impression that there was something political, some political mischief” behind the action taken against the journalists.

He assured Barbadians and the Jamaica Gleaner that politics played no part in the recent charging of three NATION executives. (Source: CMC, Nation)

‘Review LIAT’s operations model,’ says Dr. Anthony REGIONAL AIRLINE LIAT is still without a Chief Executive Officer, but Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Dr. Kenny Anthony, is adamant that simply changing the CEO is, metaphorically, like putting a plaster on the same old sore.

Dr. Anthony justified his stance by saying that simply changing the CEO will not deal “decisively with a problem in management

that has been inherited over the years.”

The Prime Minister’s comment came as St. Lucia agreed to guarantee a three million EC dollar (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents) loan for the airline now in the middle of a re-fleeting programme.

“It has to rethink for example where it is in its best interest to have its maintenance facility; these are questions that loom very large, and it

Dr. Kenny Anthony, St. Lucian can’t any PM, wants a total review of LIAT’s longer be a operations model. question of historic with stipulations, one of entitlements where Governments are putting which relates to the selection of routes. money,” Anthony said.

“We have to review He pointed to LIAT’s carefully the routes schedule of flying to 21 selected by the airline, to destinations but make sure that the maintaining only two people of St. Lucia are bases in the region, in not disadvantaged, as we Antigua and Barbados.

The St. Lucian Prime think that there have been some very bizarre Minister made it clear routes,” Dr. Anthony that his government’s declared. loan guarantee comes

Muslim group warns T&T political parties THE ISLAMIC FRONT, a Muslim group purporting to have a membership of 200 and ties with groups regionally and internationally, has warned political parties in Trinidad and Tobago to desist from using Islam and Muslims as pawns in the fight to gain political dominance here.

The Front, in a statement made last week, said that it has been observing the behaviour of the country’s politicians, in particular those of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP0 and the United National Congress (UNC), and was not impressed.

“The Islamic Front has always maintained a neutral position when it comes to politics and has vowed to work along lines of righteousness and sincerity with whichever party holding the reins of power, with the honest intent to bring about justice, fairness, peace and lawfulness in this Twin Island State of ours,” the statement added.

“If these parties continue along this path, the face of politics as we know it would change... A change we are not prepared to endure,” the statement warned.

The Islamic Front’s public pronouncement comes in the wake of the controversy over the election of mayor for the city of Chaguanas in Central Trinidad, after the UNC, the newly formed IPL of Austin ‘Jack’ Warner, and the main opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) won the same number of seats in the 12-member council.

The deadlock was broken after the ILP councilor, Faaig Mohammed, broke ranks and sided with the UNC amid allegations he had received money in exchange for his vote, an allegation that he has denied.

Emergence of the Front on the political landscape of Trinidad and Tobago has jolted memories of 1990, when Yasin Abu Bakr led a group of 100 members of the Jamaat Al Muslimeen, in an effort to overthrow the then government of Prime Minister ANR Robinson.

In coordinated attacks on the Parliament and the lone television station on July 27, at least 24 people, including legislator Leo Des Vignes, were killed during the six-day insurrection that ended on August 1.

Bakr and his men were tried for treason, but were released when the Court of Appeal upheld the amnesty offered to secure their surrender.

The London-based Privy Council, the country’s highest court, later invalidated the amnesty, but the Muslimeen members were not re-arrested.

On coming to power, the coalition government of Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar set up a Commission of Inquiry into the insurrection.

The Commission, headed by renowned Barbadian jurist Sir David Simmons, is expected to submit its report next year, Bakr has refused to testify, saying he needed to be paid for his testimony. (Source: Caribbean 360 News)

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6. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Police

Police Trainees win Tourism Colloquium

They presented presented ‘Vincy Nine ‘Historival’, a Mornings Package’. They detailed four-day proposed a detailed package in package tourism which the visitor arrives in St. project which took Vincent and the Grenadines the visitor to and becomes intimately different locations involved in the Nine Mornings in SVG, during celebrations. which they would Speakers at the day’s event gain knowledge considered all projects and experiences of interesting and indicative of the different ethnic hard work and good research. groups: the Caribs The judges, however, while or Garifuna, the applauding the participants, Africans, implored careful note of The team from the SVGCC Portuguese, and presentation skills and reminded all of the necessity Division of Nursing Education Indians. Visitors would learn about, for projects that are novel and (SVGCC DONE) took third prepare and eat practical. place. popular foods The Tourism Youth presentations on produced here, and participate Colloquium formed part of the Second place went to the SVGCC finals day. in expressions of cultural Tourism Month (November Division of Arts, Sciences and Of four entries, traditions and visit tourism 2103) activities which also General Studies (SVGCC DASGS) three institutions, sites. included the Tourism Youth each represented In second place was the Congress on the same day as and critically explore by a team of four students, SVGCC DASGS with their the Youth Colloquium, a The winning team from the RSVG the role of the public participated in the finals. proposal of ‘Ecotourism with a presentation for secondary Police Training School. and private sectors in They were the SVGCC focus on Adventure Tourism’. school students last Tuesday, its development.

by GLORIAH… 19th November.

According to a release from Division of Nursing Education This project proposed to (SVGCC DONE); SVGCC explore the use of our forests Come Tuesday 26th the Ministry of Tourism, THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM, Division of Arts, Sciences and to entice visitors to our shores, November, the primary school Sports and Culture, the Sports and Culture held its first General Studies (SVGCC and made comparisons with students will be engaged in Youth Colloquium last Thursday, submissions were to be wellDASGS), and the RSVG Police similar projects in the Tourism Choral Speech structured and developed in 14th November, at the NIS Training School. neighbouring Dominica.

Competition at the Peace harmony with sustainable Training Room.

The eventual winners, the The SVGCC DONE Memorial Hall.

The event aimed to engage principles practical to SVG; to RSVG Police include original ideas students enrolled at tertiary Training institutions who had a passion developed through School, showed for tourism development in St. comprehensive arguments; to the audience use relevant case studies to Vincent and the Grenadines, that they were could look forward to Assistant substantiate points; and to use in designing and presenting a quite au fait quotations and ideas from good food and great Commissioner sustainable tourism with what a experts or specialists in service,” the top cop Carlos development project. project for assured, and urged Sampson, and The projects were expected tourism. sustainable Each institution was given citizens to “feel free to Canteen to examine negative and development four weeks to prepare, and Sergeant 506 come and patronize the positive impacts, analyze should entail. new look police canteen”.

Brenton challenges of its development, fifteen minutes to make their Smith.

The Acting Commissioner cited the Those need for more space, and formalities were followed to be more Acting Commissioner of Police accommodating to the by a dance Michael Charles (centre) enjoying a and a karaoke public, whose support game of dominoes at the new session, with and cooperation are canteen facility in the Kingstown critical in ensuring a music Central Market. safe and peaceful St. provided by Vincent and the DJ Buku, a

by HAYDN HUGGINS member of the police Grenadines, as added reasons for the relocation band.

AS PART OF ITS drive of the canteen.

The canteen is now to maintain and He expressed the view equipped with a modern strengthen the relations bar and restaurant, as that some civilians between the police and would feel more well as a recreational the public, the Police balcony with a view comfortable out of the High Command has police compound. overlooking the taken the initiative to “It is the same cenotaph, located on Bay relocate the Police Street. canteen, with bigger and Canteen from the better service,” the The Acting Central Police Station, to Commissioner was Commissioner (Ag.) the top floor of the assured. playing a game of nearby Kingstown dominoes with Central Market. his colleagues The relocation was when THE effected last Friday, VINCENTIAN November 15, with a visited the short ceremony that canteen at its opened with prayers by new location on Police Chaplain, Pastor Tuesday, but he Adolphus Isaacs. Short took time out to addresses were delivered speak to THE

by Acting Commissioner VINCENTIAN. The new canteen facility offers of Police Michael a full restaurant service, “The public Charles, Staff Officer inclusive of seating.

Police canteen relocated

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

Government

SVG working on Biodiversity Action Plan

by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY UNLESS WE LEARN to start caring for what our planet already gives us, a harmony of plants, animals and humans we refer to as Biodiversity, we stand the risk of being wiped out.

That is the extent of the importance of each country in the world addressing its own Tasheka Haynes, Biodiversity to ensure its Project Cocontinuance. ordinator, wants to

By March next year, make the the first part of a Report information on a National gathered readily Biodiversity Strategy available to the and Action Plan report public. will be revealed here, after a period of study.

This is part of efforts to comply with the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity.

Tasheka Haynes is Project Coordinator of the venture.

She gave insight into the undertaking last Wednesday.

Not dampened by the task ahead, Haynes wants to ensure that real purposes are served with the completion of the exercise. She disclosed that there have been studies done before and information collected.

She wants to have the information “readily available.”

Haynes was concerned with the slow pace in which laws having to do with Biodiversity were reaching to Parliament.

“Biodiversity is life,” Haynes stated. She equated it to bread and water.

“Without biodiversity, we would be extinct,” Haynes warned.

Her remarks followed those by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, Luis de Shong.

David Simmons heads a team that will help to formalise the report. He was positive about the impact of the work to be done, even though he was frank enough to admit that there were attempts to highlight aspects of biodiversity previously.

Philmore Isaacs, a former Chief Agricultural Officer, was on hand to share his concern about the changing environment in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He referred to the decline in numbers of the creole yard fowls, no longer cutting the cabbage heads, and leaving the remains to form ratoons and the near disappearance of some banana stocks as indication of this change.

He pointed out that Arrowroot was unique to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but that “if we are not careful, we would lose it.”

SVG makes large fish shipment to USA

by KENVILLE HORNE THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, Forestry and Fisheries, on Wednesday sent off a shipment of over 16,000 pounds of fish to the United States.

The shipment is said to be the largest single shipment to the United States, and disclosure of the shipment was made by Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Saboto Caesar, during a News Conference on Wednesday.

Caesar hailed the undertaking as a significant development for the Fisheries sector.

According to the Minister, his

ministry continues to look for new markets for agricultural produce and fish.

“We are seeing in three months, our marketing efforts in the USA, and our working with the fisherfolk in the Grenadines, and at different areas in the St. Vincent, are bearing significant fruits,” Caesar told the press conference.

Caesar said greater quantities of fish could be shipped to the USA. He explained, however, that “there is a need for us to get the fish from SVG directly to the US without having that lay over time in Trinidad and Tobago, and of course we know that we will

Saboto Caesar, Minister of Agriculture, pointed to the opportunity for export of even greater amounts of fish. have to await the opening of the Argyle International Airport for us to be able to have such a direct link with the market in the US.” The 16,000 pounds of fish, sourced entirely in the Grenadines, consisted of Red Hind, Butter Fish or Coney, Grunt, Barracuda, Parrot Fish, Snapper, Old Wife and Cavalli (Greenback).

CSEC/CXC - CAPE students rewarded

by KENVILLE HORNE STUDENTS WHO OBTAINED passes in 5 CSEC/CXC subjects, including Mathematics and English, and A level students who gained passes in 2 subjects, with either Communication Studies, Caribbean Studies or General Paper, were each rewarded with $500 cash handouts.

Six hundred and six students, an increase from 527 in 2012, met the criteria, making the total payout in excess of EC$ 300,000.

“There were 337 CSEC/CXC awardees and 269 A’ Level/ Cape awardees,” Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves disclosed during an address to the student body of the SVGCC Division of Arts, Sciences and General Studies, Villa, on Tuesday.

Dr. Gonsalves was on hand to distribute the rewards at a ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Education at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College.

Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister, hands over a $500.00 cash award Dr. Gonsalves stated that to one of the students who qualified. the number of students receiving the bursaries this Government will continue to deepen and broaden year has increased, with those at the CXC level the Education Revolution, and cited that 28% of the increasing by 12.5% and those at the A ‘Level/ Cape recurrent budget is already allocated to expenditure increasing by 19%, making an an overall average on education, an increase, he said, from 20% in the increase of 15%. year 2000.

He apologized to the students for not distributing Those students who were not on hand on Tuesday the money before independence. to receive their rewards were expected to do so at The Prime Minister, who is also this country’s the Ministry of Education.

Finance Minister, assured the students that his

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8. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Views The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Managing Editor: Desiree Richards Editor: Cyprian Neehall Telephone: 784-456-1123 Fax: 784-451-2129 Website: www.thevincentian.com Email: vinpub@thevincentian.com Mailing Address: The Vincentian Publishing Co. Ltd., P.O. Box 592, Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Editorial Barbadian journalists arrested: Questions abound LAST WEEK, three journalists were arrested, dragged before the court in Barbados, and charged with an offense under that country’s Protection of Children Act. The arrest and charges arose from the publication of an indecent photograph in the Nation newspaper, with which the three journalists are connected — one being the publisher, one the editor-in-chief and the other the newspaper’s editor.

They had been charged for publishing a photograph of two 14-yearold students having sex in a classroom, albeit with the faces (of the students) blurred.

That is the background, in brief, to the circumstances that have given rise to considerable fallout in Barbados and across the region.

Like any respectable publication, THE VINCENTIAN will never practise nor endorse the publication of any photograph or article that is of a pornographic nature.

In similar light, neither will we publish on the spot photographs of the bodies of persons who have been slain or who have died in some vehicle or other accident.

That said, the question that occupies the minds of the persons who have known The Nation newspaper as one that is upright and respectful in its reporting of the news is: What could have prompted the publication of such an explicit photograph?

Could it be that in its overzealousness to bring to the fore the current tendencies that exist among young Barbadians, and young persons across the Caribbean, if the truth be told, that the Nation would have thought it was in keeping with its responsibility to the country so to do?

Could it be that in its overzealousness to raise an issue for public debate, that it sought to be as graphic as possible in its representation, so as to jolt the society into addressing the issue of sex among school children which it, otherwise, would sweep under the proverbial carpet?

Could it be that The Nation saw the publication of the photograph as in keeping with its (the media’s) responsibility of serving as guardians on behalf of those who are entitled to certain basic rights, but must be made to accept the burden of having brought that right into disrepute?

There must have been some profound reason, which they saw as important and relevant, why respectable, proven journalists at The Nation decided to publish the photograph.

This is not in any way to lend wholehearted support to the publication of the photograph, but rather an attempt to find ‘reason’ in the ‘nonsense’. Responsible people are not wont to act irresponsibly; but if and when they do, condemn them yes, but don’t lose sight of the bigger picture in the process.

By and large, it is something of a paradox that the act of condemning the journalists would have necessitated their arrest and subsequent charging. For Barbados is one of the few countries in the region that have moved to frame new defamation laws that give protection to media practitioners and lessen the threat against the conventionally enjoyed right to a free press.

Then again, if punishment is permissible under the law, then punishment it must be.

What bothers this publication, and we are certain the majority of newspapers across the region, is that when we chose to address the issue, as the Jamaica Gleaner did a matter of a few days after the journalists were charged, that response invoked a damning response by a Minister of government in Barbados.

Maybe the Minister has conveniently chosen to disregard the wave of collaboration that currently pervades the region. The very acts of CARICOM encourage not only freedom of movement of goods and services, but freedom of people, the latter therefore encouraging persons of like professions to join in support of one another.

That the Jamaica Gleaner and this publication would choose to comment on the issue, the arrest and charging of newspaper people, is not only the correct and honourable thing expected of us, but our right so to do.

That the Gleaner may have opened the door of political interference in the whole affair, just might have fallen outside of the ‘comfort zone’, but it should not be an instance for such robust dismissal of a CARICOM partner.

What the Barbados government and people have to learn from this whole affair is whether, together, they are facing up to the challenges of a modern Barbadian society with all its successes and failures.

The publication of an indecent photograph should never have happened; but could it be the straw that breaks the camel’s back in Barbados’ effort to address its own social problems?

Where do we go from here?

“WHERE DO WE GO from here?” was the screaming lament of Dr. Gonsalves, disappointed, frustrated and fed up to the teeth with two successive runs by the Cato Labour Party, which he deemed abject failures and worse on their last lap of the period of stewardship.

His damning indictment first appeared in Unity Vol.1 number 1 December 1 1982, and represented a baptism of fire for the mouthpiece of his new party, the MNU, edited by “Blazer” Williams.

“It is hardly possible to have a worse administered country in the Commonwealth Caribbean than ours with the exception of Guyana. The economy is falling to pieces as production declines or stagnates in all the major sectors of the economy. No set of fancy words spoken or rosy picture painted by Government apologists can change the real facts of life.

Economic Crisis Arrowroot, bananas, sugar, tourism, fisheries, and the fledgling manufacturing sector are in bad shape.

The national debt is soaring to uncontrollable heights; personal income taxes have reached punitive levels; consumption taxes and an array of other indirect taxes are pushing -up rapidly the cost-of-living whilst dampening the level of personal savings; national consumption is some 25 percent in excess of the Gross Domestic Product as the country lives way beyond its means; the deficit on the balance of trade is in the region of $100 Million; and more than 30 percent of the labour force is unemployed. On top of all that the (Labour) Government has dealt the commercial sector and the country as a whole a lethal blow by the imposition of the three percent traders’ turnover tax. (VAT?)

Administrative Collapse Administratively the country is collapsing.

At the helm is a political leader (Milton Cato) who has now surely outlived his usefulness.

There are no new directions; indeed there were no directions; just more of the same unplanned and ad hoc tinkering here and there.

Within the public service, morale is at an all-time low as potentially creative personnel sit around within an administrative vacuum.

Waste and a disregard for financial accountability and administrative procedures abound, as attested to by successive reports of the Director of Audit.

The State enterprises, by and large, are losing large sums of money annually. No accounts are presented for them to parliament and thus they escape the democratic scrutiny of the Public Accounts Committee.

The deformed State capitalism of the Cato regime is at once parasitic, undemocratic, and a hindrance to national development. Rather than being an engine for progress, Cato’s State Capitalism has acted as a suck-me-well octopus and has blocked the growth of a truly national business sector by giving preferential treatment to regional and foreign capitalists.

Democracy on Trial On the democratic front, things are genuinely bad and the trends are ominous.

The (Labour) government’s general disregard for the people’s opinion and rights are wellknown and much-commented on. This includes legislative attempts to curb trade union and political rights and to undermine free and fair elections. Further the military build-up is becoming alarming.

Yet though, the people in this country are not in open revolt-and that may well be surprising to a foreign observer, but beneath the surface there is simmering discontent which an appropriate spark can so ignite. At the same time there is an immense distrust of politicians and a cynicism towards politics.

The real, genuine and understandable anger is there, but too many of our people have allowed their political masters to make them wallow in despair by the thought that there is no alternative.

The Way forward It is vital that the hopefulness of our people and their yearnings for change be encouraged and their cynicism or hopelessness be struggled against. But that takes an appropriate political organisation which is flexible and creative, and a political leadership which is sensitive, honest, and progressive.

(The NDP and Arnhim Eustace).

Dogma, sectarianism, intolerance, or the “rum and corn beef politics” of the old era will not do. Neither will a one-man set up with no clearly identifiable principles or structures meet the tasks at hand. Given the crisis situation described above, what is the way out? And how is this way out to be achieved amidst division among the opposition forces?”

Comments The foregoing is vintage Gonsalves, condemning Cato and the Labour regime in language similar to that levelled against the NDP Administration of yester-year.

Suddenly, Robert Milton Cato is to be canonized in a way similar to Vincent Beache’s quantum leap from “coconut bat” to “Superstardom”.

Properly doctored by an expert in plastic surgery, Cato’s “deformed State Capitalism” is now hailed as a humanistic “Social Democracy”, espoused and promulgated by the ULP. With his back to the wall in 1982, Dr. Gonsalves prescribed a coming together of the NDP and the MNU (with others) to topple a despised Labour Government, and save the country from destruction.

A similar malaise exists in the closing days of 2013, but with the boot on the ULP’s foot.

As at the end of 1982, an election falls due within a year plus. Few Vincentians look forward to the sitting duck ULP carrying on to the bitter end. As Ralph once urged: “Let us get on with the task now. Time is not on our side.”

V

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

Letters

Disappointed with Sammy MR. EDITOR, Don’t get me wrong.

As a small islander, I was overjoyed when one of our own, Darren Sammy, was made captain of the West Indies. His appointment was further fulfillment of what Sir Frank Worrell had indicated a long time ago, that the West Indies would have to look to the ‘small islands’ to find real strength for a West Indies cricket team.

And while I support Sammy, I must be honest and say how disappointment I was in his

captaincy during the recent test matches against India. We lost, yes, but it was ridiculous how we lost. We got beaten in both tests long before the fifth day.

Sammy’s body language on the field was not what you expect of a captain, and I hope the coach draws that to his attention. I remember the days of Vivian Richards. He never backed down, and his chest and shoulders were always up, never

drooping so as to give a sign that all was lost. Sammy has to improve in this regard.

I was also disappointed with some of Sammy’s field placements. He allowed too many easy singles and more by not plugging the gaps. Maybe he was hoping that the batsmen would make mistakes, but that is not always the best ways to tackle your opponents.

I expect the West Indies to do

better in the ODI’s.

In the meantime, let me recognize the bowling of Shane Shillingford, and join with a recent letter writer to your newspaper and call for Sunil Narine to join him in a twin spin attack. It seems that we can no longer rely on our fast bowlers to do the job for us.

Cricket Fanatic

Dishonest judgement Newspaper takes WHEN ARE WE GOING to set honest judgment in this country?

Backup plans #1 I do hope law-makers have some back up plans for the road they are leading us down.

Law-makers for years were leading us down some dirty roads. The two most recent ones were same sex marriage and medicinal marijuana, but do you know that none of the law-makers will be alive to see the end results.

Billions of dollars are spent around the world fighting to put a stop to the drug trade, but nobody is winning and nobody is losing. They will never be able to stop the drug trade because of the two-faced law-makers.

On one side, the road is blocked for some traders and there is an opening on the other side for some.

Corrupt law-makers came up with a plan to make marijuana available for medicinal purposes.

One leading doctor on television said he studied the effects of marijuana on the brain. He said that smoking marijuana damages the brain; but some weeks ago the said doctor came back on television to support marijuana usages for medicinal purposes. He said he made a mistake in his study.

Am I right to say that I cannot trust these people?

The legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes will put a big blow on the world economy which is already a disaster.

Law makers do not have a back-up plan in place.

If they do have a backup plan, it might mean the usual more police, more prisons, more hospitals, more mental asylums, etc. Which world leader is going to come out in the open * Why wasn’t and say to the world SVG represented at stop this nonsense? the inaugural “ALL Can you imagine your FOR ONE Caribbean Voice teen-age son/daughter Contest’ held coming home with recently in his/her head ‘full’ of Martinique? marijuana and starting * Did the Ministry to behave badly, and of Tourism and your life is threatened?

Culture not receive What will you do? an invitation?

Are we going to hire * Is there ongoing thousands of police to nepotism in make sure the awarding contracts marijuana you have is for purchasing for medicinal purpose? equipment and Are we ready to build supplies for state more prisons to put institutions here? those who get out of * Why are ‘school control because they children’ saying over smoke? Are we that the Teachers’ going to have enough Union could only bark and not bite? asylums to put those * Is there any use whose brain marijuana in continuing the mash up? Are we going court matter to have enough involving that hospitals to put those student from St. people who commit some Joseph’s Convent, if mishap because they the student is now were high on comfortable in marijuana? another school?

More on the same sex * Who stands to issue next week. gain by continuing this matter?

SPY

umbrage with PM Gonsalves EDITOR’S NOTE: The following —edited for purposes of translation — was the editorial in the November 19, 2013 issue of the Listin Diario newspaper in the Dominican Republic.

“The Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, has taken a bold attitude, immoderate and out of all bounds, against Dominican Republic, following the Constitutional Court ruling that defines the requirements for acquiring citizenship in our country.

Raking over the line, and based on untenable grounds, (the) Caribbean Prime Minister has virtually given an ultimatum to President Danilo Medina, to refrain from applying the judgment, failing to address the possibility that the country is prevented from entering the Caribbean Economic Community (CARICOM), and is excluded from PetroCaribe financing program for maintaining oil supply Venezuela with different nations of the sub-region.

Malicious purpose The Prime Minister embarks on this adventure without taking into account that, being a decision by a body entirely independent of the executive branch, the president cannot defy Medina or interpret at whim Constitutional Court decisions, and would incur a conflict of powers and an arbitrary act.

You’ve never seen a country prompt international sanctions against another for the simple fact that the Executive Branch abides by the sovereign decisions of other branches of government, and in this particular case, to promote outputs as drastic as the expulsion from PetroCaribe and closing the doors so as not to enter the Caricom.

The Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and Grenadines invokes human rights to criticize what he understood to be the consequences of failure of the TC, but that’s a hypocritical stance, having never seen his complaint against the ignorance of those same rights for Haitians in their own country.

If you Caribbean Prime Minister was a man concerned about these human rights, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines would have taken the plaudits for prompt and effective assistance against the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

How many homeless Haitians fed them, gave them shelter, gave them all the necessary support in this tragedy? How many injured Haitians waited in their hospitals and how many orphans gave shelter in their day care? How many Haitians without

papers were allowed to enter their territory only by a sense of humanity?

How can you, Prime Minister, come up with this disrespect for a President, ordering him, in mandatory terms, to make decisions that are out of reach constitutionally?

The country should reject this ultimatum and these pressures from an intemperate Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.”

Referred by Veaney Arteaga (not the writer)

More heart for older workers I WANT to make an observation as it relates to older workers.

I notice that when companies decide that they have to cut back and they decide to start with trimming their work force, that the persons who get severed first are the older ones.

I understand that companies might want to keep the younger persons who might make good first impressions especially when dealing with customers. However, I wonder if the companies take into account that the older employers are usually the more stable ones.

Persons between the ages of say 45 and 50 years old and who are laid off from their jobs, find it difficult to find new jobs. Employers don’t easily hire people who are close to 50, far less those over 50. For us not so old persons, it is difficult competing with the school-leavers and those university graduates as we try to find new employment.

The thing is that most persons who are 45 and over, and who get laid off still have bills to pay, like mortgages.

I can only appeal to companies to have a little more heart towards the older or middle age employees when they have to cut their work forces.

P. James

SVGCA President should resign ALLOW ME SPACE in your newspaper to address some burning issues.

First of all, I have to lament on the President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Calypso Association (SVGCA). I can say, without any apology, that Miss Ann Miller is the worst thing that ever happened to calypso as a President. I must admit though, that I am not surprised at her behaviour as President.

In November 2011, when she was voted as President, she was asked to make a speech. These were her own words: “As a carnival person, I grew up in mas”. She did not mention anything about calypso. As a member of the executive, I’m calling for her resignation. She is a total embarrassment to the Association. Most of the other members of the executive feel the same, but they do not want to come out and say so.

After her presentation at the 2012 Prize Giving Ceremony, she should have gotten her marching orders and stuck to what she knows best, which is banking. This is her presentation, from which you can judge for yourself: “Honourable Minister of Tourism, Sports and Culture Cecil McKie, Senator Elvis Charles, Chairman of CDC Dennis Ambrose, other members of the head table, invited guests, everyone good afternoon. It is my pleasure to

be here for the first time, to give thanks to all my calypsonians and all my patrons for having a successful year. In November, when I became President, it was a very scary moment”. What is this supposed to mean? I don’t know, especially given that she is a member of the Up Stage Experience (Calypso Tent)? It was said that since UP Stage cannot run the tent, how are they going to run the Association. We saw Up Stage Experience taking all the top titles this year in all the competitions. You may not know that Skinny Fabulous Doyle was a member of the Up State. He started right there.

After the calypso preliminaries 2012, she, Ann Miller, went to the CDC office, took the judges’ original score sheets, wrote off the calypsonians’ score on a piece of paper and left it in CDC office for calypsonians. If you think that was bad, this year she had calypsonians’ score sheets, either at her home or at her work place. When calypsonians went to the CDC office to see their scores, the staff told them to go to the bank and check Ann Miller. It seems like she wants to be President for life.

Now she is asking members of the executive permission to have a room at her house for an office for the Asscoaition.

Winston ‘Chief’ Davis

V

10. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

Defending the Vincentian Workers and trade unions Patrimony The Issue THE WORD “PATRIMONY” is a term that most Vincentians are familiar with. Some Vincentians who had to administrate for the estate of their families, may have become familiar with this word in a legal sense. But since 1998, the ULP as a modern-day political party, has used the word to illustrate how political leaders operate, in terms of the protection of State property, and the ideals and mores that define us as a people called Vincentians.

Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has always been critical of the way the Opposition New Democratic Party guarded the patrimony of Vincentians, during their seventeen years in office. The criticism has ranged from the wastage of State property to the corrupt practices that have led to the usage of State property for the wrong reasons, by the wrong persons.

Some matters that have attracted the criticism of the ULP include the Ottley Hall Project, the personal use of State vehicles by government ministers, the sweet heart mortgages at the former National Commercial Bank, and the sale of crown lands to NDP party hacks.

All these are examples of how a government failed to protect the patrimony of Vincentians, or misused our patrimony for narrow political gains.

Chatham Bay So it must come as no surprise when the ULP administration moved to take action in the courts, for forfeiture of the 100 acres of prime beachfront land at Chatham Bay in Union Island.

The history surrounding this issue is clear. In 1987, the NDP administration sold just over 100 acres of land to the Chatham Bay Companies, through an Alien Landholding licence, for the sum of EC$477,000. In the Aliens Landholding Licence granted to the developers (No. 1800 of 1987), certain material conditions were agreed to, including the construction of a resort with two restaurants and a hotel with 55 rooms. The agreement also stated that the lands will be vested in the crown, if the developers failed to perform.

In December 2005, a citizen reported to Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, that there may have been a material breach of the licence, and that no work was done on the land. Dr. Gonsalves researched the situation and ascertained that the information was indeed correct, and determined that his government will move for forfeiture of the 100 acres, pursuant to the articles of the Aliens Land Holding Act. In April 2007, judgment was obtained in favour of the Attorney General, and then in July that year, the lands at Chatham Bay were transferred to the Governor General by way of a High Court order. Naturally, the developers appealed the judgment, but this appeal was rejected by the Court of Appeal, in August 2010. The developers subsequently went to the Privy Council for relief, but after consideration, made an application to withdraw the appeal.

The Privy Council ordered that the government will pay the sum of EC$477,000, which is the original price of the 100 acres, plus a five percent

interest from January 2006. This must be paid before January 25th 2014. The lands will remain forfeited to the government.

A Significant Victory There is tremendous significance to this victory. It further signals the resolve of Comrade Ralph and the ULP administration, to protect the patrimony of Vincentians. This forfeiture means that the State now has possession of a beach front property valued at around US$35 million dollars. This is a prime asset for our country, ready for investment, that will bring revenue and jobs. In fact, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has already said that there are persons who are interested in developing the Chatham Bay area.

The government has achieved this success despite moves by the US State Department to bring pressure to bear on the Prime Minister, to drop the forfeiture matter in the High Court. It is clear that this threat did not, and could not work on a Prime Minister and a government committed to the protection of the patrimony of Vincentians.

The second significant fact is the conduct of the court in this exercise. The NDP, in the main, has adopted a view that our courts are inferior, and that citizens can only obtain justice if they go to the Privy Council. The evidence is that the lower court has been providing excellent work in terms of the delivery of justice. The Privy Council in related judgments, has vindicated the rulings of the Lower Court. This points to the calibre of the judges and magistrates who administer the justice system.

Some top members of the NDP, including Vynette Frederick and Linton Lewis, have found this out the hard way.

This is not to say that Vincentians cannot take their legal issues to the Privy Council for resolution. But the snide and offensive remarks by some NDP officers and supporters, that the ULP administration influences the course of justice in the state, are reprehensible, downright nasty, and have no place in any debate on the administration of justice in the State.

Conclusion We must congratulate Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and the ULP administration for their continued vigilance, strength of character and determination, in ensuring that our patrimony is protected. The work of the legal team, including Camillo Gonsalves, Rochelle Forde, Ronald Marks, Ruth Ann Richards, Anthony Astaphan and Grahame Bollers, must be highlighted and recognized.

We must continue to celebrate this legal victory, as a victory for all Vincentians. In 14 years, the NDP did nothing, or attempted nothing to cause the land at Chatham Bay to be forfeited, despite the clear fact that the provisions of the Alien Land Holding Licence had been breached. It took the vigilance of a citizen, and the resolute work of the ULP administration to correct this situation and protect our patrimony.

SINCE THE ULP gained power in 2001, Vincentians have seen the demise of most of the trade unions in this country. The Commercial, Technical and Allied Workers Union (CTAWU) and the National Workers Movement (NWM) are dormant because of strategic moves by the government which have resulted in the inability of these unions to effectively represent the interest of their members. There is continuous infighting, orchestrated by the ULP regime, in the Public Service Union (PSU), while the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Union (SVGTU) continues to grapple with the challenges of representing its members in a situation of disrespect and contempt from the government and a general climate of fear.

For instance, in 2005, the SVGTU signed a collective agreement with the ULP government. Article 16 of that agreement which relates to Election Leave states, “A member of the union of at least 3 years standing, shall on application, be granted leave of absence to contest national general and local elections. The leave of absence shall be no pay leave for a period not exceeding 6 months. In the event that the member is unsuccessful, that member shall return to his/her original post or one of equivalent status, all benefits intact. The resumption of duty must be the beginning of a school term.”

In the 2010 general elections, three teachers, Kenroy Johnson, Elvis Daniel and Addison ‘Bash’ Thomas contested the elections for the NDP and lost.

Three years later, they are still waiting to be rehired by the government. This is clearly a situation where the government did not honour its commitment.

Otto Sam, former Head teacher, was transferred to the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) resulting in another matter that the union had to deal with, which the government did not address. As a result, the SVGTU had no choice but to take the matters to the court.

Also, since the signing of the Collective Agreement in 2005, the SVGTU is yet to sign another Collective Agreement with the government, bearing in mind that the Collective Agreement terminated in 2008. Numerous calls have since been made to the government by the SVGTU to begin negotiation for another Collective Agreement, but these calls seem to be have fallen on deaf ears.

Moreover, with the challenges in education, there needs to be modern legislation to govern the education sector. This government showered praises on itself when it introduced the Education Act in parliament over five years ago. In 2013, this Education Act has not yet become law; yet one hears the continuous boasting about their ‘Education Revolution’.

In fact, the Education Act, in its implementation, should have been able to address some of the critical issues that are affecting the education system, and should have tremendous benefit to the workers (i.e. teachers) in the education system. Even though the Act is primarily about education, the teachers are the ones who will be mainly affected.

All of this begs the question: Does the government care about the SVGTU?

Anti-Union action by the ULP Furthermore, one of the major setbacks for trade unions in this country was when eighty-four Port Police, members of the PSU, were dismissed after they took industrial action. What is the message being sent to other trade unions and workers when action, like this is taken? Is it a warning that if you take industrial action you will be dismissed? Is this a way of striking fear into the hearts of other workers? Whatever the message, we can conclude that the ULP regime is totally against trade unions; it is anti- worker, and it is an oppressive regime.

We have seen also where the government got the trade unions to be part of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDEC). That is another reason why some trade unions are unable to effectively represent the interest of their workers. When NESDEC was established, the Honourable Arnhim Eustace expressed concerns about the trade unions’ participation in it. He further went on and stated that trade unions cannot sit down with a government, be involved in policy discussion and take decisions, and then defend their members before the same government, their employer.

Vincentians can also recall that the ULP’s 2001 manifesto declared that it (ULP) would have passed legislation for compulsory recognition of trade unions on the basis that a union had a majority support from those wishing to become unionised. The ULP also promised to strengthen the National Insurance Scheme, to protect workers’ pensions, including those from the Consolidated Fund. Has the government strengthened the National Insurance Scheme? The NIS is now in a serious condition and has had to raise the retirement age from sixty to sixty-five. As for pensions from the Consolidated Fund, we await the 2014 budget for word on that one. Yet, we continue to hear from the ULP administration that it is “a Labour government and we are for the workers”. Which workers?

Those benefits and freedom that the workers of this country enjoyed under the NDP administration have virtually disappeared. And we must salute the NDP for its worker friendly policies that it introduced when it was in office. For example, it was the NDP that introduced the Equal Pay Act which saw women receiving the same pay as men, and the National Insurance Employment Injury Benefit.

Also, the NDP repealed the Coutts Agreement which denied maternity leave to pregnant teachers; recognised the SVGTU and signed the first Collective Agreement with the SVGTU; passed the Education Act of 1992 replacing that of 1937; and passed many more labour laws which benefitted the workers.

The NDP, when it is returned to office, will create the environment for trade unions to function effectively as they ought to, and will work closely with them to ensure that the workers are satisfied, so that productivity could increase at the work place.

V

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

Views

Blaise Pascal’s November The world has changed 23rd Experience

“If we let ourselves believe that man began with divine grace, that he forfeited this by sin, and that he can be redeemed only by divine grace through the crucified Christ, then we shall find a peace of mind never granted to philosophers. He who cannot believe is cursed, for he reveals by his unbelief that God has not chosen to give him grace.” - Blaise Pascal(1623–1662) French scientist, mathematician, physicist, philosopher, moralist & writer.

and Saviour. It was in this context that he drew the viewers’ attention to the life and works of Blaise Pascal and the way God was able to use him to do so much good after his conversion on November 23rd, 1654.

He died eight years later. His name is recorded in history, not only for his outstanding accomplishments in BLAISE PASCAL (1623-1662) was an mathematics and science, but also for outstanding French mathematician, the way his writings and utterances physicist, inventor, Christian philosopher, and writer. History records heightened a society’s awareness of that he commenced pioneering work on the need to reverence the God who created this vast universe. calculating machines while just a Pascal’s conversion took place 359 teenager. He is credited for his years ago. This article will be outstanding work on the subject of published relatively close to the projective geometry and for the development of modern economics and anniversary of his conversion. As we reflect on his conversion, this is as social sciences. good a time as any for each of us to This brilliant thinker had an reflect on our choices and the spiritual intense religious vision on November light that he shone on his society at 23, 1654. The 31-year-old scientist the time. Are we (you and I) engaged recorded the experience in a journal entry that commenced: “Fire. God of in “all sorts of sins” that we really Abraham, God of Isaac. God of Jacob, need to shed ... to walk a new moral road ... follow a new moral compass. not of the philosophers and the But more importantly, have we made scholars ...” and ended it with a adequate preparation for life after reference to the latter part of death? These are sobering thoughts. sixteenth verse of Psalm 119: “I will And for those who have not yet made not forget they word. Amen.” This that critical choice to follow Jesus appeared to have been a major turning point in his life as he focused Christ, today is as good a day as any to do so. intently on directing others to the It is so very interesting to review saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. He many of the quotations that Pascal then penned the now famous has left behind for us to ponder. One Provincial Letters that sought to of my favourite Pascal quotations is highlight the moral laxity that then this: “Faith is a sounder guide than existed in his society. As can be reason. Reason can only go so far, but expected, his skilful use of humour, faith has no limits.” When we vicious satire, and mockery resulted consider his brilliant scientific mind in him being very unpopular among several political and religious leaders and the number of scientific discoveries that have been attributed of his day; individuals who had been to him, we cannot help but marvel engaged in “all sorts of sins”. He is credited for influencing the writings of that he encourages us to demonstrate faith and not limit ourselves to French writers Voltaire (Francoisreason. He knew what it was like to Marie Arouet) and Jean-Jacques reason and to experiment. But he Rousseau. Rousseau’s political also knew what it was like to philosophy subsequently influenced the French Revolution (1789-1799) as demonstrate faith — a faith that has no limits. Faith now beckons us. well as the overall development of How will we respond? God’s grace is modern educational, sociological and activated by our faith. We reflect on political thought.

Pascal’s words of wisdom: “If we let I came across the reference to ourselves believe that man began with Pascal’s November 23rd experience divine grace, that he forfeited this by while viewing a 26-minute video sin, and that he can be redeemed only presentation by Reverend Billy by divine grace through the crucified Graham at TED.com. Speaking at Christ, then we shall find a peace of TED in 1998, Dr. Graham shared some useful insights on the topic “On mind never granted to philosophers.

Technology and Faith”. He noted that He who cannot believe is cursed, for he reveals by his unbelief that God while technology has the power to has not chosen to give him grace.” improve lives and have a positive That grace and faith are available to influence on the world, there are so many instances where it has resulted whosoever will. And that “whosoever” is limitless. It embraces the good, the in evil, suffering and death. Like so bad, and the ugly. It embraces you many of us, Reverend Graham is and me. optimistic that we can all make a much more significant contribution to Send comments, criticisms & society when we focus our efforts and suggestions to activities on getting to know Jesus julesferdinand@gmail.com Christ and accepting Him as our Lord

I AM ENGAGED IN a keen intellectual discourse with a colleague. He lectures me consistently that the world has changed. He demands that I give up my old ways of thinking and align myself with the current stream of intellectual thought that is more in keeping with the times. To make his point, he recommends that I check into a rehabilitation centre and undergo a detox.

It is amazing how people can project themselves onto others. The biblical text advises that we ‘first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.’

I have been concerned about issues and problems that affect people, from my teenage years. The things that drew me to student activism were students’ rights to think freely and organize, poverty, lack of educational opportunities for the poor, unemployment, anti-colonialism and the struggle for our country’s independence, and imperialism, which is now masked as globalism.

In demanding that I abandon my world view, in keeping with a changed world, my friend based his argument in the collapse of centrally planned economies in the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc, and the market reforms taking place in what remains of those countries calling themselves socialist such as China, Cuba and Viet Nam. There is even the vulgar argument made popular by the publication, in 1992, of the text ‘The End of History and the last man’ by conservative intellectual Francis Fukuyama.

Fukuyama lends ‘credence’ to my friend’s views when he opines, ‘What we may be witnessing is not just the end of the Cold War, or the passing of a particular period of post-war history, but the end of history as such: that is, the end point of mankind’s ideological evolution and the universalization of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.’

The capitalist world, after the Soviet Bloc collapse, was moving swimmingly along. US President Bill Clinton, choking with confidence, declared that the ‘process of globalization was not only natural, but inevitable.’

And then the improbable happened. Protest activity surrounding the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference of November 30, 1999, which was to be the launch of a new millennial round of trade negotiations, at Seattle, Washington USA. The negotiations were quickly overshadowed by massive and controversial street protests. These were later dubbed the ‘battle for Seattle’.

Similar protest demonstrations have plagued World Bank, IMF and Davos conferences ever since. In fact, following the most recent crisis of the capitalist model of development which began in 2008, an international movement opposed to ‘banksters’ and fraudsters and best exemplified by the ‘Occupied Wall Street movement’, has shaken the system of capitalism to the core.

Even titans of capitalism, such as George Soros, the Hungarian-American money magnate, and Warren Buffett, the chairman of the economic powerhouse Berkshire Hathaway Inc, among others, have called for serious reforms of the system to save it from an implosive collapse.

But my friend insists that the world

has changed, and demands change in my worldview. He sees nothing wrong with him clinging to old dogmas. He refuses to admit that capitalism, which has dominated the world stage for the last 500 years, and has been responsible for the genocide of civilizations on every other continent except Europe, slavery, colonialism, imperialism and the environment destabilizing climate change represent bad news for the vast majority of mankind.

None of these serious challenges count for anything in my friend’s mind.

It is as if we have truly been witnessing the end of history. The triumphalism of this school of thought refuses to acknowledge what has been taking place in recent times.

Not even the meltdown that began in 2008, the collapse of the Irish and Icelandic economies, the financial crisis that beset the Greek, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian economies, high unemployment and the growth in poverty in Europe, the near collapse of the Euro as well as the serious economic and financial problems which have the American economy in a death grip, give my friend cause to pause. Yet he recommends detox for others and cheerily pronounces that all is well with capitalism. Talk about leaving the beam in one’s own eyes!

The truth of the matter is that our world faces enormous problems. The environmental catastrophe that is rapidly approaching only compounds the age-old problems of hunger, disease, exploitation of people and countries, and lack of opportunity for so many of the world’s people which stirred my political interest decades ago.

A number of things are evident.

Chief among them is that a new world is not only possible and necessary, but inevitable. This world is going to be much more equitable than anything mankind has seen. But there is limited time. Our nation is calling. Some of us are still stalling.

The complacency prevalent in the world view that proclaims capitalism’s superiority and success over every other system of social and economic organizations misses the point. The point that needs to be firmly planted in people’s heads is that we have only limited time to save the planet from disaster capitalism created.

We face many existential threats.

Food insecurity, energy deficiencies, a backward and inefficient productive capacity which is unable to provide basic necessities for all the people demand a most creative approach to problem solving.

One thing is certain. Orthodoxy is dead. The old ideological controversies that dominated the 20th century debates ought to be over. Some of us have not to have wrapped our heads around this important truth as yet. I trust that more of us will come around so as to free up crucial mind space for the critical task of national development that lies ahead. The world has indeed changed.

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

V

12. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

Why Gonsalves should resign now

The economic policy of international begging is having a negative impact on our economy. As shown in THE VINCENTIAN 1st November 2013, the overall balance moved from 2.6 million in 2012 to a deficit of SVG’s public debt is over 1.3 billion dollars (Source: SVG (10% of the 2007 budget) without the prior approval of 9.3 million in 2013. The economy is on a downward budget estimates 2013), yet Taiwan and the super–rich of parliament (Source: Director of Audit Report). Is this slope, with further business closures and job losses to Mustique and Canouan are allowed to free ride and cream- not an abuse of power? be expected. off hundreds of millions of dollars in SVG every year.

1n 2008, Gonsalves failed the audit of the Director Gonsalves should resign now.

Meanwhile, the poor go hungry. How much longer must of Audit of Public Accounts (Source: Director of Audit The alternative to this ULP regime’s financial chaos the poor cry out about this gross injustice?

Report). It is a serious act of financial mismanagement and unfair taxation system is to change direction. SVG In October 2013, the ULP regime was forced to seek to fail the audit of Public Accounts. In a developed should go Green to achieve competent financial parliament’s approval to lift the ceiling of annual country, Gonsalves would have had to resign. management and a strong Green economy. A Green borrowing from $35 million dollars to $50 million In 2008, Gonsalves killed the National Commercial government will appoint a university graduate in dollars, some of this to pay public servants.

Bank with an astronomical bank overdraft of $185 finance as the minister of finance, and abolish the tax SVG Green Party is making a very strong call on million dollars (Source: Director of Audit Report). At exemptions given to Taiwan and the super-rich of the ULP regime to abolish the unfair tax and customs the same time, Gonsalves was still providing blanket Mustique and Canouan. duty exemptions which are perpetuating pain and tax and customs duty exemptions to the super-rich of In order to boost the economy, we need to use our hardship throughout the country.

Mustique and Canouan. This policy is mindboggling! indigenous resources to produce goods for export. We The longer Gonsalves remains as SVG’s Minister of From 2005 to 2013, Gonsalves operated the SVG must also get rid of Taiwan and take back our billion Finance, the greater will be the devastation of our economy with massive fiscal deficits (Source: SVG dollar fish licence and create our own billion dollar economy. Gonsalves is not a university graduate in Budget Estimates 2005 - 2013), whilst allowing Taiwan tuna fishing industry. This will create new jobs, finance, and his track record as Minister of Finance is and the super-rich of Mustique and Canouan enjoyed strengthen the economy and create millions of dollars alarming. His financial incompetence has weakened tax exemptions. in surplus revenue. our economy, forced many businesses to close, and As shown above, Gonsalves is utterly hopeless as created high unemployment.

SVG’s Minister of Finance. SVG Green Party is making SVG Green Party In 2007, Gonsalves overspent by $63 million dollars a very strong call on PM Gonsalves to resign now. www.svggreenparty.org

International Men’s Day in focus NOVEMBER 19 is celebrated as International Men’s Day, and the Theme for this year is ‘Keeping Men and Boys Safe’.

People all over the world are used to relating to men as protectors and providers, but how often do we consider the actions we can all take to protect

men and boys from harm, and provide them with a safe world where they can thrive and prosper? The gender socialization of men and women does not

take much account of men’s aspirations and emotional needs, beyond headship and provider for the family. As economic and social circumstances change, there is an increasing inability of many men to deliver according to the gender roles assigned to them.

The result is often violent behavior, leading to broken bodies, minds and souls. In this dilemma, women and girls are also victims of violence in all its forms.

International Men’s Day can provide an additional impetus to organisations with a high percentage of male membership, to work on programmes that will address the issues outlined. The St. Vincent & The Grenadines International Men’s Day Ten Year Plan will target some of the challenges which prevent Men and Boys from living fulfilled, happy, and long lives: 1. Education - Reduce school drop-out rate for boys and young adolescent males.

2. Incarceration Identify causative factors attributing to rising number of boys, young adolescent males, and men being incarcerated, and provide those formerly incarcerated with psychological and emotional tools needed to equip them for reintegration into society.

3. Fatherhood - Male Parenting Programs that educate boys and young adolescent males who are not fathers, as well as expectant fathers on their

parental roles and responsibilities.

4. Health - advocate for research and research funding for prostate cancer, colon cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s Disease, etc.

- Reduction of the rising incidence of suicide among boys, adolescent young males, and men 5. Violence - The design and implementation of mandatory conflict resolution and anger management training sessions for primary and secondary school students 6. Social Security Reduce homelessness and unemployment among men and boys To highlight the case on behalf of all menfolk, the St. Andrew Parish Chapter of the National Council of Women, in collaboration with a network of NGOs in the Parish, including the Jochebed Men and Boys Resource Centre, the Committee for the Development of Women

(CDW), and the Coalition for Development and Reduction of Armed Violence (CDRAV), began a Seven Days of Advocacy programme last Tuesday, November 19, with an official news release, and continued on Nov. 20 through to Nov. 22 with visits to the Lowmans Leeward and Vermont primary schools and the Buccament Bay Secondary School.

A think tank on Conflict Resolution was scheduled for Nov. 24, and distribution of Men’s Day Message in churches was planned for Nov. 24.

The Seven Day Advocacy programme was scheduled to conclude on Nov. 25 with the release of the findings of a Survey on the ‘Perceptions of the Role of Men in Society and their Responsibility in Preventing Armed Violence’.

Submitted by: Nelcia Robinson, Coordinator/CDW

V Fish Inspectors certified

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

Training

and/or give authorization for the inspection of all fishery products, landing sites, fishing vessels and fish processing establishments, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Certification came after persons pursued a training programme conducted by staff of the Fisheries Division. The training focused on the disciplines of Quality Assurance and Product Development, guided by the Fisheries Procedural Manual for the Official Control of Fish Products.

Fisheries Officer, Dr. Lucille Grant, who was one of the facilitators for the training, indicated that the programme will be held annually.

Some of the Fish According to Dr. Inspectors proudly Grant, the programme display their certificates. is done to augment the number of Fish Inspectors within the NINETEEN PERSONS here Division, and to advance have been certified as preparations for future Fish Inspectors. expansion in fish exports The nineteen, who to traditional and nonreceived their traditional markets certification last Friday, targeted.

November 15, are now She explained that empowered to inspect

there are now three categories of Fish Inspectors.

Fish Inspector 1 will have the ability and authority to inspect all fish and fish products, vessels, landing sites and processing facilities and all products destined for external markets.

Category 2 Fish Inspectors have the same authority and responsibilities as Category 1; however, they cannot lead a team of auditors to carry out inspection on a fish facility, a task only category 1 inspectors can lead, and an auditory team. Fish Inspector 3 will be confined to local issues.

Ms. June Masters of the CRFM (Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism) also addressed the passing out ceremony.

Participants in the training programme for Fish Inspectors were drawn from the Fisheries Division, Animal Health and Production Division and Environmental Health Department in the Ministry of Health.

V

14. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Lands to be re-possessed

by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY

BY JANUARY 25 next year, the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines will have re-possessed 100 acres of land in Chatham Bay, Union Island.

It will cost about EC$661,000 so to do, an amount settled on after six years of legal hearings.

The lands, in two parcels, one of 95 acres and the other just over four acres, were purchased in 1987 by the Chatham Bay Companies and listed for development in Union Island.

The conditions of the sale, inter alia, were that the investors were to spend no less than $15M in three years, and build a hotel and two restaurants.

However, the project never got going, and it was not until December 2005 that the matter resurfaced, after Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves first traced the legal documentation relating to the sale, and thereafter made application at the High Court for forfeiture of the lands.

The purchasers have settled on a repayment of the purchase price for the lands and five per cent interest from January 2006, after they withdrew an appeal to the Privy Council, following judgement against them in the local High Court, 2007, and the East Caribbean Court of Appeal, 2010.

The Vincentian Prime Minister beamed with satisfaction, and did not hide his buoyancy on the conclusion of the matter. He cited it as a “nationalist victory,” and regarded it as a “reclamation of our patrimony.”

Dr. Gonsalves recounted having come under pressure from an American Ambassador, accompanied by two foreign-service officers, who urged him to stop the court matter.

He paid tribute to the old man who told him of the land sale December 7, 2005, two days after general elections.

V

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

News

More laptops

successful CXC and A’ Level/ Cape students at the Community College on CAMILLO GONSALVES, Minister of Tuesday.

Foreign Affairs and Minister with The laptops are expected to cost Responsibility for Information US$ 5 million, and Gonsalves Communication Technology, said tertiary promised that the payment would be level students are expected to receive made by the government of Venezuela 12,500 state of the art Acer Lap Tops by in the next “two weeks or so.”

January 2014.

He implored the students to take Gonsalves made the announcement care of the lap tops. during the distribution of bursaries to

by KENVILLE HORNE

V

16. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Government

Mc Kie: “Come home and invest�

Story and photos by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net; neloking@msn.com US CORRESPONDENT STATING THAT THE CLIMATE IS RIGHT, Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Cecil ‘Ces’ Mc Kie has urged nationals in the Diaspora to “come home and invest.�

Mc Kie took time off of a two-week vacation in the United States to update Vincentians on developments at home, during public fora in New York and Philadelphia, and in an interview with THE VINCENTIAN. The West St. George representative highlighted what he described as “a number of critical things,� such as the government’s National Economic and Social Development Plan 2013-15, “that captures all aspects of development of the country

and how we intend to go forward.�

He also provided updates on construction of the Argyle International Airport, stating that, “by October next year, persons [in the Diaspora] should be able to come home,� and pointed to a tripling of tourist arrivals within two years of the airport’s completion.

While not naming the airlines, Mc Kie disclosed that a number of airlines in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom have been invited to St. Vincent and the Grenadines before year’s end “to finalize arrangements and look at scheduling.�

As far as cruise ship calls are concerned, the Minister projected close to 200 cruise calls for the November-April tourist season, and said, “we expect to see the usual good arrivals by yachts.�

On the question of security

in the yachting sector, McKie assured that government commissioned “more patrol boats, foot patrols, and we’ve put in a Coast Guard base in Canouan.�

He said that in the next Parliamentary session in December, the government will introduce the “Tourism Standards Bill, which will look at standards across the tourism sector.�

Mc Kie also cited the airport’s commissioning as enabling the country to better market agricultural products overseas.

He referred to two very recent and successful shipments of “all types of agricultural products� to Brooklyn, New York, as encouragement in this regard.

The products, which include ground provisions and frozen items, are sold at an agency adjacent to the Brooklyn Terminal Market, on Foster

Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Cecil ‘Ces’ Mc Kie (R) addressing public forum last Friday night at Matrix Lounge on Ave. H in Brooklyn. He is pictured with Maxwell Haywood, Chairman of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Diaspora Committee of New York.

Avenue and 80th Street.

Mc Kie also highlighted the successful testing and production of geo-terminal energy at La Soufriere volcano by the Clinton Foundation. He described this initiative as a “major game changer� in helping to reduce the nation’s energy bill.

Mention was also made of the benefit from expansion of medical colleges, with the St. James School of Medicine, to be located at Emerald Valley Casino site in the Buccament Valley, joining three other medical schools — Trinity Medical College, All Saints

Medical School and American School of Medicine.

The Minister reminded his audiences and THE VINCENTIAN that St. Vincent and the Grenadines was the only country in the sub-regional Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) that experienced two consecutive years of growth in recent years. “All in all, the economy is doing well,� he said. “For all these reasons, I can put forward with confidence that people can come home and invest. The climate is right.�

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V

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

Diaspora

Vincy Christian charity gives back to SVG

Robert McBarnett (C) with wife, Sharon (2nd from L); Ruby Wood, CEO, Square Deal Shippers and Movers; Jofford Sutherland (far L) and Ellsworth “Lifeboy” Quammie (R) at BBQ fundraiser.

Robert McBarnett poses with endoscope washing machine at Square Deal Shippers and Movers, Inc. in Brooklyn.

Story and photos by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net; neloking@msn.com US CORRESPONDENT A VINCENTIAN CHRISTIAN charity group in New York says it continues to give back to its homeland by furnishing much-needed medical supplies and equipment to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) in Kingstown, and rural clinics throughout the length and breadth of the multi-island state.

Pastor Robert McBarnett, the Georgetown-born president and founder of the Bronx-based St. Matthias Charities, Inc. told THE VINCENTIAN, in an exclusive interview, that his group is fulfilling its mission by doing “great work for the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”

He said St. Matthias Charities, Inc. donated a 20ft.-container of medical equipment and supplies to the nation last month, shipped by the Brooklyn, New York-based Square Deal Shippers and Movers, Inc. McBarnett, a recently-ordained Spiritual Baptist minister, said this was made easier with collaboration from the St. Vincent and the

Grenadines’ New York Consulate General and former MCMH administrator Sis. Ynolde Smart, who was, at the time, on vacation in New York.

Among the items delivered were an endoscope washing machine, printer, examination tables, chairs to be used in waiting areas of the hospital and various institutions, incubator, file cabinets, IV poles and medicine.

On Nov. 1, McBarnett, an employee in the Environmental Department at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, on the Brooklyn-Queens corridor, said his organization also collaborated with the Consulate General and the Brooklyn-based St. Vincent and the Grenadines Nurses Association of New York, Inc. in shipping 23 hospital beds to the MCMH. The beds were donated to the nursing group by registered nurse Olga Husbands, manager of nursing operations and systems at New York University Hospital in midtown Manhattan.

Husbands’ parents hail from Mesopotamia in the Marriaqua Valley.

Husbands is the sister

containers of medical and school supplies and equipment to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and one container of similar supplies to Queuing up for BBQ at St. Matthias Charities, Inc. fundraiser Grenada.

These also on Aug. 24. included clothes and shoes, donated by, among others, New York merchant Ronald Chase, as well as foodstuff; blood pressure and diabetic monitors with testing strips; walkers; crutches; canes; pampers; x-ray view box; duplicator and film bin; and a US$100,000 endoscopy/colonoscopy machine, donated by Dr. Vijay Arya, a Annual fund-raiser Don Sutherland (R), founder of the defunct band, physician at Wycoff Affetuosos, and ‘Ike’ Jeffers, ex-bass guitarist with Heights Medical The group, which also defunct band, Asterisks, having their fill at BBQ Center, and his conducted its annual fundraiser. foundation. fundraising BBQ in support and gave up her Hospital, will be among McBarnett said the Brooklyn in August, time to work with us,” he its primary focus when plans to raise more funds Grenada project was the group conducts its initiated when a member said, adding: “Sis. Reid at its annual Prayer next medical mission Breakfast, on Nov. 30, at of Crown Heights Gospel said to us, ‘I believed in early next year. your organization and Church in Brooklyn the Friends of Crown Most clinics on the your conviction to help joined St. Matthias Heights Educational windward coast of others’”.

Charities, Inc. on its Center in Brooklyn.

McBarnett said clinics mainland St. Vincent Since the formation of mission to St. Vincent have already benefited in North and Central and the Grenadines in the St. Matthias from earlier missions, Leeward and the February.

Charities, Inc. a year, said the untiring Grenadines, including “Sis. Hannah Reid ago, Mc Barnett said it McBarnett. the Chateaubelair gave us 100 percent has shipped three of late calypsonian Walter Porter, who was killed, on Nov. 21, 1998, on Pan-American flight 103, over Lockerbie, Scotland.

McBarnett said the beds, among other medical equipment and supplies, were shipped, in a 40ft.-container, again by Square Deal Shippers and Movers.

In addition, he disclosed that Bequianatives Margaret Tannis and Jennifer and Darnley Fredericks have donated two dialysis machines to St. Matthias Charities, Inc. for medical use at home.

McBarnett said St. Matthias Charities, Inc. is also raising funds for the purchase of a bronchoscope, estimated to cost US$40-50,000, for the MCMH.

V Did The National Heroes Debate come to an end?

18. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Opinion

Sharpes/and Fair Hall; outstanding Diplomat Cosmus Cozier of La Pompe, Bequia; and the Part IV great and most eloquent If so, isn’t Dr. J.P. Eustace Foreign Affairs Minister and Biblical Scholar, Sir the greatest 0f all?

Louis Straker of Layou.

SPORTSMEN WHO CAME Students today can be out of Doc’s school and inspired and motivated under his influence have

by Dr. Eustace’s example reached the global when his school record pinnacle in their field. The reveals that after scholastic achievements winning a scholarship of his students have from the Georgetown repeatedly gained worldPrimary School to the wide recognition, for Boys’ Grammar School, example: Professor Dr. he came first from the McKen Carrington of time he entered Peniston/Vermont; the Grammar School in Form Internationally renowned 1, to the time he left in Surgeon, Dr. Samuel Hazell Form 5. At University in of Paget Farm, Bequia; the United States of Attorneys David Phillips of America, Dr. J.P. Belair and Dane Hamilton Eustace was a fixture at of Edinboro; Preacher the first place position.

Eward Richardson of Should such a national Mesopotamia; Dr. Cadrin and superb educator Gill of Sandy Bay; U.N. and/or colossus in legal expert Dr. Richard different areas of our Byron-Cox of Redemption national life be

by R. THEODORE L.V. BROWNE

soldier, along with “Nar Na” Durrant the most highly decorated soldier to emerge from the West Indian Regiment, and Donald Browne who was a Major in the British Army; Donald Browne, Some national icons had the distinction of For their views and being the first black man impressions on the to lead the British Army national importance of on two successful the work of Dr. J. P. missions in Europe; and Eustace, ask some the record breaking students and calypso finalist Glenroy beneficiaries of the “Sulle” Caesar of Sion Emmanuel High School Hill, Stanley John and like Cyril “Scorcher” Stanley De Freitas, Thomas, Maxwell ‘Tajo’ Leroy Rose - an intrepid Francis, Carlton ‘C.P.’ British Air Force Hall, Paul Neehall, Veteran and best-selling Blazer Williams, Joy author; Leroy Lewis ‘Mr Matthews, Barbara Pitt, Ebony’ in U.S.A., and the great and Osborne Browne, exemplary Doctor Daniel Maurice King, ‘Mr. Garraway, Pastor Lennie Universe’ and thousands Charles, “Sailor” of others. Don’t depend Ollivierre of Villa, Lexi solely on any practising Joseph, D’man Age, politician with his or her Mighty Pagan (Ricardo jaundiced views and Tim), a star studded attractively elegant and verbal embellishments to switch off your mind and freeze your thinking.

Ask the social commentators and surgeons from among the people — and in a flash they will score full marks with their answers — “Dr. J. P. Eustace is the Man”. Let the unadulterated, unvarnished facts speak without political and religious coloration and the decorations of politically useless, unedifying and misleading academic expressions like ‘implications’ and ‘assumptions’ which, when removed, leave nothing but useless froth.

Doc is the man! Don’t reduce a serious exercise to a joke — please remove all frivolity and political dross. Why put a horse in the race without legs or with one leg? Is not that some form of cruelty? Doc. J.P. Eustace is in a class, many floors above the rest. Let there be no more political or sentimental or myopic distortion or placative or placatory massaging of that glaring, basic and unalterable and obvious fact.

Let us be honest — without beating about the bush looking for a hole or an escape route. categorised or be put in the same class or category with lesser mortals like Cato, Joshua and McIntosh?

No!

Don’t interfere with the facts – facts are stubborn Don’t interfere with the facts by adding or subtracting from them — Doc stands alone. But to think of it even more incisively, how did Doc. J. P. Eustace manage to do so much in one lifetime? What a multifarious variety of outstanding, unique and qualitative achievements! He was truly an amazingly creative, gifted and compassionate citizen without equal in our history. Indeed there is no comparable, versatile, gifted, multitalented and spiritual person in the history of the Caribbean and the English speaking Commonwealth. Think of this mind-boggling fact. Sounds like an exaggeration! If in doubt, check it out.

Research will verify this matter. He can comfortably emerge as the Caribbean’s National Hero. He was a great emancipator from the bondage of ignorance, poverty and self-imposed human limitation, and an advocate and pioneer pointing the way to a more glorious, abundant and eternally blissful life. What a man! In all seriousness, Dr. J.P. Eustace was and is a superb national hero.

Other Vincentians Other Vincentians like Joshua, Cato, Mc Intosh, Hudson Tannis, Edgerton Richards, Basil Balcombe, Julian Baynes, Esau Ballah, Sylvester “Sil” DeFreitas and “Smiles” Gonsalves — the P.M.’s father, and others, can be honoured with appropriate awards or National honours posthumously at the celebration of the Queen’s birthday parade.

I am certain that the Governor General will be happy to oblige after all necessary procedural requirements have been complied with — but certainly not in the same category with Dr. J.P. Eustace — a superb National Hero. LET US

NOT BE ABSURD. To put J.P Eustace in the same category with others in order to find an easy way out would be a glaring and unforgivable national travesty of justice, which a future leader might have to correct. Let us not create any error or embarrassment now, for any future generation to correct.

Doc’s comprehensive uniqueness There was no comparable candidate even in other States with named national heroes to match Doc’s superlative versatility as a scholar, philanthropist, theologian, sportsman, administrator, educator, missionary, linguist, motivator of men and as a man mighty in words and in deeds — a man of accomplishments not for selfish gain but for the qualitative enhancement of the lives of others.

His passion was to promote the welfare of others, and he did not do so for filthy lucre or money, but was motivated by love. Single handedly, he waged war against poverty, and that was an unrelenting war to the day of his death.

The victories he secured enthusiastically encouraged him to accelerate his efforts.

Before departing from this scene, he had the eternal satisfaction that he succeeded with God’s help to make the world a better place for Vincentians, and that was the joy of his heart.

(To be continued next week)

V

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

Arts

SVGCC PAS: ‘Mother knows best’

by GLORIAH… HOW FAR IS A MOTHER prepared to go to protect her family?

That was the essential question posed by the cast of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College Performing Arts Society, as they delivered their presentation in the 2013 Bank of St. Vincent Tritania being attacked by a demon inside her without her and the friend and brother realising it.

Grenadines Drama Festival. Right: The minibus ‘Dutty Bucket” making its rounds The play, ‘Mother through the audience.

Knows Best’, was attempted to use as build-ups to the performed at the Peace Memorial Hall basic storyline. There were on-set last weekend, Friday 15th to Sunday scenes in the family’s living room, and 17th November.

According to first-time playwright and there were front-stage scenes, some showing a very creative minibus full of student of the SVGCC, Kijana Jack, his passengers, which was ‘driven’ through inspiration came as a result of the fact the audience. that he is diabetic and his mom has to As the action progressed, it unraveled constantly remind him to adhere to his themes of insubordination, with Tritania diet, and about other issues. Jack told THE VINCENTIAN that he appreciates evolving from a seemingly balanced girl to a disrespectful and overly the role his mom plays, and firmly uncontrollable youth. Witchcraft became believes that “mother knows best,” but the main theme after Amanda was wanted the presentation to reveal that encouraged to use it to keep Tritania in even above this, “faith in God conquers check. A front-stage witchcraft scene all.” was very riveting, and the witch’s minions cavorted to and fro across the The basic story line steps, even frightening some members of The play centered on a family of four: the audience. In the penultimate scene, in which an exorcism was performed, father, Barry; mother, Amanda; Tritania showed her mettle with a lifedaughter, Tritania; and son, Clarence. like performance of demon possession.

Barry, a pilot, was a laid back father The action reached its pinnacle when an who resorted to ignoring his wife and actual ‘spirit’ seemed to have departed children, and exorcising his demons at from her body. the neighbourhood rum shop. Amanda was a serious mother. She worked for The good and the not so good the wellbeing of her family, ensuring dutifully that everything was in place for ‘Mother Knows Best’ was an all. Tritania was pampered, and turned extremely hilarious presentation, and out to become quite rebellious after she this may have been the play’s undoing. had formed friendships with Jah Stone, conductor of the van ‘Dutty Bucket’, and With the Vincentian audience constantly manifesting the belief that all dramatic another student of shady morals, presentations should be rife with Queesha. Clarence was said to be humour, and the young playwright eager “retarded” and hence, was constantly to please, scenes became ‘over-long’ and overlooked. at many times disjointed, failing to make smooth connections as was obviously The play action intended. Strong characterization was seen in the father, mother, grandmother, ‘Mother Knows Best’ consisted of Tritania, especially in later scenes, and many scenes, which the playwright Clarence, played by the playwright himself, in some scenes. Too many issues were included, and these allowed for distraction. The set and costuming were good, with lighting and other elements enhancing scenes.

In all, the SVGCC PAS made a good effort.

Playwright Kijana Jack must be commended for his first attempt. This experience could only assist him in figuring out a more appropriate play length and pertinent scene adjustments. The SVGCC PAS certainly receives a Amanda visits the obeah woman for a remedy for thumbs-up.

Tritania.

V

20. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Advice

A marriage gone stale

Dear George, I am not happy in my marriage at all. I have been married to my wife for 11 years now, and things have gotten stale in the last couple of years. My wife has become the dullest woman I have ever known. She is not interested in going anywhere with me, and has shown very little or no interest in the bedroom. I have to beseech and force her to be with me at night. I am tired of doing that. To be honest, I have tried everything in the book to get her interested again in the things she once was excited about, but

to no avail.

When we got married, she was 21 and I was 22 years old. I do not like the way things are, and I am beginning to think of ways outside of my marriage to make myself happy, if you know what I mean. I love my wife, but I am not willing to live like this for the rest of my married life.

Unhappy Dear Unhappy, To go looking for fulfilment outside

the boundaries of your marriage is not the way to go. It could very well be that your wife is experiencing a wave of depression. I strongly advise that you go see a professional counsellor to explore this possibility, and to help you find ways of reigniting the flame your marriage once had.

Instead of wandering off on your own in an effort to find your own

satisfaction, think of giving her some more emotional support until you see someone who can help you.

George

Longing to hear from her Dear George, I HAVE this friend in Barbados whom I met a very long time ago. We fell in love at first sight.

It so happened that we lost touch with each other. After over 2 decades, by some miracle, we found each other again. We discovered that this love we had for each other from the beginning was still very much alive.

We managed to kiss for the first time, and we both knew that the magical flame of love was still burning.

Since meeting each other again, we started corresponding regularly.

Recently, the

communication tapered off somewhat.

I have had some issues with my health, and she worries a lot about me. I want to get in touch with her again to tell her how I am health wise, but cannot hear from her. I love her dearly, George, and want her to know what is happening with me just in case of anything. I just want to hear her say just one more time that she loves me and always loved me and will go on loving me no matter what. That alone will make me a happy man. I pray she gets to read this letter to you.

‘Cupid’

Dear ‘Cupid’, I hope for your sake that you get an opportunity to see this woman again and to level with her, not only about your health issues but about how you truly feel about her.

I quite understand your desire to hear her say how much she loves you, etc. After all, it is important to say how you feel to the person you love. I also hope that your prayer of her getting to read this letter will be answered.

Prayers that are genuine always get answered.

George

Looking for sexual upliftment comfortable having conversations about sex. This could be as a result of how they were socialized.

MY WIFE FOUND a Play Boy I understand your motivation to magazine in my briefcase and argued seek out information that would with me over it for days! The magazine was still in the envelope in enhance your sex lives, but you need which it was mailed, and she opened to understand where your wife is at, in terms of her exposure to certain it.

I got this magazine because I find things such as open sexual discussions or sexually explicit it has some interesting ideas for literature. partners to add some flare to their Explain to your wife how sex lives. My wife does not want to dissatisfied you are with the way talk about sex, and we do have serious issues with our sex lives. She things are, and ask her to suggest thinks of me as perverted whenever I ways to make things more exciting. attempt to discuss sex. She does not Maybe your wife, one day, will get to the sexual level you need for her to want us looking at any movie that has “too much sex scenes”, and would be, but you have got to be patient and take small steps on your journey to get offended when I watch such that point. movies on my own.

To me, sex is sex, and you cannot want to have sex and not want to talk George about it, and worse yet, get mad with me for wanting to do so. She has to get her position straight!

Dear George,

Streups Dear Streups, It is true that some people are not

Leisure

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Your mate could get on your nerves if he or she backs you into an emotional comer or puts restrictions on your time.

Don't fall into the trap. You need to mingle with people who can spark enthusiasm and confidence in you. Keep on your toes when dealing with others.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) You may have a problem dealing with elders. You have two choices; Get out on your own, or bend to your mate's whims. Take a close look at contracts and agreements that have been offered to you. Don't reveal anything about your personal life to those who may use such information against you.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) You should put in some extra hours developing that creative idea you have.

Don't hesitate to look for alternatives that will enable you to raise the kind of donations you need to do the job right.

Try to avoid serious discussions with loved ones. Social get-together will bring you in contact with intelligent new friends.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) Difficulties with older females in your family may turn out to be quit trivial after all. You will have to watch out for minor health problems related to stress. Lack of cash might be partly to blame for the problems at home. Outbursts of passion may cause arguments with your mate.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Enjoy some socializing this week. It might be best not to spend your money on luxuries this week. Traffic will be busier than you anticipated, so try to get a head start if you have made plans to travel. Take time to explain your intentions to loved ones.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Digestive disorders will be a result of family squabbles. Rethink your motives and make the necessary changes to yourself. You can sell your ideas to those who have the money to back

them. Extravagance and overindulgence are not a cure if you're feeling sorry for yourself.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) Difficulties will result if you have to deal with controversial groups this week.

Someone you like may be receptive and actively seeking your company. Take time to find out all you can. Secret affairs could cause upset.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Get out and experience the spice of life.

Tell them to get out of the mess they are in and then you'll consider getting together with them. Insincere gestures of friendliness are likely to occur.

Opportunities will come through behind the scenes activities.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Deceit with coworkers is apparent.

Secret affairs can only lead to devastating circumstances. Entertainment could cost you more than you expect. Your fight for those less fortunate is not likely to end in sweet victory.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) Someone may be trying to take advantage of you. Get involved in activities that will be fun for the whole family. You should sign up for creative courses.

Concentrate on your work. You will do well with clients this week.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19) Gambling will be a waste of time and money. You can make changes that will enhance your appearance. Erratic behavior at home may be hard to handle.

Don't overextend yourself in the process.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Look into events that you might find interesting, and compromise by doing a few things that you both like to do. Be careful of disclosing personal information. You'll be surprised how much you can accomplish. Your financial situation may be draining and it's time to make some serious changes.

ACROSS

56. Sheriff’s badge 1.Dutch cheese 59. Quick snort 5. Pacino et al.

61. State defi8. Moved in water nitely 12. Gambler’s 65. Hawaiian isle cubes 66. Hill 13. Golf shoe 68. “Oompah” projection instrument 15. New Zealand 69. Up above bird 70. Monica of 16. Alaskan city tennis 17. Swift 71. Estrada of 18. Get __ the “CHiPs” ground floor 72. Kyser and (2 wds.)

Starr 19. Singer Franklin 73. Not pos.

21. Sharp point 74. Measured 22. Sandwich shop amount 23. “__ Griffin’s Crosswords” DOWN 25. Must have 27. Excessively 1.Ferber or Best sensitive 2. Couturier 31. Less damp Christian 34. Recent (prefix) 3. Pinnacle 35. Stagger 4. “__ in St. 36. Came to a Louis” (2 close wds.)

38. Time units 5. Fla.’s neigh40. Geneva native bour 43. Contribute 6. For fear that 44. Marching-band 7. Gown material footwear 8. Sliding on ice 46. Brood 9. Vineyard’s out48. Actor’s signal put 49. More shrewd 10. On the lam, 51. Smarter military style 53. Hobo trans11. Knee-exposportation ing skirt 55. Therefore, to 13. Uses a credit Caesar card

14. Did office work 20. Mister (Ger.) 24. Look at 26. Before, in poems 27. NO ifs, __, or buts 28. Jumps 29. True blue 30. Scale 32. Official command 33. Variety show 37. Stag 39. Saddle parts 41. Ticked off 42. Coils 45. Moses parted one 47. Easter items 50. Skating places

52. Entertained guests 54. Flaxen fabric 56. Washing machine option 57. British farewell (2 wds.)

58. Nautical hail

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

V

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

60. Warsaw native 62. Currency unit in France 63. Hitters’ stats 64. Give’s partner 67. Lower extremity

V

22. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Community

Pompey: DonÊt frown on the Kettle Appeal

times frown or turn the other way when we hear Godfred Pompey, Permanent Secretary in the sound of the bell,” but the Ministry of National Security, has reminded the gathering some advice for the citizens of St. Vincent that the effort was “one and the Grenadines. that is full of love and Care for children forms an integral part of the “When you hear the bell being rung compassion.”

Salvation Army Community programme. Here at the Salvation Army Kettle Appeal, And in appeal for these pre-schoolers perform a song before they come forward and make a donation. support, he implored, “As Nothing is too small.” our Lord has blessed us, so made their own donations.

Pompey made the appeal during his let us by our giving bless An 18-member contingent from the feature address at this year’s launching someone else during this season. ……

Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines of the Salvation Army Kettle Appeal, Let us follow His example and give Police Band, under the command of Friday 15th November, under the from our heart so that someone in need Constable Derrick Daniel, entertained gallery of the Kingstown Post Office. would be touched by our generosity.” with appropriate music, and there The Appeal has as its 2013 theme, The Salvation Army is aiming to were performances by students of the ‘Need has no season’. raise $100,000 through its Kettle Salvation Army Kingstown, Vinsave, The Permanent Secretary noted the Appeal, funds from which are used to Auntie Nicole and YWCA pre-schools, reaction of some persons to the Kettle support the Army’s ongoing Appeal, saying, “Sometimes, as a community/education programmes (e.g. in a herculean effort to add cheer to the Christian people, we are not too Pre-School and Home for Children) and atmosphere, amidst the noise of revving responsive to these calls for help or plea to provide Christmas food packages for engines and blaring from the constant flow of vehicles. for a donation to those in need. ..We at the needy.

by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY

Godfrey Pompey delivering the feature address in which he called on Vincentians to support the Kettle Appeal, regardless of how small the donation might be.

LIME Sharing the Cheer for Christmas 2013 It’s just days into their 2013 Christmas promotions, and LIME is already sharing the season’s cheer, by giving gifts to their valued customers.

LIME unveiled its Christmas campaign, dubbed ‘Share the Cheer’, last week Friday, with a number of customer appreciation events at the Kingstown store.

Customers were feted throughout the day with food and drinks, and given opportunities to take advantage of the many deals and offers.

Mobile data, post-paid and prepaid customers are already feeling the effects of the LIME Christmas spirit, receiving double their data for three and six months respectively until December 31st.

“That is one of the things we do. We listen very carefully to our customers at LIME, making sure we give you what you are asking for,” Marketing and Corporate Communications Lead at LIME, Nikala Williams, said at the corporate launch on Friday night.

Customers also have the opportunity to win one of 25 free gifts per week, including Samsung Galaxy Tabs, by topping up $15 or more, or when they pay their bills on time and in full, they also get a chance to win on every $15 value on their bills.

And that’s not all.

LIME is offering android handsets for as low as $99, and regular handsets as low as $75 during the Christmas season.

Williams also announced that the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be available for only $1899, and when customers take a postpaid plan, they get a 50% discount on their monthly charge for 3 months.

“So you purchase an Android or Blackberry or Galaxy S4 handset and get a free gift, you top up $15 or more or pay your bill in full and stand a chance to win fabulous prizes, and when you add data, you get double the data. It doesn’t get any more exciting than that,” Williams said.

Williams also reminded clients that the LIME broadband is best.

“It’s high speed internet service with a plus. We have increased your speed for less,

and right now you are able to experience our Quantum broadband speed that’s going to be hitting the market very soon.

“We have a Quantum Centre, so whenever you are in the store, try one of our laptops and get a feel of what Quantum speed is going to be like.”

She reminded customers of the competitors that they can still get up to four months free broadband service, when they switch before Quantum takes off.

During the corporate launch, one lucky customer, Romaine Reid, General Manager of Edge Solution, got his share of Christmas cheer from LIME, when he won a Samsung Galaxy S4. His

name was pulled from a bag containing the names of persons who were at the launch.

A customer getting a taste of LIME Christmas Cheer at the launch of the ‘Share the Cheer’ promotion.

Yuletiders make donations

by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY Coordinator Glenda Bacchus; School for WHEN the Yuletiders get into Children with Special action, there is no doubt as to Needs Georgetown, what time it is.

Teacher in charge Yuletiders and representatives of beneficiary institutions at the As their name suggests, Arifa Ryan Charles handing over ceremony last week Thursday. they are used to spreading receiving; St. the spirit of joy that the Benedict Day Nursery The gifts were purchased Director of the body. He season of Christmas entails. and Children’s Home, Sister with funds raised from last describes the exercise as fun.

And last week Thursday, Nyra Anne Pajotte accepting year’s house to house “We love to sing and we November 14, at their base at the donation; the Calliaqua carolling. have fun singing,” Edwards Beachcombers Hotel, Villa, Anglican School, Head The approach this year will admitted. the Yuletiders handed over Teacher Gillian Dougan be altered. Instead of going Members of the outfit: Joy microwaves to: the Lewis accepting; the Mental Health to individual homes, families Sprott, Yvonne Allen, Flora Punnett Home, received by Centre, on whose behalf Bella will enjoy an evening of carols Gunn, and Kingsley Duncan, Departmental sister Ellen Nadal accepted; and The at the Yuletiders base. members of Yuletiders, Wilson; Helping Hands Salvation Army, Major Pierre Trevor Edwards is Musical witnessed the handing over.

Centre, accepted by Assistant Antoine gladly accepting.

V

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

Findlay: „SAMMY has fallen short‰

him’,” the former West Indies chairman of selectors said.

The ire of former players On the West Indies recent test series against Darren Sammy, West Indies Test India, during which the cricket captain, has come in for W.I. lost both tests by an some forthright criticism from innings inside three days, former W.I. players.

Sammy scored 25 runs in his four innings and failed to take a wicket.

by E. GLENFORD PRESCOTT The substandard return by THE LACK OF PERFORMANCE by the West Indies captain has attracted comments from a current West Indies captain number of former West Indies Darren Sammy may force the players, including former selectors to recommend a captains Clive Lloyd and replacement for the St. Lucian, according to former West Indies Brian Lara Lloyd conceded that Sammy wicketkeeper Mike Findlay. has been a unifying force in Findlay told THE the Windies setup, but VINCENTIAN that Sammy’s believes that his role in the position in the team has team has now become an become untenable, since he unsettled issue. has failed to fulfil the “Sammy, as a captain, has important allrounder role in brought the guys together. the team by not scoring runs They are definitely looking a and taking wickets. better bunch under his “You would select a team with five specialist batsmen, a leadership,” said Lloyd, who wicketkeeper who can bat, an led the most dominating Test team of all times in mid-1970s allrounder and your main and ‘80s. bowlers, but Sammy’s non“But now, I think people are performance has compromised the selection of the team since taking a look at the balance of the side.” he is the captain, and Clyde “I believe that when a team Butts and has team, based on is losing, the captain is the this, will have to look beyond

first person to be blamed,” Lloyd said.

“However, having said that, he (Sammy) needs to take a look at himself, put his hand up, and the selectors need to take a decision on his future.”

Reports say Lloyd’s comments on the current West Indies captain come on the heels of similar concerns raised by former W.I. opening batsman Bryan Davis, who suggested a change in the captaincy of the regional side, and former ace pacer, Michael Holding, who thinks Sammy should not be included in the test team.

Selectors should act The St. Lucian, the first from his country to don the senior West Indies colours, has a test batting average of just over 21 and a bowling average in his 35 tests of 35.66 for his 77 wickets.

Findlay believes that the Board should support the selection panel on their recommendation if and when it comes to replace Sammy, as it can only help to improve the balance and performance of the team.

He suggests that the selectors should identify their concerns to the Board,

Clyde Butts, Chairman of the W.I. Selection Panel, is being urged to have his team make substantiated recommendations to the Board.

Dwayne Bravo – some persons have called for his installation as captain of the test team.

accompanied by proper cricketing reasons as to why they wish to recommend a change at the helm of the team.

“I always believe that serious thought must be put into appointing a captain, and the same level of deliberation must be employed in recommending a change,” he said.

The no-nonsense Findlay said that if the Clyde Buttsled panel’s recommendation is

refused by the Board after putting forward sound reason, they should resign.

He however, believes that the selectors should have a chat with Sammy, outlining their concerns and possible course of action.

Sammy was replaced by Dwayne Bravo as the team’s limited overs captain earlier this year, and many believe the Trinidadian should be put in charge for the longer version of the game.

Male cricket teams selected TEN PLAYERS will form the core of the 13member St. Vincent and the Grenadines National Male Senior Cricket Teams for the Windward Islands Winlott T20 and two-day tournaments, scheduled for 4th to 16th December, 2013, in Grenada.

The ten are Lindon James — Captain of both squads, Romel Currency - Vice Captain of both squads, Delorn Johnson, Miles Bascombe, Kenroy Peters, Darnley Grant, Donwell Hector, Alston Bobb, Rodney Lawrence and Sunil Ambris.

They will be joined by Asif Hooper, Cosmon Walter and Desron Maloney in the T20 squad, and Kenneth Dembar, Keron Cottoy and Atticus Browne in the 2-day squad.

Hooper and Lawrence are the only newcomers in the squads.

Salvan Browne, Rolando Wright, Shaquille Browne and Mcleon Williams have been named as reserves.

The squad was finalized after deliberations by the selectors, comprised of Elvis Browne

Lindon James continues to have the confidence of the selectors, to lead the SVG Senior Male cricket teams.

Romel Currency, vicecaptain, an experienced campaigner, returns to national colours after his stint at UWI.

Rodney Lawrence, middle order batsman, earned his call up after a consistent run of form.

Asif Hooper gets his first call-up on the back of some impressive left arm spin bowling in local competitions.

(Chairman), Lance John, Gosnel Cupid, Urius Tommy King, and

captain Lindon James.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines are the

defending Winlott T20 Champions and placed third in last year’s two-

day tournament.

I.B.A.ALLEN

V

24. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

Masters Cricket semi-finalists decided

THE RSVG POLICE Masters, Sion Hill Masters, LOG Enterprises Kingstown Masters and St. Vincent Co-operative Bank P’tani Masters are through to the semi-finals of the 2013 National Masters 20/20 Cricket Competition.

The police earned their spot on the back of a patient half century by Trevor Bailey. He helped his team to a 6wicket win over Stanley Browne’s Stubbs.

Stanley Browne’s Stubbs Masters made 121 for 8 off 20 overs, with the evergreen Dawnley Joseph leading with 59. Elgin Richards took 2 for 9. RSVG Police Masters replied

with 124 for 4 off 17.5 overs led by an unbeaten 50 from Trevor Bailey and 28 from Gosnel Cupid. Dawnley Joseph took 2 for 24.

Sion Hill Masters eased in to the semi-final over Computec Belfongo Masters on a faster scoring rate, after the game ended in a tie.

Sion Hill Masters posted 127 for 8 off 20 overs. Ronald Medford hit 36 and Daniel McMillan took 3 for 35.

Computec Belfongo Masters replied with 127 for 8 off 20 overs. Peter Campbell led with 41.

William Edwards took 3 for 13. The result was determined on the basis

of the teams’ scores at the end of 10 overs.

At that juncture, Sion Hill had registered 65 runs to Belfongo Masters’ 58.

Log Enterprises Kingstown Masters had no problem against Arnos Vale Trevor Bailey’s half century assured RSVG Masters, defeating Police Masters a place in the semi-finals. them by 37 runs at Masters at Sion Hill, and Stubbs. Log Dawnley Joseph, with a knock of Masters found the going tough and LOG Enterprises Enterprises 59 and 2 wickets, could not were all out for 117 Kingstown Masters Kingstown Masters prevent Stubbs’ defeat at the off 19 overs. Lennox against Sion Hill Masters made 138 for 8 off 20 hands of Police Masters.

Douglas top scored at Arnos Vale One. overs. Joseph St.Vincent Co-operative with 59. Walford Ambris The grand finale will Carrington hit a top Bank Ptani Masters had 2 for 4, take place this Sunday, score of 30. Arnos Vale This Saturday’s semi- November 24, at the Masters were reduced to defeated North Leeward Masters by 36 runs. The final encounters pit St. Arnos Vale Playing feild, 101 for 9 off 20 overs.

P’tani Masters made 153 Vincent Cooperative beginning at 1.00 p.m.

Ted Roberts made 29.

Bank Ptani Masters Hollis John took 4 for 28. for 6 off 20 overs, with Cassius Welcome hitting against RSVG Police I.B.A.ALLEN At Sion Hill, 50. North Leeward

Rose Hall wins Soccer Fest Grenadines basketball

Fonando Forces Rose Hall, winners of the inaugural Rose Hall Soccer Fest, with coach Kenville Horne (standing right back) FONANDO FORCES Rose Hall defeated West Side Riders Edinboro, 1 — 0, to clinch the North Mississauga Soccer Club trophy in the first ever Under-16 Soccer Fest to be staged in the North Leeward village of Rose Hall.

The Fest involved teams from Edinboro, Rose Hall, Rose Bank and Troumaca, and was contested on a Round-Robin format.

On their way to reaching the final last Sunday, Rose Hall overcame Rose Bank 1 — 0, Raheen O’Garro accounting

for the lone goal.

In their second match, Rose Hall faced a stiffer challenge from Troumaca, who drew first blood. Rose Hall pressed thereafter, and Oshurn Stapleton took it upon himself to dribble past two defenders and placed the ball to the left of the Troumaca goal-keeper, to ensure a 1 — 1.

Earlier, Edinboro defeated Troumaca 1 - 0 , when Kishorn Durham powered the game’s only goal, leaving the Troumaca goal-keeper looking like a spectator.

Durham also played a vital role in Edinboro’s thrashing of Rose Bank, scoring four goals as his team beat Rose Bank 6 — 0.

The final was contested in a tense atmosphere. There were some heated moments during the course of the game, resulting in the referee cautioning the guilty players.

Spurred on by the partisan home crowd, Benitton Stapleton intercepted a pass from an Edinboro defender, and wasted no time in sending a powerful low shot into the Edinboro goal, much to the delight of the crowd.

Stapleton’s goal proved to be the winner.

The Soccer Fest was organized by the St.Vincent and the Grenadines Alliance for Sports and Physical Education (SVGASPE), spearheaded by Ian Hypolite, and the Kenville Horne Sports Academy (KHSA).

Assistance was provided by the Division of Sports, Premier Distributors, E. D Layne and Sons, Coreas Hazells Inc., the Canadabased base football club Richmond Hill and North Mississauge Soccer Club.

Hypolite judged the event as a very successful one and hinted that plans are in place to have another one at Ottley Hall in December.

on home stretch

AFTER A STUNNING victoryfilled opening, two weekend ago, in the Digicel Grenadines Basketball Championship, Bequia All Stars suffered defeat, going under to Union Island All Stars, 68 — 56, in a match played last week Friday, in Union Island.

Kirstin Lampkin was Bequia All Stars, top performer with 18 points, 14 rebounds and 3 steals, but he could not push his team to victory. Stevorn Taylor was Union Island All-Stars’ leading scorer with 15 points, 4 steals and 1 assist.

In the other game played on Friday, Canouan Islanders whipped Mustique Icons 4934. The leading scorer for Canouan Islanders was Warrican Garrick with 15 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals, while Glenn Smith was the top man for Mustique Icons with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 1 assist.

Union Island All Stars chalked up their second victory for the weekend on Saturday when they dispensed with Canouan Islanders, 67 — 54. Taylor led again for the Union All Stars with 24 points, 4 assists and 1 steal, with Warrican Garrick turning in an outstanding showing for Cabouan Islanders with 20 points, 13 rebounds, 5 blocks, 2 assists and 2 steals.

Bequia All Stars returned to winning ways on Saturday

when they bounced pastMustique Icons 67-53.

Top performer for Bequia All Stars was Keithroy Lavia with 26 points, while Mustique Icons’ top-scorer was Ishama Mc Cree with 27 points.

Sunday proved just as successful for Union Island All Stars as the two previous days. They trounced Mustique Icons 96-65. Taylor was again the outstanding ball man for Union Island, with 18 points, 7 assists and 14 rebounds, while Ishama Mc Cree hit a game high 30 points for Mustique Icons.

Also on Sunday, Bequia AllStars ousted Canouan Islanders 56-53. Leading the scoring for Bequia All-Stars was Kelan Edwards with 12 points. He also had 14 rebounds, 4 steals and 1 assist. For Canouan Islanders, Levi Kydd had 14 points, 10 rebounds and 1 assist.

The Tournament enters its semi-final and final stages this weekend, with matches moving to Bequia.

Friday will see Union Island All-Stars up against Mustique Icons from 7:30 pm, and from 9:30 pm, Bequia AllStars will face off against Canouan Islanders.

The final and presentation ceremony are scheduled for Saturday.

I.B.A.ALLEN

V

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

Sports

Friction THERE HAS to be friction in the West Indies Cricket team. The thinking process must have been switched off, or perhaps the turn on button was damaged. We were not sure what we were into in the last Test series.

West Indies put up a whole heap of ‘grand charge’ that came to nothing. Talk is cheap. Action speaks louder than words. These are well worn slogans. Anyone can say what he or she wants. It is the results that matters.

The West Indies cricketers have been given a stamp of approval with the squad showing no changes from the one that put on that horrible display in India.

Had it been football, the coach would have been axed, and the new management would have engineered full scale changes.

Scores of 234, 168, 182 and 187 from a batting line-up boasting some of the best proponents: that is a woeful failure. The bowling department was also woefully inadequate for the job. The bulk of the bowling was entrusted to Shane Shillingford.

His action has been thrown into the spotlight once again.

Shillingford took 11 of the 20 Indian wickets that fell. We lost 40 in a frenetic six days.

The glamour of Twenty/20 and indeed ODI cricket has attracted many television viewers. But when the situation arises and the elements of Test cricket are demanded, players have to muster the presence of mind to make the adjustment.

Our West Indies crop of players seems incapable of making the switch. It seems that the rigours of Test cricket have sapped the mental wits from our cricketers. So they have opted for what some persons termed a ‘no-show’.

What is going to happen in New Zealand? I do not envisage appreciable differences. It is a mind game, and the players have pressed the button of indifference in preference to adopting to anything positive.

It is the worst times West Indies cricket fans have been subjected to in their career. Thoughts of having weathered the storm may have been the trend of the perpetual optimist.

But the ‘surrender’ to India shattered the pride that lingered within us. It is onerous having to confront the situation, but we might as well deal with it, because it will not go away.

Sports fans can prepare for the Football World Cup with the 32 finalists having been determined.

Speculations will heighten as to who will be the 2014 champion.

Attention will also be on the Ashes series.

Local attention has its equations to reclaim the honour which this country has accomplished.

We can’t afford to be despondent. There is a duty to go on with the journey and fulfil the purpose which has been delegated to us.

Some changes creep up on us so subtly, it is delicate to make the adjustment.

In the West Indies, many of our players don’t time their departure, or are forced into some hasty arrangements. We also don’t have that sensitivity towards our stalwarts. India ensured the Tendulkar furore lingered as long as possible. We were keen to dump Vivian Richards at the slightest opportunity. We found reasons to hasten Brain Lara’s alienation.

The West Indies Cricket Board must look into the performance of their team in India. If they don’t, they might be allowing some ailment to fester.

Maloney shines in Greiggs ALL-ROUNDER Desron Maloney put in a matchwinning performance for Owia Young Strikers in last weekend’s round of matches in the Greiggs Softball Cricket Competition Seemingly inspired by his call-up to service with the National T20 Team, Maloney stroked a top score of 67 as Owia Young Strikers posted a formidable 177 from 18.1 overs, against Out Ah Trouble. Danny Allen returned figures of 4 for 18 for Out Ah Trouble.

All a tall task to make 178 for victory, Out Ah Trouble may have even magnified the magnitude of the task, and faltered for 59 in 16.1 overs, Maloney returning to do the damage with 4 for 18.

And though Maloney’s performance was outstanding, the real entertainment for the weekend was provided by Richie Richards, who literally scorched the field to compile 101 in an unbelievable total of 228 for 8, for Combined Sixers against Hard Knocks.

After Kemron Williams, 6 for 23, had bowled his shirt off for Hard Knocks, they were bundled out 88 from 14.1 overs.

Street Fighters lost their bout against CGM Novice by 5 wickets.

Street Fighters made 126 for 8 from 17 overs.

Osnie Billingy hit 35.

Travis Cumberbatch took 4 for 26. CGM Novice replied with 127 for 5 from 14. Renrick

Williams topscored with 40.

Sea Operation Nah Fren Dem-2 went under to Owia Shotters by 8 wickets. Sea Operation Nah Fren Dem made 99.

Jatan Daniel top scored with 41. Shanely Lavis took 2 for 3. Owia Shotters in reply reached 102 for 2 from 13.4 overs.

Omar Lavia hit 31 and Gent Lavia 22. Sachin James took 3 for 20.

This weekend’s quarter finals fixtures read: Saturday from 12 Desron Maloney noon RSVG Police play celebrated his call-up Owia Shotters and CGM to national service with Novice oppose Clinchers a winning all-round from 2.30; Sunday from 11:30 am Young Strikers performance in Greiggs face Combine Sixers, and last weekend. from 2:30 Sea Operation at the Greiggs Playing Nar Fren Dem-1 face Field.

Stalions.

All matches are played I.B.A.ALLEN

Central Leeward, JP Eustace lift Football titles

CHAVEL Cunningham’s conversion was enough to seal a one nil win for Central Leeward Secondary as the Ministry of Education School Football Championship Senior version wound up at Victoria Park last Friday.

Their opponents, Bethel High School, were reduced to ten men midway in the first half, but the omission seemed to have inspired the remainder of the party.

Cunningham’s strike came close to the final whistle and the sight of the ball in the nets triggered celebrations by the Central Leeward supporters.

Fate must have betrayed Bethel, however. They squandered an opportunity to extend the action on the field when they were awarded a penalty with time rapidly ticking away.

The Bethel High goal keeper, entrusted with the spot kick, saw his effort go wide, and that sunk the fortunes of his entourage.

Dr JP Eustace Memorial beat St. Martin’s Secondary two nil to clinch the Junior championship. Azara Browne from the penalty spot, and Kemuel Peters Dr. J. P. Eustace were the goal scorers.

Memorial Secondary St. Martin’s could not School, 2013 Junior muster the finishing Secondary Schools touch to get on the score Football Champs. line. In addition to lacking the killer instinct, St. Martin’s accuracy in passing was absent.

Dr. JP Eustace Memorial might have extended the lead if they were more lethal. They were stronger physically than the St. Martin’s lads.

Discipline among the youngsters did not seem to be a prevalent factor, and there was evidence of that on the field.

Chavel Cunningham (centre) ensured that Central Leeward Secondary took home the Senior Schools Football championship title.

26. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN

V

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

Classifieds

ANTHONY THEREY DEBREO AKA BAKER Sunrise: 11th Jan, 1954 Sunset: 8th Nov, 2013 New Life Prayer Tabernacle South Rivers Sunday 17th November, 2013 Service at 3:00 p.m.

SYLVIA MARGUERITA CYNTHIA CONLIFFE HORNE St. GeorgeÊs Cathedral Kingstown Wednesday 20th November, 2013 Service at 3:00 p.m.

MR. ALBERT GEORGE WARRICAN

MR. CARLOS MYERS St. James Anglican Church Layou Monday 18th November, 2013 Service at 3:00 p.m.

MR. ANDREW „ANDY‰ JARDINE New Testament Church of God Calder Saturday 23rd November, 2013 Service at 2:00 p.m.

Sunrise: 5th November, 1944 Sunset: 3rd November 2013 St. Josephs Roman Catholic Church Bellvue Monday 18th November, 2013 Service at 2:00 p.m.

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Family members at the service.

EC$1.50

Hon Girlyn Miguel delivered the eulogy.

THE VINCENTIAN newspaper.

The staff there, according to the newspaper’s editor who delivered the tribute, will always remember Primus “for his unyielding support,” and assured that “his colourful personality and charisma, will leave a lasting memory on all of us at THE VINCENTIAN.” Mrs. Loren Dabreo, a neighbor of Primus, and one who offered him friendship and care during his residence in Clare Valley, where he passed away on November 2, 2013, recalled Primus’ caring attitude and his commitment to the Unity Labour Party.

A fitting musical tribute was paid by the Brass Ensemble of the Richland Park Government School whose tutor and leader, Eustace ‘Slums’ Maloney, recognized Primus for having brought him the recognition that he now enjoys among the music fraternity, especially the calypso fraternity.

The Brass Ensemble also provided procession music from the Church to the cemetery.

His send off at the burial ground was in keeping with the cultural expression that would have pleased Primus. The rhythmic interpretations of many of the traditional funeral favourites would have certainly soothed the passage to his final resting place.

In the words of the tribute paid by THE VINCENTIAN: “He fought a good fight, strong and bold in the challenges of his sickness, never complaining, remaining hopeful and proud. He was a tower of strength. He will be sadly missed by us all.”

Farewell, Primus, until we meet again.

A section of those who sent Primus off to his final resting place.

A VINCENTIAN STALWART LAID TO REST

The Richland Park Government School Brass Ensemble provided procession music.

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GERALD PRIMUS, a former senior reporter with THE VINCENTIAN, was laid to rest at the Richland Park cemetery last Sunday, November 17.

His burial followed a service, featuring a quartet of Elders and Pastors, at the Richland Park Seventh Day Adventists Church, and a gathering from diverse walks of life, including his media colleagues, though some were noticeably absent.

He was eulogized by the Hon. Girlyn Miguel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, who recalled knowing him from his infancy.

She described him as a person of strong character and conviction, one with “proper upbringing,” and a noted supporter of the Unity Labour Party, who never failed to check-in with her regarding developments in the Marriaqua constituency, which she represents and from which Primus hailed.

He was, according to Minister Miguel, committed to the Marriaqua valley, and wanted the best for it.

Several of tributes were paid to Primus, including one on behalf of

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

Printed by the SVG Publishers Inc., Campden Park.