THE VINCENTIAN PDF - 06-10-23

by KENVILLE HORNE

THE HOMICIDE COUNT SO FARfor the year in St. Vincent and the Grenadines now stands at 41, inclusive of three by police action.

The 41st homicide was recorded when Charles McIntosh, a 74-year-old Supervisor at the Wilson/SOL Gas Station at Arnos Vale, was shot in the driveway to his home located a stone’s throw away from the Station.

The incident is reported to have taken place on Friday, September 29, 2023, at about 10:40pm, after McIntosh had

secured the Gas Station at the end of the day’s business and was on his way home.

A police report said that “an unknown assailant exited from a car and shot him about his body”. He was pronounced dead on the spot by the District Medical office

McIntosh, originally from New Montrose, was a retired Civil Servant and a former employee of VINLEC.

The former Emmanuel High School (Kingstown) alumnus, like many of his fellow alumni, was an ardent volley player and served on the executive of the National Volleyball Association during the 1970/80s.

He was married to Doris McIntosh, a retired civil servant and past President of the SVG Netball Association.

Arnos Vale residents comment

McIntosh was described as a respectable man and his death has left Arnos Vale community puzzled and searching for answers. Some residents are already speculating as to the reason McIntosh was murdered.

Continued on Page 3.

Right:

as a ‘humble’ man who went about his business without fuss.

Charles McIntosh was described

(Facebook photo)

Left: Wilson/SOL Gas Station at Arnos Vale, was the target of a robbery in 2020.

ParliamentariansÊ pension amended

member of the House is not less than EC$2,000 per month.

According to Gonsalves, the genesis for the amendment arose out of a debate which was held on a Pension Bill during a previous session of the Parliament, about a former Parliamentary Representative for the Southern Grenadines who had not qualified for pension and who served 7 years as an elected member.

Under the previous Bill, members needed to serve a minimum of 9 years to become eligible for a pension.

According to the Prime Minister, there were several former Parliamentarians who were now deceased and who had not qualified for pension, and who served in the House of Assembly before 1969 before the pension Bill came into effect.

ELIGIBLE,retired members of Parliament will now receive a minimum pension of EC$2,000. This as the previous Pension Bill for members of Parliament was amended at the October 3 Meeting of the House.

According to Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, who moved the motion for the Amendment Bill, the objective was to ensure that the quantum of pension payable under Section 4 to a retired

He explained that despite the rule guiding eligibility for pension as a Parliamentarian, former members who did not qualify did receive a pension and it started at EC$1,200, then it increased to EC$1,500

New toilet experience for the NSPD

THE BATHROOM EXPERIENCEhas improved for those working at and those who make use of the facilities of the headquarters of the National Society for disAbled Persons (NSPD).

This with the donation of one smart toilet device compliments ‘My Smart Toilet Seat to the NSPD, on September 26.

Speaking at a brief handing over ceremony at the NSDP headquarters in the old Anglican School building at the corner of Higginson and Bay Streets, Curtis Bascombe Bowman, Manager at ‘My Smart Toilet Seat’ said that modern society is faced with many social and environmental issues, and as a result, businesses could no longer think just the bottom line.

He posited they must consider “..how they can contribute to a better working environment within society,” adding, “So, whilst we cannot solve all the problems of the world, we can surely make life more comfortable for many.”

In following that line, the company recognized the need to be good corporate citizens (and) to find ways to assist individuals and organizations that care for people with these challenges.

According to Bascombe, he had a discussion with Andrea Ashers, President of the NSPD, about donating one of the smart toilet to the NSPD, which he said was expected to change the entire bathroom experience. (DD)

per month.

“And when the matter arose at Cabinet, and we had decided that in all the circumstances, we should increase it,” Gonsalves said.

He added that it had occurred to him that there was at least one former member, and there was the possibility of more persons under the existing pension Act who qualified after 9 years, but given the low level of salaries for Parliamentarians, they would not reach EC$2,000.

Under the previous Bill, pension was computed in the case of a person who served as a elected member 9 years in the aggregate at one fourth of the highest annual salary drawn by that person; in the

case of a person who served more than 9 years but less than fifteen years in the aggregate one third of the highest annual salary drawn by that person; and in the case of a person who had served as an elected member for 15 years or more in the aggregate at one half of the highest annual salary drawn by that person.

Former members were identified, one having served more than 9 years and was not getting EC$2,000 per month as their pension, said Gonsalves, and another former member had been identified as having served 9 years and was only receiving EC$1,000 per month for their pension.

“Before us today, despite subsection 1 of sub section 4, if the pension payable to a person on the subsection 1 on a monthly basis is less than the sum of $2,000 per month, the pension shall be increased by an amount necessary to bring it to the sum of $2,000 per month — a very simple amendment,” Gonsalves said. (DD)

Gas Station Supervisor shot dead

Continued from Frontpage.

Residents in Arnos Vale with whom THE VINCENTIAN spoke on Saturday, were generally tight lipped and those who offered comments asked not to be identified.

There was a common tread in what those who spoke said: they believed McIntosh knew sorting things and someone wanted to silence him.

“Listen, Charles is a humble man, he takes his job serious and he doesn’t get in thing with people. Why do you think somebody would just target an old man who can’t even defend himself? He could have been alive if those who were supposed to protect him were doing their job,” said a frustrated middle age man.

One woman said that her family and McIntosh were very close. “I know him for a very long time, he come from Montrose. He and my husband was really good friends. If my husband was alive all now he would a cry so much for Charles,” said the lady in somber tone.

Readers will recall that McIntosh was at work on Friday August 28, 2020 at the said Wilson Enterprises Inc.

(SOL Gas Station) when it was robbed. The robbers escaped with ECC$ 1626.00, the property of Wilson Enterprises Inc.; ECC$ 1500.00, the property of a resident of Arnos Vale; and ECC$ 180.00 and one bag valued ECC$ 80.00, the property of a resident of South Wood.

Police detained four (4) men in relation to the commission of the offence but the men were never charged.

Charles death followed that of a Murray Village farmer, Augustine “Turbin” Prince on Wednesday 27th September. Prince was found face down on the Mountain road in Carib Village, Campden Park with what appeared to be bullet wounds in the upper part of the body and elbow.

And Mark Williams died on 26th September four days after he was shot by a masked assailant at a shop at Block 2000/New Montrose.

The Royal SVG Police Force is appealing for anyone with information related to these three shooting deaths. Persons with information are encouraged to call 999/911 or, the Officer in charge of South Central Division at 1-784458-4200 or, any police station or police officer with whom they are comfortable speaking.

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves tabled the Amendment Bill to increase the minimum pension payment for parliamentarians who qualify.

The donation of a ‘Smart Toilet’ device is formalized with a handshake between Andrea Ashers of the NSPD (right) and Curtis Bascombe of My Smart Toilet Seat.

Nobody knows how ÂChiefmanÊ got chopped

Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS

KIMRON ‘WARLORD’ HANNAWAY, also known as ‘Dog Man’ of Old Montrose, was met lying on the ground unresponsive with a cutlass in his right hand when police visited the scene shortly after Hannaway was shot dead at Block 2000, close to 10am August 2, 2020.

But nobody seems to know how the Block 2000 resident Devon ‘Chiefman’ Charles, who was charged with Hannaway’s murder, was chopped in his head and hand.

A 12-member jury found Charles not guilty of Hannaway’s murder on Tuesday.

The Crown’s case which relied mainly on an eyewitness Paula Straker, was that Charles attacked and shot and killed Hannaway that morning, but they (Crown) had no knowledge of how and when Charles sustained chop wounds to his head and hand.

Evidence showed that Charles was treated for chop wounds at Dr. Junior Ackies Clinic at Arnos Vale, shortly after the shooting incident, and police officers who visited the crime scene at Block 2000 recovered a short cutlass in the right hand of the dead man.

The Crown contended that Hannaway was using a cutlass earlier to fend off Charles’ dogs (Pit bulls) from biting Charles’ neighbor Paula Straker, as she made her way to church that morning.

“So after he (Charles) shot the man (Hannaway), he (Charles) took the

cutlass from the dead man, chop himself in his head and hand, put back the cutlass in the dead man’s hand, and jumped over the fence?” Charles’ attorney Duane Daniel questioned rhetorically in his closing arguments on Monday.

He told the Jury not to accept Straker’s evidence as it was unreliable. He said that Straker, who had told the Court that the incident took place in her yard, also said she did not see Hannaway chop Charles before he (Hannaway) was shot, but in statements given to the police on August 2, 2020, and on August 23, 2020, she said she saw Hannaway chop Charles following which Charles reached for a gun from under the spouting of her house and shot Hannaway who fell backward while Charles fled.

“They (Crown) don’t know how he (Charles) got chopped. They are trying to minimize his injuries. The records are there. The man get chop in he head, and the man get chop on he hand. To say that she (Straker) don’t know how the man get chopped is a lie, if she was there at all,” Daniel told the Jury.

“Is either she (Straker) nah bin dey, and she is not an eyewitness, and the Prosecution has no case, or she was there, and she is not telling truth, but what she told the police is consistent with self-defense,” the lawyer continued.

Daniel noted that Charles was admitted to the Milton Cato Memorial

Hospital, and kept on the male surgical ward for several days in relation to his injuries.

Straker had told the Court earlier in the trial that she was getting ready for church that morning when she saw one of Charles’ dogs in her yard. She told her son to tie the dog but he told her the dog would not bite her. She said that after she left the house and while passing Charles’ yard , two of Charles’ dogs jumped on her and one of them bit her. She said Hannaway came to her rescue, and was using a cutlass to fend off the dogs from her. She said Charles asked him why he was hitting his) dog and hurled a bottle at Hannaway, saying, “Boy you chop up my dog.”

She said Hannaway ran to her yard, and Charles pursued him. She went into her kitchen and saw Charles reach for a gun below the spouting of her house and fired several shots, during which Hannaway was shot, and fell backward.

No firearm was produced in evidence, and there was no evidence as to who owned the gun, or how it got below Straker’s spouting.

Straker had admitted under crossexamination that she was aware that Charles used to frequent her premises, but he did so when she was not at home, and she had told her children she did not want him there.

Under further cross-examination, she said she could not remember telling the police in statements on

August 2, 2020, and three weeks later, that Hannaway chopped Charles. She maintained, “I still cannot recognize that I told the police ‘War Lord’ chopped ‘Chiefman’. If I said so it was because I was traumatized.”

She maintained that Hannaway did Charles nothing. She said Hannaway was trying to protect her from the dogs.

The crime scene was processed, and blood was seen leading to Straker’s house, but no samples were taken for testing. Spent shells were also recovered, but they were not checked for fingerprints.

Corporal Renetta Millington of the Major Crime Unit (MCU) led the investigations.

The prosecuting team was comprised of Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Tameka McKenzie, Crown Counsel Rose Ann Richardson, and Maria JacksonRichards, while Justice Brian Cottle presided.

not guilty again – four up Connell: I had to recuse myself

DEVON‘Chiefman’

Charles was cleared of his fourth murder charge, within 15 years.

At the conclusion of a trial that lasted only seven days at the Criminal Assizes, High Court No. 2, a 12member mixed jury, on Tuesday, October 5, found the 38-year-old Block 2000, Old Montrose man not guilty of the August 2, 2020 murder of fellow villager Kimron ‘Warland’ Hannaway, also known as ‘Dog Man’, 28, who died from a gunshot wound to the head.

But it was the first time Charles was acquitted at the High Court, as in his three previous murder charges he was cleared at the Magisterial level.

Charles was first charged with murder in 2008. He was then jointly charged with Kamani Williams, Jawanza ‘Sanga’ Fraser, Benford Joseph, Orman

Hannaway, Roland Gumbs and Marlon Stokes with the August 28, 2008 shooting death of Atiba ‘Crimo’ Waldron at the Pembroke Gas Station.

However, only Gumbs and Stokes were committed to stand High Court trial. The others, including Charles, were discharged at the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) on May 21, 2009 after then Chief Magistrate Sonya Young upheld a no case submission by their lawyers. i.e. that there was not enough evidence to link them to the crime.

Attorneys Kay

Bacchus-Baptiste and Grant Connell represented Charles, Fraser, Williams, Stokes, Gumbs and Hannaway while Carlyle Dougan Q.C, now retired, appeared on Joseph’s behalf.

Stokes subsequently died at His Majesty’s Prisons from a heart attack, leaving Gumbs

alone to face the judge and jury. He was sentenced to 5 years in prison for manslaughter, after then Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)Colin Williams accepted a plea of guilty to the lesser charge.

However, Charles was again charged with murder in July 26, 2016 stemming from the death of Andre ‘Sweet’ Chewitt/Durham, who was shot in the head and back at Upper New Montrose on July 23, 2015. He was also charged in November 2016 with the murder of Gibson Corner resident Andre ‘Judge’ Bowens who was shot and killed on September 15, 2015.

But the then DPP Colin Williams discontinued both charges at the Preliminary Inquiry stage. Attorney Grant Connell represented Charles in both matters.

Attorney Duane Daniel represented him

in the recent matter. However, Charles did not walk free as the Jury found him guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to commit the offense of murder, stemming from the same incident. He will be sentenced for that on October 19. (See related on article)

ATTORNEYGrant Connell, who represented Block 2000, Old Montrose resident Devon ‘Chiefman’ Charles in three previous matters in which Charles was cleared of murder, did not represent him in his recent murder trial because Connell could have been called as a witness.

Instead, Duane Daniel represented Charles and a 12-member Jury, on Tuesday, found Charles not guilty of murdering fellow villager Kimron ‘War Lord’ Hannaway on August 2, 2020.

When contacted on Wednesday, Connell told THE VINCENTIAN, “I had to recuse myself because of the possibility of being a potential witness in the matter.”

Connell explained that when Charles went to Dr. Junior Ackie’s Clinic at Arnos Vale to seek medical attention for chop wounds to his head and hand, shortly after Hannaway was shot and killed at Block 2000, Charles contacted him (Connell), and he (Connell) went to Dr. Ackie’s Clinic where he interacted with Charles, and the police, who subsequently arrived on the scene.

After Charles received medical attention, he was taken into custody in relation to Hannaway’s murder.

Connell was not called to testify in the matter.

Kimron ‘Warlord’ Hannaway for whose murder Devon ‘Chieftan’ Charles was foun not guilty.

The popular verdict is that Devon ‘Chiefman’ Charles is a lucky man if ever there as one.

‘Chiefman’

Attorney Grant Connell handed over the case to Duane Daniel.

Commissioner John bids farewell

Photos: RSVGPF

COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, Mr. Colin John bade farewell to hundreds of police officers who were in attendance at his final Commissioner’s Parade and Lecture at the Old Montrose Parade Ground, on Thursday, September 28, 2022.

As the Commissioner inspected the officers on parade, he shook the hand of each police, and thanked them for their support and service to the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) and the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

Following the parade, Commissioner John addressed the officers at the Old Montrose Lecture Hall, thanking the

gathering for their support during his tenure and encouraged them to give that support and more to his successor.

He posited that except for a few “bad eggs”, the RSVGPF is a ‘good’ Force with some of the most hardworking and dedicated officers he has ever encountered. He took the time to congratulate all of the officers who were recently promoted and expressed comfort to those who were not.

Reminiscing on his early years as a police officer after enlisting on January 16th, 1988, he recalled working several stations, branches, and units including Beat and Patrol, Honour Guard, Immigration Office (Bequia, Mustique, and Canouan), Police Canteen, Police Training School, Criminal Investigations Department and Narcotics Unit.

Touching on the issue of personal and educational development in the organization, the Commissioner said that he was very happy to see several members of the constabulary pursuing studies in different areas. This he opined, would benefit the RSVGPF.

And as for what next, John said, “Very soon, I will literally and figuratively be walking away from this job and people are wondering and enquiring ‘What is he going to do next’. All I would say is that I have various options. I am happy to have served the people of SVG, the region and the world in this capacity.”

Commissioner John is a Barrister and Solicitor by profession. He obtained his law degree from Holborn College in the United Kingdom. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales on July 22, 2010, and then to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Bar in October of that same year. He

go on to hold

the position of Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

On August 01, 2016, he was appointed as Deputy Commissioner of Police, then to Acting Commissioner of Police in 2017 and was confirmed Commissioner of Police on December 31, 2018. He was the first Vincentian Commissioner of Police to be elected as President of the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police

(ACCP) in 2019. He was re-elected to that position 2021.

And in recognition of his 35 years as a Police Officer, the Gazetted Officers and rank-and-file members of the RSVGPF thanked him for his service to the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and extended best wishes and success in his future undertakings as he retires from the organization.

(Submitted by RSVGPF)

would

Special recognition for the female members of the force whose numbers would have increased under Commissioner John’s watch.

Commissioner Colin John (right) takes his final salute.

A special goodbye of sorts between the Commissioner of Police and outstanding Detective Sergeant Bjorn Duncan.

Below: A final show of Appreciation for members of the Rapid Response Unit.

Managing Director: Desiree Richards

Editor: Cyprian Neehall

Telephone: 784-456-1123 Fax: 784-451-2129

Website: www.thevincentian.com

Email: thevincentianpublishing@gmail.com

Mailing Address: The Vincentian Publishing Co. Ltd.,

P.O. Box 592, Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Air Transport: CAL expanding

NEWS OUT OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO,as

per the Trinidad Guardian, is that the stateowned Caribbean Airlines Ltd. (CAL) plans to lease 12 new passenger aircraft to deal with increasing demand.

This was disclosed by that country’s Finance Minister Colm Imbert as he made his 2024 Budget presentation early this week.

According to Imbert, the planned fleet expansion by CAL comes as a direct response to a strong intra-regional air transport demand that emerged as a result of the exit (or is it demise?) of LIAT, and has come post COVID-19.

Imbert gave exact indication of how the expansion will entail.

“The airline thus intends to expand its fleet to meet this growing demand through the lease of four additional ATRs and three additional B 737-8s, bringing the fleet size to a pre-pandemic level. CAL also plans to lease five Embraer E-175 regional jets to service the intra-regional demand and to establish bases and hubs across the region to promote efficiency and costreducing measures’, he told his country’s Lower House of parliament.

He added, “… CAL is pursuing cargo operations as an essential revenue source and is leasing 2 ATRs and 2 B 737-800s aircraft to grow and expand its cargo services across the region.”

And without making direct reference, Imbert is saying that his government is behind this expansion… that it will see to the financing whether directly or more conveniently serving as a guarantor. Sounds familiar?

As a major shareholder of the now disemboweled LIAT (1974) Ltd., this country and its Prime Minister in particular, since it appears he remains at the forefront of facilitating some new regional air transport entity to replace LIAT, should take serious NOTE of what Imbert said.

Our Prime Minister’s counterpart — Gaston Browne in Antigua - should also find Imbert’s revelation to be disconcerting as he goes ahead, all cylinders firing, bent on establishing his LIAT 2000 as the alternative to the original airline.

Of note is Imbert’s reference to leasing “five Embraer E-175 regional jets to service the intra-regional demand and to establish bases and hubs across the region to promote efficiency and costreducing measures.”

The real situation is that CAL with all it challenges, can move tomorrow to

expand its fleet. This while both Gonsalves in the south and Browne in the north remain grounded, not knowing when or if their plans will take off.

(And while we are on it, we are yet to be informed about what the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) proposal as a way out of this intra- regional air transport maze.)

CAL has identified the potential of intra-regional air transport and is prepared to capitalize on it fully equipped.

There is always the petty politics of our CARICOM governments that seem to emerge at times when a harmonious attitude is preferred, so it is left to be seen how much of an increased schedule CAL will be allowed to fulfil.

The other issue at hand is Imbert’s referenced intention to “establish bases and hubs across the region to promote efficiency and cost-reducing measures.”

Is he speaking with surety in this regard? How many CARICOM territories would be disposed to accommodating this? Will the politics set in to discourage territories from entertaining Imbert/CAL’s plans and give preferred attention to what might develop otherwise?

A bigger question is: Can the island territories, eager to boost their visitor arrivals figures, afford to ignore CAL with its outreach to international markets?

This publication had from the very outset of indications of LIAT (1974) Ltd. going under that CAL should have been invited to the table to discuss some collaboration, leaving the door open a CAL investment. After all, LIAT government shareholder heads had consistently advertised the airline’s need for cash injections. Maybe CAL’s investment could have brought that needed injection, who knows?

That was not, it appears, a “sensible’ agenda item and now, whatever the separate efforts to revive some intraregional air transport service in the south and in the north — will come up against a clear indication by the Trinidad and Tobago, state-owned Caribbean Airlines Ltd. to expand its service in the region.

Too little too late! Strong political personalities do not necessarily make sound business decisions.

And while all this bubbles, hundreds of former employees of LIAT (1974) Ltd. are yet to receive their severance.

AFTER REFLECTING ON TWO recent high-profile dismissals or resignations, I cannot help but ask this question today. First, we had the police commissioner “trying to retire” and the PM making all kinds of public statements about his nondeparture. If someone doesn’t want to work for or with you, let them go.

History will evaluate now-retired Commissioner John’s performance as Chief. If we were to judge his performance by his success in expanding the size of the Police Department, one can say he was reasonably successful. He is leaving the Force with a substantially higher number of authorized police officers than when he took up the position. As far as securing and managing resources to operate the Force, I will leave that to people more knowledgeable than I about that. But from the outside looking in, I thought the Force was underfunded. I cannot attribute that to him because I do not know what he requested from the central government. He had a Force that was overstuffed and undercapitalized.

The appearance of the Central Police Station, Kingstown, leaves a lot to be desired. Indeed. This building could not have inspired pride and confidence for those who worked at that location. Okay, it is a crying shame the way one of our most beautiful buildings in town looks: boarded-up windows, a broken weather vane, a roof in disrepair, a courtyard that floods when it rains, and this list could go on.

The vehicle inspection sight at Arnos Vale is the next facility that received no attention during Commissioner John’s rule (tenure).

And if we judge his performance on the continuous increase in the annual murder rate and the Force’s low conviction rates, he failed us miserably. We can only hope his highhanded approach to peaceful protest did not permeate into the development’s DNA and, therefore, is behind us.

The other high-profile dismissal incident that is keeping us talking is the GECCU termination of its CEO, Mr. Stowe.

The way the credit union is handling this “soap opera” cannot instill confidence among its members. After weeks of speculation and rumors, the board finally granted its members a hearing. After reading numerous reports of the meeting, I

am still unsure why he was fired. We know that during the last two years of his tenure, the credit union increased its profits. We understand the decision to fire him was taken a few days before the annual general meeting.

The fact that both the board and the CEO stood before their members and lied by omission at that meeting tells me they agreed to present a unified front for the meeting. After the meeting, something seems to have gone wrong. The board is struggling to make an unambiguous statement about its decision, thus fueling a lot of speculation that all is not well behind closed doors with the organization.

Some experts say the most plausible grounds for his dismissal is using the president’s e-signature stamp without his approval. This is the least acceptable justification for the termination of the CEO, so, as we would say, colloquially, “Come again!”

At the special meeting of members last week, we also learned that the in-house attorney resigned a few months ago. I cannot help but wonder out loud if the absence of full-time legal counsel during the last few months is contributing to this seemingly catastrophic failure of the board.

I am also skeptical as to why Mr. Stowe is so silent. Was the underlying decision for the termination so bad that no one wanted to talk about it until now? For the sake of the GECCU community, is it not too late to ask for and get a joint statement by Mr. Stowe and the president to put this thing to bed once and for all?

And if you, Mr. Stowe, feel your contract was unfairly terminated, speak up and tell us why. If not, I will only be left with one conclusion: you are not as well-versed in the cooperative movement’s principles as the CEO should be.

Now, what are we to learn from these two incidents?

We should not take months or even years, which lengthens our default timeline for solving challenging problems in SVG. I am not asking our leaders to be as reckless as Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook who once famously said, “Move fast and break things.” But surely, we can demonstrate strong leadership and develop action plans for how to handle workplace conflicts. Horatio.

The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Not me and that CoP job

I LIVE OFFmy NIS pension and some savings I was able to pile up over the years. My children also chip in. So, when I say that I live month to month, believe me. And when I say things ain’t easy, believe me. So, an offer of a job, part time or anything would be welcomed. However, let

me make it clear. There is one job that I don’t want in this lifetime or in any other and that is the job of Commissioner of Police.

First, that seat seems to be very uncomfortable because it seems even though you would tell yourself you have certain authority, there is always somebody who

Best Village Competition

EVERY VILLAGE, public institution, business, and home should embrace the Independence Best Village Competition because of the benefit we can all derive from it. A clean, orderly, and beautiful environment not only impacts positively on our minds, but also encourages outdoor activities that make for healthier bodies.

If we can capture all the energy and volunteer workers with their enthusiasm, community spirit can be revived and the whole nation will be given a facelift. Beginning with each household, the surroundings can be cleaned, and flowers and fruit trees planted. The adjoining roadways too can be cleaned. If cleaning becomes a daily routine the maintenance time would be minimal especially if the children are allowed to take responsibility for this. Planting flowers and shade trees along the roadways not only adds beauty, but also helps to conserve the soil.

Parks, beaches, playing fields, hard courts, and abandoned buildings should not be left out. Whatever we can do to enhance their aesthetics, should be done. Current paid workers should continue to pay some attention to all these places even after the competition ends.

Wherever we spend our time, whether at home, work, or play, we have a responsibility for the good looks of the place. Others passing through would speak positively about us and have a positive attitude towards us as a result. Let us do our part in conserving the beauty of our environment.

Anthony G. Stewart, PhD

PEOPLE ARE ASKING:

* If it is a coincidence that the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security and the Commissioner of Police sought and received approval to proceed on retirement around the same time?

* Why was Deputy Commissioner of Police Frankie Joseph overlooked for at least an acting appointment as Commissioner of Police? Is he nearing retirement age?

* If what school children is saying is the truth, i.e. that the newly appointed Commissioner of Police (Acting) does not command majority support of the officers enlisted in the Police Force?

* If we remember that the ‘people had asked’ way back in January whether the Commissioner of Police and the Prime Minister had had a disagreement over the promotion of an individual from the Prime Minister’s security detail?

* Isn’t it time for a serious investigation into the services (at all levels) extended at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital? Is Ms. Walters still on the job as Hospital Administrator?

feel they must tell you how to do your job. And I don’t want that job because it seems that I will be instructed about who to charge and who not to charge.

And then, if you follow the last two decades or so, no Commissioner, even if they retired, served for any length of time. So, it’s not worth

the while because if I sit down as Commissioner and come up with a plan to fight crime or to clean up the traffic problem or to go after those persons who feel they are protected, I might never have the time to implement my plans. And if these plans don’t satisfy certain people, crapaud smoke my pipe.

And then, there is always going to be some men in the force who will not support me and will look to undermine me.

Ah wrong?

So, you see that Commissioner job, keep it. A certain poor Colin regret he took the job.

Robert

Delivering on a commitment

TAKE IT or leave it, Vincentians should recognise the Unity Labour Party government for delivering on certain commitment. One of those commitments is to provide houses for people whose homes would have been destroyed during the eruption of La Soufriere and during floods of one kind or the other.

Housing is dear to

Vincentians. Regardless of how small the house might be, Vincentians like to know that they have a home of their own. That has been the culture that we have inherited from our fore parents. Sadly, I must admit, I see a younger generation acquiring other things like fast cars, before trying to get a piece of land. But back to the government, only last

week they delivered on a commitment to people in North Windward and soon they will do the same for others in need in other parts of St. Vincent. Providing houses for those in need is not a new government thing. I recall that E.T. Joshua made it his business, i.e., the business of his government to provide homes for persons from the lower income

brackets. He even provided some middleclass housing in Stoney Ground.

So, let us not cry down the government for making homes available to poor people who cannot afford to rebuild or replace their homes. Instead, we should be recognizing this as a meaningful act and praising the government.

Herbert Williams

“IF YOU AREblack stay back. If you are brown stick around. If you are white, it’s all right”. This theory has dominated our nation in a complex way for some time.

The Viera’s, Bonadies, Greaves, and others are not red and were supposed to be out of business by now. The local traditional farmers were too black to be trained to run their own ganja business, so they deceived them to come down from the hills, promise them $1.3 million, and let it be a comfort to the fools.

The many civil servants who stood up for their human rights were pushed out of employment. The list is long.

We are no longer a Christian nation, and all the believers have everything in common (Acts 2:44). There was no poverty among the first (over 5,000) converted (Acts 4:32). By the way, is it wise to ask if our Prime Minister is an antichrist? He said that he is the world boss… an ancient warrior. The Christians want him to go to heaven by scaring him from going to hell;

that there is a bible with his finger’s blood in it. He showed up at the gospel fest as a high priest preaching something else other than love. We have reasons to ask.

The scripture may help us understand the question. “Little children, it is the last time; and you have heard that the antichrist shall come, and even now there are many antichrists…” 1 John 2:18. In verse 17, John stated that the present evil order of things is passing away (we in the last days of man-made political, economic and religious dominion). This led John to affirm that it is the last time, “even now are there many antichrists”. The antichrists were around over 2,000 years

ago and are in our midst today. So, those of you who are waiting for the antichrist to come open your eyes, open your mind.

We want to tell the PM that Saul was an antichrist before he became Paul. We don’t want to scare you PM, all we want you to do as you sit in Moses’ seat, open the door to the kingdom/government of God/Heaven, (Matt. 23:13). Nineteen years

ago, you were given this message of the kingdom/government of the great IAM. If you want to hear, depart from me or come ye blessed… (Matt. 25:34/41).

Our work is finished. The message of the Kingdom of Heaven has sent a King. Danger is ahead of this nation if the PM fails to establish heaven’s laws in SVG.

Christian Democrat

The antichrists are all around

Our Foreign Policy continues to deliver

Introduction

A COUNTRY’S FOREIGN POLICYshould be crafted in such a way as to compliment the domestic policy, to achieve the national development ambitions of that country. It should not be an independent, arbitrary concept pulled from the sky, with ideas that do not mesh well with what the country is seeking to achieve as its overall objectives. Once properly crafted and effectively implemented, the foreign policy should offer many benefits to the country that would justify its existence garnering support by the citizens who reap the benefits. This is in no way suggesting that countries should engage in the type of foreign policy that is purely transactional, where support and cooperation is based on what is given in return, because this would be a dangerous practice. In situations like these, smaller, poorer countries with nothing to offer in return can find themselves ignored in the multilateral environment, or beholden to richer countries that have resources to trade for support. This is why, one of the fundamental tenets of any country’s foreign policy (and more specifically in the case of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), is the principle(s) on which it is built and is guided by. In our case, our foreign policy is based on the adherence of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, respect for sovereignty and independence and the non-interference in the domestic affairs of states. SVG believes in and promotes the peaceful settlement of disputes through mature diplomacy striving always to be friends of all as we work together towards the advancement of the global goals agreed to. This has enabled SVG to establish relations with countries of differing ideologies, yet still work with them effectively, bilaterally, and multilaterally to advance many causes and bring major benefits to our nation, our region, our hemisphere and our world.

SVG’s

Multilateral Leadership

Since 2016, the excellent work done by our government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our representatives posted overseas has reaped benefits and elevated SVG as a global thought leader and a nation with consistent and principled positions. Because of this, our country has been supported for a number of leading roles regionally and globally, gaining near unanimous support in almost every instance. During the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, SVG was elected as the chair of the Finance and Budgetary committee of the United Nations, with responsibility for leading negotiations on the budget of the entire organization that was agreed at US$5.4 billion. Following the successful negotiations, SVG’s Representative H.E Ambassador Inga Rhonda King, came in for high praises and commendations for the work done during the negotiating process. The years following saw SVG assuming the Vice Presidency of the Economic and Social Council in 2017 and then in 2018 being voted the president of ECOSOC, with responsibility of leading the charge in the advancement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These were quite remarkable for a small island like ours, but SVG was not done, as during this period, our country was also embarking on a campaign that started since 2010 to gain a seat on the United Nations

Security Council, the highest decisionmaking body in the world. In 2019, in a history-making election, SVG became the smallest country to ever be elected to the UNSC, defeating El Salvador by a vote of 185-6, bringing to an end a very successful 10-year campaign driven by the mantra “friends of all, we strive for a better world” to an end. Currently, SVG is the Pro-Tempore President of the Community of Latin America and the Caribbean (CELAC), a position that was supported by states such as Mexico and Brazil, to lead negotiations with the EU and Africa in this resurgence phase of the organization. If our country wasn’t showing real leadership, none of these accomplishments could have been achieved.

India-SVG Relationship Strengthened

This week we look at the diplomatic relationship between SVG and the Republic of India and how it continues to offer benefits to Vincentians. Both countries enjoy a cordial relationship since establishing diplomatic ties and Comrade Ralph leading his ULP government has since deepened the levels of cooperation between both countries. India contributed financially to SVG after Hurricane Tomas and the 2013 floods and has been a consistent friend of our country in times of disaster and need. The generosity of our friend was most evident during the Covid-19 pandemic, a period where developed countries exhibited a most shameful practice of vaccine nationalism, hoarding all available doses to first inoculate their populations before offering assistance to developing countries. It was during this time of their need that India donated 40,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines to aid SVG in its fight against the deadly Covid-19 virus, saving hundreds and possibly thousands of lives. India has also assisted the agricultural sector by provided an assistance of US 1.03 million to SVG in 2017 under UNIDO for modernization of Arrowroot Industry for climate change resilience and sustainable rural livelihoods for indigenous communities. Most recently, India has partnered with SVG in implementing 4 “Quick Impact Projects” in communities cross our State that will be used to improve the lives and livelihoods of residents. The construction of the Glenside recreational facility, that has a hardcourt and children playground; the renovation of the Port Elizabeth market in Bequia, the renovation of the Calder community centre and the renovation of the derelict fisheries complex in Chateaubelair converting it to a modern agroprocessing and training facility, will have an immediate impact on those communities. It is no coincidence that the strengthening of the India-SVG relationship has occurred over the same period where Comrade Ralph has developed a brotherhood with India’s Prime Minister, H.E Narendra Modi. This one-on-one diplomacy practiced by our comrade has served SVG well as our country continues to make its mark internationally.

Our foreign policy is serving our nation well as it continues to deliver benefits for our people.

Crime spiralling out of control in SVG

THE PRIME MINISTER and Minister of National Security, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, must take the blame and responsibility for the crime situation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Dr. Gonsalves has failed to send a strong message to the criminals. His attempt to address the escalating crime in the country has once again demonstrated that he is out of touch with the people.

Forty-one (41) homicides have been recorded for the year so far. What is even more disturbing is that a significant percentage of these homicides remain unsolved as the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force seems unequipped to come to grips with this crisis.

In twenty- two (22) years, the Minister of National security and successive Commissioners of Police have failed to present to the nation a credible and comprehensive plan to deal with spiralling crime. A new Commissioner of Police has now taken office, we believe that he should be an independent-minded person, must command respect of all officers, must have good record as a crime-fighter and must be a good communicator, especially with the public. He should also be willing and able to engage the public on important matters and to keep the public updated of the status of highprofile investigations.

The New Democratic Party (NDP) also repeats its demand for the Prime Minister to relinquish his responsibility as Minister of National Security and appoint someone who can focus on the role more fully. The time has come to appoint someone who has the time and expertise to do the job. Dr Gonsalves has failed miserably as Minister of National Security. Under an NDP Government, Major St. Clair Leacock will be appointed as Minister of National Security and he will get things under control.

The Way Forward

President of the NDP, Honourable Dr. Godwin Friday, has outlined the following measures:

We must focus on crime prevention. Remember, an ounce of prevention is still better than a pound of cure. We should therefore invest heavily upfront, on crime prevention. In this regard, the programmes outlined in the NDP’s Spiritual and Social Redemption Charter should be implemented. The Charter promotes positive communityoriented programs that would steer vulnerable young people away from crime towards socially positive behaviour.

We must restore trust and confidence in the police and the criminal justice system. Trust in the system now is shaken and broken. Political connections should not shield anyone involved in a shooting, theft, domestic violence or other crimes from proper investigation and prosecution. Justice must be equal for all. This will help everyone and will help the police in their work and their lives. They and their families are members of society and like the rest of us are equally vulnerable to crime and violence.

Further, the police cannot solve crimes by themselves. They need the community to provide information during investigations and to be witnesses in criminal cases. We can promote this by implementing and

pursuing community policing. With specific training in community policing, the police would engage in trustbuilding activities in communities. For example, regular meetings between the police and community members should be introduced so that they would work together to prevent and solve crimes. The police must see their mission as serving and protecting people and be keen to embrace the community in so doing. We must also increase the presence and visibility of police in our streets and communities, not in a hostile manner but to assure people that they are there to protect them.

We need a well-resourced and wellequipped criminal justice system. There continues to be an outcry in our country about the ineffectiveness of our criminal Justice system that too often fails to impose appropriate penalties to deter offenders. Creating an effective and well-resourced criminal justice system involves the police, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the courts (i.e., magistrates and judges) and the prison system. It is vital that these components are appropriately equipped and that they function professionally and independently.

It also involves (i) reviewing our criminal laws and revising them to provide greater sentencing options for magistrates and judges; (ii) introducing measures that would improve access to justice; (iii) increasing the number of magistrates; (iv) expanding the High Court and improving its facilities; and (v) upgrading forensic laboratory services to expedite investigation and prosecution of offences and thereby eliminate the backlog of criminal cases. The system must also provide support for victims of crimes such as rape, sexual assault, and domestic violence to help them recover and be able to resume their lives as best they can.

Further, we must promote rehabilitation of offenders. Fighting crime is not only about punishing offenders; it must also involve rehabilitation. Offenders should be provided with programs that would help to keep them from reoffending and becoming a perpetual menace to society. In this regard, we should establish a Young Persons Rehabilitation Centre for non-violent young offenders. This will prevent many young offenders from becoming hardened criminals, lost to a life of crime. Focusing on rehabilitation is not coddling criminals (as some might say). On the contrary, it is effective crime fighting that protects all of us. Rehabilitation has been proven to work and is cost-effective. We should also re-introduce the Police Cadet Service to provide young people with an avenue for entering the Police Service. We must professionalize and modernize the police service. To achieve the best outcomes in crime fighting, the best officers must be recognized, supported, and rewarded. This includes reviewing remuneration and promotion practices for the police, including the Auxiliary Police, and ensuring that they are done, not as political favours, but on merit. Fairness is key to success. It should be clear that combatting crime is not just for the police; it is everybody’s business. It requires us to work together at all levels to succeed.

A Legacy of Kindness

“Even though our time in this life is temporary, if we live well enough, our legacy will last forever.” - Idowu Koyenikan, internationally acclaimed business consultant and author.

THE DESIRE TO SHARE THE THOUGHTS appearing in this essay emerged while driving to work and listening to BDS Nice Radio (90.3 FM and 103.3 FM). The radio station’s Managing Director, Mr. Douglas DeFreitas, was sharing some thoughts in relation to the topic and invited listeners to consider the legacy that they would leave as parents, politicians, business leaders, workers, and so on. These were considered very sobering thoughts. It is certainly important for each of us to consider the legacy that we will leave noting that the most valuable of these are likely to surround the positive impact that we have on others and, in this regard, acts of kindness may play a major role.

Kindness is a universal language that transcends nationalities, geographic spaces, gender, cultures, and age groups. It is a simple act of giving of self, sometimes sacrificially, with the expectation that it will show appreciation and relieve the pain, suffering, or burden of the recipient or community. Many kindness-donors expect nothing in return but appreciate when the recipients show gratitude. The holy bible is replete with examples of individuals who embraced and practiced the timeless virtue of kindness. However, Christianity is not the only religion that advocates this practice. Buddhism also emphasizes the value of loving-kindness. In addition, many ancient philosophies have advocated the importance of this priceless virtue. Over the years acts of kindness have strengthened the fabric of society creating and sustaining opportunities for reconciliation, bonding of relationships, expressions of appreciation, and so on.

Many of the national heroes of the various Caribbean nations have left legacies that continue to encourage and inspire. Their names adorn street signs and highways. Schools and airports carry their names. Such modes of national recognition encourage the younger generation to conduct research in relation to their outstanding accomplishments. However, there are many unsung heroes whose names we may not readily recall but they have enshrined their legacy in the lives of individuals that they touched and they, in turn, inspire others to excel. This is testament to the fact that legacies have a ripple effect. The legacy of kindness is no different. When one person performs an act of kindness, it often inspires others to engage in similar activities. Legacies of kindness do not necessarily require a significant financial investment. Legacies of kindness are not inevitably burdensome. The goodwill can emerge via words of kindness that are spoken or written. Words, emerging from a fountain of pure thoughts can create and sustain chain reactions of goodwill that lift the spirits of readers and listeners providing hope that can ricochet beyond geographic space and time.

The legacy of kindness, while providing inspiration beyond the timeframe in which the acts have been performed, are known to generate tremendous benefits to those engaged in kindness activities. Research has confirmed that acts of kindness release chemicals in the brain (e.g., oxytocin) that reduce stress levels and intensify feelings of happiness. Thus, individuals whose lives appear to be focused on

creating a legacy of kindness, even though they may not be aware of doing so intentionally — i.e., that is just who they are and how they view life, are likely to discover that they experience a great sense of satisfaction and selfworth. Such individuals are therefore likely to experience heightened mental and emotional health. They may testify that there is a reciprocal relationship between acts of kindness and a sense of well-being.

The legacy of kindness can also be observed at the community and corporate level. In the case of the latter, many companies now engage in giving back to communities through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes. Many boards of directors, CEOs, management teams, and employees engage in financing and volunteering their time and skills to enhance communities through a variety of kind acts. Some also do so by providing scholarships aimed at supporting the academic advancement of the recipients. In their own way, they leave a rich legacy of kindness that go beyond the here and now to impact generations not yet born.

Legacies of kindness are also visible through volunteerism. Service clubs, non-government organisations (NGOs), the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society, and various foundations, continue to attract individuals from various age groups who dedicate their time, energy, skills, and resources to help those in need. The legacy of kindness is encapsulated in organisations such as these and via dedicated individuals whose commitments to acts of kindness transcend time. Their acts of kindness, as they coordinate individual and community enhancement, continue to have a significant positive impact on society.

Times of adversity and crisis provide opportunities for the magnification of acts of kindness. This was recently evident during and immediately following the 2020-2021 eruptions of the La Soufrière Volcano in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Acts of kindness erupted as individuals, churches, service clubs, and other organisations throughout and beyond St. Vincent and the Grenadines exerted selfless efforts to reduce the discomfort faced by those individuals who were forced to abandon their homes and forms of livelihood in search of safer dwellings. Acts of kindness during these very trying times provided hope in the goodness of mankind and the value of compassion when threatened by adversity. The lessons of empathy through activities like these ensure that the legacy of kindness will continue to flourish.

Such examples beckon us to imbibe the wisdom of Germany Kent, the African-American print and broadcast journalist, who beckons us to “Live your life in such a way that you’ll be remembered for your kindness, compassion, fairness, character, benevolence, and a force for good who had much respect for life, in general.” As we do, we will create a legacy of kindness that will transcend our sojourn on planet earth.

Why do Mass Movements fail?

Guest Column by Chris Hedges

THERE WAS A DECADE OF POPULAR UPRISINGSfrom 2010 until the global pandemic in 2020. These uprisings shook the foundations of the global order. They denounced corporate domination, austerity cuts and demanded economic justice and civil rights. The Occupy Wall Street and the Black Lives Matter mass demonstrations following the execution of George Floyd in 2020 are cases.

There were also popular eruptions in Greece, Spain, Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Turkey, Brazil, Ukraine, Hong Kong, Chile and during South Korea’s Candlelight Revolution. Discredited politicians were driven from office in Greece, Spain, Ukraine, South Korea, Egypt, Chile and Tunisia. Reform, or at least the promise of it, dominated public discourse. It seemed to herald a new era.

Then the backlash. The aspirations of the popular movements were crushed. State control and social inequality expanded. There was no significant change. In most cases, things got worse. The far-right emerged triumphant.

What happened? How did a decade of mass protests that seemed to herald democratic openness, an end to state repression, a weakening of the domination of global corporations and financial institutions and an era of freedom sputter to an ignominious failure? What went wrong? How did the hated bankers and politicians maintain or regain control? What are the effective tools to rid ourselves of corporate domination?

Vincent Bevins, in his new book ‘If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution’, chronicles how we failed on several fronts.

The ‘techno-optimists’ who preached that new digital media was a revolutionary and democratizing force did not foresee that authoritarian governments, corporations and internal security services could harness these digital platforms and turn them into engines of wholesale surveillance, censorship and vehicles for propaganda and disinformation. The social media platforms that made popular protests possible were turned against us.

Many mass movements, because they failed to implement hierarchical, disciplined, and coherent organizational structures, were unable to defend themselves. In the few cases when organized movements achieved power, as in Greece and Honduras, the international financiers and corporations conspired to ruthlessly wrest power back. In most cases, the ruling class swiftly filled the power vacuums created by these protests. They offered new brands to repackage the old system.

Too often, the protests resembled flash mobs, with people pouring into public spaces and creating a media spectacle rather than engaging in a sustained, organized and prolonged disruption of power. This ‘riot porn’ delighted the media, many of those who engaged in it and, not coincidentally, the ruling class, which used it to justify further repression and demonize protest movements. The far more effective and crippling tools of grassroots educational campaigns, strikes and boycotts were often ignored or sidelined.

As Karl Marx understood, ‘Those who cannot represent themselves will be represented.’

In If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution, Vincent Bevins dissects the rise of global popular movements, the selfdefeating mistakes they made, the strategies the corporate and ruling elites employed to retain power and crush the aspirations of a frustrated population, as well as an exploration of the tactics popular movements must employ to successfully fight back.

‘In the mass protest decade, street explosions created revolutionary

situations, often on accident,’ Bevins writes.

‘But a protest is very poorly equipped to take advantage of a revolutionary situation, and that particular kind of protest is especially bad at it.’

‘Organize, create an organized movement. And don’t be afraid of representation. Many thought representation was elitism, but actually, it is the essence of democracy.’

The historian Crane Brinton, in his book ‘The Anatomy of Revolution’, writes that revolutions have discernable preconditions. He cites discontent that affects nearly all social classes, widespread feelings of entrapment and despair, unfulfilled expectations, a unified solidarity in opposition to a tiny power elite, a refusal by scholars and thinkers to continue to defend the actions of the ruling class, an inability of government to respond to the basic needs of citizens, a steady loss of will within the power elite itself and defections from the inner circle, a crippling isolation that leaves the power elite without any allies or outside support and, finally, a financial crisis. Revolutions always begin, he writes, by making impossible demands that if the government met, would mean the end of the old configurations of power. But most importantly, despotic regimes always first collapse internally. Once sections of the ruling apparatus –police, security services, judiciary, media, government bureaucrats – will no longer attack, arrest, jail or shoot demonstrators, once they no longer obey orders, the old, discredited regime becomes paralyzed and terminal. Disciplined political organizations are not, in and of themselves, sufficient, as Greece’s left-wing Syriza government proved. If the leadership of an antiestablishment party is not willing to break free from the existing power structures they will be co-opted or crushed when their demands are rejected by the reigning centers of power.

The protestors may have opposed neoliberal policies, but they also were shaped, he argues, by neoliberal subjectivity.

Unlike the revolutions of the 1970s that espoused a powerful socialist, antiimperialist, anti-capitalist, and social justice impulse, Arab revolutionaries were preoccupied more with the broad issues of human rights, political accountability, and legal reform. The prevailing voices, secular and Islamist alike, took free market, property relations, and neoliberal rationality for granted - an uncritical worldview that would pay only lip service to the genuine concerns of the masses for social justice and distribution.’

As Bevins writes, a ‘generation of individuals raised to view everything as if it were a business enterprise was deradicalized, came to view this global order as ‘natural,’ and became unable to imagine what it takes to carry out a true revolution.’

The popular uprisings, Bevins writes, ‘did a very good job of blowing holes in social structures and creating political vacuums.’ But the power vacuums were swiftly filled in by the military or different sets of oligarchs.

‘The horizontally structured, digitally coordinated, leaderless mass protest is fundamentally illegible,’ In order to understand what might happen after any given protest explosion, you must not only pay attention to who is waiting in the wings to fill a power vacuum. You have to pay attention to who has the power to define the uprising itself.

STI policy to be drafted

to contribute to the evolving process of global knowledge creation.

“An effective policy on science, technology and innovation will improve our competitiveness, create sustainable growth and help buttress our countries from the worse kind of change effects,” Quarless said, adding that it will further strengthen resilience in the face of increasingly destructive natural disasters.

According to Quarless, the workshop was an important step in the preparation of a draft STI policy describing it as the ideal setting to gather input from senior public sector officials and draw from the experiences and observations to further build on the findings.

PERSONNEL OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION and other stakeholders, on October 5, wrapped up a three-day workshop aimed at drafting a policy to guide the country forward in the area of science, technology and innovation (STI).

Among the organizations involved in the workshop was the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

And according to Diane Quarless, Director Caribbean Subregional Headquarters for ECLAC, while addressing the opening ceremony of the workshop held at the UWI Global Campus SVG Lecture Hall, there was no question that STI has become one of the essential pillars of sustainable development.

She said that there will be opportunities for small island developing states, like St. Vincent and the Grenadines, to keep abreast of and

“Leveraging STI has become a fundamental tool for supporting the transformation of productive structures and ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources,” Quarless said.

Aiming for Dec. 2023

Curtis King, Minister of Education, said that the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines recognized the importance of STI in the effort aimed at achieving the natural sustainable development agenda.

“Many of our national development challenges, particularly those associated with food insecurity, sluggish educational attainment in Mathematics and Science, escalating non-communicable diseases, the vagaries of climate change and the sustainable development of the productive sectors of the economy have given sharper focus on the need to

employ science, technology and innovation in a more structured and strategic manner to address these challenges,” King said.

So, it was against this backdrop that Ministry of Education was designated to spearhead the process aimed at producing a STI policy.

The process began in 2022 and according to the Education Minister,

the target date for arriving at a document was the end of December 2023.

“In St Vincent and the Grenadines, there is need for us to lend support to what is happening already regarding the initiative taken by the public sector and many private sector entities,” King noted.

“There must be the supportive framework to accommodate such initiatives to allow them to expand and be sustained,” he continued.

The Ministry, therefore, wanted to ensure that such a policy created the environment for greater research, innovation and development in society, King explained.

“We want to ensure that such a policy encourages entrepreneurship and attracts foreign investment.” (DD)

Six named for Public Speaking Finals

THE SIX STUDENTS who will contest the final of the 2023 Lions Club South Flow National Secondary Schools’ Public Speaking Competition have been named. This followed on the completion of the preliminary round of competition, that took place from September 26 to 29.

The final is set for a 7:00pm commencement on Tuesday, October 24 - at the Methodist Church Hall, Kingstown.

The finalists in order of appearance reads: Leesa Robertson- Adelphi Secondary; Kevisha Richardson- St. Joseph’s Convent Kingstown; Christian Joseph- St. Vincent Grammar School; Soren PhillipsThomas Saunders Secondary; Rayanna Ross - Mountain View Adventist Academy; and Jonniel Stowe - the St. Vincent Girls High School.

The first round of competition features the Prepared Speech on the topic: “Unless criminals’ proximity to power is reduced, their ill-gotten gains confiscated and a culture of lawlessness fostered, the level of crime will remain at unacceptable levels”.

The finalists will then speak for

five minutes on a topic of their choice, and complete their participation with an impromptu round.

At stake is the Lion Michael De Freitas Challenge Trophy, among other prizes.

Last year’s winner was Oscar Browne, who represented the St. Martin’s Secondary.

The first National Secondary Schools’ Public Speaking Competition was held in 1976 under the auspices of the then St. Vincent Jaycees. The winner was Colin Williams, now a High Court Judge in the Eastern Caribbean Jurisdiction. He represented the St. Vincent Boys Grammar School and edged out Ashely Caine, a retired Chief Agricultural Officer, who represented the St. Martin’s Secondary School.

The symbol of Secondary School Public Speaking, under the Jaycees, was the Arthur Connell Trophy, named in honour of one of the founding members, in 1959, of the St. Vincent Jaycees.

After the Jaycees experienced a period of dormancy in the 1990s, the Lions Club South assumed responsibility for organizing the Public Speaking Competition in 1999.

Public Speaking Finalist 2023 (from left) - Christian Joseph, Rayanna Ross, Kevisha Richardson, Leesa Robertson, Jonniel Stowe, Soren Phillips.

Diane Quarless, Director Caribbean Subregional Headquarters for ECLAC, emphasized that STI has become one of the essential pillars of sustainable development.

Left: Curtis King, Education Minister spoke of wanting the policy to encourage entrepreneurship.

Upping the ‘Independence Anniversary vibe

THIS YEAR’S INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATION package of activities rolls out during the month of October and tomorrow’s Miss SVG Pageant gets is going in earnest.

Aspects of national heritage are included aimed at “enhancing the show so that it looks like Miss Universe,” according to Aviar Charles coordinator of that event.

Vincentian competitive spirit will be on display in sporting disciplines, some established, some traditional and others building a platform.

The Comsport Independence Football Cup, to be played at the privately owned, recently upgraded Comsports Sporting Facility at Arnos Vale, enters its second edition and defending champion Hope International

Masters will be keen to repeat.

Six other teams will be fixed on handling the trophy as well as the $2,200 top prize. They are: Sion Hill Masters, Rodgers Photo Older Boyz, La Clery Masters (St. Lucia), North Leeward Masters, South Leeward Masters, and Sweaterz.

The Seven-a-Side competition, played under lights, attracts a number of past national players.

A drive is on to rev up the Motor Sport engine. Secretary of the Motor Sports Association Jeromy Charles says while the Independence activities catered to bikers, added attractions will include off road activities including Drag Wars at Buccament and on the tarmac of the decommissioned E. T. Joshua Airport, Arnos Vale.

A dexterity Test is also as part of the Motor Sports activities.

A Caribbean and international atmosphere is anticipated at a Meet and Greet at the Joshua Centre, October 26.

Charles points to a Sound Clash carded for Sunday 29.

The musical outfit ‘Silc’ is having an event called ‘Unplugged’. Band member Havlyn Gill promises the “unexpected” with a showcase of young musicians, scheduled for October 28, at La Vue Hotel.

Profits will go to schools where there are students who need help.

The sound of Pan is becoming frequent in the air buoyed by the enthusiasm generated by a series of Pan in D Street concerts hosted by the Youlou Pan Movement. Concerts have been held in Kingstown, Barrouallie and Mesopotamia, and South Rivers will be the venue for the next concert scheduled this Sunday, October 8, beginning at 3pm.

And in keeping with the acceptance that God is present in every function, Captain Wilkings Buisseret representing the SVG Christian Council, assured that a National

Thanksgiving Service will be held at the Kingstown Baptist Church, Sunday 22nd October, at 4pm.

An “Independence Gospel Explosion - Family Picnic and Concert” is fixed for the Rawacou Recreational Park, October 29. St. Vincent—born Evangelist Bridget Blucher headlines a cast of international, regional and local artistes. The event will feature 44 gospel acts.

The SVG Ex Teachers Association of New York will bring the benefit of their experience to bear on Vincentian soil. A panel discussion at Frenches House, Thursday October 19, will provide enough food for thought. Dr. Adrian Fraser - noted Vincentian historian, alongside Senator Benarva BrowneMinister of Urban Development, Radio Personality Christal Oliver, and Rudy Daniel - President of the Paralympics Association, will look at the topic: ‘Social media creates no

less challenge to society than radio and television sixty years ago.’

Herman Ambris, speaking on behalf of the body, said he is excited to be home and cherishes the opportunity to advance the education process. He was supported by Jackson Farrell. (WKA) (See related articles on Page 17)

The 2023 Miss SVG pageant get the Independence Anniversary Month of activities going.

Below: The band Silc will coordinate a showcase of talented young Vincentian musicians.

Steelband music will give a true Vincy feeling to the activities.

The Comsport Independence Football Cup affords the veterans an opportunity to display what skills they still possess.

The Rawacou Recreational Park will be the venue for a Gospel Explosion with a difference.

Miss Metrocint beaming with confidence

IT WAS THREE MONTHSof hard work for 21-year-old Denicia Boatswain, Miss Metrocint General Insurance Company Limited, as she prepared for the 2023 Miss SVG Pageant set for Saturday 7th October at Victoria Park.

But the hard work has not daunted her. Instead, she has come out of it confident that she is ready for the challenge and to WOW the patrons at the show.

Not only has the preparation, including three weeks of rehearsals, made her show-ready and confident, but the successful implementation of her extremely impactful Community Outreach Project on the Black Economy (Crime Busters), as well as her input as a team player in the Cook-Off activity among the contestants, have energized her and made her more selfassuring.

Her strong support team - her home/family circle, her sponsor Metrocint, her project team, her community, her chaperone, her trainers and othershave combined to prepare her to give it her best on and off stage on Saturday night.

Borrowing the ‘tag line’ sponsor Metrocint, Denicia and her team are of a single voice when they declare, ‘We’ve got you Covered’.

The poise of Denicia Boatswain, Miss Metrocint, is unquestionable as this photograph exemplifies.

A relaxed Miss Metrocint and Cecil McKie, Manager of Metrocint Insurances, during an activity that comprised her Community Project.

Miss Denicia Boatswain during a visit to the headquarters of her sponsor, Metrocint General Insurance.

Teachers upgrading their own

THE ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

Teachers Cooperative Credit Union Ltd. is ensuring that they members are equipped to provide quality education to their students.

Three members - Abigail Lewis, Jonathan Roberts and Javorne Williams-Campbell - have secured bursaries worth $4,500 each to pursue training of their choice.

The handing over took place on Thursday, September 28, at the SVGTCCU headquarters in capital city Kingstown.

Roberts thanked the institution for “making such an opportunity possible,” and remarked, “The gesture shows that the Teachers Cooperative Credit Union has the interests of its members at its core.”

Based at the Gomea Methodist School, Roberts is pursuing a Bachelor of Science programme with focus on Youth Development and Management Studies, at The UWI Global Campus, Kingstown. Into his fourth year, he admitted, “It (bursary) takes a load off in financing the final year.”

Roberts opted for teaching at the primary school level after stints at North Union Secondary and St Martins Secondary schools.

Lewis, from the interior Vermont area, is doing Mathematics at the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies.

Williams-Campbell was on Campus at the time of the ceremony.

Dixton Findlay, Chief Technical Officer, Department of Post Education and Higher Education attached to the Office of the Prime Minister, congratulated the SVGTCCU on their

45th anniversary. He pointed to education as “the corner stone to knowledge and economic progress” and assessed the teachers’ bursary awards as helping with government’s target for tertiary trained students.

“Every bursary brings us closer to achieving the government’s goal,” Findlay stated and told the recipients, “We expect great things from you.”

Chief Executive officer at the SVGTCCU - Jasmine Huggins-Daly, announced the increase in the bursary amount to coincide with the 45th anniversary of the institution.

The SVGTCCU was birthed following a strike in 1975 during which teachers experienced difficulty meeting their financial commitments.

(WKA)

Soroptimist support BTI

MEMBERSof Soroptimist

International St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SISVG) were delighted to attend the Graduation Ceremony at Barrouallie Technical College (BTI) on September 27th, 2023.

They did so to congratulate seven graduating students from the Garment Production Programme 2022 - 2023 Course, who had received support from the Club.

Graduate Miss Ashekah Huskisson was presented with a gift voucher by President Donnette O’Neil for her outstanding performance to use in her fledgling but already successful garment business.

On receiving the donation, she stated, “This will be most useful to purchase fabric to sew garments for

the upcoming Independence celebrations.”

SISVG’s assistance to BTI was made possible through a partnership with a sister Club, Soroptimist International of San Fernando in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Trinidad and Tobago club provided funds for ten sewing machines which were purchased locally. This went a long way in improving conditions for the students who previously had to share machines.

In addition, SISVG provided funds to needy students participating in Garment Production to assist with transportation costs. The Club continues with this support for the academic year 2023-2024.

The Club recognises that the BTI delivers a high quality Technical and Vocational Education, that enables young Vincentians to develop not only skills but teamwork and positive attitudes that equip them for employment or to start their own businesses.

President O’Neil in her remarks at the graduation ceremony urged the awardees to put into practice the technical skills learnt, to dream big regardless of the obstacles that may come their way, and to continue the learning process by taking further Caribbean Vocational Qualifications (CVQ) courses at higher levels, so as to increase their skills and gain a competitive advantage in the market.

(Source: SISVG)

Abigail Lewis (left) and Jonathan Roberts were on hand on Sept. 28, 2023 to accept their bursary awards. Javorne Williams-Campbell was offisland.

SISVG President Donnette O’Neil (2nd from the right, bottom row) & Club Members with BTI Garment Production Programme Graduates.

Gospel Explosion 2023 for Independence

FAMILY FRIENDLY entertainment and kidfriendly fun return to SVG’s Independence celebrations, as organizations and individuals come together to present an anti-violence event, designed to shine the spotlight on the love and togetherness amongst families, churches and communities.

The event, scheduled for Sunday, October 29th at Rawacou Recreational Park, takes the form of an “Independence Gospel ExplosionFamily Picnic and Concert”, under the theme, “We are many families but we serve one God”.

The family picnic and concert will

feature two headliners: Vincentian, New York-based Evangelist Bridget Blucher, whose ministry has been honored with 12 Caribbean Gospel Music Awards, whose performances have left audiences spiritually uplifted and whose songs have been said to bring healing, comfort and strength; and Trinidad and Tobago born gospel star, Positive, (Joel Murray) who was recently selected by multi-Grammy Award winning American gospel music hitmaker, Kirk Franklin to collaborate on his latest social media music project.

Other acts include D.A. Jay out of

SVG: Keeping it clean

COMMUNITIESthroughout St. Vincent and the Grenadines can win money this October.

That opportunity is afforded by the Best Village Competition reintroduced this year as part of the Independence Anniversary activities.

Ashford Wood, Secretary of the Committee outlined plans for the Competition at a media launch last Tuesday. He highlighted the return of the Village Competition, under the theme ‘Our resilience, our fortitude, our people, our identity Road to 45,’ with categories of Best Kept Surroundings, Best Flower Garden, and Best Community Spirit.

In addition to cash prizes of $5,000 for first spot, $3,000 for second. And $2,000 for third place, wheel barrows, shovels, cutlasses, rakes, picks, forks, hoes, files and other farming input will be availed.

Organizations and groups in communities can register with the National Independence Committee or get in touch with the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC).

The Secretary is looking at this year as a trend setter for 2024 when the nation turns 45 and towards that end, Wood wants residents to tidy up, foster friendship, and stick to natural beauty. (WKA)

Jamaica, Shantal from Trinidad and Tobago and Guyanese Naycha K.I.D.

The event will, in fact, feature a total of 44 gospel acts presenting in poetry, dance, praise and worship, from 44 different church ministries across the island.

Among the local acts are Jolesia Pope, Caywama, Andrez Bascombe, Gary Miller and Otto Essien.

Children will be catered to with a children’s playground with entertainment and games including obstacle courses, bouncing castles, ATV rides, bowling and water slides

among other activities.

The picnic commences at 10am whilst the concert starts at 2 p.m.

The event is being presented by New Life Promotion and Andrez Bascombe who stated that they “plan to bring one of the best productions to SVG on the 29th.”

He promises that the day will be one of good, clean fun with rewards, including prizes for the best dressed family, the biggest family in attendance and the church with the biggest presence at the event. (Submitted)

Positive promises to bring an appeal that touches the young people but does not bypass the older generations.

Evangelist Bridget Blucher will once again minister to Vincentians in song with her characteristic calming influence.

Ashford Wood, Secretary of the National Independence Committee.

A jealous streak

Dear George,

I HAVE TOadmit that I am a very jealous person and I have taken things to the extreme in my relationship with my girl. I have accused her countless times of having affairs but each time she proved me dead wrong.  We are thinking of getting married but there is this one issue I’m struggling with.

I know I have been wrong about her in the past but this time the evidence is very glaring. She was on the phone telling the person on the other end “the last time it was good and hopefully there will be more opportunities in the future.” That can only mean one thing. I checked her phone to see who she was talking to but it showed the call to be private. Why are people calling her ‘private’? If she is like this now what about after we get married?

Not Satisfied.

Dear Not Satisfied,

There is no point in going ahead and marrying someone if you cannot control that jealous streak within you. Trust is a very important pillar in any relationship. You need to take some time to work on yourself so that you would avoid unnecessary problems in your relationship. Here you are judging her without even one conversation with her. What is important is you making a commitment to work on yourself instead of using the finger pointing option. Going forward, you should be considering counselling sessions before doing anything else.

George

Dear George,

MY GIRLFRIENDand I have been together for 3 years and it hasn’t been a bed of roses.

I met this girl, a humble village girl, who has not even finished Secondary school. We developed deep feelings for each other.

One day, while she was at my house, my girlfriend visited and began cursing her out. I asked my girlfriend to leave which she did.

It was clear to me who I wanted to be with but my new friend shocked me by begging me to work on my relationship with my girlfriend, reminding me that every relationship has its problems. I took her advice.

Dear George,

My new friend was to shock me again when she told me she realized she had made a mistake by encouraging me to work on my relationship with my previous girl. She said she should have taken a shot at the opportunity that was staring her in the face.

The truth is, George, my girlfriend has changed her behavior and I like what I’m seeing. Am I wrong for following what seemed like good advice at the time?

Slightly Confused.

Dear Slightly Confused,

The advice given to you was sound; it was up to you to accept it or reject it and you

accepted it.

It’s obvious that you still had strong feelings for your girlfriend and probably this other girl did not want to be blamed for destroying your relationship.

If, in fact, you are satisfied with the way things are going now then continue putting in the work. If somewhere in the future things do not work out, then so be it. I believe that opportunities, a lot of the time, knock only once and should be embraced when presented.

From the looks of things, it seems like you have already made your decision. You need now to give it a fair chance to work.

George.

Rebuilding a relationship Too rough in bed

I AM AT A LOSSover my girlfriend telling me I am rough in bed. She wants to direct the bedroom traffic, telling me when to slow down, stop, etc. and I hate this.

She accuses me of not taking my time but I have made a giant effort to take my time with her. I do not know what else to do.

We have been together now for 4 months and to be truthful I cannot see us going much further. She is just cramping my style.

I have asked her to tell me exactly why she thinks I’m too rough but I have come to the conclusion that we most likely are not sexually compatible. The is a deal breaker for me. How do I tell her this is where I

jump ship?

Dusted.

Dear Dusted,

If there are other things about this individual that connect you to her, then you may want to exercise a bit more patience and try to find a way to resolve this issue. You may wish to suggest that both of you see a relationship counsellor to see if this issue can be resolved.

Do not just jump ship and leave her hanging. Have that all-important conversation when you see that counselor and then decide from there your next move.

George.

Come to your own conclusions rather than taking the word of someone else. You can help them with difficult projects. You'll find it difficult to control your emotions. You can gain distinction; however, it may be for the wrong reasons.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21)

Join groups of a humanitarian nature. Curb the impulse to make lavish purchases and maybe spend some time with good friends. Romance will develop if you get involved in social events that deal with children. It will be important that you have your priorities straight.

CANCER (June 22-July 22)

This might not be a day for hasty decisions. Travel will promote new romantic encounters. You must deal with an emotional problem with your loved one that you have been avoiding for some time now. Catch up on your reading and correspondence.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22)

Don't vacillate about asking for assistance if you need it. You can make reasonable bids on real estate or large items for your home. Use your creative abilities to come up with new ideas and directions. You should be in business for yourself.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23)

You can form new partnerships, but don't move too quickly; things may not be as they appear. Sudden romance could end just as quickly. Uncertainty regarding your mate may emerge; reevaluate what you see in each other.

Don't reveal anything about your personal life that could be used adversely.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23)

Get promises in writing or you will be disappointed. You will have excellent ideas for changing or renovating your home. You may have been too agreeable to someone who just wanted to use you. Real estate investments will be profit able.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22)

Changes regarding family members will set you off. Put something away in case of an emergency. Investments will not be as they appear this week. Your intellectual charm will entice mates who have common interests.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21)

Don't settle for less than the best. Be careful when dealing with female members of your family. Someone may be trying to damage your reputation. You will attract new love interests.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20)

Romance can develop; however, it will most probably be short-lived. Don't cause a scene, but when you get home let your partner know how you feel and why. Some of your new friends may not be that trustworthy. A change of attitude has probably disrupted your home environment.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19)

Make a point of working on yourself. You will be highly entertaining when in contact with your lover. Try not to take others for granted. Tempers could get out of hand this week. Dinner, theater, or a comedy club may be just the place.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20)

1.

6.

7.

4. 33. “___ cost you!” 35. King or Queen 36. Intensified 41. Dodging sort 42. The Green Wave, in college sports 43. Secretly wed 44. Object 45. Government

5. safety org. 46. Elevator man 47. Brewery ingredient 49. Neighbor of Sudan 50. Shoulder bag, e.g. 51. Arena shouts 52. Landlord payment

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

THE SIX-MEMBER ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES team to the World Archery Americas fifth Caribbean Development Championships (CDC), returned home with a total of five medals from what was this country’s first outing at a regional

Archery team medals on debut

Archery event. Making its debut at the event staged at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Tobago, from September 29 to October 1, 2023, St. Vincent and the Grenadines copped one gold, two silver and one bronze.

The pair of Jared Nichols and Divya Jiandani earned a gold each in the Recurved Beginners Under-18/Under-21 Mixed team, while Nichols got an individual silver when he contested the Recurve Under-21 Men’s singles.

Likewise, Jiandani took silver in the —

Recurve Beginner Under 18 Women.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ bronze medal was earned by Mariel Burgin, as she teamed up with David Persaud of the British Virgin Islands to compete the Recurve Beginners Senior Mixed Team.

Ian Gibson — Recurve Senior Men Category, Richol Richards — Recurve Senior Women Category, Marese Burgin — Recurve Senior Women Category, were the other Vincentians who were part of the historic outing.

President of the Archery Association of St. Vincent and the Grenadines- Sanjay Jiandani, who travelled

as Head Coach and Manager, said he was proud of the team’s showing.

“Every delegate of this team made a commitment to put on the national colours and represent St. Vincent and the Grenadines proudly… As a new Team on the block, all the odds were stacked against our team, but as it turned out, it was a job well done.” the Head Coach stated.

With eyes on the future, Jiandani expressed, “The success of the team is part of a vision for continued success in the sport of Archery here in St. Vincent & the Grenadines…. The Archery Association of

SVG is proud of the team, and looks forward to even higher levels of competition in 2024 and beyond.”

St. Vincent and the Grenadines was among

Rugby teams compete in Barbados

female team, Dellon Durant, President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Rubgy Union said, “It is important to note that the scores do not accurately reflect the unwavering energy and enthusiasm exhibited by the SVG women team, many of whom were participating in their first full 7’s match. ….. The team showcased at the Islands 7s tournament is relatively young and still in the early stages of their rugby development. I believe that with more opportunities to compete in higher level matches, the team will continue to grow and improve.”

eleven countries that was part of the fifth CDC. Archery the newest sports discipline in St. Vincent and the Grenadines was formally introduced here in 2021.

AFTER A THREE-YEARS HIATUS due to the COVID-19 health restrictions, international rugby made a triumphant return to the Garrison Savannah, Barbados, Saturday 30th September, 2023, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ men and women’s teams were among the participating countries in a Rugby 7’s Tournament to mark the occasion.

The St. Vincent and the Grenadines men went head-to-head with local teams H1X1 Barbados (Barbados International Touring Team) and JetBlues (Barbados National Team).

The men’s team put up a valiant

effort against the JetBlues team but went under 38-5, and displayed resilience and determination in their second and third matches against H1X1 even though they went under 36 — 5 and 27-7 respectively.

The Bajan Pride Women team dominated the less experienced SVG women in three matches, with the Vincy women going under 36-0, 42-0 and 24-0.

Commenting on the outing of the

I.B.A. ALLEN

Divya Jiandani – a gold medal on debut: a gold in the Recurved Beginners Under18/Under-21 Mixed team.

Jared Nicols - a gold and silver on debut. Mariel Burgin – a bronze on debut.

The SVGRU Women’s team that participated in the Invitational in Barbados.

Right: SVG’s Dmitri “Puss” Samuel was MVP of the Tournament pictured with SVGFU President, Dellon Durrant.

Action in one of the matches between the JetBlues and the SVG team.

THE SIX-MEMBER ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES team to the World Archery Americas fifth Caribbean Development Championships (CDC), returned home with a total of five medals from what was this country’s first outing at a regional Archery event.

Making its debut at

Archery team medals on debut

the event staged at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Tobago, from September 29 to October 1, 2023, St. Vincent and the Grenadines copped one gold, two silver and one bronze.

The pair of Jared Nichols and Divya Jiandani earned a gold each in the Recurved Beginners Under18/Under-21 Mixed team, while Nichols got an individual silver when he contested the Recurve Under-21 Men’s singles.

Likewise, Jiandani took silver in the — Recurve Beginner Under 18 Women.

St. Vincent and the

Grenadines’ bronze medal was earned by Mariel Burgin, as she teamed up with David Persaud of the British Virgin Islands to compete the Recurve Beginners Senior Mixed Team.

Ian Gibson — Recurve Senior Men Category, Richol Richards — Recurve Senior Women Category, Marese Burgin — Recurve Senior Women Category, were the other Vincentians who were part of the historic outing.

President of the Archery Association of St. Vincent and the Grenadines- Sanjay Jiandani, who travelled as Head Coach and Manager, said he was proud of the team’s

showing.

“Every delegate of this team made a commitment to put on the national colours and represent St. Vincent and the Grenadines proudly… As a new Team on the block, all the odds were stacked against our team, but as it turned out, it was a job well done.” the Head Coach stated.

With eyes on the future, Jiandani expressed, “The success of the team is part of a vision for continued success in the sport of Archery here in St. Vincent & the Grenadines…. The Archery Association of SVG is proud of the team, and looks forward to even higher levels of

competition in 2024 and beyond.”

St. Vincent and the Grenadines was among

Rugby teams compete in Barbados

female team, Dellon Durant, President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Rubgy Union said, “It is important to note that the scores do not accurately reflect the unwavering energy and enthusiasm exhibited by the SVG women team, many of whom were participating in their first full 7’s match. ….. The team showcased at the Islands 7s tournament is relatively young and still in the early stages of their rugby development. I believe that with more opportunities to compete in higher level matches, the team will continue to grow and improve.”

eleven countries that was part of the fifth CDC. Archery the newest sports discipline in St. Vincent and the Grenadines was formally introduced here in 2021.

AFTER A THREE-YEARS HIATUS due to the COVID-19 health restrictions, international rugby made a triumphant return to the Garrison Savannah, Barbados, Saturday 30th September, 2023, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ men and women’s teams were among the participating countries in a Rugby 7’s Tournament to mark the occasion.

The St. Vincent and the Grenadines men went head-to-head with local teams H1X1 Barbados (Barbados International Touring Team) and JetBlues (Barbados National Team).

The men’s team put up a valiant

effort against the JetBlues team but went under 38-5, and displayed resilience and determination in their second and third matches against H1X1 even though they went under 36 — 5 and 27-7 respectively.

The Bajan Pride Women team dominated the less experienced SVG women in three matches, with the Vincy women going under 36-0, 42-0 and 24-0.

Commenting on the outing of the

I.B.A. ALLEN

Jared Nicols - a gold and silver on debut.

Divya Jiandani – a gold and silver medal on debut: a gold in the Recurved Beginners Under-18/Under-21 Mixed team.

Mariel Burgin – a bronze on debut.

The SVGRU Women’s team that participated in the Invitational in Barbados.

Right: SVG’s Dmitri “Puss” Samuel was MVP of the Tournament pictured with SVGFU President, Dellon Durrant.

Action in one of the matches between the JetBlues and the SVG team.

Independent thinking

HOSTING WORLD CUP CRICKETis a worthwhile venture. It is a helpful marketing tool however costly it seems. Sports is a foundation for regional development. The trend in world affairs justifies that Vincentians are happy to be part of the spectacle. Paying attention to matters outside the normal realms of industrial or broader economic thrusts is a sure way of balancing any nation’s growth.

The network necessary for the staging of such exercises provides avenues for social cohesion. Vincentians are keen on putting a proper show and they will embrace this exposure. It is a time for the sporting fraternity to maximize the production. The buildup can the motivation for the youths of the region. The school system must enlist the staging of the World as part of their basic curriculum.

It is as good a time as ever to broader the spectrum to that extent where it combines sporting, and other intellectual spheres. Teachers and innovative thinkers in the strategic areas will coordinate the exercises.

Incentives must increase for the children and those who will have to carry some of the burden. Lifestyle play a big role in the adaption to the environment.

Agricultural bases ought to be part of the sporting background. It is not new in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. I was reminded that one of the best playing fields here (primarily used for cricket) was at Orange Hill Estate on the North Windward district. Handing over of houses there to persons stranded by the recent upheaval of the Soufriere volcano comes as a measure of divine intervention. It will be complete to ensure that some facilities for sport become part of the residential zone at Orange Hill.

That will be in keeping with that thrust in the sporting and cultural hubs. While those advances are made, we have to adopt to the elements on the fringes of community development.

It is encouraging to me that the Petit Bordel Playing Field is being rekindled. It has the served the nation admirably. The birth of Cumberland and Gooling facilities enhanced the north Leeward constituency in leaps and bound.

With the elevation we have attained, one could still keep the eye on the base. The task must continue to keep the pillars of success fortified.

The drive is on for deeper and more profound impact on the community. This period of Independence is as suitable an occasion to instill that fervor of national pride.

Sometimes, some things and some places have their own sense of occasion. It is always healthy to maintain that aspect of Village identity. The reigning calypso monarch reveled in her conquering presentation. Those little community events contribute to the national grid. It makes for useful resource development when solidarity is extended at the village base. There is every reason to move in that direction.

Those village gatherings for interacting in sporting and cultural events, formed the foundation of our existence. Long lasting and life time relationships have been formed and continue to broaden. Those the things we have to seek to engender.

More centuries in Masters cricket

ACENTURYeach from former national players Salvan Browne and Norlan Williams was the highlight of the third round of matches in the SVG Masters T20 cricket competition, played last weekend.

At Buccament, Browne was in sparkling form when he spanked 107 not out (5 fours, 9 sixes in 56 balls) to help propel RSVG Police Masters to a 126run win over Strokes Masters. In reply to Police’s 196 for 1 off 20 overs, Strokes Masters were restricted to 70 all out off 16.1 overs, Olanzo Jackson taking 4 for 8.

At Park Hill, Williams destroyed the Vee Jays Park Hill Masters when he stroked an unbeaten 101 (3 fours, 12 sixes in 42 balls) for P’Tani Masters, and helped them to 231 for 7 off 20. Vasco Sampson chipped in with hit 53. Park Hill Masters were embarrassed being bowled out for 61 in 14 overs, Elvis Browne 3 for 12.

In other results, Cato Heavy Equipment Glamorgan Masters beat Sion Hill Masters by 52 runs. Scores: Glamorgan Masters 147 for 8 off 20 overs, Kemwell Rodgruez 31, Conrad Jack 3 for

30; Sion Hill Masters 95 all out off 18 overs, Selwyn Caine 3 for 8.

North East Masters got the better of Stanley Browne Stubbs Masters by 4 wickets. Scores: Stubbs Masters 131 for 8 off 20 overs, Dyke Cato 2 for 21; North East Masters 132 for 4 off 17 overs, Harvey Pope 47 not out, Renwick Williams 29.

Davis Construction Bequia Masters defeated Civil and Architectural Solutions Park Hill Masters by 47 runs. Scores: Bequia Mastes 156 all out off 20 overs, Sherlon Pompey 37, Doran James 30, Christian Adams 3 for 11, Ricaldo Thomas 3 for 30; Park Hill Masters 107 all out off 18 overs, Primus Nanton 3 for 24.

St. Lucia takes W’wards Super 50

ST. LUCIA DEFEATED

Grenada in the first place versus second place playoff to take the Champion’s title of the 2023 Windward Islands Super 50 Cricket Championship.

In the match played at the Sion Hill Playing Field on October 01, Grenada were bowled out for 143 in 36 overs, Larry Edwards taking 5 for 17. Ackeem Auguste then hit a calculated 80 not out to lead St. Lucia to 143 for 4 from 25 overs.

In the third/fourth place playoff played at the Cumberland Playing Field, Dominica, going into the match having lost their three

preliminary matches, bounced back to beat host SVG by 8 wickets.

SVG batting first and led by Keron Cottoy, 58, and Gidron Pope, 47, were all out for 181 in 45 overs, Vincent Lewis 3 for 29, Gilon Tyson 3 for 37. Dominica, with scores of 64 not put and 63 from Gian Benjamin and Kavem Hodge, reached 185 for 2 in 36 overs.

Outstanding individual performances included: St. Lucia’s Shadrack Descarte scored the most runs, 187, and was named MVP of the Championship; Ackeem Auguste of St. Lucia took 9 wickets to lead all bowlers; wicket-keepers Jian Benjamin of Dominica and Sabinus

Emmanuel of St. Lucia led with 3 dismissals each.

Norlan Williams stroked 101 not out for Ptani Masters.

Salvan Browne hit 107 not out for RSVG Police.

St. Lucia – Champions of Windward Islands Super 50 Cricket.

Shadrack Discart scored the most runs and was not dismissed in any of his three innings.

Ackeem Auguste was the Championship’s leading wicket taker.

Changes to enhance Miss SVG Pageant

Continued from Backpage.

Deana Fairbairn — Miss Play 4; Arena Foy — Miss Massy Stores Limited; Trina Hooper — Miss National Lotteries Authority; Nia Laborde — Miss FLOW; Simesha Millington — Miss Coreas Ace Hardware; Letiesha Barbour — Miss Grenadine House; Tara Richardson — Miss JCI Sat. Vincent; Royesha Telemaque — Miss Intransit Exports.

by KENVILLE HORNE

MISSSVG 2023, scheduled for Saturday, October 07 at the Victoria Park, is expected to feature a number of changes.

The show is taking place in October for the second time and will see nine ladies vying for the prestigious title.

During a press conference last Tuesday, October 3, Aviar Charles, Chairperson of the Beauty Shows Committee, outlined the changes.

Charles said that the changes will include the re-introduction of the Culture Wear segment, changes to judging of the Evening Wear segment, as well as an introductory piece by the contestants.

“Last year we focused on different

CHANGES TO ENHANCE MISS SVG PAGEANT

elements of what makes us truly Vincentian but this year calypso lovers, I know, would love the introduction of this. We are paying homage to the calypso industry. Each contestant will wear a costume that represents a local calypsonian’s song,” explained Charles.

Further, Charles said, a decision has been taken to “split” the judging of the Evening Wear Segment. “The Best Evening Wear Segment will be split into two categories - Best Evening Wear and Best in Evening Wear.

“One of the things that we have noticed, we know for a fact that in the past there have been some contestants that may have had the best evening wear but not necessarily carried it best. So we wanted to ensure that we are fair across the board so we split that category. It is still the same 25 points,” Charles said.

Charles assured that her Committee is looking at enhancing the Miss SVG Pageant ensuring in the process that it measures up to international standards or as close as possible to

international standards.

“So when you come this year you will kind of get a Miss Universe type of feeling with the Pageant,” the former Miss SVG contestant promised.

The contestants in the Miss SVG pageant are: Denicia Boatswain — Miss Metrocint General Insurance Limited;

Continued on Page 23.

NEW CoP (AG) ANNOUNCED

ASSISTANTCommissioner of Police (ACP) Enville Williams has been appointed to act as Commissioner of Police.

His tenure commenced on October 1, 2023 as per an announcement by Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, last week Friday.

Dr. Gonsalves referenced Williams’ 30 years of service as a police officer, having enlisted in the Royal SVG Police Force at the age of 18.

During that time, he has seen service at the Western, South Central, and Eastern divisions, and has overseen security in the Grenadines and served in the Special Services Unit

(SSU) and Narcotics Unit.

Williams, a Seventh-day Adventist, replaced Colin John who THE VINCENTIAN understands proceeded on preretirement leave also on October 1, 2023, this after being granted early retirement.

With his promotion, the position of Assistant Commissioner became vacate. Dr. Gonsalves announced that this position will be filled by Superintendent of Police (SoP) Trevor Bailey, familiarly known as ‘Buju’.

According to the Prime Minister, Bailey, a publicly profiled veteran detective, will lead the crime fighting measures of the Royal SVG

Police Force, a responsibility held by Williams.

There was no indication as to who will fill the SoP position left vacant by Bailey’s promotion.

Williams is the sixth officer to serve in the position of Commissioner of Police, acting or permanent, since the Unity Labour Party first formed the government in 2001.

In related news, the Ministry of National Security now has a new Permanent Secretary. LouAnne Thomas, former head of the Training Division/Office of the Chief Personnel Officer, takes over from Hudson Ned who has proceeded on pre-retirement leave.

Aviar Charles, Chairperson of the Beauty Shows, promises a Miss SVG Pageant with changes but an enhanced presentation.

Enville Williams assumed the top cop position (acting) on October 01, 2023.

Superintendent of Police (SoP) Trevor Bailey has been promoted to Assistant Commissioner.

Jada Ross, the reigning Miss SVG, will make her final royal walk on Saturday evening.