Eli SlaterFisherman of the Year 2025, has been fishing for over 50 years.
by KENVILLE HORNE
ELI SLATER, who hails from the South Leeward Community of Clare Valley, has earned the title of Fisherman of the Year 2025.
In the fishing competition that formed part of the annual Fisherman’s Day activities, Slater and his crew, in a vessel named Ingeli 2, returned a total catch of 988.8 pounds, including the heaviest single catch, a yellow fin tuna weighing
123.6 pounds.
Eli Slater’s boat – the Ingeli 2, which landed the heaviest total catch for the day.
The activities were held at the Calliaqua Fisheries Complex on Whit Monday, June 09, 2025.
Slater’s entry in the earlier staged Beach Seine competition also copped the top prize with an impressive catch of 4,346 pounds of fish.
Among the prizes associated with the Fisherman of the Year title was a 60 HP four-stroke Suzuki outboard engine.
Speaking with the API following the completion of the day’s fishing activities, Slater declared, “I feel excited.”
He related, “I told my wife I would do all this for my
The single heaviest catch landed by the Ingeli 2 –a yellow fin tuna weighing 123.6 pounds.
grandchildren. I have two grand girls (Eliana and Elisha) in England. So, I told her this year I’m going to work towards them. Whatever I accomplish is for my two grandchildren.”
Describing his day, Slater said he and his crew left home at 1.30 a.m. on Monday with a positive outlook this after checking the weather and deciding on their fishing spot.
“Normally I go far over Barley soil to fish, but I told my villagers and my
wife that since Clare Valley was getting so much fish these last days, I’ll just take the bait from Clare Valley and go straight south-west.”
The vessel stopped at some 17 miles from shore and the men set about their fishing.
“Normally I’ll set 9 miles of line. But because of the event today, I just use 6 miles of the line. As you can see, it’s worth it,” said the excited man.
Continued on Page 3.
USA Eye Care Mission visits SVG
IN 1925, Helen Keller addressed a Lions Club International Convention and challenged Lions to be “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.”
Decades later, Vision has become one of the eight core areas of service for the organization, the other seven being: Childhood Cancer, Diabetes, Disaster Relief, Environment, Humanitarian, Hunger and Youth.
In fulfilling its commitment to help alleviate Vision problems, the Lions Club of Kingstown-SVG welcomed a 25member mission of Eye Care specialists from the USA, for their annual Eye Care 4U project, which ran from May 25th-30th, 2025.
During that period the team, comprised of highly skilled ophthalmologists, optometrists, surgery technicians, nurses and other related professional/volunteers, performed vision screening clinics and surgeries.
The team successfully performed 86 cataract-related and cornea transplant procedures at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH), all at no
costs to the patients.
Moreover, over 625 persons received free eye care/vision screenings, as well as blood pressure and glucose monitoring at the designated, temporary medical facility located at the Community College Villa Campus.
Several outreach programmes were also facilitated including one at the St. Benedicts’ Day Nursery and Children’s Home, Georgetown.
Follow-up visits and referrals were recommended where necessary, and reading and distance eye glasses provided free of charge. Each person was also provided with a pair of sunglasses.
The May 25th-30th, 2025 visit of
the USA Mobile Medical Mission to St. Vincent, in partnership with the Lions Club of Kingstown-SVG and the Ministry of Health, was the 49th such visit.
The members of the Lions Club of Kingstown-SVG, and the hundreds who benefited from the mission, extend heartfelt thanks to the members of the Mobile Medical Mission for their selfless and professional service.
The members of the Lions Club of Kingstown-SVG extends our gratitude to sponsors: Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (BOSVG), National Lotteries Authority (NLA), Kingstown
Cooperative Credit Union Ltd. (KCCU), General Employees Cooperative Credit Union (GECCU), St. Vincent Brewery Ltd., East Caribbean Bottlers Inc. (ECBI), Wilson’s Enterprises, Subway, KFC, the Vincentian Association of Winnipeg, the Vincentian Association of Reading, Laura’s Catering, Ms. Kendra Homer, Ministry of Health/MCMH, Sailor’s Cycle Centre and our partners the Leo Club St. Vincent.
Special thanks were also extended to the SVG Community College and to the individuals who in their own way contributed to the success of this mission.
Pre-screenings done by ophthalmic technician and surgical scrub Lorelei Tuttle catered to all ages.
Right: Consultation with Dr. John J. Dagianis.
Above/Right: Eye screenings being conducted by ophthalmologists.
Several students of the Trinity School of Medicine also benefitted from hands on exposure to the eye screening process.
Members of the Lions Club of Kingstown-SVG going through registration of patients at the clinic.
V News 3
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT for Central Kingstown Major St Clair Leacock has promised to expose his opponent, Marvin Fraser, in the next general elections in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).
Slater is Fisherman of the Year
Continued from Frontpage.
Slater disclosed that he has been a fisherman for over 50 years and he is the only one in the competition with a canopy on his boat with a redesigned interior.
“As they get older, they get weaker. So, I have a good friend in Grenada who does this type of fishing and he had a strut. He told me, ‘Eli boy, you’re getting old and that type of fishing you’re doing there, it will cripple
Major promises to „strip‰ Marvin
Fraser, who like Leacock, is a former president of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation, was nominated in March and later endorsed to represent the ruling ULP in the Central Kingstown seat.
Leacock, said, however, that while he was not spending a lot of time on Fraser, he remembers that in 2006 or thereabout, Fraser was part of the effort that unseated him as president of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation Leacock, has secured the
Just a glimpse of the type of boats that participated in this year Fisherman’s Day competition.
you’.”
The top fisher said that his friend encouraged him to do that type of fishing, explaining that “The live bait is the better bait to catch tunas and other ocean fish, and they love live bait. So what I did, I designed my boat different.”
He said he removed all the bars, the seats, and designed with a live bait well and a fish holding tank for the fish. So the live bait well, as you can see, is pay enough,” said the Fisherman of the
constituency for the New Democratic Party since the 2010.
At an NDP meeting in Green Hill last Tuesday, he promised that he will strip Fraser “piece by piece,” adding that the whole story “will be told in the fullness of time.”
And as though speaking directly to Fraser, the MP said, “You all have a way of grudgefully, dishonestly, and corruptively supporting wutlessness.”
Leacock is known for his fiery speeches and approach to politics, while Fraser, on the other hand, exhumes a calmer personality publicly.
Persons in the constituency are already gearing up for the battle.
Leacock, a veteran politician who is aiming to secure a fourth consecutive win in Central Kingstown, seems to have the upper hand at the moment, however, Fraser is yet to be tested.
During his nomination in March,
Fraser said, “My philosophy in life is that I esteem others better than myself…when I stand in front of you, I stand in front of you humbled by life experience in itself. I am here to serve you.” (KH)
Year. Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Saboto Caesar commended Slater for his innovation and encouraged other fishermen to do the same.
“A wonderful catch of
yellowfin tuna. I want to congratulate Mr. Slater. He continues to work with the ministry to provide advice, working in conjunction with the technicians, and this is a lot to celebrate,” said Caesar.
He said that there are
many young fishermen who were looking at Slater’s catch and were saying that for 2026, “we want to have a vessel like that one, with the methodology that he used so that we can increase the throughout for fishermen in 2026.”
This year’s Fisherman’s Day witnessed more than 100 fishermen participating in the competitions. The total catch for the Fisherman’s Day competition was 5,386 pounds.
Marvin Fraser, a debutant election candidate, is not known to be of a robust mature.
Major St. Clair Leacock is warming up towards a full exposure of his opponent.
Security officer fined for stealing rum
Stories: HAYDN HUGGINS
A 44-year-old Security Officer of Belair/Old Montrose was fined $500 at the Serious Offenses Court on Tuesday for stealing a bottle of Sunset Strong Rum.
The defendant, Daudi Chandler, who told the Court he was employed with the Ministry of Transport and Works, and got paid fortnightly, was ordered to pay the Court $400 forthwith and the balance of $100 by July 1, or go to prison for three months.
Chief Magistrate Colin John handed down the penalty after Chandler pleaded guilty to stealing a 1-litre bottle of Sunset Strong rum, valued at EC$56.69, the property of PeppaKorn Supermarket, Bay Street, Kingstown.
The rum was recovered from the defendant, in good condition, and the
Antonio Simon plying between St. Vincent and St. Lucia may have strengthened the case for denying him bail.
Court made a restitution order from the item.
The facts, presented earlier by Court Clerk, Corporal 572 Delroy Peters, showed that around 2:45 p.m. on June 6, 2025, a security guard employed with Elite Security Services attached to PeppaKorn Supermarket was perusing the monitors of the Supermarket’s CCTV system, when she observed a man, later identified as Chandler, purchasing a black handle bag.
That done, he proceeded to the Liquor Section, picked up a 1-litre bottle of strong rum and moved towards the cash desk as if he was going to pay for it. Instead, he walked past the cash desk and headed for the exit.
The Security Guard communicated via VHF radio to a Guardsman Security Officer who was in the
Sunset Strong Rum has once again been the target of a shoplifter.
supermarket, informed him of her observation, and requested that he stop the suspect and search him.
The Guardsman Officer complied, and during a search of the black plastic bag the strong rum was discovered.
Yhe police was informed. They responded and dispatched an officer to the supermarket.
The officer informed Chandler of the report made against him and took him into custody along with the strong rum. He was questioned, but made no statement.
However, at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), when he was cautioned and interviewed, he volunteered a written statement admitting to the offense. He was later charged.
In his statement, Chandler stated, “Officer, in all honesty, I took the rum
without paying, because I wanted to. There is no motive for taking the supermarket’s rum.”
He, however, told the Court on Tuesday that his action was a result of “a small stress,” but said he forgot to pay for the rum.
But the Chief Magistrate reminded him, “You didn’t forget to pay for the plastic bag. You bought the plastic bag and put the strong rum in it.”
Bail denied in gun, ammo case
AGEORGETOWN man was denied bail on firearm and ammunition charges on Wednesday, following strong objections by Court Prosecutor Renrick Cato. Antonio Simon has been charged with possession of a black 9mm firearm, make and serial number unknown, and 15 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, both without licenses.
Simon pleaded not guilty to both charges when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Colin John at the Serious
Offenses Court on Wednesday.
In objecting to bail, Prosecutor Cato told the Court that Simon was considered a flight risk as he frequented St. Lucia and Grenada, and was expected to leave the state for St. Lucia on June 21.
The Prosecutor pointed out that there was nothing to stop the defendant from leaving the state, even if his travel documents were surrendered to the state as a condition for bail, especially having been
booked to travel to a neighbouring country.
He assured that the matter could be heard on Monday, June 16.
However, Simon’s attorney Grant Connell told the Court that Simon was working in St. Lucia for over a year as an OECS citizen, and had sufficient ties to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
“He takes a flight all the time to St. Lucia and always returns,” Connell told the Court.
“Him working in St. Lucia is even worse,” the
Prosecutor rebutted.
“So, how you want the man to live?” Connell questioned rhetorically.
The lawyer contended that if the police had not found the ticket for Simon’s return flight to St. Lucia in his client’s possession, the Prosecutor would not have known about the defendant’s travelling record, and may not have even objected to bail.
Connell requested that Simon be granted bail, with conditions attached, pending his travel on
No evidence offered in D.J’s case
JUST OVERtwo months after popular DJ Rohan Cornwall’s wife Gailann Walters-Cornwall, reported to the police that her husband had injured her by chopping
her, she has refused to proceed against him.
Cornwall, referred to in the DJ arena as ‘DJ Kano’, was charged with the attempted murder of his wife, stemming from
an incident on March 20, 2025, in which she sustained chop wounds.
However, with the Preliminary Inquiry (P.I.), or Paper Committal Procedure, still pending, Chief Magistrate Colin John discharged Cornwall at the Serious Offenses Court on Tuesday, following the interesting development.
Cornwall had initially appeared in Court on March 25 in connection with the matter, and it was adjourned on several occasions.
When he returned to Court on Tuesday, June 10, his attorney Grant Connell requested an adjournment to the
following day to have the issue addressed.
On Cornwall’s return to Court on Wednesday, his wife was present and took the stand.
When the Prosecutor asked her if she had made a report to the police that Cornwall had injured her, she replied in the affirmative.
However, when the Prosecutor asked her if she wanted to proceed with the matter, she said no.
“You made that decision of your own free will?” the Prosecutor questioned further, to which Walters-Cornwall replied “Yes.”
As a result of what the woman affirmations, the
Prosecutor asked the Chief Magistrate to discharge the matter, and his request was granted.
Because the matter was laid indictably, and therefore would have involved a Preliminary Inquiry or Paper Committal Procedure, if this development had not occurred the case could not be dismissed, as Preliminary Inquiries and Paper Committal Procedures are not trials. It meant that the matter could be brought back.
However, because it was discharged there would have to be new evidence to bring it back. But if the Prosecution
Monday, June 16.
But the Chief Magistrate concluded that he was not satisfied that if the defendant was granted bail, he would be accessible for trial. As a result, John denied bail and remanded Simon until June 16. Reports are that Simon was found in possession of the firearm at Georgetown on Tuesday, while he was found in possession of the ammunition at Diamond on the same date.
Rohan Cornwall, aka DJ Kano, leaves the Serious Offences Court last Wednesday after being discharged on an attempted murder charge.
had instead withdrawn the matter, it could have been brought back at any point.
ÂCaribbean Education in crisisÊ
Lilia Burunciuc, World Bank’s Country Director for the Caribbean, declared that the crisis in the education system is “jeopardising the future of the Caribbean.”
Victoria Levin, senior economist in the World Bank’s, identified outdated teaching methods, among other things, as contributing to the crisis.
THE WORLD BANKhas labelled Caribbean’s education system as t as being in a state of crisis and warned of severe consequences if urgent reforms are not implemented.
During a virtual webinar on Monday, senior officials from the international financial institution laid bare the systemic inadequacies plaguing Caribbean schools, highlighting outdated teaching practices, ill-equipped infrastructure, and widening educational inequities.
They stressed the need for significant financial investment and enhanced teacher
support to reverse the region’s educational decline.
The World Bank’s Country Director for the Caribbean, Lilia Burunciuc did not mince words as she described a dire state of affairs.
“We are confronting a crisis that is jeopardising the future of the Caribbean, a crisis in education,” she said.
“This may sound dramatic, but the impact on education is so critical, and the systems are failing. Indeed, this constitutes a crisis. We must ask ourselves and answer questions about how we can strengthen foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking to improve learning outcomes,” she added.
The World Bank’s scathing assessment pinpointed numerous flaws within the Caribbean’s education system.
In a detailed analysis, Victoria Levin, senior economist in the World Bank’s education global practice cited outdated teaching methods, inadequate infrastructure, and severe disparities in educational access as key contributors to the region’s educational underperformance.
“Teaching practices in the Caribbean are still quite traditional, focusing on rigid curricula that do not meet the needs of 21stcentury learners,” Levin said. “Teachers lack the necessary support to
The World Bank’s analysis cited the under-utilised and ineffective use of teaching time as one of the shortcomings in the education system.
adapt their instructional methods, incorporate social-emotional skills, or assist students with special educational needs. Additionally, some countries lack professional standards for teacher recruitment and deployment, leaving inexperienced educators struggling in the classroom. Consequently, classroom time is not utilised effectively, hindering students’ knowledge and skill acquisition.”
Levin also raised concerns about the declining quality of educational infrastructure.
“Countries are not investing enough in capital expenditures or educational infrastructure. Schools are outdated and illequipped to handle the increasing frequency of extreme climate events. Digital infrastructure is equally inadequate, with poor Internet access and unequal access to digital devices, limiting students’ opportunities for continued learning and digital skills development.”
The World Bank also criticised the Caribbean’s highly stratified secondary education system, which entrenches social inequalities.
Levin highlighted the so-called “two-tier system” where elite schools cater to students from wealthier families, while under-resourced institutions serve lowerincome communities.
“The elite secondary schools maintain their privileged status through highly selective admissions processes based on standardised entrance exams. This serves as a sorting mechanism with lifelong consequences for students,” Levin said. “Meanwhile, the rest of
the secondary school system fails to deliver the necessary competencies, perpetuating social inequality.” (To be continued)
Editor’s Note: The World Bank’s findings on Caribbean education were derived from various data sources, not from a single, focused report. Main source for this article: Barbados Today which first carried the story in February 2025
Cutting of the Ribbon by Dame Susan Dougan and Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Governor General and Prime Minister respectively of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, while Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of The UWI (3rd right), Dr. Francis O. Severin, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of The UWI Global Campus (4th from left), along with other members of The UWI look on.
Expanded UWI Facilities formally opened in SVG
ON MAY 23,The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Global Campus marked a significant milestone with the grand opening of its newly expanded and renovated facilities at the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines site located in Kingstown.
The expansion project features a new, modern building spanning approximately 21,568 sq. ft. It includes offices, conference rooms, classrooms, a video conference room, computer labs, a library, a lecture hall, a cafeteria, and a student lounge. The project also incorporates leasable space and restores an aqueduct to honour the site’s historical significance, creating a functional and inspiring learning environment.
“This is a highly significant moment in our history,” stated Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves during his keynote address. He reaffirmed his Government’s commitment to ensuring educational access for all, especially for disadvantaged and working-class populations. Additionally, he praised The UWI’s role in promoting the nation’s growth and development.
He shared his longstanding connection with The UWI as an alumnus and a staff member, encouraging young people to recognise the opportunities available and pursue their education to unlock their potential.
He stated, “Education is the key to unlocking the
hidden genius within the Vincentian people.” He emphasised the importance of nurturing both visible talents and hidden abilities through access to education and training.
In his remarks, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, discussed the crucial transition from vision to action in institutional development. He underscored the importance of implementing ideas that have the potential to transform lives. He referred to a previous initiative aimed at dismantling The UWI Open Campus due to financial concerns, noting that a decade ago, there was considerable pressure in the region to defund it. However, strategic discussions with Prime Minister Gonsalves led to a collaborative effort to enhance rather than reduce educational offerings.
“Rather than retreat, we converted the Open Campus into the Global Campus–creating more access, not less,” he affirmed.
He praised the investment made by the Government of Saint Vincent & the Grenadines as a vital part of this transformation, described the newly renovated building as “a beautiful facility” and remarked, “We are just getting started. I am not surprised that this is considered the crown jewel of the Global Campus sites.”
Dr. Francis O. Severin,
Principal of The UWI Global Campus, shared his gratitude and pride in reaching this major milestone. He extended heartfelt thanks to all stakeholders who contributed to the project, particularly acknowledging Prime Minister Gonsalves and the Government of Saint Vincent & the Grenadines for their unwavering support of The UWI.
Dr. Cheryl Sloley, Director of the Global Campus Sites Division, also expressed appreciation to Prime Minister Gonsalves and the Government. She asserted that the new Global Campus Site would serve as a lasting legacy for the country and contribute to its financial sustainability. She noted a remarkable 92% increase in graduation rates from 2020 to 2024, reflecting the aspirations of the Vincentian people and the Government’s support, including the provision of additional scholarships for citizens pursuing higher education.
Dr. Resa NoelMcBarnett, Head of The UWI Global Campus in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, praised the partnership between the university and the government for creating an environment that fosters academic success, and Ms. Patricia Baptiste, a librarian with over 40 years at the campus, celebrated the institution’s achievements and its contributions to the community. (Source: The UWI)
The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Managing Director: Desiree Richards
Editor: Cyprian Neehall
Telephone: 784-456-1123 Fax: 784-451-2129
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Mailing Address: The Vincentian Publishing Co. Ltd., P.O. Box 592, Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Editorial
A general election is in the air
EVEN AS VINCENTIANS await the announcement of the date for the next general election in their homeland, the country is already engrossed in a vigorous campaign, with each of the two major political parties engaging in heightened activities in the constituencies and extensive use of social media platforms.
Each of the two major political parties, the incumbent Unity Labour Party (ULP) and the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), has either named its full slate of candidatesthe NDP, or are not too far off from making a final decision - the ULP.
The incumbent ULP is making its usual organized and assertive effort to defend its record now well into its 24th year, while the NDP has readjusted its approach and is not afraid to give open detail of what it proposes for the continued development of SVG.
While all that is happening and as candidates are drawn into a battle of wits, innuendo and outright calling of names, the Electoral Office is supposedly busying itself with the process of finalizing the Voters’ List.
If the past is anything to go by, this List has always thrown up some measure of questioning if not outright doubt, so the quicker we can have something of a preliminary List made public, the better it would be for the period leading up to the actual elections, a period when parties are wont to make one objection or the other, putting the atmosphere into a volatile tailspin that have resulted in uncalled for activity/action on the party of voters and party operands.
It should not be that we have to ‘wish for a miracle’ to ensure a smooth and quiet environment between the publication of the Voters’ List and Election Day. How it turns out will depend on the Electoral Office - its transparency and adherence to proper conduct.
That is why this publication is calling on the Electoral Office and the Supervisor of Elections, at this early juncture, not to be afraid to show their faces, to make themselves heard and seen so that it can play its part in avoiding “unnecessary” election squabbling.
A sanitized, carefully measured Voters’ List can inspire confidence that the election period will be one
Law and Order in Politics
characterized by maturity, responsibility, and sobriety. Will the situation level off, or will it just head down the usual ugly road as before?
The office of the Supervisor of Elections can ensure that we have smooth and unencumbered waters on which to sail into Election Day.
Another important cog in our election process is The National Monitoring and Consultative Mechanism (NMCM), established on May 4, 2000, following the Grand Beach Accord, to address the political impasse stemming from the 1998 General Elections.
It is chaired and convened by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Christian Council, and includes among others, representatives of both political parties, the Bar Association and the Chamber of Commerce.
Since its inception, the Mechanism has played a role in monitoring all the general elections since 2001, and at least one referendum.
Its role, as we understand it to be, includes: monitoring the electoral process to ensure it is conducted fairly and transparently; promoting a Code of Conduct for political parties to guide their behavior during election seasons, fostering democracy and respect for human rights; and acting as a consultative body, providing a platform for dialogue between political parties, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders on electoral matters.
Not to diminish any of its roles but perhaps the role that should come to the fore as we are already into an election campaign, would be the matter of the Code of Conduct. The political parties must be made to sign on to this Code even before the next general election is called.
We call on the sitting President of the Christian Council, Roman Catholic Bishop Gerrard County, to move expeditiously to convene the NMCM, and to reassert its presence and mandate.
Before the campaign degenerates into a mud-slinging match, and we are not in any way wishing this upon ourselves, Bishop County would do a good for the people of this country by waking up the NMCM from its current slumber.
AS I REFLECTED on the upcoming election, I found my thoughts drawn back to a topic I thought I had wrapped up: our police force. When I believed it was time to move on, the continued killing of residents, now in their homes and places of business, ignited more random thoughts.
The pending election will intensify the law, order, justice, and public safety dialogue. The recent announcement from the police department that they are gearing up to enforce traffic laws with renewed vigor is just the beginning. Remember the power play used during Mrs. Barnwell’s detainment and the frustratingly long delay in bringing Ms. Adriana King’s case to trial–these are just a glimpse of the difficult conversation the political parties must be forced to have during this election cycle.
Are we still sending police officers to record the content of public political meetings? Will we provide police security at the opposition parties’ political public meetings?
Anyway, back to the political rhetoric we can expect and what we should demand from those candidates. They will tell us about the need for more community policing. They will say to hire more officers and place them in our community. They will say that tackling serious criminals, such as those involved in gangs, sex offenders, predator larceny, home invasions, etc., requires a strong police presence in neighborhoods. Be careful, my friends.
The truth is that increasing patrols in high-risk areas can improve police effectiveness and reduce crime rates. When officers are seen walking the streets and engaging with the community, they build trust and serve as a visible deterrent to crime. Their presence can lead to faster responses to emerging threats. Moreover, when community members trust the police, they’re more likely to provide helpful information for ongoing investigations.
Like it or not, our police are facing sophisticated gang operations and must spend a significant amount of resources on combating these groups. Special units within the police department must be developed to target illegal activities at a local and regional level. These specialized teams must be well-organized and adequately trained to execute their missions effectively. Consideration should be given to rightsizing these units so that only the most skilled officers remain. The remainder of the officers should be redeployed to strengthen
regular patrol divisions and fill critical gaps in other under-resourced areas, resulting in a more efficient police force overall.
The police leadership needs to reimagine its organization. While the overall goals are essential, each division and station should have clear objectives that support those goals. Without coordination, the force will remain inefficient and miss significant opportunities. Every officer should come to work understanding their specific role in achieving the larger mission. By refining the objectives of each unit, enhancing street patrols, and ensuring that specialized teams are effectively structured and deployed, police development can become a more responsive and effective law enforcement agency.
There is no doubt that law enforcement is changing and is much more challenging today than it was in past years. Modern police officers must possess a wide range of skills and a unique ability to apply them in highpressure situations. On any given day, an officer might need to provide emergency medical aid, help de-escalate a domestic dispute, or use investigative methods to search for a missing person.
This kind of training should start early; officers should leave the training academy fully prepared for the realities of police work, with ongoing education to improve their skills over time. As officers move up the ranks, specialized training and leadership courses are critical to ensure they have the expertise to lead effectively.
Most of our police stations are in desperate need of a makeover. It’s time to examine how we support our officers in the field and reconsider the concept of providing police stations with living quarters. In a country with over thirtyfive thousand vehicles and nearly everyone carrying a cell phone, why do we continue to offer substandard housing for our police officers?
We’re about to encounter a lively debate about the calls for a more substantial police presence on our streets, an increase in police numbers, and the urgent need for enhanced training. The air buzzes with anticipation–let’s see which party will step up to present a constructive plan to tackle these pressing issues.
Horatio
Dark laws enacted in Parliament
THERE HAVE BEENmany dark laws enacted in the parliament of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines for some time now. I (we) would like to look at two of them from the Chamber of concerned citizens.
As concerned citizen, we have noticed the recent Spiritual Baptist National holiday, which is observed on May 21st. In the history of Spiritual Baptist in SVG, there is nothing significant that took place on the 21st May in any year and therefore nothing on which to enact a Spiritual Baptist holiday.
The Christian Pilgrim Faith showed up in our history to be registered under Section 2 of the Marriage Ordinance Cap. 151 of the revised laws of St. Vincent.
In none of the PM’s public addresses, did he mention that he had consulted the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs. This is a total disrespect for our hard-working civil servants. He respected Johnny Jones, so he kept mentioning how Johnny advised him, and he went to the Cabinet for approval.
Who is Johnny Jones? He was booted out of the Christian Pilgrim Faith and established a spiritual Baptist group. He worked at the Vegetable Market and his co-leader was found dead in an area by the AIA. Apart from 22nd May 1951, the Christian Pilgrim has been incorporated in the House of Parliament as shown in the government gazette 1st March 2011, Vol. 144, NO. 29. The Christian Pilgrim Faith is also registered in England. Spiritual Baptist of Trinidad is registered in England, also, but the Baptist in SVG is not registered in England. More to be said…
The other dark law that was enacted is the COVID-19 vaccination law, which was enacted after midnight in the dark part of the morning. That law is inhuman and another act of disrespect to the working class of our country. As a result of that Act, hundreds of our police, nurses, teachers, and other workers were dismissed and placed below the poverty line. It is very sad when you converse with those workers to understand their plight.
As Christian Democrats and concerned citizens, we want the Prime Minister of this country to know that we are concerned about laws and the enactment of laws. Think not that I come to abolish the law and the prophecies of the Prophets. We, the children of the Most High, would not allow you, the PM of SVG or any other PM to override our civil servants and the working class in general, to enact any more laws against the will of our people.
Christian Democrat
Keys to rebuilding the Southern Grenadines
THE PEOPLEof the Southern Grenadines need finance to rebuild their lives and livelihoods. While we appreciate the roofs over our heads, there is yet much to be done and low interest and no interest loans can meet the deficiency. This will mean that employment must be available to residents to service the loans. Taxes and bills must be paid too as revenue collection is essential for the economy to be rebuilt. Agriculture and fishing have the potential to be the largest employer. Therefore, owners of animals must keep them under control so that the islands can be replanted with fruit trees and flowers, and the traditional crops can be grown again. The government has a role to confiscate stray animals to enable cultivation. Nutritionists say that the produce grown in this area is more
nutritious and richer in antioxidants. The fishermen need support to restore lost equipment and training to improve and modernize their operations. Too many divers are dying from the Bens, so vigilance is needed to prevent the loss of this manpower. The sea moss farmers too may need technical and material assistance to replant and process their crops.
Businesses employ workers and need lowcost financing for restoration. The hotels, hardwares, restaurants, shops, automobile repair shops, refrigeration repair shops, barber and hairdresser shops, seamstresses, tailors, furniture makers, shoemaker and electronic repair places, all need restoration.
Keeping the beaches clean, replanting sea grapes and coconut trees should be a priority. These are low-cost
activities that have a high impact on our tourism product.
Maintenance jobs are vital in recreating areas such as playing field and parks. Cultural preservation officers are needed and should be valued and paid. Coaches for each discipline too are essential jobs in these communities.
Jobs in recycling and composting should be emphasized because there is no acceptable place to dispose of our garbage. Every item coming in should have clear instructions for how they are to be handled. All plastic bottles should be collected at a depot and returned to their place of origin. Metals should be sorted and exported. Some plastics can be shredded and used in concrete blocks or in road construction.
There may be no need for handouts, rather, an employment agency can
find ingenious ways to get monies to those in need, allowing them to make some meaningful contribution to the sustainable development of the Southern Grenadines. Without financing and jobs, the rebuilding process would see no star at the end of the tunnel.
Financing at low interest should be made available to Hurricane Shelters. They represent important centres as we are in the new hurricane season. New jobs in securing buildings before a storm are also essential.
My look on the carnival
DURINGthe ten days of carnival, small businesses outside the city range suffer and we fully understand the revellers and carnival people would prefer to be around Kingstown with free music and everything.
It takes away from the small bars like mine; we depend on the carnival ole talk where artistes, mas men, judges, revellers and even the chairman of CDC come to sit and argue over different carnival issues.
Do narcissists ever really forget you?
NARCISSISTSdon’t forget you, even though they may pretend to and move on with their life or pretend nothing ever happened. They won’t call you in years, but you’re still in their thoughts-not as an actual human being they care about, but as an actual human being who gave them “supply” (attention, control, status, etc.). Their relationships are transactional and conditional; they don’t form real emotional bonds or love in the classic sense, so they don’t miss you or mourn you as an individual but what you gave to them.
Narcissists twist or remember selectively what has happened to suit their self-serving script, sometimes “forgetting” their hurtful behavior because they do not consider it inappropriate or important. They can also lead you to question your reality and make you believe that they have forgotten or moved on when they have not. Who the cap fits……(Taken from Quora)
Thomas
And during this time we get a little spill off from the ‘foreign-based’ who still have a little to spend.
I normally would make something from the Wednesday to Saturday (most people leave on the Sunday). Imagine famous Richie’s closing at midnight because of slow bar traffic.
I also believe that the small icebox vendors should not be taxed nightly or at any time. Five cases of beer should not be taxed ..., period! It’s the people’s carnival and not the authorities’.
I have not heard anything about new spaces for people who want to construct new bars. How about that road where China Town was? That area once had about for bars. What about that area between the post office and the Audit Department? (We now have plenty parking lots.)
The CDC and the new
scene
d system naah bin like wey ‘tuff gong’ singing … so dey say we haffi geh rid ah ‘im, an offer 3million to clean ‘im up.
Well d devil in d sherriff tell the deputy we have ah job 2 do,
Thinking ‘well is ah EZ 3’.
But d deputy say, NAH ! nat “tuff gong”, Caz dat is ‘im lyrical hero an e naah do dat ! … Nat even fo ah billion !
Losing his morality and dignity they approach Tuff gong,
The Sheriff draws his weapon, but deputy says “No !” and tries to disarm the Sheriff, but is silenced in the tussle ……….
With no other witnesses the Sheriff takes aim on Tuff gong ……
Startled by the gunshot and summing up the situation
Tuff gong wasted no time in shottin’ the Sheriff And admitted that he shot him in self defence using the deputy’s weapon ...
“I shot d sheriff, but I didn’t shoot no deputy !” Bob “Tuff Gong” Marley Wire ben’, story en’.
Yusufu Baye June 06, 2025
CEO are now working hand in hand with people and their wish to see a better carnival, but
plenty work is there to be done ....nuff respect.
Jude Shepherd
Anthony G. Stewart, PhD
Taiwan: Our dear friend and ally
FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF EXEMPLARY SOLIDARITY
ALMOST FORTY-FOUR YEARS AGO,in August 1981, SVG and the Republic of China (Taiwan) established diplomatic relations. Since then, both countries have developed excellent bonds of friendship, exemplified by strong solidarity with, and support for, each other.
Four successive Prime Ministers in SVG have led governments which maintained and developed the ties that bind with Taiwan: Milton Cato’s SVG Labour Party, 1981 to 1984; James Mitchell’s NDP, 1984 to 2000; Arnhim Eustace’s NDP, 2000 to 2001; Ralph Gonsalves’ ULP, 2001 to 2025. SVG’s relations with Taiwan have been a bedrock, a major cornerstone, of our country’s foreign policy.
This consensus between the two main political parties in SVG existed until 2017 when Arnhim Eustace, then leader of the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) announced, out-of-the-blue, that his party, if returned to office, would promptly break relations with ROC (Taiwan) and establish formal ties with mainland China, the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Eustace’s successor as the NDP’s leader, Lorraine Friday, has repeatedly reaffirmed this stance of the NDP. Indeed, the NDP’s links with operatives out of mainland China have been deepened and broadened, combining diplomatic support for the PRC and the promised joinder of selling our country’s passports and citizenship; these twin policy initiatives of the NDP have delivered monies for the NDP’s political campaigns, against the interests of the people of SVG. These two policy stances of the NDP constitute together the proverbial albatross around its political neck: Both policies are very unpopular, but the NDP doubles-down on them because of the money which flows into the NDP coffers from PRC operatives and the wannabe passport-sellers from Europe and mainland China.
Eustace, Friday, and the rest of the NDP leadership used to say, pre-2017, that the ties between Taiwan and SVG are unbreakable because these links were not just state-to-state, but more like FAMILY! Now the NDP sings a disreputable tune, contrary to our people’s interest.
The NDP now parrots the line of mainland China that there is one China, the PRC, and Taiwan is a province of mainland China.
PREPOSTEROUS ONE-CHINA POLICY
This one-China policy of mainland China is preposterous, just like the oneChina rhetoric of the Kuomintang (KMT) government in Taiwan between 1949 and 2000. The KMT in Taiwan absurdly asserted that it represented the whole of China and was the legitimate government of all China. Mainland China is 3.7 million square miles in area with 1.4 billion people, today; and Taiwan covers 13,826 miles in area with 24 million people.
But, during the entire 20th century Taiwan was under the rule of mainland China for only 3 ½ years (1945 to 1949) when the KMT formed the “nationalist government” in China. Before 1945, Taiwan was under Japanese colonialism for 50 years; and since 1949, it has been governed by its own government and essentially as an independent country even before its first competitive democratic presidential election in March 1996. Since then, Taiwan has evolved as a mature, robust democracy functioning under its own popularly-elected President and legislature, answerable to no other authority but the people of Taiwan. To assert that it is today part of mainland China is ridiculous. Indeed, for most of
China’s history, Taiwan was an island outpost left to itself. The Taiwanese almost unanimously do not want to be ruled by mainland China. Clearly, the inviolable principle of self-determination must be respected.
The government of SVG affirms that there is a One Chinese civilization – a magnificent one – in which different and separate legitimate political expressions, organised as individual states, are permissible and existential. This is the case, for example, of European, African, Caribbean, and Latin American civilisations. So, our government asserts that there is a mainland Chinese state (the PRC) and the ROC (Taiwan). The government of SVG works well with the government of the PRC in the Caribbean Development Bank (PRC is a nonborrowing member; SVG is a borrowing member), the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organisation, the United Nations and its specialized agencies, the Group of 77, and other multilateral entities. SVG holds no ill-will towards the PRC. To be sure, our two countries (PRC and SVG) have differences on many issues, globally, but to use the formulation of the PRC’s founding father, Mao Tse Tung in his famous philosophical essay “On Contradictions”, we in SVG consider that the contradictions between the PRC and SVG are “non-antagonistic”, as distinct from “antagonistic”. Non-antagonistic contradictions are solvable through ongoing peaceful dialogues, building consensus, and are characterized by noninterference and non-intervention in each other’s internal affairs.
SVG, and all humanity, ought to strive always for peace across the Taiwan straits. Open conflict will result in a terrible global conflagration and a potential nuclear Armageddon involving the USA and its allies (Europe, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Australia and others) on the one hand, and China and its allies (Russia, North Korea, Belarus, Iran, and others) on the other hand.
“Strategic ambiguity” on the part of the USA on the China-Taiwan issue has, since the 1970s, helped to maintain the peace, despite multiple provocations and contradictions in the extant condition.
PREDISPOSING AND INDUCING FACTORS FOR SVGTAIWAN TIES
A bundle of factors pre-dispose SVGTaiwan linkages, among which are the following: Island states with climate change vulnerabilities; a sharing of democratic values; an ethos of peaceful coexistence and non-bullying conduct; a quest for a global order resting on uplifting universal values, including the right of a people to self-determination and their chosen way of life, living, and production; and the overweening presence of a powerful neighbour with which our respective countries must of necessity, and desirability, interact, but without being subjected to imperial domination, hegemonic conduct, or bullying.
Factors which induce SVG and Taiwan to foster strong bonds of friendship and solidarity include: Material, technological, educational, health, and trade benefit to be gained by SVG; mutually-beneficial cultural, social, and security exchanges and supports; SVG’s advocacy for Taiwan’s participation in the specialized agencies of the United Nations and the multilateral bodies of relevance, including those touching and concerning health, air and sea transport, climate change, oceans, Continued on Page 19.
We have a plan to develop SVG
(Excerpts of Dr. Friday’s presentation at a recent Public Meeting in South Leeward)
“WE HAVE A PLANas to how we are going to develop the country. We have taken the four major productive sectors of the economy and will focus on them.
“We call them the four pillars. One is agriculture. You know as government, they think agriculture is for the past. We don’t. We believe agriculture has a bright future. For us, agriculture is essential to the prosperity of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The next pillar is our tourism sector. It has tremendous potential. We have just touched the tip of what is possible in this country. The third, is what we call the blue economy. That involves fishing. It involves the yachting industry which is very close to my heart. And we also have the Ottley Hall Marina and Shipyard, which we will focus on. And I promise you, we will get that working within the first term of an NDP government, creating jobs, especially for our young people. It will have this part of the country humming.
“And of course we have the fourth pillar. We call the new economy. This involves areas that we don’t normally think of as economic activity. You heard Dr. Shallow talked about sports. That is one area. We have also talked about the creative industries. What we have now coming out of carnival to help our young people to be able to achieve their ambitions, their dreams, their skills, their talents, to see how far I can take them. Handicraft industry, information technology, those areas that are new in a sense as economic activity to our economy.
“I want to elaborate on what Dr. Shallow said earlier. He talked about sports. This is an area which has tremendous opportunities. I remember when I was growing up, a number of young people loved cricket. I loved cricket too but hardly anybody except Mike Findlay made it onto West Indies team, and even when they made West Indies team you couldn’t make a living from it. Now there are so many different leagues all around the world playing cricket, and many people who can make a living from it; we have to give our young people an opportunity to do it.
“In basketball, Adonal Foyle from Canouan made a good living as a basketball player. We have to give our young people those opportunities. So, what we have done: we have said that we are going to focus on creating an environment to help to lift our sports people up. One of things we have done we have developed a plan; we call the National Athletes Program and what that says that young persons of talent in every field of sport whether they are recognized by their coaches or their associations, will be put forward to what in a sense will be amount to National Scholarships in the sporting arena. So that they will have support from the state so they could pay for their shoes, they could
pay for their training and so forth. Because we recognize that these young people, have talent, they have promise.
“Those who have already achieved a certain amount, we will also put the resources behind them. You have one or two athletes who have made it, whether it’s in cricket, basketball or in athletics and their names get out there. The return to this country is much greater even than for us here as politicians can do. And they dare themselves, they make a decent living, but they put our names on the map and then people start coming and then people start looking at us, and there’s so many opportunities you can’t even imagine how the spin-offs are actually going to affect us positively. It’s an investment in them and it’s an investment in the country.
“So, we have the National Athletes Program which we will implement in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. They have a similar program in St. Lucia. It’s not rocket science. All we need to do is put our minds to it and to understand what the potential is and make sure that we give our young people the opportunity to take advantage of them.
“We also have of course in the creative industries, the talented people, our Vincentian music, our writers, our artists, give them the opportunity also, and the DJs. They are potential economic drivers in our economy. We have to take every opportunity we can. I believe in our people, whether it’s in agriculture, in sports, or in the creative industries. I believe in them, so I want us to invest in them. And in turn, they will lift themselves up and lift up our people.
“I said to you that one of the pillars of the economy that we talk about is the blue economy. That involves fishing. And I know that you have fishing villages here. You have in Questelles, in Clare Valley, and we have over in Lowmans Bay. But the government said they put their village there and they’ve done nothing.
“People look at fishermen and they say, listen, that is almost like the lowest job. But think of the potential. The fishing industry in Grenada, for example, generates 10 times as much as ours for export. And you know why? Because they have invested in better boats, in bigger boats, in long line fishing, in tuna fishing. And they sell $150 million, to our 20 or 30 million dollars that we do. There’s tremendous potential. And we have more water around us than them because we’re an archipelago. We have so much potential there. I want to tell the fisher folk, as I want to tell the farmers, that the New Democratic Party government, we have built our economic program on you. So, you have to succeed for us to succeed.”
The importance of clarity in communication
“Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. (1809-1894) American physician, poet, and polymath. He was acclaimed by his peers as one of the best writers of the day.
THE ROOT CAUSE of many of today’s conflicts may be traced to situations where communication was irregular and/or unclear. Clarity is an essential aspect of effective written or oral communication. It enhances the understanding of the thoughts being relayed and can foster trust and commitment. This holds true whether we are referring to written or spoken communication. This also applies to relationships that may be described as intimate or casual; personal or workrelated. The ability to convey ideas in a clear and understandable manner significantly impacts how well messages are received and interpreted.
Clarity enhances the likelihood that the audience understands the message. It also plays a critical role in influencing the level of trust and commitment in the relationships — whether intimate, casual, or professional. In the absence of clarity there is the likelihood of confusion, mistrust, conflict, and anarchy. It therefore requires that the communicator seeks, as best he/she can, to present the information in as clear a manner as possible. George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), the Irish playwright, political activist, and the 1925 Nobel Prize winner for literature, reminds us that, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” Clarity of thought and expression must therefore be considered to be of paramount importance.
Clarity is vital because it ensures that the intended message is correctly communicated. There are instances where the individual’s written or spoken words may not accurately convey their thoughts. The sender of the message may have a specific point they wish to express. However, without clarity that message may become distorted, This, in turn, can lead to misunderstandings and conflict. This can quite easily happen with written communication. Assuming that the written communication is not considered confidential in nature, writers may therefore find value in having another individual read the communique to ascertain whether they understand the thoughts being shared. This is especially critical in circumstances where the information presented can influence important decisions. For example, in a business setting, a clearly written proposal can assist executives in making informed decisions. Conversely, a muffled or vague submission could lead to uncertainty and missed opportunities for growth and development.
Albert Einstein (1879-1955), the German-born theoretical physicist, asserts that, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” This statement beckons parents and teachers to contemplate whether our inability to explain concepts to our wards may be because we are not knowledgeable enough about the subject matter. This statement is not intended to cast aspersions on parents or educators. It is simply a reminder that we do not know everything about everything and, in cases where our wards may be struggling to understand the knowledge being shared, it may be necessary for us to obtain additional details.
Seeking to guarantee clarity in communication conveys to the recipient
that the communicator values the recipient’s understanding. This is true whether the relationship is personal or professional. This sets the platform for ease of understanding. Conversely, if/when the communication is unclear, we can readily expect frustration, irritation, suspicion, doubt, or anger. Such negative outcomes can erode trust and hamper relationships. Clear communication is likely to build trust. And trust can, and does, encourage commitment and action. It should also be recognized that clarity of expression, whether written or oral, has additional benefits as it tends to convey competence.
Some relationships within homes, workplaces, and organizations are challenged by conflicts that often emerge as a result of unclear communication. Clarity plays an essential role in reducing confusion. Information that is provided in a clear and organized manner is more easily understood and followed. Teachers and school administrators can also testify that students also tend to do better at retaining information when there is clarity. In such instances, even knowledge that may initially be considered to be mentally challenging and/or difficult to grasp could be better understood and absorbed. Conversely, information that is presented in a jumbled or unclear manner can be most confusing and difficult to comprehend.
As efforts are made to encourage a more proactive culture in our homes and workplaces, it is imperative to recognize the significant positive role that clarity plays in creating and sustaining action. When messages are clear, individuals are more likely to respond in a more effective and efficient manner. This is evident on a personal and professional manner as it avoids the instances of miscommunication and enhances the likelihood of each person’s understanding and appreciating the needs and expectations of the other. By eradicating ambiguity, clarity removes the hindrances that are likely to prevent timely or accurate actions from being implemented.
Written and spoken clarity demands that our thought patters are tailored to keep things simple and organized. This prevents incoherence. It prompts us to choose the right words and to focus on structuring sentences logically. The avoidance of unnecessary jargon and technical language also help the audience to better and more speedily grasp the intended message.
Finally, it is important to emphasize that clarity is foundational to effective communication. It promotes understanding, reduces confusion, lessens conflict, and facilitates action. In all aspects of life, in personal relationships, in the home, in education, in the workplace, or in the wider community, being able to communicate with clarity is a skill that can enhance interactions and drive positive outcomes. Pursuing clarity is not only about conveying ideas but also about creating connections and achieving mutual understanding.
Genocide by starvation
Guest Column by Chris Hedges
THIS IS THE END. The final blood-soaked chapter of the genocide. It will be over soon. Weeks. At most. Two million people are camped out amongst the rubble or in the open air. Dozens are killed and wounded daily from Israeli shells, missiles, drones, bombs and bullets. They lack clean water, medicine and food. They have reached a point of collapse.
In the last pages of this horror story, Israel is sadistically baiting starving Palestinians with promises of food, luring them to the narrow and congested nine-mile ribbon of land that borders Egypt. Israel is weaponising starvation. It is enticingPalestinians to southern Gaza the way the Nazis enticed starving Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto to board trains to the death camps. The goal is not to feed the Palestinians. The goal is to cram Palestinians into heavily guarded compounds and deport them.
What comes next? The future cannot be predicted. Fate has a way of surprising us. But there will be a final humanitarian explosion in Gaza’s human slaughterhouse. We see it with the surging crowds of Palestinians fighting to get a food parcel, which has resulted in Israeli and U.S. private contractors shooting dead at least 130 and wounding over seven hundred others in the first eight days of aid distribution. We see it with Benjamin Netanyahu’s arming ISIS-linked gangs in Gaza that loot food supplies. Israel, which has eliminated hundreds of employees with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), doctors, journalists, civil servants and police in targeted assassinations, has orchestrated the implosion of civil society.
Israel will facilitate a breach in the fence along the Egyptian border. Desperate Palestinians will stampede into the Egyptian Sinai. Maybe it will end some other way. But it will end soon. There is not much more Palestinians can take.
We, full participants in this genocide, will have achieved our demented goal of emptying Gaza and expanding Greater Israel. We will bring down the curtain on the livestreamed genocide. We will have mocked the university programs of Holocaust studies, designed, it turns out, not to equip us to end genocides, but to deify Israel as an eternal victim licensed to carry out mass slaughter. The mantra of never again is a joke. The understanding that when we have the capacity to halt genocide and we do not, we are culpable, does not apply to us. Genocide is public policy. Endorsed and sustained by our two rulers.
There is nothing left to say. Maybe that is the point. To render us speechless. Who does not feel paralysed? And maybe, that too, is the point. To paralyse us. Who is not traumatised? And maybe that, too, was planned. Nothing we do, it seems, can halt the killing. We feel defenceless. We feel helpless–genocide as spectacle.
I have stopped looking at the images. The rows of little shrouded bodies. The decapitated men and women. Families burned alive in their tents. The children who have lost limbs or are paralysed. The chalky death masks of those pulled from under the rubble. The wails of grief. The emaciated faces.
This genocide will haunt us. It will echo down history with the force of a tsunami. It will divide us forever. There is no going back.
And how will we remember? By not
remembering.
Once it is over, all those who supported it, all those who ignored it, all those who did nothing, will rewrite history, including their personal history. It was hard to find anyone who admitted to being a Nazi in post-war Germany, or a member of the Klu Klux Klan once segregation in the southern United States ended. A nation of innocents. Victims even. It will be the same. The truth is different. The truth is, crippled by fear, nearly all of us will only save ourselves, even at the expense of others. But that is a truth that is hard to face. That is the real lesson of the Holocaust. Better it be erased.
In his book “One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This,” Omar El Akkad writes:
Should a drone vaporise some nameless soul on the other side of the planet, who among us wants to make a fuss? What if it turns out they were a terrorist? What if the default accusation proves true, and we, by implication, be labeled terrorist sympathisers, ostracised, yelled at? It is generally the case that people are most zealously motivated by the worst plausible thing that could happen to them. For some, the worst plausible thing might be the ending of their bloodline in a missile strike. Their entire lives turned to rubble, and all of it preemptively justified in the name of fighting terrorists who are terrorists by default on account of having been killed. For others, the worst plausible thing is being yelled at.
You cannot decimate a people, carry out saturation bombing over 20 months to obliterate their homes, villages and cities, massacre tens of thousands of innocent people, set up a siege to ensure mass starvation, drive them from land where they have lived for centuries and not expect blowback. The genocide will end. The response to the reign of state terror will begin. If you think it won’t you know nothing about human nature or history.
Chaim Engel, who took part in the uprising at the Nazis’ Sobibor death camp in Poland, described how, armed with a knife, he attacked a guard in the camp.
‘It’s not a decision,’ Engel explained years later. ‘You just react, instinctively you react to that, and I figured, ‘Let us to do, and go and do it.’ And I went. I went with the man in the office and we killed this German. With every jab, I said, ‘That is for my father, for my mother, for all these people, all the Jews you killed.’ Does anyone expect Palestinians to act differently? How are they to react when Europe and the United States, who hold themselves up as the vanguards of civilisation, backed a genocide that butchered their parents, their children, their communities, occupied their land and blasted their cities and homes into rubble? How can they not hate those who did this to them?
What message has this genocide imparted not only to Palestinians, but to all in the Global South?
It is unequivocal. You do not matter. Humanitarian law does not apply to you. We do not care about your suffering, the murder of your children. You are vermin. You are worthless. You deserve to be killed, starved and dispossessed. You should be erased from the face of the earth.
Send comments, criticisms & suggestions to jomosanga@gmail.com
Thanks to God and Logos Hope
ON
TUESDAY, June 10th, True @rts Academy was the grateful recipient of a generous donation of around €1,200 in useful items, supplies and sponsorship from MV Logos Hope, while the ship was docked in Kingstown, Saint Vincent. The donation was received by Althea Sayers, cofounder of True @rts Academy, on behalf of the organization.
These resources will support the Academy’s bold initiative to address the growing social crisis on the island through a threepronged intervention program.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is facing a troubling surge in crime and violence. By mid-2025, the island is already experiencing the high crime rate along with a disturbing rise in disregard for human life and community values.
Recognizing the urgency, members of the Christian community have stepped forward with an intervention plan to restore hope and positively influence the next generation.
This is why we in the Logos Hope decided to make this donation for the launch of this critical community Intervention program. It will consist of a Three-Part Intervention: From July 28th to August 15th, 2025.
True @rts Academy, with the support of local churches and businesses, will implement the following programs:
* Training for Christian Leaders (July 28—30)
* Resource persons will be equipped on “How to Lead an Impactful Vacation Bible School (VBS)”
• A Parent Empowerment Workshop (July 31)
* A session titled “How to Help Your Child Succeed in Their Education” will provide practical tools and encouragement for caregivers
• Two-Week Vacation Bible School (Aug 4—15) - Under the theme “Jesus, My
Superhero”, the VBS will engage children with faith, fun, and mentorship (excluding weekends). A call for community support
True @rts Academy is appealing to local businesses, churches, and individuals to support this mission by contributing materials, food items, or financial donations. Every act of generosity will help make a lasting difference in the lives of children and families.
Leadership Behind the Vision: Althea Sayers — Co-founder of True @rts Academy; Rachel Williams — Pastor’s wife and nurse; Frances Clarke — Representative of Wycliffe Bible Translators Caribbean.
Althea Sayers: “We believe transformation starts with love, faith, and action. This is our chance to help rebuild Saint Vincent–one child, one parent, one heart at a time.” (Source: True @rts Academy)
Donation ceremony party (from left): Jemelia Sayers –Wycliffe Vinci T.E.A.M. Admin. Assistant; Althea Sayers – Co-founder of True @rts Academy and True Arts Academy; Douwe Scheepsma, Book Fair Manager, Logos Hope. (Photo credit: True @rts Academy)
Wycliffe Vinci T.E.A.M. hosted a Taste of Translation Workshop in 2023 as part of its mandate to produce a Vincentian dialect translation of the Bible.
True @rts Academy will host a Children’s two-week Vacation Bible School (Aug 4–15) in which books from the Logos Hope donation wuill be used.
Logos Hope returns to familiar faces
BOOK LOVERS, or anyone keen in furthering their skills in their respective fields, have until Sunday, June 15, to stock up on educational material. That’s when the boat Logos Hope winds up its latest Vincentian incursion.
That vessel docked May 30 and officially opened with a ceremony on June 6.
Dubbed the world’s “largest floating book fair,” Logos Hope stocks a collection of books representing a range of topics and disciplines, including science, medicine, languages, sports, hobbies, cookery, arts, faith-based, novels and children’s books.
The latest call to St. Vincent and the Grenadines could be considered an extension of a trend set. Captain Ionut Vlad reflected on trips he made in 2017 and 2021 and looked on this visit as a “return to familiar faces.”
The Romanianborn captain admitted that the Logos entourage is “always welcomed warmly.”
He sees
the mission as “sharing love.” His vision is the building of the foundation upon which caring for each other is based on the “word of God.”
He has a 300-member crew of volunteers drawn from 60 different countries.
Managing Director Edward David disclosed that
the
ten times, with the current vessel
Hope making its seventh appearance.
The Logos Hope docks in St. Lucia from June 17. (WKA)
Logos mission began in 1980 with a vessel called Doulos. The Logos 11 is known to have visited this country
Logos
Officially declaring the Logos Hope open to the public - Captain Ionut Vlad (left) Ecclesiastical Affairs Minister St. Clair Prince (2nd from left); Education Minister Curtis King (centre) and Managing Director Edward David (extreme left).
Some of the nationalities that make up the Logos Hope crew drawn from 60 countries.
A musical item rendered by crew members provided a warm welcome by the Logos Hope.
„Made in Vincy Festival - a BANG!!
“MADE IN VINCY FESTIVAL”, the first of its kind under this name, was held at the Black Point National Park, Saturday June 07. The Festival was an exhibition of locally made products in a wonderful setting, that provided ample space for the exhibits as well as for patrons to enjoy the flavourful food and other delicacies, and to unwind to live and DJ Music.
There were more than 20 stalls and several more exhibitors as in some cases there were about three vendors in one stall. There was ample entertainment for the children, with bouncing castles, trampolines, face painting and ice cream.
Locally product
For the adults there was
the savoury callalloo soup, BBQ’s, fruit cakes, banana bread, sweet bread and a variety of sea moss products.
The sweet bread was packaged attractively, and one could see that these products were works of art and love for our culture.
Special mention must be made of the presentations of the locally made rum punch. The rum punch sampled was the Citrus punch which has a deceptively smooth taste that resembles both Seville Sweet and Tangerine. There was also our growing line-up of rum punches including peanut rum punch.
One outstanding feature of all the exhibits of locally produced products was the packaging and labelling. The standard was so appealing and professional that a suggestion was made that the tourism promotions should also include the display of selected locally made products, e.g. rum punches, and especially our health products made from sea moss.
Cannabis and more
For the first time, exhibits of cannabis-based products were on display and sale.
Two stalls drew the curiosity of savvy patrons, who were given samples once they asked. One comment overheard at the cannabis booth was, “What is happening here is long overdue, but better late than never!” Along with fresh, highly scented ‘buds’, there were also locally made gummies for persons who needed the effect without having to resort to smoking the dried herb.
The Forestry Division had a few specimens of our wildlife on display which was a point of keen interest, especially for children many who had never before seen a congo
snake, manicou, iguana, parrot and agouti close up.
Even adults were captivated by these animals of which they had heard about but never seen in real life. That aspect of the exhibition, to say the least, was well supported.
Also displaying their products were ECGC, FLOW and the St. Vincent Cooperative Bank, aka the “Penny Bank”.
Being an open-air activity there were a few pauses due to ‘passing clouds’, but that did not prevent local soca artiste Hance John from entertaining the patrons. The DJ, in between the music, also kept the patrons informed of the various booths and their offerings, and even invited some of the exhibitors/producers to give live advertisement and information about their products.
Extending the time
It would be unfair not to mention the security arrangements. Police presence was evident, from traffic control to patrol across the grounds, so children and adults felt safe.
In summary, it was a great outing and fulfilled its intention to give visibility to local manufacturers by providing an opportunity to showcase and sell their products.
Speaking with an official from the Ministry of Agriculture, it is hoped that similar activities will be replicated on the Leeward side of the island as well as in the Grenadines.
Given the reach of the activity, perhaps the organizers will give thought to staging the activity for the entire weekend instead of just one day.
All in all, a good shot!
Donald De Riggs
One of the cannabis stalls that displayed cannabis buds and even invited patrons to have a smoke.
Below: The wild life corner was both a revelation for children as it was for many adults.
Vincy Pepper Sauce – known for its ‘fire’ and its enhancing qualities.
This display of desserts made entirely of local produce provides a choice of good ‘stablisers’ after a dash of Vincy Pepper Sauce.
Right: The Black Point National Park, blessed with ‘good weather’ on the day, was an ideal open air venue for the Festival.
NY Dynamites vie for semifinal spots
Story and photos by
NELSON A. KING US CORRESPONDENT naking@verizon.net
TEN CALYPSONIANSfrom the Dynamite Calypso Tent in Brooklyn, New York, the sole Vincentian calypso tent in North America, competed Saturday night, Jun. 7, before five judges,
in their bid for a place in the semifinal round in the National Calypso Competition in Vincy Mas 2025.
The preliminary judging took place at a new venue, the auditorium of Nazareth Regional High School in East Flatbush, Brooklyn.
The calypsonians, half of whom are veterans in the artform, had either qualified, in previous years, for the semifinals or made it to the grand finale at Carnival City, Victoria Park, Kingstown.
Perennial competitors — D Man Age, a former Calypso Monarch; Denis Bowman; Ramon
“Jose Juan” Diaz; Hamlet; and Oscar James — sought to impress the judges.
Newcomer Nubian Empress, the only female contender, seemingly impressed the crowd the most, receiving rave reviews.
The other competitors were: Persona, Gregroy, Lenny
C and Boney Man.
Carlos “Rejector” Providence, president of the Dynamite Calypso Tent, and Calypsonian Delahanty Isles opted not to compete this year.
Providence told THE VINCENTIAN that he was nursing a voice strain, while Isles said she was taking a break from competition since the death of her mom.
The Competitors
Hamlet urged calypso lovers to join his “Calypso Mission,” imploring local radio to “play our calypsos.
“Creators must be at the forefront,” he sang, adding that “calypsonians on retirement” must also be involved.
“You have left us with your recordings,” Hamlet continued. “We will enter calypso vanity to where it should be (applause).”
In a clear dig at the powersthat-be, D Man Age, urged the “comrade”, patently referring to Prime Minister Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves, to “step aside and move on,” claiming, in the partial title of his social commentary, that the Vincentian leader has “Gone Through.”
“You want to take people for a ride,” the erstwhile calypso monarch sang. “It seems like you want to die in office/enough is enough/take you exit.”
In “Stand on Your Own,” Jose Juan sang: “The continent is full of wealth/Put your trust in God/Put your trust in no man/You buss yo eye/You have to stand up and cry (applause).”
In up tempo fashion, close to soca beat, Lenny C, one of the newcomers to the Dynamite Calypso Tent, urged calypso aficionados to “Butt Till E Bun.”
Impeccably dressed and with dance moves reminiscent of Michael Jackson, the late King of Pop, Persona told the audience that they were “Born to be Great.”
“They don’t want to see us unite,” he sang. “But we were born to be great.”
Afterwards, Vincentian Hailes Castello, who shared Master of Ceremonies duties with
Right: Nubian Empress impressed with her “View from the Outside”.
Grenada’s New York Independence Calypso Monarch Hercules, remarked:
“I think he’s (Persona) on the wrong show. He should be on American Idol.”
In her first appearance in the Dynamite Calypso Tent’s preliminary judging, the softsinging Nubian Empress, with good melody and lyrics, took a “View from the Outside.”
“Vincy, we really know how to put on a show,” she sang, generating the loudest applause and standing ovation from the effervescent crowd.
Hercules then said: “When you hear calypso like that, you suppose to stand up.”
Others, who were initially hesitant, quickly obliged.
With great stage moves and a jumpy beat, Gregory asked: “Wey the Christians Dey?”
“Every morning, I see plenty back stabbing/I see plenty cruelty/Keep on praying/I see people trying to dis me,” he sang.
After Dennis Bowman promised “Plenty More to Come”, with good lyrics, Hercules lauded him, urging patrons to “put your hands to together for one of the finest in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
“Dennis Bowman always come good,” he said.
Boney Man appealed to nationals to “Fix We Own House,” lamenting that, years ago, “the farmers worked the land.”
Oscar James, one of the founders of the defunct Vincentian band Affetuousos, recalled Hurricane Beryl’s ravage of the St. Vincent Grenadine islands.
“Beryl mashed up the Grenadines,” he sang, with the title “Beryl”. “We shall build back the Grenadines.”
In his opening remarks, Rejector told calypso fans that the Dynamite Calypso Tent was, “indeed happy to have you here joining with us celebrating the upkeep of our rich cultural heritage.
“From the inception of the Dynamite Calypso Tent to date, we have been an integral part of Vincy Mas,” he said. “We have also been in the forefront of community outreach giving back through hurricane and volcano relief, donated trophies for the
other things. “We could not have done such without the staunch support of you and our sponsors through the years, and we pledge to continue this for a long time,” Rejector added. “You certainly deserve a round of applause.”
junior calypso and soca monarch competitions in 2023, among
D Man Age takes a dig at the Comrade, claiming that “You Gone Through”.
Persona rendered “Born to be Great” with Michael Jackson’s moves and all. Section
SVGCC IS H.E.R.E. Rotary Club honours 4th Formers
EACH YEAR, the Rotary Club of St. Vincent recognizes exceptional fourth formers from secondary schools across St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
This year’s ceremony took place on Thursday, 5th June 2025, at the Methodist Church Hall in Kingstown.
Twenty-seven students, selected by their peers and teachers, were evaluated based on academic excellence, discipline, leadership, deportment, helpfulness, and involvement in extracurricular activities.
Each awardee was accompanied by a parent and a teacher.
The George Phillips Excellence Award is named in honour of the club’s Charter President, George Phillips (1928—1996), a distinguished national athlete, scholar, and social activist. This event, held in partnership with the Ministry of Education and National Reconciliation, has been one of the club’s flagship initiatives for over two decades.
During his address, Curtis King, Minister of Education and National Reconciliation, commended the Rotary Club for its unwavering dedication to youth development through initiatives such as this. He also praised the students for their remarkable achievements and acknowledged the vital support provided by their parents and teachers.
The feature address was delivered by Mr. Ezra Hendrickson, Head Coach
The 2025 cohort of Rotary Club honourees and their guardians, special guests and Rotary Club members. (Source: St. Vincent Times)
of the SVG National Football Team (Vincy Heat). He congratulated the students on their accomplishments and encouraged them to continue striving for academic excellence while demonstrating empathy, care for others, and a commitment to positively impacting their communities.
Mr. Wendell Phillips, son of George Phillips, was present to present the awards, ably assisted by the Rotary Club’s current president, Mrs. Dawnette Constance, and incoming president for 2025—2026, Mrs. Felicia Cumberbatch.
One of the major sponsors, The Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, presented each awardee
with a starter bank account funded with EC$150.00, along with several tokens of appreciation. Additionally, FLOW generously provided each student with twelve months of free broadband internet access.
The Rotary Club of St. Vincent also extends its gratitude to ECGC’s Island Sipz Water, Jaden Inc., St. Vincent Brewery Limited, Coreas Distribution Limited, Coreas Hazells Inc., Grenadine Airways, Fanfare Events, BDO, Dental Arts Clinic, Bequia Express and NJ Décor for their generous contributions, ensuring the continued success of this important project. (Shared by St. Vincent Times)
THE ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES COMMUNITY COLLEGE (SVGCC), through its Centre for General and Continuing Education (CGCE), is launching a new community-based initiative aimed at expanding access to education and personal development opportunities.
The initiative titled “SVGCC is H.E.R.E. — Help, Educate, Reach, Empower,” will offer free six-week courses in various communities, bringing learning closer to home for participants. These courses are carefully designed to be both relevant and practical, with a mix of skills based and theory based options.
The free community short courses are scheduled to begin on June 23rd, 2025, and will run concurrently with regular paid short courses, which are offered in three cycles each year. This dual approach allows the SVGCC to expand access while supporting the long-term sustainability of its continuing education initiatives.
The public is encouraged to explore the full list of available free community short courses and register by visiting the SVGCC website www.svgcc.vc, or social media pages. Registration closes Monday, June 16th, 2025.
Tropical Shipping donates to WP
From left to right - Lauren McIntoshShallow (Executive Director, Caribbean, World Pediatrics), Atyna Harry (Program Assistant, World Pediatrics), Roxanne Richards-Layne (Sales Coordinator, Tropical Shipping), Maxine Howard (Sales Manager, Tropical Shipping).
ON
WEDNESDAY, June 4th, 2025, Tropical Shipping St. Vincent & the Grenadines, presented a cheque valued at EC$2,700.00 to World Pediatrics.
This contribution will assist in defraying costs associated with providing critical pediatric medical services to children across St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the wider Eastern Caribbean region.
World Pediatrics (WP) is a non-profit organization that delivers life-changing surgical and diagnostic pediatric care to children in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the Eastern Caribbean since 2002. This past year, the organization evaluated over 1,500 Caribbean children and conducted over 200 surgeries across various pediatric specialties.
Sales Manager of Tropical Shipping, Maxine Howard expressed the company’s enthusiasm for supporting WP for another year, highlighting her company’s longstanding commitment to making a meaningful difference in the communities. “We are proud to contribute to a cause that directly impact the lives of
children and their families, and we remain committed to initiatives that support the people of the islands we serve.” Howard stated.
Mrs. McIntoshShallow extended heartfelt thanks to Tropical Shipping for its continued support, stating, “We are thankful for this continued partnership with Tropical Shipping over the years. This contribution much like the previous ones play a vital role in expanding access to advanced pediatric care to children in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the Eastern Caribbean. This support helps ensure that every child, regardless of their circumstances, can access specialized and advanced pediatric care they need to thrive.”
About World Pediatrics
World Pediatrics is a non-profit organization delivering critical pediatric care to children in need across the Caribbean and Central America. Through partnerships with local hospitals and international medical teams, WP ensures each child has access to the
care they deserve.
WP, originally the World Pediatric Project (WPP), has been actively working in St. Vincent and the Grenadines since 2002.
Its Annual General
Meeting (AGM) was held in St Vincent and the Grenadines in January 2018, the first time the AGM was convened outside of the United States. (Source: Tropical Shipping)
World Pediatric completes life-changing surgery at Milton Cato Memorial Hospital in May 2025.
Taiwan: Our dear friend and ally
Continued from Page 10.
land degradation, and biodiversity; global policing against terrorism, human trafficking, trade in illegal drugs; and actively cooperating on global peace, security, and the quest for inclusive prosperity.
The government of SVG does not accept direction from any country as to which state it ought to establish diplomatic relations. We consider it unreasonable and unacceptable that the PRC sets a pre-condition of breaking relations with Taiwan in order to establish relations with mainland China.
TAIWAN’S FOOTPRINT IN SVG
Under the NDP administration (July 1984 to March 2001), Taiwan’s major footprints in SVG centred on its Agricultural Mission, the construction of the Union Island airport, the financing of the construction of the Central Market in Kingstown (a terrible project in its implementation) and bits and pieces of support in the social sector.
During the era of the ULP administrations (March 29, 2001, to the present time), the impact of Taiwan’s contribution to our development has been phenomenal, including: The construction of the historic and iconic Rabacca Bridge (a grant); the huge contribution (grants and loans) towards the building of the Argyle International Airport; almost 300 university scholarships to Taiwan between 2004 and now (a grant); grant supports for students at secondary schools and SVGCC; the grant funding of the YES, SET, and ON-SITE; the grant of US$7 million to build the National Library; a grant of US$1.1 for the educational centre in Park Hill; the strengthening of the Agricultural Mission; the grant funding in support of equipment and information technology systems for the police, the health sector, and education; the US$63 million soft-loan for the Modern Port; the US$125 million softloan for the Acute Care Hospital at Arnos Vale and related health infrastructure support; the US $45 million secondary roads construction; the US$50 million soft-loan towards the government’s equity (in partnership with Jamaican investors) in the soon-tobe-built Marriott Hotel (US$150 plus million hotel project at Peter’s Hope); and several other support programmes in the social and cultural spheres, including for women’s empowerment and assorted non-governmental organisations.
The NDP’s pre-2017 mantra was right: SVG-Taiwan relations are not only state-to-state; they are like “FAMILY”. Now, the NDP is wrong, wrong, wrong, in wanting to break relations with Taiwan and shift to mainland China.
IF NDP WINS ELECTION, WHAT WILL HAPPEN?
If in the unlikely event that the NDP were to win the general elections, their break with Taiwan would immediately have the following results:
The over 100 university students currently in Taiwan would be stranded. Few, if any, of the parents of these students would have the resources to pay for them in Taiwan. One option would be for them to start over in mainland China, if the PRC so decides. Would our students want to start-over on mainland China? The other likely option is for the students to return to SVG with an incomplete university education.
The hundreds of millions owed to Taiwan by SVG would immediately come due to be paid. Who would pay these debts? Mainland China?
The following vital projects, among others, would crash immediately:
The Acute Care Hospital at Arnos
Vale would be stopped.
The building of the Marriott Hotel in Central Leeward would not happen. YES, SET, and ON-SITE programmes would come to an end.
A further negotiated loan for building our secondary roads would be cancelled.
The annual university scholarship programme would be halted.
The Agricultural Mission would close. Vital cooperation on security and cultural matters would end.
As everyone knows, the PRC does not have anywhere as good a record with assisting its allies as Taiwan does. Go on the internet and read the authoritative stories about China in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and elsewhere in the Caribbean? NDP wants to trade the bone of Taiwan for the shadow of the bone in the waters around mainland China. The NDP is concerned mainly about is financing for elections, not the financing for the people of SVG.
TAIWAN
IS STRONG
The mainland China’s advocates scream that the PRC is the second largest economy in the world with a nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$19.2 trillion: but this is spread across 1.4 billion people, its average annual per capita GDP is US$13,678 which places it 79th in the world; and the PRC’s Human Development Index (HDI) places it 78th, globally. While much of China is developed and rich, large areas are underdeveloped and poor. By contrast, Taiwan’s GDP of US$865 billion (21st in global rankings) is spread over nearly 24 million people; so, the average annual per capita GDP is US$34,426 (20th in the world); or in other words, the average Taiwanese is almost-three times better off than the average mainland Chinese. And Taiwan’s HDI is very high at 19th place in the world. Taiwan is thus a country of great economic substance. Further, it’s technological advances especially in the manufacture of computer chips is huge.
SUMMATION
Taiwan has a lot of time for SVG. Comrade Ralph has visited Taiwan 12 times since 2001. On each occasion, he has had discussions at the highest level, including with the President (Presidents Chen, Ma, Tsai, and Lai Ching-te). Presidents Chen, Ma, and Tsai have paid state visits to SVG.
In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan, there is a special Desk for SVG within its Caribbean Department. SVG gets special attention.
Comrade Ralph is a highly-regarded leader in Taiwan. His advice is repeatedly being sought on a range of regional, hemispheric, and global issues. The Comrade has been accorded Taiwan’s highest civilian honour, “The Order of the Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon”.
It is to be noted that SVG’s foreign policy under the Comrade has been able to chart a path of non-alignment, antiimperialism, regionalism, internationalist solidarity and multilateralism consistent with the interest and values of our Caribbean civilization and its glorious Vincentian component. We are friends of all, and we strive for a better world. Noteworthy is the fact that countries with diverse ideological or political systems have honoured the Comrade with their highest honours. These counties include Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, Argentina, Ecuador, Guyana, Japan, and Taiwan.
The Comrade and the ULP look out for SVG. Friday and the NDP are focused on their Chinese “take-away” food.
ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20)
Lovers may prove unworthy of your affection. Invite friends over. Try not to discuss important matters with colleagues. You will be able to talk to your lover about future goals and perhaps make plans for the two of you to take a vacation.
TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21)
You would be wise to consider attending lectures that will broaden your awareness concerning your professional direction. Concentrate on work. Avoid arguments with relatives who might be conservative and outdated. Problems with in-laws may cause friction in your personal relationship.
GEMINI (May 22-June 21)
Networking will be a necessity. Join a choir or a drama club. You may be considering moving to larger quarters. You may be upset if someone has borrowed something that belongs to you. Your ability to relate will close the generation gap.
CANCER (June 22-July 22)
Visit those less fortunate than yourself; be sure to help them with their personal problems. Business trips might prove unproductive. You could experience delays in shipments or mail, and should be careful while traveling. You need an outlet that will help take your mind off any troubles at work.
LEO (July 23-Aug 22)
Lovers will be less than accommodating, and decisions regarding personal direction a necessity. Opportunities to travel will be favorable in terms of moneymaking connections. Emotional situations could bring out your stubborn nature. Changes involving your domestic scene may be unpleasant.
VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23)
Talk to someone you trust in order to see the whole picture. You should follow through on educational endeavors you have wanted to pursue for some time. You can continue to forge ahead if you make a few long distance calls pertinent to closing pending deals. Someone
important may be watching you from afar.
LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23)
You are in a high energy, get it all done, mood and you'll have little patience with those who are slacking off. Don't let friends or relatives make you feel guilty if you're not able to attend one of their affairs. You will get drawn into groups that are not favorable to you. You can make new connections if you play your cards right.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22)
Try not to lend or borrow money this week. Try not to get upset or angry without having all the facts. You could pick up valuable knowledge through conversations with experienced individuals. Problems with ear, nose, or the throat are likely.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21)
Secret affairs may be tempting, but keep in mind that they will damage your reputation if you decide to indulge. Try to put your money away for a rainy day. Uncertainties are still prevailing. You'll be prone to tears if your mate is harsh with you this week.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20)
Look closely at motives and honesty in your personal encounters. Sign up for courses that will help you understand yourself better. Sentimental feelings may make it difficult to get much done at work. Your personal life is going through a state of confusion.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19)
Your partner may blame you for everything. Face any emotional problems head-on to avoid situations getting out of hand. Get involved in the activities of children. They will teach you far more than you expect. If you want to make your mark, try to get involved in projects that will bring you some glory.
PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20)
Don't exaggerate. Ferret out information that will hold them responsible. Don't let any money slip through your fingers this week. In-laws may cause difficulties. Travel should be considered.
9. Opera solo 10. Breathe rapidly 12. Public revenue department
18. Position 20. __ bean 22. Longdistance prexfix (2 wds.)
23. Fashionable 24. Poet’s possessive 25. Struggle 27. However much
29. Hockey great Bobby _30. Heidi’s mountain 31. __ de plume (pen name) 33. “Garfield” pooch 38. Scand.
country 41. Crawled 43. Soft orange color
44. Rhodes, e.g.
45. Military detective show 46. By __ and starts 47.Photographer’s need 48. “ __ and Otis” 49. Cain’s father 50. Mention 53. Recent (prefix)
LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION
Dear George,
I’M WORKINGat a certain business place in Kingstown and to be truthful I have been sleeping with my boss’s wife for some time now. She makes sure I’m well taken care of financially. I am absolutely sure no else knows about our involvement.
The problem is that I just found out that my wife has been sleeping with my boss for the past year or so. She confessed after I found evidence of it in her work bag. She made mention of my affair with his wife so I knew that was still a secret.
I do not want to come down on him for banging my wife for fear he will let me go. At the same time I still have to be mindful that going too far with this can also force his wife to buckle under the pressure and come clean. This is one tit for tat that was none of our doing. Should I just swallow hard and settle for what is going on now”?
Hard Pill to Swallow
Tit for tat Leave him alone!!!
Dear George,
I AM A SINGLEwoman with my eyes on a married man.
The truth is, we knew one another long before he met his wife. There has always been a connection between us.
I keep telling him he should have married me instead but he insists he is happily married, even though I tell him I can make him happier.
Dear Hard Pill to Swallow,
There is a popular saying which goes “do so nah like so” and it applies to you in every way. Both of you are equally guilty of infidelity that can lead to a painful end to your marriage. Immediate steps must be taken to save it from a painful end.
Put an end to that relationship you have with your boss’s wife. If she truly cares about you she should not want to see your marriage end in ruins.
You also owe it to your wife to come clean with her and that in itself can serve as a motivating factor for her to clean up her own act.
Put the main focus back on your relationship. Make time for each other and use all extra time for each other.
George
I still cannot see why he would leave me and get married to someone who just came into the picture. Don’t you think he should be married to the person who can make him happiest?
Unsettled
Dear Unsettled,
You should respect this man’s choice. He must have had a very
sound reason for choosing to marry someone else instead of you and that is what you have to come to accept.
He has declared that he is happily married and you should respect that and leave him be. Your day will eventually come even if it takes a little longer.
Be happy for this guy and get on with it.
George
Dignity compromised
Dear George,
MY LANDLORDgave me an ultimatum — sleep with him for just one night and have my four months outstanding rent waived completely. He also agreed to give us as much time as we would need to get back on our feet. I slept with him.
The situation is that my job alone cannot pay the rent. My husband has been ill for some time and he would not be able to return to work for the rest of this year. So, rather than be evicted and end up on the street, I gave in to my landlord.
To be honest I see nothing wrong with what I did. I was the one who selflessly gave of my body so we could survive and do not deserve to be criticized by my husband.
Shaking my Head
Dear Shaking my Head,
You gave in sexually to your landlord and you see nothing wrong with it! You chose to ignore the fact that you are a married woman and don’t expect your husband to have issues with that, like trusting you going forward!
In giving in to your landlord you have opened the door for future advances by him.
Your dignity should always be intact at the end of any trying day.
George
Vincy HeatÊs WC journey ends
NEITHER THE DEPENDENCE on other results and taking care of their own business, came to fruition for St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ senior men’s outfit- Vincy Heat –who was beaten 2-1 by Puerto Rico last Tuesday night, June 10, 2025, in their final Group F of the Concacaf World Cup Qualifiers.
This defeat put an end to this country’s hope of advancing further in World Cup Qualifiers.
The host took the lead in the 11th minute through Leandro Antonetti, at the Estadio Centroamericano de Mayaquez.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines had an opportunity to equalize but Kyle Edwards’ penalty kick in the 38th minute was saved by the Puerto Rican custodian- Sebastian
Action in the Puerto Rico-SVG encounter was played out to ’many’ empty seats, at the Estadio Centroamericano de Mayaquez.
Cutler. Captain Oalex Anderson, though, brought parity to the match with a goal in the 47th minute. Both teams went for the go-ahead goal, but it was Puerto Rico that got it in the 77th minute item from Steven Echevarria.
The defeat placed St. Vincent and the Grenadines one from the bottom in the Group, with a solitary victory versus winless Anguilla, 6-0 on June 4.
The Vincentians lost three matches: 4-1 to Suriname, 3-1 to El Salvador and 2-1 to Puerto Rico.
Three points against Puerto Rico and upset adverse results were Vincy Heat’s hopes. Likewise, Puerto Rico was hoping that other Group F result on the night would favour them, but it was not so, as Suriname and El Salvador drew one goal apiece, as the two
advance to the Final round of the qualifiers. Puerto Rico finished on 7 points; Suriname10; El Salvador- 8 and Anguilla- 0.
In other results on the final day of qualifiers, Jamaica blanked Guatemala 3-0, St. Lucia defeated Barbados 2-1, Honduras over Antigua and Barbuda, 2nil, Panama beat Nicaragua — 3nil, Guyana over Montserrat 3nil, Dominican Republic beat Dominica 5-0, Curacao routed Haiti 5-1, Grenada edged out St. Kitts and Nevis, 3-2 and Bermuda over Cuba, 2-1.
Thus, Honduras and Bermuda advanced from Group A; Costa Rica and Trinidad and TobagoGroup B; Curacao and Haiti from Group C; Panama, and NicaraguaGroup D; with Jamaica and Guatemala doing so from Group E.
The twelve qualifiers will be placed in three groups, playing each other on a home and away basis.
The top team from each group will get direct berths to the World Cup finals, with the two top second places advancing to the InterConfederation playoffs.
Vincy athletes impact Whitsuntide Games
ATHLETES
REPRESENTING CLUBS and schools here St. Vincent and the Grenadines, left their mark on the 2025 staging of the Whitsuntide Games in Grenada, last weekend at the Kirani James Stadium, St George’s.
Among the Vincentians accomplishments were the resetting of Games records.
Tyler Hercules of Biomechanics set a new record in the Under-13 Boys 300m, with a 40.20s clocking.
AJ Delpesche’s 21.13 seconds in the Under-20 Men’s 200m was also a new Games feat, while Malakya Nero of X- Ceed Sports Club established a new record in the Under-20 Men’s 1500m, lowering it to 4:18.24.
Meanwhile, Zichri Hepburn of Mustangs rewrote the Open Men’s/ International 5000m record, with his 17:12. 68 timing, with High Performance’s Romaul James, doing the same in the Open Men’s/ International Triple Jump,
with a leap of 14.62m.
IT DAT Academy’s Under17 Boys 4 x 100m team is the newly installed record holders of that event, when they stopped the clock at 43.08s.
Likewise, IT DAT Academy’s Under -20 males, won the 4 x100m event in record time of 41.45s.
Apart from the records, Vincentian athletes also stripped their opponents by taking gold in events.
Hercules, other than his record breaking run in the 300m, won the 200m in 25.26 and the 100m in 12.35s.
Keo Davis of IT DAT Academy, returning to the track after a layoff because of injury, won the Under-20 Boys 100m in 10.23s, which is his personal best.
High Performance’s Tre’on Cato won the Under-9 Boys 80m in 11.8s, and Kobe Ollivierre claimed the Under17 Boys’ 800m, doing so in 2:07.79.
Kenesha Richards of High Performance took gold in the Under-17 Girls 100m, in a time of 12.34s, with Kyree Gloster also of High
for the Open Men’s/International Triple Jump.
Performance taking the Under-11 Boys 100m in 13.60s.
High Performance led the Vincentian medal count with 15. The other clubs from St.
Vincent and the Grenadines that attended the Games included X- Cel Track Club, Chatoyer, along with the St. Vincent Grammar School and the Georgetown Secondary. All clubs or schools representing St. Vincent and the Grenadines, returned with at least one medal.
Ezra Hendrickson, Head Coach of Vincy Heat, did much to instill a new confidence and spirit among the national team. He will be challenged to maintain same going forward.
High Performance’s Tre’on Cato won the Under-9 Boys 80m.
Romaul James of High Performance set a new record
Kenesha Richards of High Performance took Gold in the Under-17 Girls 100m.
JOMODEAN MAY,
May readying for tasks ahead
Jomodeam May, newly installed Director of Physical Education and Sports, is ready for the task ahead, not least being the immediate responsibility of preparing and managing the 2023 WISG.
who officially assumed the position of Director of Physical Education and Sports on June 01, 2025, says he is glad to have the privilege to lead and ensure the foundation is there for this country’s sportsmen and woman, through programmes emanating from the Sports Department.
May is confident that given his experience, he is ready for the job.
And as he readies himself for the task ahead, he told THE VINCENTIAN, “I am aware that the government has the intention of revamping the Department, so I am looking forward to propose ideas and convince them that these initiatives (ideas) can lead to the betterment of the sports and athletes.”
May will have little time to turn around though, as he takes on the responsibility of overseeing the preparation and co-ordination of the 2025 Windward Islands School Games (WISG), to be held here from July 26 to August 03.
The Games are said to date back to 1912, and May stressed the
importance of hosting the event that reflects our history and culture.
He approaches his task in this regard as it being “a learning curve for me to observe as it would be one of my parameters for assessing performance, what is happening locally and how our Department can strive to achieve better.”
And as far as SVG’s performance in the Games, the new Director was up front in saying, “We don’t want to host and be third or fourth; we’re basically looking for a top two finish, and even though this does not happen, we have to take our losses and learn from them.”
May referred to a meeting held ahead of the Games and involving persons from the other islands. He
King’s Baton Vincy style revealed
THE ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINESgot its first public look at this country’s touch of the King’s Baton, of the Commonwealth Games, when it was taken on tour to the
Grenadine Island of Mustique, Wednesday, June 11, 2025.
The specially designed Baton depicts aspects of the Vincentian culture and heritage, including places of interest, reflecting the natural beauty and tranquility of the multiisland country.
That was the freedom given to countries, as instead of a single Baton travelling through the 74 countries, each country had liberty to fashion and personalize the Baton to their specificities and uniqueness.
While in Mustique, the Baton was taken to Mustique Primary School and a run through the community took place, from the Plant Nursery to the Mustique Primary School.
Baton bearers — Nadira Morgan, Afi Lucas, Matthew Ballah and Tracey Byron - representatives from Squash, Tennis, Swimming and Cricket respectively, along with students and others joined in taking the Baton through its route.
In turn, the students gave homage to the event with a cultural
presentation.
Following Wednesday’s kickoff event, this Friday, June 13, schools on the Windward side of the mainland will have their turn to view the Baton.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ tour of the King’s Baton ends Saturday, June 14, with a river/beach cleanup at Biabou, in concert with the Commonwealth of Jersey (CGA).
The CGA is an integral part of the Baton Relay, as they join forces to combat plastic pollution.
disclosed that the meeting recognized that the Games might need some restructuring.
He shared that from the SVG standpoint, the lookout has begun for ideas to make the Games sustainable especially as they are high-cost, with demands placed heavily on the host country.
“What we are hoping is to take the approach similar to the IOC, by setting up a special committee with the sole purpose to figure out how to develop these Games. We may have to develop a strategic plan so as to ensure a quality product is constant across the islands,” May said.
I.B.A. ALLEN
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is the fourteenth and final Caribbean stop of the King’s Baton Relay, which started March 10, 2025.
Next up will be Africa, then Asia, Oceania, the Americas, and finally, Europe, as the Baton completes 500 days of movement, ahead of the Opening Ceremony of the 2026
Commonwealth Games carded for Glasgow, Scotland.
The XXXIII edition of the Commonwealth Games takes place in Glasgow, Scotland, July 23, to August 2, 2026.
Hope IntÊl second in Masters Football
ON TRAC HOPE
INTERNATIONALhad to settle for second place in the 2025 Barbados Invitational Masters Football Classic. After successfully navigating the preliminaries,
Hope faltered in the final played on Monday June 9, at the Barbados Football Association Astroturf, losing to Empire 0-1.
Before the heart break final, Hope had a 2-0 win over
Wildey on Sunday in the semifinal, thanks to strikes from Caldrick Sutherland and Aiden Nurse.
In the quarter final, played Sunday morning at the
Kickstart Playing Field, Hope blanked Mecca Masters 4-0, with a brace coming from Aiden Nurse and one each from Kenson Stoddard and Kevin Samuel.
also benefitted from an own goal.
Akin John, who served as player/administrator on the tour, noted that it was a landmark occasion.
Hope kicked started their sojourn on Friday, June 6, at Dover, with a 0-0 draw with Empire. Then on Saturday, Hope returned to Dover to draw 1-1 with Wildey, with Sutherland netting for the Vincentian.
In their last group match, Hope saw off Christchurch 4-0 at the Dover venue. Kevin Samuel scored twice, Nicholi Williams had one and Hope
On Trac Hope International had a commendable showing in its third time competing in the Barbados Invitational Masters Football Classic.
“We are celebrating our thirtieth anniversary, and we were blessed with the presence of founding memberJames Lewis, our first coachGary Thomas and first Manager — Roddy Dowers,” John related.
As for the results, John added, “The result was extremely disappointing for the team who fought commendably. But it was a thoroughly enjoyable outing with every single member contributing to the journey to the finals.”
It was Hope International’s third time competing at the Barbados Classic.
Baton bearers and students of the Mustique Primary School proudly display the King’s Baton.
SVG’s version of the King’s Baton.
Sammy asks for patience
COACHDarren Sammy is asking for patience from fans as they take on the Australians in a 3Test showdown starting June 25, at Kensington Oval in Barbados.
The squad is: Roston Chase, Jomel Warrican, Kevlon Anderson, Kraig Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevlin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Johann Layne, Mikyle Louis, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales.
With the current environment, the call for patience may just be a decoy, or an attempt to distract from some discrepancies. The final playing squad will make interesting reading. Whatever the army, they will have to pull out all the guts to go toe to toe with the Australian regiment.
They will not be offering any sympathy, and our quest for points to takes us up the table will have to be earned. How quickly our players rise to the occasion will unfold over the next three weeks at least.
The second Test is carded for Grenada at the National Stadium July 3 to 7. That might be a good time for non-carnival enthusiasts to drift away to the Spice isle for a cool off.
Jamaican fans will be in for a treat when the third Test is played under lights at Sabina Park July 12 to 16.
Three T/20 are also scheduled for St. Kitts.
The sporting exchanges involving the West Indies senior men’s squad continues at Broward County, Lauderhill, July 31, August 2, and August 3. The Pakistanis broaden their Americas tour with three One Day Internationals at the Brian Lara Academy August 8, 10, and 12.
Fans will determine the extent of their patience with Sammy when the squad for those shorter versions are announced. It is no secret that Vincentians are anxious to know what is Obed McCoy’s status with West Indies Cricket, or should he follow the route that Nicolas Pooran has taken.
The T/20 series in Ireland which began yesterday Thursday June 12 was an extension of the West Indies early summer engagements in that zone.
The West Indians managed to draw the ODI showdown with Ireland having to rebound from a loss in the first game. The second was abandoned.
Between the Ireland episode, West Indies lost six matches, in ODI and T/20 to England. Results in the Australian and Pakistani clashes will determine how patient fans will be.
Supporters will not feel happy with appeal for calm. They want results on the pitch and that is the best way to appease them.
Fans will like to see the West Indies team return to winning ways. That is not going to come by superficial or artificial programmes. There has to be a genuine effort towards upward mobility. It is not for administrators, or persons authorized to act on behalf of regional cricket.
There has to be sincere measures to ensure that youngsters get real preparation s they emerge for regional and international tournaments. There are too many instances of gaps between Caribbean youngsters and their international counterparts. That’s an area to which area that Cricket West Indies has to pay attention.
Pooran announces retirement
a
Nicholas Pooran’s announcement that he was retiring from international cricket was described by the Jamaica Gleaner as a “shocking move that has left the cricketing world in disbelief.”
bomb on Monday night, June 09, with an announcement that he had decided to quit international cricket, with immediate effect.
Nicholas Pooran, 29 years old, one of the most sought-after players on the global T20 circuit, made the announcement via his Instagram platform.
“After much thought and reflection, I’ve decided to announce my retirement from international Cricket.”
He further added: “This game we love has given and will continue to give so much - joy, purpose, unforgettable memories, and a chance to represent the people of the West Indies. Wearing that maroon, standing for the anthem, and giving everything I had each time I stepped on the field... it’s hard to put into words what that truly means to me. To have led the team as captain is a privilege I will always hold close to my heart.”
“To the fans - thank you for your unwavering love. You lifted me in the tough moments and celebrated the good ones with unmatched passion.”
“To my family, friends, and teammates - thank you for walking this journey with me. Your belief and support carried me through it all.”
“Though this international
chapter of my career closes, my love for West Indies Cricket will never fade. I wish the team and the region nothing but success and strength for the road ahead.”
The Trinidadian represented the West Indies in 106 T20’s scoring 2,275 runs with a highest score of 98, among 13 halfcenturies. He has a strike rate of 136. In ODIs, he played 61 matches, amassing 1,983 runs with three hundreds and 11 fifties. He finished with an average of 39.66 and strike rate of 99.15. Pooran has never played Test cricket.
Nicholas leaves the game as the most capped West Indian in T20 Internationals with 106 matches and the leading T20 runscorer with 2,275 runs.
Meanwhile, Cricket West Indies said: “We salute his achievements and thank him for the moments he has given fans across the region and beyond. We wish him all the very best in the next phase of his journey.”
Pooran says he will continue to play for Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League. He has also been appointed captain of MI New York for the upcoming 2025 Major League Cricket (MLC) season.
Compiled
by I.B.A. Allen
Roberts inspires TallawahÊs win
SHAMICROBERTSwas
in blistering form as he blasted a century to hand Sion Hill Tallawah victory over Fairbairn United by 89 runs, when the NLA/TBPO T20 Cricket Competition continued last weekend at the Dauphine playing field.
In a match reduced to 18 overs, Sion Hill Tallawah batted first and made 160 for 5 in 18 overs with Shamic Roberts hitting 102 not out off 52 ball.
Shamic Roberts’ 102 not out for Sion Hill Tallawah was the standout performance in last weekend matches in the NLA/TBPO T20 Competition.
Fairbairn’s Christon Williams took 2 for 25. In reply Fairban United managed 71 all out in 11.3 overs. Bowling for Tallawah: Denson Hoyte grabbed 3 for 10, Shawn Williams 3 for 30, and Shamic Roberts 2 for 7.
In another weekend match. CMT Out ah Trouble beat Young Stallion by 4 wickets. Young Stallion made 110 all out in 18.1 oversVincent Cupid 35, Kentish Phillips and Raje Questelles 20 each, Davian Barnam took 3 for 25.
In reply, Out ah Trouble reached 114 for 6 in 8.2 overs. Stein Joseph, 24. Bowling for Young Stallion, Danroy Hazel 3 for 47.
Kombat Warriors defeated Duck Squad United by 9 wickets. Scores: Duck Squad United 73 all out in 16.5 overs - Danroy Fergus captured 4 for 9; Kombat Warriors 74 for 1 in 6.5 overs. Rajiv Roberts 22 not out.
East Kingstown had the better of BOSVG All Star by 4 wickets.
BOSVG All Star 143 for 8 in 20 overs, Kelly Murry 31 - Delano Webb 3 for 19, Javon Seales 2 for 28; and East
Kingstown 144 for 6 in 18 overs. Jerrel Edwards was 63 not out, Javon Seales 44 not out and Kelly Murry 3 for 15.
AIA Reload beat Older Boys by 24 runs. AIA Reload 133 for 7 in 15 overs: Zeron Harry 38, Jerome James 26 not out
- Mc Donald Simmons 2 for 10, - Wilfred Bascombe 2 for 23. Older Boys 09 for 7 in 15 overs: Mc Donald Simmons 27 - Zeron Harry 2 for 12, Sylvano Greene 2 for 21.
I.B.A. ALLEN
WEST INDIESwicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran dropped
Major changes for Vincymas 2025
From Backpage
This year’s panorama is expected to be bigger with both junior and senior pannists in competition on the same day, July 3, along with the Sections of the Bands Competition.
Traditional of J’Ouvert fanatics are in for a treat this year with the announcement that traditional J’Ouvert revellers will have the streets of Kingstown to themselves, between 2am and 6am.
And for those who prefer the Monday Afternoon ‘jump-up’, in the various t-shirt bands, now have up until midnight to party on the streets of Kingstown.
Similarly, for those taking in the ‘last lap’ on Carnival Tuesday, the festivities will officially shut down at 10pm, Small said.
Other major changes for Vincmas 2025 according to the CDC’s CEO, was the reintroduction of the 24-hour street bars and Carnival being officially closed on July 13.
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MAJOR CHANGES FOR VINCYMAS2025
by DAYLE DA SILVA
THE 2025 EDITIONof Vincymas kicks off in earnest in the next few days, and patrons can expect to see some changes to the format.
Rodney Small, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC), announced some of these changes during s press briefing on June 10.
“What we did was we went back to the calendar and looked at our products and looked at those that needed some enhancement and some newness,” Small explained.
One addition to this year’s festival is the reintroduction of the Soca/Ragga Monarch Semifinals, dubbed ‘Bacchanal Bay’, scheduled for June 22 at the E.T Joshua tarmac.
“And it will be a beach, cooler fete type of activity,” the CDC’s chief said.
The stage will be activated at 4 pm when the first of 40 Ragga and Soca artistes will take to the stage, vying for one of the 20 spots (10 each) at the final.
The Calypso Semi-Finals, commonly referred to
as ‘Fantastic Friday’ and considered the traditional kick-start of the final 10 days of Vincymas, has been replaced with ‘Rum & Rhythm’ on June 27.
This event, according to Small, will be a block party with live performances from Soca artistes and trending DJ’s, both locally based and from the Diaspora.
This year’s Junior Carnival has been renamed ‘Kiddies Fun Fiesta and scheduled for Saturday 29th June. The venue, Victoria Park, will be transformed into a ‘Coney Island’ type atmosphere, Small said.
Then on June 29, the nation’s Calypsonians will take to the stage for the Calypso Semi-finals which is dubbed ‘An Evening with the Legends’.
This year will be the 50th anniversary of the staging of the Calypso Semi-finals and is expected to feature some of this country’s calypso legends.
The activity begins at 6pm with a cocktail hour with the actual show getting underway at 7.
There has been a slight adjustment to the start of this year’s Junior Calypso/Soca competition. According to Small, the event has been shifted from
FEMALES DOMINATE RURAL SOCA
by KENVILLE HORNE
WOMENare
reigning supreme in an otherwise male dominated competition.
Two females have taken three 2025 Rural Soca Monarch competitions, much to the dismay of their male counterparts and some fans.
Angelique “Angie Maya” Garraway with her hit track “Curry”, won her second Soca Monarch crown for 2025, when she took the North Leeward Soca Monarch on Saturday 7. Garraway, a 27-year-old North Leeward resident, first walked away with the St. George’s Carnival Soca Monarch title on Saturday 31st, May, at the Calliaqua Hard Court.
These victories have more than pleased the co-writers of the songRajiv “Suhrawh” Sutherland and Rasheid “Rawsheid” Sutherland, on whose label — Boss Raw Records — the song was recorded.
The North Leeward Soca Monarch show was held at Wafulasuns Sports Bar in Cumberland.
‘Curry” is making waves in SVG
and in Grenada where “Angie Maya” recently performed.
Second place in the North Leeward Soca Monarch went to Jace with her “Til Mornings”, while third place was shared between Gio & Suhrawh, and Kelly J.
Following her victory on Saturday, June 07, “Angie Maya” competed in the South Leeward Soca Monarch Competition on Sunday 8th June.
Her hope of completing a hat trick was spoilt by Kelly “Kelly J’, “Jace” John, a Vermont resident.
The energetic performer worked the stage at the Campden Park Playing Field, and commanded her fans to get on bad, as she performed her track “Start Again”.
“Angie Maya” had to settle for second place. GEO and Rajiv “Suhrawh” Sutherland tired for the third place.
With only one rural Soca Monarch still to come, it is safe to say
that women have dominated the 2025 Rural Soca Monarch circuit.
a 2 pm start time to 4 pm, on July 1.
Continued on Page 27
Angelique “Angie Maya” Garraway –2025 North Leeward Soca Monarch.
Kelly ‘Jace’ John – 2025 South Leeward Soca Monarch.
Newly installed CEO of the CDC - Rodney Small, was the bearer of news of significant changes in the calendar of traditional events and other activities for Vincymas 2025.
