NEW POLICE HIGH COMMAND APPOINTMENTS
Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Trevor “Buju’ Bailey, unless a change is made, is expected to continue to head the crime fighting machinery of the Police Force.
by KENVILLE HORNE
ON TUESDAY 5TH MAY, 2026,
Minister of National Security St. Clair Leacock announced that a
series of changes, primarily among the high command, “will shortly be made in the Royal SVG Police Force.”
And while he spoke to increasing numbers as per some of the offices, he stopped short of naming any officers who might be promoted. This did not stop speculation among the public.
Minister Leacock, however, promised to address the appointments in a very short time from the date of the initial announcements.
In keeping to his word, the National Security Minister announced the appointments last Wednesday, May 13, during a broadcast on the state-owned NBC radio. Among the more exciting announcements was the promotion of the Bailey brothers - Assistant Commissioner of Police Trevor ‘Buju” Bailey and Superintendent of Police (SoP) Dwayne Bailey, currently serving as Superintendent of Prison - to fill two posts of
SoP Dwayne Bailey, will bring to the position of of Deputy Commissioner a no nonsense but fair attitude that will hopefully impact the operations of the Force.
Deputy Commissioners of Police.
Assistant Commissioner Trevor Baily will act until such time as current Deputy Frankie Joseph retires officially. SoP Bailey will fill the second position as provided for in the estimates.
New Assistant of Police Brenton Smith will focus his expertise on matters of Human Resource training.
Expect Assistant Commissioner Junior Simmons to impact whatever community policing strategy, programme the Force might implement.
Leacock described the appointments as not only being historic — two brothers serving together in the Police High Command, but also that together they bring experience and training that will strengthen the police force’s operational capacities to better address ongoing challenges with criminal elements and “bad actors”. Another eye-catching appointment was that of Station Sergeant Brenton Smith to the position of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).
Continued on Page 3.
V News 3
SVG counts homicide #14
Police are investigating the fatal shooting of Keith “Devon” James, a 37-yearold resident of Golden Vale, Calliaqua, whose death is listed as the 14th homicide so far for the year.
The incident was reported to police at approximately 8:06 p.m. on Friday, May 8, 2026. Officers responded to the scene in the vicinity of the Anglican Church, where they observed the
motionless body of a male lying on the left side of the road. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police recovered 5 spent 9mm shells from the scene.
A post-mortem examination is expected to be conducted to ascertain the exact cause of death.
But what police discovered in the course of their investigation
might just have broadened their investigation.
On executing a search warrant at the victim’s residence, as part of their investigation, police reported recovering 1 Glock pistol, 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 1 firearm magazine, a night vision device, a substantial amount of cash including foreign currency, and a quantity of a substance suspected
to be cocaine.
The recovered items, the police said, “are being examined as part of the ongoing investigation, and their relevance to the fatal shooting has not yet been determined.”
Investigators are pursuing several lines of inquiry and are examining all relevant circumstances that may assist in determining the motive and identifying
Water supply in Grenadines at crisis levels
THE DRY CONDITIONS that prevail have forced the Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA) to implement rationing strategies to ensure the conservation of water.
But despite this measure, Daniel Cummings — Minister of Health and Wellness, Environmental Health and Energy, assured that while the situation regarding the water supply on the mainland was reduced, it was not yet at a crisis level.
According to Cummings, the current water crisis was in the Grenadines.
“The Grenadine islands largely depend on the collection of water from the roofs, and they spend a log of money building storage tanks under their homes, and who can’t afford that they use the black plastic tanks,” Cummings explained while speaking on NBC Radio on May 14.
Most of those homes were destroyed during the passage of Hurricane Beryl and even where they have been repaired, the guttering that channels water
from the roof into tanks were in some instances still not fixed.
Public cisterns on the islands, concrete storage facilities where rainwater is collected and channelled into tanks, have also been destroyed, according to the health minister, and the tanks broken and contaminated.
Therefore, work is ongoing to clean those storage tanks and sanitize them in time for the rainy season later this year.
But Cummings said that the major issue was the impact of the reduced rainfall which began in 2025, and the growing use of water for domestic and other uses in the Grenadines has been a major challenge.
He explained that in the past, the resort on Canouan assisted by providing water to residents, but they too have been having water issues and have since cut back.
The Mustique Company was credited with assisting the people of Mayreau with the installation of a desalination plant that has been functioning.
“And water goes in addition to that by the boats,” he said.
Bequia has been facing significant water challenges, the health minister said, and on Union Island, he explained that a private investor constructed a desalination plant, however it was yet to be commissioned.
“And in discussion with that gentleman, that plant is expected to be commissioned very shortly so that Union Island will soon be able to have water from that desal plant,” he said.
Regarding Bequia, the minister further explained that for several years there had been some interest expressed by the Italian Government to construct a desalination plant on that Grenadine island.
“That would have been producing water for several years now, treating the sea water and making it available to the people of Bequia including the storage and distribution lines so that the water could have been supplied to the people,” he said. (DD)
the person or persons responsible, a police release stated.
In this light, the police are urging members of the public to refrain from speculation and to allow the investigative process to take its course.
James, a former national footballer, according to some residents, had just disembarked a vehicle when he was shot.
Anyone with information that can assist with this investigation is asked to contact the Criminal Investigations Department/Major Crimes Unit at 456-1810, Police Control at 4571211, Police Emergency at 911/999, or the nearest police station. All information received will be treated with the strictest confidence. (Partial source: RSVGPF)
New Police High Command appointments
Continued from Frontpage.
Effectively, Smith’s appointment meant that he leap-frogged the ranks of Inspector, Assistant Superintendent (ASP), and Superintendent of Police (SoP) to be directly elevated to Assistant Commissioner of Police.
According to Minister Leacock, Smith has been identified to take charge of the police force’s human resource department.
He will be tasked with the responsibility of overseeing performance appraisals, training, development, recruiting, and manpower planning.
A key objective of Smith’s new appointment is to “fix deeply rooted administrative and promotional disparities within the force,” Leacock stressed.
And with a keen eye on the future and perhaps of giving greater and focused attention to community policing, Superintendent of Police Junior Simmons has also been handed a promotion to Assistant Commissioner of Police.
SoP Simmons is remembered moreso for his heading of the Police Public Relations and Complaints Department, which, under his watch, enjoyed an amicable relationship with the media.
He was also the recipient, in 2024, of the prestigious Top Caribbean Community Policing Officer Award.
Leacock explained that because current ACP Benjamin is currently on leave, these new officersSmith and Simmons - will officially serve in an acting capacity until Benjamin’s leave expires and the posts are cleared.
Meanwhile, ACPs Benzil Samuel and Hezran Ballantyne will be reassigned to oversee school security across the country.
Leacock said the move was aimed at strengthening law and order in schools and improving existing security arrangements. (See article on Backpage.)
Keith ‘Devon’ James is said to have been shot multiple times in his head.
Water is ferried to the Southern Grenadines via the regular ferry service
CWSA is putting in the work to support residents in the Southern Grenadines through organized water distribution operations.
Murder accused taken for further evaluation
Memorial Hospital (MCMH) undergoing evaluation by mental health doctors, murder accused Branson Paris, of Diamond, is to undergo further evaluation.
That was the order of Chief Magistrate Colin John delivered at the Serious Offences Court on Wednesday.
Paris is been charged in connection with the death of Roseclair Williams, a 60-yearold pastor of the same address, who died after sustaining multiple stab wounds, and a slash to her throat.
Williams’ body was found around 1:15 p.m., April 21, on her property at Diamond.
Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS
AFTER SPENDING ABOUT FOUR
When Paris appeared at the Serious Offences Court on Wednesday, the Chief Magistrate asked him how he was feeling. He replied that he was not feeling good because his lawyer was not in court.
Paris’ lawyer Grant Connell had not yet arrived, and the Chief Magistrate stood down the matter to await his arrival.
When Connell showed up, the matter was recalled, and the charge was read to Paris. He was not required to plead as murder is an indictable charge.
Connell told the court that he understood that Paris was taken to a health facility, but he does not know whether he was examined. He said the investigator was in court and may be able to give an update.
The Magistrate then called Corporal 693 Joel Williams of the Major Crimes Unit (MC), the lead investigator in the matter, to take the stand.
Corporal Williams informed the Court that Paris was evaluated at
Sentencing in immigration matter adjourned
VENEZUELAN
NATIONALFrank
Garcia and Alister Haynes of Grenada, both facing charges in connection with the seizure of over $10 million worth of cocaine at Calliaqua on April 20, will be sentenced on June 11 for violating this country’s immigration laws.
The men are charged with entering the state of St. Vincent and the Grenadines other than at a port of entry, entering the state by boat at Cumberland and disembarking without the consent of an immigration officer.
Haynes is charged separately with, while being a prohibited immigrant entered the state without a passport. Garcia is separately charged with knowingly and willfully allowing himself to be landed at Cumberland.
All four offences were committed on April 20. When the men initially appeared at the Serious Offences Court on April 23, the were not required to plead to possession of 434 kilos of cocaine for the purpose of drug trafficking,
11 on immigration charges but still have a PI to undergo on cocaine-related charges.
possession with intent to supply and attempting to export the drug. Garcia pleaded guilty to the immigration charges, while Haynes pleaded not guilty. Both men were remanded. However, on their return to court yesterday (Thursday), Haynes changed his plea on the immigration charges to guilty, and Chief Magistrate Colin John adjourned the immigration matter to June 11 for presentation of facts and sentencing. Attorney Grant
Connell is representing Haynes, while Garcia, who was unrepresented on his initial court appearance, is now represented by attorney Richie Maitland.
The cocaine contained in 396 packages was discovered on a yacht intercepted by police on April 20.
The Preliminary Inquiry (P.I.) into that matter will be heard at a later date.
Both men are remanded at His Majesty’s Prison.
the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital by Mental Health Doctors, and a document was provided deeming him fit to be interviewed.
The investigator said that based on this document, Paris was interviewed by the police, and at the conclusion of the interview the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) advised that the charge be laid.
But Connell hinted that Corporal Williams spoke of a document deeming Paris fit to be interviewed, which is different from the report on whether he was fit to stand trial.
The Magistrate then said that he had noticed dramatic transformation in the demeanor during the time Connell was absent to the time
he appeared in court.
John noted that before Connell showed up, Paris said he was not feeling well because his lawyer was not there.
The Magistrate ordered that Paris be sent to the Mental Health Rehabilitation Centre for evaluation, to determine whether he was fit for trial.
The matter has been adjourned to June 15.
THE VINCENTIAN understands that Paris was a patient at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital from the time he was taken into custody on April 21 to Tuesday, May 12.
Paris was visibly calm during his appearance at the Serious Offences Court on Wednesday.
Slaters’ attacker still on remand
UP TO PRESS TIME YESTERDAY (Thursday), Jean Slater, the aunt of Acting Director of the Agency for Public Information (API), Nadia Slater, was still warded at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH), with serious injuries about her body.
On the other hand, Keswert Slater, the man accused of recently attacking Nadia Slater and her aunt, was still on remand at His Majesty’s Prisons.
Keswert, a 45-year-old delivery clerk of Clare Valley, said to be Nadia’s cousin, has been charged with entering Nadia’s home at Clare Valley with intent to commit the offence of grievous bodily harm, unlawfully and maliciously causing grievous bodily harm to Nadia, and attempting to murder Nadia’s aunt Jean Slater.
When he initially appeared at the Serious Offences Court on May 7, he was remanded until Monday May 11 on the grounds that Nadia’s aunt was still hospitalized at the ICU. However, on his return to court on Monday, the accused was further remanded to yesterday, as Prosecutor Renrick Cato informed the court that the elder Slater was still in the ICU. When the accused returned to court yesterday, the Prosecutor indicated that the situation had not changed, and asked that he be further remanded.
Reports are that an intruder entered Nadia’s home on the morning of May 5, attacked and beat her and her aunt.
A gas bottle was reportedly used to beat Nadia, but it was not clear what was used to inflict the injuries to her aunt.
Teen’s charge still not upgraded
UP TO MONDAY, May 11, the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was still awaiting the case file in the case of attempted murder accused Antonique Thomas, 16, of Colonaire.
That was the latest information Prosecutor Renrick Cato gave to the Serious Offences Court in respect of the way forward in the matter, following the death of the victim Winston McMillan of Colonaire on April 13.
The Prosecutor gave
the information on Monday, May 11, one week after telling the Court that the police were still carrying out their investigations in the matter, and the Prosecution was expected to say by Monday 11 what charge would be laid in connection with McMillan’s death.
But the matter is now adjourned to June 8, with Thomas still facing an attempted murder charge.
Thomas was granted $25,000 bail with one
surety, when she initially appeared at the Serious Offences Court on the attempted murder charge on April 13. However, McMillan died at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital minutes after Thomas made her initial court appearance.
The court has been told since April 20, that the DPP’s office was awaiting receipt of the case file.
Veteran attorneys Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and Ronald Marks are representing Thomas.
WEEKSat the Milton Cato
Murder accused Branson Paris leaving the Serious Offences Court on Wednesday.
Alister Haynes (left) and Frank Garcia will be sentenced on June
G’town Girl Guides introduced to wireless comms.
A TEAM OF YARA MEMBERSshared their wireless communications skills with the Girl Guides from the Georgetown district on Thursday, May 06 at the Georgetown Secondary School – GSS.
YARA was responding to an invitation from by the Guide Leader and teacher of the GSS.
The guides were taught the basics of wireless communications including learning the phonetic alphabet which they used to introduce themselves.
Following an introduction of the YARA team by YARA President James Codrington J88JC, Immediate Past President Don De Riggs J88CD gave the girls an insight into wireless communications explaining how 2-way radio works, and showing the similarity with the common cell phone and two way radios.
The girls were divided into five teams equipped with radios and sent to different parts of the school compound, as part of a simulated natural disaster, sending and receiving messages between ‘master control’ and ‘first responders’.
That was the most exciting part of the exercise; it gave the girls firsthand
experience with the use of 2-way radios.
This aspect of the training was short and the leader invited the YARA team to join their camp later this month, during which the girls can obtain more handson training in the outdoors.
Before ending the session, the President - J88JC quizzed the girls on what they had learned by asking questions about information shared during the training. The girls who answered correctly were given small prizes which they did not expect but for which they were very grateful.
According to Girl Guide leader Setranella Young, this activity “was one of the best facilitated sessions that I have ever had with the girls, I learned and the girls learned, and their responses indicated that they would have learned.”
She went on to say, “It takes more than us on the job to get the job done; it takes a supporting team from the community, and today was a testimony of that,” and thanked the organisers and facilitators of the event.
YARA intends to conduct a training session in Georgetown during the
Georgetown Girl Guide troupe. Inset: Guides sending and receiving simulated messages.
summer holidays where the Girl Guides and other students will be given the opportunity to earn an amateur radio (Ham radio) license.
YARA will also be staging its annual pre-hurricane season communications readiness drill over the Whitsuntide weekend, getting its members in a state of preparedness for
the 2026 storm season.
The YARA members who took part in this training activity included President James Codrington J88JC, Vice president Eban Oliver J88NGL, Monte Browne J88NMB and Donald De Riggs J88CD.
Report by:DON DE RIGGS
Building the AgroProcessing sector
CARLON JAMES,Senior Economist in the Private Sector Development Unit, welcomes the joint approach to AgroProcessing expansion here, especially the partnership with the Centre for Enterprise Development (CED) to place the sector on a stronger foundation. James cites Agroprocessing as a “critical pillar for economic diversification, rural development, food security and value addition.”
His remarks came Thursday May 14 at the Kingstown Methodist Church Hall, during the opening of an Agroprocessing Forum hosted by the CED. He points to “linkages in agriculture, manufacturing, and trade,” as areas to build on. The Economist points to money, standards, packaging and technology as parts of the equation. “There are also significant opportunities for growth, export expansion and youth engagement,” James assures. He looks forward to “practical strategies and policy recommendations that can further unlock the potential of the agroprocessing industry in
CED’s General Manager Ronette Lewis and Carlon James, Senior Economist in the Private Sector Development Unit, at the opening of the Forum.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”
CED’s General Manager Ronette Lewis underscores her institution’s “commitment to strengthening the agroprocessing sector as a key driver of economic growth, innovation, food security, and sustainable livelihoods.”
She stresses the importance of collaborating on this sphere of national advancement. Keisha Phillips, CED’s Training and Education Coordinator. points to the era as a first in the sector. Phillips endorsed the idea of agroprocessors working as a collective. (WKA)
Managing Director: Desiree Richards
Editor: Cyprian Neehall
Telephone: 784-456-1123 Fax: 784-451-2129
Website: www.thevincentian.com
Email: thevincentianpublishing@gmail.com
Mailing Address: The Vincentian Publishing Co. Ltd., P.O. Box 592, Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Editorial
Police and Policing: Just the Front End
RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT of appointments to the high command of the Royal SVG Police Force have been met with mixed feelings, to simply repeat the obvious.
Many would have embraced the announcements with smiles and on the basis of some political bias and hope the changes gave indication that the NEW government was prepared to undo the ‘wrong’ perpetuated by the previous regime.
Others would have seen the appointments as flying in the face of any hope for the dispensation of ‘true’ justice, given their own battle with the previous high command and no real makeover.
Lest we be taken in too early, we must recognize that real transformation of police services requires systemic, cultural, and structural changes that extend far beyond replacing top leadership. While changing the high command can set a new direction, meaningful reform should focus on deeper, lasting changes.
Transformation can start, but not end, there. We recognize the step by the New Democratic Party Government as hopefully a step that will eventually address the justice system as a whole.
The police are only the front end of the criminal justice system. They are followed by prosecutors, then courts, trial and appellate. Prisons are the back end. Together, these institutions comprise a network that speaks invariably of “processing” cases within what is perceived to be a debilitating system.
Yes, we should start with transforming the police. But it will be too little if that front end of the system and its antipathy to the impoverished, and perceived injustice is all that we transform.
Disproportionately, people of low socio-economic, especially young males, are stopped, harassed, and arrested by the police. These are the ones who are likely to face inequities in terms of charging, plea bargaining (change of plea), and sentencing.
Prosecutors, courts, and correctional facilities deserve as much attention as the police force and all its departments.
Overall, courts give structure and durability to antipathy toward the impoverished. Our courts are often judged as being two-raced. Those with money often can achieve
Water on my mind
relatively good outcomes, while the hundreds who are poor cannot afford diligent defenders and are often “processed” into bad outcomes.
Moreover, an accused’s wrongs are “crimes,” but the wrongs of police, prosecutors, and judges are “errors” routinely excused as harmless. This leads to impunity and a repetition of wrongs by emboldened government actors, and a corresponding loss of public faith in police, prosecutors, and the courts.
You see, it is not only what the public sees as treatment being handed out to civilians by the police in their daily discourse of their duties, that inhibits public confidence in the police.
It is as much how, thanks to the courts, police officers who violate the constitution and law, are usually made to enjoy immunity from liability. No criminal defendant gets a pass for good faith but, it appears that bad faith or the biases of police officers mostly don’t count. Even if the traffic stop was motivated by some personal vendetta, it is fine if the officer chalks up victory in another minor traffic violation.
At the system’s back end, prisons are another obvious target for transformation and should not be assigned to any treatment less than and separate from the rest of the justice system. To neglect the importance it plays is to speak of plastering the sore rather than addressing its cause.
Then there are the legislatures, the architects of the criminal justice system. They must not be allowed to butter some other area of concern to deliberately underfund the system as a whole.
Finally, we must guard against the creation of redundant layers of police agencies that only serve to smother one another’s work and encourage overlapping authority.
If the recent announcements seek in one sense to create a “new social contract” where police are held accountable not just to their superiors, but to the communities they serve, then we are on the right track.
To repeat: Yes, we should start with transforming the police. But it will be too little if that front end of a system which is antipathy to the impoverished and justice is all that we transform.
-THE WEATHER FORECASTfor today is for little or no chance of rain.
We go through this every year; sometimes as early as April, but no later than May, we start yelling about the pending water crisis. Then the hurricane season returns, the rivers flow, albeit less than before, and we go back to complaining about water outages because landslides are taking out parts of the infrastructure.
So, when is the perfect moment to talk about our water needs, future demands, and how to secure our current capacity and build for the future?
This topic might seem wild and complex to many, but it’s time to embrace the challenge and understand its importance. Let’s explore developing a master plan for our water system outside of politics. After all, when the river dries up, it affects everyone, red or yellow.
We need a twenty-year plan and a specific five-year plan. To start, water department personnel need to be aware of the government’s economic development plan for the next 25 years, especially if we are truly pivoting toward tourism as a significant contributor to our mainland economy. They need to know what other industries are in the mix.
The Central Water and Sewage Authority (CWSA) has about forty thousand residential customers. I anticipate another 3,000 to 5,000 connections over the next 25 years, bringing our daily peak demand to about 8 million gallons.
Depending on the type of industrial development we incentivize, we could quickly increase our water demand by 2 to 3 million gallons. So you see, without an adequate water supply, we could slow growth due to missing infrastructure. And worst of all, we could see some developers building their own, which will not improve availability to the local community. Think Mustique. Our current storage capacity is about 6 million gallons; we need to grow it to about 10 million gallons.
Today, I think CWSA has 12 water catchment areas on the mainland. These are usually sufficient to serve the current needs regularly. For about three to four months each year, we fall short. During these months, we need new and different sources. I have a few suggestions beyond the wells being considered. We can consider diverting
the water from the hydroelectric dams to augment the water supply during the dry weather season. The classic “Robbing Peter to pay Paul,” but let’s face it, we are already paying excessive electricity surcharges anyway. VINLEC has no intention of fixing that problem, so what’s a few extra dollars for electricity if it results in a more reliable water source? According to my calculation, this would amount to about twenty cents per unit consumed. I will pay for an assured water supply during the dry weather season.
According to a report I saw last year, we lose about 20% of the water we collect during transmission or unmetered use. I find that hard to accept, but if that is the case, we must address this with the utmost sense of urgency. Repairs to the system must be addressed before or in conjunction with any new capital investment.
We must address a few other things to maximize borrowing capacity. We must address the over $1 million in government receivables; this account appears to be growing without any explanation. We might want to consider metering the standpipes that serve underserved communities. The value of the water consumed could then be included in subsequent rate calculations as an operating expense. Doing so would eliminate a portion of the government receivable and, most importantly, remove the whisper of corruption in the ranks.
This action would improve our standing with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and get us a more favorable interest rate. Some of these things would require board approval and must include a plan to make water available to those homes. Yes, that would be sharing the cost of the water consumed by those people using the standpipes among the rest of us. I am ok with that. It would amount to only a few pennies spread among the rest of us; it is the least we could do for those in need.
You may have noticed that I suggested we prepare to pay a little more for monthly service to try to solve our water issues. Well, you are correct. I estimate that we need about 40 million US dollars to address this issue, and I am ready to pay my share. Are you?
Horatio
The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Keep your trap shut
I AM WELL AWAREthat Dr. Ralph Gonsalves served (if that is the correct word) as Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the
Grenadines from 2001 to 2025. He goes down in Vincentian History as our longest serving Prime Minister.
I am also aware that he is now the Leader of the Opposition, a designation that it looked like, a while back, he did
Congratulations! GHS 115 years old
CONGRATULATIONS to the St. Vincent Girls’ High School (GHS) on celebrating 115 years of the school’s existence which started on May 8, 1911. The school has produced many stalwarts, pioneers, nation builders, loving, caring, responsible persons and, especially at this time, we must mention devoted mothers.
This institution is well-known and has a legacy of excellence in education. To all of the graduates and all who ever attended and/or were/are associated with the school in any way, congratulations and thanks to them all. The sense of loyalty to the school endures and I wish the school continued success in the future.
These are challenging times and we pray for guidance as we go forward steeped in tradition, positivity and strong principles.
Prayer for the St. Vincent Girls’ High School (GHS)
(G)racious and merciful God, we thank You for blessing us with this institution of (H)igh School education that positively influences the lives of so many.
(S)upport, guide and bless this place of learning now and forever.
Amen.
Cheryl Phills King.
We have to do better
I HOPE I AM WRONGbut I get the feeling that the division that the ULP in its two decades in government had helped to create among us the people, it looks like we are ready to make this division even wider.
Facebook and all the other social media platforms were filled with all kind of ‘I attack you, you come back at me’ posting. We never stopped to see how much the politics was dividing
us. Then we have people going as far as to create ‘strips’ like ‘Haggy and Dankey’ or whatever they are called. Nobody, not even the political leaders of this country made an issue of the division because it served their interest, but we have people encouraging a survey of sorts to find out whether we have the best KFC in the Caribbean.
I tell you, Mr. Editor, we reach where we going
not want to assume, since it must have been quite a task to move from one side of the House to the other.
I am also aware that because of his tenure as Prime Minister, he has bestowed upon himself the title’ of ‘Elder Caribbean Statesman’ and some media people local and regional have since been referring to him as such.
I was not going to allow Dr. Gonalves to rope me into any issue involving him, since as far as I am concerned, we have heard as much as we can stomach from him, for 25 long years. But no, he is bent on having us listen to him for as long as he feels he is the ‘elder statesman’ and the ‘brightest’ Vincentian around.
That said, a recent input by him really got me rethinking my position. That was when he told last week’s Jamaica Observer Press Club that he hoped “Guyana and Venezuela
will abide by the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the decades-old Essequibo dispute.”
Now come on Dr. Gonsalves. You brought the presidents of Guyana and Venezuela together in St. Vincent at the AIA, in December 2023, thinking you could bolster some compromise between the two countries.
But you know what. You and all the other sanctimonious Caribbean leaders at that AIA meeting heard the Venezuela leader say that his country will not respect any ruling by the ICJ.
You are out of office. Do you really think you can cause Venezuela to have a change of heart. They didn’t sound like they had budged one bit on their claim at the recent ICJ hearing. Who are you to think that if you could not do it before as Prime Minister that you can do it now that you are out of office.
I can go on and on
about Dr. Gonsalves “opening his mouth” since he was removed resoundingly from office, but I wouldn’t. Suffice it to say, he would be better off keeping his trap shut on the GuyanaVenezuela issue. Or maybe on second thought he should open his trap and tell the Venezuelans to back off of a sovereign CARICOM country — Guyana.
I wonder if he so brave.
Thomas
if KFC have to take precedence over how we live with one another. How further are we thinking of going?
And when you think the results of the election would have been the beginning of a healing in our nation’, that is wishful thinking, because I come at you, you come at me, looks like it just started.
People still “cussing’ one another over politics. Thank God we have not got to a point like Jamaica where we are killing one another. We killing one another for other reasons not for politics.
The other day I wore a yellow polo shirt into Kingstown and you should have heard the accusations thrown in my face. So the next day, I wore a red polo shirt into Kingstown, went into some of the same areas I went the day before and “mudder wuk’, if you hear what I got.
Time we stop allowing ourselves to be made fools of by our political leaders. We have to begin to see ourselves as our brother’s keeper.
Charles, Edinboro
ACCORDING to an article that was published on page 5 of the 10th April 2026 edition of your newspaper, the Minister of National Security is considering transforming the Calliaqua Town Hall Building into a Police Station or building a new Police Station at a site along the Glen Road.
What about rebuilding the Police Station at its original site? This will be symbolic of rising again out of the ashes and bouncing back from a setback, and would be entirely consistent with the general thrust of our national story. We are more than conquerors. We are overcomers. We build back better.
When the World Trade Centre Towers in New York were destroyed, the Americans built their replacements on the same spot. Maybe we should do something similar with the Calliaqua Police Station.
I also think that it would be appropriate to preserve Police Station presence on the
frontlines of the main road at Calliaqua. This will have the effect of preserving the pride of place we gave the station in history, and also have potential practical advantages with respect to law enforcement.
The Calliaqua Police
the scriptures, we should not remove the ancient landmark which our fathers have set.
* HOW COULD ALL THATsame debt got we hooked by the gill?
* Will the adjustments at the top of the police force be just window dressing like in the past?
* How are things going with the construction of the hospital at Arnos Vale?
* Like that contractor who take the money and didn’t touch a piece of grass at the Langley Park playing field got Godfathers on both sides. How come he not locked up yet?
* Where all the PRYME money gone? Did the ULP do any follow up to see if the money was spent for which it was applied? Would the NDP consider doing a follow-up to see how many projects, business ventures were funded by PRYME money and how many of them are in operation??
* Why is it all ministers are talking about what the ULP left the NDP, including Junior Ministers, but the man who should be explaining all of that, the finance minister, is quiet on the matter?
* When is Dr. Gonsalves going to get off Dr. Kishore Shallow’s back?
Station is an important national landmark. According to
Gemariah DeFreitas
Immediate and Long-Term Solutions to Grenadines Water Problem
THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY (NDP) government wasted no time in responding to the water shortage in the Southern Grenadines. Their swift and decisive response to the water shortage underscores their dedication to effective governance and their readiness to tackle pressing issues head-on.
Parliamentary Representative for the Southern Grenadines, Honourable Terrance Ollivierre, along with Minister with responsibility for the Central Water and Sewage Authority (CWSA), Honourable Daniel Cummings, assured residents that the NDP government has been working tirelessly with various stakeholders, both on mainland St. Vincent and in Union Island, to effectively address the water shortage. They emphasized the government’s commitment to implementing immediate solutions and long-term measures to ensure reliable access to water for all the Grenadine islands.
Speaking on the Agency for Public Information, Minister Ollivierre said, “Because of hurricane Beryl and the havoc that it caused in the Southern Grenadines, we realize that most of the cisterns on the islands and also people’s systems at home were severely damaged. In parliament, while in opposition, I made the point that the cisterns in the islands needed to be cleaned, but I was ridiculed for that. Lo and behold, what I’ve said turned out to be true because if the situation was remedied at that time, we would have been in much better situation to providing the water that the people in the Grenadines need.”
Minister Cummings noted, “The situation in the Grenadines with respect to water this year is one of the toughest. And I first want to put it into perspective. Hurricane Beryl damaged significant numbers of roofs in the Grenadines and many of them are still not restored even after this length of time. That means that a lot of the guttering that channels the water from the roofs into people’s private systems are not functioning. It also did some significant damage to the catchment areas, the public catchment areas, in that they were highly polluted and they haven’t been properly addressed as yet.
“But I want to let the people of the Grenadines, and in particular the Southern Grenadines know that the CWSA has been working feverishly. In fact, I have, as minister responsible for water, been in regular contact with the staff at all levels of the water authority to get an appreciation of what they’re doing and to urge their extra effort in making sure that the supplies in the Grenadines are dealt with. And indeed, the ships have been going down on a regular basis to Bequia and as far as Union Island in the Southern Grenadines to make sure that a certain minimal amount of water is available to the population.
“The CWSA was to have installed proper water supply systems in all of the Grenadines Islands. In fact, I can
tell you that when I was in the water authority back in 2003, 2004, the plans were already there. For whatever reason, the previous government failed to implement these provisions. Now, we are at a stage where we are about to implement significant investment in water supply on all the main islands of the Grenadines. But until that is done, there are short-term measures that we are putting in place to make sure the supply is adequate.
“On Union Island in particular, we have been in discussion with a private investor who has built a desalination plant and it’s almost ready. We’re working with him to speed up the operationalization of the plant. And of course, the CWSA has a critical role to play in testing and making sure the water is of the right quality and in distributing the water to the population. As a government, we took the responsibility to help to provide more storage facility in order to make it practical to supply the water, because the desalination plant will be producing at a particular rate, and you have to have the ability to store the water because you don’t have a distribution system on the islands as you have on the mainland. So, storage in suitably sized tanks and from there the population will be served with the water. I think that should be on stream from next week where that private operator will be able to help us and help CWSA to supply water that the people need.
“We are continuing the process of supplying water from mainland St. Vincent via the boat. As has been happening for some time. We have also arranged where the CWSA trucks would be available and also smaller transportation on the island would be available to make sure the water is transported as they are accustomed to do, they will be able to carry water at different locations throughout the island so that people can get the water that they need.
“The other thing to note, particularly as it relates to the Grenadines, there is no distribution system for water on the islands. The projects that are coming on stream in the near future will not just deal with the plant that is the production of the water, but there will be adequate storage at an elevation that will allow water to feed by gravity to the homes. So, there will be transmission and distribution means on the islands of a comprehensive water distribution system as you expect in a normal society. It is so regrettable that the previous government failed to act on this essential project, but we are going to make sure this comes through as soon as possible.
Commitent transcends crisis
“When you’re surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose, anything is possible.”
- Howard Schultz (born 1953) -Former CEO of Starbucks
MANY CONSIDER PASSION to be contagious. Passionate individuals— especially those in leadership or managerial roles—can ignite and sustain commitment, even when a group or organization is facing adversity. Their positive example encourages colleagues to look beyond challenges and explore the possibilities necessary for both individual and organizational growth.
Individuals and organisations that are required to respond to a crisis may quickly discover that such situations reveal both their strengths and their weaknesses. Individuals who adopt a proactive approach can channel their positive energy into generating confidence and fostering winning attitudes among their colleagues and associates. This is especially valuable when organisations encounter periods of crisis. Such individuals are often able to inspire others to look beyond the dangers magnified by the crisis and instead recognise opportunities for growth and development. They are able to look from “behind their eyes” to perceive possibilities that might otherwise seem unattainable.
In the Chinese language the word for crisis is a combination of two words — danger and opportunity. When challenged by crisis situations, many successful leaders and managers look beyond the danger and pursue the opportunities that are often buried within the perceived trauma.
The more successful among us view crisis situations as tests of strength and commitment. Such individuals understand that even the most carefully designed plans may unravel and that human strength may falter when least expected, often because of forces beyond our control. However, these are usually the moments when commitment shines forth, revealing a deep and enduring dedication to a purpose, value, or relationship. Many can attest to the fact that it is often this quality of persistence that enables individuals, organizations, communities, and nations to endure hardship and rebound with renewed determination, focus, and vigor. Innovation and positive transformation can also emerge from times of crisis. Research has confirmed that organizations that innovate during crises by focusing on generating new growth, rather than merely weathering the storm, tend to outperform others significantly over time.
Coping with crisis situations, and emerging from these, require a mindset that is focused on doing things differently and welcoming constructive criticism. Understanding and appreciating that we do not know everything about everything is a good starting point. Progressive leaders and managers know this to be true and seek to invite ideas from throughout the organizations. This is especially evident as “junior staff” search and review knowledge appearing on the various online platforms and develop a comfort level and confidence in sharing these with persons more senior and/or more educated than themselves. Their commitment to the organization should be recognized and celebrated. This is especially so when the organization is going through or emerging from a crisis. History records that those who remain committed and are incentivized in
adversity often achieve outcomes that initially seemed impossible.
Crisis situations also emerge on the personal level. Accidents happen, and individuals inevitably encounter loss, failure, disappointments, and uncertainty. During such moments, there may be a temptation to accept defeat and surrender cherished hopes and aspirations. While there may be value in engaging in a temporary retreat in order to recover and regroup mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, caution must be exercised to ensure that commitments to noble dreams and ambitions are not abandoned.
Research indicates that individuals who remain devoted to their responsibilities, personal growth, and loved ones often develop a resilience that extends far beyond mere survival. For example, a person who has invested significant time, emotion, and financial resources into a relationship that eventually collapses may feel tempted to avoid future relationships for fear of vulnerability and further disappointment. Yet many can testify that painful experiences often create opportunities for profound personal growth — they can emerge from a severe emotional pruning to bear much fruit.
Such crises can become valuable turning points that foster greater wisdom, emotional maturity, and selfawareness. In time, the individual may develop a deeper sense of acceptance, appreciation, and renewed joy. What initially appeared to be an emotional stumbling block can ultimately become a stepping stone toward a richer and more meaningful life. In this way, commitment can transcend crisis.
Beyond the personal observation, such commitment plays a critical role in communal challenges. Communities impacted by economic downturns, natural disasters, or social unrest often rely on shared commitment to rebuild and recover. Recovery is often enhanced by the willingness of people to stand together, support one another, and persist regardless of the crisis situation — regardless of social, economic, academic, and political differences.
Commitment is often generated and sustained through reflection, adaptability, objectivity, and courage. When these qualities are evident within a department or organisation, they inspire trust, confidence, and hope. Such attributes are critical in maintaining a focus on exceptional performance, even when confronted by crisis situations. Recovery following natural disasters and periods of economic downturn can be accelerated when proactive individuals engage in the strategic foresight necessary to ignite hope in the midst of despair.
While a crisis has the power to disrupt, challenge, and redefine circumstances, it does not have to result in personal or communal demise. Commitment, sustained through difficulty, has the capacity to outlast and overcome even the most daunting and debilitating challenges. It is not the absence of crisis that defines success, but the presence of commitment within it. When individuals and communities choose to remain steadfast despite misfortune, they prove that commitment does not merely survive crisis–it transcends it.
The making of a criminal
THE PROBLEM OF GANGS AND VIOLENCE, explicit sex and open drug use at a few schools must be placed squarely at the door of the Ministry of Education. This accusation in no way absolves students whose mindless decisions and actions place their academic future and their very lives at risk. The actions and/or inactions of authorities negatively affect the life chances of students in failing schools.
We are all for nipping truancy, violence and other dangerous activities in the bud. We are equally convinced that the decision by the government to place police at schools, just like the call for the death penalty to stem homicides, is a band-aid approach that may have popular appeal but does very little to solve the overblown problem that our security minister seems intent on addressing.
To place this vexing problem in context, how does deploying police in schools ensure that no child is left behind? It does not. The principal at West St George school calls in the police every Monday morning, yet the problems at that school appear to be entrenched and endemic. A similar problem obtains at JP Eustace Secondary School in Edinboro. Have we ever stopped to wonder why there are fewer incidents of gangs and violence at the Girls High and the Boys Grammar Schools? Could this have anything to do with the fact that some of the best-performing students and most qualified teachers are at those schools?
A few years ago, we reached the informed conclusion that some schools were being used as dumps. That is to say, many students, considered slow learners, deemed ill-disciplined, violent and uneducable, were steered into these schools. For voicing this innocent, yet inconvenient truth, Plain Talk was widely condemned. Those quick to herald what they glibly call our ‘education revolution’ were woefully unwilling to identify and, more importantly, address the many problems that continue to plague our educational system.
Few of us may remember Ellena Allen, the young Convent student who was conspired against by her school’s leadership, and the Chief Education Officer, now diplomat LouAnne Gilchrist, and other education ministry officials. She graduated at the top of her class in Taiwan and is now pursuing graduate studies. She charged her teacher with bullying, yeah, bullying that thing that all of us talk about now. In frustration, she wrote an inappropriate comment responding to the bullying teacher in her homework book.
For this transgression, she was kicked out of Convent and transferred to JP Eustace school in Mespo. Young Ellena was a science-tracked student at Convent, but our education cabal, uncaringly, transferred her to JP Eustace, where there was no science lab. Had it not been for Ellena’s defiant mother, who pushed back with a successful court challenge against Gilchrist’s rude remark, ‘I have two things to say to you: take your daughter to JP Eustace and get out of my office,’ Ellena might have become a statistic in the system’s selffulfilling prophecy.
And so it is with West St George, JP Eustace and other low-performing schools across our country. In every school across the nation, there might
be what some call ‘bad apples.’ However, when a school is packed with non-performers, or with an overwhelming amount of students reading below grade level or where we are graduating entire classes that cannot read, we are creating cesspools and breeding grounds for deviance and crime, teenage pregnancy and failure.
Plain Talk is overly excited when students from non-traditional highperforming schools, Sandy Bay, Barrouallie, Buccament, and North Union, do well. We expect stellar CPEA scores from students who attend Kingstown Preparatory, St Mary’s Roman Catholic, Sugar Mill and Windsor Academy and outstanding CXC results from Girls High, Boys Grammar, St Joseph Convent, and Thomas Saunders. They have the best staffing, great alumni support, and the attention of our middle and upper classes.
Small wonder, then, that some of us go goo-goo-ga-ga when students from schools with low expectations break through and top the academic charts. These students are accidents in a system stacked against them.
Now, what is to be done? First, our society must recognise that many of our educational problems are of our own making. We must disavow the stigmatisation of students, abandon the ingrained, sometimes unconscious self-fulfilling prophecy that some students are destined for failure. We must truly embrace and inculcate the idea of no child left behind. Our teachers must all be focal points of light and encouragement. A systematic long-term 10 to 15-year plan must be devised to address the educational failures of so many young people, especially young boys.
Many of the problems relating to attention deficit, aggression, violence and other deviant behaviours have their root in generational poverty, poor nutrition, processed foods, excessive consumption of sugary energy-spiking drinks and copycat mimicking that students pick up from friends and or social media. Unless these issues are addressed, we will have even greater problems in the future.
We should immediately stop sending students to these ‘problem schools.’ Let the current cohort clear out and start afresh in five years with a new plan. Send better-trained, prepared and strong teachers to these institutions with the hope of uplifting and saving rather than dismissing and condemning students. Bring in alert and dedicated counsellors to stop and help young students work through their problems, which may be related to puberty, home issues and more.
Administrative approaches which emphasise throwing them out, jailing them, and hanging them when they run afoul of the law will please some but damage far too many people. A school lacking the culture of success would not be transformed by police presence. We all know that Vincentian police are feared but not respected. Police presence and aggressive enforcement of discipline will predictably go sideways.
Send comments, criticisms & suggestions to jomosanga@gmail.com
Is the Constitution used as a matter of convenience?
THE MAJORITY OF THE GENERAL PUBLICare not aware of the provisions of the Constitution, yet uphold it as the supreme law of the land.
In Trinidad and Tobago, for example, when the Indigenous/First Peoples advocated for recognition in the Constitution, as it is in the case of the Constitution of Cuba, it was struck down, on the grounds that it would make one ethnic group greater than the other.
Those points apart, one of the most abused provisions of the Constitution is “The Role of the Opposition”. While “democratic” countries have despised “Communist” countries for not having a formal ‘Opposition”, it is amazing that these same countries ignore the role of the Opposition in the Constitution of their
countries.
Closer home, the Constitution of St. Vincent and the Grenadines was in the hands of the public during discussion of certain reforms. The then Opposition played a pivotal role in the defeat of the proposed changes, in 2009.
According to a Summary done by Wikipedia, “Under the Constitution of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Opposition serves as a critical democratic mechanism, headed by a designated Leader of the Opposition. Its primary role, rooted in Westminster conventions, ensures government accountability by reviewing policies, questioning ministers, and providing an alternative government.
The Leader leads in the House of Assembly and key oversight bodies.
These are:
Parliamentary Accountability: The Leader of the Opposition (such as Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, as of late 2025), heads the minority in the House of Assembly to challenge government policy.
Oversight of Public Finances: The Leader of the Opposition often oversees public accountability, particularly in roles involving the Public Accounts Committee, which reviews government spending.
Senate Appointments: The Leader of the Opposition recommends two Senators to the Governor-General, providing a check on the Legislative branch.
Institutional Checks: The Opposition functions as a check against abuse of power, advocating for political stability and representing interests
not aligned with the government.
Constitutional Changes: The Opposition has a pivotal role in constitutional matters: including in reforms and referendums, acting as a crucial voice against government’-proposed changes, as seen in recent UNDP analysis of failed reforms”.
The latter is illustrated by failed attempts to change the Constitution in 2009, and the recent 2026 proposed changes by the current government. Yet arguments arise, with contempt, in Parliaments when the Opposition functions within its role, as if being in Opposition labels you a failure, and not a legitimate part of the highest law of the land — the Constitution. Then there is the absurdity of the Opposition walking out, as if its members also do not know their legitimate position. Is the Constitution used as a matter of convenience, and not in its entirety?
It is a travesty of this highest law, that any sitting government should request accountability from members of the Opposition, while within its own ranks, there are those with unresolved offences and court matters. According to the Biblical reference, casting stones as if they are without sin.
Adult Education has to move from Literacy, Numeracy, Skills and other forms, to include the neglected level of having the public understand how the parties they vote for, and the governments their numbers bring into power really work.
Nelcia Robinson Community Educator
Vasilka Venola ‘Rosie’ Grecia/Lewis
Below: Rosie’s children, grandchildren
Mayreau ÂPrayer WarriorÊ Laid to Rest
“PRECIOUS IN THE SIGHT of the Lord, is the death of his saints”. Psalms 116.
This was the underlying theme for the funeral service of the late Vasilka Venola Grecia/Lewis, fondly known as ‘Rosie’ by almost everyone who lives in Mayreau.
Zennel Grecia/Rogers delivered the eulogy
Rosie was born on January 26, 1961 and departed this planet on April 26, 2026. She was pre-deceased by her husband Simon Lewis, who died two and a half years ago, both departing at 65 years and 3 months.
All persons delivering tributes, including her
children and officiating minister described Rosie as a ‘prayer warrior’.
There was no shortage of prayers and anointing with olive oil by Rosie on her children and those whom she adopted, blessings which helped shape the character of her children.
Her husband was a well-known chef and baker in the Mayreau community and when he died a little over two years ago, Rosie kept the legacy alive.
The funeral service, conducted at the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) centre, heard several tributes. Two of her daughtersZonell and Zenelldelivered a tribute and
eulogy respectively, while Dorette Hooper from Union Island thrilled the audience with her melodious voice.
Scripture readings were done by niece Maria Ollivierre and nephew Cletus Forde.
The exhortation was delivered by Bishop George Scott, who also prayed for Rosie’s family present.
Before the burial, the casket was opened for the last time to give an opportunity for Mayreau residents to get a final glimpse of the woman who faithfully served the Mayreau community, both physically and
its regular
funeral of the late Rosie Grecia/Lewis, by accommodating persons living on mainland St. Vincent to attend the home-going service for a woman who lived by exceptional standards, as well as being a dedicated ‘prayer warrior’. by: Donald
De Riggs
spiritually.
The MV Gem Star
disrupted
schedule to facilitate the
Bishop George Scott performing final rites.
Dorette Hooper paid tribute in song.
Gonsalves blasts SmithÊs promotion
Commissioner of Police.
Speaking on his party’s Star radio, Dr. Gonsalves said that Smith’s promotion was the essence of the politicizing of the Force.
He reminded his listening audience that Smith had opted not to take the COVID-19 vaccine and left the Force.
According to Dr. Gonsalves it was not long after this that he entered politics, and was elected General Secretary of the then opposition New Democratic Party (NDP).
Smith reentered the Police Force when conditions allowed him to, and he did so at the rank of Station Sergeant as he was when he chose to leave.
to as “a former politician” as “plain wrong,” and described it as an affront to the “long-serving professionals who remained in the Force and worked their way through the ranks.”
He was also critical of the Minister of National Security for publicly announcing the promotion and detailing Smith’s new duties.
With respect to assigning duties, Dr. Gonsalves saw this as strictly an internal matter, one for the Commissioner to pronounce on and not one for a Minister of Government to articulate.
Dwayne Bailey - who were both promoted to Deputy Commissioner positions.
He noted that the constitution explicitly grants the Prime Minister a role in the appointment of the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners. Because those appointments followed constitutional boundaries, Dr. Gonsalves stated he had no quarrel with them and considered them to be within the bounds of reasonableness.
IN AS MUCH AS LEADERof the Opposition Dr. Ralph Gonsalves said he strongly condemned the recent high command promotions in the Royal SVG Police Force, and accused the government’s action in this regard as having “entirely politicized” the Police Force, he seemed to have held most of his venom for the promotion of Station Sergeant Brenton Smith to Assistant
Dr. Gonsalves was highly critical of the decision to allow Smith, who had left the Force and returned, to bypass the ranks of Inspector of Police, Assistant Superintendent of Police and Superintendent of Police and appoint him an Assistant Commissioner of Police.
He called the accelerated promotion and rapid elevation of one he referred
In his words, “these public directives demonstrate that boundaries have been crossed by politicians.”
Moreover, the Opposition Leader expressed disappointment in the Police Service Commission, stating that he found it difficult to believe they accepted the advice to approve such a rank-skipping promotion.
It was a different kettle of fish when Dr. Gonslaves referenced the cases of the Bailey brothers — Trevor and
Before leaving that issue, he emphasized that both men — the Baileys — were “excellent, professional police officers.”
And in closing his take on what would have been widely anticipated action as promised by National Security Minister St. Clair Leacock, Dr. Gonsalves warned that the unprecedented promotion of a known political figure to Assistant Commissioner will have “a lot of repercussions,” not to exclude reaction by the rank-and-file police officers.
Leader of the Opposition Dr. Ralph Gonsalves took a targeted attack on the elevation of Brenton Smith to Assistant Commissioner of Police.
Guyana dismantles VenezuelaÊs claims at ICJ
GUYANA HAS DELIVERED A STRONG and decisive rebuttal to Venezuela’s case before the International Court of Justice, with lead counsel Philippe Sands dismissing Caracas’ arguments as baseless, speculative, and rooted in what he described as “theatre and fiction.”
Appearing before the World Court in The Hague, Sands challenged Venezuela’s reliance on the controversial MalletPrevost Memorandum, arguing that the document lacks credibility, verification, and factual support.
At the centre of Venezuela’s argument is the claim that the 1899 Arbitral Award which established the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela is invalid.
However, Sands told the court that this claim depends heavily on a document that has never been properly produced or authenticated.
“The story of this document is so fantastical that it could feature in a novel,” he stated, noting that the memorandum was first referenced in 1949 and has never been independently verified.
Historical records show that the memorandum itself was published posthumously and has long been disputed, with no supporting evidence found in official archives or tribunal records.
Sands further dismantled Venezuela’s position by highlighting
reflects the government’s consistent strategy of pursuing a peaceful, rules-based resolution to the longstanding border controversy.
While Venezuela has challenged the court’s jurisdiction and
continues to dispute the 1899 ruling, Guyana has placed its confidence in international law and the judicial process.
As hearings continue, Guyana’s legal team has made it clear that attempts to rewrite
history without credible evidence will not stand.
The country’s position remains firm: the boundary is settled, the law is clear, and the facts are on Guyana’s side.
(Source: Live Wire News)
With a final ruling expected in the coming months, the proceedings represent a pivotal moment not just for Guyana’s sovereignty, but for the integrity of international law itself.
glaring inaccuracies within the memorandum. Among the claims cited was an allegation involving British jurist Lord Russell who, Sands pointed out, was not even part of the arbitration tribunal.
“It follows that claim cannot be true,” he told the judges, underscoring the unreliability of the document.
He also rejected allegations of secret collusion between Britain and Russia, describing them as “a concocted fantasy” unsupported by any documentary or historical evidence.
“There is not a shred of evidence,” Sands asserted.
Guyana’s legal team emphasised that the 1899 Arbitral Award was the product of a legitimate international process and has been recognised for more than a century.
The country is asking the court to affirm the validity of that award and the established boundary an issue that affects more than 70% of Guyana’s territory.
Throughout his presentation, Sands maintained that Guyana’s case is rooted in law, evidence, and established international principles while Venezuela’s arguments rely on speculation.
“Venezuela has opened before us a world of theatre and fiction, not law of fact,” he concluded.
Guyana’s strong showing at the ICJ
Philippe Sands – international law expert and author.
High Voltage on a ÂMoonÊ high
Band leader Kingsley ‘Whiteman’ Collis is not letting a recent fire and tremendous loss prevent him from returning with a full presentation by High Voltage.
THE METROCINT HIGH VOLTAGE MAS BAND presents ‘Artemis 11: Journey around the Moon’, for Vincymas 2026. The presentation includes seven sections: Launch and Artemis 11,
both for children, and Crew, Fifty years, Mas on the Moon, Stars and Satellites, and UFO in
Space. For adults.
The Mas camp is located at the building which recently served as the Thomas Saunders Secondary School, located on Murray’s Road, next to the peace
memorial Hall in Kingstown.
High Voltage returns to the Mas arena having missed out in 2025. This production emerges from the ashes so to speak. The portrayal is an adjustment to one Band Leader Kingsley Collis had in the making. That was called ‘French Revolution.’
A fire at the original Mas Camp site at Paul’s Avenue literally threw the original presentation into ashes. Collis outlined that the “The story would not have been told if the ‘French Revolution’ was to be presented,” Collis said of having to change course. That fire resulted in a substantial loss of tools, material and furniture tables as a result of the fire.
But Collis is not one to wallow in misfortune and he has already rebounded with his new depiction is rebounding with a new depiction, ‘Artemis 11: Journey around the Moon’.
And why this “look at the moon”? Collis sees himself as a teacher and wants to heighten awareness with respect to the new drive in Moon operations, especially, as he said, with all the distraction at local and international levels which he thinks served to divert from the impact of the Moon explorations. The veteran and widely travelled masmaker is taking nothing for granted, even though he placed second when his band last appeared.
“We are starting from zero,” Collis announced and made it clear that his band will be a force with which to reckon.
Response, i.e. registration, has been “slow thus far.” But Collis is optimistic that “the pace will pick up and the launch will inspire Mas lovers to link up with the Band.”
Costumes are set at $200 for children and $550 for adults. Designs for the band were done Kingsley himself, his daughter KTricia Isaacs and Oswald ‘Ossie’ Constance. (WKA)
L-R: The Launch – for children, UFO in Space and Mas on the Moon
Youlou Arts Foundation: Doing it for 25 years
YOULOU ARTS FOUNDATION marks 25 years of nurturing and encouraging the arts in St. Vincent and the Grenadines by focusing on art education for children and adults.
The mission of Youlou Arts Foundation is to promote excellence in the visual, performing and literary arts in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The Organization is particularly interested in seeking ways to preserve and develop the arts and culture in SVG. In 2017 the organization launched the Youlou Art Centre, an educational institution and community gathering space offering art classes and specialized training to children and adults.
On May 9th the long-awaited Bamboo Basket-Making class started.
Classes are held on Saturday afternoons from 1 pm at the Youlou Art Centre, Indian Bay. These classes are for adults 18 years and older. Classes are being taught by Mr Ruben Andrews, who was taught by his father. He has been making bamboo baskets since he was 10 years old.
Learning to use bamboo to produce items of beauty is a skill which needs to be encouraged. The public is invited to learn the art of bamboo basket making.
Saturday Morning Art Classes for children ages 5 through 12
Art classes are offered to children between the ages of 5 through 12 at the Youlou Art Centre on Saturday mornings from 10 am to 12 noon. These classes give children the opportunity to experience the many varied ways of art making. Classes are taught by Ms Antonia Cruickshank who is currently enrolled in the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College in an Associate Degree programme in the division of Fine Arts and Design.
the Emmanuel High School in Mespo.
The Hub at Villa is where it all happens for the Youlou Arts Foundation.
Left: Art Classes for the children is a hallmark of the Youlou Arts Foundation mission to encourage the arts in SVG.
Youlou Arts Foundation is offering its annual children’s art programme “Growing Young SVG Artists” This year it is celebrating 25 years.
Ongoing Drawing and Painting classes for Adults
The Youlou Art Centre is offering an ongoing adult art class. Classes are held on Saturdays from 12 noon. Classes are geared to all levels of ability. All materials are provided. These classes are being taught by Ms. LeeAndra Thompson, is a practising artist, and also teaches art at
Celebrations for the twenty-fifth anniversary are well on the way. This year’s programme will start on Monday, July 13 and end Friday, July 24. The focus is on climate change. The emphasis will be on exploring ways to beautify the local environment. The title is “Creating Beauty”
The main activities planned are the planting of tiny forests, a mural in the Uptown Market, creating a collage of
your own Vincy parrot and learning to create mosaic murals.
The programme is held in these locations: Tourama, Georgetown, Kingstown and Layou.
Classes are held on weekdays, Monday through Friday. from 9 am to 12 noon.
For more information call or email the Youlou Art Centre: email youlouartcentre@gmail.com. WhatsApp 497 7811, landline 457 4493 The Youlou Art Centre is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 5pm
Digital-Driven Healthcare Transformation: A New Chapter of Holistic Care in Taiwan
by Dr. Chung-Liang Shih Minister of Health and Welfare, Taiwan
AS THE WORLD
CONFRONTSthe challenges of population aging and healthcare workforce shortages, digital transformation in healthcare is no longer optional but essential.
Taiwan has introduced the “Healthy Taiwan” vision, placing “driving digital healthcare” at its core. By integrating big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud technologies, the system aims to improve healthcare quality and efficiency while moving toward a new healthcare model centered on holistic, person-centered care.
Taiwan benefits from both a robust ICT industry and the foundation of its National Health Insurance (NHI) system, which has accumulated high-quality healthcare data over time and laid a critical foundation for smart healthcare development. Building on this, we have introduced a national digital health platform known as the “3-3-3 Framework,” integrating three major health spaces, three key health data standards, and three National AI governance centers to establish a comprehensive digital health infrastructure. Under this framework, we are promoting the integration of electronic medical records across more than 400 hospitals nationwide and adopting international standards such as Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) to ensure crossinstitutional interoperability. Within a Zero Trust cybersecurity framework, healthcare data can be securely shared and effectively utilized. With these policies in place, tangible results are already beginning to emerge. In chronic disease management, the “Family Physician Platform” incorporates AI-based risk prediction to support physicians in delivering personalized care, facilitating a shift from reactive treatment to proactive health management. In terms of healthcare data
integration, the MediCloud system provides real-time access to patient records and medication information, while enhanced visualization of examination results and AI-assisted medical imaging interpretation further improve healthcare quality and patient safety.
Personal health management has also been strengthened. The “My Health Bank” platform has surpassed a 50% adoption rate and can be integrated with data from wearable devices, encouraging individuals to take a more active role in managing their health. In digitalization of cancer treatment, Taiwan utilizes the FHIR standard to exchange Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) data, accelerating the review process for catastrophic illness certification and related medical use, thereby improving access to timely treatment. In addition, the promotion of virtual health insurance cards, e-prescriptions, and telemedicine services is effectively overcoming temporal and geographical barriers, expanding access to rural and home-based care.
Taiwan has established a comprehensive governance framework to advance the development of clinical AI. Nineteen national medical AI centers have been established, covering responsible governance, clinical validation, and impact evaluation, ensuring that AI is safe and reliable across the entire process from development to application. To date, more than 50 AI medical products have received regulatory approval, supporting early cancer detection, prediction of cardiac events, and clinical decision making support. Taiwan also has 13 hospitals ranked among Newsweek’s “World’s Best Smart Hospitals 2026,” placing second in Asia and demonstrating strong international competitiveness. In addition, Taiwan is advancing federated learning platforms that enable cross-institutional
and cross-border AI model validation without transferring sensitive data, and has begun collaborating with partners in Southeast Asia to establish trusted international data-sharing models.
Diseases know no borders, and global health governance requires comprehensive collaboration. Taiwan has established a smart healthcare ecosystem driven by data, enabled by AI, and supported by interoperable standards, extending medical services from hospitals into communities and daily life and realizing holistic care. Taiwan’s practical experience demonstrates that we are capable of contributing to the international community.
However, Taiwan continues to be excluded from full participation in the World Health Organization and its related mechanisms. United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 and World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolution 25.1 neither mention Taiwan nor exclude Taiwan from participating in WHO and the WHA.
We sincerely urge WHO and relevant stakeholders to support Taiwan’s inclusion in the global health system, thereby strengthening its completeness and resilience. Taiwan will continue to advance smart healthcare through digital innovation and contribute to global health and wellbeing. Together, we can realize the vision of health as a fundamental human right as set forth in the WHO Constitution, as well as the commitment of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals to leave no one behind.
Taiwan’s Health Minister Dr. ChungLiang Shih
Leisure
ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Don't exaggerate. Keep your thoughts to yourself for the time being. Don't play on your partner's emotions. Communication must be open, precise, and honest.
TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) You may not be too pleased with the actions of those you live with. Try to be honest when dealing with your mate. Don't spend too much on products that promise amazing cosmetic results. Be sure to sidestep those who are eccentric or unpredictable.
GEMINI (May 22-June 21) You may find that your family responsibilities are piling up. Empty promises are evident; therefore, get it in writing, to be safe. Promotions will be yours if you have acted professionally in times of crisis. Think twice before eating spicy foods; you may have problems with your stomach.
CANCER (June 22-July 22) Don't let the erratic behavior of someone you live with interfere with your professional performance. Your trendy style and unique way of doing things will entice new acquaintances. You will be misinterpreted if you get involved in other people's problems. Don't overload your plate.
LEO (July 23-Aug 22) You'll be an emotional basket case this week. Don't take any comments too seriously. Don't put all your cash in one place. You can gain distinction; however, it may be for the wrong reasons. Look into ways to better yourself through improving your dietary habits and daily routines.
VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Good friends will give you honest answers. This is not the best time to take a risk, to gamble or spend money you really can't afford to part with. Compromising could be on the agenda this week. Your health may suffer if you don't control your present situation.
LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) Don't count on correspondence to clear up major problems. A lack of support and negativity have been the main problems. You will accomplish the most through or. Travel and communications will not run as smoothly as you had hoped.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Don't be too eager to spend what's left over; more unexpected expenses are evident. Partnerships could be tense. Don't push your luck. You may exaggerate your emotional situation. Don't be too shy to promote your own interests.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) This may not be the time to lend or borrow. You may want to take a trip; however, before you do, make sure that your car is serviced properly. Your competitive nature will enable you to win any contest you enter. Good friends will give you honest answers.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) Your honesty will not only win you points but also respect. Unexpected bills may set you back. There may be opportunities to attend social functions that are linked to work. You can make excellent purchases this week.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19) Obstacles may stand in your way where career and success are concerned. Your partner may be somewhat irritable this week. Opportunities for new and exciting relationships will be yours if you get out and join groups. Don't make any rash decisions that may affect friendships.
ACROSS
1. Festive occasion
5. Manipulate
11. Exclamations of surprise
12. Sacred place
13. Shank
14. Slivery white
15. Approaching old age
17. Period of human life
18. Not
19. Former Russian ruler
20. Swindle
23. Numbers 13 through 19
24. Musical instrument
25. Pronoun 26. Thigh
27. Lodger
31. Assumed name
33. Air (prefix)
34. Set on fire
35. Scene of first miracle
36. Gray sea turtle
37. Paradise
DOWN
PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) You can get phenomenal returns if you present your ideas to those who can back your interests. Empty promises and a lack of cash may put a damper on your plans. Opportunities will come through behind the scenes activities. You can come into money; however, perhaps not under the best circumstances. 4. Spirit
1. Visage 2. British nobleman 3. Dull sound
Large marine mammal
Breezy
Negative 8. Lubricant 9. Greenish brown fruit of China
10. Goes in 16. Long-tailed rodent
19. Patio
20. Hair of an Angora goat
21. River in W Central Africa
22. Lake in W Scotland 23. Light meal 25. Comfortably informal
Unit of computer memory
No longer living
Sea eagle
Horse of mixed color
Naught
Dear George,
Last March was the first time we were ever late in our mortgage payments. The money we had for that payment, my husband informed me he lent to his married exgirlfriend.
Talk to have Keep it professional
When I raised a storm about what he had done his response was, “Being late for one payment isn’t that big of a deal.” I told him if it was the other way around it would have been a different matter.
George, he is wrong on so many fronts and yet he wouldn’t admit it. I want to know if he still has something going with his ‘ex’. He denies this but I do not believe him. What do I do now?
Doubtful
Dear Doubtful,
Good communications would have prevented you from being in that bad spot. His ‘ex’ has already moved on; she has a husband of her own so it is not necessary for him to be her knight in shining armour.
His first and top priority should be his family and his family only. Have that allimportant talk with your husband and get him to promise such a slip-up would never happen again.
George
Dear George,
MY GIRLFRIEND’S BOYFRIENDrecently got injured and he is recovering at his home. I happen to be his care giver. His girlfriend was ok with it because she knew how well trained I am.
During one of my visits with him, he asked for help to pull his pants up. While assisting him I happen to see his private part and boy was I ever shocked. I cannot get the image out of my mind. I’m wondering if he orchestrated the entire thing and is sending me a message waiting for my response.
I’m wondering if we are on the same page.
Still Wondering
Dear Still Wondering,
Your girlfriend trusts you to professionally care for her boyfriend and you need to keep it like that.
Flush your mind from any corrupt thought that may lead you to violate the terms of your employment and friendship. You should be operating in such a way that your client should never entertain any thought of you overstepping your boundaries.
Preserve your friendship with your girlfriend and keep it professional.
George
Education first, marriage later
Dear George,
I AM ELIGIBLEfor a scholarship to study overseas but my boyfriend does not want me to apply for it. His rationale: going away will just spoil what we have going.
He wants us to get married in the coming year. My going away will spoil those plans. I have told him the wedding can wait until after I’m done but he’s thinking that I will find someone else. I cannot convince him otherwise.
It is my dream to further my education but this relationship thing has my head muddled up.
Confused
Dear Confused,
Your education is priority. Your boyfriend at this point is not
considering what’s best for you. You are the one who has to know what’s best for you and follow that path. If he thinks you are going to run off with someone else, then his faith in the relationship is not very strong, and it speaks of the low standard he holds you.
Follow your dream and get that education. There is more than enough time to get married after that. If he is not there when you return, then he was not the one.
George
Inaugural Preschool Relay Classic staged
Preschoolers hit the track in the relay races.
“I WAS HAPPYwith the turn out.”
So said Jane Farrell, Education Officer with Responsibility for Early Childhood Education, when asked for a summary comment about the inaugural Preschools Relay Classic, run off at
the Arnos Vale Playing Field, Tuesday 12th May, 2026. A total of 10 districts of the 13 districts into which the state is divided, participated in the inaugural Relay Classic, which formed part of the activities to
make Child Month, May 2026.
Farrell is looking forward to have all districts involved in next year’s Classic. “So, we have 13 districts, the Southern Grenadines being 12 and 13. Because of the time
Chateau Methodist cops Kids Athletics Meet
CHATEUABELAIR
METHODIST inked their name as the winners of the 2026 Kids Athletics Meet held last Saturday, May 9, at the Diamond Track Facility.
The North Leeward primary institution tallied 123 points to earn the winner’s trophy.
The Meet though deviated from the previous activities employed by Team Athletics
SVG, in recognition of World Kids Athletics Day. Apart from an overall winner, there were age group individual champions.
Copping the Under-7 Females award were Catelaya Andrews of the Diamonds Government School and Sammisha Murphy of the Lowmans Leeward Anglican
and logistics it was hard to mobilize the Northern Grenadines, district 11. Hopefully next year we’ll have all the districts in the event,” Farrell projected.
The children were involved in number of events/races including: clothes pegs, lime and spoon, fill the bottle with water, button and skirt race, crawling, walking relay, hurdles, 50 metres dash. There were also events involving wind and tennis balls.
And while the events were in keeping with the ages of the children and provided a fun element, Farrell pointed out that the idea behind the relay classic, “….was for us to spot athletes before they enter the primary and secondary schools, … so we can stage coaching
them at an early age.”
She added, “We are serious about our youngsters and sports and by doing so, we hope that persons will buy into this initiative where they may want to sponsor a district.”
In that light, Farrell, on behalf of the organizing committee, expressed gratitude to all the sponsors who came on board to make the
Jane Farrell, Education Officer with Responsibility for
inaugural event possible, and the hope that they will support in the future.
Let’s get going in the walking race.
both tied with 10 points.
Liam Browne of Lodge Village Government took the male Under-7 title with 16 points. Taking the Female Under-9 title with 18 points was Tashnequie Edwards of the Greiggs Government, with Aaron Ashby- 14 points of the Georgetown Government, the male champion.
The Under- 11 Female title was shared by Xaviella Glasgow of Georgetown
Government and Rannesha Small of Layou Government who both ended on 18 points.
Scalping the Under-11 Male title was the CW Prescod’s Justin Chewitt who tallied 17 points.
There was a three- way tie in the Females Under-13 as Bethany Quashie of ROSES Academy, Shara EdwardsGeorgetown Government and Skyla Williams of the Kingstown Anglican all ended on 10 points.
Trevon Laborde of ROSES Academy won the Male Under13 title.
Laondre Franklyn — 20 points - of the Dr. JP Eustace Memorial claimed the Under17 Female title, while the ROSES Academy duo of Azariah Hooper and Darique Browne shared the Male title, registering 14 points each. Over 500 students participated in the days’ activities that included sprint races, relays, Long Jump and Ball Throw for all age groups. Kids Athletics Day was first observed in 2022. May 7 is designated the date for the acknowledgement of World Kids Athletics Day.
I.B.A. ALLEN
Overall champions Chateaubelair Methodist athletes with Kids Athletics officials.
Aaron AshbyGeorgetown Government - male Under-9 champion
Tashnequie EdwardsGreiggs Government –female Under-9 champion.
Laondre Franklyn –Dr. JP Eustace Memorial - Under-17 Female champion.
Early Education.
IN HIS ACCEPTANCE
Big shake-up in cricket administration Wilkinson: ‘We begin working right away’
IN WHAT MAY BE an unprecedented occurrence in cricket administration here, the top five positions of the Executive of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association (SVGCA) were changed in one fell swoop. When the SVGCA eventually convened its Annual General Meeting last Saturday, May 9th 2026, at the President Suite of the Arnos Vale Sporting Complex, only Cleton Burnett retained his position as Assistant Treasurer.
The first to be replaced was the President, Dugal James who did not contest, and was replaced by Roland Wilkinson who had lost to James at the last election, September 06, 2023. Wilkinson was elected over Frankie Joseph, whom he defeated 40 votes to 27.
Samantha Lynch is now the new 1st Vice President having edged out Keron Cottoy, 34 votes to 32. Lynch served as a Committee Member in the previous executive.
Desron Maloney was elected as 2nd Vice President comfortably beating Elron Lewis 37 votes to 23 after a rerun occasioned when the two were tied 26 each in the first round of voting.
Perhaps the shock of the evening was when Honorary Secretary Samuel Holder was
soundly beaten 45 votes to 21 by Javid Wilson, for a position with which the name Holder had become synonymous. Holder has served in various administrative roles spanning at least three decades.
Jenry Ollivierre’s early notice that he was not availing himself of reelection, made way for a new Treasurer. Rawdon Bentick was elected unopposed to fill that position.
In addition to the officers, the Committee Members elected were: Elron Lewis, Keron Cotty, Stedroy Deane and Kadir Nedd.
Avenues gets a banging
SYSTEM THREE BANGED
AVENUES 12-1, Sunday May 10, at the Brighton Technical Centre in the 2026 Vincy Soccer Premier League (VSPL), as they continue their march towards the title.
Leading System Three’s charge was their talisman- Azinho Solomon, who netted three.
Jahvin Sutherland and Zibeon Cunningham, both had braces, while Kareem Davis, Denzel Bascombe, Shemron Phillips, James Grant and Aiden Solomon, had one each.
Damal Francis replied with the lone item for Avenues United.
The win pushed System Three to 31 points, seven points ahead
The new executive will run the affairs of cricket in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for the next two years.
The 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association (SVGCA) Inc. was constitutionally due by December 31, 2025, but was delayed until May 9, 2026, due to pending audited financial statements. This marked the second consecutive year the AGM was not held within the stipulated timeframe.
I.B.A. ALLEN
The eight goal scorers for System Three
of second place — Layou. Layou, meanwhile, eked out a last minute one-nil win over Hope International on Friday, May 8.
Wendell Cuffy netted the goal that sent Layou to 24 points. Hope International remained on 13 points and in seventh place.
Also on Friday night, Je Belle saw off North Leeward Predators, 2-1, to go to 21 points and a third place, while Predators slipped one place down to fourth, as they stayed on 19 points.
Zinda Grant and Devonte Mc Dowall scored for Je Belle. Kurtland Williams scored Predators’ consolation. Also making a move upwards
SPEECHon being elected President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association (SVGCA), Roland Wilkinson expressed his gratitude, “I am very proud and thankful to the members and players. Getting that amount of votes, it means a lot to me.”
He hastened to add, “Now the executive will have to start right away, because this is the confidence the affiliates would have put on us, we don’t want to disappoint.”
Roland Wilkinson, new president of the SVGCA, believes it’s time to do the work of the people and for the sport.
He admitted that “…cricket has been down for a while in SVG,” and accepted that “…I am under a lot of pressure because of the cricket being down, so there is a lot of work for us.”
Speaking with THE VINCENTIAN after the AGM last Saturday, about some of his intentions and plans, Wilkinson said, “We will have to work with the Minister of Sports and try to get the primary school cricket back.
“We also want to get a grassroot programme going, create a data base of players, get more coaches involved, promote the game in different communities, invest in an indoor facility, increase the involvement of all stakeholders, and make the game more attractive to sponsors.”
He also envisages working to improve the club structure and the local competition, and doing more social media promotion.
Wilkinson, who served for eight years as a Committee Member, a selector for SVGCA and the Windward Islands, went on to say that he has full confidence in the elected members.
“I know some of them are new but there are cricketers who would have played at a certain level, so they know what is expected of them. And with what experience we have, we would have to delegate work and responsibility to get the job done.”
was BESCO- Pastures who had a hard fought one-nil victory over Camdonia — Chelsea.
D’ Nelson Lewis scored the winner for BESCO — Pastures, as they slipped into fifth place on 19 points while Camdonia- Chelsea stayed on 12 points and eighth place.
The weekend’s final match on Sunday night resulted in a 2-1
win for Bequia United over Awesome.
Dimitri Peniston and Mark Browne scored for Bequia and for Awesome, Shequeam Millington. Awesome slipped to sixth place on 17 points. Bequia though remains in ninth place on 7 points, ahead of Avenues who are rooted to the bottom on 3 points.
He noted the importance of getting local cricket started as soon as possible, and the national training squad to start preparation for the Windward Islands tournament. As for the Vincy Premier League (VPL), “This will have to be collaborative effort with the government. We will have to try and get our stakeholders in especially as it relates to sponsorship. It is something that is missing from SVG cricket for now; the public and players want it so we are going to try to see how we are going to continue with it,” Wilkinson said.”
I.B.A. ALLEN
Newly elected St Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association Executive,(l-r back row): Kadir Nedd, Elron Lewis, Stedroy Deane, (lr front row): Rawdon Bentick, Javid Wilson, Samantha Lynch, Roland Wilkinson, Desron Maloney, Cleton Barnet.
Welcome to Roland Wilkinson T&T, Guyana into 4-day final
ROLAND WILKINSONis the new president of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association. His elevation came Saturday May 9. A former Windwards Island top order batsmen and more than a useful off spinner, Wilkinson’s credentials make the choice appropriate. His devotion to cricket and all aspects of his endeavor distinguish him as a worthy choice. He progressed through the ranks and brought himself up by sweat and commitment.
He never bothered about obstacles that tried to divert him from positive interaction.
His appointment places him in a pivotal position. His executive will render full support. Vice President Samantha Lynch is emerging as a force in regional cricket. Her knowledge and versatility brings depth on which Wilkinson can call.
Lynch is multi-talented and her inspiration will balance the interests of cricket across gender and ages.
Desron Maloney, Second vice-president, will double up his skills as an administrator with his ability as player. He may have to decide to which stream he gives priority.
Javid Wilson, Secretary, Raydon Bentick, Treasurer, and Cleton Burnette, Assistant Treasurer, take care of those duties.
Committee members are Steadroy Deane, Elron Lewis, Keron Cottoy and Kadir Nedd. Elections tend to bring out feelings of discontent even after the polls.
There has to be a period of rapprochement and the body has to rise to the occasion and get cricket on a developmental path. We can’t be announcing our position as fourth in every Windward Islands tournament.
Our country possesses enough raw talent for us not to be having more players at the West Indies senior level.
We have to nurture our crops and that means inculcating the fundamentals of the sport at early stage.
This executive must work along with the Sports, and Education Ministries to ensure that cricket, sports, and life are not viewed as activities that take away from academic trails.
It must not be seen as cumbersome to incorporate cricket at primary schools. Secondary School cricket must cater for ages, 13, 15, 17 and 19.
Thereafter, the pattern extends systematically, and with coaching support, infrastructure and amenities, platforms can be laid for sustained development.
Minister of Sport Kashaka Cupid will be pleased with the unravelling scenario and will use his influence to promote to interest of the entire nation.
The arrival of the Caribbean Premier League matches here in August will be another occasion for the nation to harness the nation’s vast product and showcase aspects of our heritage.
A call is loud for some measure of local cricket. This year’s local cricket competition comes after the Windward Islands tournament.
Wilkinson and his executive will be mindful of their agenda and sort out matters to ensure that the groundwork is in , and relevant partners fill their end of the bargain.
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO Red Force and Guyana Harpy Eagles had comfortable victories in the Cricket West Indies (CWI) four-day play-offs first class matches on Wednesday, and earned themselves places in the finals, scheduled for this Sunday, May 17, at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium, Antigua.
Trinidad and Tobago Red Force beat Barbados Pride by 140 runs in the playoff at the Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua.
Red Force’s opening batsman Cephas Cooper was the star of that match, with scores of 93 and 102.
T&T Red Force made 333 in their first innings, Cooper getting 93, captain Joshua Da Silva 70, Terrance Hinds 51 and Amir Jangoo 41. Shamar Springer 3/40, Kyle Mayers 2/39, Johann Layne 2/58 led the bowling for Barbados Pride.
T&T Red Force’s second innings was built on the bat of 102 from Cooper, but the team faltered for 280. Khary Pierre helped himself to 64. Joshua Bishop, 6/87, continued his good form with the ball.
Barbados Pride’s first innings of 296 was built on Joshua Bishop 99 not out, Leniko Boucher 80 and Shamar Springer 51. Anderson Phillips 4/63, Terrance Hinds 3/57, Jayden Seales 2/62
Matthew Nandu - 237, a maiden double century in first class cricket.
did the damage for Red Force.
Pierre, 5/54, and Bryan Charles, 4/62, were too much for the Pride who in pursuit of a victory target of 317, fell for 177, Shayne Drakes top scoring with 39.
At the Antigua Recreation Ground in Antigua. Guyana Harpy Eagles defeated West Indies Academy by an innings and 21 runs. Runs flowed like a runaway river as Guyana amassed 663 in their first innings: Matthew Nandu 237, Jonathan VanLange 133, Richie Looknauth 77, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 59 and Gudakesh Motie 48. Zishan Motara pegged away at the inform Guyanese batsmen to claim 6/202. West Indies Academy showed signs of a determined response and got to 485, with two century-makersRivaldo Clarke 180, and Anari Goodridge 123. Other good scores came from Mbeki Joseph 60 and Mavendra Dindyal 45. Looknauth returned 3/88 and Nial Smith 2/61.
Rivaldo Clarke –Barbados-born wicketkeeper batsman - 180 for the West Indies Academy.
Looknauth returned to take 6/36 to hold the Academy to 157 in their second innings, having been asked to follow on.
Mavendra Dindyal 41, Giovonte Depeiza 34 were the Academy’s leading scorers.
I.B.A. ALLEN
Anari Goodridge –Barbados-born - 123 for the West Indies Academy
Vincentian on Regional Safeguarding organisation
VINCENTIAN- Kia
Prince is the First Vice President of Caribbean Guardians, the regional organization which is an emerging network of safeguarding professionals.
Prince gained FIFA Guardians Safeguarding Football Diploma last March and is expected to bring to bear to the relatively new regional organization, her years of stewardship as the Safeguarding Manager of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines of the Football Federation, as well as that as a leading personnel within the Safeguarding Commission of the St
Vincent and the Grenadines Olympic Committee.
Caribbean Guardians has as its president Trinidadian- Gary St. Rose. Merere Gonzales, also of Trinidad and Tobago, serves as the Second Vice- President, and Crystal Walters of Jamaica is the Third Vice- President.
Among the responsibilities of Caribbean Guardians will be to deliver safeguarding training and certification programmes, as well as support policy development and implementation. Additionally,
Caribbean Guardians’ mandate includes promoting awareness and advocacy campaigns and facilitating knowledge sharing among Caribbean nations.
Apart from St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica, Caribbean Guardians has representation from St Lucia, the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda and Dominica.
Safeguarding is gaining significant prominence among sporting organizations, as the aim is to have participation, especially among children, free
Jonathan Van Lange133 for Guyana Harpy Eagles.
Kia Prince should have much to share with her regional colleagues.
from harm, prejudice, while being empowering and supportive. It is anticipated that it will soon become mandatory that national sports organisations here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines must have in place a Safeguarding Officer.
Cephas Cooper stroked 102 for Trinidad and Tobago Red Force.
V Court exercising ganja tolerance
Police heading for the schools
Continued from Backpage.
Dr. Gonsalves
acknowledged that there were disciplinary problems within schools, but this was no reason to stylise the facts and implement measures that could potentially result in the wrong solutions.
“We have a challenge but it’s not of the magnitude, I am not underestimating the problem, but not of the magnitude that it is being presented that you need heavy-handed policing in schools,” Gonsalves said Thomas said that introducing such measures could securitise the learning environment making it like some public institutions in countries such as the United States, where students are subjected to metal detectors, electronic gates and armed guards.
by HAYDN HUGGINS
WHILE THE POLICEseem to have reverted to its intolerance to marijuana related offences, the Prosecution and the Court seem to be taking a more tolerant approach to the issue.
The latest instance of this surfaced on Monday, when Prosecutor Renrick Cato asked the court to divert from the sentencing guidelines, and reprimand and discharge Carriere resident Roel Bascombe for possession of 635 grams of marijuana with intent to supply, and possession for the purpose of drug trafficking. He had pleaded guilty to both offences.
The Prosecutor told the court that the marijuana amounted to just about a pound and a half, and Bascombe had
already spent two days in custody.
Chief Magistrate Colin John did not reprimand and discharge Bascombe, but sentenced him to time served. It means that Bascombe did not receive any additional punishment for the offences, and left the court smiling.
The facts presented earlier, showed that Bascombe, a 33-year-old mason of Carriere, was arrested at the Union Island Wharf.
Sergeant 45 Adrian Forde, was returning to Union Island on MV Bequia Express, and upon disembarking the boat at Union Island, the defendant was seen walking in front of Sergeant Forde, who smelt a strong odour of what appeared to be marijuana. Forde approached the defendant and requested a search of his person and a bag he was carrying. He consented, and admitted that he had marijuana in his possession.
The police searched the bag and found packages containing marijuana. It was shown to him and he said, “Officer is just a small smoke of weed.” He was arrested and taken to the Union Island Police Station, and subsequently to the narcotics base at Arnos Vale, where he was formally charged.
Bascombe had a previous
conviction for wounding.
During a recent interview with THE VINCENTIAN, attorney Grant Connell expressed concern that police have recently resumed their ‘attack on ganja men.”
The prominent lawyer said that ganja raids have resumed and persons are being arrested and charged with possession of small amounts of marijuana.
Connell said that former Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, while in office, had made it clear that once someone is not in total disregard for the law, they should not be arrested for small amounts of marijuana.
POLICE HEADING FOR THE SCHOOLS
Stories by DAYLE DASILVA
NATIONAL SECURITY MINISTER
St. Clair Leacock said that his ministry is going ahead with plans to place police in schools despite public criticism.
Speaking on NBC Radio on May 13, Leacock announced that Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP) Benzil Samuel and Hezron Ballantyne would be reassigned duties to deal with the issue of security in the nation’s schools.
“Schools security is a matter of concern for us at the moment,” the national security minister said.
He added that some schools had security while others did not; some had auxiliary police present, but too often the school’s population was too large.
“And they are overwhelmed and their presence is not always respected as the regular police force.”
In short, the task of the two senior ranked officers will be to ‘beef up’ the quality of the security at schools - not only to deal with behavioural issues, but the management of
law and order on the school compound.
But despite these impending measures, Leacock said that the idea was not sitting well with many citizens.
“But that is not the view that we share, we have come to this evidence based on what we found in consultations, symposiums and workshops,” Leacock said, adding that the police high command has also visited schools and have met with principals, Parent Teachers Associations and have made their own assessments.
He said that he felt ‘hurt’ when he read the comments of some on the issue of police presence in schools, especially from those who he said should be responsible and taking a strong objection to wanting to bring the situation of school violence under control.
The teachers ought not to be the ones to deal with the situation, and the students should not be allowed to engage in illegal activities or violent conduct in schools.
“There needs to be specially
trained police to deal with that,” Leacock.
Leader of the Opposition
Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and lawyer social/political commentator Jomo Thomas
were among those , who disagreed with the strategy announced by the ministry of national security.
Continued on Page 27.
Above: Hopefully the police presence in and around schools here would not look as threatening as this deployment does.
‘NOT CREATING A POLICE STATE,’ LEACOCK
MINISTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY, St. Clair Leacock is calling on all those who accused him of attempting to turn the country into a police state to retract their statements.
“The people who are making these accusations that I am turning St. Vincent into a police state, they must retract that statement because there is no such action on my part, or the government’s part,” Leacock said.
Leacock, speaking on
NBC Radio’s ‘Face to Face’ programme on May 13, said that it appeared that since he announced changes in the leadership of the hierarchy of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadine Police Force (RSVGPF), some people have concluded that he was creating a police state.
“That is so long and far-fetched that I can’t even begin to imagine what is driving those kinds of conclusions,” Leacock said.
“But we have to do
what we have to do,” he noted.
According to the National Security Minister, the police force was going through some reform.
This included some major changes at the level of the high command, e.g. the appointment of two new Deputy Commissioners of Police, and two Assistant Commissioners of Police.
In his initial statement, Leacock said that the Special Service Unit (SSU) was going to
St. Clair Leacock, Minister of National Security, has taken umbrage with those who have said that he is moving towards the creation of a police state.
and will feature an increased capacity, advanced training and heightened readiness to confront criminals and deal with criminality, and that the force was equipped with the best resources in order that the police provide security to the public.
In his announcement of the impending changes. Leacock said
that the most significant change to come would be that of ending the old practice of longserving members remaining in ranks for long periods of time adding that going forward, fair appraisals and resource development will be prioritised.
