THE VINCENTIAN PDF - 26-11-21

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER

26, 2021

VOLUME 115, No.47

Tributes to Sir James Page 3,13

www.thevincentian.com

Ex traffic boss convicted Page 4

Jean DuncanPioneer Page 19

EC$1.50

Exemption process?

Page 22

LIAT workers’ ultimatum Page 27

V FishermanÊs Co-op adjusting 2. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

Community

The headquarters of the Goodwill Fisherman’s Co-operative at Rose Place.

PERSONS ENGAGED in the fishing industry are gearing up to improve operations. This is what

president of the Goodwill Fisherman’s Cooperative Society- Andre Liverpool wants.

His comments come in the wake of works in Rose Place, the area commonly known as Bottom Town. A Port Modernisation Project is earmarked for the area, and some 47 families will be relocation by year end.

Alternative arrangements for the fishermen are being finalised. Liverpool alluded to a proposal submitted by his institution for alternative space for pulling up boats. He is awaiting the decision on that issue.

Reports are that the community is uneasy with alterations there.

Liverpool pointed to repairs at the present Goodwill Cooperative base at Rose Place, to accommodate activities of the National Fisherfolk Organisation which incorporates, the Barroaullie and Calliaqua Cooperatives, and the Fish Vendors Association.

The president points

to the need for upgrade in the fishing industry in line with the thrust by the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry, towards exploiting the nation’s marine resource.

Liverpool supports the idea of fisherfolk acquiring bigger boats.

Bigger boats will use less gas and will be equipped for longer time at sea.

Liverpool is happy with the organisation’s collaboration with the Red Cross, the Coast Guard, Fisheries and Cooperative Departments.

But even as the Goodwill Co-operative makes efforts to accommodate itself within the new development, reports are that the community is uneasy with alterations to their community.

(WKA)

The Goodwill Co-op has made request for alternate space to land their boats.

Reports are that some residents of Rose Place are still uneasy with the development planned for their area.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021 . 3.

News 3 SVG mourns the loss of Sir James Mitchell Agriculture in Trinidad and Tobago then at the University of British Columbia in Canada, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in agriculture (specializing in agronomy), in 1955.

On his return to St. Vincent, he worked for some time as an Agricultural Research Officer with the government.

After a failed attempt to launch his own political party in 1966, he aligned Sir James Fitz Allen Mitchell himself with the St. Vincent Labour Party, and successfully contested the 1966 general election on that party’s ticket, as candidate for the Grenadines.

He was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Trade but by 1972, the last year of the Labour Party’s administration, he and that party had become estranged.

He contested the 1972 general election as an independent candidate and carved his name in the political history of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, by holding the trump card (one seat) and standing between the two major parties which had each won six seats.

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES has James had been ailing for several In an arrangement with the lost one of its illustrious sons. weeks. He was admitted to the Queen People’s Political Party, he became Sir James FitzElizabeth Hospital in Barbados, after Premier — the country’s second - and Allen Mitchell KCMG PC, former a short stay at the Milton Cato served in that capacity until further Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Memorial Hospital, Kingstown, during musical chairs among the major Grenadines, died Tuesday 23rd which he was diagnosed with dengue parties, brought his administration to November in his homeland Bequia. and an infection. a pre-mature end in 1974, and He was 90.

Sir James Mitchell was born in occasioned the calling of a general Familiarly referred to as ‘Son’ Bequia on May 15, 1931. His election in that year.

Mitchell and noted for the ease with secondary education was pursued at He remained in opposition which he moved among ‘his’ people, Sir the St. Vincent Grammar School and thereafter until 1984, when he led his after graduating he New Democratic Party, formed in began his tertiary 1975, to victory at the polls. education at the Imperial Sir James served as Prime Minister, College of Tropical the second in this country’s history,

until 2000, when he retired from active politics, after serving as an elected Parliamentary Representative for the then single constituency of the Grenadines and later the Northern Grenadines, for an accumulated 33 years.

Sir James was, until his passing, the only surviving person who was a parliamentarian at the time of Independence on October 27, 1979.

He is remembered as an ardent supporter of regional integration in the Caribbean; a leader who advanced the cause of unity and cooperation among the people of the region as a prerequisite to their development.

Sir James was also, up to the time of his passing, a member of the InterAction Council of Former Heads of State and Government, an independent non-profit organization that brings together former world leaders to, according to Wikipedia, ‘mobilize their experience and international contacts in an effort to develop recommendations and foster co-operation and positive action around the world’.

In recognition of his outstanding service to the people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sir James was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1995.

Sir James, who is survived by four daughters, will be accorded a State Funeral.

The Directors, Management and Staff of The Vincentian Publishing Co. Ltd., Metrocint General insurance Co. Ltd., and MetroLife Agency Inc., extend heartfelt condolences to the family of the late Sir James FitzAllen Mitchell KCMG PC.

Government extends Mottley on Sir James condolences

SIR JAMES FITZ-ALLEN MITCHELL, KCMG, PC, former Prime Minister and former Member of Parliament for the Northern Grenadines, passed away on Tuesday, November 23, 2021. He represented the Grenadines/Northern Grenadines for a total of some thirty-three (33) years.

Sir James was this country’s second Prime Minister and served in this capacity from 1984 to 2000. He also served as Premier from 1972 to 1974 and was the founder and President of the New Democratic Party (NDP).

Sir James will be accorded a State Funeral, details of which will be provided in a subsequent announcement.

As a mark of respect, all flags throughout the State will be flown at half-mast from Tuesday, November 23, 2021 to Thursday, November 25, 2021, and on the day of the funeral.

The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines takes this opportunity to extend sincere condolences to the family of the late Sir James FitzAllen Mitchell.

ON BEHALF of the Government and people of Barbados, I extend sincere condolence to the family of Sir James Mitchell and the Government and People of St Vincent and the Grenadines on the passing of a distinguished Caribbean statesman.

Without a doubt, Sir James has served well the people of his country, as well as the people of this region, as a Member of Parliament, Premier and Prime Minister.

In fact, it ought not to be lost on us today as we reflect on his life, that Sir James was first elected to the Parliament of St Vincent and the Grenadines in 1966, the same year that Barbados became independent and very early in a period when West Indians began with earnest to assert their right to sovereignty.

As Premier from 1972 to 1974, and Prime Minister from 1984 to 2000, Sir James was an integral part of the regional leadership that did so much to shape the Caribbean we know today.

For all his regional recognition though, Sir James knew well the meaning of the phrase “all politics is local”. Just six years after becoming an MP he ran as an independent candidate representing the Grenadines constituency and won – in an election that ended in a 6-6 tie.

By the time the negotiations were concluded Sir James was the premier of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Even though it has been more than three decades since Sir James contested his last election, he remained a towering figure in the affairs of the Eastern and Southern Caribbean.

At the personal level, I visited Sir James while he was being treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and was warmed by the fact that, despite his illness, the personality and spirit I have known for so long were still there.

I have always been fascinated by his ever-present charm and wit, qualities that were equalled only by his knack for storytelling.

I will always treasure my many years of travelling to Bequia and the privilege of communicating with him. We shared a passion for the Caribbean Sea and together recognised that with the right vision it was more of a cord that bound us together than a gulf that separated us. I will forever cherish the moments we spent together.

So long, Sir James. You have served us all well. Rest in peace.

(PR)

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4. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

Court

Burglaries causing distress Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS THE BURGLARIZING of peoples’ homes have been causing a lot of emotional distress to those targeted, with some of the affected persons needing counselling.

The remark came from Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne at the Serious Offences Court on Monday before she sentenced 48-year-old Edwin Caine of Arnos Vale to 28 months in prison for burglary.

The Magistrate said that a person’s home is their castle, and persons must be able to live in comfort in their own homes.

Caine was charged with entering the dwelling house of Modesto Joseph of Arnos Vale as a trespasser, and stealing one black 55-inch Samsung Smart Television valued US$1,000, one black WAHL Trimming machine set US$40, one pack gillette shaver and blade valued US$10, one black angle 3 bluetooth speaker valued US$20, one multi-purpose tool set valued US$15, two jerseys values US$10, one black Samsung cellular phone valued EC$300, one Vaseline intensive care body lotion valued

EC$10, one plaid short pants valued EC$20, four packs of matches valued EC$4, three Eveready double-A batteries valued EC$5, one white handle knife valued EC$8, and one blue flashlight valued EC$15.

The total value of the items amounted to US$1,095 and EC$362.

The offence was committed at Arnos Vale on November 4, 2021.

Caine pleaded guilty when he appeared at the Serious Offences Court on Monday. He was unrepresented.

Constable 540 Darell Sam, of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested Caine on November 4, while investigating a report of burglary at the Buildings, Roads and General Services Authority (BRAGSA) office at Arnos Vale. During the investigation, a microwave, one of the items reported stolen from BRAGSA, was recovered in a shallow hole behind Caine’s house in Arnos Vale.

On November 4 around 12:15pm, the police at CID received information that Caine was walking along the public road in Arnos Vale with a black television and a backpack.

PC Sam and other police officers

Different format sought in protesters’ cases SEVERAL PERSONS who have been charged separately, under the Public Order Act, in connection with protest actions outside the House of Assembly earlier this year, may just have their hearing conducted under a new format, geared at saving time.

Word of this surfaced at the Kingstown Magistrate Court last week when two of the defendants - Adriana King, a teacher at the St. Vincent Grammar School, and Kenson King, a prison officer, turned up for the hearing of their matters.

Shirlan Barwell, a member of the defence team, apologized to the Court for the absence of the lead attorney Kay Bacchus-Baptiste, who was engaged in another Court, and Israel Bruce who was overseas. Barnwell requested an adjournment.

However, Crown Counsel Rene Simmonds told the Court that the prosecution intends to make an application to the Court for all the matters to be joined together, so as to save time.

Simmonds said that all the defendants are facing similar charges, and the witnesses are similar. The lawyers are also the same.

But Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett said that another way of doing this is to have all the defendants summoned to the Court, so as to determine what dates are best suited for them, in relation to the hearing of their matters.

Simmonds and Barnwell agreed, and the matters were adjourned to today (Friday).

Adriana King, and Kenson King are among several persons facing charges of knowingly taking part in a public procession/meeting, and being concerned in organizing a public procession without notifying the Commissioner of Police at least 24 hours before the procession.

The charges stem from protest actions outside the House of Assembly on July 29 and August 4 this year.

Among the other persons facing similar charges are General Secretary of the Opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) Tyrone James, NDP talk show host Colin Graham, calypsonian Robert ‘Patches’ King/Knights, John Mofford and Joe DaSilva.

All the defendants are on station bail.

were dispatched on duty in search of the defendant. At around 12:40pm on the same date, PC Sam and Corporal 296 Davis saw Caine walking through some bushes behind the office of the ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP) at Arnos Vale, with a backpack on his back. They approached the defendant who, it appeared, had seen the police, for he began running.

Corporal Davis and PC Sam gave chase and Caine was later apprehended in an area above Sunrise Supermarket in Arnos Vale.

PC Sam identified himself and Corporal Caine as police officers, and a search was conducted of Caine’s person and the backpack he was carrying, during which a quantity of items were uncovered, including a Matouk peanut butter, a white handle knife, one hammer, one cutlass, a blue flashlight, a black and silver WAHL trimming machine, a black Samsung cellular phone, one Vaseline body lotion, spray, black angle 3 bluetooth speaker, a pack of gillette shaver and blade, a pack of razor blades, three double-A Eveready batteries, along with blue jerseys, and plaid short pants. $350 was found in his right

pants pocket.

Later that day, the 55-inch television was recovered in the porch of an abandoned two-storey wall house in Arnos Vale.

Joseph, who had already reported the burglary to the police, identified most of the items to be his, and later that day PC Sam charged Caine with burglarizing Joseph’s home.

Samantha Toussaint of BRAGSA was also invited to the station, and she identified the peanut butter to be one of the items stolen from BRAGSA. Caine gave a statement, admitting to the burglary at Joseph’s home, and was charged with that offence. He was also interviewed with respect of handling stolen goods, but gave no written statement. He was, however, subsequently charged with that offence.

Caine told the Court that he had borrowed the cutlass, knife and hammer from a man at Arnos Vale, and had them in his bag. He said the $350 was to pay his rent.

Caine said he was the father of a girl, age 13, and a boy age 10. He had several previous convictions of a similar nature.

Former traffic boss convicted CARLISLE RYAN, a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, and former head of the Police Traffic Department, was on Monday, fined $1,200 for driving without due care and attention.

Ryan was given until midday to pay the fine with an alternative of 12 weeks in prison. THE VINCENTIAN understands that he would be appealing the conviction.

Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne found Ryan guilty at the Serious Offences Court following a trial which started on November 17.

Ryan was unrepresented.

Ryan’s charge stemmed from an incident at the Bay and Hillsboro streets junction in Kingstown around 7:30pm on June 19, 2021, in which he struck a student of the St. Vincent Community College on the pedestrian crossing with his Toyota Rav-4, Registration no P5332.

The girl, 20-year-old Melyssa DaSilva of Green Hill, sustained bruises to the right side of her body.

She told the Court that the vehicle pushed her forward, and she ended up on the bonnet, before falling to the

ground. One of the wheels ran over her right leg.

DaSilva’s boyfriend, Oman Caine of Largo Height, corroborated the girl’s story during his testimony.

Caine said he was walking along with his girlfriend, and as they were halfway along the crossing, he cited danger and tried to pull the girl out of the way of an approaching vehicle but his efforts were unsuccessful.

He said the vehicle struck his girlfriend, and pushed her forward. The driver did not stop, despite Caine hitting on the vehicle to get his attention. Someone had to run behind the jeep and hit on the vehicle to get the driver to stop.

The Court also heard evidence from the investigator, Constable 814 Young.

Ryan, in his evidence, said that around 7:30pm on the day in question, “I was driving along Bay Street. On approaching the police headquarters the whole area was clear.

I was going down town, so I proceeded to make a right turn. Having made the right turn, I heard a banging on the right rear door. I stopped immediately, looked into mirror, and saw an

object on the ground.”

At first, Ryan thought it was a dog, then realized that it was a woman.

Ryan said he was then approached by a man who, in an aggressive tone, proceeded to accused him of “knocking down” his girlfriend.

Ryan said that he exited the vehicle and went to the back of it where the lady was now standing.

He said that by then someone had summoned the police, and PC Young and a female officer arrived on the scene with a can of spray paint.

After speaking to him and the girl, they did the markings.

Ryan said that, at that time, the girl did not tell the police she was struck on the crossing, but had indicated that she was struck some distance away.

But Prosecutor Sergeant Kenny Jones suggested to Ryan, during crossexamination, that he (Ryan) in his initial statement, said no markings were made.

But Ryan denied that he ever said that. He told the Court that what he had said was that the markings were made with spray paint instead of permanent paints, and because of the length of

time the police took to revisit the scene, they had nothing to aid them in taking the measurements, as those markings were no longer visible.

Ryan denied that the girl was struck on the crossing. He believed that she walked into the vehicle, and he was adamant that he did not see her.

The Chief Magistrate, in her summation, said it was clear from the electronic evidence in which footage of the incident was showed, that DaSilva was not the one who caused the accident.

Browne noted that from the electronic evidence, DaSilva was well advanced on the pedestrian crossing.

She said that in assessing all the evidence, she concluded that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, and that Ryan was driving without due care and attention.

On leaving the Serious Offences Court, Ryan indicated that he would be appealing the Magistrate’s decision.

Ryan had been a police officer here for some 33 years, and headed the Traffic Department for about five years.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. 5.

Education

Reps of the Class of 94 (L-R): Cyran Clarke, Raheim Mu Kepera, Beyon Garraway, Sidon Alvis, Randy Boucher and Stephen Waldron.

SMSS Class of 94 giving and inspiring

by GLORIAH… “OUR PLAN is very simple: we are here to support St. Martin’s Secondary School and we are committed as long as we are alive, that we will provide support in whichever way we can.”

These were the words of Cyran Clarke, one of the members of the St. Martin’s Secondary Schools (SMSS) Class of 94 who paid a courtesy visit to the institution, Thursday 18th November.

Presiding at the activity were Mrs. Shanda Boyea, Vice Principal of the school, Mrs. Lucy Theobalds Counsellor the School, and Ms. Gloria Williams, the school’s media person.

The main aim of the visit was to meet and interface with students of the school, to whom the group had been rendering assistance for the new school term through the provision of books, uniforms and other necessities.

The Class of 94 had consistently been making donations to students on the basis of need. The School’s counsellor- Mrs. Lucy Theobalds was pivotal in identifying students who would benefit most from the assistance.

Clarke made it clear that their assistance will continue. He told a gathering of students in the school’s library that even as the regular supplies would be provided as the needs arise, the Class will institute a School Feeding Programme in the new school term. Boys, whose families experience problems with provision of

Students and Vice Principal Shanda Boyea with Class of 94 reps. lunch will be served a nutritious meal, on a daily basis. This was met with applause from the parents present, even as they described their lack of basic supplies like shoes and books.

And in the engaging exchange in the school’s library, group members regaled the students with inspiring accounts of experiences of their tenure. Students were encouraged to see that ‘paying it forward’ is not only about giving. It is also about commitment, consistency and discipline. It is about taking care of the institution for the sake of the other generation. It is about cherishing and honouring the good things that make the school great.

Clarke, ended with, “As you move on, I encourage you to do like us and help us to support this great institution. It must go on and on!”

In addition to Clarke, the Class of 94 delegation included: Stephen Waldron, Sidon Alvis, Randy Boucher, Beyon Garraway, and Raheim Mu Kepera.

V SVGTU ready for action 6. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

News

PRESIDENT OF THE ST VINCENT and the Grenadines Teachers’ Union Oswald Robinson has indicated that trade union’s intent to challenge government’s decision to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for frontline workers, including teachers or lose their jobs.

Robinson said on November 22 during a press briefing that the Union had already deliberated with its legal team, and that the membership of the SVGTU had given the executive the mandate.

“And we are going straight, firm and focused,” Robinson said.

“We are going to challenge every single thing that you do. Regardless to the number of teachers impacted, we are going to protect the vaccinated and unvaccinated,” he continued.

The SVGTU President was responding to government’s Statutory

Regulations and Orders (SR&O) for public sector workers to be vaccinated in order to hold frontline positions.

The SR&O followed the amendment to the Public Health Act in August in which teachers were added to the list of frontline workers.

According to Robinson, the SVGTU was not against vaccination, but took issue with the vaccination being made mandatory.

He explained that when regular testing was put forward, the Union compromised to do so.

The Union reached out to the government for assistance for teachers to pay for the tests, and according to Robinson, there has been no response.

And so, he said that they were now at a stage where the Union has had several meetings and the Industrial Relations Committee has made several recommendations including that

Oswald Robinson, President of the Teachers; Union, said that teachers have been fired into industrial action.

teachers put on a ‘go slow’.

The Executive now had a mandate from the membership, and it had no choice but to implement those recommendations,” Robinson reiterated.

“We have said to our teachers to go to work, teach the nation’s children, but we are going on a go slow,” Robinson said.

Teachers were instructed to work until November 29 and to document everything that occurred up to that point.

“But do not leave the workplace until they have put it in writing that they no longer want you,” he said.

(DD)

Smith and others standing firm “WHEN PERSONS are hoping that this will be bad for us, we will show them that we will work together,” So said Station Sergeant Brenton Smith, Chairman of the Police Welfare Association at a joint press briefing with the St Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers’ Union (SVGTU) on November 22.

He was at the time referring to how some people have responding to public officers refusing to comply with the November 19 deadline to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Smith also addressed the issue of how a depletion of the numbers of police on duty could affect the operations of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF).

According to Smith, it has been said that there were 1,134 officers enlisted in the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF), and that it can carry on with 800 members.

But, he said that the Force was hardly able to work effectively with 1,134 officers: “I don’t see how we can work with 800 — that is one of the most irresponsible statements coming from the Minister of National Security.”

Station Sergeant Brenton Smith speaking at the Police Welfare/Teachers’ Union joint press conference.

Smith also referenced the amendment of the Public Health Bill as the “most wicked piece of law you can find in the state of St Vincent and the Grenadines.”

He assessed, “It is not about making it safe for you but it is an economic issue; and when they talk about the economy, you have to ask what about those persons who have now been sent home?”

Many of those who left their workstations today do not know where their next dollar will be coming from, Smith suggested.

Smith joined with the President of the SVGTU in saying that the Police Welfare Association was not against the idea of vaccinating but was strongly opposed to mandatory vaccinations.

“We are at a very serious crossroad in our lives and must stand and push,” he said, adding, “this was not time for politics but the time to defend the livelihoods of the people. (DD)

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. 7.

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8. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

Views The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

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

Editorial

LIAT still in the news NOT SO LONG AGO, our Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves, was chairman of the Government Shareholders’ Group of LIAT (197) Ltd. and also CARICOM spokesman on air transport.

It followed, therefore, that when Dr. Gonsalves spoke in any one or both of those capacities, we listened and more often than not accepted what he had to say.

So when in 2001. Just about a year into his Unity Labour Party’s first administration, he sought our Parliament’s blessing to invest in LIAT, he told the parliamentarians and the public he was investing in an airline that could not pay its debts.

Vincentians and those from territories of other shareholder governments who did likewise, accepted this (investment) as necessary. In so doing, the region’s people were made to believe that LIAT ‘was for them’, and by and large took no note that what Gonsalves was saying was that we were pitting fuel into a minibus with a leaking gas tank, just so that the bus would be able to go from point B to point B. Yes, what the people didn’t seem to care about, once LIAT remained in the skies, was that its Shareholder Governments and their subordinates- the LIAT Board of Directors, knowingly continued to trade/operate an insolvent company.

Put another way, LIAT continued to amass debts but the shareholder governments continued to pump money so as to ‘keep it in the skies.

And while this makes no business sense whatsoever, Dr. Gonsalves, in an interview with a female journalist 2013, sought to convince the region’s people that air transportation, especially in the Eastern Caribbean, was not a business investment per se, it was an absolute necessity for some islands, not least at that time, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Not surprisingly, some say predictably, the sentiment that had overridden better business sense eventually drove the airline into bankruptcy and it was put into administration in 2020.

Take it or leave it, even for having done all they could to keep LIAT ‘in the skies’, shareholder governments and their Board of Directors are obligated to settle with the airline’s workers, who (the majority) were unceremoniously laid off as early as April 2020.

The pilots, flight attendants, aircraft mechanics, ground staff, like the region’s people, were assured of LIAT’s ‘stayability’, and guarantee of employment.

To learn that they were to be severed eventually, without any reference to redress, etc., has not only connotations of an immoral act, but must raise questions of legitimacy in certain jurisdictions.

Not one prime minister of any of the major shareholder governments has given any assurance that they would address in full and expeditiously, the question of severance and other obligations to the workers in their respective countries.

That Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne recently made another overture (of settlement) to the dismissed LIAT workers in Antigua, is his way of keeping the item on the agenda as he grapples with keeping an Antiguan version of LIAT in the skies.

It would seem the obvious to ask but here goes: If it was that the governments concerned found it not only appropriate but was able to find funds to ‘prop up’ LIAT with direct ‘cash’ investments, and they felt this to be their obligation to the people of the region, why then can’t the governments concerned find it fit and able to contribute to a source that will be used to settle with the hundreds of dismissed workers many of whom are still on the breadline, some of whom survive on ‘charity’ from their governments.

It cannot be that we are so indifferent to our fellow humans that we would want, regardless of how much we think they might have benefited from your decisions to keep them employed in the face of stark business indicators that supported another decision, to deny them what is legally and morally theirs.

Digging deeper into VINLEC discussion.

The Manager and the Board need some clear direction from the Government: 1. The budget must authorize the creation of a Special Revenue Fund restricted to cover the cost of alternative energy.

2. The budget should include a portion of the gas tax to subsidize the alternative energy program.

3. The budget should wave all VAT and 50% of the Customs Duties and CSR taxes on all-electric vehicles.

4. The electric vehicle license tax should be 50% of a gas/diesel-powered vehicle.

5. The Government should subsidize interest rates on personal loans to homeowners installing solar equipment by 50% of market rates.

6. All new development, including government buildings, should be required to install the solar equipment necessary with a capacity of at least 125% of average daily use.

7. Homeowners and businesses who You see, Mr. Manager, your financial condition concerns me as we prepare for install equipment producing at least a new budget year. It also worries that 125% of their average daily electric use should receive a tax credit of all VAT the last audited financial statement and Customs Duties paid. available online is 2018, where you reported a profit of close to $6 million.

I would like to see some money set I can only hope that you will recover aside to develop a comprehensive from these losses in a manner that alternative energy plan in this year’s would not require a dramatic increase budget. We cannot continue to rely on in the per unit charge.

Now could we talk about next year’s 85% of our electricity coming from fossil fuels. Our hydroelectric power plants budget and a few things I’d like to see cannot produce as much electricity as the Government invest in for the they did in the past for many reasons, nation’s sake? I would like to see this be the year we fully commit to a plan to including the age of equipment and groundwater flows. Therefore, it is time eliminate or significantly reduce our to recognize the need for a different dependence on fossil fuels. A few strategy. articles ago asked that we set a target I am concerned about our capacity to of a minimum of 50% of our energy to deliver reliable electricity needs to meet be derived from alternative fuel by the demands of the projected growth in 2035. To achieve this goal, we must the tourism and industrial sectors. By start now, and let’s face it, 50% in 13 my estimates, we are planning to bring years is a modest and easily achievable online between 1,500-2,000 new hotel goal. Now some of you will say a rooms in the next two to three years, VINLEC budget and plans do not and we must be ready to deliver power belong in the government budget, and to these developments without maybe you are correct in a purely adversely impacting the current technical sense. But, who are you customers. It is not too late to require kidding? I submit that if the them to add a solar component to these Government retains its ability to direct developments. the use of any available reserves, it most definitely belongs in this Horatio VINLEC, like CWSA, was coerced into providing blanket discounts to its customers in the emotional response to COVID-19 and then the Volcano eruption. The customers in the Red Zone received additional relief, deservedly so. Mr. Manager, I am assuming the company was capable of observing those hits without too much strain. Therefore I am going to ask some of the same questions of you as I did the CWSA Manager: 1. What was the total cost of the discounts and billing forgiveness this year?

2. Did we use funds designed for growth and infrastructure replacement to cover this loss of revenue?

3. Are you going to honor any unionnegotiated benefits, like a salary increase this year?

4. Did you or are you going pay any bonuses to the employees for the excellent job and services they provided this year?

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. 9.

Letters

Not so, Hon. PM Malaise EDITOR, please allow me, a public servant, to express that it should be a matter of concern to all of us the manner in which Vincentians are being addressed by the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister occupies that ministerial office because of the very people of this country who voted for his party, gave them the mandate to serve the people and to govern the affairs of our country. At no time did the people vote for the Prime Minister to dictate their lives, usurp their freedom of choice, or threaten their means of livelihood.

The Prime Minister, in one of his addresses, was heard saying if by the 19th we did not take the vaccine, we don’t have a job and that he is telling us plain and straight. This is emphatically no way to address any sector of the population of this country. The Prime Minister evokes an image that suggests that we are working for him.

Editor, we, the public servants, are working for the State of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, not for the Prime Minister.

We are calling on the Hon. Prime Minister, who has taken an oath to serve the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, to show respect to the working class in this country. He has money enough to eat what he likes and as he pleases, but threatens to take the very bread out of the mouth of the poor and working class.

Editor, the PM is yet to justify why frontline workers should get vaccinated before the 19th, this Friday, with a vaccine that does not stop you from catching the virus or spreading it, and which, by that very fact, does not assure any herd immunity at all. In fact, the vaccine has proven itself to be a very questionable character. What is instructive or constructive with that date?

Editor, the PM declared that our country is in “extreme poverty” but yet is still now setting out with draconian measures to dismiss hardworking Vincentians from their jobs and livelihoods, that some of them have held in service to this country before the ULP came into power. Will the PM take care of their financial burdens? Or is this a case where the PM is seeking to destroy our people and the economy of our small island? Is this a way out of our “extreme poverty”?

Citizen of SVG Reply

ARE WE EXPERIENCING the Malaise of 2000/2001 once again? There appears to be an atmosphere of “Do Nothing” in many quarters. There is so much to be done and those who should be doing something either do not know what to do, or are fearful of upsetting a higher authority by doing something. Sometimes they appear to be awaiting instructions which never seem to come.

It is a matter of conscience. How could we be paid for idling? Time lost can never be regained. Our children grow up once. If we do not teach them what they need to learn now, some may never catch up.

We cannot ignore the importance of being on time. The example we set may have a lifetime of influence on many others. Those who are engaged in operations

I WONDER IF there is any similarity between the case involving that young man in the USA— Kyle Rittenhouse, who shot dead two men in Wisconsin, and the case involving Senator Ashelle Morgan and

parts sometimes are hard to find even for those vehicles that are plentiful on our roads.

With the continuing influx of modernized vehicles into the country, it is of necessity that mechanics educate themselves and not just rely on their (old) knowledge. In these modern times and times of technology, mechanics ought to be able to understand the technology; they have to educate themselves. The truth is it is the younger persons who are able to fix the problem since they may be more technologically inclined than the older mechanics. Besides all the above mentioned, some mechanics charge the proverbial arm and a leg to fix your vehicle and yet it is not properly fix. How sad.

We need in this country to lift our standard of vehicle mechanics and to guarantee that parts are available.

Let us seek to educate ourselves and also give honest work for honest pay.

Kennard King

have produced something to exchange. Goodwill and Self help have their place also.

Most of us are positioned to help others.

This does not mean giving a handout, but rather sound advice in the situation being encountered. We all must endeavor to balance our budgets and live within our means. Struggling continuously is not a good position to be in.

With careful planning, we can manage some of our difficulties once we are prepared to make the effort. When a challenge comes to us, we must not pass it on to others who invariably would do nothing about it, but seek earnestly to find a solution. Too many people are left to fend for themselves without the assistance that many are charged to provide.

The Pandemic should have taught us to plan

our succession carefully but many continue nonchalantly. We should all determine what should become of our resources as we move off the scene gracefully. The world will continue in our absence. We should strive to leave it a better place. Rather than this Malaise, we should inspire hope, confidence, better work ethic and trust for a bright future by doing the right thing.

Anthony Stewart, PhD

Wittenhouse, Nelson and Morgan

Poor mechanic work THERE IS a need for well qualified, honest and knowledgeable mechanics here in SVG. Far too often vehicle owners end up paying lots of money for poor mechanical work. Every vehicle has its weaknesses and some type of vehicle have what is often referred to as ‘Disease’, yet although there are plenty vehicle of that type here, there are only a few mechanics who can fixed them.

I am sure that many vehicle owners can attest to the fact that poor mechanic work has caused them to spend more money than they ought to. Many mechanics guess the problems and sometimes find difficulty in fixing it. This is sad. The unfortunate part is that the vehicle owner sometimes has to go to several mechanics before the problem is solved. What is even worse is that some of these mechanics are supposed to have years of experience and knowledge, but yet cannot effectively fix the vehicle because they do not educate themselves.

To add insult to injury, vehicle

involving others are obligated to be on time.

Some students who never acquired the discipline of being on time could not make it in the workplace where they had much valued opportunities. Some workers by their tardiness cause their organization such loss in productivity that they struggle at the bottom when they should be at the top.

Carelessness with finances may mean that we have no savings, and no place of our own to live. Some live to eat and someone remarked that all our resources end up being flushed away. If we spend other people’s money we must keep accurate records in the standard way to avoid being wrongfully accused of improprieties.

Bartering has to play a role in our survival. This means that we must

Assistant DPP Karim Nelson.

I’ answer myself and say I can think of one similarity: a gun was discharged in both cases.

On the other hand, one difference is that in Rittenhouse’s case we knew clearly who pulled the trigger, but in our case we are still in the dark as to who fired the gun that was used to shoot Mr. Cornelius John in his leg.

In both cases the defendants got off scotch free…not one second of punishment.

Rittenhouse was deemed to have defended himself when he shot the two men, and here the prosecutions could not put Nelson at the scene of the crime and therefore, he couldn’t have shot John; and neither could the prosecution prove that Morgan had assaulted John by pointing a gun in his face.

All three accused can now continue on their merry way as free people.

But one thing is certain, Mr. Editor, is that we will never understand how the law

works. I couldn’t believe that in Wittenhouse’s case that a court would say that what I saw as a vigilante act was the same as self- defence.

And in our case, how could our court allow such a weak prosecution case and allow the defence to make minced meat out of the prosecution’s case.

The law is definitely a funny thing… you think you know it until it is applied in the court where the man with the

better argument and style wins the day.

I am not pleased with how the Morgan-Nelson case was handled from the beginning, i.e. the police investigations and the early statement by the PM. But, what can a humble citizen like me do about that? Those with the power usually use that power in their best interest.

Charles, Edinboro

10. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. 11.

Views

Tested and tried leadership you trust Introduction THE ONGOING discussion surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine and the coming into force of the “Public Health (Public Bodies Special Measures) Rules 2021” on November 19, 2021 has sought to portray the ULP administration led by Comrade Ralph as anti-worker.

There has been much fingerpointing and name calling with individuals opposed either to vaccination, the Regulation, or both taking aim at our country’s leadership in the most vicious ways. From the position of leaders of some workers union and a representative sample, the actions of the government represent “wickedness in high places” and is absolutely draconian. As far as a few vocal church leaders are concerned, the actions represent the work of the antichrist and our leaders are branded “un-christlike”. Some of these individuals can be heard questioning the motive and genuineness of Comrade Ralph who leads the government suggesting that he has no love for the people of this country whom he leads. The reality is however, that nothing can be further from the truth, and Vincentians, regardless of political persuasion, religious practices or ideological beliefs have developed a high level of trust in the leadership of Dr Gonsalves over the years because he has stood the test of time. No other head of government has lead this country through so many challenges, undertaken major tasks thought impossible while ensuring that social programs focus on protecting the poor and vulnerable including the elderly and children. At the core of every policy of this government is a deep care and overwhelming concern for the wellbeing of Vincentians and our leader interrogates every proposal with the rest of his cabinet of ministers to ensure that no one is disadvantaged as a consequence of their implementation.

Firing government workers is cruel - NDP is opposed to making the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory (Excerpts of Dr. Friday’s Press Statement)

repaired where possible or families relocated to new homes where necessary. Comrade Ralph met with grieving families, pledged the assistance of the government with funeral expenses, doing everything to provide some comfort during the difficult times. All this while members of the opposition could be heard responding “that is not my job” when asked to collect names of those affected in specific constituencies or the leader of the opposition suggesting that affected families be allowed to import new appliances at concessionary rates. This country rebounded from that disaster stronger than ever and filled with appreciation for the swiftness with which our government acted and the compassion shown.

Rock Gutter Tragedy 2015

What started as a normal morning for the North Windward village of Fancy on that fateful day, soon turned tragic, as an accident claimed the lives of 7 teenaged students on their way to school. The magnitude of this tragedy, shook the entire country despite the fact that it was localised, limited in direct impact to families living in Fancy. The entire country was plunged into mourning. Without delay, Comrade Ralph made his way to the village to meet with residents and the families of the children who had died in that tragic accident. Our comrade leader did his best to offer comfort to the grieving families with his presence, but also pledged support to the families to assist with the expenses associated with the burial of their loved ones. To the students who survived, Comrade Ralph committed his government to assisting them throughout their schooling. To this families of those children who Compassionate leadership in times day, perished in such tragic circumstances, of disaster and tragedy remain grateful for the personal support offered by PM Gonsalves and Since coming to office in 2001, the the support offered by the government ULP has had to lead the recovery of he leads. This disaster presented this nation from a number of disasters another example of our leader acting and tragedies, both national as well as with compassion in the interest of some localised in certain communities. citizens of this country.

As we reflect on the type of leadership our nation has been blessed with, and Conclusion the head of government who has been at the forefront of the various recovery A careful reflection on the two efforts, we examine two such events. examples examined would immediately dismiss doubts anyone December 2013 Floods may have of the compassionate nature of this country’s prime minister. For The floods of Christmas Eve 2013 the last 20 years since taking office, are still fresh in the minds of most he has shown through actions, that he Vincentians who no doubt remember takes the responsibility of his office being busy preparing that night, only seriously in leading this nation and to be plunged into destruction and ensuring that our citizens and tragedy the next day. Heavy rainfall residents are the ultimate destroyed 17% of GDP, but beyond the beneficiaries of the policies of his numbers, many homes were damaged government. Never once has he misled or destroyed, roads blocked, bridges this nation; never once has he acted in washed away, our country was a manner that put the lives or without electricity and water for livelihood of our people at risk. He has extended periods and 9 persons were always ensured that the policies of either dead or missing. It was a time this ULP are in the best interest of of national mourning, and we knew Vincentians. Comrade Ralph is the the task of rebuilding was going to be leader you have grown to trust with a mammoth one. The Prime Minister educating your children for the future, got to work immediately bringing caring for the elderly, planning for the temporary relief to those who suffered impacts of climate change, building an loss or damage, and he offered the international airport and with the assurance that everything would be health of this nation. The Comrade, done to restore lives and livelihoods. and his family took the Covid-19 In the coming weeks and months, vaccine very early and now he affected persons were given brand encourages you to take it. You’ve new appliances and furniture to trusted the Comrade in the past, you replace those damaged, homes were can trust him now!

LAST FRIDAY, November 19th 2021, the ULP government instituted its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, requiring police officers, teachers, nurses and certain other government and state entities’ workers to take the COVID-19 vaccine, as a standard of qualification for work.

The NDP’s position on this matter is clear. While we, as a party, support vaccination as a means of combatting COVID-19, we are philosophically opposed to making the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory. Mandating vaccines, i.e. forcing people to be vaccinated against their will, is not who we are as a democratic society. It is also not who we wish to be as a people. And, firing government workers and taking away their benefits because they have not taken the COVID-19 vaccine is cruel and counter-productive, and will create more unemployment and misery in our country.

Let us acknowledge that the world was caught off-guard and unprepared

by COVID-19. No country was truly prepared to tackle a public health problem on such as large scale. A year ago, we did not have any safe and effective vaccines against coronavirus; that only became available early this year. It is therefore understandable, if concerning, that our vaccination rates are low, even though safe, effective, and free vaccines are now available.

As a democratic society however, our concern and even frustration for some must not manifest into actions likened to dictatorship.

It is true that there is a lot of confusion and misinformation and even disinformation about COVID-19 vaccines. I do not wish to engage in that debate except to reiterate that I accept that the vaccines provide very strong protection from severe illness and death from COVID-19.

Also we now have more knowledge and better tools to combat the virus than when it first emerged. But we will succeed only if we work together, as a nation. If we protect ourselves and others through masking, sanitizing, social distancing, building body immunity, expanded testing (test vaccinated and unvaccinated) and vaccination, we can and will turn the tide on COVID-19. It will take a lot of hard work, and it’s going to take some time. I have no doubt that we will get there.

Mandating vaccination is not the way to go. All over the world, governments that have considered such as measure as a way out of the pandemic have retreated from mandatory vaccination. But, not in SVG. It is only through collaborative endeavours, communication, and trust that we can win this battle against COVID-19. The ULP administration has time and again has broken the trust of the people of SVG. They have also neglected to engage with civil society and the private sector in any meaningful way over the years.

Now they have resorted to draconian measures to seek to achieve their aims, while disregarding the impact those measures are having on our public sector workers and the society. They have told teachers, nurses, police officers, other public and state entity workers to get

vaccinated or lose their jobs. And, now that the policy has been implemented, workers have been made the problem.

Since when did nurses, teachers, other public servants, and police officers become the problem in our country?

Does COVID-19 truly require this government to treat its own workers so unfairly and so harshly? No, it does not.

When did these workers with long service and valuable work experience suddenly become disposable so that they can easily be replaced with new recruits? Statements by government officials about replacing police officers, teachers, nurses, including those who have many years of service and experience in their jobs with new recruits disrespect those affected employees. Instead of threatening them with losing their jobs, their experience and skill must be valued, and every effort made to keep them working.

An NDP government would not have a mandatory vaccination policy and would not be firing public servants because of such a policy.

Anyone who is fired or resigns because of the government’s vaccine mandate must be rehired or otherwise compensated without loss of benefits.

An NDP government would ensure that anyone who resigns or is dismissed from his/her job because of the government’s vaccine mandate is rehired or otherwise compensated and will receive all affected benefits as well.

No one should be forced to choose between their body and their bread.

There are better and more effective ways to achieve vaccination goals that do not devalue and divide our people.

The government’s approach divides families, workplaces, churches, and communities. It fosters resentment and distrust of government and engenders unnecessary fear among our people. Trust and partnership are the cornerstones that would place us well on the path to achieving recommended vaccination targets and better success against the pandemic.

These factors are lacking in this administration’s current strategy and what we see here is simply the current administration lying in a bed that they made, as the old adage goes.

We must accept that there are different perspectives and be willing to listen so that we can better understand where we are and where we need to go in combatting COVID19. In light of the high level of distrust of authority and the COVID19 vaccines, it is foolhardy to proceed with the approach that it is “my way or the highway”.

The ULP administration has historically done nothing more than deprecate the views of others. They have stopped listening and therefore choose to take heavy-handed approaches when their leadership failures are laid bare for the world to see. The poor uptake reflects the failure of the ULP administration to listen and engage with our people. To re-emphasize, the NDP does not support vaccine mandates. We believe that ethical and collaborative leadership is better and is needed here.

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12. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

Views

The Test of Endurance

Doubling down on evil

“Scars are not signs of weakness, they are signs of survival and endurance.”

Rodney A. Winters

IT IS THE SETTLED JURISPRUDENCE in our Courts that fundamental rights and freedoms in our written Constitutions must be given as broad an interpretation as possible, and limitations given a narrow interpretation, so as to give efficacy to the protections afforded under those rights.’ Janice Pereira, Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.

The government’s Covid vaccine mandates are vindictive, punitive, irresponsible, divisive and unscientific.

The mandates disregard calls for national unity by religious and business leaders, workers organisations and opinion-makers. The majority of Vincentians rejects them for a simple reason. They assault a basic tenet of democracy which calls on elected governments to act in keeping with the consent of the governed.

If the mandates were imposed in March or April 2021, an argument that they were necessary might have gained acceptance. However, hoisting these mandates on the population now flies in the face of all available scientific evidence.

When the vaccines became available, citizens were sold on the idea that they protected against covid infections and prevented transmission.

When that talking point fell away, the expressed view was that vaccinated people may get infected, but these breakthrough infections were ‘rare occurrences.’ We now know those breakthrough infections are not rare but are more like a broken dam. The problem was so severe that the US Centre for Disease Control was forced to admit that it was not tracking all ‘breakthrough infections,’ only those that resulted in hospitalisation and death.

Then information started to surface from highly vaccinated countries as Israel and the United Kingdom that as much as 40 percent of fully vaccinated people were falling ill with Covid, hospitalised and died.

Study after study confirmed that naturally acquired immunity, derived by recovering from Covid infection, offered far greater immunity, against all possible variants of COVID-19, than the vaccines.

These are not the ideas and opinions of conspiracy theorists. These are fact-checked scientific views that ought to cause any prudent leader to take stock and turn away from the Vaccine mandates. The brutal insistence of the Ralph Gonsalves government to ram the highly ineffective vaccines, whose immediate and long-range safety is questionable, is callous, uncaring, autocratic and dangerous.

Those who support vaccines now stand on shaky ground and shifting sand. Their unreasonable claim that mandates are in place worldwide is refuted by Barbados PM Mia Motley government’s opposition to mandatory vaccines. It has been well established that unjust edicts and decrees must be opposed.

The scientific evidence begs the question: In the face of all this scientific information that demonstrates that the vaccines are not protective of people as claimed, that vaccinated persons can contract and transmit the virus, why is our government tormenting citizens by compelling them to take a vaccine or lose their jobs.

This demand by PM Gonsalves

THE MERRIAM-WEBSTER dictionary defines endurance as “the ability to withstand hardship and adversity.” It provides the example of a marathon runner who displays “the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity”.

Athletes who venture to run the marathon most certainly must develop physical, emotional, and mental toughness to be able to endure the rigours of the exercise.

It is estimated that 800 marathons are run each year. Athletes from all over the world congregate in cities like London, New York, and Boston when marathons are held in these locations.

However, legend has it that the first marathon took place in 490 BC when the Greek messenger, Pheidippides, ran approximately twenty-five miles from Marathon to Athens to inform the citizens there that the Greeks had defeated the feared Persians. It must have been painful for Pheidippides to run this distance while wearing crude footwear on uneven and often treacherous roads. Today, the modern athletes who participate in such races wear shock-resistant footwear and regularly pass by water stations and first aid units should they need to be refreshed or to be attended to. In addition, they are often flanked by hundreds of other runners and therefore seldom feel alone. However, even so, they are still required to possess the physical and mental toughness that enables them to endure.

Some individuals appear to be especially physically and mentally built for such demanding athletic pursuits.

The African nations of Kenya and Ethiopia have produced athletes that have dominated long-distance races for decades. Many of this writer’s generation would recall the outstanding feats of the Ethiopian marathon runner Abebe Bikila (19321973) who won the Olympic marathon gold medal in 1960. On that occasion, he ran barefoot. Abebe had previously trained with and without shoes.

However, during the final days of preparation in Rome, his shoes fell apart and the replacement pair of running shoes gave him blisters. He then opted to run barefoot. The slender “running machine” outperformed the world record-holder, Sergey Popov of the Soviet Union, who was considered the pre-event favourite for winning the Olympic marathon.

Bikila completed the race in 2 hours 15 minutes and 16.2 seconds — creating a new world and Olympic record for the event.

Bikila was lauded for being the first Sub-Saharan African to ever win a gold medal at the Olympics. He repeated this feat at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. Abebe’s name goes down in history for being the first runner to win an Olympic marathon race twice. Unfortunately, a car accident in 1969 left him partially paralyzed and unable to pursue his passion for running. He succumbed to a cerebral haemorrhage in 1973.

Abebe left behind a legacy of discipline, dedication and endurance.

Such examples of endurance provide ample evidence that we can approach even the most challenging of life’s circumstances with optimism. We often possess the ability to endure the most intense pain and traumatic disappointments than we may have previously thought possible. As

difficult and daunting as it may seem, no trial that we experience, no pain that we suffer, no disappointment that we bear, is ever wasted. As traumatic and debilitating as it may be, it is invaluable in developing such qualities, as patience, humility, faith, and fortitude. The agony generated by physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual hurt, helps us to build character and should make us humbler, and more tender, caring, and charitable. In their own way, difficult circumstances can test our endurance and, as challenging as they may seem, can bring out the best in us. While such circumstances like accidents, divorce, abandonment, and unemployment can entice some to become bitter and cynical, others grow to become better and a blessing to others.

Each of us may be able to recall instances when we were tested to the core. Difficult circumstances may have emerged when we least expected them to. We may have experienced a crisis in a close relationship. A business venture that we had placed all of our hopes in may have gone belly up. The pension fund that we had contributed to for decades may have vaporised as the company that had oversight of the funds filed for bankruptcy when we least expected it to. Others can testify of the trauma that they experienced when they found themselves unemployed or unemployable. There are a host of scenarios that we can think of that could take us to the brink of insanity. Such situations could seem to break and destroy the strongest among us. However, such heartwrenching situations very often unearth our faith, our patience, and our endurance. Sometimes it is when we are tested to the core that we discover that we can endure.

William Barclay (1907-1978) asserts that, “Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory.” We are reminded that the traumatic experiences that will periodically visit us can provide opportunities for growth; we can turn the hurts to haloes; we can turn the scars to stars; we can turn hard circumstances into glory. Assured of this reality, we can take a very positive approach to the situations in our lives that may have originally seemed to be negative or painful. Whether it is a failed marriage, an addiction to drugs, an unwanted pregnancy, or some other difficulty, we each encounter some tough choices and periodic disappointments. However, we can find solace in the fact that, with God’s help, we can intensify our resolve to make the best of the rest of our lives.

We need not cower and cringe with fear, guilt, or self-pity. We can overcome what may appear to be our limitations and fears. We can rise above the circumstances that seek to maim and debilitate us. We are winners (not whiners) in the game of life — determined to create and sustain the resolve to endure even the most challenging tests of life.

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

comes without a verifiable exemption plan. In the mighty USA, 18 states have sued the federal government calling for a ban on the mandates. The Florida legislature passed an act which says, ‘Among the measures, private businesses would be blocked from imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates unless they allow workers to opt-out for medical reasons, religious beliefs, immunity based on a previous infection, regular testing, or an agreement to wear protective gear.’

The Democratic governor, Laura Kelly, vowed to sign a similar law.

In light of this movement away from mandates, what manner of men forces their people to take a procedure that they know offer little or no protection to their citizens? Which leader twists the law and constitution to meet a vaccine agenda? Which leader brazenly tell his people that the mandates are misnamed because he has offered them a choice, take the vaccines or starve?

The only explanation for this callous disregard for the health and safety of the population is evil. In the face of all of this scientific evidence, you cannot turn your back on the people, threaten their jobs, create unnecessary stress, and turn the country into a mental health warehouse and not be evil.

These mandates cannot correctly be justified as a reflection of good public policy.

During July and August, COVID-19 was said to be a pandemic of the unvaccinated. The vaccinated were told they would no longer have to wear masks. They were sold the lie that they would be able to go about their business without bother or worry.

Many vaccinated persons were tricked into viewing their unvaccinated brothers, sisters and colleagues as nuisances and enemies.

Those who sold the myth that two jabs will make you fully vaccinated are told to take a booster. The pandemic is now one on the undervaccinated. If six months have passed since you became fully vaccinated, you are now unvaccinated. You must continue to wear a mask.

What a world we live in. Early in the pandemic, the vaccination program was voluntary and not directed at children. Four months later, the vaccines became mandatory, and come January, our children may be forced to take a vaccine to attend school. Only the evil spirit of leaders explains pushing a vaccine on children who have a 99 percent chance of not getting infected and an equally high chance of not passing the infection to others.

If the government knows that this is an acceptable health policy, why would it refuse to offer guarantees to those it forces to take the vaccine? Why not accept liability for anything that might go wrong with our sons and daughters?

The government got swept up in noise and fear over covid. It tried to frighten people into taking the vaccines. Some volunteered like guinea pigs, and others took the jab to save their jobs. We hope our people don’t pay a high and painful price for this evil, wrongheaded vaccine policy.

One thing is certain; history will deliver a harsh, unforgiving verdict on those leaders who ushered in this dark, sick period on humanity.

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

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. 13.

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Farmers need a Marketing Corporation INCOMPETENCE has become the norm for the ULP regime throughout their time in office.

The highly incompetent ULP regime has made a mess of the agriculture industry and virtually killed the rural economy. Many of our farmers live in poverty and struggle to feed their families.

For some farmers, when they come to Kingstown on Fridays, they’d be lucky to make 30 dollars profit from the goods they sell. This is not enough to sustain their households and pay the bills. There is often a lot of food at the market, but farmers cannot get much sale as there is not much money circulating in our country.

To add insult to injury, food imports into SVG amount to around $250 million annually. This $250 million should be going into the pockets of SVG farmers. The fact that this money is going abroad means jobs are being created abroad at the expense of our farmers.

This approach to economics is making our people suffer and making food more expensive in SVG. Buying food from our own farmers would make food cheaper. SVG can only reduce food prices by eating what we grow and growing what we eat, coupled with a policy of import substitution. If a lot of food comes from abroad, we will not be able to control

food prices and food will become even more expensive.

According to Warrant Officer Ivan O’Neal BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, a Green Government would bring back the Marketing Corporation and this would assure farmers a guaranteed income. This would enable SVG to have more control over food prices and make it more affordable for poorer households.

The ULP regime has failed to find foreign markets for farmers’ produce.

With a Marketing Corporation SVG would be better positioned to find foreign markets for the agricultural produce that is in excess of the needs of the people of SVG. With a Marketing Corporation, SVG would have the credibility to gain access to local and foreign agricultural markets, because a Marketing Corporation would be better placed to guarantee a constant, regular supply of agricultural products.

A fully operational and modern Marketing Corporation could create diverse streams of income for our farmers and boost the rural economy.

The agricultural industry and the rural economy need a boost, because at present SVG is swamped with high poverty, high unemployment, high crime and there is little money circulating in our weak economy.

According to the Leader of SVG

Green Party, Mr Ivan O’Neal BSc (Hons.), MSc, MBA, SVG needs a change of government which can rejuvenate the agricultural industry and find new foreign markets via a revived Marketing Corporation.

Exporting excess food grown in SVG

will help bring revenue into SVG. Having a Marketing Corporation would reduce the need to import $250 million of food a year and put more money into the pockets of SVG farmers. It would help to keep more money in SVG and increase the amount of money circulating our country.

SVG farmers need a guaranteed income for their produce.

Mental Health from the ÂinsideÊ IT IS NOTED with interest in recent months a couple of letters to the Editor on the plight of the mentally ill, including a submission by veteran contributor Kennard King. This means people here are aware of the problems mentally ill -often homeless - face. The letters speak to the intolerance with which we are treated, the lack of resources for us, and lack of facilities to house or provide relief from the streets.

What about the Mental Health Rehabilitation Centre (MHRC) at Glen? This writer has repeatedly highlighted flaws in the mental health system, and the MHRC, a bit of which bears repeating.

Space continues to be a problem with overcrowding featuring 450-500 patients in the limited space of five inadequate sections - this is not good enough. Activist Robert ‘ Patches’ Knights once inquired of me why building upwards in the refurbishing was not an option.

Under-staffing continues to be a problem also.

COVID-19 is now a major national health issue, yet patients housed at the MHRC do not wear masks, except for maybe 10% when OUTSIDE of the cells. With so much traffic within the confines of the dorms/cells, the expense for masks should be accommodated.

Testing is done on arrival which I can vouch for since I had two (tests) done during a recent stay there. There is no way to social-distance among patients, especially so inside the dorms. Staff are fairly frustrated and it reflects on the bedside manner in routine staff-to-patient dealings.

However this is just one key in the collection of problems the current situation at MHRC does not address.

We focus on criteria for placing a patient on the inside for an indeterminate period (exceeding a year) or permanently. Apparently an outsider can just submit an application to the Ministry of Health for such a move.

In my case, I was held for 3 months, 1 and a half of those in which I was quite lucid, with no evaluation or explanation. I function very well when on medication and I have certain career goals which on relocation, are well within reach. I have retained a lawyer who will intervene if misappropriations of correct procedure and erosion of my rights occur in another attempt at ‘incarceration for life’.

The MHRC is not the answer to providing a comfortable even barely tolerably comfortable standard of life for anyone. Mental patients are human beings but are not treated as such at almost every aspect and level of the mental health system.

Here are several ‘violations’ and conditions which will stipulate my complete non- compliance with a permanent residency at the MHRC as a substitute for life on the street, and which I implore the Health Authorities to address: *prison like conditions and treatment loss of idea of freedom; *standing room only; *no access to the outdoors; *frequent shortages of side effects and other medications indicating acute prolonged discomfort and pain; *the closure of the occupational therapy building; *poor quantity and discrimination in terms of food; *no suitable recreation opportunities; *no mental or intellectual stimulus activities; *no phone calls; *visitation twice a week only; *poor response to emergency situations by staff; *violence and volatility among patients on a daily basis; *poor hygiene (urine soaked floors, dirty quarters); *harassment and no patient advocate to suitably mediate such by *privileged’ patients and staff; *poor, sub-standard bedding; *limited social contact with mentors or people who would be otherwise interested; *theft of valuables; *no education opportunities; *no computer access.

Fair and balanced, a few nurses can be commended for holding up to the strain. Reliever ‘Roach’ is dedicated, and a good patient advocate. He provides an ear for patient grouses.

Reliever Henry is similar. I observed with pleasure his handling of a challenged patient in administering a haircut. There was a sense of harmony in this scene. Why though are slow or challenged people at the MHRC? I couldn’t close without commending Burnim Prince - male attendant, who knows when to use force as opposed to diplomacy in a security officer’s role.

The authorities are sadly lacking in all redress to this area of health.

Colin King

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14. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

Tribute

NDP on the passing of Sir James Mitchell WE ARE IN MOURNING! We mourn the loss of our Party’s founder and former Prime Minister Sir James Mitchell, who passed away on Tuesday November 23, 2021, at the Port Elizabeth Hospital in his beloved home island of Bequia.

Tributes will come from leaders and friends all over the region and further afield. They will seek to distil significant moments and contributions of a productive and meaningful life; but still there will be more that can be said in praise of this great man.

He was our nationbuilder, who loved the people of SVG with all his heart and spent most of his life serving them, selflessly and earnestly.

From 1966, when he was first elected as Representative for the constituency of the Grenadines, to 2001 when he retired from active politics, he was a vital part of the politics of our nation. During that time, he did it all politically as Minister, Premier, in Opposition, and as Prime Minister.

He served this country in many capacities and always with distinction.

As Minister of

Agriculture in the Labour Party government between 1967 and 1972, he formed the vision and started the transformation of agriculture and widespread landowning in our country. After he parted ways with the Labour Party, he contested the general elections in 1972 as an independent candidate in the Grenadines constituency and won.

With that general election resulting in a 6-6 tie between the St. Vincent Labour Party (SVGLP) and the People’s Political Party

(PPP) and one seat for James Mitchell, he formed an alliance with the PPP led by E.T Joshua and became Premier in the Alliance Government, from 1972 to 1974.

In December 1975, Sir James founded the New Democratic Party (NDP), which today continues to pursue his vision of a prosperous and free SVG. He was an opposition Member of Parliament from 1975 until 1984, when he led the NDP to victory over the SVLP. Thus, he became the country’s second Prime Minister in July 1984. Five years later, in 1989, Sir James’ NDP won a historic victory at the polls when it swept all 15 seats in the General Elections. In 1994, he led the NDP for a third consecutive term in office when the party won 12 of the 15 seats.

In 1998, the NDP again won the general elections. Sir James retired as Prime Minister and Leader of the NDP in 2000 and was succeeded by the Honourable Arnhim Eustace, who today shares the loss of our founding leader.

Sir James’ contribution to national development is immense.

He played a fundamental role in shaping SVG’s post-Independence

political, social and economic landscape.

Under his leadership, the policies implemented by the NDP government such as the innovative land reform program empowered Vincentians of all walks of life and helped to foster a strong, vibrant middle class Current leader of the NDP and Opposition Leader, Dr. the Honourable Godwin Friday, who grew up in Bequia and knew Sir James since childhood, has remarked with sadness: “We are mourning the passing of our founder, a global statesman, an

unmatched nationbuilder, an astute and honest advisor and a dear friend. His passing leaves a hole in our hearts. We must celebrate his life and forever remember and pursue his vision of a prosperous, progressive country guided always by the principles of democracy, the rule of law, the empowerment of our people and the love of country and our Caribbean region”.

We extend our sympathy and love to his family. May God comfort them and receive our friend into his arms.

May he rest in peace.

CARICOM on passing of Sir James THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY (CARICOM) says it has noted with ‘profound regret’ the passing of former Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines Sir James Mitchell, adding that his death has brought to an end an era in the country’s history, as he was the last surviving Parliamentarian at the time of Independence in 1979.

CARICOM Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett, in a message to Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, extended condolences to the Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and to Sir James’ family.

“The Region has lost a true stalwart of Integration…May he rest in peace”,

the Secretary-General said.

“He was a one-of-a-kind leader who became Premier in the most unique way,” Dr Barnett noted, adding that he proceeded to make an indelible mark on the development of his country and the Community.

Sir James led his country both as Premier from 1972-1974 and as Prime Minister from 1984-2000.

“Sir James was an ardent integrationist and fully supported the initiatives of both the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and CARICOM,” the Secretary-General noted. An agronomist by training, Sir James was involved in the formation of the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI).

V ÂNine Nights of LightsÊ set for 2021

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. 15.

Festival

In terms of the festival itself, lighting will be central to the activity albeit on a reduced scale. “Because of time constraints, the entire Gardens will not be lit. We will be lighting the top-half (section) this year.

The stage area will not be where it was originally. It’s going to be in a new location but everything will be concentrated in that one area. We are looking to do some virtual broadcasts as well, and that arrangement will allow persons to see everything at a glance.”

The main pond in the Gardens as it was lit in 2020.

Right:The Curator’s House was the centre of activity last year.

by GLORIAH… THE BOTANICAL GARDENS will host its annual ‘Nine Nights of Lights’ from 15th to 23rd December, 2021, even as the impact of the La Soufriere volcanic eruption and the prevailing coronavirus had given cause to reconsider the staging of the activity.

According to Mrs. Calisha Solomon, Chairperson of the Nine Nights Organising Committee, it was in response to the impact of the volcanic eruption in particular, why the Committee chose to give the festival a go.

“Persons were displaced, were out of their homes and had to go back home … persons may feel discouraged.

We thought this activity may offer some kind of hope to persons, some place they can come out and enjoy some sense of normalcy that they could put back in their lives; that they could come out and be a part of and enjoy.”

Activity within constraints Rest assured, though, adherence to health protocols will be pivotal.

Solomon told THE VINCENTIAN, “We worked with the Ministry of Health to develop some protocols to be standardized for the event.

Everyone will be required to

A Variety of Attractions The Botanical Gardens Nine Nights is a festival that provide varied entertainment experiences for patrons. Each night, there is “something different to attract persons, something different for the family to enjoy,” the Chairperson confirmed, adding, “This year we are going in that same directing where we have a movie here, gospel there, some pan here, some calypso there, a little of everything. …. We even want to include drama, as well as a bit of caroling on the programme to add to have a tag to return,” Solomon the entertainment of all added. patrons,” Solomon said with a

Calisha Solomon, Chairperson of the Nine Nights Organising Committee, promises the same atmosphere albeit on a smaller scale. sense of expectation.

With these in place, persons may then choose the night or nights they will want to patronize.

The Botanical Garden presents a unique festival within the National Nine Mornings setting. Solomon referenced the number of calls that are received yearly by herself and the Committee.

“Persons have come to eagerly look forward to attending Nine Nights at the Gardens. Persons have contacted us to say things like, ‘We’re coming home this year to Vincy. We want to see the Gardens’; or that they’re coming over from Trinidad, they’re coming to see our festival. That’s because it’s unusual, it’s different!” she said not sounding far removed from a boast.

She beckoned, “Once you are vaccinated, you are preapproved; so come out and be part of this event with us. It’s something to look forward to.

So once you are there between the 15th and 23rd, you have the chance to be with us at the Gardens, (so) come and celebrate with us.”

sanitize before entering the Gardens.”

In addition, the following measure will obtain: the maximum number of persons, including vendors will be 500 per night. Patrons and over 18 years must be either fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to the event; or patrons under 18 years must be fully vaccinated or have a negative rapid antigen test no older than 24 hours.

Patrons must present a Digital Vaccination Certificate with a valid QR code, and an Identification Card.

The ticketing system has also been upgraded.

“We are asking persons to buy their tickets online. We are developing a portal for them to do so and they will be verified, so when they come on the night, they just show their tickets and their ID and they will be able to come in. Each person will be branded so that This is what greeted patrons at the entrance to the Gardens during last year’s Nine Nights of Lights. if you leave to go out you’ll

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16. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

Tribute

Vincy community activist passes unexpectedly

found dead on the grounds at one of his properties near Stubbs, his uncle Cyril “Scorcher” Thomas, a prominent Vincentian calypsonian, former Vincentian diplomat, and his aunt Ruby Wood, proprietor of the Brooklyn-based Square Deal Franklyn Dexter “Supadex” Richards (1968 – 2021) had a warm personality Shippers and Movers, told THE VINCENTIAN on Monday. that endeared him to those with They said an autopsy is being whom he worked, played and conducted to determine the cause of strategised. death.

In exclusive interviews, Thomas and

by NELSON A. KING Wood, like many in the Vincentian naking@verizon.net community in New York and at home, US CORRESPONDENT expressed sheer shock and bewilderment over Richards’ sudden THE VINCENTIAN COMMUNITIES in New demise.

York and in St. Vincent and the Grenadines “He was a breath of fresh air, a are in absolute shock over the unexpected knight in shining armor and the passing on Saturday of prominent and epitome of what a human being should beloved community activist, calypsonian be,” said Thomas, adding “Dexter and graphic artist - Franklyn Dexter accepted challenges and faced them ‘Supadex’ Richards. head on.

Richards, born on May 28, 1968, was

“Can’t was not in his vocabulary; how and when were his constant companion,” Thomas continued.

Thomas described him a true Caribbean man and one who loved life, and recalled that they performed together at the world’s famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York City. he was.”

Thomas said his nephew also “dabbled in the arts: oil paintings, photography, album cover designs and commercial arts …. and went about his business with a certain calm and confident demeanor.”

He was an avid reader and a firm believer in healthy living, Thomas said.

Thomas said Richards also “talked the talk and walked the walk,” stating that, when disaster struck St. Vincent and the Grenadines, “he was front and center in the recovery efforts.

“He gave and never counted the cost; a true humanitarian,” he said.

And he was a truly committed to ‘things’ Vincentian, as exemplified by his membership in many Brooklynbased Vincentian community groups, such as: Tthe St. Vincent and the Grenadines Diaspora Committee of New York, Inc.; Dynamites Calypso Tent; VincyCares, Inc.; Vincy Day USA Committee; the umbrella Vincentian group, Council of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Organizations, U.S.A., Inc. (COSAGO); SAMPASA — St. martin’s Past Students Association North America Inc., among others.

“Dexter was always ready and willing to lend a helping hand, even if it meant putting his reputation on the line,” Thomas said, stating that his motto was “service not self.” “ “Rest in eternal peace my good friend…. . “You left the world a better place than you met it. Let us pray that your legacy continues for generations to come.”

Thomas concluded.

Wood said that, when she got the news of Richards’ sudden death, she was devastated.

“Still in shock but coping,” she said. “His death is a timely reminder that regardless of age, in the midst of life, there is death.

“Dexter was like a son to me; we were very close, and I’ll miss him dearly,” she added. “His lifelong dream was to relocate to homeland St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which he did 10 months ago.

“He was a loving and dedicated father, a successful businessman, a true Vinci icon and a

stalwart in the Vincy community,” Wood continued. “I am so thankful to have spent quality time with him and will forever cherish those memories.

“My heart aches for his two kids,” she said. “May his soul rest in eternal peace.”

The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Diaspora Committee of New York said in a statement that Richards was, “undoubtedly, a beloved son of the Vincentian soil and a true patriot.

“He shared his talents with so many, and his unique style will remain a reminder of all that he gave,” it said.

“He was a humble African who understood the rich heritage from which he came, and he loved and promoted his culture.

“He was passionate and a fierce defender of his ideas, his family and friends. He also loved St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) dearly and wished to do nothing less than to contribute to its development and upliftment. He returned to SVG to do just that,” the Committee added.

VincyCares, Inc. also said that Richards, a past president, was “an invaluable member of the group.

“The contributions he made to the organization and to his beloved St. Vincent and the Grenadines were immeasurable,” it said in a statement.

“Dex, we will never forget the work you have done during your earthly life.

Sleep peacefully our friend!”

Oxley Lowmans, president of the Friends of Sion Hill, to which Richards was a consultant, said Richards was “someone with many creative ideas when called upon for input.

“The Dynamite Calypso Tent said Richards was “an outstanding and loyal member” of the group, disclosing that, up to his untimely death, he was working with members on an upcoming project.

“We pray that God will strengthen us all in this time of deep loss and accept him into the place of eternal peace,” said the Tent in a statement, revealing that members had spoken to Richards just a mere four hours before his death.

Vincy Day USA Committee said Richards was “a proud, educated, hardworking Vincentian.

“On the Vincy Day USA Committee, he served as our resident graphic designer,” it said.

“He was an entrepreneur who loved giving back to his people, and his passion for Vincentian culture was immeasurable.”

Calysonian Franklyn Dexter “Supadex” Richards performing during the SVG National Heroes Day celebration, at the Friends of Crown Heights Educational Center in Brooklyn, in March 2018.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. 17.

Business

Savings Game app launched

Felix Lewis, CED General Manager.

THE LAUNCH of the Savings Game app here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is being flagged as a tool to foster a culture of saving to drive business development.

CED General Manager Felix Lewis underscored the importance of saving in entrepreneurship as he addressed the virtual launch, Tuesday 23rd November, of the German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation (DSIK) Savings Game app.

According to Mr. Lewis, many people approach CED with business ideas but no plan to save or know how to

business grows, commercial The usefulness of this tool will Uwe Pfeffer, DSIK’s Regional loans require equity and be beneficial well beyond this Representative. retained earnings can be challenging period and can used for investment in the open up a revitalized role of their financial and savings growth and development of savings as an important skills in a single player mode,” the business. source of investment funds in Mr. Pfeffer said.

“Savings is therefore an the medium to long term.”

DSIK’s MSME consultant important discipline to The idea of the app is Mr. Timo Bucher gave a encourage in the context of derived from DSIK’s business demonstration of the Savings business development. It games which teach financial Game to close to forty (40) can make the difference skills through haptic guests who attended the zoom between a dream and a simulations - true to the motto webinar that marked the commercial reality. The “Learning by doing”. According launch of the app. Both the savings discipline however to DSIK’s Regional business games and the app has benefits beyond the Representative, Mr. Uwe are sponsored by the German entrepreneurial context, it Pfeffer, the game play is easily Federal Ministry for Economic access finance to start their is a life hack that can be accessible and applies to businesses and expect that Cooperation and Development applied to normal family life, proven methods of the they can immediately turn (BMZ) helping families to achieve business games and can be their ideas into commercial The Savings Game is goals and objectives related to used without prior knowledge. available for free in the Play entities.

“Nevertheless, it works “The early stage of business elevating their quality of life.” store (Android) and App Store He added, “This savings perfectly as a supplement to development is where the (IOS). In addition to English the CED trainings so I hope importance of savings is most game app is timely since we and German, other languages our that, in a very playful prominent,” Mr. Lewis stated. are all going through a very will also be offered in the “Some ideas may never see the challenging time economically way, players from different future. and an important factor in the target groups can work out light of day as a commercial transition to entity were it not for the The app is available at: recovery has respective entrepreneur’s Official app store link: to be savings savings or investment from in conjunction (apple) https://apps.apple.com/eg/app/the-savings-game/id1583366017 family and friends’ savings.

Official google play link: to tighter This is what is referred to as (google) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.sparkasse.savingsgame budgeting. booth strapping. Even as the

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18. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

Crime

Vincentian murderer to be deported THE NOV. 05, 2021 ISSUE of the Virgin Islands Platinum News reported that a St. Vincent and the Grenadines national, Lennox Da Silva, was set to be deported from that British administered Caribbean territory.

According to that news source, Da Silva was to have been deported within seven days of the date of the Order of Deportation, which was dated October 14, 2021.

While the deportation Order, as reported by Platinum News did not state to which country Da Silva was to be deported, it is highly likely that he would have been destined Lennox Da Silva admitted to the BVI police that he had killed his wife.

for his native St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

THE VINCENTIAN has not be able to confirm that Da Silva did leave the BVI and that he had arrived in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The incident Da Silva was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison in 2009 for the murder of his wife.

Court documents referenced by Platinum News said that on June 10, 2017, police responded to a call from a neighbour and arrived at the premises (apartment) of the da Silva family (which included two children), where they saw the accused standing in the entrance of his home.

Apparently, according to one witness, he was

unable to leave the premises as neighbours, suspecting that something had gone radically wrong at the Da Silva’s home, blocked him in until the police arrived.

When the police entered the apartment, Court Documents recorded that they found what appeared to be the lifeless body of his wife on the floor behind where he stood, The two children, who were noted to be present at the time of the incident, were taken out of the apartment and to a safe location by neighbours.

Da Silva told the police that his wife had arrived home and began packing her things, indicating that she was leaving him.

Platinum News reported that he also

disclosed that he had suspected his wife of cheating and had followed her earlier the same day.

An argument ensued, and it was when she said that she regretted that he was not shot to death in Jamaica where he had escaped death during an attempted robbery, during a short sojourn there.

And even though Da Silva told the police he didn’t know how he got hold of a knife, he confessed to first stabbing his wife then slitting her throat.

Court documents indicated that before being sentenced, Da Silva said he was sorry for what he had done and asked that prayers be offered on his behalf. (Source: Virgin Islands Platinum News)

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. 19.

Tribute

Jean Duncan A True Pioneer

by SHERON GARRAWAY

LYRIS JEANETTE DUNCAN, known familiarly as Jean Duncan, the first female broadcaster in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, has been aptly described as a pioneer.

At her celebration service held at the Kingstown Methodist Church on Tuesday 23rd November, the Methodist choir rendered the hymn ‘Never Be Weary’, composed and published by Duncan herself in 2004.

A wide involvement Monty Maule, who delivered her eulogy, referred to Duncan as a ground breaker in many facets of her life.

As per the eulogy, Jean Duncan was born in June 1932, the eldest child of six to devoted Methodist Christians and disciplinarians Alfonz and Olive Duncan of New Montrose. She learned from an early age to guide those younger than her.

Unwavering in her service to others, Duncan embodied her favourite scripture verse, Galatians 6:9: “Let us not be weary in well doing”, as she served from an early age in the Brownies, through to the Girl Guides and Rangers, later becoming the Secretary of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Girl Guides Council.

Duncan also served with the St. Vincent Red Cross Society and was thought to be its youngest member when it was established. So much so she was nicknamed ‘Little Doctor’ not only because of her size and age but moreso because of her caring nature, especially to those on the wards of the then Kingstown General Hospital now the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

Her commitment to the mission and purpose of the Red Cross inspired her to pursue a certificate in Home Nursing.

Duncan was a lover of netball and played for the Girl Guides team. She was a founding member of ‘Dodgers’ which won the 1950 National Netball

Competition. Not only did she enjoy the accolades of victory on the netball court but she, unfortunately, had some fractured ribs to show for her prowess, an injury she sustained in a match against a visiting team from St. Lucia.

An as small as she was in stature, her involvement also extended to things cultural and artistic.

She began participating in carnival as a school girl and as she got older, she didn’t just play mas, she organised and led her own carnival band. Among its several top awards during that period was the first prize in the original category in 1956, with its imaginative presentation of the then soon-to-be-established West Indies Federation. In subsequent years, Jean played in the mas bands of Sylvia Wilson-DaSilva and Winston Samuel.

The eulogy disclosed that Duncan’s interest in the performing arts and her related talents were amply demonstrated in her membership in the St. Vincent Light Operatic Group in the mid-1960s.

In addition to being very seriously involved in the organisation and management of the group, she performed creditably on stage.

Lyris Jeanette ‘Jean’ Duncan (1932 2021)

believed in and trusted God to the end, and demonstrated her faith by works.

Her parents and their parents served the Methodist Church and she served as Sunday School Teacher, Youth Leader, Class Leader, Leaders Meeting Secretary and in the mid1960s as assistant organist to the maestro Patrick Prescott. In her later years, she became a member of the Calliaqua congregation.

In the mid-1960s she succeeded the Director of the Junior Choir of the Here she is showing her penchant Kingstown Methodist Church, of for things artsy. which Maul was a member. In 1968, that choir, albeit the lone junior choir She brought to bear her quiet, in the competition, won comfortably talented, disciplined, efficient and the first Methodist National Choir undoubted talent on her pioneering Competition. role in broadcasting.

Duncan also served for some time in Upon the establishment of the independent Radio St. Vincent and the her later years as the organist at the Chauncey Methodist Church.

Grenadines in 1972, Duncan was Her immense love and appreciation appointed its first Programme for her animals was evident as she had Manager. She succeeded the late several cats, dogs and a parrot.

Claude Theobalds as Manager in 1982 She was described as never one to and served at that capacity until her complain. She spent most of her last retirement in 1987.

Early working life days reading her Bible, playing the According to Maule, Duncan was an piano and harmonica and singing her eloquent speaker and the natural Upon her graduation from the St. favorite hymns. Her last request of the Vincent Girls High School, she taught beauty of her speech, ensured that her manager of the Thompson Home at the Richmond Hill Government and name and voice were among the most where she resided, was to sing with respected and loved in broadcasting. her the song ‘Never Alone’. the Kingstown Prep School, before On the early morning of October transitioning to the Kingstown Public He recalled that she kept listeners calm especially during the 1979 La 25th, Lyris Jeanette Duncan passed Library where she played a pioneer Soufriere volcanic eruption and away at the age of 89. role as Assistant-in-charge of the informed them of hurricane Allen, newly created Children’s Section. even as her own house Maule revealed in the eulogy, roof was blown off.

“Duncan was promoted in the public Years after her service and in quick time. On January 1st 1960, she was appointed Secretary retirement, Duncan made in the Office of the first Chief her services available to Minister- Honorable Ebenezer private stations - First FM and Cross Country Theodore Joshua.

Radio. She selflessly Subsequently, she was contributed to the promoted to the position of training others for Executive Officer at the broadcast and Magistrate’s Court. communications and she remained a respected, Broadcasting Days primary advisor to many individuals and With her persuasive voice organisations in that field, and diction to perfection, it including the Methodist was not surprising that Church.

Duncan veered into radio broadcasting. Her journey A woman of relenting into radio began as an faith amateur ham radio operator in the mid-1950s.

In summing up her life, In October 1968 she became Maule highlighted that the first Vincentian to be those closest to Duncan employed in a senior capacity knew that her most at the lone sub-station of the distinguishing feature Windward Island Two generations of Broadcasting - Jean Duncan was her resolute faith in Jean Duncan had a beauty about her that Broadcasting Service (WIBS). and the current Programme Manager of NBC. God. He said that she was warm and natural.

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20. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

News

ISCCF SVG turns 60!!!

WHAT BEGAN IN 1961 in SVG as a Bible study club at the Girls High School (GHS) consequent to the visit of Englishman, Richard Bell of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES), has grown into a quiet, but impactful student- inistry, spanning the length and breadth of SVG. During its embryonic

stage, Mistresses Elsa Velox and Ynolde Mulraine-Adams along with Leslie AlexanderHull and Judy Cadougan, then teachers at the GHS, ably and sacrificially provided holistic nurturing to the pioneering group of students. The uncontained enthusiasm of this group quickly resulted in a merger with

a Bible study group which had begun in April 1953 with 4 female students, under the guidance of Mrs. Grace Eustace at the Emmanuel High School, Kingstown (EHSK). This eclectic merger, which, in the twinkling of an eye included a growing number of male students from the EHSK, was given the name, Inter-

School Christian Fellowship (ISCF). Over the years, the ISCF in SVG has impacted and transformed the lives of many prominent Vincentians such as the Hon. St Clair ‘Jimmy’ Prince, current Minister of Health, Dr Lennox Adams and Pastor Sylvester King, deputy Supervisor of Elections, among other renowned

graduates here and in the diaspora.

Like many organizations, this nonprofit Christian organization, funded by a handful of generous, local individuals and churches and governed by a local Board comprising of 7 Directors, has evolved.

From 2005, the ministry was rebranded as the Inter-School & College Christian Fellowship (ISCCF) to incorporate all divisions of the SVG Community College as well as medical schools, who wish to partner with the ministry. ISCCF, found in 17 of the 26 secondary schools in SVG, all divisions of the SVGCC and 4 medical schools, is primarily a student-led ministry overseen by sponsors (teachers at respective schools), who meet for at least 30 or so minutes (mostly during lunch) once or twice weekly, to engage in activities geared essentially towards the spiritual development of students and teachers.

Sixty (60) years later, an achievement of formidable tenacity in student-ministry, stakeholders of ISCCF SVG are beaming with joy as the organization

celebrates its diamond jubilee under the theme, “Three Scores and Achieving More” as they give glory “…unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly… throughout all ages…”

(Ephesians 3: 20-21).

A calendar of activities which includes a church service being held online Zoom on December 4th, 2 p.m. will be hosted to commemorate this jubilant occasion. All are invited to attend by logging with the meeting I.D: 841 3991 6255, and passcode: 6WB3tq. It will also be streamed on out Facebook page.

The Staff Worker who can be contacted at WhatsApp 4542356 or email address: svgisccf@hotmail.com, is always available at the office located on the VINSAVE compound, door number 4. The Ministry’s social media pages: Isccf Svg on Facebook and @IsccfSvg on Instagram, will also provide more information about the Ministry. We are excited to have you partner with us in this God-established Ministry which is so critically needed in our schools, especially in this era.

(Submitted by: ISCCF SVG)

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. 21.

Business

Republic Bank launches „Five for Fun‰ ON THURSDAY, October 21, 2021, Republic Bank celebrated the successful launch of its Five for Fun Youth Cricket initiative, by honoring the 1st and 2nd place winners at a prize giving ceremony.

“Five for Fun” is a new concept of an Under-12 short-format cricket, designed for both boys and girls at primary school, arising out of a collaboration between Republic Bank and Cricket West Indies (CWI). “Five for Fun” provides a pathway and regional coaching framework for aspiring players, ensuring that children not only have access to cricket at the primary school level, promoting the game in a fun, safe, player centered environment, but also providing opportunities through cricket for social and life-skills development.

The “Five for Fun” concept, which entails five top zonal teams participating in a festival final, with each team comprising five players, competing in a two innings (5-overs per innings) format, took place during the school’s summer holidays. The inaugural tournament was held in St. Lucia and the Bank intends to roll it out to other territories within the group in the upcoming years.

Zone 5 River Doree Anglican Combined School in Choiseul emerged as the first ever “Five for Fun” Champions with Zone 2 Millet Primary School, taking second place.

Among those in attendance at the prize giving ceremony for the budding sportsmen and sportswomen were Minister for Youth Development and Sports, the Honorable Kenson Joel Casimir, Mr. Carol Henry President and Mr. Simmons Jules, 2nd Vice President of the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association.

In her Opening Address, Managing Director of Republic Bank (EC), and avid cricket lover, Ms. Michelle Palmer, expressed her depth of feeling when witnessing

first-hand the power of the Spirit of Caribbean Cricket- “how this marvelous Caribbean past time, this sport brings us all together as a people and also develop in our youth, athleticism, discipline, team spirit and sportsmanship”.

She provided the context and inspiration behind Republic Bank’s support of Caribbean Cricket beyond its seven (7) year run as the official banking partner of the Caribbean Premiere League (CPL) T20. “At Republic Bank, we wanted to create an evergreen, sustainable cricket culture from which would emerge the cricket stars of tomorrow.

Thus, Five For Fun was created. This collaboration between Republic Bank and CWI is further amplified with the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association endorsed by the Government of Saint Lucia, providing local coordination and execution of the initiative.

For the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association’s part, Mr. Carol Henry was extremely pleased that Saint Lucia was chosen as the island for the pilot acknowledging that programs like “5 for Fun” are vital portals for early identification of prodigies in the sport so they can be given a pathway to greater CWI coaching and engagement. The Association’s 2nd Vice President also expressed his gratitude that Saint Lucia was selected to pilot this programme, recognizing that both CWI and Republic Bank could have opted for any island in the Caribbean and that the planting of this seed was not only timely for cricket development in Saint Lucia but will be magnified and produce magic in the future.

The Minister for Youth Development and Sports, the Honorable Kenson Joel Casimir, enthused by the innovative form of Corporate Social Responsibility demonstrated by Republic Bank, thanked

“Five for Fun” prize giving ceremony for the inaugural tournament staged in St. Lucia. them for nurturing future national cricket greats, recognizing that investment in the youth demonstrates a clear understanding of sports development. He also acknowledged the efforts of both Republic Bank and the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association in rising above the challenges of not only hosting such a pilot but doing so during the pandemic and urged the students to make the fullest use of such opportunities.

The focal point of the prize-giving was the children who were very grateful for the opportunity to get out and play with their schoolmates during the pandemic even if it meant following strict health protocols. Coaches expressed deep gratitude for the engagement and praised their teams’ hard work. They urged parents, especially of girls to encourage their children to get out and play cricket, citing the many opportunities that are opening up for youth in the sport.

All players of the winning teams were awarded individual prizes in addition to their team trophies. The Minister was also honored with a token of Republic Bank’s appreciation in the form of a [0] CPL T20 Signature Cricket Bat to mark the beginning of an enduring relationship with Five for Fun. The crowning news of the prize giving

ceremony was the announcement by Republic Bank’s Managing Director that, given the success of St Lucia’s pilot, the goal now, is to roll out Five for Fun to the Bank’s

other territories, stating that “As a regional bank, we at Republic Bank are committed to creating deeper regional integration through cricket, to drive sporting unity with courage,

passion and love, because we firmly believe that creating new opportunities in cricket at the grass roots level is what will keep us at the top of our game in global cricket.”

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22. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

News

It appears that some of those who are awaiting responses to their applications for exemption from the CIVID-19 vaccine, are being turned away from their workplaces.

Exemption process questioned AT LEAST one Public Servants/Civil Servants) here has come forward to express concern that the facility that allows for exemption from the COVID19 vaccination, is not being executed with any degree of fairness and timeliness.

Applications for exemption on both medical and religious grounds have become entangled, it is alleged, in a process that seems to work expeditiously for some and tardily for others.

The failure to respond in a timely manner to applications for exemptions has resulted in the ‘black listing’ of some of those who have applied for exemptions, and in some cases even removal from their work roster.

A case in point is that of a female civil servant attached to significant service here who, instead of being shown respect for the fact that her application for exemption on religious grounds was before the Service Commission, was denied entry (by security) to her workplace when she reported for work on the weekend.

The public officer was, in her initial assessment of the situation, effectively locked out of her workplace with no explanation.

This assessment was supported by the evidence she came upon subsequently, that her name had been listed among those at her workplace who had not been vaccinated and worse, that her name had been

removed from the work roster for the ensuing week.

The fact that her name had been removed from the roster at her place of work meant, in her understanding, that she was no longer a part of the team — that she was dismissed.

All of this when, according to the officer concerned, her application (November 12) for exemption on religious grounds had been lodged with the Service Commissions, something her boss would have seen before it was advanced.

When it became apparent that a response from the Service Commission was not forthcoming, the officer, on November 19, consulted with a person at the Commission who acknowledged receipt of the application, but also indicated that it had not been dealt with and there was no indication as to when that would be done.

That application was obviously not dealt with prior to the November 19 deadline imposed on Public Servants, but the officer reported for work the day after assured that her application was ‘in process’, only to be confronted with the instructions to deny her entry.

She described the action taken against her as unethical and farcical since it ran exactly opposite to what was allowed by the provisions of the amended Public Health Act and the attendant S R & O. Continued on Page 31.

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. 23.

Senator The Hon. Keisal Peters, Minister of State with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade’s Response at the Joint Commonwealth Secretariat (COMSEC) - OECS launch event for E-Commerce Readiness Assessment of OECS Member States 26th October 2021 Council Ministers St. Vincent and the Grenadines is currently Chair of the OECS Cou ncil of Ministe rs off Trade. Senator The Hon. Keisal M. Peters and Council Ministers in her capacity as Minister with responsibility for Foreign Affairs an d Foreign Foreign Trade e and Chair r of the OECS OEC Coun cil of Ministe rs States at the virtual launch of Trade, delivered a Response to the Report on behalf of OECS Members Members States launch of the Commonwealth Commonwealth Capacity Building place acity Buil ding Report which took p Secretariat-OECS E-Trade Readiness Assessment and Associated Cap lace on 26th October, Minister. he Hon. Ministe r.

2021. The Ministry is pleased to share the response report from tthe I am honoured to present this response to the E-Readiness Report in my capacity as Chair of the OECS Council of Ministers of Trade.

The Report makes for both sober, yet optimis optimis-tic reading. Indeed, it highlights many of the areas in which both collectively and as individ individ-ual Member States, we have room for growth.

The report also highlights several of the things that we are doing right with respect to e-com e-com-merce and the digital economy. I will also use this opportunity to speak to some of the work that we are already doing across the Economic Union to close some of the gaps which have been identified in the report.

First, I will start on a positive note and address some of the things that we are doing right, or identify areas in which we are heading in the govern-right direction. Many years ago, OECS govern ments, like other Caribbean governments, having reviewed the available options for economic development, concluded that there was need for diversification of their economies.

The services sector was targeted as a motor for this diversification and it was telecommuni-decided that in order to facilitate this, there was need to reform the telecommuni monopolis-cations sector. One of the first acts in this regard was breaking up the monopolis tic situation in the telecommunications sector. This has since reaped tremendous telecom-dividends, especially in terms of giving our populations options for basic telecom munications services, data, mobile services and internet connectivity. Of course, we recognise that there is work to be done to improve service quality and access across the board. However, one cannot deny that we have come a far way.

We take note of the Report’s assessment that the countries assessed perform best accessibil-with respect to national information technology (IT) infrastructure and accessibil ity, with a commendable Index of 49% as it relates to e-commerce readiness across the sub-region. This is reflective of the efforts of our governments and telecommunications services providers to expand and improve infrastructure such as fibre optics which have made a real difference in providing mobile, cable tv, broadband and business solutions across the OECS. However, the report makes for sober reading and points to several areas where we need to pursue rapid transformation or apply shock therapy. The regional A-Z gap index for the OECS is at 74% with considerable gaps in areas such as logistics and delivery, financial readiness, business readiness and citizens’ readiness.

These results are consistent with an earlier analysis by the World Bank that Eastern Caribbean countries continue to lag significantly across most of the digital economy foundations, as well as in comparison to peers at similar levels of socioeconomic development.

We therefore recognize that there is an urgent need to modernize the legal, regulatory, and institutional frameworks to address these frameworks, and keep pace with rapid global technology evolution, including rapid transformations associated with the unfolding fourth industrial revolution.

Caribbean Digital Transformation Project. The project aims to ensure that every broad-individual and business within the region is empowered with access to broad band, digital financial services, and skills needed to actively participate in an moderniza-increasingly digital marketplace and society. It leverages public sector moderniza tion and digitization to improve service delivery and to drive creation of a digital culture across the region. To support the improved management of digital risks, the project will bolster cybersecurity policy, capacity, and planning tools in the region. It will facilitate technology adoption to improve productivity of flagship industries and create demand for digitally enabled jobs. It aims to foster regional integration and cooperation to capture the economies of scale and scope required to increase impact and value for money of the project interventions and to create a more competitive, seamless regional digital market to attract investment and provide room for growth of digital firms.

Some of the legal and regulatory gaps that have been identified should also be addressed under the World Bank Project and in the months ahead, we are hoping that OECS Member States will be in a position to adopt into their domestic legal framework, model legislation in areas such as data protection and privacy, guided by global best practice.

A few months ago, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank launched a secure, minted, digital version of the Eastern Caribbean dollar (DCash) as legal tender.

DCash is expected to address the relative high cost of current payment methods and banking services; the inadequacy of banking services; and the inefficient methods of settling cheque transactions, which slow the pace of commerce. We inclu-anticipate that this digital currency will create opportunities for financial inclu sion, growth, competitiveness, and resilience for OECS citizens.

There are also regulatory bottlenecks and weaknesses in the region’s payment system infrastructure which are inhibiting digital financial services innovation, affordability, and uptake. These range from being able to access global platforms such as PayPal, or being able to develop indigenous solutions which several of your young and intelligent entrepreneurs are bringing to market.

As the E-Readiness Assessment Report demonstrates, our biggest constraint relates to logistics and delivery. Inadequate logistics and delivery services will render moot, other advances in our digital capabilities. For instance, what would be the point of making goods available online if the means to ship them are non-existent or inadequate? You are perhaps tired of hearing about a regional ferry service for the OECS or even the wider CARICOM Region. It has been studied and discussed extensively for the better part of the past decade, with no results to show as yet. However, it is an area to which we have assigned high priority. We are also pursuing reforms across the OECS, some of these in the context of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), to update and modernise customs and trade facilitation measures. This would further advance our efforts to improve logistics and delivery to support e-commerce.

I am pleased to say that we are not resting on our haunches in the face of these modern-challenges. OECS governments are currently implementing public sector modern ization programs, including with respect to the development of cross-cutting digital services enablers, such as cloud infrastructure, digital payment platforms, access-digital authentication and signatures, one stop mobile and web portals for access ing services online, and digitization of specific services such as civil registry, motor vehicle services, tax, customs and several others.

Finally, as I did previously, I renew my call to our international partners to join us in our digital transformation efforts. The E-Trade Readiness Assessment Report before us today provides an evidence-based, factual account of our challenges and opportunities. It also identifies some of the associated capacity building needs.

Yes, we have been proactive and we are doing work. However, what is required now is shock therapy to allow us to move with speed and precision to attain global standards for digital development.

As many of you are likely aware, the World Bank is currently funding an Eastern

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, thank you.

Additionally, we also recognize that the utilization and acceptance of digital payments is very low across the region, preventing governments, individuals, and businesses from transacting online and limiting financial inclusion.

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24. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

Advice

Erase her name Dear George, MY BEST friend and I have done everything together and we’re inseparable. Now, since I told her I found my soul mate she started acting differently with me.

You see, this man wants to marry me and marry me soon. Recently he asked me how close my friendship was with my girlfriend. I said we were like sisters.

It was then he told me not to trust her because she had told stuff about me — how I can’t keep a man because of my tendency to cheat. He said she even suggested she would be a better choice.

George, here I am planning on making her my maid of honor! Now I do not wish to be friends with her anymore longer. She does not deserve to be my friend. My question to you is, should I tell her myself or leave her to figure out why she was left out of my wedding?

Disappointed and Hurt Dear Disappointed and Hurt, There is a saying ‘misery loves company’.

If in your judgement she does not deserve your friendship, and you have justifiable reasons to think so, then feel free to erase her name from your friendship list.

Be thankful you hit the chance to find that out now rather than later.

It’s best you tell her yourself why she has been dropped. The very best to you going forward.

George

Lesbians galore!!!

Dear George, IT SEEMS as though this place has more lesbians than anywhere else.

Everywhere I go I am bombarded by women who want to either take me home with them or take my number.

I have been offered everything from money, free rent and in two cases a car. They are everywhere: my workplace, the gym and probably every store in town. I am tired of being targeted.

What surprised me was many of these women have their husbands and boyfriends! How does a straight woman like me go about my business without the harassment? I have my husband and do not need the touch of a woman to satisfy me.

Disgusted Dear Disgusted, You are free to say no to the advances made to you by another person, including a person of the same sex.

If after you have said no and they insist, you can then make a case of sexual harassment and seek legal advice about how you should proceed.

Everyone is free to choose their sexual orientation the same way you get to choose and remain with your husband.

George

To ‘vac’ or not to ‘vac’ !!

While that is so, one would have thought that MY HUSBAND and I are this is something both of you would discuss both teachers. He took the Covid-19 vaccine but objectively and arrive at the best possible I do not see any reason why I should take it. He solution.

The question that is accusing me of not must be answered caring about the however, is how will your mortgage or the family decision to be vaccinated seeing that I know I or not to be vaccinated would be sent home if I advance your cause, and don’t take the vaccine.

We argue all the time about this and right now the marriage is in trouble. Frankly speaking I see no resolution to this problem.

Dear George,

Fuming Dear Fuming, Each of you has the right to accept or reject the vaccine.

what implications does it have for your future together.

Up the level of your communication. Keep in mind the commitment/promise each of you would have made to unselfishly do whatever it takes to make it work.

George

Leisure

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) You might find that coworkers will support your endeavors. Your moneymaking opportunities will flourish. Avoid any confrontations with colleagues. Dead end projects could plague you.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) You’re intuitive this week; however, this attribute could get you in trouble if you tactlessly say what you think. You will find that joint ventures could easily turn out to be dead end projects.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) You will be highly sensitive to comments made by your lover. You just hate waste, and when someone else costs you dearly you see red. Take care of your personal needs. You can make career moves that will bring you a much higher income.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) You may be confused regarding your love life. Your depressed mood has been hard to shake. Don’t be too quick to let friends and relatives know what you’re up to. Get motivated and follow up on some selfimprovement resolutions.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Extend an invitation to clients you enjoy spending time with. Your ability to put a deal together will surprise others. Your ability to come up with good solutions for problems related to work will no doubt help you in getting a promotion.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Entertain in your home and make aesthetic enhancements that will please those who reside with you. Try not to upset others with your plans. Do not overspend on entertainment. You may want to tell someone how you really feel.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) Your stability will aid you in getting support from your fellow workers. You can make it up to them later. You might find that coworkers will support your endeavors. You are best to work behind the scenes on projects that require detail or precision.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Travel will enhance romance and adventure. This is a great day to beautify your living quarters or to entertain at home.

Don’t overspend on items for your home.

Go out with friends and avoid the situation on the home front.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Don’t let others bait you into arguments.

You’re in need of love. You are apt to meet someone special on your journey.

Get involved in philosophic groups that will enlighten you.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) You can meet a new romantic partner or secure the love connection you already have by going out and entertaining yourself. Let go of the past in order to progress. Rely on the one you love for support and affection.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19) Your lack of responsibility and attention has been a key issue in your relationship.

Be careful not to lead someone on if you truly have no interest. Expand your knowledge and sign up for courses and seminars.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Empty promises will cause upset. You will not be pleased with family members who try to put demands on you when you just don’t have the time. Don’t let relatives make demands of you.

ACROSS 1. Leaky faucet problem 5. Match up 9. Taken 12. Hurry around 13. Combine resources 14. Baseball performance measurement 15. Friend by treaty 16. Chevy or Olds 17. Turncoat 18. Honking birds 20. Software maker 22. “___ time” 24. Get winter exercise 25. From Rabat 29. Ragout or burgoo 33. __-B (toothbrush brand) 34. Be obligated 35. Epic story 36. Company directive 37. Interpretations 39. Poly-ending 5. Mudbath locale 41. Jest with 6. Word on an Uncle 42. Leather substitute Sam poster 45. Tree nut 7. “___ a chance” 49. Rocks 8. Hide 50. Shallow’s opposite 9. Subway purchase 54. April or May 10. Yemeni, e.g.

11. Calendar item 55. Darn 19. And all that jazz 56. Always 21. Political protesters 57. Mangrove for one 23. Disdain 58. Circulars 24. Kind of preview 59. Gamble on 25. Soccer fan 60. Fax, say in the family 26. Mother lode DOWN 27. Lamb’s father 28. Floor 1. Puff 30. Make into leather 2. Preside over 31. Pre-larva 3. Shipwreck refuge 32. Existed 4. Type of biological 38. Plunge science 40. Born earlier

42. Passport authorization 43. Cold, at Starbucks 44. Tidings 46. Concern 47. Prayer conclusion

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. 25.

48. It may be pressing 51. Anticipatory time 52. Seafood delicacy 53. Use a crowbar

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26. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

Community

Hon. Dr. Orando Brewster Minister of National Mobilisation, et al & His Excellency Ambassador Peter Lan of the Republic of China (Taiwan) at handing over ceremony of a 20-ft container of fabric to the Government of SVG.

Senator The Hon. Keisal Peters, Minister of State with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade’s Welcome Address at the Joint Commonwealth Secretariat (COMSEC) - OECS launch event for E-Commerce Readiness Assessment of OECS Member States 26th October 2021 St. Vincent and the Grenadines is currently Chair of the OECS Co uncil of Ministe rs Council Ministers of Trade. Senator The Hon. Keisal M. Peters in her capacity as Minister Minister with ir off the OECS responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Chair behalf of OECS Council of Ministers of Trade, delivered the Welcome Address on behalf Members States at the virtual launch of the Commonwealth Secretariat-OECS Secretariat-OECS E-Trade Readiness Assessment and Associated Capacity Building Report , which took place on 26th October, 2021. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and and Foreign Foreign Trade is pleased to share the Welcome Address delivered by the Hon Minister.

Hon.. Minister.

Taiwanese Charity donates fabrics to SVG AMBASSADOR PETER LAN of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Hon. Dr. Orando Brewster, Minister of National Mobilisation, Social Development, Family, Gender Affairs, Youth, Housing and Informal Human Settlement of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, attended a hand-over ceremony of a 20-ft container of fabrics on November 23rd, 2021.

The “Wu Thun-Chih Foundation For Charity and Public Welfare”, a non-profit charity organization registered and located in Taiwan, has been donating fabrics to underprivileged families in St. Vincent and the Grenadines since 2017.

This year, the Charity donated a 20-ft container with 517 rolls of fabrics, estimated value of US$ 46,551.78, to government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines through the Ministry of National Mobilisation et al, with the aim to assist the disadvantaged women across the country, following the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano in April this year, and as the country continues to deal with the post-disaster challenges.

Minister Brewster, on behalf of the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, received the container and expressed his appreciation for the long-term support from the people and government of Taiwan. He stressed that the Ministry of National Mobilisation will ensure that the donation reaches the people and communities in most need.

This year (2021) marks the 40th anniversary of the establishing of diplomatic ties between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The cooperation between the Taiwanese NGO and the Vincentian people demonstrates the staunch and robust partnership between the two countries. (Source: MoM, etc.)

It is a distinct pleasure to welcome each of you to the official launch of the Assessment of Digital T Trade offficial f rade r and E-commerce Readiness and Associated Capacity Building Needs Report for six OECS countries (Anti (Anti-gua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts & Nevis, incent & the Grenadines). As you Vincent Saint Lucia and St. V i know,, this Assessment was made possible by the know generous support of the Commonwealth. In this regard, I am particularly happy to welcome The Right HonourHonourable Patricia Scotland QC, Secretary General of the Commonwealth, and her team.

Notwithstanding the enormous potential of the digital economy to occasion transformation and build resilience, the Member States of the OECS and the wider Caribbean face unique structural challenges such financ-as smallness, remoteness, gaps in development financ ing and susceptibility to exogenous shocks which have effect our development prospects. I the net ef ffect f of hindering ou will revert to these and other challenges in my next intervention on this programme.

Speaking of exogenous shocks, to give an idea of how these impacted on the trade and development prospects of the OECS, the Commonwealth Secretariat recently pandem-did an analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandem ic on the economy and trade of the six OECS WTO WTO Members.

Apart from further exposing many of our gaps in digital trade and e-commerce readiness, the pandemic has also adversely affected afffected f merchand trade and disrupted merchandise travel and tourism-related services, which have induced a deep recession in the OECS. As a result, the GDP growth in all six countries in drastically n 2020 declined drastically, y, ranging from 4 to 19 per cent.

According to the Commonwealth, had the pandemic not happened, the combined GDP of these six countries could have been as much as US$1.2 billion higher in 2020.

(L-R:) Hon. Dr. Orando Brewster – Minister, Ms. Catherine Defreitas – Permanent Secretary and His Excellency Ambassador Peter Lan – ROC Taiwan.

In terms of the impact of the pandemic on OECS trade, Commonwealth’s Commonwealth’s assessment is that had the pandemic not occurred, the global exports of the six OECS WTO WTO Members in 2020 could have been as much as US$800

million higher in absolute terms (or about 19 per cent).

Unfortunately, Unfortunately y, these losses losse may not be recovered any effects of the time soon, since the directt and indirect ef ffects f pandemic could linger for several years. This too bears testimony to the fact that countries like ours tend to be hardest hit and take much longer to recover in the face of global shocks.

In addition to shocks such as COVID-19, we are all aware of how acutely exposed OECS countries are to degrada-climate change and its impacts, environmental degrada tion and natural disasters.

This is the context in which OECS countries must practice development, including with respect to digital Yet, transformation and industrialization. Y eet, in the digital space, we have an enormous number of obstacles to transfor-overcome, or gaps to fill, before we can realize transfor mation.

I have no doubt about the extent to which the rise of offer digital technologies and the he digital economy can of ffer f unique opportunities for OECS countries to accelerate economic growth and job creation, enhance public service delivery, delivery y, and build resilience.

Notwithstanding the myriad of challenges that I mentioned earlier, earlier, I believe that we are on course to create a more deeply integrated and dynamic digital economy and digitally empowered citizens, businesses, and institutions. Going in this direction would go a far way in helping us to digitally transform, build resilience and close existing trade gaps.

Finally, Fi lly, it would Finally ld be b remiss i of me to end without renewing the call for our development partners to stay the course with us as we work to digitally transform. I also renew the call to invite new partners to join us in this cause. In the OECS, we are already doing our part to the greatest extent possible, but we need more hands onboard to fast track the attainment of our objectives in the digital space.

Excellences, ladies and gentlemen, again, it is my pleasure to welcome you to this launch. Thank you.

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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. 27.

Regional

Hudson weighs in on the Bishop story HUDSON AUSTIN is a former General and Commander of the People’s Revolutionary Army (PRA) under the regime of the New Jewel Movement led People’ Revolutionary Government (PRG) - 1979 -1983 - of Grenada.

After the execution of Maurice Bishop (1983) Austin, acting on the instructions of Bernard Coard, disbanded the existing government and announced the formation of a Revolutionary Military Council (RMC) with himself as chairman, to rule the country.

A familiar picture of General Hudson Austin during his time as Commander of the People’s Revolution Army of Grenada.

On October 19, 1983, after the execution of Bishop and others, Austin made a radio announcement in which he stated: “The Revolutionary Armed Forces were forced to storm the Fort (Fort Rupert/George), and in the process the following persons were killed: Maurice Bishop, Unison Whiteman, Vincent Noel, Jacqueline Creft, Norris Bain and Fitzroy Bain among others.”

And in announcing a four-day total curfew he warned, “No one is to leave their house. Anyone violating this curfew will be shot on sight.”

The RMC lasted for six days, until the United States invaded Grenada on 25 October 1983.

Austin was arrested, along with all of those in the government and army who were alleged to have either participated in the decision to kill Bishop, or were in the army chain of command that carried out the orders.

He was sentenced to death along with Bernard Coard and the 1983 coup leaders, but their sentences were later commuted to life in prison. Austin was released from prison on 18 December 2008.

Now, some 387 years after the execution of Bishop and 13 years since his release from prison, Austin is reported by The New Grenada newspaper of November 13, 2021, as

Today’s General Hudson Austin wants Grenadians to believe that he was by the information he was fed about Maurice Bishop’s treatment and death. (Photo Source: wikia.org)

witnessed the execution, who told him years later that Bishop along with saying, “A few years now I realise that three Cabinet Ministers were taken to the Top Square on the Fort, and I used to get a lot of false reports machine gunned to death by a Firing including the executions on the Fort Squad led by Lieutenant Callistus (Rupert/George).” ’Iman Abdullah’ Bernard.

Austin stated openly, according to Austin’s story, according to the New The New Grenada, that he was not Grenada, is that he confronted Layne told the truth about the manner in which Prime Minister Maurice Bishop during the time both spent in prison serving sentences for Bishop’s murder. was killed on Fort Rupert/George on Layne, Austin said, promised to October 19, 1983.

Contrary to news reports of the day, “discuss the matter” after they left prison. Layne has not to date fulfilled 1983, Austin claimed to have been on that promise. sick leave on the day Bishop was The bodies of Bishop and his top executed, and was told by the army top brass that the Prime Minister was ministers, who were executed with him, have never been discovered. killed in crossfire after LieutenantThe speculation in some quarters is Colonel Ewart ‘Headache’ Layne, that the USA (Military Forces) know second in command of the PRG, had where Bishop might have been hastily dispatched soldiers to recapture the buried, but prefer, as the CIA would Fort where the late Grenadian leader say, “to let sleeping dogs lie”. (Source: had sought refuge.

The New Grenada) Now, Austin has indicated that in fact it was a female soldier, who had

LIAT workers to take it or leave it FORMER Antiguan employers of the regional airline LIAT have been told to accept the compassionate settlement the Antigua and Barbuda government has offered and that’s it.

The compassionate settlement included one third in cash, one third

in bonds and one third in lands.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne told the former employees that the time for negotiations had run its course, and it was now take it or leave it since there was going to be no more negotiation on the matter of payment

of severance and other benefits.

Repeating that the government of Antigua and Barbuda has no legal liability to the employees of LIAT, PM Browne told local media, “Pushing our government to pay EC$60 million (One EC dollar+US$0.37 cents) in cash is beyond the means of our government.”

Speaking on a local radio station, PM Browne emphasized that, “LIAT evidently was a private liability company.

The company does not have the resources to make those payments and the government has stepped in to make a compassionate offer. If

Maurice Bishop fell at the hands of those he considered his ‘comrades’.

(Credit: PRG)

you look at it as a percentage of the shares we owned in LIAT, which was about 32 to 34 per cent, and for anyone to ask us to go above the 50 per cent offer under severance I think it would be an unreasonable request.

“We are trying to bring some relief to them by doing the sale and lease back assets and it is really entirely up to them, they can walk away from the offer, or they can accept it,” he Prime Minister Gaston Browne has given former said. employees of LIAT in Antigua, what he said was a Patterson Thompson, President of the Leeward final ultimatum.

Islands Airline Pilots negotiations with the meeting next week, but Association (LIALPA) Antigua government, no date has yet been which has been said that his Association confirmed. (Source: Loop spearheading intends to call a general News)

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28. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

Abigail De Shong

Kenale Alleyne

Kennice Greene

Bryson George

Six for Junior Pan American Games

ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES will be represented by four swimmers and two track athletes at the inaugural Junior Pan American Games in Cali V- Valle, Colombia.

Kenale Alleyne, Abigail De Shong, Bryson George, and Kennice Greene are the swimmers selected, while Darren Morgan and Ulanda Lewis are the track athletes making the trip.

Swimmers Kenale Alleyne, 17 years old, is a member of the Black Sands Swim Squad (BSSS), 100m

Freestyle has a time of 55.51 seconds and in the 50m of the same stroke, he enters with a time of 25.11 seconds.

Fifteen-year-old Abigail De Shong is also a member of the BSSS. She has a best of 1:23.04 in the 100m Breaststroke and 1:09.81 in the 100m Butterfly. De Shong has represented St Vincent and the Grenadines at the OECS and Carifta Swimming Championships.

Byron George, 15 years old, has an entry time in the 100m Breaststroke of 1:09.77 and 1:02.09 in the 100m Butterfly, a time of. Up until September last,

double bronze medallist at the 2019 Junior Carifta Games, as she placed third in both the Under-18 age group 100m and 200m.

Additionally, Lewis is a multiple record holder at the Inter — Secondary Schools’ Athletics Championships; National Under-20 sprint record holder as well as the 100m and 200m at the Windward Islands Schools Games.

She however has had limited competition Track Athletes during 2021 because of an injury.

Ulanda Lewis is the Lewis is set to head most accomplished of the out to the University of contingent. The 16 Alabama in the USA year-old Lewis was a early next year on an George, for two years held the National Boys 13-14 100m Butterfly record.

At age 14 years old, Kennice Greene is the youngest member of the team. A member of the Black Sands Swim Squad, Greene has 1:03.64 in the 100m Freestyle and 28.56 in the 50m Freestyle. She has the Female 13 to 14 100m Freestyle and the 100m Butterfly records under her belt.

Above: Ulanda Lewis

athletics scholarship.

Eoghteen-year-old Darren Morgan is a promising sprinter. He competes mainly in the 200m and recorded his best time (23.32 seconds) at the 2021 National Championships in July at the Diamond Sporting Facility. He is listed to compete in both the 200 and 400m at the Junior

Below: Darren Morgan

Pan American Championships.

St Vincent and the Grenadines will be among 41 countries participating in 28 sporting disciplines from 25th November to 5th December.

Jacintha Ballantyne is the Vincentian contingent’s Chief of Mission.

Two for Age Group NACAC Championships

L-R: Israel Cumberbatch and Jahene Williams.

ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES will be represented by Jahene Williams and Israel Cumberbatch at next month’s staging of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Age Group Championships in Nicaragua.

The two will compete

in the Under-15 Male segment of the championships, which take place 17th and 18th December.

The duo represents a scaled-down squad, as reports are that a larger Vincentian representation was expected.

At the local trials last month, held at the

Diamond Track Facility, Williams of the HighPerformance Track Club emerged tops in the Heptathlon with a total of 4161 points, while Cumberbatch, who represented the X- Cel Track Club tallied 4098.

At the championships, Williams and Cumberbatch will compete in the

Heptathlon. The multidiscipline event comprises the 80m Hurdles, 80m, 1200m, Long Jump, High Jump, Shot Putt and Baseball Throw.

St Vincent and the Grenadines’ best showing in the championships Division 800m. The followed on the PAN AM came in 2015, when championships were held Sports website, Shaffiqua Maloney won in Curacao. www.panamsports.org the Under-15 Female The games can be

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. 29.

Sports

SVGCA begins Skills Training Programme THE ST VINCENT and the Grenadines Cricket Association (SVGCA) has bowled off the first in a series of its Skills Development - Training Programme.

Targeted at 15 to 21-year-old cricketers from across the state, the programme got going two Saturdays ago at the Arnos Vale Playing Field, with a two-day session involving 14 of the top players from the Julius Anthony Cricket Club.

The programme is part of the SVGCA’s plans to improve the skills level of young promising cricketers throughout the country, by providing them with knowledge of the fundamental requirements of the sport.

This knowledge, it is hoped, would equip the players with the basic knowledge of how to adopt a drillbased approach in developing their skills, especially at this time when there is an absence of formal tournaments because of the current pandemic.

The Association believes that this The art of spin bowling was also included in the drills for the young cricketers.

specialized training programme can serve as a critical tool towards grooming an improved crop of cricketers, who can go forward to regional and international stardom.

Lead Coach and Programme Coordinator Ian Allen called the programme a “great initiative.”

He sees it as an avenue for the players to rekindle their interest in and passion for the game, and also to enhance their skills and knowledge of the game.

“It’s my hope that there will be follow-up sessions to monitor the progress of these players and that this initiative will form part of the SVGCA’s yearly calendar,” Allen added.

The programme will continue this

Young cricketers being taken through a batting drills.

Saturday with players from the Central Zone to be followed by the players from the North Windward Zone.

By December 18, some 42 players would have been exposed to basic coaching in the areas of batting, bowling, fielding, wicketkeeping, running between the wickets, umpiring decisions and signals, as well as the mental demands of the game.

In addition to Allen, others coaches involved in the programme are Bertrum Stapleton, Deighton Butler, Orlanzo Jackson and Kenroy Martin.

I.B.A.ALLEN

National Female footballers in training AFTER an extended break, the national senior female football squad has resumed training for the FIFA Female World Cup Qualifiers.

Training resumed under the watchful eyes of Head Coach Cornelius Huggins, Head Coach of the National Female Football team.

Cornelius Huggins, himself a former captain of the National Senior Male team.

“Since we started back after the break, the momentum has been good and sprits are high. The core of the team stems from the under-20 girls whom we are mixing with the senior players,” Huggins told THE VINCENTIAN, “We are concentrating on fitness and drills in positioning. We are aiming to get the best out of the players,” he added.

The Head Coach is hopeful that the team “can get in some Games leading up the qualifiers.

National Female Footballers resumed training for the World Cup Qualifiers.

Not just game, but importantly, we need competitive games to see where we are, since, the truth is that we are in the trials stage right now.”

Once they can get in some quality training and competitive games, Huggins thinks the team will do well.

“Individually we have some good technical players but they alone can’t do all of the work …. it has to be a collective effort, but we are getting there,” the Head Coach shared.

I.B.A.ALLEN

Some SVGOC affiliates not in order SOME AFFILIATES of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Olympic Committee (SVGOC) “do not have complete executive committees, nor do they have regular meetings at the executive and general member ship levels...Some do not have a club structure, while others do not convene national championships”.

These were some of the lamentations which emerged from the Executive Summary of the SVGOC, for the last quadrennial, 2017 to 2021.

Without pinpointing the parties concerned, the Summary also stated: “Some of our affiliates receive no funding from their regional and

international bodies and, are essentially dependent on the SVGOC to provide funding for the vast majority of its activities, including, at times, payment of their annual international and continental dues to their respective governing bodies”.

Given the current state of affairs, the Executive Summary informed: “It is critical that the SVGOC reviews the status of its respective affiliates to avoid crises”.

The Summary noted that in place is an “Affiliate Activity Index”, which was approved by the SVGOC several years ago, but which has not been effectively implemented by the

executive.

Yet, the Summary noted, notwithstanding that some e affiliates were not meeting the basic requirements of the Index, they were still able to access funds through the financial channels of the SVGOC. In a related matter, at the SVGOC’s Extraordinary General Meeting held recently at the Hotel Alexandrina and during which a new executive was installed, it was revealed that the St Vincent and the Grenadines Boxing Association (SVGBA) was unable to participate.

The SVGBA ineligibility came from its suspension from the International

The SVGOC will have to take a long, hard look at the functioning of some of its affiliates.

Boxing Association (AIBA), the world governing body for the sport.

That Meeting was also informed that the Sports Medicine Association was no longer in existence.

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30. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

Steep hill for Jamaica CANADA might just have booked their spot to the Fifa World Cup carded for Qatar November 21 to December 22, 2022. They romped to the head of the eight team Concacaf zone with an historic two/nil win over Mexico last week Tuesday.

Barring some unexpected and spectacular misfortune, Canada ought to get sufficient points to earn them their Qatar ticket. But no one, least on the Canadian engine room, is taking anything for granted; they want to maintain the same intensity which brought them to the top of the standings.

They are chased by USA on 15 points, one behind, and in a cluster with Mexico and Panama each on 14 points.

Costa Rica on nine points will consider themselves within touching distance of sealing a place or at least contending for the fourth spot and the Play Off spot.

Jamaica stands on seven points, and will be hoping to make the best of home matches against Mexico on January 26, Costa Rica - February 1, and Honduras - March 29. Away matches in Panama, January 29, and Canada, March 26, complete the schedule.

It will be hard for the bottom four teams to make head way, unless there are sudden miscarriages. But Concacaf World Cup qualifiers have produced many a stunner and teams will have to wait until the final whistle sounds to guarantee participation.

Fifa president has lauded the host country for their readiness. He described them as the perhaps the most advanced country for staging of the spectacle so far ahead of the schedule.

That is even with allegations of abuse of migrant workers, enlisted for the construction.

World Cup preparation will serve as a therapy for West Indian cricket fans reeling from the shock of their team’s performance at the ICC T/20 World Cup, and the display in the first Test against Sri Lanka which concluded yesterday Thursday.

Intervention by rain may not have been sufficient to aid the West Indies in salvaging a draw, for they had all but buried their hopes of a victory having slipped to 18 for 6, their worst collapse since 1956 when they were 22 for 6 against New Zealand.

It might have been of some consolation that the pair of Nkrumah Boner and Joshua da Silva played out the rest of the day, supported by divine intervention.

Suppose the pair had managed to hold on long enough for another shower, a draw might have been possible. But the pundits had already dismissed their chances of survival into the fourth day. However, the elements acted in their favour.

The hope will be for more convincing performances in the remaining matches to enhance their standings for future references.

There will have to be some commitment shown by the current crop of players to keep up with the standards required in today’s pattern of the game.

It can’t be a matter of clamouring for payments and when it comes to delivering, the team is missing.

Players tended to make demands on the administrators to make their salaries comparable to other countries. But the dedication must not be for wages only.

There is a duty to represent the colours of the region. Those carry a degree of pride. That was the most important matter to those players of the vintage era.

Lawrence switches coach

Kyle Lawrence - national athlete IF FOR ONE moment anyone felt switching of coaches was something exclusive to internationally renowned track and field athletes, think again.

One of this country’s top young track athletes (sprints) - Kyle Lawrence - now has a new coach.

Lawrence announced recently that he was under the care and guidance of Pamenos Ballantyne, having left IT DAT, under the directorship of Michael Ollivierre.

Commenting on the switch, Ollivierre said he was not

Pamenos Michael Ollivierre surprised with the Ballantyne Lawrence’s former decision and wished Lawrence’s coach.

Lawrence the very best. current coach.

He, however, took the and that is opportunity to give some what is happening now,” insight unto the Ballantyne said. circumstances that led to As for Ballantyne’s programme Lawrence’s decision.

“Over the last year or so I for his ‘prodigal son’, he shared: “My focus is to get him to run have seen some changes in faster with his eyes on getting a his overall attitude and scholarship in the United deportment. … He missed our trials, ...come to training States,… . He still has a lot to late, …training with headset improve on.”

Lawrence’s next major outing is which is not allowed,…. the 2022 CARIFTA Games. coming to training with his He has a personal best of 10.7 pants below his bottom,… sec in the 100m and Ballantyne is refusing to follow warm-up instructions, … so his overall confident that he can lower that to 10.3, which should put him deportment breached the Academy’s Code of Conduct,” among the CARIFTA medals.

Meanwhile, Lawrence sought to Ollivierre pointed out. clarify the basis for his decision, Ollivierre said he held a meeting with his athletes, during telling THE VINCENTIAN that which he informed Lawrence that he believed his former coach could have approached the situation he was being suspended for a week. It was then that the young differently.

“If Mr. Ollivierre wanted to man indicated that if that was the suspend me, he could have done it case, he would get a new coach. one and one but I felt he wanted Ballantyne, for his part, is happy to have Lawrence whom he to embarrass me in front of my worked with while Lawrence was training partners,” he elaborated.

Lawrence said he felt assured enrolled at the St Martin’s that “… I have a good coach now Secondary School. who I am comfortable with and I “I believe any athlete at an know that things are going to get advanced level has a choice to done.” move from one coach to another with whom he feels comfortable I.B.A.ALLEN

SVGTTA Assessment Tournaments resumes TABLE TENNIS players will be in a competitive mode when the SVG Table Tennis Association (SVGTTA) holds another of its Monthly Assessment Tournaments on Saturday 27th November 2021, at the West St. George Secondary Schools.

The event is expected to attract the leading young players from across the state.

In addressing the purpose of the Tournaments, Sean Stanley, Tournament Coordinator, said the development of the sport is twofold — training and competition. The tournaments take care of the completion element.

“Each month’s will be applied Sean Stanley – tournament is to be used during the event. Tournament by the players to Co-ordinator. evaluate the work they I.B.A.ALLEN have been putting in during training.

It is also a means to keep the players active and competition ready during the pandemic,” Stanley said, adding that it is also an opportunity to identify the players with the skill level and attitudes that make them ready for further training and national representation.

And as for the pandemic, Stanley assured that the The Tournaments make provision for involvement of relevant protocols the very young players.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021. 31.

Classifieds

Exemption process questioned Continued from Page 22.

She also questioned why there were not two separate lists — one that listed those who were not vaccinated and gave no indication of intending to change their position, and another that included those who had applied for exemptions.

Not to do so, she concluded, was to fly in the face of a process that was permissible by law and should have been given time to work.

As it is, the officer concerned is wondering if and when her exemption is approved whether she would be allowed to return to her substantive position, and that all remuneration and benefits commensurate with the time she was denied entry to her workplace, would remain intact.

NATANIA QUASHIE Friday, 26th November, 2021 St Matthias Anglican Church Ashton Union Island Viewing: 10:00 a.m.

Service: 11:00 a.m.

Interment: Ashton, Union Island FRANKIE POMPEY Sunday, 21st November, 2021 Layou S.D.A Church Viewing: 9:30 a.m.

Service: 10:00 a.m.

Interment: Layou Cemetery

KENDOY ALLISTER MICHAEL Saturday, 20th November, 2021 Streams of Power Church Bequia Viewing: 10:30 a.m.

Service: 11:00 a.m.

Interment: Paget Farm, Bequia LESTER ELIAS WILLIAMS Thursday, 25th November, 2021 Grace Community Baptist Church Kingstown Park Viewing: 9:00 a.m.

Service: 10:00 a.m.

Interment: Kingstown Cemetery

ANNICE MONICA FRANK Saturday, 20th November, 2021 St. Olive Spiritual Baptist Church Viewing: 10:00 a.m.

Service: 11:00 a.m.

Interment: Park Hill Cemetery

LYRIS JEANETTE DUNCAN Tuesday, 23rd November, 2021 Kingstown Methodist Church Service: 10:00 a.m.

Interment: Kingstown Cemetery

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER

26, 2021

VOLUME 115, No.47

www.thevincentian.com

EC$1.50

POLICE WELFARE CHAIRMAN TOLD TO LEAVE COMPOUND

by KENVILLE HORNE CHAIRMAN of the Police Welfare Association, Station Sergeant Brenton Smith, was on Monday asked to leave his workplace at the Georgetown Police Station. Smith was returning that day after 14 days sick leave.

In an interview with THE VINCENTIAN since, Smith confirmed he had returned to the Georgetown Police Station after a 14-day period of sick and reported to Inspector Providence who was very receptive and respectful.

“I was allowed to go to my office and I communicated with members of staff. We had a cordial interaction and about half an hour later the Inspector call me and said to me, it is

regrettable that he has to inform me that based on instruction given, I would not be able to remain on the compound…. that I have to leave compound,” said Smith in explaining how eventually he was told he had to leave his place of work.

According to the amended Public Health Act and an attendant SR&O, frontline workers — including police officers - were required to be COVID-19 vaccinated by November 19 or be exempted, in order to return to their substantive posts.

Smith, who is unvaccinated, accepted what the Inspector said and returned home before journeying to Kingstown where he met some of his colleagues, who had suffered a

similar fate.

These colleagues included officers assigned to the Telecommunications Department and the Layou Police Station among others.

Smith, with his 27 years of service in the Royal SVG Police Force, estimated that together with his colleagues who had been turned away, they accounted for over 100 years of service.

The Station Sergeant said he was unsure about the total number of police officers who have been affected by the mandate, but assured the Police Welfare Association was investigating the matter.

“The way forward for us is simply this … the Welfare Association will challenge the government’s SR&O and

Station Sergeant Brenton Smith said he expected reprisal in the face of his ‘no vaccination stance’. we will push back very hard. I think there are a number of police officers who have been sent home who are very talented and hardworking persons. (If it comes to this) we will come together and formulate… we will see how best we can create employment for ourselves.”

When quizzed about the general response from within the police force and the public by and large, Smith did not hide his feelings. “I think our officers have been very timid. There are some who are very much supportive of us; some

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

will do so in silence but we are happy that despite some of them leading the force to take the vaccine, that they are still supportive.”

He added, “The public (support) have been tremendous. We have had a number of persons who would have been calling us privately.

Some have expressed (their support) publicly and they are really supportive of us and what we are doing.”

None of the officers who were turned away from their assigned stations/departments have, to date, been

contacted by Commissioner of Police Colin John, Smith shared.

And while the affected officers decide on a joint way forward, Smith seemed unperturbed by the development.

“The truth is I didn’t feel any way…. . I expected it was going to come…. . I took it in grace because I know that there are consequences for whatever actions you decide to take and stand up for. So as sad as it is, it was never a difficult one for me,” Smith concluded.

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