FRIDAY,
FEBRUARY 14, 2020
VOLUME 114, No.07
No regard for Ottley Hall Page 5
www.thevincentian.com
Bagga gets model gardens Page 15
Lawyers, big tax defaulters Page 17
EC$1.50
Asphalt plant coming Page 19
Nurse memorialised Page 28
TENDERING PROCESS: ÂUNFAIR, SPITEFUL, WICKED!Ê Cameron Balcombe, Managing Director of Bally and Bally Investment Ltd., has once again pointed an accusing finger at the Tenders Board/Process here.
THE BIDDING PROCESS FOR MAJOR GOVERNMENT projects here has once again been fingered as being “unfair.” Less than nine months ago, there was much public outcry when it was revealed that Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) declared a “misprocurement” in the tender for contract for the Yarabaqua River Defense Project at Belle Vue. The CDB cancelled
Right: The Bid Bond/Security document showing clearly the authorized stamp of the Company issuing the Bond but admittedly showing the absence of a Bally and Bally Investment’s authorized signature.
funding and asked the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines to repay monies drawn down for the $1,421,567.00 (VAT inclusive) contract awarded to Reliable Construction Services Limited. This time around, the project that has attracted anger of at least one Construction Company here is the multi-million-dollar contract for coastal defense works at Sans Souci, implemented under the Regional Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project.
Once again, the company making the allegations of unfairness in the tendering process is Bally and Bally Investment Ltd.
Bid Security not signed
At a press conference on Monday, Managing Director of Bally & Bally Investments Ltd, Cameron ‘Dinky’ Balcombe said the latest fiasco involved the rejection of his company’s bid before it reached the Continued on Page 3.
2. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN
V News 3 Flaw in contract for Sans Souci project
THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020. 3.
“YOU CANNOT PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN on one and allow another with similar transgressions to go all the way. That is a fatal flaw in the award of a contract.” West Kingstown Member of Parliament (MP) Daniel Cummings made the comment while on the NDP’s New Times interactive radio programme on NICE Radio, last Tuesday. Cummings was at the time commenting on the alleged unfairness meted out to Bally & Bally Investment Limited in the tendering process for the contract for the multi-million-dollar Sans Souci project. “It has not been very long since the Caribbean Development Bank was forced to pull back a contract awarded by this government with funds from the CDB to a ‘reliable’ company. “What came out in that press conference… is particularly troubling.
As someone who has been intimately involved in project management and in awarding of contracts, and in management generally, I am appalled that our country has seemingly sunk to the abyss,” Cummings stated on the New Times programme. “The tendering process is designed not to make life difficult for people, but to make sure there is equity and, above all, that the government gets the best bang for its buck. In other words, that the money be used in the most efficacious manner. “Sometimes, lay people believe that it is simply a matter of awarding a tender to the lowest tender. Many a time, that is farthest from the truth. There are a number of other critical considerations that go into the award of a tender for good reason, not for window-dressing. “But, perhaps the
Daniel Cummings, West Kingstown Member of Parliament (MP), referenced to his own intimate involvement in similar processes to rule that there was something flawed about the process regarding the awarding of the contract for Sans Souci project. most significant requirement in the evaluation of tenders is equity. What is good for the goose must be good for the gander. You cannot communicate information to a preferred bidder before you have taken a decision, unless it is done through very careful, above-board channels or processes,” Cummings
said. If the information provided by Balcombe and his wife prove to be correct, “the World Bank will have no choice but to pull back that contract awarded by the government because they have broken the fundamental rules of awarding contracts,” Cummings assessed.
Unfair tendering process damaging image of SVG
Ronnia Durham-Balcombe is concerned that we just might have tarnished our image on the international front. RONNIA DURHAM-BALCOMBE — Lawyer and Director of Bally & Bally Investment Limited — is of the view that unfair practices in the process of tendering for projects in this country have caused damage and continue to damage the image of the country and the reputation of funding institutions. The sentiment was expressed
during a press conference that was called to inform on what Durham-Balcombe and her husband Cameron ‘Dinky’ Balcombe, Managing Director of the Company, described as an unfair advantage given to a competing bidder in the tender for works at the Sans Souci shoreline. The bid by Bally & Bally Investments Ltd was rejected before it reached the Central Supplies Tenders Board because only one of two parties had signed the Bid Security document. The Central Supplies Tenders Board last December wrote to the Director of Planning informing that the matter of the request for the joint venture Kelectric Company Limited and Belvedere Place Development to be awarded the contract was “deferred for clarification with respect to compliance requirements.” The Balcombes said they were informed that their company was unsuccessful in the bid via a letter dated January 3rd, 2020, but
which they received on January 26th. “It makes our people look incompetent on an international scale. Because, when the World Bank, CDB (Caribbean Development Bank) etcetera, lend you (the government) these monies, you have to submit to them your proposal and the procedures by which you’re going to have these documents put out to tender — whether it’s a competitive bidding or whether it’s private as the case may be. “So, we go back to this point now which we had to raise, that in the evaluation, we were eliminated for want of a signature — nothing to do with the substantive parts of our document. But another company was allowed to go forward with all these omissions and be allowed to rectify the issue. “That is gonna look terrible on the international front,” DurhamBalcombe said.
Tendering process: ‘Unfair, spiteful, wicked!’ Continued from Front Page. Central Supplies Tenders Board, while giving what he described as an “unfair advantage” to a competitive bidder. Balcombe said that in 2019, his company tendered for both the Sans Souci and the Georgetown Sea Defense works, and were deemed unsuccessful for both. His main concern, however, was in relation to the tender process for the Sans Souci project. “On 11th November 2019, Bally and Bally Investment Ltd- Earlcoat Construction and Plant Hire Ltd (JV) submitted a tender for the Coastal Defense Works- Sans Souci. There were five other companies who submitted bids for the said project which were opened on the said date. “By e-mail received and acknowledged by us on 23rd January 2020, we were notified that our tender was unsuccessful as we submitted an unsigned bid security.” Balcombe said that the failure to sign the bid security was deemed to be ‘a material omission pursuant to clause 29.2 (a) (ii) of the Instructions to Bidders.’ He quoted the email: “’Specifically, it was determined to be an omission that if accepted would limit in a substantial way inconsistent with the bidding document, the employer’s rights or the Bidder’s obligations under the proposed contract’ and that ‘failure of the Principal to sign the Bid Bond eliminates its enforceability by the Employer, thus the Bid was rejected.’” A Bid Bond/Security is, in summary, a document from the bidder’s bank, or insurance company or other approved institution providing a monetary guarantee to the client (in this case the government), that it will not withdraw its bid before the end of the stipulated bid validity period or to safeguard against their refusal to sign the contract if selected. “Our bid was eliminated for want of a signature, nothing more,” Balcombe said. Competing bidder gets advantage Balcombe said he was in the Financial Complex building in Kingstown when he was summoned to a meeting and, during what he referred to as “an ad hoc debriefing,” he was shown a bid bond for the said project signed and sealed by the insurance but not signed by him. “The bid bond was otherwise complete but for my signature, and that was the end of my competitive tender of Eight Million One Hundred and EightyThree Thousand and Fifty- Four Dollars and ThirtyFive Cents ($8,183,054.35) Vat inclusive,” he said. Balcombe further stated: “But people, God does not sleep. It came to my attention that in December 2019, the Bidder who was selected for the project for Eight Million Five Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Two Hundred and Thirty Two Dollars and Eighty Eight Cents ($8,515,232.88) Vat inclusive, had multiple omissions relating to its financial situation and performance, and its experiences, sufficient to have fallen short of the requirements of the bid responsiveness. Thus, making it non-compliant according to the Instructions to Bidders, and should not have been given consideration.” Balcombe said the bidder (the joint venture Kelectric Company Limited and Belvedere Place Development), “was given the opportunity to basically redo its bid to provide the required information and thus become compliant,” but, for want of a signature, “my bid was eliminated and no opportunity given to me to include it on that single document; yet the tenderer asking for more money to do the project had more problems, and was given the advantage to get their documents in order.” “Now, could that be fair?” Balcombe asked. Balcombe said he has written to the World Bank, which is providing the funding for the Sans Souci project, and the bank has responded to his letter and has assigned a case number which is an indication they are investigating the matter.
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4. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN
Court
“Do the honourable thing,” DPP told
request of Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche, to accommodate Crown Counsel Karim Nelson, who has charge of the matter, but is currently in Barbados on a oneweek training course. Hyah Browne, employee of the Central Water and Sewerage Authority, and Andy Parsons, a labourer, both of Carriere, are identified Director of Public as suspects in the Prosecutions (DPP) October 11, 2019 armed Sejilla McDowall has robbery of the Grenada been asked to intervene Union of Teachers (GUT) in an extradition matter. Credit Union office in Carriacou, netting EC$26,208. Stories by Local police had HAYDN HUGGINS detained the men here on October 25 last year. ATTORNEY Grant Connell They were taken before has called on this the Serious Offences country’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Court on October 30, and the Prosecution made a Sejilla McDowall to formal application for immediately discontinue warrants of arrest to be proceedings against two issued so that the two Vincentians awaiting could be detained before documentation from they were able to leave Grenada, to justify why they should be extradited this jurisdiction. The Chief Magistrate to that neighbouring granted the application, territory to face robbery and the men were charges. Connell made the call remanded until December 10, by which at the Serious Offences time the prosecuting Court on Tuesday when authorities in Grenada the matter was again were expected to make a adjourned. formal extradition Chief Magistrate request. Rechanne Browne However, Connell granted the adjournment subsequently applied for to February 21, at the
Magum man on gun charges JEFFERSON BRACKIN will return to the Serious Offences Court April 2, on a number of firearm related offences. The Magum resident is charged with possession of a firearm, make and serial number unknown; possession of that firearm with intent to cause injury to Lennox Brackin of Magum, and unlawfully threatening to discharge a firearm at Lennox Brackin. The defendant is also charged that in circumstances likely to cause a breach of the peace, made use of threatening language to Lennox Brackin, to wit, “Me ah (expletive) shoot you, me ah (expletive) kill you, and shoot you buddy too.” The offences were reportedly committed at Magum on February 1. The defendant pleaded guilty to all four charges when he appeared before the Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne at the Serious Offences Court, on Monday. Responding to questions from Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche, he said the Virtual Complainant was not related to him, and that they did not live together. He requested his own bail, but the Chief Magistrate informed him that because of the seriousness of the charges, somebody would have to bail him. He was granted $15,000 bail with one surety, and reporting conditions. He was also ordered not to contact the complainant.
bail on behalf of the men, and they were each granted $3,000 bail at the Serious Offences Court on November 11. Sworn affidavits were also filed in which the men showed that they were in St. Vincent and the Grenadines at the time of the alleged robbery, and therefore could not have been in Carriacou. When the men returned to Court on December 10, the matter was adjourned to last Tuesday, on the basis that Nelson was engaged in other matters at the High Court which takes precedence over the lower Courts. On their return to Court on Tuesday, the Senior Prosecutor said, “I know Mr. Nelson is in
Barbados for one week training. I know he has charge of the matter. I know he is ready”. But Connell responded, “All I have before me is an application for provisional warrants by a Sergeant of Police Hirachie Huggins”. The Prosecutor replied, “All I said, I know Mr. Nelson is ready”. But Connell argued, “If they are ready to proceed in any way, there is documentation that is supposed to be before the Court. They (prosecution) must do the honourable thing today. Their (clients) liberty is more important than a course in Barbados. “The DPP, Sejilla McDowall should do the
honourable thing today.” Connell said that Grenada police were allowed to enter these shores and act as a catalyst in the process of having the two Vincentians arrested. According to Connell, the men would not have been in this situation, if they were not from poor families. The Chief Magistrate acknowledged that she understood Connell’s line of reasoning. “I understand,” Delpleche agreed, but added that Nelson would be back by next Tuesday. The men are expected to know the Prosecution’s line of action on their return to Court on February 21.
Diana Caine, then nine months pregnant, is led away on remand – August 2017.
Woman State not ready for admits prison officer killing her son PRISON OFFICER Louis Cupid, who is charged in connection with the October 2019 escape of murder accused Veron Primus from Her Majestry’s Prison, Kingstown, has to wait a while longer to have his matter heard. When the case was called at the Serious Offences Court on Tuesday, Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche requested and was granted an adjournment to April 6. Delpleche informed the Court that the prosecution was not ready to proceed, adding that Crown Counsel Tameka McKenzie wanted to get certain things right before embarking on a trial. But Cupid’s lawyer Grant Connell questioned, “What does the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) getting its house in order have to do with the order of the Court?” Connell noted that during Cupid’s last Court appearance, the Court ordered the disclosure of all witness statements and other relevant material to the case, but the prosecution failed to comply with this order. “They have no respect for your order,” he told Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne. Connell pointed out that the matter was pending since October last year, and his client is on suspension with reduced salary, and his travel documents restricted. He underscored that the DPP’s Office has several trained lawyers. The Senior Prosecutor explained that a matter has to be investigated, and sent to the DPP’s Office for perusal. The Chief Magistrate granted the adjournment, stating that the case is still within the stipulated time frame,
Louis Cupid will remain on bail as he awaits his day in court.
in keeping with guidelines of the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal. Cupid, 45, of Murray’s Village has been charge with, between September 29 and October 2, 2019, being employed in the public service in St. Vincent and the Grenadines as a Prison Officer, ‘did make abuse of the authority of his office by doing an arbitrary act prejudicial to the rights of the Superintendent of Prisons, to wit, conspired to aid in the escape of Veron Primus from lawful custody’. Cupid is also charged with between September 24 and October 2, ‘did agree with Veron Primus that a course of conduct shall be pursued which if the agreement was carried out in accordance with the intention, will amount to the commission of the offence of escaping lawful custody’. Cupid, who is out on $15,000 bail with one surety, has maintained his innocence on both charges. Primus, who is awaiting trial for the November 2015 stabbing death of 36-year-old Real Estate Agent Sharlene Greaves of Dorsetshire Hill, was discovered missing from the prison around 10 a.m. on October 1. He turned himself in at the Central Police Station around 3 p.m. the same day, accompanied by Attorney Jomo Thomas. Primus was taken before the Serious Offences Court the following day. He pleaded guilty to escaping lawful custody and was sentenced to 16 months in prison.
DIANA CAINE, a South Rivers woman who caused the death of her three-year-old son, L.J Kiran Leron Jack, about two years and five months ago, is expected to know her fate at a later date at the ongoing High Court Criminal Assizes. Caine, who was 23 at the time of the incident, and nine months pregnant, was initially charged with murder, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter before Justice Brian Cottle at the Criminal Assizes this week. The prosecution accepted the plea. Sentencing has been adjourned pending a Social Inquiry Report on Caine, and a mitigation plea by her lawyer Ronald Marks. The facts of the case would also be presented. The offence was committed at South Rivers on August 24, 2017, and an autopsy revealed that the child died from blunt trauma to the head.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020. 5.
Parliament
GovÊt fooling the athletes PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATIVE for South Leeward Nigel Stephenson has accused the government of fooling the track and field athletes and other sports men and women of this country. Stephenson, during his contribution to the 2020 Budget Debate (Feb 3 — 6), reminded the House that the national stadium project had been promised since 2001. He said that in the 2002 budget, EC$4.6 million was allocated to the National Stadium Project, and then 10 years later, in 2012, nothing was included in that year’s budget for such a project. “And in the description then, it was said that the project was on hold,” he said. Now, in 2020, there
was once again talk about a world class athletic track, Stephenson quipped. “So, we wonder how it is that this government has not been able to deliver such a project for so many years … young people have to ask themselves if the idea of a track is something that they are doing just because this is an election year,” Stephenson said. The South Leeward MP accused the ULP government of using the national stadium to “entice” the youth to vote for them. “And now that they are in their twilight year, now that they are at the hour of departing office, they are now coming again to try to fool the athletes of this nation. … This is a party that could
never be serious about sport,” the MP said. Stephenson went on to highlight what he said was the ruinous state of playing facilities; to bash the Sport against Crime initiative; and declare that the government had no clear objectives where sports were concerned. Minister of Finance Camillo Gonsalves, in his 2020 Budget Address, outlined plans for the development of a number of facilities across the country, and noted that the government had got off to an early start with the commencement of construction of the athletic track at
Diamond, in December 2019. He said that the track was being installed by an internationally recognized German company, and was expected to be complete by mid-2020 The track, the Minister explained, was part of a EC$4 million
project, that also included a football field and made provision for bleachers, washrooms, a separate warm-up field and parking areas - all of which were was earmarked for completion by year’s end. Minister Gonsalves, while admitting that 2020 will not deliver the
Construction of athletic track in progress at Diamond.
full-fledged track and field stadium, assured that it remained high as an objective of the government, and regardless, this year will be remembered by the sporting community as the year that the government took a momentous step in that direction. (DD)
Gov’t has no regard for Ottley Hall Marina function anymore, and he accused the Unity Labour Party (ULP) led administration of destroying the facility. “They mash it up!” Dr. Friday lamented. “The comments made by Minister Gonsalves amounted to him paying ‘lip service’, they were very vague, and there was no allocation in the budget for work to be done to the facility,” Dr, Friday added. “It makes me angry to
Not for the first time, Dr. Godwin Frdiay (inset), Leader of the Opposition, has chastised the government for what he sees as their lack of care and attention for the Ottley Hall Marina and Shipyard. THE OTTLEY HALL MARINA and Shipyard cannot succeed under this administration. So said Leader of the Opposition Dr Godwin Friday as he made his contribution to the Budget Debate last week Tuesday. In his 2020 Budget presentation, Minister of
Finance Camillo Gonsalves said that government had made a number of diligent efforts, with local and foreign investors, to optimize the potential of the Marina and Shipyard, but the results were suboptimal. The Minister did, however, recognize that
the facility can maximize its economic and developmental impact if it is well run as private sector entity. Discussions, he said, were currently in train with one such private entity. But according to the Leader of the Opposition, the facility did not
see that you can take a public facility that was so vilified but had so much potential, to leave it to rot and rust,” Dr. Friday said, adding that the facility could be used to train and employ young people with high skilled jobs. However, he continued with his lamentation, “Right now, the facility was nothing. Services that local boats and other marine operators need, they now have to
journey to other places to receive, when they could have gotten them at the Ottley Hall Marina. “Nobody seems to care. But I care because I know that it can provide jobs for young people,” Friday said. In a report to Parliament last year, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves disclosed that the dry dock of the facility was damaged in September last year. (DD)
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6. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN
Training
Local journalists enhance digital skills
JOURNALISTS FROM A NUMBER of media houses across St. Vincent and the Grenadines were exposed recently to gamechanging mobile and digital skills, in an effort to encourage them to re-think their role and make positive differences in their local communities and beyond. The exposure came via a two-day (Feb. 3 and 4) ‘Change your Story’ workshop, sponsored by the British High Commission to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. The workshop was conducted by Dan Mason, who has a background of facilitating mobile video workshops and international journalism programmes. Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Resident British High Commissioner to SVG H.E. Steve Moore gave a perspective to the need for the workshop. According to High Commissioner Moore, changes
in technology have turned the media world upside down. “The old model of print and audio and visual media has been overtaken by universal access to information and data, by the internet and mobile devices,” said the High Commissioner. He posited that journalists and media entities need (new) skills to take advantage of new and developing technology. The High Commissioner said that the workshop and similar workshops that have taken place around the Caribbean, are designed to add additional skills and solutions base approach. “The training seeks to improve your skills in creating multimedia content for a large audience accessing information on mobile devices, by social media or online,” Moore told the journalists. Mason said, that despite himself coming from a print
media background, he decided to focus on digital technology because “that is where the audience is.” He said that he and a friend started the ‘Change your Story’ project in 2014 in Nigeria, and since then, he has travelled to different countries to train persons. “Essentially it is about two things; it is about looking at a story in a slightly different way and it is about telling those stories with a different tool,” said Mason of the ‘Change Your Story’ programme. The St. Vincent leg of the workshop is the fifth such workshop conducted in the Caribbean by Mason, who is based in Azerbaijan. Over the two-day Workshop, journalists were exposed to Video-making Apps, training in Multimedia, podcasting, photography, social media , conducting
interviews among others. There was unanimous approval of the usefulness of the workshop by the participants, each of whom received a certificate signifying successful completion of the programme.
‘Change your Story’ workshop participants with High Commissioner H.E. Steve Moore (sitting right) and workshop facilitator Dan Mason (sitting left).
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020. 7.
Feature
Edward Kamau Brathwaite:
A Caribbean literary icon dies Passage, that led him to Africa. His career in Ghana (and in Togoland in 1956-1957 as United Nations Plebiscite Officer) provided the historical and local images that became Masks, the pivotal book of The Arrivants. Brathwaite returned to the West Indies after an exile of twelve years, to assume a post as Resident Tutor at The University of the West Indies in St. Lucia (1962-1963), and to produce programmes for the Windward Islands Broadcasting Service (WIBS). He spoke of his return to the Caribbean as having supplied the “center” that his poetry had lacked. “I had, at that moment of return, completed the triangular trade of my historical origins. West Africa had given me a sense of place, of belonging; and that place . . . was the West Indies. My absence and travels, at the same time, had given me a sense of movement and restlessness–rootlessness. It was, I recognized, particularly the condition of the Negro of the West Indies and the New World,” he pronounced. Brathwaite first published his poetry in the 1950s in England and the West Indies. His collections Rights of Passage (1967), Masks (1968), Edward Kamau Brathwaite – ‘easily and Islands (1969) brought him one of the titans of post-colonial international recognition. These Literature and the Arts”. (Photo volumes, later published together as The Credit: jtheatre.blogspot.com) Arrivants (1973), record a West Indian’s search for cultural identity. Another EDWARD KAMAU BRATHWAITE - traveller, trilogy–Mother Poem (1977), Sun historian. academician, poet, author Poem (1982), and X/Self (1987)–also whose works are noted for ‘their rich and examines the issues of identity. complex examination of the African In addition to several later collections and indigenous roots of Caribbean culture’, of poetry, notably Barabajan Poems, passed away in his native Barbados, on 1492—1992 (1994), Brathwaite produced February 4, at the age of 89. a number of cultural, historical, and He was born May 11, 1930 in literary studies, among them Folk Bridgetown, Barbados. Culture of the Slaves in Jamaica (1970; Brathwaite was educated at Harrison rev. ed., 1981), The Development of College, Barbados, and Pembroke Creole Society in Jamaica College, Cambridge (B.A., 1953; Cert. 1770—1820 (1971), History of the Voice: Ed., 1954). After working from 1955 to The Development of Nation Language in 1962 for the Education Ministry of Anglophone and Caribbean Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana from 1955 to Poetry (1984), and Roots (1986). 1962, he did postgraduate work at the Some of his more recently published University of Sussex (D.Phil., 1968). work include Ancestors (2001) and The From 1963 he taught mainly at the Lazarus Poems (2017). University of the West Indies in Writing in the Trinidad Newsday of Kingston, Jamaica. Sunday 9th February, Wayne He was a Comparative Literature Kublalsingh, university professor, writer professor at the New York University in and activist, wrote, “Edward Kamau the Arts & Science and at the time of Brathwaite picked up shards from the his death was New and Old World, from wherever, all Professor the places where Africa had wandered, Emeritus. Brasilia, Harlem, Kingston, Port of Those who Spain, Haiti, Trenchtown, and worked knew him his whole craftsman’s life and soul to said that it mend and heal it again.” was his need Of the man, Kublalsingh wrote, to “Brathwaite was a born subversive. Like understand Rastafari; he was perhaps a Rastafari the African too. He overturned the English culture that language. Understand is ‘overstand’. He had come morphed the language to dramatise with the what he wanted to say, to perform his slaves on the ideas and philosophy.” Middle That Edward Kamau Brathwaite’s influence spread like melted butter Edward Kamau Brathwaite contended across generations of Caribbean and African people in particular, is perhaps that the English spoken by the an understatement but it is worth descendants of slaves in the recording that the acclaimed poet left an Caribbean carried a suppressed indelible mark on the cultural landscape African identity. (Photo Credit: of Barbados and across the entire Repeating Islands)
Right: This epic trilogy traces the migrations of African peoples in and from the African continent, through the sufferings of the Middle Passage and slavery, and dramatises 20th-century journeys to the UK, France and the US in search of economic and psychic survival. (Guardian) literary world. And the original members of the quintessential drama group - New Artists Movement can attest to the extent of that influence. Braithwaite, who was a Comparative Literature professor at the New York University in the Arts & Science and at the time of his death was Professor Emeritus, is survived by a son Michael Kwesi Brathwaite. He was predeceased by his wife Doris, nee Welcome, who died in 1960. We recall: “The poetry, the culture itself, exists not in dictionary but in the tradition of the spoken word. It is based as much on sound as it is on song. That is to say the noise that it makes is part of the meaning, and if you ignore the noise (or what you would think of as noise, shall I say) and therefore you lose
part of the meaning.” Edward Kamau Brathwaite.
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8. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020. 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
Virus no virus, PREPARE NOW!!! THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH earlier this week confirmed that a Vincentian national who was in China was, on his return home, examined and deemed to be in good health. Notwithstanding the clean bill of health, the person was put into quarantine and will be monitored on a daily basis by health professionals for 14 days. The Ministry of Health described the action as “purely a precautionary measure.” Prior to this disclosure, cruiseship MV Aida Perla had docked here on Friday 31st January, allegedly with up to 23 passengers showing signs of some sort of respiratory ailment. This same ship was refused entry into St Lucia on Saturday and Dominica on Sunday. On Sunday, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, speaking on WEFM in defence of the decision to allow the ship to dock here and allow passengers to disembark, said, “We have to act sensibly with the protocols and don’t panic.” (Heard it before?) The PM confirmed that there were 23 persons who had some kind of virus, “but they were isolated on the ship.” According to him, the Port Authority, in accordance with the appropriate protocol, contacted the Chief Medical Officer, Medical Officer of Health and other Public Health Officials, who together gave clearance for passengers, other than those already isolated on the ship, to disembark if they so desired. The Prime Minister, sounding rather nonchalant, said on Sunday, “It’s not every incident that you just assume that it is the coronavirus.” This, Mr. Prime Minister, does not mean that it is not time to prepare for the worse; and the worse is that there seems to be little action on a national level in this regard.The time to prepare for the coronavirus — officially named COVID-19 - is NOW!!! In fact, given the demonstrated threat of the coronavirus, it’s passed time – which means it’s time to begin preparing responsibly — like ensuring that items like face
masks are in stock and/or readily available. And this early preparation is especially true for countries with substandard health care or a weak hospital infrastructure. (A la SVG??) We can hope that this epidemic will be limited by aggressive containment efforts, and that a vaccine at some point is highly likely. But that is mere hope; there’s no guarantee either will happen. Or even if they do, who’s to tell whether they will arrive in your community before the virus hits? The odds of the virus threat are more than sufficient to cause us to take prudent defensible precautions now, to follow the developing news, and to advise people to prepare today should they soon need to remain at home for days to weeks during an outbreak. Those who are not prepared when an emergency strikes are a drain on critical resources, while those who are prepared can be of assistance. But let us put an important qualifier on that: Preparing before a crisis hits is responsible and selfless, but trying to accumulate necessary items and start a national education/awareness programme during a crisis is an act of stupidity .. closing the door after the horse has bolted. Responsible preparations begin long before any trouble appears. Anything else stands a good chance of making things worse, not better. The news has been full of stories of how people behave when scarcity strikes and they are generally not pretty; or when they are told to do certain things that are preventative rather than curative in the middle of a crisis and they realise the measures are useless. This will bring forth all sorts of avoidable anti-government measures, who knows, in the height of a deadly disease. The question abounds: Are we preparing for the worse?
National Youth council 40 years Old (first published in 2006) “I HAVE GROWN TO RESPECT the National Youth Council which enjoyed a birth in the mid 1960s at a time that this country was experiencing the terminal stage of colonialism, in which every group wanted to secure their place in the coming dispensation. To begin with, we were approaching the constitutional status of Internal SelfGovernment which finally came our way in 1969. The long delay was caused by the fratricidal struggle of our two main political parties, after whom so many of our institutions seem to copy their pattern of warring behaviour. Sections of the youth are simply restless, bursting with ideas, like the proverbial new wine in old bottles. The “Bridge Boys” with their street- corner debate, formation of the Eagles Sport Club and their show-piece bands at Carnival, was a typical outgrowth of this period of fermentation. The Kingstown Study Group, formalized in 1964, discussed the competing ideas of the day, and published the results in a very progressive magazine, called “Flambeau”. Conventional wisdom held that the “Flambeau Group” was at least a generation ahead of its time. Then there was an undifferentiated mass of youngters, in town and country, whose one common denominator was their attachment to the church in their district at a time when the church performed a tremendous societal role, filling-in for groups who would later emerge to take over specific tasks. Naturally, there was some commonality in three movements, sometimes in just two. Names such as Roy Austin, John Horne, Oscar Allen, Cims Martin, and Kerwyn Morris featured prominently. This writer more than touch-lined the hydra-headed animal. At some time or another, I skippered the Eagles cricket team sponsored by the “Bridge Boys”, edited the “Flambeau” magazine published by the KSG, and was appointed first patron of the National Youth Council, when that body hit the road in June 1966. In fact, St Vincent was somewhat late off the blocks in formal recognition of a National Youth Group. St. Lucia, Grenada, Barbados, Trinidad and Suriname, all seemed to have organized youth. In St Vincent, the
church groups were simply tapped, and our first national body appeared to be a federation of these groups. The R.C Church was most helpful with loan of a car driven by Ellie Bowman, who sometimes used my personal vehicle, to go in search of recruits in the countryside, and in the Grenadines where McCauley Peters and Claude Leach committed their organizations. Preliminary meetings were held at the Extra-Mural Office and at the R.C Church. As we approached the formation of the NYC, we spread our wings and invited persons such as Dennis Hunte of Barbados, Jerry Romaine of Grenada and Timothy James of St Lucia to attend our formal get-together, whither they brought solidarity messages at our launching which was addressed by Chief Minister, Ebenezer Joshaua; the first President, Methodist Minister Keith Rae, and myself the first patron of the group. Among the live-wires who had prepared the way for this historic occasion were Jeffrey Daisey, Stanley Campbell and James Francios, all three long deceased. At the time of the launching, the opportunity was taken to lay the groundwork for the Caribbean Assembly of Youth (CAT) which was later affiliated to the World Assembly of Youth (WAY). In addition, we organized a symposium on Youth which was generally held at the old “Y”hut. As patron, I recalled giving an address “The Future Role of Caribbean Youth”, which was reproduced in the “Flambeau” magazine, recently reprinted. In fact, under Owen Cuffy, we moved to produce our own periodical, “Youth”, which contained lively articles and stories focusing on youth development. The NYC was born during a period of political turbulence, and the group was solely tried by the politicians who set out to colonize or side-line or actually destroy us. The group, over forty years, has fought back, relying heavily on their survival instincts, buoyed up by our motto “Youth, the present answer to the future”. Continued on Page 26.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020. 9.
Letters
The Opposition’s response to the budget
I AM STILL waiting for a full explanation as to how the NDP plans to implement its “Citizenship by Investment” programme. How much income is anticipated with this programme? Where will it be marketed or who are the targeted nationalities? How is the party planning on investing the income generated? I am not going to list the pros or the cons of the programme in this letter; that is for those running for elected positions. I can only hope that what I have heard from Major St. Clair Leacock to date, is not the best argument the NDP has to offer. Yes, I know a political rally or a passing comment in parliament is not the venue nor the correct way to put forward a policy statement, so let’s have it, guys,
if you’re serious about this policy. You cannot change minds if you are going to simply criticize the fact that ULP is presenting an inflated budget. I have a few questions for you as the major opposition party to which I have not heard an adequate response from you: 1. According to the budget, over $600M is for operating and recurring expenditures including a Sinking Fund. Included in this amount is a 2% pay raise. How would you propose that this amount in the budget be spent? 2. Are you satisfied with the proposed pay increase; if not how much do you think is the correct amount and what will
your proposal cost? How will it be funded if a higher amount is recommended? 3. I have seen lots of newspaper and FB articles about your proposed reduction in the VAT. How are you going to replace the revenue loss? 4. How much would the revenue loss be under your plan? 5. Where are you going to find the efficiencies in the system to offset this revenue reduction? 6. The criticism of the apparent inflated Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) budget items based on contingency funding is indeed justified. The government should identify where all the proposed
budgeted revenues are coming from and where they will be spent. On the other hand, it’s not unusual to have budgeted CIP expenditures that are not funded. These are just some of my expectations of a constructive review of any budget presented at any level of government. By the way, I want to express my concern with the installation of the CCTV cameras throughout SVG without a clear policy. Big Brother watching is not enough of an explanation. Horatio Skeete
The cry of a The sacrificial lamb of the RSVGPF lonely heart THE SANCTIONING of a junior rank officer seems to be more of making a lower ranking officer a sacrificial lamb, rather than the implementation of corrective action to a broken and dysfunctional system within the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF). The Commissioner of Police needs to answer whether or not there is a credible system of accountability within the chain of command of the Police
Force. By virtue of the paramilitary nature of the Police Force, the buck stops at the Commissioner, and the public needs to know how far up the chain of command does this dysfunction exist. We must not put a band aid on the sore to hide it. The Force needs surgical action to removed dead weight that exists at the very top. The officer at the front line have many issues to deal with that
will mitigate his priority of action and intervention. We need to know what are the clear guidelines issued to the front line ranks and how these guidelines are monitored along the chain of command rather than disciplining the poor officer at the front line. There is need for an Independent Commission of Enquiry into the operation of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force. Any Commissioner of
Sex strike talk
activists believe that with their strike, it is case of the men “never Mr. Editor, I couldn’t men, in the hope that believe it when a friend this will raise awareness missing the water till the well dry up”, so that told me about it, so I about violence against the men will come went searching through women and, in the around to value them the Jamaica newspapers process, move the men (women) more. to see if I could find into respecting them Well I tell you!!! This proof that what my (women) as they should. sex strike will bring friend told me was the Worse was to come. more trouble than there truth. Some women’s rights already is between men And to my greatest activist in Trinidad and women. Us men surprise, there it was, called for the strike to expect that our women plastered in The begin from when the would, at the very least, Jamaica Gleaner: Jamaicans made their Female (gender) activists call (somewhere around make sure that our sexual feelings are in that country had Jan. 28) until satisfied, just like how called for a sex strike, International Women’s they would want theirs yes a sex strike, in which Day — Sunday 8th to be. This whole women would be asked March. What a thing!!! withdrawal of sex will to withdraw sexual Now, Mr. Editor, I privileges from their take it that these female cause men to be grumpy,
Police by virtue of wearing red and appearing at political rallies, is a red flag that questions the impartiality and quality of Police services to the country. Let us stand up against the sacrificing of the innocents for the blunders of the bureaucracy that has all the appearance of compromise. This must stop. Terence O.E. Browne and who knows — God forbid — cause them to resort to aggressive behaviour that could develop into something bigger. These days, we can’t take threats lightly, and if our Vincy women join in this strike business, they must understand the possible repercussions of their action. Then again, Mr. Editor, I for one don’t believe for one moment that our Vincy women are that cold. They will never go on a sex strike. Charles, Edinboro
Help! Somebody please help me, I am feeling lonely, O so lonely; Yes, I am surrounded by friends and family, But still very lonely, they seem so far from me; “You looking for attention,” this what they say, So I bear my hurt, I bear it every day. Show some concern, a bit of sympathy, This pain in my heart is killing me; Criticism won’t do, It hurts you know, Somebody help me, please don’t treat me so; Many are the problems I am going through, I need somebody I can really talk to. Each morning I awake emptiness fills my heart, Ah feeling pressure I don’t know where to start; Who to turn to I cannot tell, Life for me is a living hell; Is life worth living? Is the question on my mind, I fear I am about to cross the line. No one seems to understand, no one cares, My plea for help falls on deaf ears; I am scared going out I am scared coming in, Everyone shuns me they think I am nothing; But who feels it knows it, So don’t accuse me one bit. Yes, there are others just like me, Going about their business daily; But deep inside they are crying out, Waiting for that change, that turn-about; O to be in such a situation, Is there somebody who can understand? Life for me is such a mess, So lonely and so depressed; Nobody knows what I am thinking of, To escape from a world without love; How can I go on living this way? I pray that help will come someday. Written by: C. Fergus © 06/01/2020, Georgetown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
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10. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020. THE VINCENTIAN
Views
Excerpts from the 2020 Budget
Lawlessness, stagnation and decay
Tourism
(Excerpts of Dr. Friday’s Budget Presentation Pt.1)
A CURSORY review of recent economic growth numbers reveals that tourismdependent Caribbean economies have been growing faster than non-tourism economies. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has not benefitted to the same extent as others with a more developed tourism product. Of course, by the same token, global downturns have more deeply affected countries which place too many of their economic eggs in a single tourism basket. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is striving to achieve the appropriate optimal mix and balance for our circumstances — large enough to contribute more to the economy and take advantage of global upswings, but not so large as to crowd out other productive activities where we retain a distinct regional advantage. Within this framework, the future of tourism in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is bright. The opening of the Argyle International Airport has spurred a rush of new investment in the Vincentian hospitality sector. Our Government recognises that, in this moment of rapid change and expansion, it must play an important role in shaping the tourism product, managing its growth, and ensuring that the Vincentian people are the ultimate beneficiaries of increased visitors.
2019 a Positive Year 2019 was a positive year for tourism in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. We recorded increases in arrivals by air and sea. We improved our number of stayover visitors. We once again broke our record for cruise ship arrivals. We welcomed more yacht visitors than we have at any point over the last decade. During the Christmas season, scores of private jets were parked wingtip-to-wingtip across the tarmacs of our Argyle and Canouan airports. We fulfilled our 2019 budget pledge to add more flights at AIA. In 2018, we received 99 direct flights from Toronto, Miami and New York. In 2019, that number increased to 191 round trip flights. Those flights carried over 21,000 passengers each way, into and out of AIA. We were pleased that Air Canada added a second weekly flight during the tourist season, and that American Airlines also flies a second flight from Miami each week. The second American Airlines aircraft — a Boeing 737-800 — has 25% more seating capacity than the Airbus A319, that originally began servicing our destination. Both airlines fly into Argyle at or near capacity. Air Canada’s average occupancy rate was 88% coming from Toronto, and American Airlines came from Miami 97% full. The Tourism Authority is optimistic about route expansion in 2020, including the likelihood of new regional and international carriers announcing services to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines this year. Additionally, by late 2020, it is likely that we will welcome direct flights from new destinations — including destinations beyond the continent of North America.
Room Stock Now that the AIA is up and running, the largest remaining obstacle to major growth in the tourism sector is our room stock — particularly the number of available rooms on mainland Saint Vincent. Historically, our tourism product has been shaped by limited air access and the multiple islands of our archipelago. Our hotels have evolved to be small, scattered and unconnected to major
The Budget in Summary marketing brands. While discrete, diffuse accommodation is ideal for the Grenadines, it is ill-suited for developing mass tourism on mainland Saint Vincent. Only 35% of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ room stock is located on mainland Saint Vincent, and the single largest component of that stock is in apartments. Excluding apartments, the data show that the islands of the Grenadines are home to almost 75% of the national stock of hotels, resorts, guesthouses and villas. Our current airlift of twice-weekly flights from Air Canada, Caribbean Airlines and American Airlines has more seats than we have beds on mainland Saint Vincent. Airlines and tour operators frequently ask how many rooms are located within a 45 minute drive of a country’s airport. Including apartments, there are fewer than 1,000 registered rooms on mainland Saint Vincent. By contrast, Antigua and Barbuda has almost 4,000 rooms and Saint Lucia has over 5,000. Further afield, Barbados and the Cayman Islands are home to roughly 7,000 rooms each, and the Bahamas has over 17,000. Simply put, to leverage fully the developmental potential of tourism in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, we need more rooms. Tourism Authority data indicate that room stock in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines grew by 5% between 2017 and 2018. In percentage terms, that growth was second only to Saint Lucia within the OECS, and reflects the growing belief of our private sector in the potential of hotels, villas and apartments. But incremental growth is insufficient. We must raise our ambition and lift our game. The Government and the private sector have embarked on an ambitious plan to double the room stock on Saint Vincent within three years. That means adding 1,000 rooms. As promised, almost 350 of those rooms will be built by the Government, in the form of the new Marriot resort and Holiday Inn Express hotels. The Black Sands Resort at Peters Hope will add another 400 rooms. The Royal Mill Hotel at Ratho Mill will be a 200-room facility, while the recently commenced The View, and Myah’s Luxury Suites — a boutique business hotel — will add 50-plus. The likely refurbishment and reopening of the resort at Buccament Bay will add over 250 rooms to the mix. These hotels, totaling almost 1,200 rooms, are scheduled to be operational at various points between 2021 and 2023, directly employing almost 1,500 Vincentians. We fully expect continued steady expansion of existing hospitality operators over that time period, meaning that our threeyear 1,000 target may be both ambitious and conservative. One thousand five hundred additional rooms on mainland Saint Vincent by 2023 is a distinct possibility. The Government has been reliably advised that there are multiple, credible, expressions of interest for the closed hotel at Buccament Bay. We are more than hopeful about a positive conclusion to ongoing negotiations on this matter in the near future, and we eagerly await the final determinations from the investors and the trustees of the property. These rooms will attract additional flights and larger planes from more distant points of origin, connecting Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to more of the world.
partial debt forgiveness of Petrocaribe loan, over $80million forgiven in 2017. The ULP added over $1.1billion to the public debt since they are in power. But the trend is upwards again. 2017: $1.63billion, 2018: $1.65billion, 2019: $1.67billion. This is worrying. Why? There are those on the government side who would tell us, that we in the NDP worry too much about the debt. They would say they could keep borrowing and increasing the debt because our intentions are good. But we know the road to hell is paved with good intentions. They even misled many by conflating our concerns about the debt, expressed particularly well over the years by the Honourable Arnhim Eustace, with a desire for austerity measures by the government. It is worrying, first, as the public debt goes up, the tendency is for it to become harder, more expensive for government to borrow, especially if the previous borrowings did not result in significant economic growth, and the debt to GDP ratio is above the recommended level of 60%. We know that the previous borrowings of this government have not resulted in significant economic growth. For example, between 2014 and 2018, St. Vincent and the Grenadines economy grew by an annual average of 1.5%. Our Debt to GDP ratio remains above the recommended level, being now at 74%, according to the Estimates. This suggests that the conditions for tougher more expensive borrowing are looming or may already be upon us. The second serious implication is that it may become increasingly difficult to service the debt. Our central government debt service situation has worsened drastically in recent times. Central government debt service as a percentage of Current Revenue has grown very fast, alarmingly fast, during the last 4 years: in 2016 it was 25.1%, 2017:28.1%, 2018: 30.2%, 2019:34.2% The National Debt and 2020:39.3%. That is to say, in 2019, over one third of current Two things that this government knows how to do well and has proven revenue, money raised in tax and nontax current revenue was used up to it over the years, are:1. raise taxes service debt. and 2. borrow money. They tell you: What will it be in 2020? Interest “Oh it is all for your benefit” and “We and loan charges in 2020 is doing it to help poor people of the $70,370,962 and Amortization and country!” But in reality, borrowing Sinking Fund in 2020, $197,550,426. and taxing to help poor people is the government in effect saying, “We love Therefore, the total debt service payments in 2020 is $267,921,388. poor people so much, that we are Further, the total Current Revenue prepared to make the country more in 2020 is estimated to be indebted and poorer in order to help $680,039,100. This means that debt them.” Any 10-year-old school child knows service will rise to 39.3% of current revenue in 2020. In other words, that that does not make sense. She almost 40 cents from of every dollar in knows that if you make the country poorer, eventually all of the people in government revenue will go to pay the the country will feel it, perhaps except debt. And make no mistake about it, the debt must be paid. We may get a the politically privileged few, even little debt forgiveness from a friendly those you claim to love so much and want to help so much. But our people government from time to time, but the bulk of the debt will have to be are not fools; rich or poor, they know repaid. you can’t borrow forever to support That hungry beast called the public your life style. debt will have to be fed. And who will The national debt as at December pay to feed it? The taxpayers of St. 31st, 2019 stood at $1,670,664,47. Vincent and the Grenadines will pay This is lower than it was in 2016, when it was $1,746,494,665, thanks to the cost of feeding it. THE MINISTER of Finance boasts about his billion dollars Budget of $1,186,351,151. That is to say, almost $1.2billion; $119, 007,868 or 11.14% larger than the 2019 budget. This is clearly an election budget. The Minister does not care much, or at all, where the money will come from. This is clear because the figures in the Estimates show that he does not know where he will get $205.3million in so-called “Other Capital Receipts”. He simply does not know where that chunk of his proposed expenditure will come from. That chunk is no small matter. It is over $205million, a lot of money for a small poor country, and amount to over 17% of the total overall budget, i.e. total revenue of $1,186,351,151 or 40.5% of the proposed total capital receipts of $506,312,551. The Minister of Finance cannot dispute that he does not know where the $205million will come from. I say this because when he was preparing the budget, if he knew where that money would come from, he would be obliged to mention the specific source of that money in the Estimates. But, clearly he did not do that; instead he lumped the shortfall together under the heading Other receipts, he could have said Miscellaneous, thereby perpetrating the lie that somehow, magically if you will, $205million will fall in the government’s lap during the year, and they will be able to fund the projected spending of nearly $1.2billion, over 40% Capital Receipts, 17% of total revenue. We know it won’t happen because over the years, as the Honurable Arnhim Eustace was at pains to point out in previous budget debates, the government has not collected much of that money, generally under 5%. I discussed this in some detail during the Estimates debate. But it’s useful to mention it here for those who may not have heard it.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020. 11.
Views
Ambassadors of Excellence
“Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives - choice, not chance, determines your destiny.” best possible results. Ambassadors of Aristotle (384-322 BC) - Greek philosopher and polymath during the excellence dedicate the time and exert the effort to stress the importance of Classical period in Ancient Greece. such groundworks. Difficult/challenging tasks are much THERE APPEARS TO BE A UNIVERSAL search for ambassadors of excellence – more easily accomplished when adequate time is allocated to planning individuals who, by their example, and preparation. inspire others to excel. Aristotle (384Planning and preparation are 322 BC) is probably the best known ambassador of excellence. He had been considered critical variables as we contracted by King Philip II of Macedon pursue life’s varied goals. This is as true for our pursuit of major to tutor and mentor young Prince objectives as it is for those ones that Alexander who subsequently became known as Alexander the Great. Aristotle we consider to be “small”. Oliver did not limit tutorials to merely passing Napoleon Hill (1883-1970), an American self-help author, best on the knowledge that had been known for his book Think and Grow archived in the scrolls. He also taught the young prince about best behaviours. Rich, reminds us that, “If you cannot do great things, do small things in a Probably more importantly, he great way.” Such an approach is demonstrated the behaviours that he needed by those who are committed to wanted Alexander to display. Many constantly improving their work and historians consider Aristotle to have life performances. That diligence and been the greatest influence on relentless focus on excelling in all that Alexander the Great. This young man we do will forever separate the super inherited his father’s throne at age 20, unified the nation, and championed the successful from the average performer. This is a useful reminder expansion of his rule through Turkey, for politicians, sports personalities, Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, Babylon, and business leaders, teachers, and other Persia. It is no wonder that over 20 individuals in pursuit of their noble cities across these nations bear his dreams. name. Charlie Trotter (1959-2013), the The foregoing example reminds us famous American chef and of the importance of taking the time restaurateur, had received many and exerting the effort to be positive influences on those around us. It is a awards for his unique and very tasty morsels. In his own way, he was an privilege and great honour to be ambassador of excellence. But he was ambassadors of excellence — not perfect. He admitted that there encouraging students, athletes, coare times when even the best among workers, and church members to pursue excellence; encouraging others us will make mistakes. However, this should not derail us as we pursue to avoid the temptation to settle for excellence in various aspects of our mediocrity. Ambassadors of lives. He noted that, “Excellence is excellence motivate others to seek to do each task to the best of their about fighting and pursuing ability — even in/when they appear to something diligently, with a strict and be menial or unpleasant. We are determined approach to doing it right. reminded that whatsoever we have to It's okay if there are flaws in the do, we should do to the best of our process - it makes it more ability. This should be our attitude interesting.” We are encouraged by regardless of how insignificant the such pearls of wisdom as we are task may appear. When we take on reminded that we do have such an approach to life, we discover shortcomings and will periodically that we are true ambassadors of fail. However, ambassadors of excellence. excellence will learn from their errors Parents and teachers play major and foibles, learn from their mistakes, roles in this regard. Our wards look regroup, refocus, and continue the at us for guidance, and they do look to lifelong journey to excellence. Having us for examples of best practice. failed does not mean that we are Some may periodically object to our failures. In their humility, they will instructions in this regard, but many pause to share these most valuable will model our positive behaviours. learning experiences with those they The way we approach our chores and mentor. various assignments will influence the As ambassadors of excellence, we “young spectators”. We are therefore understand and appreciate that reminded that while we may have excellence is never a coincidence; it is them under our microscopes, they also never an accident. It is the result of have us under theirs. Our investment determination, intense focus, sincere of time, talent, and other resources effort, and clever implementation. It will pay huge dividends in the end. is the result of wise choices — having We build stronger societies when we assessed options and selected the dedicate the time in an effort to more beneficial alternatives for provide our wards with firm personal growth. But it goes beyond character-building foundations. personal accomplishment; having Time management is a significant developed the skills and techniques to skill to be mastered by those who pursue excellence. It takes discipline excel, we pause to share those best practices with others - inviting them to dedicate the time to train for athletics meets. It takes discipline to to bask in the glory of success that we may have already grown accustomed forego pleasures as preparations are to. made for participation in academic examinations, presentations of Send comments, criticisms & business proposals, and so on. That suggestions to preparation is considered absolutely julesferdinand@gmail.com essential in an effort to achieve the
Explosive outtakes from budget debate THE BIGGEST STORY of the 2020 budgetary debate went virtually unnoticed. Every citizen should be outraged, angry and demand correction, punishment even, but alas only a few persons caught the importance of the revelations. Not many appear bothered. This big story was not Daniel Cummings’ charge that the government allowed a tourist ship with passengers possibly afflicted with the deadly Corona virus to enter port Kingstown because it wants to boost its cruise ship arrival numbers. Nor was it Camillo Gonsalves’ ‘voyages of a pot hole tourist,’ parody of Opposition Leader, Dr Friday in his closing budgetary address; or the declaration that an NDP government will refurbish and light all of the nation’s parks and hard courts, as well as provide for a national stadium for our athletes. And surely it was not Camillo’s delivery of a billion-dollar budget or eclipsing his father as an eloquent orator. No, it was none of those. The biggest story was that the government had routinely violated statutory law and the constitution by not adhering to the legal demands relating to overdraft limits. The legal limits set for government overdraft currently stands at $50 millions. Government gets this authority according to the Financial Administration Act. However, over the last decade the government borrowed way above the $50 million limit. In 2014, the government borrowed as much as $83 million. Of critical importance is that whenever the government exceeded its overdraft limits, it never seeksparliament’s approval for the excess borrowing. But that was not all. The government compounded its illegal, unconstitutional actions by engaging in another illegality. It created an Accountant General Loan at the Bank of St Vincent and the Grenadines, and hid the entire transaction from the parliament and by extension the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines. The overdraft is a facility intended to tide the government over as the national demands require. But this is to be short term, no more than 12 months. However, when the overdraft is not paid and the balance is turned into a loan at one of the commercial banks, the government simply and routinely exceeds its budgetary and legal limits and creates even greater public debt problems for the country. Fundamentally, these acts are in clear violation of the Finance Administration Act and by extension our nation’s constitution. When this explosive charge was levelled against the government by Opposition Leader Dr Godwin Friday in his response to the budgetary proposal, one naturally sat in a state of surprise and wonderment. The hope was for PM Gonsalves and or our Finance Minister Camilo to forcefully refute these statements by the opposition. But alas there was no denial. In a stamina-testing 4-hour address, as though priming for another election battle, PM Gonsalves took citizens on a 20-year journey that compared his tenure to what came before during the opposition 17-year rule, not once did he touch the issue of illegal borrowing allegations hurled at the government by the opposition leader. In his closing address on the 2020 budget, Finance minister Camillo Gonsalves failed to explain, rationalize, apologize for or refute the charges regarding the government’s illegal
actions and fiscal irresponsibility. The closest he got to showing any form of contrition was his genuflection to the opposition regarding the government’s request to lift the Special Warrants limit from $25 to $35 million. He promised, as he did during the October 2019 debate not to be so tardy with bringing Special Warrants to parliament for discussion and approval. This is not the first time the government was found to be acting outside of the law. This is not the first time government acts as though it will not be constrained by the law. Last September, Opposition parliamentarian, St Clair Leacock asked the government to list and itemize all the Special Warrants it issued in the previous 5 years. On October 2019 Special Warrants spanning 2013 to 2018 were brought before the parliament. We learned then that in more than one instant, government exceeded the legal limit of $25 million. In that debate, PM Gonsalves acknowledged the transgression and proclaimed that the exceeding the Special Warrant limit the government ‘had not committed a hanging offense.’ Now, before we start jumping all over ourselves, this is not a partisan issue. All citizens of whatever political color should be concerned at the very least. This is by all respects a serious national issue of great importance. People, this is serious stuff. If government could so willy nilly disregard legal requirements, are there other illegal actions which have not yet been disclosed? What other illegal acts will it be prepared to do in the dark, quiet halls of power? We cannot encourage or condone illegality and or misbehavior in office by any government minister or the government itself. Every 5 years, we go to the polls and elect a government. Those elected swore to uphold the laws and to conduct public affairs in keeping with the laws. Moreover, this is a government that touts law and order as a major plank of its rule. It cites Transparency International which rates SVG high on the list of transparent government. In his address, Gonsalves told the nation that he was the lyrical master. Well, we must demand that lyrics are not selectively dropped. The lyrics of national affairs must be wholesome, truthful and legal. We must develop a democracy that is anchored in laws and not the power or guile of men. The law clearly requires the government to seek parliamentary approval by resolution or other legal acts. To do as it did, clearly fly in the face of the requirements of good governance best practice of transparency and accountability. How are we to view the violation of the Special Warrants and overdraft facility and the sleight of hand way government turned the excess of the overdraft limit into an illegal government loan? This is not a laughing matter, because it relates to the violation of both statutory law and the constitution. Given a change, this government may be inclined to do as it pleases. This the people of SVG must not allow. Send comments, criticisms & suggestions to jomosanga@gmail.com
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12. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020. THE VINCENTIAN
Views
Mass tourism cannot create prosperity in SVG
ACCORDING to Warrant Officer Ivan Bertie O’Neal, BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, Leader of SVG Green Party, there is a stampede by super-rich migrants for cheap land in SVG, giving the wrong impression that SVG is a ‘diamond’ for tourism in the Caribbean. Tourism could never be the engine of the SVG economy. A very big tourism project failed at Buccament Bay in South Leeward, St Vincent, in recent years, so why the haste to selloff hundreds of acres of lands to superrich migrants for tourism projects? The rate of return on tourism investment is extremely low. The ULP regime’s focus on tourism has had a very negative impact on our people and country. Unemployment is extremely high throughout SVG. Poverty and destitution have made life very tough for poor and low income families. There is no logic to the focus on mass tourism in SVG. Mass tourism can, and will, create substantial environmental problems in SVG. The high demand for drinking water could lead to water shortages for Vincentians. Also, the need for the disposal of a high volume of sewerage waste, could lead to Vincentian’s living environment becoming polluted.
The proposed construction of a twelve-storey hotel in Ratho Mill will lead to a high daily volume of sewerage waste needing to be disposed. Will the people of Calliaqua suffer pollution from this? What are the plans to deal with this hotel’s sewerage? In 2015 in the Cook Islands, Muri Lagoon — its biggest tourist attraction — developed dark patches of noxious algal bloom, which clouded up its famously clear water. Hotels had failed to deal appropriately with their sewerage waste. The hotels’ sewerage systems had begun to leach nutrients into the lagoon, damaging its marine life and fuelling the spread of the noxious algae. The Cook Islands’ government called the Muri Lagoon incident a national disaster. Tourism is proving extremely damaging to its delicately balanced island ecosystem. Will the same happen to the environment in SVG? There are many alternatives to tourism that can create thousands of new jobs and bring prosperity to our people. We can get rid of Taiwan and start our own billion-dollar tuna fishing and canning industry; build
Tourism is wickedly being used as an excuse to sell-off hundreds of acres of our crown lands to super-rich factories to export goods from agroforeigners, in the hope that tourism processing; export water in tanker will bring prosperity to the people of loads; build a university to educate our SVG. people and create a nation of Tourism can never bring prosperity entrepreneurs and thousands of new to SVG. Barbados and Jamaica have small businesses, and we can had tourism as the engine of their rejuvenate the agricultural sector by economies for over 60 years. Barbados using import substitution. had to initiate a nationwide poverty These are just some of the alleviation programme in January alternatives to tourism we can turn to 2011, and Jamaica was on its knees that will not destroy our environment begging the IMF and World Bank for a and cause misery for our people. EC$2.7 billion loan for a financial We must make the SVG economy bailout a few years ago. Green by investing heavily in Tourism cannot provide the renewable energy, local food financial yield necessary to cover production, innovation, small public wages and salaries, pensions businesses, science and technology, and NIS, interest payments on public and education to skill the workforce debt, and the goods and services and change our economy so it is required to keep society and export-oriented. government in good working order.
An open letter to the CoP Dear Commissioner,
time’ to prevent what stared us right in the face? 2. Is it not the prerogative of the Commissioner of Police, as provided by law, to have and maintain a Domestic Violence Register? If so, why, as has been alleged, multiple reports had to be made when you, by law, ought to have known and consequently acted upon such matter? And as if the multiple reports were not enough, reports were made to the police the very week of this incident, according to media reports, yet swift action was still not taken? 3. Given the protracted experience of abuse of Israel-Taylor, why was the alleged perpetrator not arrested under our Criminal Procedure Code, given that there was ‘reasonable cause to believe that a person was engaging in or attempting to engage in conduct which may amount to physical violence … that could result in serious physical injury or death’? The point is, a warrant was not needed for the police to act in the first instance. 4. How is it possible for a person with a history of violent behaviour and, more recently, a record of threats to kill, knowing that he possessed a firearm, continue to hold a licensed firearm? Why was it not revoked when there was cause to do so? Your answers to these burning questions may provide temporary relief of my pain, and hopefully, the palliative state of our nation would improve with time. But ultimately, my wish is for you and the state institution that you lead, to step up, and take our women, girls and the entire citizenry seriously when reports of intimate partner violence and threats to kill etc. are made. I believe we — the people - can build a society that is more compassionate; a society that is premised on the principles of respect for human rights, the sanctity of human life and freedom and equality for all. Let’s act now so we can realise the society we deserve.
GREETINGS and best wishes for a productive year ahead. I was given very good advice many years ago by one of my mentors, who said that ‘one should not express himself/herself while angry, less s/he runs the danger of adding more injury to an already inflamed situation’. But alas, I cannot contain myself, and so I shall temporarily disregard that piece of sound advice and write you and the institution that you lead. I am sure, given the present circumstance surrounding the calculated, untimely and savage death of Arianna Taylor-Israel, that you and my mentor will forgive me and understand the anguish trapped inside my bones. The truth is, my heart is broken, and my spirit is disturbed, and yours should be too, as the shooting death of Mrs. Taylor-Israel demonstrates a colossal failure on the part of our law enforcement agency that you have the privilege to lead. No amount of transfers, no amount of fancy-talk, no amount of suspensions can make up for this loss and the series of events leading up to it. For it is too glaring for what ought to have been a simple arrest based on clearly established procedures and protocols set out in our Criminal Procedure Code and the Domestic Violence Act of 2015. My respect for you and the office of the Commissioner of Police is unquestioned, but I consider this office to be one of the most critical offices in our land. Practically speaking, action or inaction by your office is a matter of life or death. In this instance, it proved to be a matter of death. Mr. Commissioner, therefore, I ask you to provide genuine answers, not abstract explanations, to our citizens of the following questions I shall put to you: 1. Is it not mandatory, as provided by law, that a Police Officer ‘respond to every complaint or report alleging domestic violence whether or not the person making the complaint or report is the victim’? How then, action Ronnie Daniel was not taken on this matter in ‘good ronniedee_99@yahoo.com
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020. 13.
People
Dr. Garraway honoured THE MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME sincerely applauds the Rose Hall Government School on its 60th anniversary as an educational institution, and salutes the institution for using the significant occasion to honour some of its stalwarts who sojourned the course of that school. On Friday 31st January 2020, some eighteen outstanding
senior citizens were so recognized at a Dinner organized by the Principal and Staff. Those honoured represented a variety of fields and competencies which they used to make lasting contributions to the development of Rose Hall in particular and the Vincentian society in general. Among the honorees was Dr. Daniel S
Today’s students of the Rose Hall Government School have a 60-year history from which to find inspiration and build.
Garraway, a renowned Vincentian medical doctor. Dr. Garraway began his formal education at the Rose Hall Primary School and continued there as a Grade 1 teacher. He entered the St. Vincent Teachers College in 1967 and graduated from that institution in 1969. He continued to teach upon graduation from the Teachers College, including doing a stint at the St. Martin’s Secondary School. As a young man, he had an irresistible yearning for the field of medicine and committed to pursue it. Although he never entered or graduated from a secondary school, he satisfied the matriculation for medical school at The University
of the West Indies. He would graduate as a medical doctor from that prestigious institution in 1977. Dr. Garraway pursued specialization in Gynecology and Obstetrics and returned to St. Vincent and the Grenadines to serve as a Consultant in those fields of medicine from 1984 to 1993, at what is today the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital. He also served as Medical Director for three years at that medical facility. But his ambition continued to bite away at him, and so he courageously embarked on establishing his own hospital. In 1995, Dr. Daniel Garrawy opened the Maryfield Hospital which continues today to be a beacon of quality health care in St.
Vincent and the Grenadines. This son of the soil has inspired many young minds, especially those of the working class of our Vincentian society, and he remains a humble man, proud of his upbringing and his contribution to advancing health care, in his native St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The Memorial Funeral Home is pleased to have collaborated with Rose Hall Govern-ment School in honouring Dr. Daniel Garraway for his invaluable contribution to education, medicine and nation-building as a
Dr. Daniel Garraway (left) accepts a plaque from Asfo Stephens, Manager of the Memorial Funeral Home which provided the plaque for the school. whole. We wish Dr. Garraway and his family God’s richest blessing. (Source: Memorial Funeral Home)
RSVGPF holds first CoP parade for 2020
Students of the Fair Hall Primary School make good use of the swing set donated by the Members of the Rotary Club South.
Owia School gets swing sets ON JANUARY 13, 2020, The Rotary Club of St. Vincent South journeyed to Owia to assemble and handover the last of three swing sets, donated by the Club to schools throughout the country. Upon arriving at the Owia Primary School, members of the Club were met by Principal, Natasha Nero, who was appreciative, and expressed her gratitude for the set, on behalf of the Kindergarten class. Members spent just over three hours assembling the swing set, which proved to be too long for three eager children of the community, who were very excited to be the first ones to “Christen” the playground. Swing sets were donated to the Fair Hall Primary School and Vinsave in the latter half of 2019. The Rotary Club of St. Vincent South thanks the general public for their past assistance, and looks forward to continued support in the years to come. (Submitted by: The Rotary Club of St. Vincent South)
THE FIRST Commissioner of Police Parade for 2020 was held on Thursday, February 6, 2020, at the Victoria Park. The parade commenced at 7:15 am and featured two hundred (200) police officers including the police High Command and others from the various departments/ sections/units and divisions, on parade. The parade was under the command of Superintendent of Police, Mr. Kenneth John. Commissioner of Police, Mr. Colin John inspected the officers on parade and later addressed them, during which he congratulated them for their service to the organization and, by extension, to St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), in keeping its citizens safe. He reiterated that due to the hard and dedicated work of the police and assistance from members of the public, the overall crime rate reduced in 2019. The Commissioner reminded the parade that the RSVGPF prides itself on being the “best turned out” police force in the region. The Commissioner’s Parade, he said, is held on an ongoing basis to ensure that the high standard of deportment is maintained among the
Commissioner of Police Colin John about to inspect members of the Plain Clothes Units of the Police Force. ranks. Commissioner John remarked that he was generally pleased, save and except for a few individuals, with the deportment of the vast majority of officers who were on parade. The top cop reminded the officers that they took an oath to protect and serve the people of SVG, and they must always be true to that oath. He went on to say that in 2019, there were instances where police officers breached that oath, and actions were taken to discipline the officers in question. He urged the officers to treat every report with the level of seriousness that it deserves, so that justice can be done. The main highlight of the parade was the awarding of the Regional Security System (RSS) Medal of Honour to forty (40) police officers who performed humanitarian duties in Dominica in 2017, during the aftermath of hurricane Maria.
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14. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN
Learning
RVAÊs home garden model comes to Bagga TWENTY FAMILIES IN BARROUALLIE will join the scores in other parts of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, who are benefiting from Richmond Vale Academy’s (RVA) award-winning ecological farming in model gardens. The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives has given support to RVA to help 20 Barrouallie families establish its Pass-it-On Sustainable Model Gardens. The funding will support the continuation of efforts with 50 families in North Leeward who have these home gardens. Six of the 20 gardens in Barrouallie are nearly ready for start-up, and families are excited to learn and farm without imported fossil fuel based chemicals that damage the soil directly, and affect rivers and reefs through runoff. The gardens, which are individually designed depending on the size and gradient of the land, often benefit from micro-climate created by the supporting vegetation. They often include a seed nursery table, chicken coup, and use rainwater for irrigation. The Pass-it-On Sustainable Model Gardens teaches farmers to reduce soil erosion, with raised beds constructed along contours on the hillside and supported by gliricidia tree logs or bamboo.
On some model gardens, raised beds are constructed to reduce soil erosion, with raised beds constructed along contours.
This tomato crop looks healthy, the result of careful attention and no use of chemicals. Organic matter, including a lot of banana trunks, is often used to build up the level of the soil in these raised beds and provide a fertile medium for growing vegetables. In some instances, vertical structures with mesh are provided for climbing crops and the necessary galvanised bins for compost, and some farms have a chicken coup. When these 20 gardens are completed in April, it will bring to 85, the number of gardens that RVA, with the support of multiple partners, has helped farmers in Fitz Hughes, Chateaubelair, Rose Bank, Troumaca, Rose Hall, Barrouallie and Fancy to establish.
RVA will take the technique to Layou, Buccament Bay, Vermont, and Sandy Bay before the end of this year, and is hoping that a farmer will be sowing seeds in the 100th garden by the middle of the year. Under its “St. Vincent Climate Compliance Conference 2012-2021”, RVA is hoping that 200 home gardens will be established by the end of 2021. “We are so impressed with people’s effort and welcoming ways to people from different corners of SVG and the world who team up and make the gardens happen step by step,” said Stina Herberg, Director of RVA. This year, RVA will host 50 volunteers from St. Vincent and around the world contributing to a more sustainable SVG. “Young people from around the world are waking up to make a difference, they stand up and protect
The rain is collected in tanks and used to water the beds and crops in the field. the environment,” Herberg said, adding that RVA offers a possibility for people to get involved. (Source: RVA)
Kingstown Gov’t School undergoing major renovations students from the ‘senior block’ occupied the ‘old school’ which has a kitchen located close to that building . Now that the ‘senior block’ has been completed, work on the old school will begin, but the existing kitchen cannot function sanitarily amidst the cement dust and construction debris blowing about. So, the kitchen The old school and kitchen soon to be service for the school’s feeding programme had to be renovated. relocated to the annex, a provide a safe ‘shortcut’ not only saves journey that would take a good 12 time walking in the hot sun, or delays minutes in each direction walking on rainy days, but gives the children along the busy North River Road. more time to enjoy their meal instead With the students’ safety and of having to rush down the food. welfare in mind, the contractors The refurbished ‘senior block’. He also thanked the residents of the approached residents in the Stoney area for their cooperation, and noted Ground area to construct a temporary that this was a temporary solution, Inset: Timothy Scott, Projects and Procurement Officer access which would cut the walking of the Min of Ed. with responsibility for schools and that as soon as Phase 2 of the time from 12 to just three minutes, from Georgetown to Clare Valley. renovation of the KGS was complete, with much less traffic hazards, so that the ‘shortcut’ would be closed. from Grade 4 to children could be back in classes after Grade 6. It now Phase 2 of the renovation will see PHASE II OF THE RENOVATION of lunch less sweaty and feeling boasts a new washroom facility. the constructing a new roof to the ‘old the Kingstown Government School While work on the ‘senior block’ was uncomfortable from a long walk, which section’ and kitchen among other (KGS), familiarly referred to as Stoney would be counter-productive to being done, the ‘junior block’ was things, and should be complete well Ground School, is set to proceed now learning. relocated to the former Kingstown before the commencement of the that Phase I has been complete. According to Timothy Scott, Anglican School annex located right 2020/21 academic year. (Report Phase 1 saw the refurbishment of Procurement and Projects Officer in submitted by: Donald De Riggs.) the ‘senior block’, which accommodates behind the Victoria Park, next to the Ministry of Education, the move to Gibson Building Supplies, while the
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020. 15.
Tourism
Viking Explorers complete 3rd voyage to SVG Phillipa Greaves of sponsors St. Vincent Distillers Ltd. (distillers of Captain Bligh Rum) welcoming the Explorers to SVG.
Viking Explorers (cruisers) gathered at the Blue Lagoon Marina. Right: Viking Explorers top brass (L-R) Oliver Solanas Managing Director, Carlota Texeira, - Administrator of Social Media and Mike Westin – Founder. SEVENTEEN BOATS, clustered under the name Viking Explorers, set sail from Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands in early January, heading for Blue Lagoon Marina, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. They arrived at their destination after a month or so. The journey to SVG, estimated to take three weeks of direct sailing, was extended by a week which was spent in Cape Verde, some 800 miles from the Canary Islands. The Viking Explorers 3rd voyage to SVG was made possible through support from St. Vincent Distillers Ltd., in
the name of their Captain Bligh Rum Brand, and the Ministry of Tourism. On the Friday 7th , “the organizers of the Viking Explorers Rally held a Welcome Reception and Presentation Ceremony at the Blue Lagoon Hotel and Marina. Managing Director of Viking Explorers, Oliver Solandas said that the rally witnessed a slower but easygoing passage this year. “We experienced small to slight winds …… they (sailors) had a nice easy sailing,” said Solandas, adding that the 4th
A cross-section of the ‘Explorers’ at last Friday’s ceremony.
edition will see 20 boats participating. Viking Explorers was started three years ago by Mike Westin who, while speaking at the ceremony, explained that the idea behind Viking Explorers was to have company when crossing the Atlantic. He said that since they issued a notice on Facebook, the response has been overwhelming. “Still.., it’s Norwegian and Swedish boats, but we have English and American and Italian boats, and of course crews from many different countries,” Westin said. Viking Explorers has
become, in a short time, an exciting, new and friendly rally for cruisers that need and want to share their knowledge, to help other cruisers to make their crossing of the Atlantic an enjoyable and successful one. Marketing Manager of the St. Vincent Distillers, Phillipa Greaves welcomed the Explorers to SVG, describing Captain Bligh Rum as “truly a Vincentian icon ..having won the prestigious award as World Best Rum in 2014 at the London Rum Awards in England.” She also boasted about the beauty of SVG and the warm and friendly people, and implored the sailors to have a safe return journey, “And remember when charting your course, chart it with Captain Bligh Rum.” Also addressing the event was Minister of Tourism, Cecil Mc Kie. He told the Explorers, “ You have been wise in your choice
Cecil Mc Kie, Minister of Tourism, welcomed the Explorers to “..one of the fastest growing economies” in the Caribbean. of making that long journey across the Atlantic to be here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” and posited that the cruisers were in a part of the Caribbean that had one of the fastest growing economies. “Just three years ago,” Mc Kie said, “we got our first international airport …. That has been a game changer for us, and now we have direct flights coming from a number of cities, and this year we will add more. So if you don’t want to sail, you can fly into the destination from one of those cities.” Each Explorer/cruiser was presented with a certificate for sailing over 1000 miles nonstop. Each boat got its own trophy. There were awards for the biggest and smallest boats, and awards for the youngest captain - David Westervick and the oldest captain - Mats Johanson.
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16. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN
Heritage
Garifuna Heritage Foundation outlines month of activities
THREE MAJOR ACTIVITIES top the list of activities planned by The Garifuna Heritage Foundation (TGHF), to coincide with the celebration of National Heroes and Heritage Month in March. The activities are the Schools’ Garifuna Folk Festival scheduled for March 6th; an exhibition on indigenous art, craft and artifacts from March 11th to the 13th, and the International Garifuna Conference also scheduled to run from March 11th to the 13th. David ‘Darkie’ Williams, President of TGHF, said at the media launch on Tuesday that the Foundation prides itself on providing information and creating an awareness through education about Garifuna culture to the Vincentian public. Six national Garifuna
conferences preceded this year’s event which will be held at the National Insurance Services (NIS) conference room, and according to Williams, a lot of knowledge on the Garifuna culture, has been passed on by academics who have given presentations. This is the fifth year that the organization will partner with the University of the West Indies Open Campus (St Vincent). Deborah Dalrymple, Head of the UWI Open Campus, affirmed that among the objectives of the Open campus was the preservation of the country’s cultural heritage. “And we see this as a major responsibility,” Dalrymple said at the media launch. She explained that Garifuna and Kalinago
cultures formed the bedrock on which other cultures, namely African, Indian, Portuguese and British sat. “All of these cultures influenced who we are today, but we do believe the knowledge of the resistance, the survival and the resilience of the Garifuna may impact on the shakeup of the world’s views of Vincentians,” Dalrymple said, adding that Garifuna people form one of the indigenous nations that have become one of the important symbols of resistance in the region. Some details were provided on the three main activities, beginning with the Schools’ Garifuna Folk Festival to be held at the Victoria Park. This year, instead of participants marching from the Bishop’s College
in Paul’s Avenue to Victoria Park, they will march around the Park. The objectives remain the same: to teach the Garifuna heritage and culture to students; make the learning of history fun; and celebrate the country’s heritage. Prizes will be awarded for the David ‘Darkie’ Williams, President of TGHF, and Deborah most outstanding Dalrymple, Head of the UWI Open Campus, at last song, dance and choral speech, and Tuesday’s media launch. three (prizes) for to be held at the Peace It is expected to the best use of the Memorial Hall. feature presentations on Garifuna colours And the 7th edition of various aspects of the yellow, black and white. the International Garifuna culture by The exhibition is Garifuna Conference will scholars and expected to feature local be held under the theme practitioners, including craft producers, artists, ‘Indigenous Caribbean — persons from across the local and regional rethinking a strategic region, Central America, historians, as well as direction for reviving Canada, Mexico, the holders of historical Garifuna Heritage and United States and the artifacts. United Kingdom. (DD) This event is expected Culture through education’.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020. 17.
News
Prison video to be investigated SUPERINTENDENT of Prisons Brenton Charles has expressed disgust over a video recording, which appears to have been recorded in prison and which has gone viral on social media. Two short video clips show males using expletives, smoking and on their cell phones. Some spoke of persons dying outside. Thousands of views have been recorded on at least one of the many pages on Facebook. The video clips have been shared many times. When contacted yesterday (Thursday) morning for comment on the matter, Superintendent Charles said it is a matter that is very serious and steps would be taken to launch an investigation. “I am taking it seriously and I am
hoping to get the police involved. So I don’t really want to comment too much on it,” the Superintendent of One of the Prisons stated. inmates who Superintendent featured Charles added, “It is prominently disgusting and a in the video. downright shame” that the video is being circulated on social media. “I am taking it seriously and I am not resting comfortably on it,” the Prison chief assured.
Doctors: Public Service versus Private Practice THE ISSUE of some doctors who are employed at the Milton The Minister of Health has raised Cato Memorial an issue that has been debated in Hospital the public domain for some time (MCMH) being now. allowed to conduct private practice needs to be addressed. And as he made the call for this action during his contribution to the 2020 Budget Debate, Minister of Health Luke Browne declared that nobody seems to be trying to prevent this practice from continuing. He cautioned that the situation warranted immediate attention so as “to mitigate against the problems associated with potential conflicts of interest.” According to the Health Minister, some of the questions that prevailed in the current situation were: Should doctors use their position to seek to direct patients from the MCMH to their private practice? Is it fair for private patients to have shorter waiting times than public patients for surgeries? Should a patient be able to change his/her status from public to private so as to have other health care services fast tracked? Browne stressed that it was a case of wanting to be fair to all parties concerned, and not wanting “to jeopardize a person’s ability to go and get quality health care services at our hospital or at any other health care facility”. The Minister also spoke of the need to watch spending. He singled out the Radiology Department, saying that in 2019, some EC$104,960 was spent on overtime payments. Implementing a shift system in such departments, he said, would ensure that in the event that someone who comes to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department and requires an xray, then personnel would be available. “The Radiology (Department) may be the focus here, but there are also other areas where this is applicable,” he said. (DD)
Government would like that a fair share of lawyers’ earnings is paid in as income tax.
Lawyers are notorious tax defaulters PRIME MINISTER Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, himself a lawyer, disclosed in Parliament recently that ninety-two per cent of the lawyers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines paid no personal income taxes in 2019. This was a marked increase from 66% the previous year. Of the 71 lawyers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a whopping 47 of them paid no personal income tax in 2018, Dr. Gonsalves said. The number of defrauders — lawyers paying no personal income tax - increased to 65 in 2019. According to Dr. Gonsalves, the average amount of tax paid by lawyers in 2018 was a mere $1,898 paid in income tax. The highest single amount paid in 2019 was $25,835. And as far as tax arrears owed to the government as of 2019, that figure was put at $11.3 million.
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18. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN
Diaspora
Vincy Comedy Show set for Brooklyn
By Nelson A. King naking@verizon.net; kingnaking210@yahoo.com US CORRESPONDENT
A VINCENTIAN High School Alumni group in Brooklyn, New York, is
hosting an inaugural comedy show in which a ‘Battle of the Sexes’ will be an integral part. Janet Wyllie, General
Maurice Horne, a veteran stage personality, will be expected to bring a real Vincy flavor to Brooklyn.
Secretary of the Marriaqua Secondary School/St. Joseph’s Convent Marriaqua (MSS/SJCM) Alumni Association, told THE VINCENTIAN that the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ will be a feature of the group’s maiden ‘Night of Comedy and Laughter’, on Feb. 28, at the Friends of Crown Heights Educational Center, 671 Prospect Pl., Brooklyn. “This comedy show is a show with a difference,” Wyllie said. “It is going to be interactive, as we have two segments where the audience is involved. One is the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ comedy show, where the answers to the questions do not have to make sense but (are) funny.” She said that, in the other segment, ‘If you Think You Funny Apollo Style’, “Members of the audience will be invited on stage to give a joke and, if you are not funny within a minute or two, they will be pulled off the stage.” Wyllie said the three funniest audience performers will be given undisclosed prizes. As far as choosing a comedy show was concerned, Wyllie explained: “We chose a comedy show because we see the need for shows of this nature in our Caribbean community, particularly in the
Vincentian community here in Brooklyn. We notice that most of the Vincentian organizations in Brooklyn are having events such as dance, barbeque, dinner and bingo… we thought that our organization would do something different, and a comedy show is the way we see as this avenue.” ‘Night of Comedy and Laughter’, Wyllie said, will also feature popular Vincentian comedians Earl ‘Ole George’ Daniel and Maurice Horne. Daniel — who resides in Montreal, Canada, has been doing stand-up comedy since 1988 — and has performed with “the best in the Caribbean,” such as Trinidadians Spranalan, Nickie Crosbie and Errol Fabien, and Barbadians McFinngal and Trevor Eastmond. Daniel said his comedy routine is “suited for the entire family (clean)”, adding that the “greatest skill is knowing the audience and how to tailor routine to suit.” Horne — a retired civil servant, who resides in Kingstown, the Vincentian capital — is also a playwright, and the first Vincentian to write, direct and produce a TV drama, ‘The Bitter End.’ In 2008, Horne won the Courts OECS (Organization of Eastern Caribbean States) King of Comedy title.
Earl ‘Ole George’ Daniel will ‘cross over’ from his ice-cold residence in Canada for the Brooklyn show. For the past 20 years, he has also been a radio announcer in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, currently hosting “Sentimental Magic Sunday” on the local Magic FM Radio 103.7. In addition, Horne said he has been Master of Ceremonies for the past 40 years, 25 of which he worked for the local Carnival Development Corporation. The MSS/SJCM Alumni Association was formed in mid-2018 and officially launched on Nov. 10, 2018. The group hopes to use the proceeds from the show to assist their alma mater particularly in developing the library, science lab and the home economic center (kitchen). “We also hope to make this an annual event to engage the folks in the art of comedy in our North America Vincentian communities,” Wyllie said. The MSS/SJCM) Alumni Association is headed by Kenny Browne.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020. 19.
News
Asphalt plant location not disclosed
“I ain’t saying where I going to put it, I fraid to say,” Francis said in his contribution to the recent 2020 Budget Debate in Parliament. The Senator said, however, that the documents that would seal the deal on use of the location was in the hands of the vendor and their lawyer. The announcement was a welcomed one since it had been Senator Julian Francis, established that there Minister of Works, is was a shortage of holding news on the aggregate here in St actual location of the Vincent and the asphalt plant close to Grenadines, and in his bosom. neighbouring countries, that could adversely A SITE HAS BEEN affect the completion IDENTIFIED for the schedule for a number of location of an aggregate, projects. asphalt and concrete But Senator Francis batching plant here, but cautioned that there Senator Julian Francis, would still be situation of whose Ministry of Works being unable to obtain has purview over such an operation, insisted that he materials required to was not going to disclose carry out various construction work that location.
immediately, since, in fact, the local plant may not start producing material until November this year. Consideration has been given to importing aggregate with Senator Francis alluding to a shared arrangement with Barbados, wherein the vessel would offload in Barbados — whose need amounts to some 41,000 tons — then journey on to SVG. Unfortunately, the vessel cannot be accommodated at any of the ports here, meaning that the aggregate will have to be placed on to a barge and then brought to land and removed. Not only is this a challenge but it is a lengthy process, the Senator warned. Efforts to set up the plant at two locations — Yambou and Gibson Corner - created quite a stir among residents of those communities, forcing government to rethink their plans. (DD)
CDC open to the media CHAIRMAN OF THIS CDC officials will use COUNTY’S Carnival the avenue of the Development Trinidad and Tobago Corporation (CDC) is festival to highlight open to the media for aspects of the Vincentian any information. folklore. Ricardo Adams, into CDC’s Chairman his third year at the Adams pointed to the helm of that body, “global focus of event encouraged media tourism,” and justified practitioners to this country’s thrust contact him for news towards broadening the about the festival. marketing impact. Ezzie The office of his Roberts has been institution is also assigned to the CDC in accessible. Ricardo Adams, Chairman Marketing and Project His comments Development. of the CDC. came last Tuesday at Television outlets in the CDC Office at Trinidad will be used, Carnival City Victoria Park. especially Thursday, February 20 and Coordinator of the Beauty Shows 21, to highlight aspects of the Committee LaFerne Fraser announced Vincentian products. October 31, 2020 as the date for the The build up to the June 26 to July Miss SVG Pageant, coinciding with 7 extravaganza takes shape May 2 the culmination of the Renewal of with the genuine launch at Carnival Forty campaign. Details will be given City Victoria Park. March 3. Additionally, the CDC is enhancing Vincentian artiste Gamal ‘Skinny’ its brand with a creation of a Vincy Doyle organised an event in Maraval, Mas Logo. Trinidad and Tobago yesterday A CDC website is expected to be February 13. That featured running intime for the March 3 affair, Vincentians L Pank and reigning and Roberts pointed to Facebook and Ragga Soca Monarch Hance John. Instagram bases. (WKA)
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20. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020. THE VINCENTIAN
Advice
Trust betrayed Dear George,
I HAVE a trusted friend in whom I confide some very personal stuff. The last most important thing I told her was I’m pregnant for my friend’s husband, and I was contemplating having an abortion. I was shocked when my friend’s wife accosted me at my job, shouting that she knew I was regnant for her “man”. The only person who could have leaked that information was my trusted friend, since not even the man for whom I was pregnant knew I was pregnant. George, the reason I wanted to abort the child was I did not want this dark secret to destroy his relationship with his wife. Now that the cat is out of the bag, I have decided to go ahead and have the child, but he insisted I have an abortion. I told him that it was my decision to make not his. Now, he is threatening to make my life a living hell if I do not abort the child. What do I do or don’t do? I need your advice.
Now that you have decided to give birth, you need to focus on what’s best for the child, and do all that is necessary to ensure the father assumes his responsibilities and be a part of the child’s life. Mending your relationship with your friend should not occupy too much space in your mind at this time. With time, both of you will know whether the relationship ought to be restored or be left as it is now. Let this be a lesson for you to only tell your innermost and deepest, darkest secrets to a professional counsellor, who is bound to confidentiality and who would be able to help you solve what may seem unsolvable at the time.
Worried
George
Dear Worried,
She wants to leave
relate to her. You should not be raising your hand in anger to strike the love of your life. MY GIRLFRIEND is threatening to You seem to think that yelling at leave me all because I yelled at her a her only a few times ought to be few times. There was one occasion when I lifted my hand to hit her, but acceptable, but it’s not. Violence is not only when you strike someone quickly caught myself. She went off physically. Emotional and saying that attempting to hit her is psychological violence is just as just as bad as hitting her. I am not a violent person, and I am disconcerting. You should do some introspection and see the need to tell doing my best to convince her that I someone about your anger issues. would never lay a hand on her, but You need to respect and accept she does not believe me and wants to your girlfriend’s decision to walk leave. away. She is the light of my life and the If you want her back, prove to her apple of my eye, and I want her to that you are serious about addressing stay. Please help me, George. your anger by enrolling in some behaviour therapy/anger management Sorrowful sessions. Remember, there should be a policy Dear Sorrowful of zero tolerance for violence in every relationship. If this lady in question is indeed the apple of your eye you would be a George lot more sensitive about the way you
Dear George
Politics divides the home Dear George I SPENT every cent to send my only son to university. Now that he is back, he has nothing to do with me, all because of politics. He said he did not support the party I did, not respecting my right to support whomever I choose. Presently, I am not working and he has a good job. He pays the bills in the house, but that’s about it. He does not support me in any other way. He does not
care if I eat or not. I have no husband and no one else to call on for help. I love my son, and it pains my heart to see him like this. How can I get him to be that good and caring son he was before he went off to study? I am this close to disowning him if he keeps this up.
Breaking heart Dear Breaking heart It is sad what is happening to you, but you should not give up
on your son. Try to find someone whom he respects to talk to him about his actions and how much you are affected. You can go to see a counsellor who would show you how to deal with your son’s behaviour. Disowning him would be contrary to your obligation to love your children unconditionally. Talk to your counsellor; you might get some immediate support there.
George
Leisure
ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Reevaluate your situation. If you keep busy you won't feel the personal pressures you are going through. Work quietly on your own and you will forge ahead.
LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) Be careful not to come on too strongly. Pleasure trips will be most enjoyable and should lead to new and lasting friendships. Try to compromise rather than having an all-out battle.
TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) You might find that the extra cash will come in handy when an opportunity to invest comes along. Your sensitive, affectionate nature will capture the heart of anyone you are attracted to.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Try not to discuss important matters with colleagues. You are best to deal with those outside your family. Valuable information can be yours if you listen to those with experience.
GEMINI (May 22-June 21) You are apt to meet someone special on your journey. A friendship might suffer if money becomes an issue. You can help them more than they can help you. Cultural activities will prove to be quite enlightening for everyone.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Don't make large purchases or investments. A residential move may be necessary to get a better job. Get involved in creative groups. Toning, fitness, pampering should all be scheduled.
CANCER (June 22-July 22) Overindulgence may cause conflicts. You are best to sit back and think it through, rather than add to the ranting and raving. Opportunities to learn important information will surface through discussions with peers or seminars you attend.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) Let others know what your intentions are and be honest in your approach. Be sure to pay attention to your financial status. You will be able to dazzle others with your obvious charm and your outgoing nature. Don't be too eager to buy things for those who really don't deserve it.
LEO (July 23-Aug 22) A passionate encounter with your mate should help alleviate that pent-up energy. You are likely to be left alone if you aren't willing to bend just a little. You can set your goals and make a beeline for your target. Be careful not to come on too strongly.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19) For best results get out of the office and do your job en route. You will be best suited to doing things around the house or inviting friends over for a visit. Don't say something you'll live to regret. Don't be too confident that coworkers are on your side.
VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Travel and entertaining conversation will be informative and uplifting. If you're single, get out there and you'll meet someone new. You can find out interesting information if you get a chance to talk to people you respect.
PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Your creative talent will prove to be lucrative if put to proper use. Put some energy into getting back into shape. Listen to reason. Do what you can but don't jeopardize your health trying to please everyone.
ACROSS 1. First Lady Truman 5. Swiss mountain 8. “M*A*S*H” star 12. Whitish stone 13. Musical Peggy 14. Stadium jeers 15. Very learned 16. Steel weight 17. Draw on metal 18. Cunning plan 20. Salon preparation 22. Go after 24. Of yesteryear 27. Entwine (hair) 30. Massachusetts colonist 32. Lasso (a calf) 33. Small firearm 34. Have existence 35. Green gem 37. Expand 38. Take a spouse 39. Dance clubs 41. Bizarre 42. Resort businesses 46. Library offering 49. Lyricist Gershwin 51. Fairly divided 52. Opera number 53. Convent woman 54. 1492 craft 55. Count (on) 56. Understand 57. Open-hand blow DOWN 1. Gift adornments 2. Long story 3. Pageant draping
4. More drowsy 5. Modify 6. Horoscope feline 7. Antarctic bird 8. Biblical brother 9. Large amount 10. Medic, slangily 11. Burnt residue 19. Riverbed ooze 21. Reefdwelling fish 23. Potatoes, in some places 24. Bone-dry 25. Contribute 26. Warning sign 27. Pub drink 28. Colosseum city 29. Imitated 31. Sparkles
33. Proceeding smoothly 36. Find a total 37. Try to charm 40. Sing monotonously 41. “Sure!” 43. Satanic
LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020. 21.
44. Lovely Horne 45. Ginger cookie 46. Soap unit 47. Vein extraction 48. Engine lubricant 50. Feel remorse about
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22. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN
News
Gayle in another defamation battle
30th public meeting at Alberttown. The party is the main constituent of governing coalition Not for the first time, partner APNU. cricketer Christopher Guyana is currently Gayle has taken his embroiled in battle off the field of campaigning for a play. (Photo Credit: general election set for Lakes Mail) March 2, 2020. In his letter of GUYANESE Opposition PPP/C candidate Charles Febuary 4, attorney Ramson Jr has denied that Roysdale Forde, writing on behalf of Gayle, he defamed international directed that Ramson cricketer Chris Gayle. Ramson Jr was sent a should within 24 hours retract the “defamatory” lawyer’s letter on February 4th on behalf of statements, which are “not only totally false Gayle, who has asked and untrue but seem that he retract calculated to subject statements made about [Gayle] to ridicule and him at a political portray him as being campaign meeting. Ramson’s statements, paid by a political party in Guyana to engage in which concerned a visit made by Gayle to Linden work on its behalf.” The letter continued, during the People’s “As you are aware, my National Congress client is an Reform’s celebration of internationally its 62nd anniversary, were made at a January recognized personality
and cricketer, and has carefully protected his brand and reputation especially by refusing to engage in public relations activities at the request of political parties.” Gayle also claimed that Ramson Jr’s statements were injurious to the financial success of some (entertainment) events which Gayle was planning to stage in Guyana. But Rasmon Jr, through his attorney, advised in writing that he did not accept any purported statement made by him in relation to your Gayle “is defamatory as you have alleged”. The letter went on to say that Gayle’s presence at a political party’s Anniversary celebration with pictures being taken
with the political party’s executives, leaders and members wearing their political party colours “does call into question his denial of being associated with a political party, which is still using pictures of his image. But Gayle maintained that he was
Opposition PPP/C candidate Charles Ramson Jr has balked Gayle’s claim that he defamed the cricketer. (Photo Credit Kaiteur News)
simply participating in a community outreach and visiting a part of the
country he had not been to before. (Source: Stabroek News)
Guyana makes first shipment of oil
ACCORDING to the Oil and Gas Journal of December 23, 2002, ‘only three Caribbean countries have oil and natural gas reserves: Barbados, Cuba, and Trinidad and Tobago. Of these, Trinidad and Tobago is the only significant exporter’. That journal, if it has not already updated its information, will now know the number of Caribbean countries with oil and natural gas reserves has increased by one to include Guyana. And as far as its capacity is concerned, Guyana could run on par with Trinidad and Tobago very soon, and become the Caribbean leading oilexporting country. All of this was etched into the record books when, on January 21, 2020, a Marshall Islands-registered oil tanker, MV Yannis set sail for the USA with 1 million barrels of Guyana’s light crude. The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), which is responsible for independently ensuring the accurate measurement of Guyana’s oil from the Stabroek Block, reported that the first offloading of crude oil on the floating production storage and offloading
The MV Yannis will forever be remembered as the oil tanker that took Guyana’s first shipment of crude oil to the USA. (Photo Credit: Vessel Finder)
(FPSO) was executed as planned. Lifts are expected approximately every 10 to 12 days from henceforth. “This first lift, due to the record set from discovery to production by the operator, sets Guyana firmly on its way to becoming one of the wealthiest countries on the globe per capita, according to many industry specialists,” a statement from the Department of Energy said. Already, the sector has witnessed foreign direct investment (FDI) in excess of US$500 million, the creation of over 1,700 direct jobs, over 600 service providers, and the establishment of over 70 joint ventures, alliances and partnerships which continue to increase. “Oil revenues from this venture alone are projected to realize approximately US$300 million in this first year and more than tripling over the next five years,” the Department of Energy added. Production in Guyana commenced on December 20, 2019, less than five years after the first-ever commercial discovery at the 6.6 million acres Stabroek Block. It is expected that up to 120,000 barrels of oil per day will be produced. To date, there has been a The Exxon Mobil rig at the Stabroek Block total of 17 oil finds in Guyana. from which the first shipment of oil was (Sources: HGP TV, 360 News) lifted. (Photo Credit: Noble Corporation)
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020. 23.
SVG U20 off to CONCACAF Qualifiers
Below: Wesley ‘Butu’ Charles (standing left), Head Coach of SVG U20 Football Team, addressing his players during a break in an on field session.
SVGNA’s President to be challenged
INCUMBENT PRESIDENT of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association Doris Mc Intosh will be challenged, when the Association holds its election BY THE TIME THIS next Tuesday, 18th PUBLICATION hits February, at the the road, the Thomas Saunders National U20 Secondary School. Football team will Mc Intosh’s be in Nicaragua, to challenger will be compete in her current Viceanother round of President, Natasha Natasha SandyCONCACAF Sandy-Stapleton. Stapleton qualifiers. Sandy- Stapleton The round is is convinced that set to begin affiliates need to have a “choice”, and has a tomorrow, sharp focus on Youth Development as her Saturday 15th selling point to those affiliates. and run until “My main goal to begin with is to develop Monday 24th a Grassroots Programme and work on February. developing a Mentorship Programme for our young girls,” Sandy — Stapleton proposed. In addition to In mapping out her action plan, if the host Nicaragua affiliatest give her the thumbs up, Sandy — and SVG, other of technically good players. Frontline: Shemal Reid, this squad will top the Stapleton emphasized, “ Holistic countries involved in this Cleon Westfield, Alpheus The Head Coach, zone and go to Miami in development is key.” round of qualifiers are Medica, Oryan Velox, though, is not daunted. June.” Earlier this year, Mc Intosh had Guyana, Montserrat, and Charles pointed to team He reiterated that once the Shane Lynch and Jahiem expressed confidence in affiliate returning the US Virgin Islands. Pompey; Goalkeepers preparation that began in team “sticks to the plans Speaking to THE and compete in every Garwin Davis and Jellando her for her third successive two-year term. earnest last year, and In the last elections staged two years ago, John. match, they will get the VINCENTIAN during a involved a number of Mc Intosh was re-elected unopposed. The travelling best results.” break in a recent training matches and camps as it Mc Intosh believed that getting St delegation: Manager The full squad reads: got closer to the qualifiers. session, Head Coach Vincent and the Grenadines back on the Rosalo Mc Kie; Head Defenders Javier Chance, “We did a lot of work on Wesley ‘Butu’ Charles international ranking table and the return Tristan Marshall, Jequan Coach - Wesley ‘Butu’ expressed confidence in his the team shape and how of the Constituency Tournament, were Adams, Mekeal Williams, Charles; Assistant Head we want to press and team. achievements which affiliates should take Coach -Hollester ‘Jazzy’ Zamaro Mofford and Ted defend,” Charles added. “The team has immense into deep consideration, when deciding who Browne; Goal Keeper Roberts; Midfield - Tevin While he is not talent, and I expect them should head the sport for the next two Coach Melvin ‘Chinchi’ Thompson, Joel Quashie, to do well. I think the boys underestimating any team years. Andrews; Striker Coach Dawarno Bynoe, Aaron have worked hard and just in the group, Charles Apart from the top post of President, Shandel Samuel. Jackson, Terrason Joseph need to be focussed during singled out host Nicaragua affiliates will next Tuesday, install persons and Jerron Dopwell; as a threat with their team the games. I have no doubt in the positions of First Vice- President, I.B.A.ALLEN Second VicePresident, Treasurer, Secretary, Public Relations Officer, Games Secretary, as KEVIN HANNAWAY was returned as of the year, is the Executive’s well a elect two President of the SVG Squash Association, focus on Youth Development. Committee Members. when the Association staged its Annual Toward this end, the St Tuesday’s Annual General Meeting at the National Squash Vincent and the Grenadines General Meeting, Centre at Paul’s Avenue, on Wednesday, Junior Squash Open is set for which is set to get 5th February. this weekend at the National going at 4:45 pm, will Also keeping their positions were: ViceSquash Centre, and the Junior also hear the President - Jules Snagg; Secretary - Cindy National Championships slated Executive and Walcott; Treasurer - Dr Sherian Slater; for the 20th and 21st March. Audited Financial Assistant Secretary/ Treasurer- Janine Junior Graded Report for 2018 to Doyle; Public Relations Officer - Jason Championships will be held 2020. Doyle and Committee Member- Rochelle from April 26 to 29. These The new Williams. Championships are the The new Junior Representative is Jada assessment tools for the Junior Executive’s first line Ross, while Amber Glasgow, Mikal Quashie Programme, which is an of duty is to From left: Kevin Hannaway, Amber and Azandar Gaymes are the new ongoing affair, and the Junior Summer administer the 2020 Glasgow, Rochelle Williams, Jada Ross, Committee Members. Programme, which is set for August. National Club Netball Mikal Quashie, Azandar Gaymes, Jason The Executive will administer the sport Additionally, the Executive plans to be Tournament, which Doyle, Cindy Walcott. Missing from photo for 2020 to 2021. part of Junior CASA and other age group commences Sunday, are: Jules Snagg, Janine Doyle and Dr. Among the intentions for the remainder championships. 8th March. Sherian Slater.
SVGSA elects new 2020- 2021 Executive
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24. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN
Sports
Shallow stars in weekend cricket HYRON SHALLOW had one of his rare exceptionally outstanding all round performances in last weekend round of matches, in the Premier Division of the NLA SVG Cricket Association Inc. National Cricket Competition. In a match played at Arnos Vale, Shallow turned in a bowling performance of 6 for 53, then hit 91 in FLOW Rivals second innings, but it was all in vain. Their opponents, Police Two, took first innings points in their drawn match. Batting first, FLOW Rivals managed 137 on the back of a fighting 63 by Lindon James. West Indies T20
specialist Kesrick Williams took 2 for 17. Police Two replied with 219 all out with an in form Salvan Browne following his last weekend century with 81. Shallow was the pick of the FLOW Rivals bowlers, snaring 6 for 53. FLOW Rivals, batting a second time, reached 157 for 1 when play ended. Shallow made 91 and Kody Horne was left not out on 56. In the other weekend Premier Division match, Guardian General Saints had an outright win over Victors One in a low-scoring encounter played at Sion Hill. Guardian General Saints, batting
St Lucia WICBC T20 Champions.
first, managed a mere 93, with Jeremy Layne top scoring with 27. Luke Wilson picked up 4 for 27 and Cody Dabreo 2 for 25. Victors One in reply struggled to 100, Atticus Browne and Norlan Williams 39 each and off spinner Jeremy Haywood picking up 5 for 22. In what would be a ‘slight’ improvement, Guardian General Saints closed at 117 in their second innings, Alex Samuel leading with 35, Norlan Williams picking up 4 for 28 and Ronaldo Franklyn 3 for 14. Set the more than reachable target of 111 for victory, Victors One was bowled out for 82, with Kimson Dalzell
contributing 35. Ray Charles triggered the Victors One’s top order slide taking 5 for 19, to help Saints secure their first win for the season. Stories by I.B.A. Allen Hyron Shallow put in an unexpected top all round performance but to no avail.
SVG WICBC 50 Sammy Cricket Overs Champions. Stadium. The match came down to SVG needing 3 runs off the last ball to claim victory, but managed only one run. Juliana Nero hit a classy half-century The defending despite the team falling champions would hold their nerves to beat SVG short. Scores: St Lucia 116 by 1 run in an exciting for 4 from 20 overs final, at the Darren Qiana Joseph 62,
SVG, St. Lucia share honours ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES and St Lucia retained Windward Islands Female 50 Overs and T20 titles
respectively, when the Championships concluded in St Lucia last weekend. In the T20 format,
SVG beat Grenada to advance to the final, while St Lucia defeated Dominica for a spot to defend their title.
Samantha Caine 2 for 24; SVG 115 for 4 from 20 - Juliana Nero 50, Stacy Ann Adams 21, Nerissa Crafton took 2 for 37. In the preceding 50 Overs Championship, the SVG Females successfully defended their tile, with wins over Grenada and Dominica, and one loss against St Lucia.
Five Vincentians in Windwards Team EXPERIENCED West Indies player Cordel Jack is among five Vincentian female cricketers who have been included in a 14member squad, to represent the Windward Islands in the Cricket West Indies Limited Overs Cricket Tournament next Cordel Jack, top order batter
month in Guyana. Along with Jack, the other players are: newcomers Jephina Joseph and Jemeila Glasgow; and Kemonre Homer and Edlyn Turtin. Notable omission from the squad, which will again be led by West Indies Jephina leg spinner Afy Joseph, opener Fletcher of Grenada, is long serving West Indies player Juliana Nero of SVG. The squad reads: Afy Fletcher (Captain), Ashlene Edward (Vice-President), Japhina Joseph, Malika Edward, Gem Elio dom, Cordel Jack, Pearl Etienne, Qiana Joseph, Zaida James, Jannillea Glasgow, Carena Noel, Yasmine St Ange, Edelyn Turtin and Kimone Homer. Reserves are Vinisha King, Shanttan Charles, Nerissa Crafton and Stacy Ann Adams. Meanwhile, three Vincentians have been included in a 13-member Windward Islands Under-19 Female
Kemonre Homer, all- rounder (L): Jemeila Glasgow, allrounder
team, that Edlyn Turtin, will compete wicketkeeper in the Regional Under-19 Tournament, scheduled for Trinidad in April. They are Jannillea Glasgow, Alison Antoine and Jena Maloney. They will join a squad led by Taylor Dickson that also includes: , Zaida James (Vice Captain), Suenelli Dorius, Makada Dubois, Adicia Burton, Jenifer Gasper, Earnisha Fountaine, Shernia Copper, Christy Blake and Britney Pascal.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020. 25.
Sports
Bailey, Durrant off to good starts
Bridging the gap THE PAVILION at the Richmond Hill Playing Field turned 50 years last January. It was built to accommodate an Under-19 (School Boys) Australian cricket team, on a swing through the Caribbean. That match turned out to be one of this country’s biggest encounters. The construction of the pavilion was aimed at enhancing this country’s reputation as a hospitable nation. It replaced the ‘Hut’ that served as everything on that playing field. There was not very much of a welcome at the Hut, for it was designed to hold the mattin and not much else. Earl Robinson, the go to cricket archivist of local, regional and international acclaim, sacrificed some of his time to give me an ‘off the top of the head’ reminder of those who represented Australia. Four of those went on to play Test cricket for Australia: Gary Gilmour, Gary Cozier, Ian Davis and Trevor Chappell. The St. Vincent and the Grenadines squad included: Kens Dougan, Egbert Bailey, Tyrone Grant, Frank George, Freddie Alexander, Albert Tannis, Stanley Hinds, Douglas Woodward, Ken Mercury, Henry John, and Selwyn Allen. It was a three-day encounter, Robinson reminded me, timed to coincide with January 22 which was a big holiday then. It was considered an accomplishment to host the Aussies. Whether or not there was adequate accommodation at a single hotel, arrangements were for the Australian players to stay at homes of local citizens. Local authorities ensured that those houses were suitable substitutes for the average Five Star Hotel. One guest had a particular welcome. If it happens today, there will be an uproar. Trevor Chappell could not take part in the game, and remained here some days after his colleagues had departed. He was inflicted by some ailment. Chappell aroused extra curiosity, for besides the fact of him being the youngest of the Chappell brothers, he was assigned to the Governor’s residence. Australia won the match, but the Vincentians were not disgraced. Everyone who represented SVG has memories of his involvement. It was a mammoth turnout at the Richmond Hill Playing Field, as persons occupied every vantage point inside the enclosure and perhaps as many above and beyond. The coconut branches mounted around the perimeter of the field to prevent persons from having a free look, formed part of a Caribbean work of art. It is symbolic that construction of the Athletic Track is ongoing 50 years after the Richmond Hill Playing Field upgrade. There have been differing versions of sports and the provision of facilities here. Perhaps calypsonian Michael ‘Lord Have Mercy’ Ollivierre was prophetic when he warned the ruling ULP regime that they might have to “take yo licks like a big man,” if they failed to address the issue of a Track for athletes. If things go according to plans, another Australian team will be here next year. Unlike the days of the Under 19 visit 50 years ago, the squad will be accommodated as a team in a much improved, world class hotel facility. Australian cricketers have fond memories of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. They admitted that their plot towards winning the 2007 ICC World Championship was hatched at Fort Charlotte. The Ministry of Tourism will arrange for them to visit the Fort Charlotte site, and revive memories of that episode. And like the Breadfruit Hut which had to be replaced for the young Aussies’ trip, there will be substantial refurbishment to the Arnos Vale Playing Field in time for the Australian visit.
First in Category OneZefal Bailey, as he reached the finish line. ZEFAL BAILEY won Category One and Peter Durrant pouched Category
Two, when the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cycling Union hosted its first event for 2020 last Sunday. Bailey completed the 25-mile course which began at Tyrell Street in Kingstown, out to Bridgetown, Biabou, returning along the Windward coast, to end at the Sion Hill Intersection, in a time of 1 hour 24 minutes 48 seconds. Second to Bailey in Category One was Albert Quammie - 1 hour 27 minutes 28 seconds, and third was Lucky Antrobus- 1 hour 29 minutes 25 seconds. Meanwhile, Durrant timed 1 hour 15 minutes 30 seconds in a shorter
course which, instead of journeying to Biabou, turned at Argyle, then to the Sion Hill Intersection. Antonio Richardson was second to Durrant in a time of 1 hour 20 minutes 59 seconds, with Venezuelan Carlos Rivas -third, in 1 hour 28 minutes 41 seconds. Sherwin James and Marlon Antrobus finished fourth and fifth respectively in Category One, while Rivas Young was the other cyclist who finished in Category Left: Peter Durrant Two. crosses the finish line Rock Hard Cement last Sunday at the Sion provided trophies for Hill Intersection. Category Two. The next event of the for February 29 at the Cycling Union’s calendar ET Joshua Airport is a BMX race slated Tarmac.
Blue Marlins reward top swimmers ZARIEL NELSON was named the Blue Marlins Swim Club’s Most Outstanding Swimmer, when the Club hosted its 2019 Awards Ceremony and Cocktail last Saturday afternoon, at the Calliaqua Town Hall. Nelson distinguished herself last year, by
Mya Samuel (left) accepts her Coaches Award from Neisha Alexander.
being a double gold medallist at the Annual Aquatic Centre International. She reestablished new marks in the Females 9-10 Butterfly and Freestyle events at the 2019 OECS Swim Championships, staged here in St Vincent and the Grenadines. She also won the
individual title and was the 9- 12 Sprint Champion at the CGM Gallagher Championships, that took place at Shrewsbury Aquatic Centre (SAC). And as if that was not enough, the young swimmer was the 9-12 Sprint Champion at the FLOW Invitational Swimming Championships, held too at SAC. Meanwhile, taking the Female Swimmer of the Year title was Kennice Greee, with Seth Byron copping the Male Award. The Most Improved Male and Female Swimmers were Tyler Andrews and Mya Samuel. Julian De Freitas and Skylar Byron were named the two Junior Swimmers of the Year, and pouching the Break Julian De Freitas – Junior Male Swimmer of Out award, were Belle Adams and Jadon the Year.
First division cricket round-up THERE WERE victories for Pollard Investment North Windward Combine and Vee Jay’s Roof Top and Bar North Windward in last weekend round of matches in the NLA/SVGCA 50 Overs First Division. North Windward Combine recorded a comfortable 130-run win over CJ Julius Anthony MSDA Northern at Arnos Vale Two. Scores: North Windward Combine 287 in 45.3 overs, Kerwin Williams 59, Orwin Williams 50, Julian Edwards 43, Mayor Edwards 3 for 29; Northern Stars 157
in 21.5 overs., O.J Matthews 58, Deswayne Williams 3 for 27, Dean Browne 3 for 36. At the London Playing Field, North Windward beat French Verandah SVG Community College (SVGCC) by 44 runs. Scores: North Windward 253 in 33.2 overs, Elroy Brackin 73, Jerden Jacobs 3 for 36; SVGCC 209 in 36 overs, Derron Matthews 62, Denson Hoyte 4 for 47 and Haniff Ollivierre 3 for 42. I.B.A.ALLEN
Zariel Nelson – Most Outstanding Swimmer. Hamilton. There were five swimmers who were awarded for their commitment to the sport: Hazen Dabriel, Jaynika Williams, Dakarai Regisford, Sebastien De Freitas and Tayeah St Hillaire. And, gaining the Coaches Awards were Mya Samuel, Zorya Peters and Yohan Haynes. Founder of the Blue Marlins Swim Club, Rickydene Alexander gave remarks at the ceremony, during which he highlighted the Club’s continuing relationship with the Cancer group — ‘SCORCH’. Johnathan Roberts was the Featured Speaker at last Saturday’s Awards Ceremony.
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26. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN
News
Lowmans Bay Power Plant commemorates milestone
ST. VINCENT ELECTRICITY SERVICES LIMITED (VINLEC) commemorated an important milestone in the Company’s history. On that day in 2007, VINLEC officially took ownership of the state of the art, modern, Lowmans Bay Power Plant. The construction of the Lowmans Bay facility was part of the Company’s Generation Expansion Project and was financed by the Caribbean Development Bank, the European Investment Bank and VINLEC. The expansion of the 33kV Transmission system was the other
component of the project. VINLEC’s acquisition of the plant came after a four-year project procurement and implementation period. The project’s contractor was MAN Diesel Canada Ltd. Upon completion of the phase one of the Generation Expansion project, the Lowmans Bay Power Plant had a generating capacity of 8.7 megawatts (MW) and provided just over 30 percent of power on mainland, St. Vincent. Over the past thirteen years, there have been major transformations and
one the major accomplishments at the facility was the completion of phase two, which saw the installation of two additional generating units and other auxillaries. This phase, executed to meet growing electricity demands, was managed by an in-house team and executed by MAN Diesel Canada Ltd. Presently, the Plant has 17.4 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity and there are four mediumspeed diesel power MAN 9L 32/40 engines in the Power House. The Station
Aerial shot of Lowmans Bay site. now provides between 6065 percent of power generated in St. Vincent. Plant Engineer, Mr. Mark Lulley has been working at this since the inception of the project. Mr. Lulley says he is honoured to be a part of this important phase in VINLEC’s history and noted his pleasure with the advancement at the Lowmans Bay Plant over the years. He said that the Plant is one of the most advanced in the region and the operations are in keeping with international standards. Training, according to Lulley, continues to be an area of priority. He noted that the Company provided inhouse and external training opportunities for staff over the years and that in the early years of operations he spent extensive hours in the engine room providing training. Mr. Lulley noted that developing the
capacity has reduced the Company’s dependency on external contractors to execute work and that this brought financial benefits to VINLEC. He said that his staff complement of thirty-eight, which includes mechanical, electrical and operations personnel, are well equipped to take care of the facility. Meanwhile, Senior Generation Engineer, Mr. Augustus Ambrose is confident that the Lowmans Bay facility has positively impacted the quality of service delivered to customers as it relates to reliability and quality. He said for quality assurance purposes across the Company, emphasis is placed on preventative maintenance. He noted that the Company continues to examine the area of renewable energy with a view to increasing the penetration of renewable energy sources
in electricity generation. He outlined several projects within the last year namely, the Union Island Solar Project, the Cane Hall Engineering Solar car port and the Mayreau Microgrid project. Mr. Ambrose said that the Mayreau project is in its final stage and that he anticipates power will be supplied to the island using that system by the end of February. The Lowmans Bay site also houses a small solar farm. The solar farm was commissioned in November 2014 and has a total capacity of 350 kilowatts (kW). Mr. Ambrose says he is satisfied with the operations at the Lowmans Bay Station and extended gratitude to the staff at the Station, staff in the Generation Department and staff across the Company who have all contributed to the development at the Plant. (Submitted)
National Youth Council 40 years Old Corlita Ollivierre, Junior Bacchus, Lennox In the beginning, our Bowman, Arthur Bobb, first Executive read: Curtis King and their Patron Kenneth John; current live-wire Michael President Reverend Keith Johnson. From this Rae; First and Second illustrious assemblage of Vice-Presidents, James sons and daughters of St. Francois and Vera-Ann Vincent, one with Brereton; Secretary, difficulty singles out Jeffrey Daisy; Assistant Jeffrey Daisy, historically, Secretary Cameron as the prime mover of the James; Treasurer fledgling institution. Westmore John; PRO, If one places focus on Bobby Fraser; Committee the individual who best Members Oscar Allen, epitomizes all that is of Ishbelle Young and Loren good report in the Daisy. Vincentian youth, one Our star-studded roster rests comfortably with the of Presidents includes: personality and Reverend Keith Rae, Cims accomplishments of Martin, James Francois, Adrian Saunders of the Cameron James, Jerry CCJ, as a fine standardScott, Ulric Jones, Clive bearer and moral Frank, Adrian Saunders, exemplar. Continued from Page 8.
It therefore follows that, if we are looking for a past official of the NYC as an emblem or one-man distillation of the group, we should turn either to Jeffrey Daisy (deceased) as we look back for inspiration, or Adrian Saunders as we fastforward to our goals. The NYC is to be congratulated on the attainment of its fortieth anniversary, even if there is a flaw with its choice of a hero after whom a scholarship is to be named.” The NYC is now experiencing a mid-term crisis. As original patron, I offer this article as inspiration for Father Abraham and his flock.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020. 27.
Classifieds
WINSTON FELIX DASOUZA Overland Baptist Church Saturday, 8th February, 2020 Viewing: 1:00 p.m. Service: 3:00 p.m. Interment: Overland Cemetery
ELLIS BERT WILLIAMS Berean Baptist Church Georgetown Saturday, 1st February, 2020 Viewing: 2:00 p.m. Service: 3:00 p.m. Interment: Georgetown Cemetery
GLENN ST AGATHE LYNCH Cathedral of the Assumption Kingstown Friday, 7th February, 2020 Viewing: 2:00 p.m. Service: 3:00 p.m. Interment: Kingstown Cemetery PATLINE LUENDA LLEWELYN Cathedral of the Assumption Kingstown Thursday, 6th February, 2020 Viewing: 1:00 p.m. Service: 2:00 p.m. Interment: Kingstown Cemetery
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FRIDAY,
FEBRUARY 14, 2020
VOLUME 114, No.07
www.thevincentian.com
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CUBAN NURSE MEMORIALISED Residents, in their statement, said that the deceased pledged A MEMORIAL SERVICE was held last allegiance to her adopted Wednesday at the R.C. St. Mary’s homeland as she did to her own Cathedral, for Cuban-born nurse country, Cuba. She was Adrianna Taylor-Israel. recognized for her love of music Taylor-Israel was shot in the yard and dancing, and was willing to of the St. Martin’s Secondary School, go the extra mile. on Thursday 30th January, just after “She was a loving and school was dismissed at 3pm. She had protective mother, totally gone to the school to ‘pick up’ the elder committed to her two boys,” said of her two sons. a representative from the She died an hour or so after Association, who added that her arriving at the Milton Cato Memorial prayer and her hope were that Hospital, where she was assigned. “Arianna’s death would serve as a Her husband of 15 years, 57-yearwake-up call in this community .. to old Civil Servant Mitchell Israel, has those who are suffering in silence. A been charged for her murder. call to stand, a call to speak and a call There was, as expected, an to act.” outpouring of grief at Wednesday’s Other tributes came from the SVG Memorial, interspersed with a number Nurses Association of which Taylorof tributes. Israel was an active member, and the The SVG Association of Cuban Starlift Steel Orchestra to which the by KENVILLE HORNE
Members of Starlift Steel Orchestra comfort the sons of the deceased.
Vincentians of all ages and walks of life turned out to pay their respects to Nurse Arianna. Inset: Adrianna Taylor-Israel. deceased’s two sons were affiliated. A number of Ministers of Government were in attendance, but Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves was noticeably absent. He did, however, have a statement delivered on his behalf by his wife Eloise. In it he said, inter alia, that Arianna was a distinguished member
Vincentian Nurses who had had their own memorial earlier, still came out in full force to send off their fallen colleague.
Published by The VINCENTIAN Publishing Co. Ltd, St. Vincent and the Grenadines;
of the nursing profession, a magnificent mother, a devoted and loyal spouse, and an exceptional human being whose violent death shocked the nation; that he first got to know Taylor in December, 2001 shortly after she and other Cuban nurses arrived in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on a two-year assignment; that she fell in love with St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and worked tirelessly for the Vincentian people, and also fell in love with a Vincentian man whom she eventually married; that he will never forget Arianna. The Prime Minister expressed condolences on behalf of the government and people of SVG. Scripture readings at the Service were done by Arianna’s close friend Deirdre Millington-Myers and by Dr. Aimee Mercedes Duharte Taylor, sister. Taylor-Israel’s body was expected to be cremated.
Printed by the SVG Publishers Inc., Campden Park.