The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
THURSDAY,
APRIL 13, 2017
VOLUME 111, No.15
www.thevincentian.com
EC$1.50
The gap that leads (left) to the Chester Cottage community a short distance from Georgetown. Georgetown Hospital by ambulance, where he was given emergency treatment and then rushed to Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, Kingstown, where he remains warded. He has already undergone a series of procedures to remove the bullets and extract excessive fluid from his cheat area. Many persons in the community are of the opinion that the incident is in retaliation for an altercation that occurred a few years ago. The incident resulted in the death of a young man, also from Chester Cottage, and a relative of Mack’s was implicated in the stabbing death. However, a few months Istah Mack, pictured with his daughter, was not ago, the case was known to be involved in any acts of a violent discontinued, and the nature. Mack family in the community has been the By KENVILLE HORNE Thursday 6th April, subject of a number of while making his way threats from persons A FAMILY in Chester home, Istah Mack, a 30- close to the deceased. Cottage, a community in year-old labourer of Istah’s sister - Inesha the North Central Chester Cottage, was Mack, told THE Windward constituency, is shot in the left side of his VINCENTIAN that, living in fear after a male chest and lower back by based on the information member was shot. unknown assailants. from her brother’s doctor, At about 10pm on Mack was taken to the
“He will pull through. He walk and talking better now,” said Mack, “My brother don’t trouble people,” she added. Inesha said that after her brother was shot, the family did not venture outside because a number of males were at the gate leading to the house that she , her mom and other siblings share. According to Inesha, there was at least one man armed with a with cutlass. They were heard to say that anybody from the family that they get hold of will be killed. “Dem ah kill children, man, woman. I am not going to work , I am scared,” said the grieving sister. The group of men eventually left, on noticing the police presence. Inesha said she would like to see the arrest of the man or men responsible for shooting her brother,and those whio have made threats against her family. “Take them in, talk to them. Let them know the lives they want to take is
Inesha Mack, at the MCMH bedside of her brother Istah, said that she has had to leave the Chester Cottage since the shooting incident. innocent lives,” she said. Inesha has since left the community, fearing for her life. “I have to stay somewhere else because I am afraid, my family is worried,” she said, adding that her brother was not known to be involved in any “violence,”, a sentiment
that other persons in the community echoed. Meanwhile, the situation in Chester Cottage remains tense as reports indicate that gunshots have been heard repeatedly in the area since the incident involving Istah. There have also been reports of skirmishes.
2. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN
V News 3 Gunshot victim forgives assailant(s)
THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. 3.
ISTAH MACK is very fortunate to be alive after he was ambushed and shot while making his way home last week Thursday, April 6. However, he told THE VINCENTIAN that he has forgiven his attackers, and even prayed for them. Mack, 34, a labourer of Chester Cottage, was shot while making his way to his home after visiting his mother. He recalls being wounded and running to a neighbour’s house for help. But despite his brush with death, he says he will still go back to his community when he recovers, and is praying to God that the culprits could turn from their wicked ways.
“I pray God help them to behave themselves and stop living the life they living,” said Mack. Mustering the strength to recall the incident, Istah related: “When me get the first shot, me drop a ground, then me get another shot. Me manage to get up and run, in a lady yard. After I run, two more shots pelt off ,” said Mack, adding that the other two shots did not hit him. He said he was shot from a close range because the assailants were lying in wait, in the dark, for him. This was the first time he was ever shot at, far less being shot. He remembers asking the lady whose yard he entered, to
call his girl friend and motherin-law. They arrived and called the police. His father and a few villagers took him to the intersection with the main road, from where an ambulance transported him to the Georgetown Hospital, then to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, where he is currently recovering. The Chester Cottage man said that he is certain that he was shot because he is the uncle of a woman who was implicated in the death of the young man from the community. “I don’t interfere with people, but they say ‘a Mack is a Mack’. Me love me daughter and me girlfriend. Every time me daughter come
see me, she a bawl and ask ‘Daddy when you a come home’,” said Mack. He said that he has heard the sound of gun fire on many occasions in his community but no arrest have ever been made. And Istah has every intention of returning to Chester Cottage. “Me a go back to Chester go relax, and me beg God to guard me. Me just leave everything in Jehovah God hand,” said Mack, adding, “Sometimes you can’t fight fire with fire, you have to fight spiritually. I done pray for them who shoot me God keep me alive.” Up to the time of being shot, Istah was employed in
Istah Mack, even as he recovers from bullet wounds inflicted on him by a person or persons unknown, says that he has found forgiveness in his heart. the construction industry. Now, he is uncertain how he is going to cater for his family, given his situation. The sentiment of persons in the community is that Mack did not deserve to be shot. (KH)
Authorities being proactive GOVERNMENT has been proactive in dealing with the issue of combating violence against yacht visitors. Minister of Tourism Cecil McKie gave this assurance during last week Thursday’s Sitting of Parliament, saying that the authorities had started implementing initiatives to deal with the problem. Mc Kie was responding to a question on the matter tabled by Leader of the Opposition and MP for the Northern Grenadines — Dr. Goodwin Friday who, in prefacing his question, stated that this country had accounted for about one third of the violent incidents reported in the region. By way of measures to address the issue, Mc Kie referenced to Mayreau patrol that was put in place some six years ago. The purview of that patrol also included surveillance of the Tobago Cays Marine Park. The Minister went on to indicate that members of the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) or ‘Black Squad’ had a permanent presence on Union Island. And in Bequia, patrols were being conducted in Port Elizabeth, where a
Bequia fishermen on a whale hunt. Whaling is considered a tradition in that Grenadine Island.
Time to look at whaling, says PM Cecil Mc Kie, Minister of Tourism (inset), assured number of yachts are the Parliament that government was being proactive usually anchored, and in its drive to ensure safety of yachts persons and from the Police Station tourists in general. in Paget Farm. The Coast Guard sub- persons on yachts and and are monitored by the base in Union Island Coast Guard on a 24 officers at the CG base. commenced operations in hour basis, McKie said. Similarly, radios 2013 and is responsible There have been installed at various for patrolling Mayreau, initiatives by private police stations, Canouan, Union Island, particularly in areas that sector stakeholders. A the Tobago Cays and meeting held in March to were considered blind Petit St Vincent. discuss the issue of spots, have also The Coast Guard are safety and security as it enhanced surveillance also involved in related to the yachting measures. conducting patrols on the sector, was the setting Minister Mc Kie mainland including disclosed that the Coast up of a steering Wallilabou, Cumberland, Guard intends to work committee, and a Chateaubelair and Villa, along with the NTRC to decision was made to mooring areas popular produce a leaflet for each install high frequency with yachts, Mc Kie said. digital selected radios at port of entry that would The installation of among other things, all coastal police GMS radios at the Coast stations, and provide depict information such Guard base at Calliaqua, training for police as reporting incidents, undertaken by the incident procedures, officers who will be National contacts for essential tasked with managing Telecommunications services, Coast Guard, these radios. Regulatory Commission Police and general Cameras were also (NTRC), facilitates information about the installed, another communication between initiative of the NTRC, location of the port. (DD)
IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT killing of two Orcas in full view of tourists, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has said that the time has come for this country to review the whaling sector/tradition. “We have to ask the question also, next August when the matter of our quotas for the Hump Back whales comes up, it used to be one but the IWC (International Whaling Commission) had it increased to four. The most we catch is two, a lot of times it is one. Since 2001, we have caught about three, so we have to ask ourselves should we keep this quota of four per year, or carry it down to one or two?” He made the point at last week Thursday’s meeting of Parliament. “We have certain international frameworks under which we operate, and we have to do so sensibly,” Gonsalves said. He cleared the air with regard to rumours that St Vincent and the Grenadines sides with Japan when it comes to whaling. “That is not true,” Gonsalves said emphatically. According to the Prime Minister, his administration made two changes with respect to this country’s association with the IWC. The first was to dismiss the individual hired to be the delegate for SVG, and who was being paid by an outside source; and the second was that this government refused to accept money from external sources as payment of its dues to the IWC. Gonsalves said that for some time the fee to the IWC that gave a right to vote was 40,000 pounds per year. That has since been reduced to 20,000 pounds. “So no one can say that they can bring external influence on us,” Gonsalves said. (DD)
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4. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN
News
Lawyer writes COP (Ag) on traffic flaw by HAYDN HUGGINS ATTORNEY Grant Connell has written to Acting Commissioner of Police Renold Hadaway concerning the inspection of public service vehicles. The letter, dated April 3, 2017 states that The Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act Cap 483 of the laws of this land and subsidiary legislation, make it quite clear what the obligations are when it comes to the inspection of vehicles. According to the Act, owners of Public Service Vehicles, goods vehicles and trailers shall produce the vehicle to an inspector for examination twice annually. Connell pointed out that the present practice of the Inland Revenue Department in the simultaneous issuing of a receipt for inspection fees and at the annual licence sticker, overrides the duty of the owner of such vehicles to be obligated in having the second inspection done in accordance with the Act, so as to ensure that vehicles of this nature are road worthy. “The granting of such annual stickers, would prevent the most vigilant of traffic officers from deciphering which vehicles have been inspected for the second half of the year, since they could be
misled by the presence of an annual sticker on the front windscreen of the said vehicle, giving the indication that the vehicle has complied with the law as aforementioned,” Connell wrote. He called for what he described as a “mendacious habit” by the Licence Office to be halted with immediate effect, and suggested that half-year licence stickers be granted on the payment of the first inspection fee, thereby forcing the owner of that vehicle to comply with the Law, and then be granted the licence sticker for the next six-month period. The letter was copied to Attorney General Judith JonesMorgan, Comptroller, Inland Revenue Department Kelvin Pompey, and Head of the Traffic Department Superintendent Kenneth John. Connell, who represented Ehud Myers, one of the two defendants who were cleared of manslaughter charges, March 31, in connection with the January 12, 2015, ‘Rock Gutter’ accident which claimed the lives of seven students, told THE VINCENTIAN on Tuesday, that records from the Inland Revenue Department on the Licence and Inspection Payment history of the minibus involved in
the accident, showed that both the inspection receipt and the annual licence sticker were issued on June 6, 2014. The second inspection should have been done in the last week of December 2014, on the expiration of the first inspection period which is six months. “Was the vehicle inspected in December?” Connell questioned. “The vehicle should have been inspected in December. .. How many H and T vehicles on the road have annual stickers on their windscreens but have only been inspected once, as in the case of private vehicle?” Connell continued. And in a tone of urgency, Connell said, “This practice must stop. The state has a duty to ensure that all vehicles on the road are road worthy. If they fail to do so, who can we really blame for an omission? “It would be interesting to know how container trucks and their trailers are inspected, given their work load, and the catastrophe they can cause if they are not road worthy,” Connell said. Up to press time Thursday, Connell was still awaiting a response from the Acting Commissioner.
TeenÊs body washed ashore SINCE HE disappeared in the usually turbulent waters of the Mt. Young Bay last week Thursday, family and friends of 16-year-old Denzil Rogers have been roaming the bay in anticipation that his body would wash ashore.
Some relief came last Tuesday morning when, according to reliable sources, Denzil’s already deteriorating body was washed ashore in the said bay, which some persons refer to as Black Point Beach. Denzil, a fifth form student of the North Union Secondary School, was said to have been enjoying a day at the beach with friends and relatives last week Thursday, when he got caught in a rip current which Denzil Rogers, who often develops at the Mt. drowned at Mt. Young Bay. Young Bay, was set Reports are that some to sit his CSEC persons attempted to “pull Denzil out of the water,” but exams in May/June. the strong current washed him further out to sea. Denzil was, in fact, one of two drownings in the state on that day, Thursday 6th April. Police here confirmed that a French citizen, Mane Aime’, died after running into difficulty while swimming at the Chathan Bay, Union island. Aime’ was said to have been on vacation with her husband, on that Grenadine Island. Efforts to resuscitate Mt Young Bay, with its usually the 66-yearactive shoreline, is bordered by the old woman very popular Black Point failed. Recreational Park.
At least one lawyer here has found casue for concern over what he terms is a breach of procedure laid down by the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act in relation to Public Service vehicles.
Not all minibuses have systems that play lewd and excessive music, but government has warned that it will take action against those that do.
NOBA thinks it’s time for action by HAYDN HUGGINS PRESIDENT of the National Omnibus Association (NOBA) Anthony ‘Code Red’ Bacchus agrees that it’s high time that the authorities do something about lewd and excessive music in vehicles. Speaking with THE VINCENTIAN on Monday, Bacchus made it clear that NOBA is firmly opposed to this practice which, he admits, “is annoying, and disrespectful to the public.” He also posited that lewd and excessive music in vehicles is not only disturbing but could result in serious ear damage. Commuters, Bacchus said, must be able to travel in comfort. “They must be able to answer phone calls or tell the conductor at which bus stop to leave them, without having any difficulty, caused by loud music.” “The travelling public is comprised of persons of all ages, including infants and the elderly, who have to endure the discomforts and health risks in order to get to their destinations,” Bacchus acknowledged.. “NOBA does not support or condone anything that is wrong. People must receive proper customer service. I know that the music is loud and out of hand,” Bacchus said, adding that the public has been complaining about it for too long. While Bacchus is of the view that many minibus operators play their music moderately, he admitted that there are those who are bent on doing so in a loud and disrespectful manner. Addressing the issue of fares, Bacchus called on conductors to collect the fares which were gazetted in 2011. He noted that conductors have not been collecting those fares, despite the increases in the cost of maintaining minibuses. He is also urging drivers and conductors to conduct themselves properly, and to be polite and respectful to passengers. He issued a stern warning to the reckless drivers, stating, “You cannot put a price on someone’s life. Life is priceless”. Plans are afoot by NOBA for the hosting of a workshop for the owners, drivers, and conductors of minibuses. The exercise is aimed at encouraging the safer and proper use of the roads, not only to safeguard lives and limbs, but also in an effort to regain the confidence of Insurances Companies. NOBA intends to hold a general meeting in the near future.
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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. 5.
Regional
Rastafarians get an apology, but... AFTER ALMOST FIFTY-FOUR years to the day, Rastafarians in Jamaica have got an apology for the “grave injustice” meted out to their “brethren” during a state authorized attack on them, April 11 – 13, 1963. Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness in Parliament last week Tuesday (April 4, 2017), apologised for the “grave injustice”, inflicted on the Rastarfarian community of Coral Gables, near
Montego Bay, on what has become known as ‘Bad Friday’, since the events ensued over the Easter Weekend — Good Friday being in that year, April 12. The records show that at least seven persons were killed and as many as 150 Rastafarians were rounded up, arrested, beaten, and had their dreadlocks cut. The ‘Bad Friday’ events were the culmination of an
orchestrated and open show of discrimination by the state. It came just a year into Jamaica’s independence from Great Britain, and was said to be endorsed, if not authorised by the Jamaica Labour Party government of the day, the said Party that now apologized 54 years later. In addition to the “official apology’, Prime Minister Holness announced that six plots
at the site of the first formal Rastafarian community, Pinnacle in St Catherine, would be set aside and marked as heritage sites, in honour of the Prime Minister Andrew Holness Rastafarian delivering the apology to faith which has Rastafarians, in the Jamaica been Parliament, Tuesday 4th March, instrumental 2017. (Credit: in placing visionnewspaper.ca) Jamaica on the world map. Miguel Lorne, legal advisor to the He also Coral Gardens Benevolent committed his Society, said the apology should government’s have been extended to all assistance to Rastafarians in Jamaica. (Credit: the Coral Loop News) Gardens Benevolent to seven-years for the Society, saying, according possession of a marijuana to media reports from spliff. Jamacia, that a trust fund Lorne also had of no less than JA$10 problems with the amount million (just over of money the government US$75,000) would be announced as reparations established for the benefit for what he described as a Barbara Blake Hannah, of survivors of Bad Friday. “most heinous act.”
Mixed reactions
“That amount is disrespectful. We cannot accept that. For what has been suffered, they should offer much more. We may seek legal redress,” he said. However, both the Jamaica Observer and the Gleaner, in addition to other news blogs in Jamaica, reported that support for the Prime Minister’s promise came from unexpected quarters, not least being Rastafarian author, filmmaker and former Jamaican senator, Barbara Blake Hannah. Blake-Hannah is reported as saying that “the apology is long overdue, especially from a JLP government,” and that she regards the
Rastafarian author and former Jamaican senator, considered the apology and promise to be a good start. (Credit: Pinterest)
But legal advisor to the Coral Gardens Benevolent Society, Miguel Lorne, in a swift retort to the Prime Minister’s announcement, JA$10 million as “a good described the apology as start.” unsatisfactory. Blake Hannah is also According to Lorne, as reported as saying that reported in the Jamaica she “hopes the funds will media, the apology should be placed on deposit and have been issued to the the interest used to entire Rastafarian finance not only the needs community, not just the of the 21 families victims of the fateful presently identified, but incident. invested in businesses, “The apology falls short. farms and other ventures,” While we accept the adding, “Some will say it’s apology, because it’s a not enough…..but to be start, it is not enough. You realistic it’s a good must apologise to the beginning.” (Sources: Rastafari community Jamaican Newspapers and worldwide,” Lorne told the News Blogs) media last week Friday. Lorne referred to the action of the state in1963 as going nationwide in its target of Rastafarians, many, he said, who had nothing to do with the incidents in Coral Gables where it all started. Lorne, who himself suffered persecution during the 1963 unrest, recalled that the police and citizens were paid “one guinea (approximately J$3) for every Rasta they brought in (to the authorities).” He also related how the courts in particular, “were Rastafarians suffered abuse of unimaginable merciless against Rastas,” proportions at the hands of the police/state, during with many being the ‘Good Friday’ unrest. (Credit: imprisoned for periods up
worldmagazinejam.ca)
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6. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN
Diaspora
Scorcher receives Lifetime Achievement Award laughter, in his acceptance speech. “Friends of Sion kingnaking210@yahoo.com Hill, continue to do US CORRESPONDENT the good work, ‘cause it takes a THE THREE-YEAR-OLD Friends of village to raise Sion Hill Inc., Saturday evening, somebody like me,” bestowed its Lifetime he added. Achievement Award on former Millington and New York Deputy Consul General L-R: Sandra Millington received the Disapora Award; Elka Hayde are also Cyril ‘Scorcher’ Thomas, at the Sion Hill natives; ‘Granny Toonks’ Browne, the Pillar of the Community Award group’s Second Annual Black-Tie Browne is and Lloyd George Hayde, the Community Service Award. Awards Ceremony and Dance at originally from Cyril ‘Scorcher’ Thomas (R) receives the Friends of Crown Heights Paul’s Avenue, national soccer Haywood, for their support, award from former national football Educational Center in Brooklyn, Kingstown. team, both as a adding that he looked forward captain Elliot “Mory” Millington. New York. “Thanks to Friends of Sion to their and the patrons’ support junior and senior Thomas, a Sion Hill native, Hill,” said Millington, a former player. “in the years to come.” the then Olive’s Hotel in who carries the calypso president of the Brooklyn-based From an early age, Thomas New York Consul General Kingstown, continues her sobriquet ‘Scorcher’, was among Club St. Vincent, Inc., after demonstrated great love for Howie Prince also briefly passion, on migration to New three other honorees at the receiving her award. “This is so addressed the ceremony, stating music. Over the years, he wrote York. standing-room-only gala event. special, because I am Sion Hill. that Sion Hill was a “special and sang may hits, including: She — with assistance from Friends of Sion Hill Inc. also You have to be Sion Hill to ‘Wilma wuk obeah on me’, community” in St. Vincent and her son, Othniel ‘Attie’ Bibby, honored former Sion Hill and understand Sion Hill. ‘Party Fever’, ‘Wake up the the Grenadines. and Eula Telesford — specializes Richmond Hill Government “In my life, I was given a lot,” Party’, ‘Sweetness is my in traditional, mouth-watering (now Thomas Saunders she added. “It takes a village to The Honorees Weakness’, and ‘Fork up the Vincy cuisine, such as pelau, Secondary) school’s teacher raise a child. [I] never knew my Beaches’. salt fish cakes and homemade Sandra Millington - the mother, never knew my father, Thomas was a student He credits Alston ‘Becket’ bread. Diaspora Award; Lloyd George but I don’t think I missed teacher, customs officer and Cyprus, for putting him on the Hayde, who lived in England Hayde - the Community Service anything. I was raised by my Magistrate’s clerk before “right track.” before migrating to New York, Award; and Elka ‘Granny village.” migrating to the US. He also Millington, a community was “very active in the steelpan Toonks’ Browne, with the Pillar As tears welled up, Browne taught at public schools in New advocate, is currently employed world,” according to his of the Community Award. said she was “very happy to be York. by New York City Human biography. “When they called, and said here this evening.” At home, he played Division Resources Administration as a “He still keeps an eye and ear they were honoring me on April Oxley Lowman, the Brooklyn- One basketball; was a national User Support Analyst. One of on the general scene, always 1st, I said, ‘they must be think I based group’s president, volleyball player; and was the her responsibilities is to mentor inquiring about the steel band [am] stupid - it’s All-Fools thanked the honorees, as well as first person from Sion Hill to be high school students. and calypso competitions back Day’.’” said Thomas, to loud the guest speaker Maxwell selected to play soccer in the Browne, who was a cook at home,” the biography says. Story and photos by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net;
SVG delegation in Montreal Fitzgerald Huggins, Consul General for St Vincent and the Grenadines in Toronto. ON MARCH 31, 2017, over seventy The president of the St. Vincent and Vincentians and members of the St the Grenadines Association of Montreal Vincent and Grenadines Association of (SVGAM) Mr. Alfred ‘Jack’ Dear, Montreal met with a visiting delegation welcomed the delegation and turned the from St Vincent and the Grenadines. meeting over to Mr. Huggins, who The delegation comprised: Hon. Cecil chaired it. He informed the audience McKie, Minister of Tourism, Sports and that the presence of the delegation Culture; Mr. Glen Beache, CEO of the St meant that the Government of St Vincent and Grenadines Tourism Vincent and the Grenadines was giving Authority; and Mr. Ricardo Adams, a new focus to Vincentians living in Chairman of the Carnival Development Canada. Corporation. Minister McKie spoke next. Much of Accompanying the delegation was Mr. what he said centered on increased tourism anticipated because of the recently inaugurated Argyle International Airport. “St Vincent and the Grenadines is poised for accelerated growth,” Mc Kie said. He posited a vision of increased hotel occupancy, the building of new hotels, and the reactivation of the Buccament Resort. Minister Mc Kie also addressed other national concerns. Regarding A section of the persons who turned out for agriculture, he mentioned the the meeting. Stories and Photos by ALFRED ‘JACK’ DEAR
potential for export of root crops, and the revitalization of cocoa and coffee The delegation, (L-R) Glen Beache, Hon. Cecil Mc Kie and cultivation, Ricardo Adams, was introduced by Fitzgerald Huggins. as well as increased boasted about the high ranking that livestock breeding, especially cattle, for Vincy Mas has been credited with by export. On matters of health, he referenced to carnival experts of the region. Mr. Beache’s presentation was a frank four medical colleges now operating in exposition of the challenges of getting St. Vincent and the Grenadines; the international airlines to include the paediatrics service/care at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital that now caters Argyle International Airport in their itineraries. The implicit message was to children from all over the Caribbean. that the Vincentian diaspora would have According to the Minister, St. Vincent to travel to St Vincent more frequently and the Grenadines now has 119 to make it economically feasible for the practising physicians. airlines to land there. On education, he highlighted the The presentations by the trio were stellar performance of the large number followed by a Question and Answer of Vincentian students enrolled in the session. three campuses of the University of the Rosmond Ryan, Vice President of the West Indies. Mr. Adams spoke about the historical ASVGAM, which made arrangements for and hosted the meeting, thanked the evolution of carnival, including why the celebration was moved from February to delegation and those who attended, for making the meeting a successful one, June-July. Information on and after which persons enjoyed some highlights about Vincy Mas are now accessible via social media. Adams also refreshments.
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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. 7.
Parliament
Farmers not adhering to practices GOVERNMENT may be forced to enact legislation to deal with farmers whose fields are affected by the Black Sigatoka disease, but who are not tending to them as required. Minister of Agriculture, Saboto Caesar made the point during last week Thursday’s meeting of the House, in response to Arnhim Eustace’s — MP for East Kingstown question about the spraying programme for the Black Sigatoka. According to Caesar, last year the ministry had to find resources to hire workers to go into fields to perform de-leafing duties. “That is something unheard of in other countries, and it is something done by farmers,” Caesar said. He added that plantain farmers were the ones guilty of not doing the required practices for the
The AIA is kept busy with the traffic transferred from the E. T. Joshua Airport, but awaits real traffic from larger, international airlines, whether by charter or otherwise.
control of the Black Sigatoka. “What I want to note is that we might be pushed to the level of some countries producing bananas whereby the government and the chief agricultural officer would have to take drastic actions, whereby persons are not tending to their fields at the required levels.” The practice was unfair
to other farmers, the minister said, who would have invested money into their fields, and he said that he thought that the time had come for legislation to be updated in order to take action against farmers who were not following the required standards. In direct response to the question, Caesar said that the intensity levels of the Black Sigatoka had
A number of fields of bananas remain unattended to as far as combating the Black Sigatoka disease is concerned, said Saboto Caesar (inset), Minister of Agriculture.
decreased from week 1, where it was 3.35 to 1.33 in week 12. This, he said, was still higher than the preferred 2 mark, but he explained that the conditions late last year — the rainfall, some of the roads were hard to traverse, and ground crews were not able to access affected fields. There was one aerial cycle conducted, and the THE MINISTRY OF second got underway last EDUCATION is not considering week. an immediate ban on the sale of Ground crew operations carbonated drinks in and have also been working around schools across the between January and country. March, covering a total of So said Minister of 2,037 acres of bananas, Education, St Clair ‘Jimmy’ plantains and fields with a Prince in response to a question mixture of bananas and put forward by Opposition plantains. Senator, Marcia Barnwell in The Banana Services Parliament last week Unit has also scheduled 20 Thursday. While there is no ban on the sale of Black Sigatoka Barnwell asked whether the carbonated drinks in schools here, the Management training Ministry of Education was Ministry of Education is moving to discourage workshops, Caesar said. considering the ban, in keeping their consumption. “These would focus on with the government’s policy on detecting and improving preventative health care. Ministry of Education had collaborated the physical control of the Prince, however, noted that his with the Health Unit in the Ministry of disease,” he said. (Stories Ministry did not condone the practice of Health to provide guidelines for healthy by DD) either the sale of carbonated drinks in eating in the Schools Feeding and around schools, and parents giving Programme. their children these ‘soft’ drinks for According to the Minister, in consumption. December 2014, a decision was taken to “We have to teach our children at remove corned beef from that home and in school to consume programme, because of its high fat and beverages with less sugar, and sodium content. encourage them to drink more water,” Artificially flavoured drink mixtures the education minister said. have also been removed and replaced “It is the responsibility of all of us to with natural fruit juices, and there is a ensure that our children receive the move to remove chicken sausage from requisite knowledge, so that they could the menu and have it replaced with a make proper decisions regarding their healthier option, Prince explained. consumption of sugary beverages and Campaigns are currently ongoing in the demand for them,” he continued. schools across the country to encourage And while government will not move students to eat healthy, and most for an immediate ban on carbonated schools have dedicated fruit day. beverages, Prince mentioned the need But Prince acknowledged that there for a consultative process to begin to were some schools that were not discourage the consumption of following the guidelines. carbonated drinks at home and in “The ministry is trying to reach out schools. to those institutions to ensure that the “We have to work with our teachers understand the importance of stakeholders to come up with the best providing healthy foods for the students. solution,” he said. We expect that they will adhere to these In a related matter, Prince said that guidelines,” he said.
No ban on sodas in schools
McKie: ‘We need help with charters’ THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM, Sports and Culture is looking for private entities to organize charters to come to the Argyle International Airport for Carnival (June —July), Independence (October) and Nine Mornings (December). So said Minister of Tourism Cecil McKie last week hursday in Parliament. Leader of the Opposition Dr Godwin Friday posed the question to McKie, soliciting information on which international airlines would be operating here. The Minister declared it was premature to announce what airlines would be operating at the AIA, either as charters or regular flights. According to McKie, since the opening of the AIA in February, negotiations with prospective airlines have intensified. In this regard, visits have been made to Toronto, Canada, and officials are expected to visit with airlines in New York, Miami and the United Kingdom. “But we cannot be premature with announcements of airlines looking to operate within St Vincent whether regular or otherwise. We have to make sure that all the paperwork is complete,” McKie said. Howecer, he named some of the airlines with whom negotiations were ongoing. These included British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Thomas Cook Airlines, Titan Airlines, Air Canada, West Jet, Transat, Sunwing, Swift Air, Miami Air, Dynamic Airlines, Jet Blue, American Airlines and Easy Sky. His ministry, the Minister said, would soon be announcing arrangements for Carnival and Independence. McKie also noted that his Ministry was in discussions with private entities, but that it was the government (ministry) who was leading the charge in getting charters in place. “But we welcome a private entity to organize charters on their own,” the tourism minister said.
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8. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. 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 Continuing the Ganja talk ADVOCATES for the legalisation of medical marijuana in the Caribbean are growing daily. Those who oppose are just as boisterous. Interestingly, and as we take a lead from a letter writer in this week’s edition, one of the more ‘heralded’ calls for the legalisation of medical marijuana, has come from the Invest Caribbean Now CEO Felicia J. Persaud who, in addressing a November 2016 Invest Turks and Caicos ‘Enhancing National Competitiveness Conference’ said, “Caribbean leaders need to throw out the old play book, and think big — beyond the status quo.” We got the impression that, with the setting up of a CARICOM Commission on Marijuana, that Caribbean leaders were prepared to “…think big — beyond the status quo” on the issue. Now, in the face of what can only be described as a state of inertia, it seems this Commission may just have been a smoke screen, since Ms. Persaud would have made her call long after the CARICOM Commission on Marijuana should have submitted its first report. So, for all intents, CARICOM is back to square one, even though Jamaica has progressed singlehandedly towards some relaxation of the social and religious use of the herb, and a freeing up the herb for research. Jamaica is bent on carving a niche for itself in the billion dollar industry that medical marijuana undoubtedly promises. This may be repeating the obvious, but here are a few arguments that the advocates advance for legalizing medical marijuana: Experts across the globe speak about medical marijuana as a major money earner. The experts, respected economists, financial and budget analysts, point to the current earning capacity of a well-regulated medical marijuana programme, as being a US50 plus billion dollar industry; and that, reports say, does not take into consideration that the industry is growing. As it exists, the revenue earned by the marijuana ‘industry’ goes directly to cartels and criminal gangs. Think, experts tell us, about the potential for tax revenue from this industry if it was regulated. Think of the tax revenue that would be available for bolstering regional economies (some sweating under overheated tax regimes), without having to raise existing taxes on the poor. To take the argument further, experts say revenue from this newly regulated industry will bring ease to regional economies that are burdened with debt. Government, it seems, devise ways and means to explain away the debt burden but, advocates say, ignore an area of enterprise that could well ease this burden. And what of the elbow room for diversification? Our Caribbean economies climb on top of one another, hoping to attract the largest possible piece of the tourism pie as they could. Medical marijuana, according to EU reports, is now the third largest export for EU members like the Netherlands, whose regulated marijuana industry accounts for some US3.2 billion dollars in annual revenue, from which the government rakes in a tidy $600 million in taxes. And what of our economies that are rapidly seeing their absorptive capacities contracting? Unemployment remains a major if not the most major socio-economic challenge across CARIOM. A regulated medical marijuana industry has the potential to create not just increased job opportunities but jobs in new undertakings. Can’t horticulturists be encouraged to cultivate plants? Would there not be need for lab technicians to serve the research, and testing labs attendant to a medical marijuana enterprise? What of increased need for persons to work in dispensaries and pharmacies? Are we serious about moving our people out of poverty? Think of taxes earned from this new and varied economic undertaking that could be availed for infrastructure, education and health. And by literally corraling the cash cow of narco-traffickers and criminal gangs, governments will eventually spend less fighing crime. That said, there will be a freeing up of the use of marijuana-derived drugs for treating conditions like glaucoma, pain from AIDS, epilepsy, nausea caused by chemotherapy, among other areas yet undiscovered. Now for the Convention Against the Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of which some of our leaders speak. A recent reading of this matter said that the Convention was never intended to discriminate against the scientific and medical use of drugs. Rather, its primary function was to suppress the sale and trafficking of drugs, and to confiscate assets derived therein. That said, what are we waiting on? Are we awaiting the establishment of an alternate cartel which will control the cultivation and sale of marijuana, thereby just changing the guards and leaving the true cultivators of the herb out of the ‘new scheme of things? Nuff said.
Four funerals in four days WITHIN A FOUR-DAY period, I found myself attending four funerals: on Saturday last, that of Hermin Nero née Baptiste in Sandy Bay; on the following Monday those of Eardley Baisden and Joel Pitt, whose ceremony took place in Kingstown with burial at Brighton; and on Tuesday 11th April the funeral of Carlton Horne at the Kingstown Anglican Cathedral, of whom I wrote much in recent times. Joel was my friend and colleague as a lawyer for the past 35 years. Like me, he was ailing the past few years. We last met at an eye-specialist where again, like me, he complained of failing eye-sight which actually worsened before his death. Joel was an ardent practitioner, particularly in the area of property law, and did a thriving trade with the national bulk sailors. Never married, Joel lived and worked hard. He had been a buoyant member of the lawyers cricket team which had helped to soften our public relations in our out-reach programme, and which was decimated over the past few years by death St. Aubyn ‘Puck’ Cato, Victor Cuffy, Grafton Isaacs, Carl Glasgow, Olin Dennie, Carl Joseph - and now Joel Pitt. The other burial service took place at the Methodist Church of 77 years old Eardley Baisden. My navel string was buried 79 years ago in a home at Rose Place which was connected in a way to the Baisden property on the bay front by a gutter, which ran through ‘the Alley’ alongside the home of the De Biques, Raymond and Sam, past Mona Bramble’s residence, on to the Baisdens’, my home away from home in my pre-teen days. Especially during primary school holidays I spent most of my waking hours at the Baisdens playing games, sea-bathing or just romping. The third child, Leslie, had been my partner from Methodist School days. After his sudden death and my entering the Grammar School, I took on Lawrence as my close friend. Though only two years my junior, Eardley was not close to me, being somewhat shy and reserved. It so happened that I later hit it off with the youngest of the clan, Bert, who became a member of the Forum, harbouring radical ideas, and finally went to the USA. So, as I bade farewell to Eardley, my only Baisden link has been Morrison Baisden who shares a progressive philosophy with me. My third funeral, that of the great Carlton Horne, took place at the Anglican Cathedral last Tuesday. As was expected, Cally’s sendoff was a rousing occasion. A devoted ‘Son of the soil’, Cally became an institution in SVG. He was a walking history book of many events which took place in SVG. He became an authority on the Grammar School and its vaunted place in our social make-up. Above all, this fine raconteur had been a dashing sportsman. He was perhaps the greatest exponent of the scissors high-jump before it gave way to the Fosberry-Flop. But his best claim to fame was his
captaincy of the great Juniors football championship team, marshalling its force from the full-back position shared with an equally illustrious figure, Raymond De Bique, who had to come from the USA to attend the funeral. One particular event stood out in my memory over the years. Juniors were threenil down to the Grammar School at half time. In the second half, Captain Horne sped and beat himself down the right flank and centered the ball to his centerforward, Ossie Lewis, who placed the ball in the net. It clearly had been a plan worked out during the half time rest, and it worked like a charm, three times before the opposing Grammar School could rally back. At three goals-all, I recalled Marcus Creese, a Grammar School defence man, scoring the winning goal in a fluke shot out of a scrimmage. Another flash-point: Juniors were the only team that I kicked football against around the Park, playing for Haivern, a team of Hairoun and Malvens combined. I played cricket for Grammar School then Hairoun. In the football match versus Juniors, I was set to mark that guileful left-winger Vincent Hadaway, who cleaned me up like he cleaned my head at the barber-shop. The first shall be last, and so it has been with that of Hermin Nero née Baptiste, which took place in Sandy Bay, Saturday 8th April. Hermin died at the ripe old age of 93, within the 90s as are my living sisters Ena, 91 years, and Elsie 94 years old, with whom Hermin lived at Rose Place in our home where she was our youthful house-helper, 16 years and sporting a pay package of $2.00 a month! Of course, I am the youngest John about two to four years old at the time of Hermin’s service, but we all remained in constant touch till death do us part. I last saw Hermin two years ago in Sandy Bay on my return journey from Fancy, my mother’s birthplace, following the moving burial service for the seven victims of the Rock Gutter tragedy, one of the two bodies not recovered being Chanstacia Stay, a blood relative- her aunt, Esther, was the first Fancy-born to attend secondary school in Kingstown, courtesy the John family with whom she stayed. At Hermin’s funeral, I got special mention by the presiding Bishop Pompey and his ebullient assistant. I felt so happy mingling with Hermin’s beautiful children, many of whom had returned from the Virgin Islands where they had to go to obtain reasonable employment. My deep appreciation to Silla and her husband and children who took great care of Hermin. These visits to “Carib Country”, feelingly and emotionally remind me of what I am, a proud descendant of the Garifuna. Continued on Page 9.
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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. 9.
Letters
A man of conviction HE WAS MOST definitely opinionated, but NOT from myth and magic, nor rumour and propaganda, nor hearsay and lies - like many people of today’s St Vincent. He made sure he had facts with which to combat you. One has to greatly RESPECT that and admire it. He read profusely and sought factual answers. He loved the JOUST of discussion, and had a vocabulary to match. It was always a joy conversing with ‘Red Irons’. I haven’t even touched on his soccer prowess yet. That man was Carlton Horne. R.I.P, my friend. You left an indelible mark. Edmond (Paddy) Corea
Legalise Ganja! What What are we do we have to lose? encouraging? JUST A LITTLE something from a Rastaman, to jolt the thinking in Vincy Land. Some time back, the US, from which we like to take example, removed their ban on alcohol, and it worked. The criminals like Dillinger and so forth, who controlled the illegal alcohol production and distribution during the years of the ban, all but disappeared; the crime that blew up because of that illegal trade, decreased. So, why can’t we do the same thing with ganja? Places like Mexico have done it, and from what I understand, the crime wave in Mexico has simmered down. In the US, in states like California, a user can buy ganja in controlled amounts. As I see it, the same people who used to condemn alcohol when it was illegal in the US, turn out to be the biggest consumers of the strong drinks, once they became legal. Here, ganja hardly selling among
the users — big high class people and small low class people, same thing. Friends offer you a smoke just like the big shots offer you a scotch. I wonder how many of them people who condemning ganja now that it’s illegal, will start to smoke it if it became legal? And further, all those who say it’s because of ganja why crime increasing here, should stop to consider what would happen if we legalise the herb. Crime will go down, eh? Perhaps we could take a smoke on that. Rastaman
Open letter to Team Athletics SVG YOU GUYS SHOULD be ashamed to be sending a Team to the Carifta Games without Darria Matthias and Shafiqua Maloney. Easily the best U18 sprinter in the country, Darria is the Carifta Trials winner, the InterCol winner, but is blatantly ignored. She finished 9th in the 100m at the 2016 Carifta Games. last year in the 100m. She’s ,running
much faster this year, in the same age-group, yet she is side-lined. You unsuccessfully sought permission for a 12-year old running 12.26 on a synthetic track, to compete at Carifta, but ignored Matthias(in the same U18) running 12.12 on the 12-inch sand-based grass track we have. Maloney, a freshman at Southern Illinois, just ran a personal best of 54.37 secs. in her first
Deslorn Lawrence, Trelawny McKenzie, outdoor meet in the cold Ryan John and Andre USA. This will easily Spencer, who has not lost place her in the (Carifta) any Shot/Discus U20 finals; but again, competition locally in she is ignored. Your two (2) years and discrimination is obvious. improves weekly. I continue to say that You are constantly the development of our denying opportunities to athletes is NOT your the promising athletes, Association’s priority, while paradoxically, they and having a selection are being appreciated committee is just a and recruited by foreign facade. Institutions. How long You have also will this folly continue? overlooked other good prospects, including Mike Ollivierre Shantel Williams,
SOMETIME AGO, there was a short video circulating on social media that showed a boy and a girl apparently involved in a sex act, in public. I understand that this was not the first such video to have been circulated, though, I must admit, the one to which I referred is the only one that was brought to my attention. I suppose the first reaction to such public acts, especially by boys and girls, is to condemn it and by extension, to condemn the persons involved. That is understandable. But as adults, should we not stop and ponder awhile on what gives reason to acts likes these? The television, the music, the styles of dress, the dance expressions that we as adults encourage right in our homes, must, out of sheer proportion, influence the young minds. And then, there are the added dosage that comes through radio, magazines, newspapers (including some of our own) and the internet. Moreover, the young ones are looking on and seeing how we, as adults, react to one another; what we pass off as adult entertainment and what have you; not to mention how our grown men feast on the young impressionable girls, fooling themselves into believing that they are macho, while in fact, so many of them, I understand, have to rely on external stimuli to have sex. We, as adults, need to stop, put on the safety brakes, and look closely at what we are doing wrong, and resolve to make a change. Until we do, we cannot expect our boys and girls young to behave any better. Joyce, P
A tribute to Roland Sardine THERE ARE SO many rich memories that I have of Roland Sardine, my dear friend and brother in music. In the early 1960s, Mr. Lehman, a relative of the Sardines, ordered, rented, and tuned pianos. Roland would notify me whenever a new shipment of pianos came in. Music books and piano accessories were routinely shipped with the pianos. While my interest was limited to music books, Roland would also take home the piano tuning tools. No surprise that he would later become the nation’s top piano tuner. Roland was an improviser at heart, but he quickly became equally adept as an accompanist. He and his fellow band mate ‘Big Bull’ worked out chord progressions to many popular boleros, such as the theme to
Romeo and Juliet and the Student Price Waltz. Roland’s band came to boast a repertoire that went far beyond the popular calypsos. Roland’s band rehearsed not far from where a relative made coffins. I tended to avoid that area, but Roland would always say, “Boy, we all have to face this one day.” The most prominent memory I have of Roland exemplifies his unselfish spirit and purity of heart. Roland was the first musician on the island to own a portable electronic organ. Shortly after he purchased it, I had a gig and, although he had yet to use it himself, Roland insisted I use the organ. I still marvel at that act of generosity. A departed musician lives on in the memories of those whom he inspired, through his music, good deeds, and his students. Roland
taught so many and inspired so many more. I know that I speak on behalf of the many musicians who had the honor of working with Roland, including but not limited to ‘Ziggy’ John, Peter Knights, Andre Mc Intosh, Al Wilson, and Harold ‘Ploomie’ Lewis, in saying, we will truly miss you, brother. Frankie Mc Intosh
Four funerals in four days Montgomery Daniel belated sympathy of the death of his Unfortunately, there was a father who had been my sad end to my last visit to friend, he informed me that Sandy Bay. Over the last six my ex-employee, Ancilla months, I had been enquiring Lavia, of Point Village, died of the health of a former months ago! employee at my legal And happy Easter to all, chambers. On wishing bearing in mind that my Continued from Page 8.
79th birthday falls on Easter Monday, April 17, when I hope to beach splash with the NDP family at Sion Hill Bay, and look up my friend Alphonso Dennie who is as blind as a bat, but possesses a clear vision created by an undying faith.
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10. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN
Views
For love of country
Introduction BY AND LARGE, most Vincentians are in love with their country. They are excited about developments in their country which will bring benefits to themselves and their families. They follow the progress of the ULP administration, and lend critical and progressive support, where possible. However, there is a tiny minority, most of them supporters of the opposition New Democratic Party, who deliberately set out on a course to pull down our beloved country. They don’t care how much damage is done to our country. Their sole purpose is to make the country look bad in the eyes of the international community. So they go from lie to lie, sowing their dirty seeds in the minds of the unsuspecting public, creating chaos and doubts, forcing the ULP administration to spend precious and valuable time in correcting and combating this situation. The opposition New Democratic Party is particularly good at this, having been trained by the SCL group. Over the last fourteen years or so, the NDP has been the author of several notorious lies and half-truths, all aimed at confusing the Vincentian electorate, and young Vincentian minds, in a vain effort to gain support at the polls. The fact that they have been defeated four consecutive times at the polls is a clear indication of how unsuccessful they have been.
istered by the Transportation Security Administration of the United States. Clearly the whole incident was a bag of falsehoods, as Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and other aviation officials here were quick to point out. Not so the NDP, as the opposition party tried to take advantage of the unfortunate report, to try to earn political points. They failed miserably.
Why the Lies don’t work
Even at this stage, after the NDP has spent sixteen years in opposition, and in the face of tremendous socioeconomic developments in the country, the NDP has failed to recognise that their strategy of lies and half- truths, is not working, and will never work. Despite all the lies, the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines have returned the ULP to office a record four times. This is a clear rejection of the NDP and an even stronger rejection that the lies told by the NDP, have gained no traction with the voters. By and large, Vincentians are in love with their country and with the progress so far under the ULP and Comrade Ralph. They recognise that the country has no rich minerals, and particularly oil, to provide resources How the “lies” work for national development. They admire the strategies used by the NDP operators, particularly those ULP to bring benefits to the nation, on Nice Radio, and including some and even more, they admire the members of the opposition, will hit on leadership provided by Comrade a topic that is relevant and popular in Ralph, in the face of global economic the Vincentian context. They will also situation. target projects initiated by the ULP It is this love of country, this desire administration and apply their lies to to see our country go forward and the individual project. Their latest, of prosper, that has led to the rejection course, is the Argyle International of the lies campaign adopted by the Airport, the AIA. It is mind-boggling NDP. Vincentians are in love with how the NDP was able to design so their country, and they are in love many lies about this project, all of with the solutions provided by the which have been debunked, and ULP administration, to sort out the clearly proven to be false. problems associated with globalisation In many cases, the NDP operator and the prevailing economic does not offer any apology for the lies, conditions. and there is no retraction, even when the truth is established and Conclusion published. The NDP operator shows no trace of guilt; except when the St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a matter is taken to the court for country with limited resources, and defamation. Prime Minister Dr. Ralph our citizens recognise the difficulties Gonsalves has taken members of the which we must overcome as a people. NDP to court for defamation, and has Except for a tiny minority, mostly secured judgements against the late associated with the NDP, Vincentians Elwardo Lynch, Junior Bacchus, are in love with their country, and Daniel Cummings, Mathew Thomas, they want to see the country moving Douglas De Freitas, and the list goes ahead. They are satisfied with the on. performance of the ULP Even now, “the strategy of lies” administration, which has been tried continues, as the NDP shifts their and tested over the last sixteen years, attention to the Argyle International emerging with flying colours. Airport. Having danced around this Over the next eighteen months, the project for the last eight years, and then making fantastic 180 degree turn country will explode with an array of around, in terms of their support, the projects, including the geothermal project, the new city at Arnos Vale, NDP has returned to its old ways, of port development and expansion, and telling lies on progressive projects such as the AIA. road construction and repairs, all A few days ago, an enthusiastic but bringing more development, jobs and misguided morning radio host claimed income, for the people of St. Vincent that he had information that the AIA and the Grenadines. had failed a security test admin-
The NDP will make Tourism work THE DISCLOSURE by the CEO of the Tourism Authority that the budget allocated to his department is woefully inadequate when compared to that of other Caribbean islands, and his admission, of the Unity Labour Party (ULP) regime to attract international airlines to this country after the grand opening of the Argyle International Airport, have demonstrated the failure by the ULP regime’s failure to effectively manage the tourism sector. The New Democratic Party (NDP) has a better approach. We will work vigorously to develop this sector, and transform St. Vincent and the Grenadines into a leading tourist destination in the Caribbean. The inability of the ULP regime to develop our full tourism potential is due to ineffective marketing, inadequate infrastructure, the lack of strategic planning, and the lack of specialized personnel in the tourism industry. The NDP will solve these problems, driven by the objectives of: increasing employment opportunities at all levels; creating linkages with other local economic sectors; and ensuring the protection of our environment and cultural resources. The NDP will position St. Vincent and the Grenadines as a leader in tourism in the Caribbean, by diversification of our tourism product. We will identify specific areas and develop strategies to promote and exploit each of them, e.g. diving, yachting, cruise tourism, eco-tourism, retirees/returnees, entertainment/cultural events, such as carnival, music festivals, and nine mornings, and increase significantly the amount of money that is budgeted for the Tourism Authority. We will also promote and develop tourism sites and energise the craft industry. We will enhance existing tourism sites and utilize our historical heritage and natural beauty to develop new ones throughout the country. We will also develop cable cars in North Leeward and open and enhance eco-tourism trails in various areas. Local craft makers will be encouraged and assisted to produce and sell indigenous crafts. Moreover, we will implement the strategy of targeted marketing in Europe, Canada, United States of America and the Caribbean, with emphasis on introducing special packages for Caribbean tourists, e.g. four-day weekends, offered at concessionary rates, especially at off season. This will be pursued through collaboration with LIAT and hoteliers. Attention will also be paid to developing marina facilities in Bequia and the Southern Grenadines for power yachts. And a heightened focus will be placed on attracting high end stay over visitors while promoting the development of small to mid-size luxury hotels/villas.
Sourcing and availing supplies for cruise ships and encouraging the employment of Vincentian nationals on cruise ships, will be other important thrusts of the NDP’s Cruise Tourism Development Plan.
Yachting
The global yachting industry is in a state of growth. With an increasing number of persons retiring early, and higher average incomes, there is an increasing amount of leisure time. A greater proportion of that leisure time is now being spent in water-based activities. The growth of the yachting industry is also evident by the growth in the production and commissioning of pleasure craft and mega yachts. Further , the increase in the number of recreational boats worldwide is creating additional strain on the existing yachting infrastructure, and the demand for marina space is increasing. The benefits of developing the yachting industry outweigh the costs. Countries are now investing significantly in additional infrastructure, in an attempt to meet the ever increasing demand. St. Vincent and the Grenadines will capitalize on this opportunity for employment creation and foreign revenue generation. In addition, the NDP will pay special attention to security on the water and beaches. We will ensure security in our harbours and bays through regular coastguard patrols and police foot patrols in resort areas and beaches. Special attention will be given to the prevention of harassment of and criminal activities against visitors, and to the diligent and prompt prosecution of offences against visitors. A special police unit will be created and tasked with investigating crimes against yacht visitors and other tourists Even though tourism activity has declined generally across the region, our neighbours in Dominica, Grenada and St. Lucia are at this point all doing better than we are in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, despite our rich natural blessings. This fact speaks to a deep and pervasive mismanagement of the sector over the years, and means that tremendous potential for economic growth and job creation is going to waste as a result. The ULP regime has failed miserably to develop and promote the tourism sector in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. We recognize that tourism contributes substantially to Cruise tourism the Vincentian economy, and if properly developed and managed, has The NDP will work with the the potential to make an even greater private sector and all relevant contribution. Therefore, the NDP will stakeholders in developing a cruise place emphasis on the continued tourism policy, which will be focused development of the tourism sector in on manageable numbers, with a fair St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The distribution between all appropriate programmes and policies which the ports within St. Vincent and the NDP has presented for tourism Grenadines. The development of a development will expand and develop smaller cruise ship pier in North Leeward will be considered as per its the tourism sector and undoubtedly, be of tremendous benefit to all market and financial feasibility. Vincentians. The NDP sees the improvement We continue to reiterate that the and upgrading of Kingstown as an ULP regime is bankrupt of ideas and integral part of a successful cruise its leader is tired. The NDP has the tourism policy, and will work better team and programme and assiduously in developing a short to policies that will create economic medium development strategy growth and development, and put towards this end. Also, identification Vincentians back to work as we move and development of appropriate strategies will be critical to achieving forward together as ‘One nation, one increased levels of visitor expenditure. people, one Vincy’.
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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. 11.
Views
Faith to let go (Pt 2)
“The Christian journey is one of letting go because letting go is how you trust. The first thing that you need to let go of is your pride and your sin -- that's how you get saved. After that, you find that you have to let go of a lot of other stuff, too. Sometimes you have to let go of friends. Ultimately, we will always realize that every time God tells us to let go of something -- it's not to lose something -- it's so that we have empty hands to gain something better. So give it to him by faith.” – Bobby Schuller. IT IS OFTEN QUITE interesting how one essay/article can generate interest and momentum to create a sequel. The article appearing in last week’s In Touch column of The Vincentian newspaper, “Faith to Let Go”, was one of those. Several regular readers sent through email messages commenting on the essay’s content. As destiny would have it, this was around the same time when I read an interesting article by Bobby Schuller highlighting the value of “letting go of self and surrendering to Jesus Christ”. This thought fits quite neatly into this Easter Season; a period when we reflect on the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour. As we go through life, there will always be struggles between good and evil; following the path of righteousness or giving in to the lure of sin. We can choose. We determine whether we select to walk the moral high road or grovel in the pits of unrighteousness. We have no excuses. We cannot pass the blame onto anyone else. We choose. We determine which path we take. We sometimes converse with individuals who know that their lifestyle is one that leads to destruction and damnation. They know that they have made bad choices. They may even be comfortable enough to share some of their infractions — stealing, committing adultery, dealing with or using illegal drugs, falsifying documents, having or paying for abortions, and so on. Sometimes these individuals get to a point of conviction. They know that they should abandon such activities, seek forgiveness, and turn a new leaf. Many do. They realise that a much better life awaits them on the other side of repentance; that their lives can be restored and renewed, once they get to that point where they seek forgiveness (and forgive themselves) for the infractions that they have caused. They find the faith to let go of a horrible past. They often see the benefits of letting go of habits and individuals that enslaved them. They release the mental, emotional, and spiritual shackles that once held them bound. They discharge them and find joy, peace, and great satisfaction in embracing a new and improved life. Many examples come to mind as we reflect on the thoughts shared in the preceding paragraph. The New Testament describes the passion that Saul possessed as he persecuted the young Christian church. However, he had an encounter with Jesus Christ of Nazareth on the road to Damascus. His conversion gives us hope in the redemption that is possible for the vilest of sinners when they encounter the Lord Jesus Christ. He was a changed man. He let go of his past and found new hope in Jesus. He found faith to let go, and was mightily
used by God to proclaim the good news of salvation to Jews and Gentiles alike. This was the same Saul who supervised the stoning to death of young Stephen in Acts 6-7. The Saul, renamed Paul, who established churches throughout and beyond the countries bordering the Mediterranean. The same Paul whose writings encourage and inspire us today. He found the faith to let go of his past, and encourages us to do the same. It does not matter where we have been and what evil we may have done — we can let go of the past and put those sins behind us, to live a fulfilling life and become a source of blessing to others. As we celebrate Easter, we can use our mind’s eyes to imagine the pain and suffering that Jesus Christ went through as his body was battered, bruised, and broken for the sins of this world. He, too, demonstrated faith to let go. In His dying moments, He beckoned the Father to “take this cup from me”. He laid down His life so that sinners like me can find salvation - free to us because He paid the ultimate price. He suffered a most horrible and humiliating death so that you and I can be saved. But to do so, we must let go of the shackles of sin, accept His gift of salvation through the shedding of His blood, and commit to living a life that pleases Him. Our letting go of the sins of the flesh enables us to grasp the fruits of the Spirit. We let go of lust, envy, malice, hatred, un-forgiveness, and so on. We hold on the love, joy, peace, patience, forgiveness, and gentleness. We know that there is value in letting go … so that we can hold on to better. Jesus died so that we can live. His death, burial, and resurrection (as described in the New Testament) give us hope that we too can have that new life in Him; that we can look forward to spending eternity in His presence. And while some would describe such a belief as “hog wash” and “a fairy tale”, those of us who have trusted Him to be our Lord and Saviour, can testify that we have found Him faithful. As imperfect as we are, we hold on to faith in a risen Saviour. We discover the joy and satisfaction of letting go of self and sin to pursue righteousness and purity. Embracing the faith to let go enables us to find a feeling of peace and fulfilment even amidst our various trials and disappointments. There is joy unspeakable, abundant joy, when we let go of the worries of this world and place our trust and confidence in the Christ of Calvary. This Easter Season is as good a time as any for us to commit (and recommit) to a life that focuses on accepting His salvation and living a life that pleases Him. Jesus Christ came to this earth, suffered, died, and rose from the dead so that sinners like you and me can be set free. As we embrace that faith to let go of our sins, we find a refreshing and peaceful life as we look to that bright future beyond the grave. Send comments, criticisms & suggestions to julesferdinand@gmail.com
Set aside childish things IN HIS INAUGURAL SPEECH in January 2009, President Barrack Obama called on everyone, especially politicians, that ‘the time has come to set aside childish things.’ Taken from St Paul’s letter to Corinthians, those words are nothing short of a call to order. Is it too late for us? Can we undo our own undoing as our country travels the bumpy road of trials and tribulations? We surely can, but much of what we do and the level of success we attain are dependent on the quality of leadership this nation receives. Obama noted then that his victory was an indication that American chose hope over fear, and unity of purpose over conflict and discord. Now more than ever, Vincentians must do no less. For us to capture the moment and arrest the slide in our national discourse and life, we must reach deep into ourselves and ‘proclaim an end to petty grievances and false promises, recriminations and worn out dogmas that for too long have strangled our politics.’ Those are Obama’s words, but ‘dog ain’t bite we’. We too can seize the time. There are some who will say those words were meant for America. They are equally applicable to us. ‘Our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interest, and of putting off unpleasant decision has surely passed,’ Obama declared. Like the Americans, we too can recommit to the daunting task of building and remaking SVG. Those who say we can’t or no we won’t, we, in the name of our country and for the sake of our children, insist ‘yes we can.’ When the doubters persist with their negative vibes, we must refer them to the following passage of Obama’s address: ‘What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted (is shifting) beneath them. The stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply.’ And how stale can these arguments be? Government officials and aspiring opposition parliamentarians continue to rubbish all calls for policy-based conversations. One government minister claimed that in the midst of the dislocation in the world economic system, his government was well placed and need not rethink anything. Opposition politicians believe their central task is to poke fun at government’s action or inaction rather than propose ideas to stem our country’s slide. Politicians hold fast to the mindless mantra that policy debates are boring, and radio was made for exciting political picong. Too many of us celebrate the ‘free market’ as the engine of freedom and development. Obama, while acknowledging the market as a force for good, hastened to add ‘this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control and the nation cannot prosper long when it favours only the prosperous.’ An even more important lesson for small societies like ours is
his proclamation that ‘the success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart.’ Here our leaders genuflect to the cry of the poor regarding police brutality and proclaim them angels. We do not have to be schooled in politics and government to reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Faced with perils, we must assure the rule of law and the rights of man. Power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. This is truly the time to set aside childish things. Leaders must take up the mantle of leadership. All too often, our leaders spur the mob, lower our collective sight and reach for the gutters. There is a lot we can learn. There is a lot we must learn. The best leaders are those delighted and excited by doubt. Those immune to doubt or frightened by it, tend to disdain nuance. They make decisions before thoroughly examining the problem. More often than not, the policy outcome is disastrous. Now more than ever, SVG needs leaders who are processed rather than goal-oriented. Process-oriented leaders tend to do things that are unorthodox, out of the ordinary, surprising or even confusing supporters and allies towards achieving a major national goal. Yes, we can. The time has come to set aside our childish ways. And so, the stark and dark Vincentian reality demands the emergence of leaders capable of steering the national conversation away from narrow partisanship and toward unity; away from excessive ideology and toward common sense and consensus; away from sound bites that demonstrate guile and a clever tongue toward substance. Now more than ever, our country craves the emergence of a determined bi-partisan approach that embraces practical solutions, even if old and comfortable ideas are challenged. This is a period of crisis, but crisis is a synthesis of danger and opportunity. We need not despair in the face of the on rushing danger. We must prepare for the serious challenges ahead. Real Leadership demands that we look at ourselves and our times. We must be unafraid to microscope our weaknesses and shortcomings. These times call on all of us to set aside childish things. Are we up to the task? It is quite late, but we can undo our own undoing. This piece first appeared January 20, 2009 as Barrack Obama became president. Send comments, criticisms & suggestions to jomosanga@gmail.com
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12. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN
Views
Gonsalves and Cabinet should face trial for tabling incorrect financial statements RESEARCH by Warrant Officer Ivan O’Neal, BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA has revealed that Gonsalves and his Cabinet tabled in the SVG House of Assembly, incorrect Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA) Financial Statements, which were in breach of the statutory duty, for the year ended June 30, 2011. They used these incorrect CWSA Financial Statements to increase price of water and CWSA’s taxes to $25 each month in 2012. We hear a lot of talk about human rights by the International Community, yet here we have a very serious and wicked situation, where we have an increase in the price of water, using incorrect CWSA Financial Statements. These statements are not acceptable by international standards. They should not have been tabled in the SVG Parliament and used to increase the price of water, and increase the level of tax on water. The CWSA water bill consumption of water is $6.11, shows the excessive nature of these taxes — Basic water charge and Environmental Fee — amounting to $25. Is this not a gross abuse of power by Gonsalves and his cabinet? Gonsalves and his Cabinet should be brought to the High Court and face charges
for gross abuse of power, in increasing price of water and tax on water bill. It is very bad governance and not in compliance with the law. The taxes are wicked and totally unacceptable, since it has the effect of pushing the indigenous population to the ground, creating much hardship and pain. It makes mains water unaffordable for thousands of households, in particular for the poor, the unemployed and the disadvantaged. With no clean water in the homes of thousands of poor households, there is an increased risk of outbreaks of cholera and other illnesses, as many people turn to unclean sources of water. We should take all steps necessary to prevent an outbreak of
cholera in SVG, by significantly cutting these excessive taxes. SVG Green Party is making a very strong plea to the International Community and the International Court of Justice to bring Gonsalves and his Cabinet to justice under the rule of law, for tabling CWSA Financial Statements for the year ended June 30, 2011 in the SVG Parliament. This made the CWSA financial statements a legal document, and subsequently, they used it to increase the price of water and to increase the tax on piped water. This was illegal. Please refer to the exhibit shown. Warrant Officer Ivan O’Neal, who has a BSc(Hons) degree in Accounts,
Finance and Economics from Oxford Brookes University, England, strongly contends that Gonsalves and his Cabinet were in breach of the statutory, in tabling Central Water and Sewerage Authority Financial Statements which were in breach of the law. The gross abuse of power by Gonsalves and his Cabinet is totally unacceptable. They should be put on trial in the SVG High Court for this breach of law. The increase in the water bill and taxes should be abolished, as it was done illegally. SVG Green Party is saying that the ULP regime is shooting the indigenous black population of SVG in the back, by illegally increasing the price of piped water and increasing tax on piped water, whilst at the same time granting hundreds of millions of dollars in tax and customs duty exemptions to white migrants and Taiwan. SVG is not the private estate of Ralph Gonsalves. SVG Green Party www.svggreenparty.org Find us on Facebook and Twitter
Colonisation and God’s plan for building his Kingdom – Pt. 7 JESUS HAD revealed to his disciples, as well as the people, the reason his Father had sent him to the earth-colony (Lk.4:43). He was God’s rescue mission to the colony. Armed with the ‘Redemption Plan’, he was sent in the fullness of time (Gal. 4:4,5). God made sure that before He sent his Son to the earth-colony, that not only was the timing right, but the conditions were right also, because a perfect example of the kingdom existed by way of the Roman Empire, so that when reference was made of the Kingdom of God, the people had only to look at the empire with its Emperor/King, its authority structure (Matt 8:9), its citizenry, its power and influence over the culture and traditions of the ones they dominated, and they would grasp the concept of the kingdom much more quickly (Jn. 18:36). Also, Rome’s excellent network of roads facilitated the spread of
the Gospel of the Kingdom throughout the length and breadth of the empire and beyond. The Jews, however, with their knowledge of the ancient prophecies (Acts 7:37) of the expected Messiah, were anticipating a strong military leader; one who would overwhelm the Romans and give them back their freedom, and the state of Israel (Acts 1:6). Instead, here was this gentle, compassionate, peaceloving (Acts 10:36), ordinary looking man, claiming to be the Son of God (Jn 10:36). Yet he spoke with uncommon authority to the people (Matt 7:29), to the wind and sea (Matt 8:27), to trees (Matt 21:19), to the dead (Jn 11:43),to demons (Jn 17:18),and even to Satan (Matt :4:10). The Roman officers were confused, and reported to their bosses, “We have never heard any man speak like this man.” (Jn 7:46). The Pharisees too
were bewildered, and confused, and accused Him of using demonic powers (Matt 12:24), but his response further baffled them. “No, I am not using demonic powers,” He told them. “If I did, that would mean that Satan’s kingdom is divided and will soon crumble. However, if I am operating in the power of the Holy Spirit, then of a truth the Kingdom of God has arrived.” (Matt 12:28). Indeed the Kingdom of God had arrived, and this was not business as usual. The era of Religion had come to an end (Lk 16:16). There would be no more monotonous repetitions, no more following after vain traditions of men (1 Pet.1:18), and having a form of Godliness that denied the real power of God (2 Tim 3:5). This was a new era, the era of the Kingdom of God, and He demonstrated the power of the kingdom daily as
He healed the sick, opened blind eyes, unstopped deaf ears, etc. (Matt 4:24). Many followed him after he fed them, thinking that they would not be hungry ever again. However, He burst that bubble when He informed them that the Kingdom of God was not about mundane things such as eating and drinking, but rather it was about spiritual essentials such as Righteousness, Peace, and Joy, and these can only be obtained in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17). The old had gone (Lk 16:16), the new had come, and so the old mind-sets had to go as well (Heb8:6,7). Now was the time of the Kingdom. “Repent!” Jesus said (Matt 4:17). The word repent actually means to change the way you think. Why repent? the people may well have asked. “Because the Kingdom of God has arrived,” he replied.
He knew that the old mind-set would be an obstruction to them accessing the kingdom. They had to shed the old ‘Religious’ mind-set and replace it with the new ‘Kingdom’ one. Those who had already made the transition were already “pressing” their way in (Lk 16:16); it was mainly the self-righteous ‘Religious’ leaders who were still holding on to their “old” traditions and thinking, and He had stern rebukes for them (Matt 23:13-15, 23 — 29) Then He turned to his disciples and said, “If your righteousness does not surpass this shallow righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no way enter into the Kingdom of heaven!” Man-made religion was now obsolete; the Kingdom of God was now here; the rule and reign of Yahweh in the hearts of mankind had begun (Heb 10:16,17). The era of servants had passed,
now God wanted his “Sons” back again (Gal 4:6). That’s why He came to reconcile them, to make them “one” again with Himself. He came to restore them their former status, to give them back their dominion mandate (Gen 1:26-28). He came to return to them what was once theirs before even the world was founded (Matt 25:34),not a Religion, but a Kingdom, that was their inheritance! Now the church had a “new” mandate as the only designated ‘Agency’ of the Kingdom (Lk 22:29), duly appointed by Jesus. For he had already called them (the church) together, and gave them the power and the authority over “all” demons, and diseases, and to heal the sick.. then he sent them to preach on the only subject he authorised them to preach.. THE KINGDOM OF GOD!!!! NEGUS
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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. 13.
Feature
Ms. Ladonna Yorke: YYoung, o oung gifted and daring oung,
Posing with the GenerMetrocint General Insurance staff – home support. Time to Right: Time greet customers at the Metrocint InsurGeneral Insurance front desk.
METR OCINT METROCINT GENERAL INSUR INSUR-ANCE COMP ANY COMPANY has been in e xistence ffor or existence nearly 50 yyears. ears. The patriotic institution that it institution is, Metrocint has been in the forefront of preser ving man forefront preserving manyy spheres of Vincentian heritage. The Miss S VG heritage. SVG P ageant has been no Pageant e xception. exception. Since the change over
from a Pre-Lenten to June-July pageant, no contestant queen sashed with the Metrocint banner
has captured the title. But a young, gifted and daring Vincentian is anxious to break the jinx. Her name is Ladonna Yorke who wears the Miss Metrocint sash this year. “I want to make my sponsor proud,” Yorke confessed during a visit to the offices of the company in Pauls Avenue, last Monday. She had early education at Cane End Government School, then at the Girls’ High School. The Division of Arts, Sciences and General Studies of the Community College was the next phase of Yorke’s development. Yorke is quick to admit the University scholarship is big incentive, and that will be a major reward for her. But that aside, she thinks that it is time that a Metrocint Queen is crowned. Preparations are on course for the June 3 extravaganza. Yorke exudes confidence, and is “dedicated” to bringing the title to the Metrocint office. She believes that her unique personality is substantial support on inten-which to build her inten prestig-tion to capture the prestig ious title. short-There will be no short age of support for her. One with connections to the northern Grenadine island of Bequia, Yorke will be counting on support from those quarters. The Metrocint entou entou-rage will be out in full complement, and with THE VINCENTIAN, IKTV, bases in the Marriaqua district, Young will be assured adequate solidarity.
Miss Ladonna Y Yorke orke o - Miss Metrocint General Insurance Co. Ltd - contestant in the 2017 Miss SVG pageant.
Managing Director Desiree Richards gets a special acknowledgement from Miss Metrocint.
Miss Ladonna Yorke o Yorke sports a winning smile.
Miss Metrocint also left some of her charm with THE VINCENTIAN sales reps Rafielia Herbert (left) and Shari Gelllzeau.
Ladonna did not forget to warm the hearts of these two Metrolife agents, Andre Boyd (left) and Jonathan Nicolls.
THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. 15.
14. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN
Kids’ lives matter
Hon Luke Browne, Minister of Health, ellness and the Environment. Wellness W
Head T Table able a (L-R) : Ms. Clare Slatter; Ms. Susan Rickman, Prime Minister Hon Ralph E. Gonsalves and Governor General Sir Frederick Ballantyne. by y BEN HARRISON – International Correspondent
to a dedication ceremon IN HIS ADDRESS to ceremonyy of the World Pediatric Pediatric Project designat ed Operating Theatre World designated Milton Cato Cato Memorial Hospit al (MCMH) on F riday at Milton Hospital Friday Minister Ralph E. Gonsalv es said, ““All All April 7th, Prime Minister Gonsalves children are our children”. children”. He was was expressing expressing profound profound children to the World World P aediatric appreciation and thanks to Paediatric for its continuous and outstanding outstanding initiative initiative in Project for
Kristen Thomas, age 2 children from surrounding islands travel to SVG to see and be treated by the visiting professionals. We usually think of patients coming to the doctor; with WPP the doctors come to the patients. diagnosWPP’s visiting surgical and diagnostic teams have provided upwards of EC 112 million dollars (54 million in SVG) in donated in-kind medical services, through more than 7,500 surgical consultations and 940 life-saving surgeries to children from Anguilla, Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and of course, St. Vincent.
tive paediatric cases. In addition to signifi signifi-cantly upgrading the St. Vincent facility, WPP also provides a comprehensive training program for the unit’s new nurses, assuring hundreds of infants and children a safe place to begin life, helping them to overcome the many obsta obsta-cles and challenges life has presented them. Each year, World Pediat Pediat-ric Project sends St. Vincent & the Grenadines, surgical “Saving Lives One Fligh Flightt at a Time” and diagnostic teams in the Clare Slatter of the Mustique paediatric specialty areas of Charitable Fund. Due to the enormous cost of air orthopedics, general organitravel, the support of a unique organisurgery, ophthalmology, zation based in Las Vegas Nevada, plastic surgery, urology, Miracle Flights, has relieved much of physical therapy, diagnostic cardiology and neuro responsibilithe financial burden that would be the responsibilineuro-surgery. The Hon. Ralph E. Gonsalves, P rime ty of already overextended parents and caregivers. Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, famiMiracle Flights provides children and their famireferred to the WPP doctors, nurses and other lies, free flights to specialized care facilities and the medical professionals as ”Angels of Life”. opportunity to receive valuable second opinions. Prime Minister Gonsalves concluded h is Miracle Flights also arranged the transportation at his remarks at the dedication ceremony by announcing no cost for the medical professionals who arrived in that the planning and design work has already St. Vincent on last weekend’s mission. begun for a brand-new 150 bed critical care paedi Mark E. Brown, the Chief Executive Officer of paedi-atric hospital to be built on a site at the now decom Miracle Flights, stated that the organization decom-missioned Arnos Vale Airport. The site has been provides no-cost transportation for children and chosen; and an expected construction star their parents or caregivers to specialists in the startt date within two years, will further advance St United States and the Caribbean. St.. Vincent and the Grenadines as a central Eastern Caribbean The philanthropic partnership between Miracle hub for the treatment of all children. Flights and World Pediatric Project has resulted in The effect of WPP’s initiative has resulted in the the treatment of 712 children throughout the development of a regional hub in St. Vincent and Caribbean and Central America and to-date, has the Grenadines, centralizing paediatric critical care flown 15 World Pediatric Project (WPP) medical services for children from many of the isla nds in the teams to partner countries, culminating in 274 islands Eastern Caribbean region. Rotating volunteer procedures and 773 consultations for children in paediatric surgical and diagnostic teams of special need. special-ists travel to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, while On April 7th, 2017, the dedicated work of WPP, and its many volunteers, supported by the direct Left: W aiting area in the Peadiatric W ing of the MCMH on Waiting Wing financial and in-kind funding of The Mustique Sunday morning.
working working with medical and go government vernment sect sectors ors of S St. t. Vincent & the Grenadines in developing developing a Regional Regional Hub ffor or P Peadiatric eadiatric Care at the MCMH. World Pediatric Project (WPP), founded 16 years ago, is a nonprofit global network linking worldworldwide paediatric surgical, diagnostic and preventapreventative resources to heal critically ill children in developing countries. WPP sends paediatric diagnostic and surgical teams to the Caribbean and Central America and, thanks to a gift from The United Children of the World Fund in 2008, The Project, in collaboration with the Virginia Commonwealth University Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, in 2009, has been instrumental in constructing a new Paediatric Critical Care Unit, in the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital. The new unit will increase the surgical capacity of visiting teams of medical professionals, and creating a caring environment for post-opera post-opera--
Arthur hurr, age 14 and Ajhade Francis, age 6. L-R: Bless Arthur,
Charitable Trust and Miracle Flights organizations, Operatpresented an outstanding state-of-the-art Operating Theatre at Milton Cato Memorial Hospital which was dedicated and turned over to hospital administrators. The Chairperson of the event was Mr. Cuthbert Knights, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment. Speakers included Ms Susan Rickman from West Virginia in the USA, President of the World Pediatric Project; Ms. Clare Slatter, Chairperson UK Friends of the Mustique Charitable Trust; Hon. Luke Brown Minister of Health, Wellness and the environment; Hon. Ralph E .Gonsalves Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Ms Grace Walters, Hospital Administrator. A highlight of the dedication event was the introduction of several of the children who had benefited from the WPP program. In each case, either the child or their parents expressed their profound gratitude, and there were few dry eyes in the audience, (including those of Prime Minister Gonsalves).
The children included 14-year-old Bless Arthur; two-year-old Kristen Thomas, and six-year-old Ajhade Francis (whose goal in life is to be an airline pilot). Sunday was a very special and busy day at the VINMilton Cato Hospital Paediatric Unit. THE VINCENTIAN visited the unit where a huge crowd of caregivalmost 100 children and their parents and caregivers were waiting to be seen by the WPP specialists. Thirty-three of the children were from St. Vincent, 13 from St. Lucia, three from the Dominican Republic, eight from Grenada, five from St. Kitts, and one each from Antigua and Barbados. During the three-day mission, 17 surgeries were scheduled, some lasting as long as five hours. The vision, hard work and initiative of the many volunteers and fund raisers, the WPP and Miracle Flights as well as the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Ministry of Health and Simon Carey, WPP’s Resident Manager for the Eastern Caribbean, will continue to have a life-long diagnosimpact on the lives of children with special diagnosanother tic, rehabilitative and surgical needs. (See another storry on o page 18) 18) WPP story
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16. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN
News
Kingsley Davis with his display of kites for this Easter.
Davis keeps kite –making tradition alive THE TRADITION of using bamboo strips, string and other local materials in kite- making, is being maintained by Sion Hill – born, Rockies resident Kingsley Davis. Involved in the making of kites since he was seven years old, Davis said he has made a kite every year for the past sixty — seven years. “I am 74 years old, and will be 75 this year, and there has not been a year that I ain’t build a kite… I am a kite man,” Davis explained. Davis said that he lived in Trinidad for thirty years and carried on kite-making on a commercial basis. Since returning to the land of his birth, Davis said that he continued to ply his craft especially around Easter time, the period traditionally for kite- flying. “ I built all kinda (kind of) kites - nosey, plain, three-point star, five—point star, six-point star, box kite - name it, I built them,” Davis boasted. “I have kites of all the soft drinks and beverages produced here,” he added. Davis stated that his kites come complete with “thread and tail, so when you get a kite from me, you (are) ready to fly.” Considering himself a guru of kite-making,
Brent Mc Intosh (left), then Country Manager for Columbus St Vincent, presents Kingsley Davis with his prizes for being the 2014 ‘King of the Park’. Davis prefers using plastic to paper, because of durability, noting, “but I don’t tie up the plastic on the ends, I stick them.” Davis revealed that he also loves competition, hence the reason that since his return from Trinidad and Tobago in 1999, he has entered all kite-flying competitions staged here. “I love the competition … I all time (always) win… I have won TVs, radios, all kinds of prizes over the years for being the oldest flyer”, Davis related. In fact, Davis was crowned the ‘King of the Park’ in the 2014 then Columbus-sponsored kite flying competition. Davis credits Dale
Thomas, Paul Kirby and the late Roy Ralph for pushing him into participating in kite flying competitions. Jokingly, Davis said, “I run all them off the park. Roy is not here, but way (where) Dale and Kirby… Dem pack up and I (am) still around.” Davis though wants to see more youngsters learn the art of kite — making rather than being dependant on the imported, mass produced kites. Persons wishing to get a traditionally built kite from the hands of Davis, can do so this Saturday at the Bedford Street Bank of SVG car park.
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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. 17.
Education
UWI partners with University of Johannesburg THE UNIVERSITY of the West Indies and the University of Johannesburg (UJ) in South Africa have signed a Memorandum of Agreement for the establishment of an Institute for Global Africa Affairs, which will focus on research and policy development, and assist with curriculum development. The agreement was initialled on Monday, March 27, 2017 by The UWI Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles and Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UJ, Professor Ihron
Rensburg. The institute, to be managed by a board of directors, will operate at both universities and facilitate the exchange of professors and students. It will examine a number of issues pertinent to both regions, including economic development, entrepreneurship, post-colonial governance, climate change, and youth and their identity. Commenting on the partnership, Sir Hilary said that it presents a
The latest batch of students to receive their White Coats at the All Saints University, College of Medicine.
Thirty-one receive White Coats at All Saints THREE VINCENTIANS were among thirty-one (31) Medical students who received their white coats when the All Saints University, College of Medicine, held its fourteenth (14th) White
Coat Ceremony on Saturday, April 8, 2017, at the Arnos Vale Campus. The donning of the White Coat by Medical students represents the transition of fourth (4th)
ECGC awards bursaries The ECGC Foundation INC., in collaboration with the University of the West Indies Open Campus, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, handed over bursaries to two (2) Open Campus students on Tuesday April 11th at 10:00 am. The ceremony was held at the Tele-Conference Room of the Open Campus, and was addressed by Mrs. Deborah Dalrymple, Head of the Open Campus, and Mr. Osmond Davy, Chief Executive Officer of the East Caribbean Group of Companies. The recipients of the awards were: Ms. Hannah Hamilton who is pursuing a B.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Management; and Mr. Kimron Shallow, who is Bursary recipients Kimron reading for a B.Sc. Shallow (left) and Hannah in Economics. Hamilton.
semester students from the Basic Sciences, to the Clinical phase of the MD (Doctor of Medicine) programme. The ceremony heard addresses from Dr. Terrence Marcelle, Executive Dean; Hon Cecil Mc Kie, Minister of Tourism, Sports and Culture and Parliamentary Representative for West St George; Dr. Reisha Browne-Caesar, who spoke on behalf of the Faculty; as well as from Osarumwense Iyamu, the MD4 Class Representative. The three top students, Osarumwense Iyamu, Nneka Okeifufe and Oyinem Odumah, all received scholarship awards, and there was also the naming of some students to the Dean’s List. All Saints University, College of Medicine commenced operations in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in September 2011 in Belair. An additional Campus was started in Arnos Vale last year.
tremendous opportunity to share intellectual content. “We are creating a jointly owned and managed institution to bring some of the finest thinking and research of the two universities together so as to participate in changing the conversations about sustainable development in this long 21st century,” From left to right: Vice-Chancellor and Principal of he said, following the signing of the agreement the University of Johannesburg, Professor Ihron Rensburg; Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of at The UWI, Cave Hill The UWI, Cave Hill campus, Professor V. Eudine campus in Barbados. Barriteau, and Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, He further explained, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles. “There are going to be dozens of courses that are joint institute between ourselves. currently offered at UJ that will be of We’re deeply convinced that the special interest to our students at the manner in which industrialisation has UWI. …” The UJ Vice-Chancellor anticipates proceeded, certainly the evolution of our continent over the last two that a joint Master’s degree in Global Africa Studies would be introduced in generations cannot be repeated,” said a few months to be followed by a joint Professor Rensburg. Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of PhD programme. The UWI, Cave Hill Campus, Professor “The conversation brought us to V. Eudine Barriteau who was present focus on what the new Africa and the new African should be grappling with, for the signing, expects that arising from the collaboration, Caribbean what our responsibilities would be as students will be better equipped with the two universities, in particular, as African knowledge that can guide we put together this new Pan African Caribbean development.
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18. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN
Medical News
WPP wraps up Physiotherapy mission Physiotherapist fits a child for corrective shoes.
was making her tenth visit to SVG. Other The World Pediatric members were first-time Project (WPP) concluded worker, Pediatric its Physical Therapy Physiotherapist Lisa Mission at the Milton Cato Babco — visiting for the Memorial Hospital on first time, and Elaine Friday, 31st March 2017, Plemmet, a pediatric after five days of specialist from St. Lucia consultation and therapy. who has joined the The mission, mission for the second originating out of year. Richmond, Virginia, was A total of forty-one led by Physiotherapist children were seen, Mrs. Kim Wesdock who inclusive of two from Grenada and one from Trinidad and Tobago. Head physiotherapist Kim Wesdock, explained that the WPP mission works closely with the Physiotherapy Department at the hospital, and when they arrive, they would already have a schedule with which to work. Children are seen daily: annual reassessments and new patients. According to Eastern Caribbean Representative of the WPP, Mrs. Jacqueline Browne-King, the physiotherapy mission Stories by GLORIAH
always tends to be labour intensive. Progress of children who have been on board are assessed and their exercises are streamlined for greater effectiveness. The new children are given a total assessment of their developmental stage, then an analysis of what they need and how best to chart their programme to benefit from the services, is conducted. Local Physical Therapist, Mrs. Janelle Ballah and her team have been an integral part of the physiotherapy missions of the World Pediatric Project. Their job has been called a great one, despite the challenges they face through numbers. Representative Browne-King acknowledged, “They have to cater to the inhospital patients, the out-patients, and the community; so it’s really a challenge.” Wesdock was careful to explain that, in many instances, the Child’s walking progress Physiotherapy Mission of being observed. the WPP feeds the
Orthopedic Mission, so the best arrangement is for one to follow the other. Therefore, the next mission of the World Pediatric Project will be the Pediatric
Orthopedic Mission, scheduled to be conducted at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital between Sunday, April 9th and Friday, April 14th.
The WPP has been changing lives of thousands of children throughout the Eastern Caribbean, through the delivery of direct criticalcare services.
Trinity gets new physical operations director VINCENTIAN Amoy Munroe has joined the staff of Trinity School of Medicine as Director of Physical Operations. With over five years’ experience in Senior Management, dealing specifically with Operations and Human Resource Management, and given her inherent passion for these specialized areas, this position at Trinity Amoy Munroe (right) looks to be the natural getting around to fit. familiarising herself with According to the Ms. the Deanery staff and Munroe, the Director of operations. Physical Operations is responsible for the the West Indies, daily operation at Trinity, ensuring and is currently that the different departments reading for a Maintenance, Security, House Master’s Degree Keeping, and Transportation - run in Business smoothly and are co-ordinated. Administration. She assumed the position on Moreover, not March 15th, 2017, and admitted that only is her she has been familiarizing herself experience Amoy Munroe, new with operations and meeting centered on Director of members of faculty and staff. “I am management. Physical currently working towards In addition to Operations at understanding the expectations of the her academic Trinity School of organization, understanding the and professional Medicine. needs of the students who are our pursuits, customers, in order to impact any Director Munroe sort of growth.” has been a volunteer with the Girl The young lady has already Guides Association of St. Vincent and discerned, however, that Trinity is a the Grenadines, and with the St. very community oriented institution, Vincent and the Grenadines Red where much effort and focus is geared Cross Society. She believes that towards community development and volunteerism has allowed her the community outreach programs. “As opportunity to invest in people and to Director of Operations, I plan to give back to communities. “I share assist as far as I can,” she added. the notion,” she was happy to say, As far as Trinity being a medical “that life is about serving others, and School is concerned, Munroe I have found this to be quite confessed that “I have never managed fulfilling.” in the medical field before, but the She also proffered, “I am fairly concepts are the same, the end young and, given the persons we results that we are looking for are the would be working with — our students same. It is only the environment that who are younger persons — I will be is different.. I can relate to the able to relate to them. … . I can values, vision and mission of this confidently say that my educational organization.” background and experiences have Along with her experience, Ms. well prepared me to be able to Munroe holds a BSc degree in contribute positively to the growth of Management from the University of Trinity School of Medicine”.
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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. 19.
Arts
Honouring Judy Boucher and more THE MUSIC OF St Vincent and the Grenadines and the rest of the Caribbean has received a boost from an upcoming show in honour of Vincentian
songstress, Judy Boucher. The organisers of the event dubbed, ‘Accolade: A tribute to Judy Boucher’, had said that the broader intention of the event was to take a version of the show to Judy Boucher has captured Europe, in an effort to the hearts of audiences take advantage of across Europe, the UK, the opportunities available to Caribbean and here in SVG.
SVG Players International says: „The Future is Now‰ ANYONE WHO wants to have a peek of the future can do so through SVG Players International Mas and Cultural Organisation’s portrayal for Vincy Mas 2107, entitled: ‘Star 2525- The Future is Now’. The official launch of the band’s 2017 presentation, its 17th, took place last Tuesday, at the Peace Memorial Hall, Kingstown. Julian ‘Pelling’ Pollard, the band’s designer, put his artistic skills and imagination to work, and produced twelve sections representative of what the world should be like in the next 500 years. The twelve are ‘Star Gate’, ‘Empire Strikes Back’, ‘Celestial Star Child’, ‘Sky Net’, ‘S.E.X.Y Bot’, ‘Scorched Heat’, ‘Ice Queen’, ‘Laser Ladies’, ‘Contagious’, ‘United States of Africa’, ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ and ‘Electro Magnet Pulse’. Speaking at Tuesday’s launch, Pollard revealed that the concept of the presentation came about from the emerging trends in technological advancement. “It is not too far-fetched to look 500 years into the future … If humanity is to survive, we have to make corrections to our thinking now… We as humans can put things right, right now, but if we continue in the way in which we are living, these are the things which are going to happen to us,” Pollard cautioned. Among his projections are that Soca Music will take over the world, hence the section ‘Contagious’; St Vincent and the Grenadines will see snow, therefore ‘Ice Queen’. Pollard revealed that the band will be
Julian “Pelling” Pollard is pointing out the Contagious “ section at last Tuesday’s SVG Players International band launch.
making an all-out attempt to cop the Band of the Year in 2017, since it is the 40th anniversary of change from the pre- Lenten to June/July carnival, even as it endeavours to give their patrons an “experience.” Expect that SVG Players will team up with several of the rural Carnivals this year. A novelty to this year’s production is the two in one package that patrons playing the ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ section can expect. That portrayal will feature both at the J’Ouvert celebrations and at the Mardi Gras parade. The veteran designer also indicated that SVG Players International will be pursuing a tee- shirt band for Carnival Monday’s street jump-up. Also rolled out in Tuesday’s launch was the linkage with Mas Production in New York, allowing masqueraders to register there, and get the full package. . SVG Players International has won five Band of the Year titles to date: , 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2013. They have also notched seven second places, as well as six Junior Band of the Year titles. Additionally, the band has copped nine Section of the Bands titles and several Junior and Senior Queen of the Band accolades. The 2017 presentation is dedicated to a fallen member of the band- Knoll United States of Murray, who died in 2016. Africa on display SVG Players International mas at last camp is located in Frenches, obliquely Tuesday’s launch opposite the Everready Funeral of SVG Players Home. International.
music professionals and others in the creative industries, under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Union (EU) and CARIFORUM. The promoters of Accolade announced on Tuesday, that even before the show, it has received support towards their broader intention. A release said that the effort has received the support of at least one of the region’s development agencies, i.e. the OECS Export Development Agency, Sobers Esprit, the Business Development Officer for the Creative Industries in the Unit, in commending the promoters for staging the show, Accolade, offered to increase the
The show will feature music, dance, drama, poetry and more - all in honour of Judy. Among the highlights of the show will be a segment, during which well-known Vincentian artistes will serenade Judy with hits from her repertoire. Judy will also make a brief appearance. Organisers say that ‘Accolade: A tribute to Accolade Judy Boucher’, is expected to be an annual The show in honour of event in St Vincent and Judy Boucher will take the Grenadines, to place at the Russell’s celebrate Caribbean Auditorium on Saturday, artistes/personalities. April, 22, 2017, from 8:00 This year’s show is pm. It is being held to being promoted by A&A mark the 30th Tannis Promotions, in anniversary of the association with Ezee release of Judy Boucher’s Radio, SVG Association hit, ‘Can’t Be With You of Music Professionals Tonight’, which (SVG AMP), Nice Radio, catapulted her to among others. international recognition. (Contributed) awareness of the show through its communications platforms, as well as the services of the St Vincent and the Grenadinesbased Island Network, one of its clients in the music business. Island Network as a result is now providing logistical and other technical support to the show.
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20. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN
Advice
Leave him behind uptight about anal sex. I just hope he realizes that I’m taking his threat to step outside MY BOYFRIEND insists on having the relationship to satisfy his anal sex, even though I told him when we first met, that anal sex was selfish needs, seriously. out of the question. Now, six months later, he is forcing the issue, Disappointed with the lame excuse that he Dear Disappointed, thought I was not serious. How could he not take me seriously? The If at this early stage in the last thing he did was to threaten to relationship, your boyfriend sees find someone who wouldn’t be so
Dear George,
nothing wrong with blatantly showing his selfishness and lack of respect for your wishes, then you can be assured that you have dialed the wrong number. You need, therefore, to hang up and dial again. In short, he has demonstrated that he is the wrong man for you. Move on.
Wrong reason for a condom
George
Dear George,
Church getting in the way Dear George, MY HUSBAND attends church more regularly than the pastor. He is never at home at night. He gets home from work at around 6:30 pm, gets dressed and leaves for church. When he gets home after church and I
try to get something going with him, he shoves me off as if to say I’m disturbing his spiritual connection. I want him to keep this up and see how long he will remain married to me.
Upset and longing
Dear Upset and longing, become a major problem. This may be a case where your husband is taking things a bit too far. He needs to realize he has a commitment to you after God, and therefore, must not neglect your needs, to the point where it has
Speak to him about your feelings and thoughts. If he refuses to listen, then go to the Pastor of the church and voice your concerns. Just maybe, a meeting with all three of you will help to bring some speedy resolution to this. This can easily be fixed with the necessary open communication. Keep me posted.
George
MY WIFE AND I have been married for ten years. Out of the clear blue sky, she is insisting that I use a condom. Why should I wear condoms when we just discussed having another child? All she said was she wasn’t quite ready. The subject came up when I met one of her girlfriends who confided in me that my wife had been seeing her ex-boyfriend, and has agreed to get pregnant for him, seeing that he never got around to doing so before, even after she promised him a child. She wanted her child to be tall and mathematically brilliant like her ex. She wants to get pregnant for her ex and pass it off on me. That’s why she wants me wear condoms. Right now, I know how I want to respond, but I’m not so sure it will be in her best interest.
Deceived Dear Deceived, You and your wife need to have a conversation. It is paramount that she lets you know whether she is with you for the right reasons. She cannot be in the marriage with one foot in and the other out. Her connection with her past boyfriend will cause major ripples in the marriage. It is more than worrisome that she is not prepared or proud to bear your child. That is a hurdle you both must clear convincingly before you could move forward. If there is going to be a future for you both, then she has to let go of the past.
George
Leisure
ARIES (Mar. 21‐ April 20) You may be tired of working for someone else. Situations you can't change should be forgotten for the present. Family may not want to get involved but an entre‐ preneur will. Try to keep an open mind. TAURUS (Apr. 21‐ May 21) Think before you act. Unforeseen circumstances will disrupt your daily routine. Travel will be exciting. Recognition can be yours if you present your ideas and stand behind your beliefs. Take time to re‐evaluate your motives regarding friendships. GEMINI (May 22‐June 21) Do not let in‐ laws upset you. Strengthen your position among your peers. Pleasure trips should be on your agenda. Major job changes or opportunities to get ahead professionally are apparent. CANCER (June 22‐July 22) You can make excellent career moves if you are open to the opportunities that exist. Now is the time to concentrate on building a strong financial future for your family. Take time to catch up on gossip and make plans to do a little adventure travel. Your diplo‐ matic approach and rather outgoing nature will enhance your reputation and bring you the support you need. LEO (July 23‐Aug 22) Don't make large purchases unless you have discussed your choices with your mate. Sudden trips will take you by surprise. Unexpected romantic connections can be made if you go out with friends or take a pleasure trip. Group endeavors will pro‐ vide you with entertainment. VIRGO (Aug. 23 ‐Sept. 23) You are best to stick to basics. Work on getting ahead by picking up added skills. You should be on the road. Refuse to get involved in idle chatter; it will only make you look bad. Don't be too quick to voice your
opinion. Listen to others carefully. LIBRA (Sept. 24 ‐Oct. 23) You need adventure and excitement in your life. Changes at home will be necessary. You can certainly gain popularity; however, don't do it by paying for everyone else. You need to spend some time getting to know this person all over again. SCORPIO (Oct. 24 ‐ Nov. 22) You will tend to overeat this week. You can offer your mate a commitment or promise that will help stabilize your personal life. Disputes on the home front may be hard to avoid. Put your thoughts on paper. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 ‐Dec. 21) You're best to avoid disputes. Deception is likely. Plan to visit friends or relatives. Don't give your heart too readily. CAPRICORN (Dec 22.‐ Jan. 20) Changes in your home will be positive. Find ways to make extra cash. Start making things or reusing rather than buying ready‐ made. You should be traveling to that exotic destination you've been dreaming about. Do not travel unless absolutely necessary. Be careful. AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.‐ Feb. 19) Financial investments that deal with joint money can be extremely prosperous. You're in the mood to get out and visit friends. Someone around you may not be trust‐ worthy. Romantic encounters will be full of excitement. PISCES (Feb. 20‐Mar. 20) Changes at home might come fast and furious. Direct your energy wisely this week. Anger will prevail if you expect help from others. You may find yourself a bit frazzled if you allow someone to goad you into an unsa‐ vory debate. You can gain valuable cultur‐ al knowledge through dealing with for‐ eigners.
ACROSS 1.Fasten 4. Interweave three strands of hair 9. Nipper’s company (abbr.) 12. Ending for Vietnam or Taiwan 13. Long spear 14. Needing a doctor 15. Bear’s foot 16. Ancient Mexican 17. Not masc. 18. Attended 20. Pretends to have a great poker hand 22. Guy, to a Brit 24. Disagreeable 25. __ beans 26. Treats for Bugs Bunny 29. Mao __ ‐tung 30. BPOE’s meeting place 31. Kix grain 33. Groups of warships 35. __ melt 36. Help 37. Mailman, at times 38. Inventor
Thomas Alva __ 41. Drummer Buddy 42. Conway or Robbins 43. Jet black 45. Taxing agcy. 48. Gardner of “The Killers” 49. Make corrections 50. Recent (prefix) 51. Not strict 52. Swamp grasses 53. Republican party’s inits.
19. Wanted pastor initials 1.Vim 2. “The Lady __ 21. Spanish “one” Tramp” 22. Deli (2 wds.) sandwich, 3. Recent arrival for short 4. Censure 23. Bart 5. Demolish Simpson’s 6. Colonizing sister insect 24. Angry with 7. Arctic water (2 wds.) hazards 26. Spy’s alias 8. Announce (2 wds.) 9. Guitarist’s 27. Feeling short 28. Rational phrase 30. Worker 10. Musical 32. Apply asphalt symbol 34. Mothers 11. Charity 35. Sea‐__ DOWN
(Seattle airport) 37. Heeds 38. And others (2 wds.) 39. Opera figure 40. Large screen movie
LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION
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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. 21.
theater 41. Tear apart 44. Churchill’s sign 46. Car named after Ransom E. Olds 47. Drench
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22. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN
Industry
Vincy Chocolate for QueenÊs Easter Egg L-R: Andrew Hadley and Wilf Marriott, principals of the SVCC, have much of which to be proud.
PRESTAT FINEST CHOCOLATES, established in 1902, is one of the world’s oldest and most famous chocolate brands and much loved by English royalty and nobility. It was also a favourite of Roald Dahl, author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the creator of Willie Wonka. Each year, Prestat handcrafts a perfect and unique chocolate Egg for Her Majesty The Queen and fills it with a range of chocolate truffles and chocolate delights. So it is with huge pride that the Vincentian Chocolate Company, a subsidiary of the St Vincent Cocoa Company (SVCC) can announce this year’s Easter Egg for Her Majesty will be made
using Vincentian Chocolate. This is following a recent visit to St Vincent by Mr Nick Crean, co-owner of Prestat, on the invitation of Harry Marriott, Chairman of SVCC. Under the expert guidance of Andrew Hadley, Managing Director of SVCC, Mr Crean visited cocoa farms in Vincy’s glorious mountains, as well as SVCC’s world-class cocoa handling facility at Dickson. At its offices in Kingstown, he declared: “The St Vincent Cocoa Company is one of the most impressive stories of investment and sustainability I have come across. It brings employment to the island and will benefit the economy of the region. It is clear that the cocoa industry in St Vincent has an exciting future and is in safe hands”. On tasting Vincentian Chocolate at the Company’s factory, Mr. Crean declared that “Vincentian Chocolate is one of the most unique and rewarding chocolate ouvertures I have ever tasted.” Wilf Marriott, head of cocoa sales at SVCC and based in London, arranged the secret delivery of chocolate to Prestat’s factory in London and said “All of us here at the St Vincent Chocolate Company are incredibly excited and honoured that Prestat are using our chocolate to make Her Majesty’s Easter egg. All of our hard work seems to be paying off!” (Source: SVCC)
Left: It was only last year that the St Vincent Cocoa Company (SVCC) launched its first line of chocolate bars.
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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. 23.
WÊwards female cricket squad named
FOUR VINCENTIANS have been named in a 14member senior female Windward Islands cricket team, for participation in the WICB Female Limited Overs Tournament, scheduled to bowl off on April 20, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The four players include wicket-keeper Glendeen Turtin, and allrounders Juliana Nero, Cordel Jack and StacyAnn Adams. This will be Jack’s first outing for the Windward Islands since they began playing as a single entity last year. She worked herself into the team on the back of a century in the recent Southern Windwards series. This after chalking up three centuries in local competition.
Afy Fletcher, captain of the team, welcomed the inclusion of the experienced former West Indies selectee Cordel Jack. “Cordel brings a lot of experience and stability to the batting unit, and I am looking forward for her to lead from the front and carry the team,” Fletcher said. As far as her overall focus was concerned, Flecther said that her immediate concern would be the one-week camp here, from which the best combination would be selected. “I will be working to encourage the players while getting them in the right frame of mind and remain focus, because it will be very crucial that everybody chip in and maintain their form
The 2017 Senior Windwards Female Cricket team assembled at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.
Arnos Vale will be the venue for the finals of the Tournament, scheduled to close on April 30. Trinidad & Tobago Women are the defending champions. The full Windwards squad reads: Afy Fletcher (captain), Akeria Peters, Holly Charles, Area Fortune from Grenada; Roselia Baptiste and Krisain Irish from Dominica; Nerisha Crafton, Servely L-R: A recalled Cordel Jack would be hoping to transfer her current good Williams, Roylin form from the sub-regional to the regional level; Area Fortune, a newcomer, is confident that the team could do well, and Afy Fletcher returns as captain. Williams, Quania Joseph from St Lucia; and preparation, it will good feeling making the through tournament,” Cordel Jack, Juliana team for the first time, Fletcher elaborated. perform well. Nero, Stacy-Ann Adams and they can expect a lot She admitted that , The tournament, Glendeen Turtin from even though I still have a begins on April 20 with “We didn’t play much SVG. lot of work to do. I am games last year due to the following matches: The team’s coach is going to do my best to try Barbados vs. Trinidad at Samantha Lynch of SVG. the rain affected tournament, but we will to remain on the team Sion Hill; Jamaica vs the St. Lucian Eugenia for next year, or even be looking to improve Leeward Islands at Park Gregg will serve as play for the West Indies.” Hill; Guyana vs the after every game.” manager. Grenadian Alica Fortune was confident Windward Islands at Fortune, a newcomer to that, once the team Arnos Vale. I.B.A.ALLEN the squad, said, “It’s a works hard at its
Cyclist beckons more caution by drivers
Cyclists- Lucky Antrobus, Zefal Bailey and Cammie Adams during one of the SVG Cycling Union’s road races.
VETERAN CYCLIST PETER DURRANT is calling on motorists to show more concern for members of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cycling Union, who share the same roadways here. Durrant’s request comes at a time which he describes as a period of increasing intolerance and “disrespect” for national cyclists. Fingering especially some mini -van drivers, Durrant lamented: “They stop without indicating, they make sudden stops and pull over in front of us. “We are seen as a nuisance on the roads by some drivers… When we are on the roads, it is not on a joy ride, but practising for races… Cycling is a recognised national sport,” Durrant emphasised. The durable Durrant conceded that whilst there are more vehicles on the road, drivers can exercise more caution, not only to cyclists but also to other road users. Durrant warned that whilst there has not been many mishaps on the roads involving cyclists of the union, one cannot be overly cautious.
“In saying so, one has to thank those drivers who show us the respect and who take every measure for our safety as well as theirs,” Durrant said. He was also complimentary of members of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force who have, over the years, been very helpful as outriders and Peter Durrant who assist in traffic control, whenever the SVG Cycling Union hosts its road races. “All we cyclists are asking of all motorists is to look out for us on the roads, and let us all try as best possible to be our brother’s keeper,” Durrant pleaded in conclusion.
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24. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN
Sports
Windwards Volcanoes bury Jamaica Scorpions
THE WINDWARD ISLANDS VOLCANOES completed a comprehensive eight- wicket win over the Jamaica Scorpions in the Digicel Sports Max West Indies Cricket Board Professional Cricket League 4- day regional competition last Sunday, within three days here at the Arnos Vale Playing Field. The Volcanoes took control from day one, when the Scorpions were sent packing for 56. Kyle Mayers took a career best 6 for 29 and Delorn Johnson- 4 for 26, as the two left arm medium fast bowlers took just 19.4 overs between them to dismantle their opponents. The Volcanoes, on the back of an even hundred Teams exchanging handshakes at the end of the match last Sunday.
Daniel wins, Dublin takes top seed CARLTON DANIEL won the second SVG Table Tennis Association (SVGTTA) Open Ranking Tournament of 2017, which was held last weekend at the Georgetown Secondary School, but Damien Dublin emerged as the number one ranked table tennis player in the country. Daniel’s victory jumped him two places -from 4th to 2nd - in the national rankings that were released after last weekend’s Tournament. Damion Dublin, ranked 2nd going into last weekend’s tournament, eased past Robert Ballantyne to take the top spot. Ballantyne was absent from this Tournament and has now slipped to number 3 position. Daniel and Dublin had three thrilling encounters during the course of the Championship. Dublin won the first, 1/6, 4/11/, 11/2 and 11/8, when they met in
the fourth round of the Winners Bracket Daniel swarmed back in the second encounter, the first of a three-game final, to win in a hard-fought 4-setter, 11/5, 11/7, /13/15, 11/8. The third encounter between the two was no different, with Carlton Daniel each player digging deep into won the their arsenals. It may have tournament been experience that made the but did not difference in the end for Daniel earn enough endured to beat 11/7, 8/11, 11/5, points to 9/11, 11/9. jump him to Earlier, Daniel overcame the top. Romano Spencer (seeded 6th) to earn a place in the final, after earned Spencer had dispensed with Sean double Stanley (seeded 3rd) and then points Joseph Carrington (seeded 5th). towards The next Tournament to carry their ranking points would be the ranking. “Nationals”, scheduled for the 3rd to the 6th May. Players I.B.A.ALLEN participating in the ‘Nationals’
Damian Dublin is now the top seeded table tennis player in SVG, having occupied the No. 2 spot going into last weekend’s Tournament.
Andre Fletcher facing Nikita Miller as the Windwards Volcanoes near victory. not out from veteran opener Devon Smith and 57 from fellow Grenadian, Andre Fletcher, declared at 223 for 9, a healthy lead of 167. Smith counted 12 fours in chalking up his 29th first class hundred. Fletcher, on return to the team following a lay off because of a minor operation, struck 7 fours and a six, as he completed his 19th first class half century. Bowling for the Scorpions, Nikita Miller picked off 5 for 58, Player of the match- Devon his 27th five- wicket haul in Smith. first class cricket, and Derval Green had 2 for 35. Showing some enterprise in their second visit to the crease, the Jamaicans went the route of aggression. The end result was a posting of 262 all out. Topping their batting was Fabian Allen who struck 77, inclusive of 9 fours and a six. Paul Palmer Jr.’s 46 included 4 fours, and Devon Thomas hit 7 fours and a six in his 44. The Volcanoes’ Shane Shillingford bagged 7 for 91 and Kyle Mayers 2 for 36. It was Shane Shillingford’s 37th five-wicket Shillingford grabbed 7/91 in taking in first class cricket. the Scorpions’ Set 96 to win, the Volcanoes second innings. were unruffled by what the Jamaica Scorpions bowlers aimed at them, and reached 96 for 2 from 28.4 overs. Tyrone Theophile compiled 36, Devon Smith - 23 retired hurt and Jelarni Robinson- 19, to see the Volcanoes home, as the morning period was extended on Sunday. For winning the ninth round match, the Windwards Volcanoes collected 18.6 points, to push their tally to 92.8, while the Jamaica Scorpions got a mere 3.4, to take theirs to 98.6. The Volcanoes head to the Guyana National Stadium this weekend to face off with the front runners and defending champions the Guyana Jaguars, with the Scorpions set to meet Barbados Pride at the Kensington Oval, Barbados.
Vengeance takes Clare Valley T20
R. Browne took the most wickets in the competition.
Stein Joseph was the competition’s highest rungetter.
VENGEANCE emerged champions in the Scan Vibes Promotion/Tusty Water/Hairoun Beer T20 cricket competition at the Clare Valley school yard ground, last weekend. They beat Valley Stars by nine wickets in the finals in front of an appreciated crowd. Buccament Bay Warriors took the third spot. Valley Stars made 146 for 9 from 19 overs. T. Cumberbatch topscored with 41, with E. Greaves contributing 24. D.
Cumberbatch picked up 5 for 13. Vengeance replied with 147 for one from 17.4 overs. R. John led the batting with an aggressive 75, which included nine sixes and four fours, and Stein Joseph was unbeaten on 46 in which he struck six sixes and one four. The competition began about a month ago, and Stein Joseph of Vengeance chalked up the most runs, 383, including one century. R. Browne took the most wickets, 13. I.B.A.ALLEN
The victorious Vengeance team.
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THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. 25.
Sports
Are you sure? SOMETIMES one’s perception of individual human rights comes into question when national security matters take priority. Situations like those create the opening for some citizens to rely on their sense of entitlement. There are threats that unfold in any society in which ordinary people live, which are treated with scant regard. They may stretch the level of human discretion beyond the norms of expectations. Such trips take naturalists into realms of deep introspection. But the exposure may not be the platform for other actors intent on their aspect of the game. Awareness of one’s surroundings and the responses to any of life’s unfolding paths, makes conformity the logical option. Then the story progresses to a juncture where the reflection turns into what could have been a nightmare, although as in the case of the attack on the Borussia Dortmund Football team bus, alarms will be raised about the extent to which disregard for human life has plunged. Whatever the factors influencing the perpetrators, the need for vigilance will have to be stepped up, especially in the face of the open market that sporting events provide. Sporting events and any sort of normal living seem to be offences to those driven by their teachings. There is the continuing battle for survival such as what the Palestinians face in the full glare of the world, while every effort is made to demonise them. But while they have become target practice for Israeli soldiers, a segment of their own population seems intent of preventing the realisation of the Palestinians’ homeland. Instead, the focus shifts to Syria where a twoedged sword has been drawn. Assad had warned about the ‘Terror” threat to his regime. The complexity of the crisis in that part of the globe has engendered a scenario which has taken the world back in time some centuries. But some people take it as a form of tactical survival until they can seize their moment of dignity. The determination of the Syrian Footballers in their World Cup campaign is another symbol of great human spirit. When one looks at Egypt it will be difficult to take away the everyday way of life from what happens with football, or any other sport for that matter. The flames of war are being fuelled by leaders bent on egocentricity. That has repercussions. Vincentians know what is happening with the weather. The impact is evident, but there are still people who act as if everything is normal. The swagger is not good for anyone. Effective means of communication remains the best avenue if there has to be a form or reconciliation.
SVGFF solidifying football through Futsal programme THE ST VINCENT and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF) hosted a four-day FIFA Futsal Grassroots Festival dubbed, ‘Skills for All’. Thirty—two local coaches, under the guidance of American Keith Tozer, Commissioner of the Professional Futsal League, were inducted into the basic principles of the variation of the sport. Technical Youngsters involved in the Futsal Apart from the coaches, Skills Festival last Saturday morning sixty young footballers were Director- Keith at the Bishop’s College hard court. provided to put into practice Ollivierre. some of the fundamentals of Indoor Futsal, at a skills festival last League, American Soccer League courts that exist across St Vincent Saturday at the Bishop’s College and American Indoor Soccer and the hard court. Association. Grenadines, to Tozer, at the conclusion of the He took the U.S. to the 1996 four days, praised his charges for CONCACAF Futsal championship ensure that Futsal gets their input in making the course a and in 1998, under his guidance, success. a third place in the Futsal World rooted. This recent “The coaches’ educators have Cup was the team’s best Keith Tozer – grassroots done a fabulous job in the four performance. FIFA Futsal days to put together a festival for The American is touted as one Futsal course instructor. follows one Futsal… They have done of the most successful coaches in which took place in January, remarkably well. What they have the US Soccer (Football) set up, during which twenty-one of the accomplished, with over 700 wins at the indoor more senior coaches attended as their level. an introduction to Futsal. imagination, Technical Director of the their work SVGFF Keith Ollivierre indicated Carrying out the instructions then was Constantine Constant. ethics, I can that the intent of the grassroots Futsal is a five-a-side game only image course is to introduce Futsal at inclusive of a goal keeper, what they the community level. normally played on a flat indoor can do in six Ollivierre informed that pitch with hockey sized goals, and months,” SVGFF’s technical staff has Tozer identified the community of Rose a size four ball with a reduced bounce. assessed. Place, Kingstown, as the It is played to touchlines, and Tozer, is a introductory locale for Futsal. all players are free to enter the former He added that following the penalty area and play the ball footballer certification of coaches, Futsal over head-height. Matches are 40 who played will be part and parcel of the minutes, spilt into two 20 minutes at the SVGFF calendar. halves. professional Ollivierre also informed that Like Basketball, Futsal permits level in the the SVGFF will be tapping into the stopping of the clock and time US Major the resources of FIFA, which has outs as well. provisions through funding for It is said that Futsal was Former local football referee- Futsal equipment. introduced by a Physical In the interim,, according to Louis Boucher was on hand Education teacher years ago in Ollivierre, the SVGFF intends to to see what the youngster South America. make full use of the many hard
had to offer on the hard court.
Search for two footballers to represent SVG TWO YOUNG footballers between the ages 13 and 16, will have the opportunity to represent St Vincent and the Grenadines at the regional finals of the FLOW Ultimate Football
Experience, in Trinidad and Tobago. To be eligible for the try out, the footballers must meet the age criteria by 1st January this year. Prospective candidates must prove
their eligibility with the presentation of birth certificate or other supporting documents. Once these stipulations are met, the Vincentian hopefuls will on Saturday 22nd April at the Campden Park Playing Field from 10am, put their skills to the test. This includes speed tests, and dribbling, ball juggling and shooting skills sessions. Scores will be computed based on individual times and ability to control the ball. The activity, sanctioned by the St Youngsters of this age group will be seeking the two Vincent and the spots for SVG.
Grenadines Football Federation, is a joint initiative between telecommunications service providers FLOW and Manchester United, and will be conducted in FLOW’s fifteen markets across the region. The Vincentian selectees will compete against players of similar age, for the ultimate prize of a trip to Manchester United in England. The FLOW and Manchester United’s initiative is designed to give youngsters in the region, the chance to participate in local talent development football camps.
26. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. THE VINCENTIAN
V
THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017. 27.
Tribute
Veteran lawyer remembered Vincentians who were injured at sea, and succeeded in obtaining awards for BRILLIANT, honest, disciplined, diligent many of them. and humble, were just some of the words President of the local Bar used to describe the late veteran lawyer Association Rene Baptiste, who first and school teacher Joel Hudson Pit, met Joel at the Cave Hill Campus in during a special High Court sitting on 1971, said Joel was never in the Monday to pay tribute to his life and forefront of activities; he was a good work. man in the engine room, that’s where Joel, affectionately called ‘Pitto’ by his skills lay. his close friends and colleagues, “He was more of a mediator than an departed this life on April 1, at age 72, advocate. He was not of the agitating following a prolonged illness, but will kind”, Baptiste outlined. “He was always be remembered for his simple, always the one to ask, “Are you sure easy going, polite and pleasant those are the facts?’ , and will wrinkle character. his nose,” Baptiste added humorously. Parnell Campbell Q.C, whose Senior Counsel Emery Robertson interaction with Joel began at the said Joel was known for the humility University of the West Indies, Cave he possessed and for which he was Hill Campus, Barbados in the early loved. 1970s, described his colleague as “I am sure that he has left an diligent, full of self-discipline, and an indellible impression on the lives of honest member of the Bar. the people he interacted with. Campbell said Joel was not seen “He was never bitter, always calm frequently in the Court room in the and had a casual smile. He seemed not latter part of his life, as he was to be overburdened by the troubles of involved mainly in the business of real this world, and always tried to make estate. the best of life,” Robertson remarked. But, whenever he had a matter High Court Judge Brian Cottle, in before the Court, he was sturdy in delivering closing remarks, described defence of his client’s rights and Joel as a quiet, pleasant and polite aspirations. practitioner who gave a very high The Queen’s Counsel recalled that standard of service to the profession. in Joel’s early years of legal practice, Cottle said that he noticed, from he provided representation for Joel’s demeanor in recent times, that by HAYDN HUGGINS
he was not in the best of health. But according to Cottle, when he inquired, Joel’s response was just another smile. He would then quietly reply in the affirmative, adding that he was continuing to make the best of it. Born in Georgetown from humble parentage, Joel attended the Georgetown Primary School but never had a formal secondary school education. In 1957, he passed the School Leaving Examination, and in 1958 was appointed to the teaching profession. While teaching at the Tourama Government School, Joel attended the Teacher’s Training Centre in Georgetown for about three or four years. He obtained seven GCE O’level passes with a distinction in English Language. He taught for several years, and in 1971 enrolled at the Cave Hill Campus in Barbados to pursue a degree in English, but switched to Law at the end of the first year. Left to mourn are his partner Girlie, daughter Sharika, son Tommy, brother Clifford, nieces
MS. FRANCILLIA THOMAS
OLIVE ASH
Of Chauncey Questelles S.D.A Church Sunday April 9, 2017 2:00 p.m.
Cathedral Of The Assumption Kingstown Saturday 8th April, 2017 2:00 p.m.
REBECCA ALLEN (6 Years) Church of Christ Langley Park Sunday 9th April, 2017 3:00 p.m.
Joel Pitt: 1944 - 2017 Amanda and Carolyn, and many cousins.
STACY ELIZABETH MEDFORD Apostolic Faith Mission Paul Over Sunday 9th April, 2017 3:00 p.m.
JULIUS MURRAY /RZPDQ¶V +LOO New Testament Church of God Saturday 8th April, 2017 3:00 p.m.
RICHARD AUGUSTUS JOHNSON Georgetown Methodist Church Georgetown Saturday 8th April, 2017 2:00 p.m.
F O R
The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
S A L E
THURSDAY,
APRIL 13, 2017
VOLUME 111, No.15
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“SOLID JUDGEMENT”, SAYS DPP
Colin Williams, DPP, views the recent ruling against Antonio ‘Que Pasa’ Gellizeau as a model for similar investigations.
both charges March 9, 2012, at the Serious Offences Court. DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Robinson was sentenced to five and Colin Williams is of the view that the a half years on October 7, 2013, for the work done in the case of Antonio ‘Que crimes, but the Court took into account Pasa’ Gellizeau, the biggest ever money the five and a half years he had laundering case in the Eastern already spent in custody, resulting in Caribbean, could serve as a model for him being released. similar investigations and prosecutions. The DPP described the decision of The DPP was speaking to THE the Appeal Court as a “solid VINCENTIAN on Monday, six days judgement”. He commended the after the Eastern Caribbean Court of investigators for a job well done. He Appeal dismissed Gellizeau’s appeal explained that a lot of circumstantial against convictions on two money evidence was put together, and a laundering charges. The businessman was convicted and substantial amount of investigative work was done. He added that much sentenced to ten years in prison for bringing into the country on the yacht assistance and support came from the Regional Security System — Asset ‘Jotobin’ April 5, 2008 at Calliaqua Recovery Fund. He also lauded the US$1.73 million, approximately EC$4.6 million in cash, the proceeds of Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) for good work. criminal conduct. He was also The DPP pointed out that the next sentenced to ten years for concealing the cash. step is to complete the confiscation of The sentences, handed down by all properties held by Gellizeau, Justice Wesley James at the Criminal whether in his name or in the name of Assizes, July 22, 2013, run other persons. concurrently. “The intention of the state is to Then Chief Magistrate Sonya Young dispossess, through confiscation had committed Gellizeau and proceedings, all Gellizeau’s ill-gotten Bermudian seaman Winston Franklyn gains”, the DPP explained. Robinson to the High Court for A confiscation application for sentencing, after convicting them on by HAYDN HUGGINS
Antonio ‘Que Pasa’ Gellizeau was found guilty of money laundering in July 2013.
Published by The VINCENTIAN Publishing Co. Ltd, St. Vincent and the Grenadines;
Gellizeau’s assets was filed the same day he and Robinson were convicted. The application, prepared by the DPP’s Office in conjunction with the FIU, has been made in relation to EC$10 million believed to be Gellizeau’s benefits from criminal conduct. This includes vehicle, houses, yachts and cash. In the 30-page written judgement, the Appeal Court concluded that “The Chief Magistrate in her very careful reasons for decision assessed the evidence of the several witnesses and attached appropriate weight to their evidence in coming to her decision. She did not err in so doing.” The Appeal was heard in St. Vincent and the Grenadines November 25, 2016, and handed down in Grenada on April 5. Justices Louis Blenman, Mario Michel and Paul Webster presided. Keith Scotland of Trinidad and Tobago and local attorney Mikhail Charles represented the appellant, while Senior Counsel Gilbert Peterson of Trinidad and Tobago, assisted by Crown Counsel Sejilla McDowal, appeared for the respondent.
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