THE VINCENTIAN PDF- 21-01-21

THURSDAY, JANUARY

21, 2021

VOLUME 115, No.03

Fees for Exit Test Page 3

www.thevincentian.com

Opposition in the dark Page 5

EC$1.50

No fire from Soufriere Page 14

Tributes to Randy D Page 12&13

Arise Dr. Frankie Page 24

COVID-19 NUMBERS RISING: TWO DEATHS RECORDED Stories by DAYLE DA SILVA PRIME MINISTER DR. RALPH GONSALVES has admitted that the raw data on COVID-19 told a “worrying story.”

In an address to the nation January 18, the Prime Minister said that between March and December 2020, St Vincent and the Grenadines recorded 110 positive PCR test results.

However, between December 28, 2020 and January 17, 2021

The summary of the COVID-19 situation as of Jan. 19. (Source: MOH)

Dr. Ralph Gonsalves admitted to a worry story and detailed measures taken to respond to the increasing numbers of COVID-cases.

Continued on Page 3.

NO CURFEW, NO LOCKDOWN, PM DECLARES GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND to impose any State of Emergency (SoE) or curfew measures, far less a national lockdown at this point, despite the recent spike in COVID19 cases in the country particularly among those locals without any recent history of travel.

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves made the point crystal clear on January 18 during an

address to the nation.

Instead of ‘those draconian measures’, Dr. Gonsalves said the government had taken the decision to tighten and manage more closely the existing restrictions and regulations, and where it was deemed necessary and desirable, to ramp up the restrictions and controls further.

In support of his government’s position,

the Prime Minister referenced the experiences of countries within CARICOM and globally, which suggested that States of Emergencies, curfews and total lockdowns have not been as effective in stemming the rise or spread of the virus as was anticipated.

“Other experiences elsewhere including here in St Vincent and the Grenadines have proven

that the nuance and targeted approaches are no less effective,” he said.

“But these nuances and targeted restrictions and regulations must be properly policed,” Gonsalves continued.

And so, the government had taken the decision that it will not order any State of Emergency, lockdown and/or curfew.

Instead of having ‘draconian’ measures like curfews imposed upon them, residents have been urged to adhere to the existing regulations.

V

2. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Rehab for Bequia Markets

THE FISH AND VEGETABLE MARKET in Port Elizabeth

in Bequia has had a full refurbishment,

The new Barrimore road.

compliments the Roads, Buildings and General Services Authority (BRAGSA).

BRAGSA informed recently that it had completed a major overhaul at the facility, after some eight weeks of ongoing work.

The work included major repairs to the roof, replacement of doors and

The Bequia Fish and Vegetable Market cuts a ‘pretty’ picture after a full renovation job by BRAGSA. Right: The interior of the market now boasts improved stalls. windows and repairs to stalls.

Both the interior and the exterior of the structure had full paint jobs.

In addition, BRAGSA saw to the installation of new water pumps, lines and pipes in the Fish

Market, and replacement of the toilets, light fixtures, plugs and outlets.

All taken, the refurbishment of the Market cost $105,000.

Meanwhile, BRAGSA continued with its road repair/construction programme with its latest completed project

being the upgrade of Barrimore road, commonly known as the Arnos Vale/Fountain link road in West St. George.

The project saw the construction of 328 feet of road, along with Slipper drains, and a 100-foot long retaining wall, at a total cost of $166,000.

V

lHE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021. 3.

News 3 Fees for exit screening

As of January 18, the Prime Minister said, the molecular testing facility had conducted 24,705 tests.

Elliot Samuel, Chief Laboratory Technician explained at a press briefing on January 13 that the testing facility had initially responded to testing around 300 samples per day.

Since the recent spike and the requirements for exit screening by Canada, the United States, United Kingdom and Barbados, that number has increased to an average of 500 samples per day.

This increased demand has resulted in delays in getting results within the 24-to-48-hour period, Samuel admitted.

According to Samuel, at one point they were 921 samples behind — but as of January 12 they were able to bring the figure down to 394, and it had been anticipated that by January 13 they would have cleared the backlog.

However a release issued by Lab overwhelmed the Ministry of Health on January 19 stated that as a result of the According to Dr. Gonsalves, the robust contact tracing and active testing capacity of the one flu clinics, the Molecular government facility had been Laboratory was still reporting challenged in responding to the delays in the processing and increased volumes of samples, reporting of results for RT-PCR stemming from the required exit tests. screening for persons leaving the It stated that some additional country and the rise in local cases. equipment was to be installed PERSONS REQUIRING EXIT SCREENING as it relates to COVID19 can now access this service at private laboratories.

This, as the Ministry of Health moved to outsource testing to private laboratories, in light of the surge in the number of samples coming into the government’s molecular testing facility, where PCR tests are conducted.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, in his address to the nation on January 18, said that private sector labs are being approached to handle exit screenings, and that those persons requiring the labs’ service will be required to pay a fee.

That fee will be determined by the labs, the PM said.

On Wednesday, this publication was able to ascertain that one private laboratory here had fixed its rates at EC$195.00 for a rapid antigen test, and EC$400.00 for the PCR test.

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has acknowledge that the New Year will be lined with many challenges and ‘worries’.

In for a difficult ride: Gonsalves

VINCENTIANS have been warned to prepare themselves for some hard times this year. The advice came from Prime Minister Dr Ralph Elliot Samuel, Chief Laboratory Gonsalves in his weekly address to the nation, Technician, in the interim before delivered last Wednesday January 20. a firm arrangement is His comments came in the wake of established with private labs, consultations by Finance Minister Camillo urged persons requiring exit Gonsalves and Agriculture and Fisheries Minister screenings to make their Saboto Caesar, bankers, persons in the hotel applications early. industry, business/commerce and insurance.

The Vincentian Prime Minister pointed to which was expected to minimize adjustments that will be made in the budgetary these delays. presentations slated for next week.

And as a result of the recent “We are in for a difficult ride,” Gonsalves spike in cases among locals with confessed. no history of recent travel and the He pointed to expenditure caused by payments focus on contact tracing and made to persons affected by the COVID crisis. testing local samples, persons Some $3.9M will be spent on meeting requiring an exit screening were commitments in the first instance. Providing being encouraged to make their meals for children at school have been a cost to applications early, in order to the government. But the suspension of face to face have their samples in and the activities have given the matter a different results returned within the outlook. Gonsalves is worried about “child hunger” required time of 72 hours, Samuel and the safety of children while they are out of said. (DD) school.

Salaries to government workers are also matters of concern as attempts to cope with an expanding list of COVID cases surfaces.

Increases in government persons and mass gatherings, including immigration, were adequate for the expenditure will come from task at hand. the: tightening of quarantine employing two professionals to help He commended the nation saying measures for nationals and nonwith monitoring activities at the nationals; temporary closure of schools that the people acted very responsibly and in a disciplined manner by staying Soufriere volcano. Contributions to and recommencement of online the Seismic Research Centre based schooling; closure of all seaports in the off the road, staying away from at the St. Augustine Campus of the beaches, picnics and parties, and Grenadines.

University of the West Indies is stayed home, between Good Friday and Other measures include: a ban on adding to the government’s Easter Monday of 2020. the playing of amplified music; the expenditure column.

They exhibited the same behavior reduction in numbers permitted at when public holidays were announced “We have to do more with less,” mass gatherings; decrease in the in August during the days designated the Prime Minister stated. number of passengers allowed on for the time off for Carnival which was He is looking to agriculture, public transportation; rotation of staff cancelled in 2020. fisheries, the medical cannabis in some government departments and “Perhaps it is the appropriate time industry, construction and road other statutory corporations; and the works to help drive the economy tightening of protocols in respect of the to do so again,” he said.

And towards this end, he disclosed and soften the impact of the movement of persons within hotel that he had instructed the Governor economic woes. bubbles, especially as it related to the General to prepare and cause to be More nurses and personnel to Grenadines. published in the (government) gazette, work in the health department will The local constabulary has been the requisite legal instruments add to the budget. instructed to increase its policing of designating January 22 and 25 as Activities at La Soufriere, these measure which Dr. Gonsalves public holidays, with Saturday January announcement of a dengue related said, “will remain in place for some 23 being encouraged to be observed as death, have compounded the time and will remain so until.” a bank holiday. situation as it relates to life and As for the legislative support for “These are holidays for public living in St. Vincent and the these actions, the Prime Minister health. So, we will pause, reflect, act Grenadiers. assured that the existing legal inclusively in solidarity with one Even though this country framework under the Public Health another, and pledge to be engaged to collected more revenue than was Act, the Police Act and other pieces of confront head on our existing and anticipated, there was still a deficit legislation touching and concerning prospective challenges,” Dr. Gonsalves of $104M in 2020. (WKA) issues of public safety, road traffic, said.

COVID-19 numbers rising: Two deaths recorded Continued from Front page. the number jumped to 384, with the majority of new cases among locals who had not recently travelled, and worse, the recording of its first COVID-19 attributed deaths, two.

As of January 19, with an additional 62 cases reported that day, the total number of recorded cases of COVID-19 was 602. Of that total, there were 464 cases under review, supposedly persons who had had no recent travel history, and 481 active cases.

According to the Prime Minister, the recent spread/spike has been attributed to a number of factors: recurrent breaches in quarantine protocol; increased arrivals by air and sea during the Christmas season; numerous social gatherings — including family gatherings; and the general non-adherence by the population to public health advice regarding the spread of COVID-19.

Measures tightened Since the increase in cases, the government has implemented some measures to manage the movement of

V

4. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

Law

„Good for justice,‰ says Prosecutor at the High Court, if the matter gets there.

In a Paper Committal Procedure, SENIOR PROSECUTOR Adolphus Delpleche is witness statements and other relevant pleased with the number of matters destined material are reviewed by the Prosecutor, for the High Court, which are taking the Paper defence, and Magistrate, towards Committal route. determining whether a prima facie case is Speaking with THE VINCENTIAN on made out.

Tuesday, Delpleche said that in 2020 there Delpleche explained that an oral was a marked improvement in this regard, Preliminary Inquiry where witnesses are and what is even more pleasing is that the called to testify in person, could last defence lawyers are agreeing more and several weeks, whereas a Paper Committal more to use this procedure.

Procedure could be completed in about 20 “This is a good thing for the Justice minutes or less, once the statements are System in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, clear, and could be read properly. as the matters will go through the system Delpleche described the procedure as a expeditiously, and help to ease the backlog judicial time savior for all parties in relation to Preliminary Inquiries (PI),” concerned, including witnesses. he explained.

“I will freely say that that is the way to The Prosecutor also noted that witnesses go, and I look forward to the day when all will only have to give evidence once, that is matters destined for the High Court will go

by HAYDN HUGGINS

there via the Paper Committal route.”

The Prosecutor is also happy that in 2020 there were Senior Prosecutor several successful Adolphus Delpleche prosecutions for looks back on the drugs and firearms related matters. He effectiveness of the Paper Committal admitted that some route with a clear investigators were sense of still tardy in getting satisfaction. their files ready, resulting in some cases being dismissed.

But he added that others have improved in that area.

Despite the hitches and the challenges Delpleche is satisfied that 2020 was a successful year for the Prosecution.

Another wounding matter POLICE arrested and charged Chris Lewis, 42 years Carpenter of Diamonds with the offence of wounding on January 15, 2021.

According to investigations, on December 21, 2020 the accused allegedly unlawfully and maliciously wounded a 44-year-old farmer of the same address, by chopping him on his left arm with a cutlass.

The incident occurred at Diamonds.

The accused was expected to appear before the Magistrate’s Court to answer the charge.

CoP among celebrated officers „I am good,‰ COMMISSIONER of Police (CoP) Colin John is among four members of the Police Force celebrating 33 years of service.

John, who was, up to press time Tuesday, still in isolation, having been tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this month, told THE VINCENTIAN via telephone, “I am grateful to God for allowing me this privilege to reach to this stage.”

John, who joined the organization on Commissioner of Police January 16, 1988 (CoP) Colin John boasts worked on ‘Beat’ and 33 years as a police and would do it all over again ‘Patrol’ and at several if he had the opportunity. police stations,

including Old Montrose Police Station. He also served at Immigration, Narcotics Unit and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

John, having taken leave to pursue studies in law overseas, and having done so successfully, returned home and was seconded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). He was subsequently elevated to the position of Assistant DPP. During his tenure, he prosecuted several highprofiled cases, but eventually returned to the Police Force where he assumed the top position, i.e.

Commissioner.

Asked how he felt having reached thus far, the top cop said, “If I have to relive my life, I will be a police officer again. Policing is in my blood.”

John thanked the organization for its guidance and support.

The other officers celebrating 33 years are Inspector Carmel Craigg, Sergeant Opheilia Foyle Little and Sergeant Roland Conner.

SAMSUNG-WHATSAPP SCAM ALERT THE ROYAL St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) wishes to advise the general public about a scam that is currently being perpetuated via Whatsapp, purportedly on the behalf of Samsung.

Some users of WhatsApp, a multi-messaging platform, have received messages from one Sarah Davis using cellular phone number 880 1629-845652. Ms. Davis purports to be a “Samsung promo active online agent.”

The content of the messages states that the Samsung Company is currently running a promotional progarmme for WhatsApp members worldwide and participants were selected through random selection in Samsung’s computerized System, a database of over 80,000,000 users.

According to Sarah Davis

“Whatsapp users from Africa, America, Asia, Australia,, Canada, Europe, Middle East, the Bahamas, New Zealand, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Haiti, Turks and Caicos were selected through random selection in Samsung’s computerized System, a database of over 80,000,000 users.”

The message further informed recipients that they were among the lucky winners with a grand prize of $100,000 USD and that they needed to make a claim to receive their prize.

A claim form with a fake Samsung letterhead (pictured at right) was also provided by Ms. Davis.

The RSVGPF advises the public not to share any information or cooperate in any

way with Ms. Sarah Davis. This proposition is a scam.

(Source: RSVGPF)

says CoP ELEVEN days after been tested positive for the coronavirus, Commissioner of Police (CoP) Colin John assured he was doing well, and urged the full cooperation from the public.

“I am feeling fine. I am good. I am working from home as best as possible,” the top cop told THE VINCENTIAN on Tuesday via telephone, from his place of isolation.

John said he was awaiting two negative PCR tests for clearance.

The Commissioner tested positive for the virus on January 7, hours after his deputy Frankie Joseph was tested positive.

The two are among several police officer, including senior officers, who tested positive and are in quarantine.

The Commissioner will still make any major security decision, but noted that Assistant Commissioner Christopher Benjamin is the most senior officer on the ground during his absence.

John urged the public to adhere to the protocols stipulated by the Health Authorities, in order to curtail the spread of the virus, and to keep safe.

He expressed gratitude to the public for their outpouring of best wishes to him and other members of the Constabulary.

John is also grateful to the hardworking men and women of the Police Force for redoubling their efforts, during “these trying times.” (HH)

V

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021. 5.

News

Opposition left in the dark THE GOVERNMENT DECISION to close the Union Island seaport to pleasure vessels was not communicated to the leader of the Opposition, New Democratic Party (NDP), Godwin Friday or the Member of Parliament for Southern Grenadines, Terrance Ollivierre.

On Wednesday December 30th, the Cabinet, on the recommendation of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), took the decision to close the Union Island seaport to pleasure vessels.

The NDP has a strong grip on the Grenadines parliamentary seats, but Dr. Friday, when responding to a question

by THE VINCENTIAN at a press conference on Wednesday 13, said that he was not informed as to why such actions was taken.

“I mean, I can’t tell you why the government choose at that time to do it. They didn’t communicate with me and I am sure they didn’t communicate with the Honorable Terrance Ollivierre who is the

representative for the Southern Grenadines regarding this action,” said Dr. Friday.

“This is part of the difficulty we have. As you know we always said that we are open to provide …. as a responsible political leader and opposition parliamentarians of a mass political party, to play our role, but the government has tended to not heed that,” the Opposition Leader added.

The services of The UWI Seismic Research Centre team and their colleagues from the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, pictured with the pilot and other assistants, do not come free.

Need to build capacity THERE IS THE NEED for St Vincent and the Grenadines to build its own capacity in terms of being able to deal with studying and monitoring La Soufriere volcano.

According to Dr Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister, while speaking on radio on January 17, there were a number of agencies that provided services to SVG, some of which the public were not aware.

Those among the list include the Caribbean Meteorology and Hydrology Institute and The UWI Seismic Research Centre (SRC) which is currently in country providing vital services.

It is expected of each government receiving services, for example from the SRC,that they pay for these services.

Dr. Gonsalves explained that the SRC is funded through the Vice Chancellor’s office within the University of the West Indies, and direct contributions from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.

In the case of the latter source, the

contribution has decreased from TT$5 million to a current TT$2 million.

Notwithstanding the challenges thrown up by the decreased contribution, the SRC, through grants, have supplied volcano monitoring equipment for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and are currently providing expert on-theground services in terms of surveillance of the volcano.

As it stands therefore, this country would be expected to contribute additional moneys to the SRC. This is in addition to standing the operational cost for the team that is currently here — a three-man team from the SRC and a two-man team from the Observatory in Montserrat.

“We have to build our own capacity,” Prime Minister Gonsalves stressed.

Government, he added, needed to refashion its allocation in the budget for a geologist, for a geophysicist or geo-scientist and a dedicated engineer to deal with the equipment that they had received. (DD)

The Ashton port in Union Island whose closure Dr. Friday (inset) said he was not informed about ahead of time.

Dr. Friday, born on the Grenadine island if Bequia, conceded that one of the challenges the country faced, was the monitoring of the yachts as they come through the islands, not least because SVG is a collective of many bays and islands, a lot of water in between the islands.

“It is a lot for the Coast Guard to police and so we have had a situation where people have raised a lot of concerns about the

yachts coming and (persons) being unsure as to how they ( the yachters) have done there quarantine, and whether they are free to move about,” said Friday.

He asserted, though, that the major problem was a lack of information from the authorities.

“I don’t know how much information was given or how much explanation was provided to the community of Union Island, but I certainly will follow up

with the honorable member there.

“The yachting business is very important to the country.

It’s very important to the Grenadines but we have to make sure that health comes first and that the people who come observe the guidelines, and that those persons who interact with them are safe because you can’t have a situation where people are feeling insecure,” the opposition leader said. (KH)

V

6. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

Views The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

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

Editorial

Procuring a COVID-19 vaccine ACCORDING TO THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER (CMO), this country proposed to purchase, in the first instance, some 70,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, to cater to 70% of the population.

Government was expected to purchase some 20,000 of these doses and the remaining 50,000 would be procured under the COVAX facility.

The 70,000 vaccines would be, we take it, the first dose of a vaccine that is administered in two doses per person, and efforts were being made to have the first doses in country by March.

Not long after, the Prime Minister seemed to have corrected his CMO when he alluded to the doses being purchased in a reverse order.

Further, he put spend to the effort to have a vaccine here by end of March; he clearly did not show any optimism in this regard.

Say wha yo like’!! As far as a vaccine for this country is concerned, we are still in the dark as to when the first doses would arrive here.

And the reality is that even if we had the money to purchase 70,000 vaccines, it would it be a monumental task procuring any quantity in a market overwhelmed by countries with greater purchasing power and greater numerical need. A case of a mice playing bad in a ‘big rat’ party!!

That is why, and we are seeing movements in that direction a la the Prime Minister’s nationwide address last Monday, we need to stand as a region — CARICOM — in any effort to assure an appropriate number of a vaccine for members of that regional grouping.

We must not feel it a blow to our prestige if we have to approach multi-lateral lending agencies for assistance in purchasing adequate quantities of a vaccine.

Let CARICOM work as CARICOM should.

We cannot, for the life of Zeus, wait in our separate cabooses, holding our breath waiting to exhale with a puff of hopefulness that a vaccine would eventually materialize out of thin air.

Worse, now that we have entered the ultimate stage of the COVID-19 scourge… death, two to date, we can ill afford any distraction to our combined effort.

According to our Prime Minister, Russia has offered this country 3000 doses of a vaccine which that country developed, but which has yet to receive international approval of sorts.

It is sad, to say the least, that even though we have real need for the vaccine, that we would accept a donation from a country that is wallowing in even greater, numerical need.

(Reference Russian online news agencies.) Further, are we not to be cautious about the efficacy of the Russian vaccine which is still under scrutiny?

The bottom line: We need a vaccine and we need it fast, due diligence applied. It is, as per the Prime Minister, “… capable of making a significant impact — curbing the spread of COVID19.”

And while we are at it, is the declaration of public holidays (Jan 23 and 25) a test of sorts? Instead of declaring a lockdown for the Jan. 23 to 25 period, our Prime Minister has beckoned that we, on our own volition, behave ourselves — stay indoors, no partying - for those two days, instead of having his government declare a mandatory lockdown. We are to test if we can ‘lock in ourselves’.

And to ask the commercial sector to consider the Saturday a public holiday, i.e. that they close for business? Now come on!!!! What’s this one step forward one step backwards strategy? Declare a lockdown for the period and done with that, Mr. PM. By the way, is ‘local transmission’ a cuss phrase?

Threats to democracy (first published in 2005) “THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED general elections of 2005 ended, for the time being, not in a cliff-hanger or clear NDP victory as this columnist had dared to forecast, but in a runaway victory of 12 to 3 in favour of the ruling ULP. In fact, Prime Minister Gonsalves described it as a landslide thrashing, focusing this time on the number of seats he won and not on the popular vote which he used in 1998 to justify his protests.

In 2005, among other things, three seats won by less than 50 votes for the ruling party seem to have hosted some glaring irregularities, for which the NDP will have its day in Court.

The challenges will be fine-tuned before the end of this year and will be made against the returns of Conrad Sayers by St. Clair Leacock for the constituency of Central Kingstown; against Rene` Baptiste by Daniel Cummings in West Kingstown; and against Jerrol Thompson by Patel Matthews in North Leeward. At the moment, the claims that have seen the three elections as flawed, seeking a re-election. And there may be one or two other rogue constituencies added to the list, if not the entire election to be declared null and void.

ULP supporters rely on the bill of health pronounced at the end of the polling by outside observers. But NDPites hold that the verdict was precipitate, declared before the ugly details of sins committed on Election Day were uncovered.

Above all, the infractions were said to be elementary, basic, bold and brazen, but fatal to our democracy.

Meanwhile, Dr. Gonsalves, as is his right, has proceeded to configure a Government of “all Chiefs and no Indians”. There are fullfledged Ministers, no Junior Ministers of State or Parliamentary Secretaries. Certainly, not a single back-bench to whisper a syllable of warning or protest to any Government measure.

What is more is that the PM has created an Administrative Bureau to man Grenadines’ affairs out of his Ministry. And the two persons slated for the jobs, heading that mission, are two electorally rejected ULP candidates, Belmar and Snagg.

The PM seems deliberately to be creating an area of serious conflict, a recipe for future disaster.

Then, there is Julian Francis, made a Senator which he had left with the vaulting ambition of defeating Arnhim Eustace at the polls, and having been humiliated, takes up once more the mantle of Senator. Not only that, he has been given perhaps the most powerful Ministry, after the PM. The “twin towers of evil”- to use Lynch’s infelicitous reference - are thus preserved intact to continue their thing. They are in fact Siamese twins that cannot be separated, not

even by the vote of the sovereign electorate. Franco Construction will build St Vincent anew, in the circumstances!

And what about the remaining three Government-appointed Senators? They are all promising, young persons — Rochelle Forde, Richard Williams and Ronald Marks. And all three are lawyers at that. The first problem is which one to elect Deputy Speaker.

The second is that the PM seemed unable to think that there are potential young people in other professions. Like Milton Cato — and he had a reason for this - Ralph appears to be hung up on the profession of law, though he personally makes claims toward finance and economics.

If the youngsters are being trained to enter the political field later, perhaps their mentor is to be warned that he has missed the boat.

Lawyers dominated in the 1960s and 1970s when their power of advocacy were in scare supply, and knowledge of their law and constitution was needed at the terminal stage of colonialism to assist the thrust towards Independence.

The time (1974-1984) is past when the Labour Government comprised a team of lawyers - Milton Cato, Hudson Tannis, St. Clair Dacon, Grafton Isaacs, Arthur Williams and Arthur Woods. In the modern world, such a government would guarantee that we remain “hewers of wood and drawers of water”. Informatics, communication, tourism and other attributes of a service-oriented economy would have passed us by, chained to an inglorious past, the rhetoric notwithstanding.

So, three young up-and-coming lawyers being groomed for the future. There are the PM and Rene in the engine-room. And young George is free-floating while the PM’s son, Camillo, is in the AG’s office.

In addition, there is the “independent” DPP Colin Williams who may soon have a massive role to perform in the Ottley Hall Enquiry and the cases arising out of the recent election.

Then there is Cecil “Blazer” Williams, onetime Deputy-Leader of the Gonsalves founded MNU, editor of the party’s newspaper “Unity”, a partner in the Gonsalves legal chambers, and a former electoral candidate for Gonsalves’ party.

Cecil Blazer Williams now presides over the Government bureaucracy, sitting in his quasi- judicial post (he is lawyer too) as Chairman of the PSC. He must wonder over the out-cropping of a “Legalocracy” he once wrote in negative terms during the reign of the first Labour Party.

And to think that there was no space for Jomo Thomas in all that!”

(Conclusion/update to follow next week)

V

lHE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021. 7.

Views

Lest we forget the bigger issues

THE QUESTION of restrictions on size of gathering versus reduced number of passengers on public transportation is yet another unnecessary controversy, and a distraction from the real issue.

One of the bigger challenges at hand continues to be our capacity to handle the pandemic, especially in a situation in which there is an increase in Covid-19 to an average of 10 cases per day, over a 10-day period, and we are beginning to fall behind on testing.

We are delivering a number of contradictory messages as far as it relates to the basic protocols.

For example: some public spaces are using three feet rather than the universally accepted six feet as a social distance protocol; some business are offering hand washing stations while others are spraying some kind of chemical on your hands as you enter the establishment; and for the most part a mask around a portion of your face is acceptable.

My very unscientific survey of people in Kingstown show a relatively high percentage of people wearing mask, about 75% of the people going in and out of a local grocery store for example. Congratulations to all those who are taking the appropriately safety measures to protect yourself from the rest of us. Your mask protects me and my mask protects you. Now let’s also do our best to protect the personal space and build a safe and reliable social bubble.

On a national level, we need to answer some questions: Why are we still allowing flights from England? What is the estimated economic value of each of these flights? What is the psychological value to the nation of keeping the flight coming?

While we are at it, maybe we could get the estimated value of each flight from Canada and the USA? This is not a call for a shutdown just for information to evaluate the risk and reward; we have a right to know the game we are playing. Is it that our current positivity rate is so high that it doesn’t matter who we let in?

Horatio

Questions to readers I want us ask a few questions: 1. Do we know where we are in history and prophecy?

2. Do we have healthy security?

3. As we sit at the UN on the Global Security Council, what is our National Health Security plan?

4. What is our food security plan? What are the national plans for the medical cannabis industry?

5. Is there a 24-hour plan of action in the event of a volcanic eruption? If yes, do our people have any knowledge of such a plan?

6. Where is the Nobel Caribbean Civilization that was promised by the World Boss? What is the difference between the world bosses (USA/SVG)?

7. Where have all the farmers’ organizations gone?

8. Where is the Movement for National Unity?

9. Do we have National Unity in SVG, especially in this time?

10. Do we know that we are adopting new norms that will lead us into the New World Order?

11. Do we know that volcanoes have been erupting from creation that brought about our continents?

Christian Democrat

Clearing a barrel HAVE YOU ever tried collecting a barrel from the Campden Park wharf?

I tell you, if you thought the lines at the bank moved at a snail’s pace and you have a run around trying to open or even close an account amounted to torture, think again.

For decades, Vincentians in the Diaspora have been sending barrels of goods to their loved ones back home. Those barrels serve a number of purposes not least helping to offset the food bill.

I am one of the thousands of Vincentians who receive barrels regularly. I am thankful for any help from family

overseas, but these days as I go through the torture of clearing the barrels, I begin to wonder how long I can keep up with it, since I am getting old fast.

So I get to the Campden Park wharf even before the office is open for business. I hand in my paperwork, make some preliminary payments and when that is complete, I am directed to the section where barrels are stored.

Then the torture of finding my barrels begins. A number of men rush to offer assistance but there are not official employees, and I am tentative about accepting their assistance.

But I have learned that these ‘spotters’ serve a useful purpose but they come at a hefty price (dollars) and “something from the barrel.”

And after agreeing terms with one of the men, I locate my barrels, tip another handyman for taking the barrels to the checkpoint, and begin to open one barrel.

This is a time when the barrel concession is on but the officer demands that I open all the barrels. There is a search of each barrel as though the officer was in search of some illegal goods.

I began to think: Would I be expected to turn over some of the

Cuba is no sponsor of state terrorism relations between Cuba and the United States.

THE MINISTRY of Cuba is not a state Foreign Relations in sponsor of terrorism, a Cuba condemns, in the truth recognised by all. strongest and most The official and wellabsolute terms, the known policy, and the fraudulent qualification impeccable conduct of of Cuba as a state our country, is the sponsor of terrorism, rejection of terrorism in announced by the United all its forms and States Government in a manifestations, in cynical and hypocritical particular State act. terrorism, by whoever, For months now, there against whoever, and has been speculation wherever it is about the possibility of committed. including Cuba in the Cuba is a state victim State Department’s of terrorism and our unilateral list that population has suffered qualifies countries, it first-hand, at the cost without any mandate or of 3,478 fatalities and legitimacy, lacking 2,099 people with genuine motivation, disabilities, due to acts referring to terrorism committed by the United and its consequences, States Government, or and as an instrument of perpetrated and defamation to apply sponsored from the coercive economic territory of that country measures against with the tolerance of the nations that resist official authorities. bowing to the whims of We Cubans repudiate US imperialism.

The announcement, made by Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, is a superb act by a Government that is discredited, dishonest and morally bankrupt. It is known, without a doubt, that the true motivation for this action is to impose additional obstacles to any prospect of recovery in the Dear Editor,

with contempt any manoeuvre aimed at manipulating such a sensitive issue for gross purposes of political opportunism.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Havana, Republic of Cuba

contents of my barrel to the staff in the hopes of getting through earlier?

This was heightened when I noticed other persons, with more barrels than I had, seeming to be whisked through the process without the slightest of interruption.

I have no problem following procedure, but when it looks like some persons are favoured over others, that the law is not applied equally, I get very ruffled.

It is time that all departments of government treat every citizen with the same degree of attention and fairness. Corruption is not exclusively for those in high office.

Barrel Survivor

* Are there any special arrangements in place for the burial of the COVID-19 victims? * Are schools aware that FLOW is conducting repair/replacement line work that is affecting the internet connection for students involved in online classes? * Couldn’t FLOW give some advance notice of where repair/replacement work is to be conducted so that parents can make alternative arrangements? * Has the MP for North Leeward ‘invented’ a new meaning for the word ‘complete’? * Would it be more cost effective and common sense to have a drone monitor the La Soufriere crater? * Are our highly paid West Indies cricketers going to learn something from the Indians’ cricket book, since it seems we have not been learning anything from our own books?

V

8. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

Views

No one is truly safe until everyone is safe

Excerpts from the address delivered to the nation by Prime Minister Dr. Hon Ralph Gonsalves on Monday January 18, 2021, outlining the strategy of the ULP administration in addressing the surge in the number of Covid-19 positive reducing the demand on the public Lab. cases in this country.

Individuals who are travelling overseas, will be required to pay the fee for exit The strategic plan screenings charged by the private sector laboratories. Further, significant STRATEGICALLY, in the current resources are being provided for circumstances, the plan is essentially sixadditional storage for COVID-19 fold: supplies and for containerised expansion 1. Flatten the curve by reducing the of the Molecular Laboratory, incidence of COVID-19 and the preparatory to an imminent physical morbidity, and mortality, connected expansion of the Lab. These resources thereto with a central focus on the available for immediate use. protection of vulnerable populations, the are Moreover, more professional and early detection of cases in the technical persons are being recruited for communities, and aggressive early the Lab, in addition to those recently management of all cases of COVID-19. hired.

In this regard, the vulnerable The team at the Molecular populations are those with chronic non- Laboratory

by Elliot Samuel have communicable diseases such as diabetes been doing aled magnificent job for our and hypertension, heart and country.

They go way beyond call of kidney/renal problems, lupus, sickle cell duty, professionally, selflessly,the and in anemia, and such like severe preaccord with the highest ethical existing, debilitating health conditions. standards. We thank them. Thus far, 2. Maintaining a sufficiency, in the Lab has carried out some 24,705 numbers and quality, of the public tests for COVID-19, a commendable health workforce and associated number absolutely and comparatively. personnel, within a nimble and fit-forpurpose system to enhance their Number and quality of health effectiveness. Boots-on-the-ground personnel epidemiology is vital to our success.

3. Maintaining basic primary healthA central strategic quest has been to care activities particularly those relating enhance the number and quality of to maternal and child health, and nurses and doctors in our health care optimal care for persons with chronic system and to assist in combating diseases and medical emergencies.

COVID-19. Last year, dozens of nurses 4. Promoting further public (staff nurses and SET nurses), doctors, confidence in the health authorities’ and other health professionals were strategic approach and work plan in recruited. Currently, 23 staff nurses are fighting COVID-19. being recruited. And we will have to 5. Developing further an enabling recruit more. Thankfully, we are environment for responsible behaviour training many more at the Nursing by the population through their of our Community College. Our adherence to the advice and protocols of Division nurses, and nursing assistants, the health authorities on COVID-19. have been 6. The earliest possible introduction of overwhelmingly, extraordinary in their devotion to their COVID-19 vaccines. patients, professionally sound, and A bundle of activities within the of humane values of the strategic plan for tackling COVID-19 are possessed highest quality. Those engaged already in place. These are being in the fight against COVIDrefined for better delivery and others are specifically 19 have been phenomenal. We owe being proposed to flatten the current them a tremendous debt of gratitude; rising curve of COVID-19 infections. and we thank them sincerely.

Even as the health system tackles Find, trace, test, isolate, support COVID-19, it must always be emphasised that we cannot drop our The most significant activity to be guard on the vital matter of maintaining continued, and ramped up, is the interbasic, essential public health care for the related bundle to find, to trace, to test, population. Indeed, the maintenance of to isolate, and to support. We must be a sound primary and public health care able quickly to find, trace, and isolate system is an essential pre-requisite in persons with the infection. Offering the overall fight against COVID-19. support to vulnerable persons while in This is not an either-or choice; both are isolation is critical to maintaining public profoundly inter-related. It is for this health, nutritional and personal security reason that the health authorities have and safety. The measures currently organised the primary health care being implemented focus, correctly, on delivery in such a way to address both aggressive surveillance to allow for the the COVID battle and the primary early identification of positive cases health care requisites in a judicious and through actively seeking cases in flu balanced apportionment of the twin sets clinics, contact tracing, and targeted of tasks between the 39 clinics, testing in at-risk populations This polyclinics, rural hospitals, and health week, the health authorities will further centres. ramp up their work in these respects at the 22 designated flu clinics across all Conclusion nine health districts in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

We are not a people of lamentations The testing capacity of our Molecular or learned helplessness. We are a Laboratory has been challenged by the people of resilience, discipline; hard and increased demands placed upon it by the smart work. We will continue to strive, sheer volume of PCR samples due to the to seek, to find, to survive, to progress, steep rise in the number of local cases but never to yield to challenges. We will and the significant increase in exit triumph over our adversities and build screenings required for Canada, the an even stronger nation. And we can do United Kingdom, the USA, and it all, together. Let’s dig deep into Barbados. The capacity of the Molecular ourselves and into our determination to Laboratory will be enhanced markedly do even better, a determination with the introduction of an automated inherited from our forbears’ struggles extractor machine which is already on and lives. And with God’s blessings, our island. Additionally, the private sector faith will see us through: Morning by laboratories are to be approached morning, new mercies we see; all that formally to process exit screenings for we need thy hand has provided; great is regional and overseas travel, thus thy faithfulness.

Effective leadership needed to navigate the COVID-19 crisis in SVG (Excerpts of Dr. Friday’s Press Conference) THE PRIME MINISTER and others in the government were giving the impression that they had the coronavirus licked, beaten; that they had managed so well that the economic fallout was not as bad as elsewhere in the region. They spoke as though we were past the worst. But the situation is now worse than ever. The Government has mismanaged this problem. They became boastful as though it was a competition that they were winning. They also became complacent and they have allowed the situation to get out of control.

Now we must do all we can to bring the situation under control: * Secure our ports of entry to ensure all persons are properly checked and handled appropriately; * Enforce quarantine measures strictly, through effective monitoring and follow up. As part of this, ensure resort guests stay on resort until mandatory quarantine completed; * Conduct random testing, or test of person who want to be tested, so that testing is more widespread; the goal must be to test as many people as possible, on a continuous basis; * Mandatory masks in public spaces with many people, publicly used buildings and public transport (many businesses enforcing it for their own protection but it should not be merely optional); * Facilitate importation of masks; * Promote work rotation, especially in the public sector (this will reduce use of minivans); * Record names of persons who attend church, funerals, other gatherings even though limited to 10 and do temperature checks of persons entering such gatherings; * Increase public awareness of the need to continue to practice COVID Safe personal hygiene, to overcome the so called “COVID fatigue”–wash hands regularly, cough in tissue or elbow, no handshakes, or hugs; wear mask; monitor own temperature when feeling unwell; avoid gatherings; stay home as much as possible; * Install handwashing stations at bus terminals and assist van operators to regularly sanitize vans, and ferry operators likewise; * Continually urge people to be safe.

Vincent and the Grenadines. There is too much political calculation in what is said and done by public officials for public consumption. The professionals in the Ministry of Health must be guided by the science and experience, not by politics, and it must always be what makes the people safe and feel safe, not what makes the government look good or sound good.

I say to the health department officials, give the proper scientific advice honestly and fully. That is your role. Then, it is up to the political leaders to make decisions based on that information and advice. There is a trust gap between government and the people as far as the management of the COVID crisis goes. This is dangerous and can cost lives. The message must be conveyed clearly and consistently that we are not yet out of the crisis; we cannot yet return to normal. It is a false choice to say we must choose between health on the one hand, and the economy on the other. They are inextricably linked.

The economy cannot function properly if people are getting infected and others fear becoming infected.

There will be reduced public confidence in going about their business and the economy will suffer.

So, the only way to protect the economy is to bring the spread of the virus under control and show our people that the government is managing the problem.

The evidence of the last two weeks show that the government is failing to do that and is doing so at a time when the situation is more grave and more urgent than ever.

La Soufriere Eruption - Planning and Preparation

I urge the authorities to communicate in a transparent and complete manner so that people will trust and heed the information and instructions given.

My colleagues and I visited Owia and Sandy Bay on Dec. 30 to speak with villagers and urge them to do all they can to prepare for evacuation if needed, and to heed the information Assisting with economic fallout from the authorities. People were scared and needed reassurance.

The economic fallout will continue Regular and sincere communication is for some time to come. As a priority, the upcoming Budget must provide for needed to allay fears and build trust.

Moreover, we met with NEMO financial support to persons economically affected. There must be a officials recently and will continue to significant package of relief assistance reach out to them to be as much for people hurting from the pandemic. assistance as possible, especially if a crisis develops. And NEMO must also Examples are: van operators will do the necessary drills in the lose income because of the passenger communities to prepare for restrictions and school being online evacuation. Hope for the best but and will require financial support; prepare for the worst. COVID-19 is a workers in the hospitality industry problem but must not lead to poor (incl. hotel and restaurant workers, preparation for Soufriere eruption. taxi drivers, tour operators, craft Since the press conference, the vendors, market vendors, street situation has gotten worse. We have vendors), including cruise ship recorded two (2) COVID-19 deaths and workers who cannot return to work because their ships are not operating, a dramatic increase of COVID-19 and hotel/guest house and restaurant cases. As of 18th January, the authorities were investigating a total owners/operators, need income and of four hundred and two (402) local other indirect support; many businesses are closing, some for good. cases. It is obvious that effective leadership is lacking and the The government is failing to government does not have a manage the COVID-19 crisis and comprehensive plan to manage the failing to keep the people informed about the state of the pandemic in St. COVID-19 crisis.

V Casting a Straight Shadow

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021. 9.

Views

‘In fact, the only sin we will never forgive in each other is a difference in opinion.’ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“If you stand straight, do not fear a crooked shadow.” – Ancient Proverb.

OUR SOCIETY is constantly searching for positive role models; individuals in business, government, the church, and society at large, whose lives reflect honesty and the greatest integrity. Our youth, in particular, forever scan the landscape for men and women that they can look up to; individuals that they can consider to be their mentors; decent men and women whose writings, orations, and behaviours encourage them to focus on espousing what is fair and just even when they encounter strong opposition; men and women who stand straight and, by doing so, cast a straight shadow.

We would be very naive if we were to think that everyone will think good of us. There will always be individuals who lurk in our environment intent on discrediting our words and actions. However, that being said, we must forever focus on living in a manner that reflects the fact that we are persons of integrity.

Our lives must reveal that we are persons guided by strong ethical and moral principles. We need to exhibit these at all times … regardless of who may or may not be watching and/or listening. In doing so, we will cast a straight shadow.

Integrity is considered to be one of the most important character traits that an individual can possess. It is what we do when no one is watching.

It is who we are when titles and accolades are removed. It is doing the right thing all the time even if/when it may result in our loss of privilege or esteem. It provides an internal moral compass that enables us to retain a focus on and a determination to travel along the moral high road — seeking to never compromise principles even when those around us attempt to justify or rationalise their immoral behaviours. A person of integrity will hold fast to what is right/moral regardless of the fallout and the consequences.

Being categorised as a person of integrity does not mean that the individual is perfect. We will all make mistakes from time to time. As humans, we are prone to error of thought and action. However, as a rule, we must always strive to be honest, polite, empathic, caring, and so on. When we make a mistake we should be ready and willing to apologise and, wherever possible, seek to make amends. Such behaviours demand that we embrace and reflect a spirit of grace and humility.

We are often called upon to formally and informally mentor those around us. The role of a teacher, for example, is not only to be a conduit of knowledge and skills. Teachers, through their actions/behaviours, become living examples of acceptable behaviours. This is considered to be a critical aspect of education. Education is more than the absorption of information. It is more than the accumulation of knowledge.

Based on this example (of the teacher) it is so very important that the behaviours students see and hear are aligned with best attitudes and behaviours. Teachers and parents who deviate from demonstrating such ideal behaviours will, in so doing, cast

Time to fertilize our minds

a crooked shadow. What we say and do should therefore be in line with what we advocate as being good/ acceptable behaviours. There must be congruence in talk and walk. What we do must be in line with what we say should be done.

We can also find numerous examples in the workplace, places of worship, and in the community at large. Our leaders must be forever conscious of the fact that many eyes are focused and ears are attuned to determining whether our leaders “practise what they preach”. It is an awesome privilege to be a role model whose life can influence viewers (young and old) for good. Adults have an awesome responsibility and privilege in moulding successive generations by demonstrating acceptable behaviours.

Several stories can be inserted here to emphasise the value of casting a straight shadow and being a person of integrity. However, the most compelling example can emerge from the Old Testament in the bible — the experience of Joseph when he resided in Potiphar’s house (Genesis 39). Here was a young man living far away from his family and being enticed to have a “fleeting affair” with his master’s wife while he, the master, was away.

Potiphar’s wife had planned her enticement well. She arranged for all other servants to be absent. She and Joseph were the only ones at home.

Potiphar’s wife invited him to lie with her but he refused (even though he would have known that there was no one around to witness the immoral act). His response reflected the fact that while there would be no human eyes to view the activities he could not do this to his God. His moral compass was set based on God’s principles and expectations. He knew that while no one else would know, God knows all.

That example should compel all of us to act with integrity regardless to whether or not other human eyes are around.

In April 2015, Dr. Seth Myers, a licensed clinical psychologist, author, and relationship expert, published an article entitled “7 Signs of People With Integrity” in Psychology Today.

The experienced psychologist noted that, “the root of integrity is about doing the right thing when it’s not acknowledged by others, or convenient for you.” In other words, persons with integrity consistently perform at high moral levels whether or not others are observing them.

This is considered a hallmark of their character. These thoughts are similar to those that were earlier expressed

by Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963), the British writer and theologian who noted that “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” When we live our lives in such a manner we can proceed with confidence knowing that our lives will cast a straight shadow.

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

‘Anti-intellectualism, camouflaged with civility and politeness, has blocked the means to engage in critical debate.

Contempt for the life of the mind and an obsession with comfort has made public discourse virtually impossible.

And, with the avoidance of critical dialogue, we end up hiding the truth of our understanding from ourselves and each other, which may prove to be the greatest tragedy of all.’ Ejike Obineme, Too Terrified to Enter the Arena of Ideas.

children to educate.

Groupthink, a tendency to seek consensus instead of fostering dissent, has sadly gripped the land. According to the Yale psychologist, Irving Janis ‘Groupthink is the enemy of originality because people feel pressured to conform to the dominant, default views instead of championing a diversity of thought.

Groupthink occurs when people are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group, and their striving for unanimity override their motivation to appraise alternative courses of action realistically.’

Bill Moyers, a communications expert for President John Kennedy, recalled that many in the leadership circle ‘tended to conduct the affairs of state as if they were a gentlemen’s club…If you are close… you are less inclined, in a debating sense, to drive your opponent to the wall and very often permit a viewpoint to be expressed and to go unchallenged.’ There is a fine line between people sharing the same values and norms in such an atmosphere, belief in them intensely and operating like a cult.

Clearly, unity is paramount. Unity must be cultivated and cherished, but a dogmatic approach to vital issues is deadly especially if you think you have developed a Teflon-like ability to swim past difficulties successfully, misfortunes and blunders that might have taken down the less fortunate or savvy.

Plain Talk harbours no doubt that to solve problems, make wise decisions, and remain successful; groups need to encourage original ideas and dissenting views. Groupthink should be frowned on because it is a form of mind control that attempts to choke off inquiry. We approve the wise words of Einstein that ‘Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.’

But too many of us remain too terrified to enter the arena of ideas to sort out differences and push each other to think deeper about our words and work’s implications. Important disputes, we are told must be done in private.

Ojike Obineme correctly points out that ‘any attempt toward public discussion involving a direct, ideological confrontation is quickly reinterpreted as disruptive and an attempt to selfrighteously and selfishly reassert oneself in the public sphere. And yet it is certain ideas going unchallenged that has led to misunderstanding and mass confusion so prevalent among our people.’

Plain Talk will be forever convinced that the moral growth of a country has to be measured by its ability or failure to bring into public consciousness the plight of the silenced, oppressed and unremembered. Any serious change agent must take it as her solemn responsibility as Edward Said points out in Representations of the Intellectual to ‘publicly represent all those people and issues that are routinely forgotten and swept under the rug.’

SVG has become an intellectual wasteland. The time has come for us to fertilize our minds again.

IN TIMES PAST, you entered a discussion at your own risk. Woe be unto you if you made a statement and could not back it up. Those were the days when all of SVG was teeming with ideas, conversations, discussions and arguments. When everyone held fast to their beliefs but was willing to put them up to investigation and inquiry. Debate was everywhere, and it was not a test of debating skills. It was a test of ideas about what is wrong with society and what was to be done to take the country forward.

Some of us were so thirsty for knowledge that we risked our liberty to get information. We eagerly awaited the arrival of illegal and banned Granma, the Cuban newspaper that highlighted the battles and successes of the Cuban Revolution; Soviet Weekly; the English language Russian paper that offered a glimpse into the socialist world; Thunder and Mirror from Guyana and Cheddi Jagan People’s Progressive Party that damned the blight of Burnham’s Co-operative socialism yet offered critical support for its progressive foreign policy: Ralph Gonsalves’ biting columns in the Barbados Nation Newspaper, as well as the bold and brave radicalism of Renwick Rose YULIMO and the United People’s Movement whose organs Freedom and Justice Newspapers made the ruling elite quake with fear of exposure.

In those days, there was a serious battle for people’s minds. And then everything crashed. The Grenada Revolution imploded with negative fallout. The Soviet Union and the socialist countries disintegrated swiftly.

The world had truly changed.

The progressive movement was torn asunder. Many who claimed to be revolutionaries became ghosts of their former selves. They essentially became careerists, pragmatists, accommodationists and apologists. Most settled for the honeycomb of power and merely genuflected to the pressing problems plaguing the people.

Many gleefully embraced the get rich quick, my time now, no more personal sacrifice mantra. Nothing except family was worth fighting for. Commitment to anything meaningful was opportunistically timed to coincide with an electoral clock. The community dismantled and suffered, and among the youth, there developed a strong nihilistic belief made popular in song by the artist 50 cents ‘Get rich quick or die young.’

In politics and across all social, economic and religious institutions, a radical form of control emerged.

Confirm or be bent into shape, remain non-conforming and be ostracized. A warning stalked the land: rock the boat at your personal and professional risk.

All too many meekly obeyed, citing the primary obligation of food, clothing, Send comments, criticisms & shelter, the mortgage to pay and the suggestions to jomosanga@gmail.com

V SVG must abolish racist tax policies 10. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

Views

APARTHEID was a system of racial segregation in South Africa, under which the rights and movements of the majority black indigenous population were curtailed. Apartheid was abolished in South Africa in 1994, but sadly, apartheid lives on in SVG. Mustique operates like an apartheid state. The white super-rich live a life of luxury, but very harsh rules and conditions are imposed on indigenous Vincentians living in Mustique and those nationals who find work on the island.

The Mustique Act No 48 of 2002 is racist. The Act grants the white, super-rich foreigners of Mustique tax and customs duty exemptions. This chokes off hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue in tax and customs duty from the SVG economy and treasury. This is totally unacceptable and bad for our economy. Meanwhile, indigenous Vincentians have to pay tax.

The argument that Mustique is good for employment is false. It is conservatively estimated that for every $1 in employment that is created, about $33 of revenue is lost, because the super-rich of Mustique get tax and customs duty exemptions. Let us not forget that some of the properties rented out on Mustique are priced at over EC$135,000 per week.

The granting of tax and customs duty exemptions to the super-rich, white migrants in Mustique and not to the black poor and powerless indigenous population is a naked act of racism. The racist Mustique Act No 48 of 2002 should be abolished without further delay.

Apartheid is a plague in SVG and it must be abolished now. All over SVG we can see the damaging consequences of apartheid. There is a high teenage pregnancy rate; poor children are going hungry; families struggle to survive and many households cannot

afford water and electricity; there is a high crime rate with many young people ending up in jail; and the children of the poor are getting left behind in education, as shown in the exam results every year.

This apartheid protects the interests the white super-rich of Mustique and also in Canouan by giving them tax and customs duty exemptions. Meanwhile, poor Vincentians face high water and electricity prices, and suffer under VAT and other unfair taxes.

The rich can sip champagne and laze by the pool all day, while the poor suffer generational poverty and hardship. Mustique, Canouan, and Taiwan who enjoys similar concession under a different type of arrangement, must pay the SVG Treasury all the tax and customs charges they have avoided.

Today’s West Indies cricket team CONGRATULATIONS are in order for Sunil Ambris on his appointment as vicecaptain of the West Indies ODI team. Let us hope he will maximize his opportunity and make his mark.

The performance of the West Indies cricket team continues to be a worrying factor. After so many years in the cricket wilderness, the West

Indies team, it would seem, has become comfortable where they are.

I agree with the analysis of the great Sir. Vivian Richards that the batsmen are coward.

They seem to lack the pride in being West Indian. They seem to be a lack in desire to succeed, dominate and be the best.

For years now, no

batsman has shown the ability of Sir Vivian and Brian Lara to make bowlers afraid of them.

Instead, we have our batsmen being afraid of bowlers.

Come to think of it, in his day Viv Richards batted without helmet, faced the fiercest of bowlers and was able to attack them. Many bowlers were fearful of bowling to him like how others feared out fast bowlers during the era when we dominated all comers.

In those days, money was not the motivation; what players received then was snacks change compared to now. They played with pride… proud to be West Indians. They were out to prove to the world that indeed blacks were not to be taken lightly.

They played with one purpose - to win. They played cricket with not just their bats and balls but with their head.

Today, it seems that money matters most. For many have abandoned the opportunity to play for the West Indies and opted for leagues where the cash is in abundance.

But back to the present crop of players.

When you look at the

These racist laws and policies that discriminate in favour of the superrich whites (fewer than 2% of SVG’s population is white), over and above the interests of those of African origin and Indian, Carib and mixed race citizens, are vile, disgusting and inhuman. They are there for one purpose only: to keep the rich, rich and to keep the poor, poor!

Leader of SVG Green Party, Warrant Officer Ivan Bertie O’Neal BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, says a Green government would abolish this racist tax policy. We would abolish the Mustique Company Act no 48 of 2002 and the Canouan Act, as these laws and policies perpetuate apartheid. All Vincentians deserve prosperity, regardless of the colour of their skin!

The human rights of the black, poor and powerless indigenous population should not and must not be trampled on by policy makers in SVG.

We are GodÊs people

performance of these West Indians, you are left to wonder if they are properly coached. Most of them lack good technique and it seems that our batsmen don’t have an array of shots making them limited in what they can do. Also they appear to lack the confidence that ought to be portrayed in their choice of shots.

I hope that soon we will see the re-emergence of players who can bat well and in an aggressive manner, and bowlers, like the great Michael Holding, Andy Roberts, Joel Garner, Colin Croft and Malcolm Marshall just to name a few, who put fear into the hearts of batsmen.

We need to rise again.

We need players with the ability to bat well and consistently well, and bowlers who can definitely bowl teams out. Let’s hope that this present crop of West Indian players in Bangladesh would rise to the occasion and make those who declined to tour work hard to get back into the squad. Let us hope that these guys will play with pride and be successful.

HOW MANY of us took a moment to thank The Almighty Lord for allowing us to see another new year? We are a bunch of hypocrites if we didn’t and still what to profess how we are a Godfearing, Christian nation.

Whatever, God is putting us to the test with all that bears down us - COVID, Dengue and La Soufriere. It is like a battle for the souls of the people as God allows us the freedom of conscience to say this or that, and to choose to behave in a certain manner.

But there is still hope once we believe in the power of the Almighty. It is not His will that we be lost and if we do feel lost, we must reach out to Him in quiet prayer.

The enemy has been working to change laws and replace them with laws, rulers and governments that are contrary to God’s word. I am reminded of the Daniel 11:32 which says: “By deceit the king will win the support of those who have already abandoned their religion, but those who follow God, will fight back.”

Let our minds be open to the understanding that it is not every government that sets up itself which is ordained by God. See Hosea 8:4: “My people choose kings, but they did it on their own.

They appointed leaders without my approval.

They took their silver and gold and made idols for their own destruction.” And Micah 3:1-2 reads: “Listen, you rulers of Israel! You are supposed to be concerned about justice, yet you hate what is good and you love what is evil. You skin my people alive and tear the flesh off their bones.”

As a people of God, it is our responsible to hold these governments responsible for adhering to godly and righteous laws, for they are supposed to be servants of God. If they are not servants of God, then as believers in God’s Word and His Son Jesus Christ, we have all right to remove them.

We are the salt of this earth, and we are God’s servants to do His will, that which is good and proper for all people, first, foremost and forever.

To God be all the glory forever and ever and ever. Amen.

Kennard King

SONIA

V

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021. 11.

News

Profile of the new dome with the older 1979 dome in the background for size comparison. As of Jan. 16, the new dome was roughly ¾ the height of the 1979 dome and was growing more or less equally in both directions - east to west. (Photo and Caption Credit: UWI Seismic Research Centre)

La Soufriere: Three possible scenarios helicopter with a special attachment… on the camera, at the bottom of the PERSONS here have been tossing up helicopter; and it’s being processed.” their opinions about whether or not the He reported that soon there should seismic activity at the La Soufriere be “a detailed idea of the full volcano would simply remain an effusive dimension of the dome and it will tell eruption. people what we had said before when Amid that national concern, Prime we gave the volumes and the Minister Hon. Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, as dimensions: they had a lot of errors in he addressed the nation on Monday it.”

18th January, outlined three possible He predicted that now, with the scenarios that could develop as the special attachment, “..we [are] going to dome continues to grow. have much less errors and the number “The dome will continue to grow to might be slightly different. So, going a point and then stop….. Second, the forward, the measurements that we do dome will continue to grow will be based on this new definition of significantly, and if it continues to the shape of the dome which we will grow there is the possibility [that] it have a very detailed view of pretty can get out of the crater and move soon.” down the flanks of the volcano into the Professor Robertson explained that sea. This is on the Leeward side of St. the geologists will then be able to Vincent. This will have implications track much more accurately what the for communities in Richmond, changes in volumes are, and by Chateaubelair and Fitz Hughes. The extension, the rate of its growing, its third possible scenario, an explosive coming out, which is a very important eruption may occur following the factor in monitoring. effusive phase of this eruption. This Even as the alert level remains at may occur immediately after the orange, the Prime Minister advised effusive phase or following a break, Vincentians, especially persons living long or short.” in communities close to the volcano, to The growth of the dome has been be prepared for any eventuality. given significant importance by the “With these three scenarios in seismic team monitoring the volcano. mind, I want to encourage every According to seismic team leader, Vincentian to have their own family Geologist Professor Richard Robertson emergency plan…even more so, if you during his participation in NBC are living in the red and orange Radio’s Face to Face programme on zones.”

Monday, 18th January, “We did a These are the communities that will detailed aerial survey. So we took be evacuated first in the event of an overlapping photographs from the evacuation order.

by Gloriah…

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021. 13 .

12. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

Artistes, cultural figures pay tribute to Randy D Ferrand ‘Randy D’ Dopwell shows off his outfit, depicting the national colors of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, while delivering the keynote address at the 38th Independence Dinner Dance and Awards ceremony, of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Organization of Pennsylvania.

(Photo Credit: Nelson King)

Story by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net US CORRESPONDENT A PALL HAS BEEN CAST over the broadcasting scene in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and its Diaspora as leading artists and cultural figures, among others, pay tribute to popular, veteran radio and television broadcaster Ferrand ‘Randy D’ Dopwell, who died on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021, at his home in Rockies, Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Vincentian culture. .. He gave and didn’t count the Randy D succumbed to prostate cancer, his cousins, Fern and Dawn Dopwell, Brooklyn residents, cost. In my mind, he was one of the greatest Vincentians of all time.” told THE VINCENTIAN. He was 69.

ALSTON ‘BECKET’ CYRUS – Calypso/Soca recording and performing artiste “We lost a true Vincentian patriot and a broadcasting icon in veteran radio broadcaster and TV host of the entertainment program, ‘Vibes Caribbean’.

He was also a fantastic MC, one of the best I ever worked with. He made ‘MC-ing’ look so easy.

Randy was a pioneer and made a tremendous contribution to the promotion of SVG (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) and Caribbean culture, via radio and television, at home and abroad.

Randy D last worked on the “Nite Riders” shift on NICE Radio, and was a founding member and manager of the Graduates Calypso Tent.

Of his many outstanding attributes, the one I will always remember is that he gave everyone a chance. …. Every recording artiste was guaranteed a play by Randy D. For many, his was the only play we got.

Spin-on, my dear brother.”

KEVIN LYTTLE - International Soca star “Randy D’s passing was a sad thing for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, because Randy was a major contributor to entertainment in general.

He had a very unique voice, especially on radio.

His voice was very distinguishable, and you could know when Randy D was on (air). He was a great patriot.

He loved his island people. … He loved to see his people succeed. He always ‘bigged’ me up. And he did that to every artiste he knew. Also, he was a very humble guy.

He was one of the pioneers for radio in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. … We should [NK1]have a Radio Hall of Fame in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and induct him. It’s sad for me, because he and I were really cool friends.”

CARLOS ‘REJECTOR’ PROVIDENCE – former Calypso Monarch

“I was instantly in mourning when I heard the sad news of Randy D’s passing, for I spoke with him a few months ago, and he was in such good spirit.

I would certainly miss the inspiring conversations I have had with him. We have certainly lost an iconic radio personality/DJ/MC and a CYRIL ‘SCORCHER’ wonderful humanitarian.

THOMAS Like the rest of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, - Veteran calypsonian we (calypsonians in New York) are in mourning, as “Randy D was one of the we grapple with the news of Randy D’s passing.

We pray that his family would find strength in the most outstanding great legacy he left.”

Vincentians who really helped to foster our music internationally.

RONDY ‘LUTA’ MCINTOSH He was one of the few – Soca recording and promoters who actually featured Vincentian artists, such performing artiste as Soso, Becket and myself, when other “From a tender age, I prominent Vincentian promoters here in America and Canada were telling us we had to go to listened to Randy D as one of the prominent voices on NBC Trinidad and make a name Radio 705, the lone radio in Trinidad, before they can station in SVG at the time. put us on a show here in On entering the music North America. arena in 1994, I started Randy D and his brother, seeing Randy D more and Philip, would feature us in more at calypso tents, the Caribana shows in concerts, queen shows and Canada, where we at least other events, as an MC. His got an exposure. He had his voice was unmistakable, and his style and delivery ‘Vibes Caribbean’ show. were infectious.

Whenever he called, we were Randy D was a man engrossed and engraved in all ready and willing to go — Vincy culture ….his name was prominent in our Becket, Soso and I. society, but he was as down-to-earth as they come.

So, in my mind, he was Randy D was a stalwart and an icon in many one of the stalwarts in

aspects of what we know to be as Vincies and a true Caribbean man. There would forever be a void in our culture due to the passing of this radio legend.”

HAILES CASTELLO - Calypsonian, radio broadcaster, dee jay “One got a sense of belonging when Randy D was on the radio.

His voice pulled you in; you wanted to turn up the volume and take in every word, as much as you do (to) the music.

As a radio personality, Randy D gave everyone a ‘bligh’, especially Vincentian artistes. You can be assured he'll play your song, whether you were a Bob MC or a Winston Soso.”

Ferrand ‘Randy D’ Dopwell – radio broadcaster that impacted radio especially across regional and international boundaries.

Tribute to Randy D His love for people in general and St. Vincent UNQUESTIONABLY, and the Grenadines in Ferrand “Randy D” particular was Dopwell was a preremarkable. eminent radio He gave immeasurably broadcaster and air towards nation-building personality, who served — never looking for St. Vincent and the anything in return but Grenadines, the for the advancement of Caribbean and the our beloved country.

Caribbean Diaspora with Though I’d followed utter distinction and Randy D closely since my humility. school days at the St. He was a broadcaster Vincent and the extraordinaire — among Grenadines Grammar the best, if not the best School — our alma mater that our small nation — I got to know him more ever offered. His skills, when I teamed up with creativity and versatility him in the 1990s on were unmatched.

Vibes Caribbean, a radio Even with his programme that he elevation on the produced on brokered airwaves, he never forgot time, every Saturday his humble roots. He morning, on radio station communicated well with WNJR in Newark, New all and sundry — Jersey. I wrote, edited, regardless to color, class produced and presented or creed. the “News and Sports” He never looked down segment on Vibes on anyone, and always Caribbean. offered hope and Randy D was the optimism, even in times undisputed head of the of crisis.

by DR. NELSON A. KING

CAIPHAS ‘SUPA EYES’ CUFFY - prominent Vincentian DJ in Brooklyn “I have lost a good friend, a mentor, an icon, a man who inspired so many people in his life time doing what he loved.”

NINA MALONEY - A former manager of NBC 705 Radio “I was instrumental in getting him a job at NBC. When he came to 705, the moment he stepped in the building you could have felt sincerity, hard work and professionalism. He didn’t do things willy nilly. He was a planner.

To take up his shift, his music was planned according to the programme. That’s why people enjoyed him.

Not only did Randy serve faithfully and well in his native country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but he shared his training and expertise regionally and internationally, which bore fruit”

Nelson King, renowned journalist, shared a special endeavor and connection with Randy D. Grounds.

Randy D was in a class by himself. He showed the world that one can achieve, even in the face of adversity.

He put St. Vincent and the Grenadines on the map selflessly; and, by his innumerable deeds, he has left a huge indentation on the national psyche that will never be erased.

Randy D, you have fought the good fight.

Rest in eternal peace, my dear brother. You were more than a very good and faithful servant! You will be sorely missed.

RANDY D – an illustrious broadcaster

DAWN – Randy D’s cousin “He devoted his life to media broadcasting and entertainment, which he enjoyed to the max.

His contribution to the art form was reflected in the manner in which he conducted himself. …. His passive interview style created a warm, friendly and relaxing atmosphere, which allowed the people he interacted with, to communicate with ease.

At every opportunity he had, Randy D promoted his homeland of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, because of his love for country.”

team of those early Saturday mornings, which — almost religiously — also comprised Supa Eyes, Hailes Castello, Earl Horne, Wayne Walker and Lavern Munro and, occasionally, Verna Arthur, as we trekked from Brooklyn to New Jersey to bring Vincy and Caribbean vibes and information to the Diaspora.

I was particularly delighted to be on the Vibes Caribbean team to broadcast live the ordination of Fr. Ulric Jones as Rector of St. James the Less Church, an Episcopal (Anglican) church in Jamaica, Queens, New York; and the historic feat of West Indies cricket batting legend Brian Charles Lara, as he broke Sir Garry Sobers’ longstanding 365 not out runs record at the Antigua Recreational

Randy D cut innumerable new paths for broadcasting in SVG and beyond.

RANDY D was St Vincent’s most illustrious broadcaster/dj/radio presenter.

The mighty RANDY D died January 14, 2020 after a long bout with cancer...I mourn for my friend. He did more than his fair share to uplift the people of St Vincent, not just in SVG but in Toronto, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington and other places.

He gave his services free most times for our culture and causes. He will be sorely missed. That calm voice on your radio never advocating extremes but always in a positive framework.

RIP, MY FRIEND.

Paddy Corea – musician extraordinaire - enjoyed a inseparable relationship with Randy D.

V La Soufriere not belching fire 14. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

News

“First of all, the volcano is erupting…it is LAST Saturday, January 16, erupting magma quietly persons residing in under the surface of the proximity to La Soufriere earth,” he reminded (volcano) and who have a listeners. clear view of the summit, He went on to explain reported what they that the dome will described as huge flames become higher as it coming from the volcano. continues to grow and as This created the day changes into consternation among night, a certain some residents, phenomenon occurs. prompting what persons “The natural called active incandescence or heat …. preparations for appears as a light in the evacuation. day but when the sun On the following isn’t around, you’ll see it Monday 18, January, glowing,” he clarified, Geologist Professor “and as that dome gets Richard Robertson, closer, particularly to the leader of the seismic southern flanks, and team monitoring the becomes close to the volcano, sought to areas where you have explain the phenomenon people around, you may during a live link up on begin to see that glow.

NBC Radio.

That is what was

by GLORIAH…

Professor Richard Robertson, leader of the seismic team monitoring La Soufriere, allayed any concerns/fears persons had about fire being emitted from the volcano. happening on Saturday night.”

Dr. Robertson further stated that there are other things that may happen on the crater that may cause something that appears like a fire.

With a lot of vegetation in the crater and the dome spilling hot material all the time, there may be fires that might catch because of the internal action of that hot material spilling out onto the crater floor.

The glow which persons who reside close to the volcano reported as being fire. that described helicopter footage stated, “You can see a black mass of burnt vegetation possibly caused by contact between the growing dome and abundant low “So, the glow is lying shrubs in the crater natural, the burning sometimes is natural,” he that runs from the front of the growing dome on assured, “and we’d its western end outwards expect that that might for about 100 metres. It actually become more likely and more frequent is possible that this damage to the vegetation as time goes on.” occurred on Saturday A January Facebook post on The UWI Seismic night (January 16th 2021) and could be the Research Centre page

cause of the incandescence or glowing reported by residents on the western side of the volcano.”

With that being the case, the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) moved to remind the nation that the alert level remained at orange.

To date, no evacuation order has been issued.

Persons are cautioned to refrain from visiting the volcano.

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021. 15.

16. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

V

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021. 17.

Regional

Sir Hilary personifies a global fight

Reverend Al Sharpton stated, “Every year we have the National Action Network Dr Martin Luther King Awards, we look for someone who has personified in their own work, in their own life, the global fight for human rights and human dignity, particularly in the African diaspora, and there’s no doubt about the fact that Sir Hilary has been one in that tradition–I would say unequalled in the present African diaspora of those of us that are still among us.”

The US-based Network, founded and led by Reverend Sharpton, has celebrated MLK Day since 1991 with a breakfast in his honour in Washington, DC. The annual event marginalised and oppressed ethnicities and nations, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, both commemorates Dr King’s legacy and provides an opportunity to refocus Vice-Chancellor of The University of the Sir Hilary Beckles described Dr. Martin West Indies (The UWI), Chairman of the on the work of carrying on his dream.

Luther King as a “‘template’ and In his response, Sir Hilary told CARICOM Reparations Commission and guiding light in the global reparatory President of Universities Caribbean, was Reverend Sharpton that growing up, justice movement.” (Photo Credit: his generation followed and was honoured by Reverend Al Sharpton and viconsortium.com) the National Action Network (NAN) on Dr inspired by the works and teachings of Dr King and that he remains a Martin Luther King (MLK) Day—January FOR HIS GLOBAL advocacy, academic 18—with the Peace and Freedom Award. scholarship and intellectual leadership in Presenting the Award to Sir Hilary support of social justice, institutional during a live virtual ceremony, equity, and economic development for Rev. Al Sharpton considers Sir Hilary to be unequalled among those who struggle to safeguard the human rights and dignity of persons, especially those in the African diaspora.

(Photo Credit: CNN.com)

CXC faces lawsuit

A statement by the Concerned Parents of Barbados said, “From the outset of this crisis, the Group of Concerned Parents of Barbados, in association with allied advocates, has REGIONAL examinations body, the worked earnestly towards an Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), is facing a class action lawsuit amicable and fair settlement of this matter, heeding the call of Professor from students affected by last year’s Sir Hilary Beckles to forswear controversial grading of the passivity.

Caribbean Secondary Education “Such advances, up to the present, Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean have yielded little substantial change Advanced Proficiency Examination and this tragedy continues to affect (CAPE) exams. the lives of too many students,” it According to media reports, a law added, before announcing it was going firm in Barbados has agreed to the legal route to seek redress. represent the affected students.

Last October, CXC released the The so-called Group of Concerned report of an Independent Review Parents of Barbados announced in a Team that investigated the modified press release issued on Monday that approach used for the 2020 exams, it had secured the services of Aegis the moderation of School-Based Chambers, which will represent the students’ interests “free of costs, with Assessment (SBA) grades, and an adjusted grading model, among other only nominal charges for issues. disbursements”.

It pointed to fraudulent SBA The Group said it had decided on legal action against CXC after getting submissions from teachers and leaked no satisfaction from the Council about examination questions among a its concerns about exam grading and number of potentially damning infractions emerging from the review. in the subsequent grade review However, the review team headed process.

by Professor Emerita Hazel SimmonsFollowing protests by students McDonald also concluded that there is region wide, triggered by concerns enough evidence of discrepancies on about inconsistencies and discrepancies in the CSEC and CAPE the part of the CXC to justify remarking papers. grades, CXC agreed to a review.

It also made 23 recommendations However, some students have expressed dissatisfaction with the re- for the improvement of CXC’s operations in the short, medium and grading. long term. (Source: Loop News)

‘template’ and guiding light in the global reparatory justice movement.

He acknowledged that Dr King’s philosophies “framed his own views of the world.” He expressed his gratitude for the accolade saying, “I am humbled and honoured to be considered in the context of the legacy of Dr King.”

Sir Hilary was among seven distinguished persons honoured. Other honourees include American physician, immunologist and Director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Dr Anthony Fauci; seven-year old non-profit founder Cavanaugh Bell; Chief Executive Officer for the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Sindy Benavides; award-winning organiser, philanthropic consultant, political strategist and jazz singer, Latosha Brown; Stacey Abrams, American politician, lawyer, voting rights activist, and author; and Dr. Millicent Gorham, Executive Director of the National Black Nurses Association, Inc. (Source: The UWI)

V

18. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

Advice

Dealing with two girls & COVID-19 Dear George, MY GIRLFRIEND and I have been together for three years and we plan on getting married in August. However, this COVID-19 has complicated my life.

I have been seeing a former girlfriend whom my girlfriend knew about. In fact, my former girlfriend and I were even discussing marriage but my present girlfriend convinced me she was the better wife material.

The truth is I never broke off with my former girlfriend and I believe my heart is really with her.

Recently I came into contact with someone who is COVID-19 positive. I did not tell my present girl.

Meanwhile, my other girl, who comes over regularly to my house, said that she too had come into contact with a COVID-19 infected person. I have a sneaking suspicion I got infected from hanging with her; she doesn’t believe in wearing a mask or social distancing.

Suppose both my former girlfriend and I test positive and my girlfriend finds out it was my other girl who infected me, that could ruin my relationship totally. Do I really need to get tested? My plan is just to sit tight and wait this out and see where the chips fall.

Seeking answers Dear Seeking answers, The dilemma which you now face is not because of COVID-19 but rather your inability to discern who would make you a better wife.

You admit that your heart is still with this other woman and that you are not fully committed to the relationship in which you now find yourself. Therefore, you need to take some time out to think about what it is that you really want before getting into a marriage situation.

In the meantime, with respect to the COVID-19 situation, you need to get tested as quickly as possible. Also, you need to declare your whereabouts to the COVID-19 task force so they can in turn contact the individuals with whom you may have come into contact. Your girlfriend should also be tested.

Your priority now is to deal with the COVID-19 situation and after an all clear, sort out your relationships by being honest to yourself and your girlfriends.

George

Single or married?? and told me she was doing an online course and this guy was her George, I do not know what has gotten into my tutor. It didn’t take me long to find out the wife. Since she picked truth. up with certain friends We have got to the she has changed completely. She has this point where whenever guy whom she is talking we do anything in bed it to online. She lied to me is like I am forcing myself on her. I am

Dear George,

A double whammy Dear George, What a situation!! I have tested positive for both HIV and COVID-19 and I am obviously extremely worried.

I have no one to talk to who can help me. I have a few friends but they have already expressed that they will stay as far as possible away from anyone with COVID-19 and/or HIV. As it is, my mind is in a tail spin. Who can I turn to for help? I have so many questions. I am wondering how much longer I would be able to survive feeling the way I am feeling.

Dark Cave Dear Dark Cave.

Thank you for reaching out.

You should reach out immediately to the AIDS Secretariat and inform them of your situation.

While you may not be allowed to go around and about due to your COVID-19 status, you can reach out by telephone.

Also, give Marion House a call. There you will get to talk to a professional and benefit from much needed supportive counselling.

There is life after HIV and contracting COVID19 does not mean it is a death sentence. Get your hands on the correct information so that you can get past this.

You have taken a great first step in reaching out; continue to do so and know that life continues and there is light at the end of the tunnel.

As for your friends, friends like those you do not need.

George

tired of living like my wife’s roommate.

I have tried to no avail to get her to stop hanging out with these so-called younger, unmarried friends of hers. It seems my wife cannot make up her mind whether she wants to be married or single. I am not in that.

I do not want to see any counsellor and I do not want to keep her. I want to be free to go look for someone who is fully devoted to me.

I just want to know how to get rid of her peacefully. I really do not want to have to resort to getting physical with her.

Living on edge Dear Living on edge, Physical violence is definitely not the answer and I am glad your first choice of action is to tackle this in a peaceful manner. Since you are determined to end your marriage regardless, I would advise you to get some legal advice on the way forward. The sooner this is done, the sooner you would be able to get on with the rest of your life. I would still encourage you to see a counselor for emotional and psychological support. Good luck.

George

Leisure

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) You can clear up important legalities and sign contracts this week. You should make special plans for you and your lover. Competitive games will be your forte.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) You can come up with solutions to the problems responsible for inefficiencies at work. You are best to work at home, clearing up overdue projects. You don't want to give anyone fuel for the fire.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) Take time to deal with legal documents and the affairs of people who you may be indebted to. Do not over expand if you have your own business. Sit tight.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Loans will be attainable and legal matters easily taken care of. You could be cornered, so be prepared to tell the truth. You will enjoy lavish forms of entertainment and should consider making arrangements early.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) You must be careful not to ignore the needs of the youngsters in your family.

Emotionally, things may not run so smoothly. Don't trust a deal that looks too good, or a lover who appears to have it all.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Problems with females you live or work with will try your patience and cause temper flare ups. Think before you act.

Unforeseen circumstances will disrupt your daily routine.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) Stay out of other people's affairs. Take time to help children with projects that may be too hard for them to do on their own. A trip to visit relatives should be rewarding.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) Balance is required if you want stability.

You must try to include your mate in your activities this week. Arguments with children or friends may leave you steaming.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) You will meet potential new mates through friends or relatives. Uncertain changes regarding your personal life are evident. A change in position could be better than you thought.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19) You may need the space, but you need the extra cash more. Romance will develop through work related activities.

You will have a problem with your boss if you haven't done your job.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Don't let your personal dilemmas interfere with your goals. Avoid any confrontations with colleagues. Put your energy into learning new skills or picking up valuable information. Travel will also entice you.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Make changes to your living quarters that will please the whole family. Help if you can, but more than likely it will be sufficient just to listen. It might be best not to spend your money on luxuries this week.

ACROSS 1. Undeveloped rose 4. Pickle holder 7. Chatter idly 10. Freshly 12. Garden trail 13. Eight minus seven 14. Bother 15. With skill 16. Laurel – Hardy 17. Slants 19. Walk unhurriedly 21. Realty offering 22. Observe 23. Above —, good 26. Signal assent 28. Halts 32. Leave the interstate 34. Strike sharply 36. Travel by yacht 37. Be defiant 39. Canine yelp 41. Lock opener 42. Whisper detector 44. Massage 46. Florida port 48. Talent 51. Dear friend 52. Cliff rim 54. Crowd noise 56. Emulate Angela Bassett 57. Spoke falsely 58. Aerial beach toy 59. Court romantically 60. Tone following fa 61. Was winning DOWN 1. Soap shape 2. Fixed amount 3. Food shop

4. Boxing poke 5. Map book 6. Poetic features 7. Aim 8. Dramatic Bancroft 9. Sleeping place 11. All better 12. Church head 18. Cargo weight 20. Casino wagers 23. According to 24. Tomahawk cousin 25. Chest bone 27. Singer Doris 29. Hardwood tree 30. Bakery buy 31. Cunning 33. Abound 35. Employed a car facility

38. Boutonniere 47. Choir range sites 49. Spiral 40. Witty delivery 50. Captivating 43. Broadcasting Winslet medium 51. Kitten “hand” 45. Kennel 53. Hair emanation preparation 46. Mexican dish 55. Fiery color

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

V

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021. 19.

V

20.THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

Local cricket postponed

It will be sometime before cricket action returns to playing fields across the state.

Romel Currency, President of the SVGCA, emphasized his Executive’s responsibility to safeguard the health and well-being of all cricketers.

LOCAL CRICKETERS, both male and female, might well feel they are in a state of limbo with the news that the opening of the 2021 National Lottery Authority National Cricket Competition has been postponed to a date to be announced.

The 2021 cricket season was originally scheduled to commence on the weekend of the 9th &10th January

with the Senior Men’s Premier and First Divisions, and the Senior Female Competition.

A release from the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association Inc. (SVGCA), read in part: “It is with great regret that the SVGCA Inc. has to inform you (all clubs and officials) that due to the existential threats of COVID-19 and the ongoing effusive eruption of the La Soufriere Volcano, all cricket tournaments organized by the Association have been postponed indefinitely.

“The Association will continue to liaise with the necessary authorities towards finalizing a timeframe for the start of the cricket tournaments. The

Association wishes everyone good health and safety, and advises all cricketers to observe the necessary health and safety protocols that are currently in place.” Please be guided accordingly Newly elected President of the SVG Cricket Association Romel Currency believes the well being of all stakeholders is important and such his executive is taking every precaution necessary.

“The existential threats we are facing as a nation mandated the postponement of the local season. As an executive, we have an important responsibility to promote and advance the game of cricket; however, as

Vincentians, we have a greater responsibility to safeguard the health and safety of everyone around us. As such, after consultations with health authorities, the executive agreed that a postponement of the season would be best.”

The President continued, “What is happening is not something that affects only the sport of cricket, it affects other sporting disciplines and other aspects of life. We will continue to liaise with the necessary authorities so we can chart the best and safest way forward for the cricketers and our nation on a whole.”

I.B.A.ALLEN

Alexander chairs NACAC’s Athletes Commission VINCENTIAN KINEKE ALEXANDER has been named the Chair of the North American, Central American, and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) Athletes Commission.

Alexander, 34, was among several recent appointments made by NACAC. Among the members of the Commission is World and Olympic champion Shelley- Ann Fraser, and NACAC Council Member Cydonie Motherstill who is functioning as a Mentor of the Commission.

Reports are that an athletes’ survey is being carried out among NACAC members to produce a comprehensive database of NACAC athletes.

Additionally, the Athletes Commission is working on its Terms of Reference.

Prior to being named Chair of NACAC’s Athletes Commission, Alexander had served as Team Athletics SVG’s prime liaison with athletes studying and training in the United States of America.

During her time on the track, Alexander racked up several medals and is St Vincent and the Grenadines’ most decorated female track athlete.

She made an impressive regional debut finished as the top Under-15 Female athlete at the

Caribbean Union of Teachers Games.

Alexander then moved on to pouch two medals at the Junior Carifta level, the first in 2001 when she collected a bronze in the 400m in the Under-17 age group, and the second a silver, when he moved up to the Under-20 category in 2003.

Alexander also gained a silver medal in the 400m of the Under-17 division of the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in 2002.

Bronze medals in the 400m at the CAC Games in 2006 and NACAC Championships in 2007, added to her count She had to wiat until 2013 to medal again and she did so by copping a gold medal in the 200m and a bronze in the 400m, at the 2013 CAC Games.

In 2015, she took bronze in the 400m at the Pan Am Games.

Alexander has also earned medals at OECS and other regional invitational meets, and has reached the semi-finals twice at the Commonwealth Games.

She has represented St Vincent and the Grenadines at the World Youth Championships, the World Junior Championships, PANAM Juniors, the Kineke Alexander has moved from the track to the NACAC Under-23, the World Indoors, World board room of the NACAC level.

Championships and the Olympic Games.

V Sports Minister excited

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021. 21.

Sports

MINISTER of the Public Service, Consumer Affairs and Sports Frederick Stephenson is excited about the prospects that the Diamond Track Facility offers for the sport of Track and Field here.

Appointed to oversee sports for the second time in a Cabinet of the government of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Stephenson, in a recent interview, described the synthetic track “as an important added facility to the development of Athletics here in St Vincent and the Grenadines.”

He revealed that additional work will be done on the EC$ 4 million facility, which was opened on 4th November last year.

“Work should continue shortly on the athletics track at Diamond,” the Minister disclosed.

Stephenson, who is the Parliamentary Representative of the South Windward Constituency, said that the remaining work on the facility would be to complete some of the unfinished areas, e.g. washroom and toilet facilities.

Once completed, Stephenson’s big wish is that the next Inter- Primary and Inter- Secondary Schools Athletics Championships would be staged at the Diamond Facility.

Stating that one of his main order of business of the Ministry of Sport is continuing to improve playing facilities, Stephenson declared, “My first interest is to see the many playing fields and sporting facilities that we have are fully upgraded and to be put into use,” and he added, “We are in

Another go at the Islands Cup Open Radio last Sunday evening, Charles disclosed that he will be reaching out to local players for possible selection.

He noted though, that the players he is targetting may not be necessarily the top national players, but some “decent” ones.

The Tournament, dubbed the Islands Cup Open (ISCO), is set to be staged between June and August, and is being organised by the

Caribbean Football Trust Limited (CFTL), headed

by Chris Anderson.

The ten Franchises named to be part of the inaugural Tournament are Brazil Samba Warriors, FC Combined Islands, AS Guyana Oilers FC, AS Espanola Manics, French Connection FC, SC Colombia Tapirs, Jamaica Ruffnecks, TNT Soca Rivals FC, Barbados Challengers and the Suriname Gladiators.

A promotional release by the organisers stated that, “All franchises will be placed in rotation in each season, in all PanCaribbean countries (with the exception of the Brazil SAMBA WARRIORS who will be based in Brazil).”

Additionally, the CFTL release mentioned that some former noted international stars have

Hon. Frederick Stephenson, Minister of Sport, appropriated masked, is not playing sport with the prevailing COVID-19 threat.

Maloney in winning form

The Pre-Season Relays took place at the Diamond Track Facility last December.

ANOTHER attempt will be made to have a franchised Professional Football Tournament in the Caribbean, and Vincentian players are open to being part of the process.

Reports are that recruitment of Vincentian players will begin soon, with former St Vincent and the Grenadines defenderWesley Charles, confirming that he was contacted to be a scout.

Speaking on Nice

the process of finalising some work with the National Lotteries Authority in upgrading quite a number of facilities.

Stephenson reasoned that with the playing facilities ‘up to scratch’, this would be an enticement for sportsmen and women to perform and keep their interest and passion in their respective disciplines.

He noted, though, fulfilling his desires and the programme of the Ministry of Sport hinged on a reduction in the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

“I am very hopeful that we will see light at the end of the tunnel and COVID-19 would be reduced and outdoor activities resumed,” Stephenson projected.

Wesley Charles, former national defender, has been appointed local scout for ISCO. been earmarked as Marquee players.

Among those named are Franseco Totti, Samuel Eto’o, Arjen Robben, Patrick Evra, Andrea Pirlo and Emmanuel Adebayor.

This is not first time that plans have emerged to host the Islands Cup Open. In 2017, when the Islands Cup Open first surfaced, St Vincent and the Grenadines was one of four territories earmarked to host matches.

SHAFIQUA MALONEY, one of SVG’s leading middle distance runner, was in dominant form on the track when she won the University of Arkansas Invitational women 800 meters on the weekend, at Randal Tyson Track Center in the United States.

Maloney, who is on a athletics Shafiqua Maloney, SVG’s scholarship at the University of middle distance athlete, in action for her University.

Arkansas, crossed the finish line in a time of 2:08.60 ahead of Isabel Van Camp also of Arkansas in a time of 2:13.75 and Je-Risa James of Ark-Pine Bluff in a time of 2:22.77 Maloney was also part of the Arkansas triumphant 4X400m relay team, in a time of 3:34.79. The Vincentian lass ran the third leg and her team mates were Paris Peoples (first leg), Morgan Burks Magee (second leg) and Rosey Effiong (final leg).

Maloney efforts also heledp Arkansas to finish top in the women’s team points standing with a total of 228 points in the 16-event Meet.

In second spot was Oklahoma on 119, third was Arkansas State on 60.3 points.

I.B.A.ALLEN

V

22. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

The Grugru factor REACTIONS to the Wilf Slack memorial published in last week’s edition of THE VINCENTIAN, have been varied. Some people were lost, not being able to connect Wilf Slack and grugru cricket.

Some pundits may not know that people played cricket with grugru. Queries surfaced as to what the wickets were like. Not the pitch as such. That was the typical dirt wicket, rolled with dry type of soil.

The wicket comprised stacks of grugru bunches, three high. Batsmen had to cover an extended area to ensure the ball did not pass, for the width was three times the normal stumps.

The height was enough, for grugrus don’t bounce much.

The wickets made for easy access of balls. An average bunch would have about four hundred ‘nuts’. If the stock was not used in one session, it made preparation for the other event easier.

Selecting the right branch for the bat was another feature. Some persons specialised in finding branches that were dry and hard, and a trick was to ensure a curve at the lower part of the blade to pick up the ball fluently.

I can’t recall how the score was recorded. I was too busy collecting deliveries that kept departing to different parts of half sloping pint sized playing field.

The retrieval was for dual purposes. Those barely cracked were considered as armoury for our form of play, and the others were cracked open for the kernel.

Slack and I were part of that growing up structure. With my brothers Michael, Phillip and Jules, that was already a core.

Whatever the size of the Troumaca Plying Field, it was the foundation for many a novel activity. Grugru cricket was an ongoing affair, as long as the farmers had enough time to cut the bunch. That was the hardest part of the exercise, and then transporting them to the arena.

Grugru cricket was like the warm-up to the real version. Troumaca, and North Leeward, produced a number of cricketers who have represented the nation.

It was easy for Slack to make his way into the Windwards squad. His compatriot Mike Findlay made the link for Slack’s appearance. Findlay continues to provide his expertise having distinguished himself as one of best wicket keepers.

Others like Grafton Cadougan, Duncan ‘Bumpy’ Providence, Joseph ‘Speedy’ Anthony had stints at national cricket.

The tradition continued with Vandel Akers, Esam Robertson, Byron Lewis, Emil Antony, Javon Samuel, Mark Audain at the Under 19’s, and currently Kenneth Dember. There will be others, but forgive.

Friends of Female Cricket assist cricketers JAPHINA JOSEPH and Janella Glasgow, two of this country’s foremost female cricketers, were, on Deccember 29, 2020, the recipients of some timely assistance (cheques) courtesy the Friends of Female Cricket Inc. (FFC).

Mrs. Gwenette Anthony, Treasurer of FFC, made the presentation.

Joseph, 21, is currently attending the CWI Training Camp in Antigua from which a team is to be selected for the ICC World Cup Qualifiers for the 2021 Female World Cup, scheduled for July in Sri Lanka.

Glasgow, 16, is part of a CWI Training Programme being conducted here by local coaches.

Cleton Barnet, a Committee member of FFC, described the organization as being committed to the development of female cricket/cricketers in SVG. He added, “The organization is excited for both players and wishes them all the best in their future endeavours. The organization hopes that the accomplishments of these two players will be an inspiration to other young aspiring female cricketer. Female Cricket in the

(L-R): Japhina Joseph, Gwenette Anthony and Janella Glasgow at the presentation. country is on the decline and this is definitely the kind of light that is needed to invoke interest in youths to get involved in the sport.”

I.B.A.ALLEN

Coach happy with JosephÊs progress

Coach Cleton Barnet is more than pleased that Japhina Joseph continues on a path to the highest level of female cricket.

CLETON BARNET coach of the J.G Tigress and Sons female cricket team, of which Japhina Joseph is a member, is delighted with her inclusion in the Cricket West Indies Female Training Camp, ongoing in Antigua.

“Joseph selection to the current CWI Camp comes as no surprise to me,” Barnet told THE VINCENTIAN. “As a matter of fact,” he added, “I believe that she is as talented as any of the current female cricketers on the West

Indies Team. She is committed and has shown tremendous growth. I am confident that she will do well in the Camp and secure a place in the squad. I am excited for her and I wish her all the best and God’s richest blessing.

I pray that this experience for her will be an inspiration to other young female cricketers.”

Barnet recalled Joseph’s progress, citing that she her debut for St Vincent and the Grenadines in the Regional Super 50 tournament, at the tender

age of 13.

“At that time she was known more for her bowling. However, injuries have prevented her from continuing that path in her bowling, and her focus became more on her batting. She represented Windward Volcanoes Under-19 team for 3 years and was outstanding with the bat. It was during these years she caught the eyes to CWI coaches,” Barnet said.

I.B.A.ALLEN

Something special

After a historic 2-1 series triumph over Australia, Team India has once more shown its ability to win series away from home, something which not many teams have done in the last few years.

After being marred with injuries, a young team stepped up and achieved something beyond the cricketing world’s wildness expectation.

The key aspect of this series win is, each and every player made a contribution to the team’s win.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021. 23.

Classifieds

CHRISTIANA IONA LAIDLOW Saturday, 16th January, 2021 Campden Park Wesleyan Holiness Church Viewing: 1:00 p.m.

Service: 2:00 p.m.

Interment: /RZPDQ¶V Leeward Cemetery

MAVIS WILLIAMS

CHRISTIANA KING

Sunday, 17th January, 2021 Mt Zion Spiritual Baptist Church Rose Hall Viewing: 1:00 p.m.

Service: 2:00 p.m.

Interment: Rose Hall Cemetery

Sunday, 17th January, 2021 S.D.A Church Calder Viewing: 1:00 p.m.

Service: 2:00 p.m.

Interment: Stubbs Cemetery

JO-ANN WILMA BRAMBLE

COLMORE KERWIN EDWARDS

CALVIN GRAFTON KING

Saturday, 16th January, 2021 Worldwide Mission Church Redemption Sharpes Viewing: 1:00 p.m.

Service: 2:30 p.m.

Interment: Kingstown Cemetery

Saturday, 16th January, 2021 Petit Bordel Evangelical Church Viewing: 1:30 p.m.

Service: 2:30 p.m.

Interment: Petit Bordel Cemetery

Saturday, 16th January, 2021 Kingstown Gospel Hall Church Viewing: 8:30 a.m.

Service: 9:00 a.m.

Interment: Kingstown Cemetery

ALLANA FRANCOIS Sunday, 17th January, 2021 S.D.A Church Barrouallie Viewing: 1:00 p.m.

Service: 2:00 p.m.

Interment: Glebe Hill Cemetery

AVIL KENROY HARRY of Fair Hall Sunday, 17th January, 2021 Questelles S.D.A Church Service: 2:30 p.m.

AI REAL ESTATE Campden Park 4 bedrm Property on 3,869 sq.ft.

- $318,000.00 - H514 Villa / Fountain Incomplete Property on 15,356 sq.ft. - $320,000.00 - H512 Prospect Apartment Complex on 7,135 sq.ft.

- $835,430.00 - H144 Cane Hall 10,026 sq.ft @ $18.00 p.s.f. - $180,468.00 - BB194 (784)- 457-2087/(718)-807-4376 office (784)-493-9431/(784)-533-0431 whatsappcell donp@vincysurf.com

THURSDAY, JANUARY

21, 2021

VOLUME 115, No.03

www.thevincentian.com

EC$1.50

HONORARY DOCTORATE FOR FRANKIE MCINTOSH

He is now Franklyn McIntosh D.Litt but remains, according to those who know him best, a humble, unassuming human being. (Photo Credit: When Steel Talks)

with brilliance and versatility; quietly doing what the January 16, 2021 Facebook post by ‘When Steel Talks’ stated: “From calypso to gospel and reggae, Franklyn McIntosh has worked his magic on music from every English-speaking Caribbean island.”

Small wonder it was, therefore, that it pained Dr.

by GLORIAH… musical grandfather and disciplinarian mother.

Severin to narrow down the bounty of awards Mr. “Evidently Chancellor,” Dr. Francis proffered, McIntosh accumulated over time, but chose to “BY THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME by the Senate and “Franklyn Frankie McIntosh genetically held the emphasize some international awards with wellCouncil of the University of the West Indies, I confer key to many musical genres!” deserved accolades. upon you the Degree of Doctor of Letters Honoris Causa He then went on to chronicle aspects of the He began with an excerpt from a 1991 Class of the University of the West Indies.” musician’s early journey, and to highlight some of Magazine article by Les Slater which summarized These words, spoken by Chancellor of the his work in the region. “We owe Frankie a debt of McIntosh’s musical prowess as: “Frankie McIntosh, University of the West Indies, Robert Bermudez, gratitude for having brought so much talent to the Master Musician”. To this, he added honours like confirmed the award as reference, to pianist fore,” he stated, “evidenced for instance, by the the 2020 receipt of a Diplomatic Passport from the extraordinaire, musical composer/arranger/teacher, many times he was: arranger, keyboardist, technical Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Vincentian Franklyn Frankie McIntosh, during its producer, pianist, music software programmer and his 2015 induction into the Sunshine Awards Hall of 2020 graduation ceremony held virtually on conductor for some of the most prominent Fame in New York City.

Wednesday, 13th January. calypsonians as Alston Becket Cyrus, the Mighty Frankie McIntosh’s humility rang true, through In presenting Mr. McIntosh to the Chancellor, Sparrow, Explainer, Calypso Rose, Obstinate, Short the presentation. The public orator used a response public orator Dr. Francis Severin began with Shirt, Shadow, Swallow. Lord Kitchener, Crazy, the musician had made to a question about his insights into the musician’s early days, when his Winston Soso, Duke and others.” contribution to the art, to verify this, “I take what musical talent was motivated and nurtured by his Frankie McIntosh clearly was a genius, loaded society gives me and return it, in the symbolic form of music.”

Never were his educational accomplishments flaunted, chief among which were a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Music from the Brooklyn College of the City University of in New York; a Master of Arts Degree in Jazz Performance from the New York University School of Education, and a Licence to teach with the NYC Board of Education.

These, the speaker considered, allowed him to make “an indestructible mark on authentic Caribbean music and bona fide Caribbean culture”.

Outlining many more of Mr. McIntosh’s achievements in music, Dr. Severin told the Chancellor, “This consummate and renowned musician, arranger, composer, musical director, producer and educator, merely wants to be remembered as someone who tried his best and made a contribution!”

His recommendation for the award called on the Chancellor to invoke “the powers of the Council and the Senate of the University of the West Indies and bestowing upon this most acclaimed Vincentian, Caribbean and international musician, Mr. Even as an Honorary Doctorate Degree awaited him, Frankie Mc Intosh, (foreground on piano) was Franklyn Frankie McIntosh, the Degree of Doctor of busy putting together a video for inclusion in a virtual concert to mark the inauguration of US Vice Letters Honoris Causa.”

President Kamala Harris.

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

Printed by the SVG Publishers Inc., Campden Park.