Vin pages 20 02 15 e reader to use

The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines PRINTER SCANNER COPIER FAX Color scan, Fax forward to email, Network scan, PC/Walkup Fax, Copy/Print speed of up to 35ppm, USB 2.0

FRIDAY,

FEBRUARY 20, 2015

VOLUME 109, No.08

recalled. She made numerous reports to the police, and at PRISLET FRANCIS is hoping that her life one time she felt as though the of physical abuse by her former lover, justice system had failed her.

Brenon Roberts, has come to an end, Showing THE now that Roberts begins a 20-year jail VINCENTIAN the scars on term for attempting to murder her. her body, Francis declared, Roberts, a 41-year-old tradesman of “Life will not be the same Barrouallie, was on Monday, February because the scars will always 16, also sentenced to 18 months in be there to remind me.” prison for breaching a lawful order by She underwent four the Family Court, to refrain from surgeries, two to her left hand molesting Francis. The sentences, and two to her right ear. She handed down by Justice Kathy Ann is unable to hear from that Latchoo at the Criminal Assizes, will ear. run concurrently.

Francis is thankful to Almighty Roberts had attacked and chopped God, and the prosecuting team the 34-year-old unemployed woman comprised of Assistant Director of several times at Barrouallie, April 22, Public Prosecutions (DPP) Colin John 2013. and Crown Counsel Karim Nelson. She A medical report revealed Francis is also grateful to her neighbour, suffered a larceration to her left arm Curlan Hepburn, who rushed to her which resulted in a compound fracture; rescue when Roberts attempted to kill a larceration to her head, extending her on the night of April 22, 2013. from the temple to cheek area, as well She is advising women who are in as a larceration to her right ear. abusive relationships, to get out, as it Francis told THE VINCENTIAN is not healthy for their children. during an interview on Wednesday, On December 16, 2014, a ninethat she would have felt safer if member jury had found Roberts guilty Roberts was handed a sentence of life of attempting to murder Francis, and imprisonment; but she expressed breaching a lawful order; but satisfaction with the court’s decision. sentencing was adjourned pending a She is convinced that Roberts wanted social inquiry report on Roberts. to kill her.

The prosecution’s evidence revealed “I think that the penalty will give that after Francis’s relationship with people more confidence in the justice Roberts ended, he became dissatisfied system, especially women who are with the extent of the access he had to physically abused by their so-called his child. lovers, and the relatives of persons Sometime before the incident who have lost their loved ones as a occurred, Roberts threatened to kill result of domestic violence,” Francis Francis and her family, and on said. She is of the view that the abuse another occasion he attempted to kill of women in St. Vincent and the her. Francis consequently sought and Grenadines is rampant, and enough is was granted a protection order from not being done to protect women. the Family Court on March 19, 2013.

Francis had a 14-year intimate The evidence further revealed that relationship with Roberts ,which sometime in early April, 2013, Roberts produced a girl child. She described had a conversation with Police the relationship as very abusive and Constable Lester James at the controlling, stating that even after she Windward Bus Terminal in ended the relationship in October Kingstown, during which he told 2012, the abuse continued.

James that he was going to kill “I was living in fear. He threatened Francis. James advised him not to to kill me numerous times, and take that course, and to seek his attempted to do so twice,” Francis justice at the Family Court instead.

www.thevincentian.com

EC$1.50

by HAYDN HUGGINS

On the night of April 22, 2013, Francis was returning home from Kingstown after attending a matter in the Family Court in which Roberts was seeking a Court Order for access to his daughter, now 12 years old. While walking along Harley Road, Barrouallie, she saw the figure of someone behind an electricity pole. She recognised the person to be Roberts, and began running.

Roberts pursued Prislet Francis was a victim of physical abuse by her and caught up with lover, and now urges all those women who are her. She fell at the similarly entrapped, to get out of those relationships. base of another Inset: Prislet Francis will bear the scars of her abuse electricity pole. He for the rest of her life. raised a cutlass and chopped her several setting a trap to catch a dog. times. He only stopped inflicting The matter was prosecuted by injuries after Francis’s neighbour, Curlan Hepburn, rushed to her rescue. Crown Counsel Karim Nelson, while attorney Grant Connell represented Roberts was subsequently arrested Roberts. and charged.

Interestingly, the case worker who In an electronic interview with the prepared the social inquiry report, police, shown to the jury, Roberts recommended that Roberts receive denied knowledge of the incident, sentencing, citing his apparent angersaying that on the night in question, management problem. he was in Green Hill, Barrouallie,

V

2. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

Youth

THE URL IN LAST WEEK’S EDITION of ‘Tec talk’, we talked about search engines, and we said they can be used to find information and sites, even if you don’t know the site by memory. This week, we will speak about the URL, which stands for Uniform Resource Locator. The URL is simply the address of a specific site on the internet. In comparison to search engines, URLs don’t give you a list of multiple sites that contain related information. A URL is specific to each site; it carries you directly to that site.

You can find sites, and thus information, by typing in the web site’s address/URL into the “Address” bar, which is at the top of the browser window. An example of an URL would be http://svgsyoungleaders.com/. This will take you directly to the site of the St. Vincent Grammar School Young Leaders.

In terms of usage in everyday life, it can be quite time-consuming using search engines to find a specific piece of information, which is already waiting for you on a golden platter on a specific site. Knowing the URL or internet address of that site can save you hours of scrolling through suggested sites from search engines, by taking you directly to the information you would need. URLs are not case sensitive, meaning whether you type in capital letters or common letters, it will still give you the desired site.

Using URLs may prove difficult for those of us who don’t possess good memory. While they are not case sensitive, they are very specific, so the addition or subtraction of letters will lead to incorrect sites or, in some cases, you will be redirected to your browsers search engine to a list of suggested sites, the computer assumed you may have been trying to access. This listing may be confusing as it may send you to different documents on the same site you are looking for or other sites that have links to the site for which you are searching. It is suggested that if you know a site that will provide you with information you will need regularly, it is best to write it down for easy reference.

SOCIAL NETWORKING IN THIS EDITION of Tec talk, we will talk about social networking through the use of the internet, and more specifically social networking sites.

Social networking, according to google, one of the search engines through which the internet is accessed, is defined as “the use of dedicated websites and applications to interact with other users, or to find people with similar interests to one's own.”

In everyday life, social networking can help to improve communication between persons, businesses, groups, etc., by allowing you ‘to message’ them through a dialogue box and read updates made by them, which is seen in your “news feed”.

Social networking, therefore, is a means of communicating information.

This information can be: personal, in which you express your feelings, give information or simply joke around; communication from your business to your manufacturers and/or suppliers; and communication between employer and employee, towards developing better relationship or to simply passing on instructions for carrying out tasks.

In the hands of the well informed, social networking can be a powerful tool and can be used to benefit you by furthering tasks that may require continuous communication.

There are multiple social networking sites through which you can communicate with others and follow groups in which you have an interest. The St. Vincent Grammar School Young Leaders has made it our business to be on all the prominent and useful sites. You can like us and read our updates, which includes upcoming events, on www.facebook.com at: SVGS Young Leaders 2015; on www.instagram.com and www.twitter.com at: Svgsyl2015. These sites can be entered into the “Address” bar mentioned above..

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. 3.

News 3 Samuel admits he failed to heed advice

by DAYLE DA SILVA

LEON ‘BIGGER BIGGS’ SAMUEL failed to keep proper records, which resulted in him being accused of environmental degradation.

Dr Reynold Murray, the man hired

by Samuel to conduct an environmental impact assessment back in 2007, made the disclosure last Saturday during a media tour of the property at Rabacca, on which the mining operations were once conducted.

Samuel’s licensce to mine at Rabacca was revoked and his business shut down in 2011 by the Physical Planning and Development Board.

The board cited a number of

violations, including poor practices in the use and disposal of petrochemical compounds, ponding, and that there was extensive corrosion taking place along particular sections of the property.

“In preparing the assessment, I looked at the potential challenges including access, safety, use of materials and in the impact assessment there were a number of guidelines provided for it,” Dr. Murray said.

So when the authorities said that Samuel’s operation was in violation of some environmental issues, in terms of chemical spills and the way the mining operation was being conducted, there was evidence of ponding due to

Dr. Reynold Murray, Environmental Science Consultant, says that his study found no evidence of ponding on Biger Biggs’ mining operation.

the large pieces of machinery, He (Samuel) had no way of defending himself, Dr. Murray asserted.

Dr. Murray said that Samuel requested his services subsequent to his mining operations being shut down, saying that he found no evidence of the sort of things that were being cited by the officials from the Planning Board.

When questioned why he failed to adhere to the advice to keep a record of the environmental practices, Samuel said that he did not think it was relevant, seeing that officials from the Planning Board made regular visits to his operations at Rabacca.

Leon ‘Bigger Biggs’ Samuel says he will ensure that the same mistakes are not made when he resumes operations at Rabacca.

“And when they left, they would say that all was in order,” Samuel said.

“That does not remove the fact that I should have had them sign a book…I should have made them sign a book,” he said.

Samuel said that his company was about to be re-started, and that “you it can rest assured that I would be taking all the precautionary measures to avoid a repeat of what took place in 2011.”

Bigger Biggs’ Site office at Rabacca was also vandalised during the impasse.

Equipment lay idle for four years, and have been made inoperable during to exposure to the elements and lack of maintenance.

wrap-up session of the 2015 Budget Debate, that an understanding had been agreed that a licence was no longer a requirement for the resumption of Samuel’s mining operations.

But Samuel says that he was yet to receive this in writing.

“The government needs to, however, convey this in writing that I do not require a licence to operate,” he said.

Nevertheless, he thanked the media, God

‘Starting over, not easy,’ says Biggs been taken away, but now I have no NOW THAT THE equipment,” Samuel told WORSE is over, Leon members of the media ‘Bigger Biggs’ Samuel is last Saturday, during still faced with one what he termed as a hurdle before he is fully “Bitter/Sweet victory” at able to resume his Rabacca. mining and block making “This victory is a operations at Rabacca. bitter-sweet one…the Four years following crushing plant and the abandonment of his generator have been left mining operations meant in these positions for the that his equipment has last four years. The been open to vandalism elements have taken its and simple wear and tear toll on them, and also due to the elements and people have vandalized neglect. them,” he said further.

“All the red tape has Samuel said that he

by DAYLE DA SILVA

was unable to give an estimate of the cost to have his business restored, but he said that it will take some new financing arrangements, especially seeing that he will have to replace some of the equipment.

He further added that it may take up to a year

before his business becomes operational, but that type of information was in the hands of a technical team that was working out a detailed plan for the resumption of the operation.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves announced during the

and the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines for helping him during his struggle.

“The government has reversed its decision because of the press — they did a lot and the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines, hence the victory, this is one for the people of the country,” Samuel said.

He expressed the belief that the same entities which stood with him through the thick and thin, will ensure that the government honours its word.

V

4. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

News

No ÂganjaÊ tree for Botanical Gardens This reporter posed the question, in light of discussions generated in some AS LONG as Gordon Shallow is the circles, as to whether a marijuana tree Curator of the Botanical Gardens, the should be planted at the Botanical planting of any species of cannabis, also Gardens, as a tourist attraction and known as marijuana and ‘ganja’, would for educational purposes.

Don’t expect to see a marijuana tree not be a reality, once it remains an Local attorney Grant Connell had in the Botanical Gardens anytime illegal narcotic. made the suggestion in an interview soon.

Shallow made this clear while with THE VINCENTIAN, November speaking to THE VINCENTIAN at his 10, last year. Connell had said, “If a unstable drug, in the sense that it has Botanical Gardens office, Montrose, on marijuana tree is planted at the a lot of side effects on an individual Monday.

Botanical Gardens and grows, it is not basis. Culturally, we see the result on affecting anyone. It would persons who readily use it, oftentimes be there to educate our persons are less successful and less people and as an added ambitious in life.” tourist attraction.”

When contacted on Monday for a Connell had expressed comment on the issue of planting However, Shallow told THE the view that about 70 cannabis in the Gardens as a tourist VINCENTIAN on Monday, “There will percent of this country’s attraction and for educational be no planting of any species of population had never purposes, Minister of Tourism Cecil cannabis, as long as it remains an seen a marijuana tree Mc Kie did not rule out the possibility illegal narcotic, at least during my growing, and are not of it happening, “further down the tenure.” aware of its medicinal road”. But he stressed that, as it Shallow, who has been Curator of value or the contribution the Gardens since 2013, expressed the stands now, “It is against the law to it could make to the cultivate marijuana.” view that, “it would more encourage economy.

Speaking with THE VINCENTIAN drug abuse than be an attraction. …

The story was carried on the issue on Tuesday, Director of The Gardens cannot grow anything on page 4 of THE Public Prosecutions (DPP) Colin that is illegal; if you plant it, you are HIGH COURT Judge VINCENTIAN, November Williams made it clear, “I am not encouraging an illegal trade.”

Kathy Ann Latchoo on 14, 2014 and headlined joining the advocacy for that Monday sent a strong Shallow, also has a firm position ‘Marijuana Tree (marijuana tree in the Gardens)”, and message to the regarding the use of marijuana: suggested for the declined to speak further on the perpetrators or would be “My opinion is that it is a very Gardens’. matter. perpetrators of violence against women, when she High Court Judge handed down a 20-year Kathy Ann Latchoo sentence on Brenon Roberts of Barrouallie for called for a no holds attempting to murder his barred fight against abuse of women. former lover, Prislet A MOVE is being made to develop Francis by chopping her further theme gardens within the several times with a cutlass.

Botanical Gardens and to reopen “The incidence of violence against women in trails. our communities has become a serious problem, Curator of the Gardens, Gordon and the court must attempt to curtail this by its Shallow, told THE VINCENTIAN sentencing policies. Unless it does so, the on Monday, that the plan is for perpetrators of violence against women may very the Gardens to be returned to its well believe that they have a licence to do so original function, to make it more unimpeded. Our sentencing policy must relevant for the present and to necessarily be directed at changing behaviour, develop it into the future. especially those abhorrent to human decency,” The development of different Justice Latchoo declared before handing down the theme gardens is part of this penalty. process.

She noted that Roberts is a mature man who Among the theme gardens was not acting in the lightheadness of youth, and planned are a Medicinal Garden, that he has shown a defiance of the law and a an Agricultural Historic Garden stubborn determination to continue on a violent and an Endemic Garden, where path, targeting Francis. “And that is what sets locals and foreigners can view the this case apart — his previous convictions are a native plants of St. Vincent and significant aggravating feature.” Roberts had previous convictions for wounding Francis. the Grenadines.

Justice Latchoo stressed, “Violence in domestic Plans are also in place for the relations damages not only the victim and the reopening of trails that went into Gordon Shallow, Curator of the Botanical Gardens, is anticipating immediate family, but the country as a whole, disrepair and for a Rock Garden, that the ‘revitalisation’ of the Gardens will attract more locals. since every nation stands on the foundation where a hero’s stone will be blocks of families. It is hoped that schools, erected to record the names of and making the landscape a lot He is also appealing to citizens churches, NGOs, youth clubs, associations and this country’s national heroes. more attractive, a lot of locals will to donate plants they might have other groups get involved in the fight against “What we are doing right now want to visit the Gardens,” he that are not currently grown at violence against women, to confront the very real is to offer, once more, selected problem instead of ignoring it or blaming the stressed. the Gardens. fruit tree crops which we have not victim.”

Shallow is appealing to the The Botanical Gardens, the been doing for a while,” Shallow Justice Latchoo ssuggested that “a holistic public not to pick any flowers or oldest of its kind in the western said. approach to the scourge of domestic violence is damage plants when they come to hemisphere, is currently The focus of the Gardens has needed.” shifted to more ornamental crops the Gardens. He warned that, celebrating 250 years of existence.

For example, she aired, “While the prisoner rather than agricultural ones. under the Botanical Gardens Act, It is considered to be one of the will receive counselling, the court wonders who “If we keep revitalizing the a person can be fined up to $250 most beautiful Gardens anywhere will counsel and support the victim in the years Gardens, bringing in new plants to come.” for these offences. this side of the world.

Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS

Judge strikes out on violence against women

New plans for Botanical Gardens

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. 5.

Regional

LIAT workers to go meeting in Barbados late last week, the cost cutting measure will involve reducing the staff number LIAT has admitted that it is finding it difficult to offload its aging from 800 to Dash 8 fleet. about 620, airline in the area of appointed chief executive “which should save us EC422 million, as part of officer of LIAT in April (LIAT) about EC$13 2014, assured that the million (One EC dollar = what is expected to be a severing of staff will be US$0.37 cents) per year.” voluntary separation package (VSEP) done in full consultation Severance pay is David Evans, who was with staff and their estimated to cost the representatives.

No details were given with respect to what areas of staff deployment will be affected, as far as the severing of staff is concerned.

The shareholders also announced last weekend that the airline would relocate four of the airline’s new ATR aircraft at the Grantley Adams International Airport, Barbados, while Antigua, where LIAT is ASTON ANTOINE, 29 headquartered, will have years old, may well have two. The remaining two thought he was doing aircraft will be based in what most Trinidadian Trinidad. men do (‘take wine’) on This, the shareholders the road, for that country’s say, is in keeping with annual J’Ouvert Aston Antoine’s death is a warning for all those the need for more planes celebrations.

Unfortunately, Antoine who try to ‘steal a wine’. is now dead — a thought The Trinidad Express wasted. reported that it was just Reports from Trinidad minutes after Aston and Tobago say that Antoine went to the home EVEN AS ANTIGUA Antoine lost his life to a of the woman and her AND BARBUDA grapples jealous assailant, in what sister at Leon Street, with satisfying those close to the incident Morvant, around 9.30am, outstanding payments for say was revenge for when the gunman the country’s 2014 having taken a ‘wine’ on approached and opened carnival, the government another man’s exfire, hitting Antoine in the there has announced girlfriend. upper body and injuring plans to launch Carnival Investigating officers one of the women in her 2015 by the end of said Antoine and the hand, before escaping.

February. women attended J’Ouvert Antoine was The Daily Observer celebrations in capital pronounced dead while on newspaper reported that Port of Spain, during the operating table at the the announcement was which Antoine was Port of Spain General made by head of the ‘wining’ on both women.

Hospital.

Festivals Commission, The situation was enraged Officers said they Cliff Williams, who said after the suspect, who was believed the shooter also the early launch would be Minister of Culture Paul nearby, approached the had the intention of ‘Chet’ Greene assured better for the summer trio, and an altercation murdering his former that some payment on festival; giving the took place. However, this lover, but she escaped Carnival Commission an monies owed to carnival was soon brought under unhurt when she noticed component groups, will opportunity, among control by others present, him approaching. others, to “capture the be made this week. police said. pre-fetes as part of our listing of activities in an open air event on leading up to carnival.”

Redcliffe Street, one of A media conference is the more popular streets scheduled for February 26 in capital St. John’s. as a kick start to the As far as outstanding more public launch which payments were concerned, is expected to be held on Minister of Culture Paul February 28.

‘Chet’ Greene announced The February 28 last Saturday that launch will feature members of the Pan calypsonians, soca Association and Mas J’Ouvert celebrations in Trinidad and Tobago artistes and mas troupes Association can expect to attract thousands of people annually.

CHAIRMAN OF THE SHAREHOLDER governments of regional airline LIAT, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, has disclosed what many across the region have been anticipating for some time now: LIAT will definitely be moving to reduce the size of its staff across the region.

According to Dr. Gonsalves, who spoke after a shareholders

Man takes his last ‘wine’

There is no indication with respect to what levels of staff will be most affected with the cutting of staff exercise by LIAT. for the movement of more persons and, according to Dr. Gonsalves, “….you don’t need to be a rocket scientist. The place where most people pass through in the LIAT network is Barbados; that is the reality.”

Also on the agenda of the shareholders meeting was the ongoing refleeting exercise.

Particular attention was paid to the servicing of the EC$65 million-loan from the CDB for this purpose, and the need for LIAT to raise some EC$5 million in shares to counterpart this.

Raising capital is proving problematic, the shareholders admit, especially as it is becoming more and more difficult to dispose of the DASH 8.

It is understood, from reliable sources, that this ‘problem’ with disposing

of the Dash 8 planes would not have arisen had the airline decided to go with the upgraded Dash 8 from De Havilland Canada, who had offered to purchase the old Dash 8 fleet as part of the deal.

Meanwhile, at least one former employee of LIAT has come out in support of the move to cut staff numbers.

Patrick Ryan, a former LIAT Operations Manager, described the move as “long overdue,” according to the Antigua Observer.

“When you look at 600 staff for eight airplanes complement, something is very much out of whack,” the Observer quotes Ryan as saying, with him adding, “The staff quota is still very, very high, so this move to me, is a step LIAT should have taken a long time ago.”

Early launch for Antigua’s 2015 Carnival

The Antigua and Barbuda ‘Summer’ Carnival replaced the Old Time Christmas Festival in 1957, with hopes of inspiring tourism in Antigua and Barbuda. receive some payments for the 2014 festival, starting next week.

Greene assured that this was one of the decisions taken by Cabinet when it met earlier in the week.

Payment was expected to be made by Wednesday of this week.

“The issue of

outstanding payment is regrettable and really forms a part of the fiscal crunch of government and the country at the moment,” Greene is reported as saying.

The 2015 carnival in Antigua and Barbuda is scheduled for July 27 to August 5.

V

6. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

News

PM not going to let consumers suffer

Stories by DAYLE DA SILVA PRIME MINISTER DR RALPH GONSALVES has made it clear that he does not intend to let the consumers of LPG suffer.

This, although Rubis, by way of a letter, indicated that the management of the company was deeply concerned about the new regulated prices which were approved by the Government.

In a letter to the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Commerce and Information Technology, Nathaniel Williams, the company’s Managing Director, Mauricio Nicholls, indicated that the new set prices were significantly lower than the acquisition cost, which in turn will result in negative margins for the company.

However, the Prime Minister said that he was engaged in a similar battle with the then supplier of LPG gas, Texaco, back in 2005/2006, when that company wanted to increase the price of a 20 pound cylinder of gas to EC$46.

“I am not afraid to fight any battle with anybody in the interest of the consumer. And I

want to make that clear so that everybody can hear me unequivocally,” he said on Tuesday during a press briefing.

He insisted that the decision to reduce the price of LPG was based on research and on what was taking place in other jurisdictions.

Gonsalves said that he met with officials of the Ministries of Trade and Finance last Thursday, February 12, and instructed them to speak to the representatives for both Sol and Rubis — the two main suppliers of fuel and fuel products in the country.

However, the response he said that he had received when he contacted Maurice Edwards, the Director General of Finance and Planning later that day, caused him to make the decision to decrease the price of LPG gas.

“Because the LPG price had to come down, I was determined for it to come down,” he said.

“And that’s why we brought the price down from EC$41.81 for the 20 pound cylinder in area 1…,” Gonsalves continued.

The Prime Minister further explained that the government had adopted the Mont Belvieu benchmark price — which is the most

A visibly charged Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves (centre) flanked

by Minister of Trade Senator Camillo Gansalves (right) and Press Secretary Hans King at last Tuesday’s press conference. widely accepted fuel price benchmark for supply contracts and competitive positioning.

This replaced the former system of pricing LPG gas at 90 percent of the price of kerosene.

Currently, Gonsalves further explained, PetroCaribe and Rubis are the only two entities that bring LPG into the country. Rubis sells to Sol and to St Vincent Motors, and it is through these that people purchase LPG gas for retail.

The Prime Minister disclosed that based on the feedback he received

from the officials in the Ministries of Trade and Finance, Rubis had failed to indicate what the current base price for LPG gas was.

This, although in the said letter Rubis’ Managing Director indicated that the company was suggesting that the wholesale price for a 20 pound cylinder of gas be placed at EC$28.25 and not $21.65.

“So I made it plain that I am not going to tolerate any further games on this matter.”

Nicholls further stated in the letter that the

government went ahead and approved the revised prices for LPG gas without any discussion with any of the company’s representatives and “therefore without any proper consideration of all the factors Mauricio Nicholls, Managing affecting our Director, Rubis, wrote the PS acquisition cost for Ministry of Trade, voicing LPG delivered into concern that the price St Vincent.” reductions were made without Gonsalves due consultation. refuted this claim on Tuesday was adamant that more repeating that although discussion should have the Manager for Rubis been held, they did not

LPG retailers warned RETAILERS OF LPG gas are being reminded that they are to sell LPG gas at the revised prices as set by government.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said on Tuesday at Cabinet Room that unnecessary problems were being created, and that he was unsure if there were some people who were trying to test the resolve of the government.

“I hope that is not the case.

I don’t know if they want to create the impression, even though it may not appear so, to

hold people to ransom,” Gonsalves said.

Manager of Sol St Vincent Ltd, Steve Francis told THE VINCENTIAN that retailers are complaining that they have a lot of old stock and Retailers of LPG gas are instructed to use the new, reduced that they are not ready to prices, regardless of when stock was purchased. purchase any (new stock) right now. They will do so to correct this problem. story [and] they will tell the after they get rid of the old “All I say to you we have authorities the story if there is stock, which they are selling at people who can count in the any recalibration that is the former price.

Ministry of Trade, and we have required — it is not the first But Gonsalves rebutted, people who can count in the time that we are doing it,” he saying that whether the stock Ministry of Finance — just keep said. is different, there is a process your inventory, tell them the

provide the government with the base information.

They have (since) indicated that they will provide this information.

“But we know the benchmarks, we know what they are,” he said.

Petrotrin (Trinidad and Tobago) is the entity that sells Rubis LPG gas, the Prime Minister revealed, and it is sold at a benchmark price.

So when Trinidad sells LPG gas to other countries in or outside the region, they have to use the Mont belvieu benchmark, he explained.

When contacted for a comment on Wednesday, THE VINCENTIAN was informed that Nicholls was not in the country.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. 7.

News

Wise deal ALLEN STANFORD is to Antigua and Barbuda what William Wise is to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The two men used banking/financial entities in their respective Caribbean bases, to defraud thousands of persons of their hard earned money.

Both men operated Ponzi schemes, with Wise, operating through his Millennium Bank, registered in St. Vincent and the Grenadines as a subsidiary of United Trust of Switzerland and Sterling Bank and Trust, with Wise being the principal investor.

Stanford was found guilty of operating a Ponzi scheme estimated at US$7 billion. He was sentenced to 110 years in prison.

Wise, a 64-year-old Canadian, copped a plea bargain with the USA government, pleading guilty to causing the sale of US$129.5 million worth of fraudulent certificates of deposit, which caused an estimated 1,200 persons (investors) to suffer actual losses of more than $75 million. He was sentenced to 22 years on February 4, 2015.

In exchange for his guilty plea and co-operation, the U.S. government agreed “that it will not oppose the defendant’s application for a transfer to serve

part of his sentence in Canada, provided that the defendant does not breach any terms of this agreement, including his The luxury home in St. promise not to Vincent and the Grenadines apply for such a owned by William Wise, transfer until he has served at least which he acquired with 1/3 of his sentence money he defrauded from investors. or 54 months in the United States, in St. Vincent whichever is longer.” and the Wise has already served 12 Grenadines months behind bars. from the Wise became a ‘household’ Russian Mafia.

William Wise name here in St. Vincent and the Wise, on had been on the Grenadines. He is said to have realising that run from U.S. spent about $50 million on the US Federal authorities himself, purchasing, among other Agents were on since March things, a private plane, the to him, fled St. 2009.

Millennium Executive Jet often Vincent and the seen in and out of the E. T. Grenadines ‘under cover of night’, Joshua airport, and a luxury and with what many persons property in the Blue speculated as ‘inside help’.

Lagoon/Cannash area.

Many persons ravaged his He was known, while resident residence in search of fixtures, here, to have entertained state, furnishing, expensive wines and government and business persons, whatever, in claim for what they in addition to many wealthy said Wise had owned them. overseas-based associates.

That residence at Blue One US newspaper, in an Lagoon/Cannash remains in a expose on Wise, went as far as to state of disrepair. claim that Wise had found refuge

Labour loses St Kitts and Nevis election AN OPPOSITION ALLIANCE, Team Unity, has won parliamentary elections in St Kitts and Nevis, ending the local St. Kitts and Nevis Labour Party’s 20-year reign over the small Caribbean nation.

The Supervisor of Elections, Wingrove George, released the final results on the state-owned ZIZ radio and television, several hours after the counting process was brought to a halt, and they indicated that Team Unity was assured of at least seven seats of the 11 up for grabs.

Dr. Denzil Douglas, who has been prime minister since 1995, conceded defeat on behalf of the St Kitts and Nevis Labour Party on Tuesday, offering his congratulations to Team Unity, a three-party opposition coalition comprised of the People’s Action Movement, the Concerned Citizens Movement and the People’s Labour Party.

“Today is a great day! Team Unity has won the general election,” Dr. Timothy Harris, the prime minister-elect, said in a statement, late on Tuesday.

Already sensing victory on the

night (Monday 16th February) of the elections, celebrations by the Oppostion were thwarted when the Supervisor of Elections made a statement, that he had proposed to bring an end to further announcements, counts, Prime Minister etc. elect, Dr. Timothy It must have been The announcement Harris described heart-rending for Dr. was condemned by Team the day of victory Denzil Douglas to Unity leader, Dr. as a “great day’. concede defeat after 20 years at the head Timothy Harris, who of St. Kitts and described it as “… a was accused further effort, a desperate effort to of trying to Nevis Government. undermine the democratic will of rig the the people.” result when it declared new The action also drew concerned boundaries a month before the reaction from some Caribbean poll. With days to go until the leaders, including Prime vote, the London court, which is Ministers Kamla Persad-Bissessar the final court of appeal for St (Trinidad and Tobago) and Dr. Kitts and Nevis, ordered that the Ralph Gonsalves (St. Vincent and previous boundaries be used. the Grenadines).

This ruling was vociferously The elections and ensuing condemned by incumbent Prime uncertainties followed a ruling by Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas.

Britain’s Privy Council days St Kitts and Nevis is one of the before the election, that almost smallest independent countries in threw the process into turmoil. the world with an estimated The ruling Labour government population of 54,000.

Myrie incident a good thing

by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY OLIVIA SMITH, Deputy Programme Manager for Free Movement and Labour, at the CARICOM Secretariat, is of the view that the Shanique Myrie incident was “a good thing.”

Myrie, a Jamaican woman, was awarded US$38,000 by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), after she filed a complaint against the Olivia Smith, Deputy Government of Barbados, with respect Programme Manager for Free Movement and to treatment handed Labour, at the out to her at the CARICOM Secretariat, Grantley Adams spoke to the need for International Airport, laws at the individual in March 2011.

Myrie was searched territorial levels that would facilitate the by a female officer in implementation of the worst way, insulted decisions of the in vile language, left in region’s Heads of a dirty cell and Government. deported.

Smith was on a swing through the region continuing efforts to inform persons of the importance of the institution in the area’s economic growth, in particular the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).

Smith pointed to the rights offered to citizens of the regional grouping. She acknowledged that some immigration officers at certain ports of entry were not observing the rules of entry, which gives a CARICOM national six months unhindered entry into any CARICOM member state, as long as he/she does not pose any risk.

Smith was addressing Media and Spokes Persons at Workshop at Grenadines House last Monday. She made it clear that CARICOM was here to stay, and endorsed the aspect of hassle free travel by CARICOM nationals.

She admitted that there was trafficking in humans, arms and drugs in the region, and suggested that the nations talk to each other. “If we don’t talk to each other, the integration pillars are weak,” Smith disclosed.

There is the need for laws to be passed by some member territories so that the measures taken by the Heads of Government can be put into effect. She underlined the need for “policy coordination” so that the decisions taken will have meaning throughout the region.

Smith was supported by Barbara Jacobs, Small Media Consultant, who formed part of the CARICOM Promotion contingent.

As far as Smith was concerned, “CARICOM nationals have to be active in the process.” She noted the implications and priorities at the national level, and pointed to the potential of using the creative industry as a platform for development, in light of the impact of technology.

Jacobs pointed out that the benefits of Caricom will not be seen overnight. “We have to appreciate integration in the long range process,” Jacobs indicated.

Director of the Regional Integration and Diaspora Unit Ellsworth John noted that people were general cynical about CARICOM. He gave the assurance, however, that CAERICOM was indeed working.

V

8. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. 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 On being a member of parliament THE SHENANIGANS of our recent Budget Debate linger in the minds of many citizens. They linger, as more and more citizens come to the conclusion that the nature of the proceedings reflected more of an election campaign than true representation of the people’s business, which the Parliament is obligated to serve and protect.

In every instance, the Parliament is a representative institution. It reflects dictum — “government of the people, by the people, for the people”. It is the hub of democratic governance. It carries the noble responsibility of fostering public awareness of the basic tenets of democracy.

To what extent the Parliament of St. Vincent and the Grenadines fulfills this responsibility remains debatable. We still have some way to go in convincing unequivocally that it does.

The Member of Parliament is an elected representative of his or his constituents, i.e. an agent expected to act in a manner that works in the interest of his people and the nation as a whole.

The member, though, is caught in a web of seemingly burdensome duties.

First, there is a duty to nation, second to constituents, and third to party.

That the duties manifest themselves in that order among our functioning parliamentarians, leaves much to be desired, and some may be wont to say that the order is in fact reversed.

In fulfilling the duty to the nation, a Member of Parliament does so through the exercising of legislative power, as per the introduction and passage of Bills. Sitting on House Committees also enables Members to examine in greater detail, legislative and fiscal proposals from the Executive and its agencies.

The Member of Parliament has, therefore, to involve him/herself, and be allowed to involve him/herself in all deliberations on matters of national importance. His/her right so to do must not be or even appear to be impeded.

Mechanisms, such as Statements and Question Time, present Members with the opportunity to draw attention to issues of public or national importance. These mechanisms also serve as a means of obtaining assurance from Ministers on actions being taken on the issues raised; and these exercises must be guided accordingly, in the interest of impartiality.

No less important is the Member’s duty as a representative of all his constituents, regardless of their party affiliations. It is incumbent upon the Member to find time to interact with his constituents at regular intervals. It must never be a case of being heard and not seen.

Given the absence of any local, authoritative body at the constituency level — say a Local Council of a Local Government system - the member of Parliament has a right to monitor programmes and projects in his/her constituency.

Given that this country has no form of local government, it would make a whole lot of sense, as articulated by the Member for Central Kingstown in our current Parliament, that a member of Parliament be accorded a ‘budget’ of his/her own, so as to facilitate ongoing infrastructural repairs and maintenance, social and social welfare programmes, youth and sport initiatives, assistance in times of emergency, etc.

A National Budget, in the main, attends to national (macro) projects and undertakings, causing certain basic constituency level services to go unattended for inordinate periods of time, and attract attention only when social action is taken. That ought not to be the case.

No representative of a constituency should be made to feel any less than another. To be obscene: No member of parliament should be made to feel impotent in his/her attempt to make representation on behalf of his constituents, whether in tangible or intangible terms.

If the truth be told, it appears from the outside, that the resources of the state, since the attainment of independence, have been stacked in favour of the Majority Group of Parliament (Government side), making a mockery of our democracy.

No Member of Parliament should be impeded in his/her right to intervene directly in solving some of the developmental problems of his/her constituency.

That a member of parliament, save and except an independent member, owes allegiance to the political party to which he/she belongs, is a given. It is expected that his/her general performance would reflect the trust reposed in him/her by the party.

While the Majority Group moves to implement its manifesto, the Minority Group (Opposition) is expected to, and must be allowed to, offer constructive, alternative programmes.

A member’s loyalty to party could be expressed as follows: mobilizing support for the party’s policies through intelligent contributions, and not laced with political innuendo; and offering constructive criticism to his party’s policy as and when appropriate.

The last note may well be so idealistic that it borders on the ridiculous, since there has not been an occasion in recent memory when a member of parliament exercised such courage, the sign of a true representative of the people.

With all out pontification, (it seems) we are still an immature democracy.

Cross Country Weekly, July 1st 2000 Letter by Ralph Gonsalves (alias Albert Mc Kenzie) “THE EDITOR, We are in a new century and by definition, our approach to politics must change. It therefore, cannot be business as usual. The electorate is more educated, politically conscious and sensitive.

Citizens and voters now have greater expectations of leaders than they did a generation ago.

The times in which we live demand that we focus on the issues, not on manufactured hysteria and scaremongering. Politicians must be balanced; so too analysts, commentators and other opinion leaders.

Over the past few weeks, there has been a series of staged attacks on the leadership of the ULP, most of them targeting its leader, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, portraying him as leprous and fearsome.

This smacks of the politics of the 50s, 60s and 70s. This characterization is not only unfair but unjust. While it is true that he cannot lay claim to sainthood, none of us can, we all have sinned and come short of glory.

In their unfounded criticism of him, some are motivated by jealousy. Why should anyone get at Dr. Gonsalves because of his delectable charm, brilliance, ‘folksyness’ and the opportunity now afforded him to hold high political office?

This charismatic personality has endeared himself to every one of all class and creed.

Politics should not be regarded as a blood sport where the “dismemberment” and “demolition” of our fellowmen become an occasion for rejoicing rather than concern. This is going too far.

The recent merciless “cutlass attacks” and “public lynching” of Dr. Gonsalves by Dr. John and others of his ilk, have shocked reasonable persons. “It is not fair,” is the resounding cry.

Dr. John’s unhealthy obsession with this (potentially) future Prime Minister, if continued unabated, will make him (Dr. John) ill again. God forbid, nobody wants this. Dr. John will go to any length (within the law) to ensure that Gonsalves does not enter the political kingdom. Why such a frenzy?

As an analyst, Dr. John is considered to be unidimensional in his approach to Vincentian politics. As far as he is concerned, Prime Minister Mitchell is a philosopher-king, from whom all goodness flows; and the leader of the opposition, Ralph, is a demon to be vilified, week after week, month after month, using scare tactics like communist bogey, among others. The fact of the matter is that communism is dead, and ideologically the East is now West. Presently, the leader of the free world, President Clinton, is now in Moscow. Our own Sir James warmly embraced Fidel Castro a few years ago and boasted about it for all to hear.

While it is fair to assess the leadership potential of Dr. Gonsalves, Dr. John should also seriously examine the record of the NDP, and see whether it deserves a conditional pass or a dismissal F on its report card. It is clear from recent events, that we need a new direction, a new tempo, a new vision. I know that Dr. John poses as a weaver of words, and is schooled in sleight-of-hand techniques; but, say what you like, the NDP has lost the love of the people, as recent events show. No wonder the country is now on automatic pilot.

Jerry George Journalist Jerry George is another of Dr. Gonsalves’ confirmed and recognised political executioners, who loses no opportunity to make a ULP issue into a headline. I do not subscribe to the view that George is suffering from a serious inferiority complex due to his lack of training in journalism, and feels that he must overcompensate by scoring points at all costs, so that he can prove that he is not stupid.

Frankly speaking, George is nobody’s fool; it is just that he comes across as an NDP fanatic and rabidly anti-Ralph!

Come on George, use your Christian teaching and be fair. If Dr. Gonsalves deserves praise, please give it to him; if he deserves criticism, do it constructively and stop spreading fear and alarm from your poisoned and biased pen...

The few architects of the “Destroy Ralph Campaign” behave as though the ULP was in power for the past 16 years and is responsible for this country being a patient at the General Hospital in critical condition.

The movement against Dr. Gonsalves is beginning to look uncanny. Ralph is the cause of this! Ralph is the cause of that!

GOSH! What else would they do or say.”

My Take On The Letter As I noted, it is Ralph in print, vintage Gonsalves particularly in its self-praise and narcissism. Its penultimate paragraph now applies. Ralph has been in power for the past 15 years; his hour upon the stage has been good in a few instances, but otherwise pock-marked by one-manism, corruption, abuse and greed.

Jerry George, a fellow-target of Ralph’s, has grown by leaps and bounds, and can certainly mount a defence of his own turf, if it were at all necessary.

Incidentally, I would be grateful if Ralph can refer to any article of mine that could be described as “cutlass attacks” or “public lynching” of him.

All one is tuned into these days is an infinity of barren words that beat a tattoo of a swan-song of coming defeat.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. 9.

Letters

my back, Healing the nation ‘Scratch I’ll scratch yours’ THE GOVERNMENT of St. Vincent & the Grenadines should not fight marijuana, but the criminal elements of marijuana who rob, steal, exploit, and inflict injustice on poor farmers.

We, the underprivileged of society, need a better way of life, and the society in which we are living is not prepared to help in this fundamental regard. So, some of us who are fighting poverty and ‘dis-ease’ (disease) choose to plant marijuana, in order to take better care of ourselves and our families. Yet, society fights us terribly in this regard, when most of us who plant marijuana for a living don’t mean society any harm. All we truly desire is a better standard of living; being able to provide proper food, clothes and shelter for our beloved families, and be able to send our children to school to be properly educated and nurtured into proper human beings.

Marijuana is a true gift from the Divine Creator, and it was created by H.I.M. (Him) for the natural service of man. So why then do the heathens rage and the people imagine a vain thing against the Almighty’s creation?

All right thinking people should

speak up and speak out on this vital issue. The bible says the herbs, including marijuana, are for the healing of the nation, yet the legal system under which we live fights against this vital herb, when really and truly they should be fighting against ignorance, poverty and ‘dis-ease’ (disease), the true enemies of humanity which are the main reasons for the crime and violence that abound in our communities.

History be my witness, humanity will only get better when the fundamental rights and freedom of every man, woman and child are protected and respected without partiality, regardless of race, class or creed. Let the truth be told.

We should ever be mindful that marijuana is not a harmful drug, but a natural plant. Most people are made to believe that marijuana is a drug. This is a myth like many other illusions and misconceptions of life.

Alcohol and cigarette are way more dangerous and harmful than marijuana. I have never seen a man who uses marijuana hit his woman without a reason, unless he is mentally ill. However, I have seen men who are alcoholics beat their women, without reason

or cause. Same so for the cigarette users: many people die from lung cancers each and every year, but they can’t really say the same for marijuana. Let’s face it, people. The simple truth of the matter is that alcohol and cigarette are detrimental to our health, while marijuana is very medicinal and is very good, not just for our health, but for our entire well-being. It’s just natural facts. But it’s just business as usual for some people in our society to fight and suppress marijuana, just because they are being paid to do so by you know who.

All we are asking is for the government and the blessed people of St. Vincent & the Grenadines to review their position on the marijuana issue, and make some much needed amendments to the law, so we, the less fortunate of the society, could get some well deserved economic justice and social equality.

We are not criminals. We only have a problem when misguided people choose to live off the labour of others.

Curth Clifton kebratafari@yahoo.com

Financial rewards for Police Officers PLEASE allow me to vent my distaste, dissatisfaction, disappointment, and disagreement with an article published in the Searchlight Newspaper of Friday, February 13, 2015, page 16, and THE VINCENTIAN of same date, page 4.

Dear Editor, it does not sit well in my stomach to hear and read that financial rewards are given to our police officers for “their efforts in clamping down

WI cricket does not inspire THERE was a time when I would be glued to my transistor radio, night or day, in anticipation of another West Indies knock-over of another Test cricketing nation. Sleepless nights were many, but there was satisfaction at the end of the day, even if it meant being reprimanded by the boss for looking sluggish (sleepy) the morning after.

I cannot find the same zeal these days. It’s too much of a burden listening (these days we can watch) to the West Indies players embarrass themselves and the entire Caribbean in the process. We once represented every black cricketing nation in the world; people looked to us as the vanguard of their struggles on and off the field of play. Now, sadly, we have become like puppies, playfully innocent, waiting for the master to drop us a crumb or two.

Then again, what can we truly expect from an arrogant Marlon Samuels, an indifferent Chris Gayle, principals in a team that now seems totally demoralised after the dropping of Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, and the withdrawal of the only world beater we have, Sunil Narine?

Sammy and Simmons’ knocks against Ireland in the 2015 World Cup turned out, yet again, to be cameos… something that we have grown accustomed to from our players in recent times.

For all their brilliance, cameos end up being lost in some woeful attempt to claim victory, as in the case against Ireland.

The hunger to succeed, to be the best, is just not manifested by our current crop of players.

That being the case, you will forgive me for saying that whatever anticipation I had of a return to glory has all but disappeared.

Robert

on illicit guns and drug activities”.

Our policemen and policewomen are supposed to be paid by the government for their work. It is not right or proper or moral for the Police Force to accept financial rewards for what is supposed to be their job, from any Tom, Dick, or Harry.

Furthermore, I am not only worried about the tainted image of OUR Police Force, but also about the precedence that is being set; the implications of it with regard to corruption, our dependence on the Force for equal rights and justice; the message it is sending to whomever has some money in their pockets, and the intentions or agendas that may not be so obvious to the seeing eye.

I am calling on ‘Corporal 723 Nolan Dalloway and his team’ to restore the image of OUR Police Force and do the right thing.

Duncy Head

For my Valentine Baby, it’s hard for me to say this, But it’s coming from my heart, I spend many sleepless nights, Tossing and turning Hoping things will get better.

When I told you I will never do anything to hurt you, Seem like I did still, But at least let me tell you this I swear there is no one but you who made me so happy, My happiest moments weren’t complete if you weren’t there.

I overcame every problem ‘cause you were there, God knows you love me for who I am (and) I thank you for being there.

Now, it makes me cry to see that you’re gone, But no matter what you do, Now and forever I will always love you!

Anon

IS THIS A TRUE saying or just a catchy phrase which is usually onesided?

I often ask this question: Who is responsible for the overseeing of all the public serving companies in SVG, especially the big major ones like CWSA, VINLEC, and the banks?

Take the CWSA. My Mom had this service since in the days of the British, and it was given as a gift to the taxpayers of SVG. She died 10 years ago. I continue to pay her bill. Last year, I asked that her account be placed in my name.

No communication was made to me on the subject, but a bill is still being sent in her name in care (c/o) of me. If I knew they wouldn’t cut me off, I would let the bill run high and see if they can win me in court for failing to pay my mother’s bill/account.

VINLEC is short changing us; their energy charge is less than their fuel surcharge. Now, the fuel surcharge is calculated mostly on unsold energy. They use a certain amount of fuel which cost X amount of money. That fuel produces Y amount of energy (cost), but they only sold Z amount, thus losing Y-Z amount of money. They then turn around and charge the public for that loss. Also, they have asked us to conserve in our uses of energy. How can they sell more?

Banks! Is the senior citizen (over 65 years of age) still made to pay for the ATM card they use to collect their monthly pensions monthly? Imagine a citizen who gets $200 fortnightly has to pay an ATM’s fee. Why? Can the amount he is left with feed him with today’s cost of living?

Shame on the head honchos at the NIS who have ‘gambled’ away over $90 million of our money while they draw their stipends and what have you. Time to go-o-o-o!

An NIS pensioner

Those Sports Ambassadors AS A REGULAR letter writer to your paper, and as one who is now a member of the Vincentian Diaspora, (New York), I thought I would add my two cents to an issue you have raised in your last two issues. The issue concerns Stella Boyea-Ashby, and a call for her to be named a Sports Ambassador.

Now, I have no idea whatsoever about the criteria used by our government in awarding these things. I would say one thing, though; it doesn’t seem as though there is any widespread discussion with anybody on who should get these awards. If it is that the awards are made on merit and not on some political bias, then some of those who have received awards might never have seen any such thing.

Take the case of the young lady De Shong who was made a Sports Ambassador because of

her contribution to netball. It seems to me that she would have been more deserving of an award for her academic achievements. As far as netball is concerned, she comes nowhere near what Stella has achieved and contributed.

And while I am at it, Mr. Editor, how can the government not see the wisdom in recognising a man like Rudy Boucher? Luxie Morris might have remained active in New York, but no one is going to tell me that he contributed more to football in St. Vincent than Rudy Boucher.

If the government continues down this bias road of naming Sports and Cultural Ambassadors, the whole affair will soon become a laughing stock.

You see me, I gone before I get in anymore trouble.

Garnet, N.Y.

V

10. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

Excerpt from the 2015 Budget address; looking at the Agricultural sector

National Insurance Services

The issue IN AGRICULTURE, a combination of factors have proved burdensome: adverse weather conditions in successive years, since 2010 (two droughts, one hurricane, and two storms); the almost complete removal in Europe of market preferences for Windward Islands’ bananas; severe bouts of Black Sigatoka; haphazard markets; air transport and shipping challenges; an insufficiency of quality arable lands; a damaged network of feeder roads; less than optimal agronomic practices; agricultural labour limitations; uncompetitive farming generally; and excessive praedial larceny.

All the problematic issues of a home-grown or domestic nature are being addressed on an on-going basis.

The Result Indicators in the 2015 Estimates point to the enhanced and commendable work in the agricultural sector, which presage a turn-around for the better. Objective observers assess significant improvements following the storm of December 2013 and the prolonged drought of January to May 2014.

In any assessment of the performance of agriculture, it is always sensible to note that neither government nor any of its agencies is actually engaged in the ownership or management of any farm, save and except for a small experimental farm.

In agriculture, it is the business of government to provide or facilitate access to a range of services, and to engender the development of a socioeconomic framework to assist the farmer in the production and marketing of his or her agricultural products. It is, at the end of the day, the farmer, and his/her workers, who produce and market the crops and animals. These independent, hardworking, essentially small-producers are alive, in their practical observation, to the wise teaching of the Book of Ecclesiastes [Chapter 11, Verses 4 and 6]: “Whoever watches the wind will not plant; Whoever looks at the clouds will not reap; “––Sow your seed in the morning, And at evening let not your hands be idle, For you do not know which will succeed, Whether this or that Or whether both will do equally well.”

Excerpts from the Hon. Arnhim Eustace’s 2015 Budget Presentation

for 2015, but with only seven fewer permanent staff in 2001 than in 2015.

Undoubtedly, the salaries of the permanent staff have been significantly enhanced since 2001; thus, the nation’s farmers expect, not unreasonably, enhanced productive work from the Ministry’s professionals.

Agriculture rebounding

The data indicate that agricultural production rebounded after the storm of December 2013 and the five-month drought in the first half 2014. For example, banana cultivation is now on approximately 900 acres of land. The informed estimates are that in 2015, there is likely to be an export of 3,000 metric tons for the regional markets.

These estimated export numbers are marked increases over the recent years since 2010. Undoubtedly, the control of Black Sigatoka through the Banana Services Unit, the financial support by way of state-owned Farmers’ Support Company, and the renewed interest by farmers, contribute to this uplift in banana cultivation.

Still, there is no room for complacency. Farmers must produce quality fruit; and the Ministry of Agriculture must continue to keep its eye on the ball with the control of Black Sigatoka. The farmers can expect continued financial support through a further injection of another $6 million in soft-loan funds in 2015 from the Farmers’ Support Company, through the funding instrumentality of Petro Caribe. This initiative of the government through the FSC is all the more significant when it is realised that during the period January to September 2014, only 0.2 percent or $2.4 million of commercial bank credit was extended for investment in farming. Thus, the back-to-back allocation by the FSC in 2014 and 2015 of $12 million is of real importance.

There have been, too, promising developments in the production of root crops, fruits, vegetables, animals (cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and poultry). The Honourable Minister of Agriculture will provide more details.

The year 2015, too, will see further efforts to develop, sustainably, the The Recurrent Budget arrowroot, and cocoa industries, Mr. Speaker, the recurrent budget despite the closure on the Amajaro initiative in cocoa. of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Progress, too, has been made in the Transformation, Forestry, Fisheries, fishing industry, but not as much as and Industry amounts to $22.1 million. Of this sum, the agricultural ought to have been the case. Our government has policies in place to portfolio itself has an estimated assist fishers in the development of recurrent budget for 2015 of $19.35 million. The agricultural portfolio has their fleet and their skills. I urge them to work closely with the twelve broad programmes including Extension and Advisory Services, the Fisheries Division in these respects: I again call on the private sector to join Banana Services Unit, the Animal Health and Production Unit, Soil and with the Government in a PrivatePublic Partnership to operate the Water Conservation, Exotic Pest fishing complexes, including the Control, and the Forestry Division.

Kingstown Fish Market, as viable The agricultural portfolio has 147 permanent employees, most of whom commercial enterprises. I thank the St. Vincent and the Grenadines are professional staff, including 24 Chamber of Industry and Commerce permanent professional staff in the vital Extension and Advisory Services. which only last week confirmed to me their deep interest in partnering with By comparison, the recurrent budget the government in the operations of for the agricultural portfolio in 2001 was $8.15 million, or $10.85 less than the Kingstown Fish Market.

“THE NATIONAL INSURANCE SERVICES (NIS) is a vital and important institution.

It is a critical institution in the non-bank financial sector. Our NIS has been having difficulties, and it is critical to all and sundry, particularly to our pensioners as they look towards their future. Much has been said about this institution and the importance of maintaining actuarial soundness.

Certain parametric reforms were undertaken recently, including: The contribution rate from 8% to 10%; that is, the employee will pay 4.5% and the employer 5.5%; increasing the retirement age from sixty (60) to sixty-five (65) years over a period of time; and increasing the number of contributions for pension eligibility from 500 to 750, as well as some others. These reforms that were implemented were all aimed at improving the financial soundness of the NIS. A few months ago, the public was shocked to learn that the government had, after April 2013, deducted NIS payment from the salaries of six thousand (6000) public servants up to August 2014, amounting to the tune of twenty three million Eastern Caribbean dollars (EC$23 million), and had not paid it to the NIS. These funds were obviously used to meet other government expenditures, and would have caused a severe liquidity strain as well as income loss on the NIS. Some of the funds could have gone to the NIS portfolio, and hence contribute to its net income.

It is my understanding that the authorities threatened to qualify the accounts of the institution and therefore, then the government used the instrument of fifteen million Eastern Caribbean dollars (EC$15 million) Treasury Note to make payments to the NIS. I do not regard that amount as sufficient to compensate the NIS and indeed, the NIS liquidity was compromised. This decision with respect to the Treasury Note will continue to haunt and hurt; and no government should involve itself in such deception with pension and other benefit prospects of its citizens.

British American/CLICO In my budget reply last year, I commended the Prime Minister on the work that his committee had done with various aspects of the portfolio of these two insurance companies.

These included the resolution of the health insurance issue, the mortgage insurance and the sale of 17 thousand general insurance policies to Sagicore.

In relation, however, to the annuities, there have been payments made to those who had invested under $30,000, and two sets of payments were processed for persons whose annuities even went beyond the $30,000. I recognized at that time that the preliminary indications were that the outstanding annuities for the relevant OECS countries were of the order of $US250 million, and it will take some considerable time, given that some individual investors are owed millions of dollars, to meet their need. That portion from the Investment portfolio would be much harder satisfied.

In the case of St. Vincent and the Grenadine, we were informed by the Prime Minister that legal action was being taken against RBTT as trustee of the Insurance Company. The hope was expressed that that legal action

would yield some EC$ 146 million.

Unlike previous years, I heard very little on this matter. It, therefore, seems to be languishing. Could the Prime Minister give an update in the matter in his round up, particularly with regard to any proposed actions to deal with these large annuities, or is the matter dead? I still get calls from some of these investors, who are experiencing great pain and financial stress. They do not wish to be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I expressed the view last year, that I take this matter of dealing with these annuities very seriously for two main reasons: we do not have in the OECS a very knowledgeable investor class and that maximum encouragement needs to be given to such persons since our investors are very seriously risk averse. I fear that losses under this exercise will make our people even less prone to take investment risks; human suffering and health risks occasioned by such losses. We need to address this issue. “

St. Kitts/Nevis The New Democratic Party (NDP) congratulates Dr. Timothy Harris and Team Unity on their election victory in St. Kitts/Nevis, on Monday 16th February, 2015. Although there were some problems on Polling Day, the people of St. Kitts/Nevis went out and voted for Dr. Timothy Harris and Team Unity. They too should also be commended for exercising their democratic rights, and for electing a government of their choice.

The Honourable Arnhim Eustace must be applauded for the tremendous role he played in the political impasse in St. Kitts/Nevis.

While the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and CARICOM kept silent on such an important matter, the Hon. Arnhim Eustace was the lone voice in the wilderness fighting the battle. As a matter of fact, Dr. Timothy Harris and members of Team Unity were hosted by Mr. Eustace and the NDP last year, when CARICOM held their Heads of Government Conference here, in an effort to get CARICOM’s attention for and intervention in the issue. But, CARICOM did not budge. In the words of Dr. Timothy Harris, “CARICOM thus far, has ignored the legitimate cries of the people of St. Kitts/Nevis for justice and democracy, whilst paying special attention to Venezuela and Ukraine.”

Dr. Timothy Harris further went on to say, “The Caribbean will never reach its full potential as long as we have leaders who oppress and exploit their own people. Albert Einstein once said, ‘The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything’.

Silence can be as deafening as the loudest voice. St. Kitts/Nevis wants the restoration of our constitutional democracy. We want a government whose right to govern is validated by the mandate of a majority of elected members of parliament.”

The people of St. Kitts/Nevis got that opportunity and voted Team Unity into government. We wish the new government all the best, and we are confident that very soon, Vincentians will vote the NDP into office.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. 11.

Views

Bedrock values

“At all costs, we must re-establish faith in spiritual values. We must worship something beyond ourselves, lest we destroy ourselves.” - Sir Philip Gibbs (1877–1962) English journalist and author.

WE APPEAR TO BE LIVING in an era when so many individuals, including our leaders, have compromised their values and have moved in the direction of selfsatisfaction at all costs. Many have moved away from the “moral moorings” that have made societies and cultures strong. Some appear to have abandoned the bedrock values that are known to provide citizens with integrity and a sense of justice. But all is not lost; we could reinstate those bedrock values in our homes, neighbourhoods, schools, workplaces, and our churches. It can be done, once we have the will to face the evil forces that seek to make right look wrong, and wrong look right. It will take courage and determination, but it is not beyond us. We can re-establish faith in spiritual values; these form the bedrock of society.

We seem to be living in a world where white collar crime has become acceptable. It would appear as though those citizens with “good family names” and a “good education or profession” are allowed to engage in fraudulent activities with impunity.

In some instances, it even appears as though “justice permits injustice”.

This is not unique to our small emerging economies. It is not limited to small island states. It often seems as though the problem is universal.

We may therefore be tempted to focus our attention (and our commentary) in the direction of the other countries/societies that appear to have moved away from moral moorings. It is more comfortable to look at the faults of others and disregard our own.

The Bible describes it so well by conjuring up the image of seeking to look at the speck in a brother’s eye, when we have a beam in our own (Matthew 7:3). But we need to peek into our own bowls. We are challenged to unearth the courage and will to have a positive influence on those around us, so that we can re-instate the principles that keep societies strong — we can re-establish faith in spiritual values.

Some readers may have ventured to accuse this writer of jumping to premature conclusions. They do not think that the situation is as bad as the introductory paragraphs of this article portray. They may even venture to accuse the writer of being very cynical. And maybe I am. For certainly, there are too many instances in which senior public servants are “caught with their hands in the till,” or are known to have “taken away money from the till”. But the infractions emerge within the private sector too.

However, as so very often happens, the instances of dishonesty and theft that emerge within the walls of the private enterprise are often “swept under the carpet” for a host of reasons. In so many cases, the justice system seems to malfunction, as they get away with minor reprimands or no reprimands at all. But our society cries out for justice. Our society calls for us to stand up and speak out for honesty and integrity. Our society urges us to return to the bedrock values that will demand justice for all; rewards and recognition when good is observed, and punishment whenever we venture outside the law. These outcomes

should not be influenced by who performs the act.

The principles that hold societies strong must be taught in our homes.

There is where the bedrock values are born. The best way to teach these desirable traits is to live them. We must never expect our children to develop a culture (or sub-culture) that portrays honesty or purity, when the examples that confront them daily depict otherwise. We must be prepared to walk-the-talk, regardless of our circumstances. This is as true for those who grow up in poverty, as it is for the other classes in society.

There is really no excuse for the compromising of our integrity. The homes, ably supported by our schools and churches, can rebuild the breaches that have taken place in the integrity foundation of our society. But here, too, the methodology involved must revolve around the examples that we set. Teachers, preachers, pastors ... the entire leadership, must provide examples that reflect our belief in, and commitment to, spiritual principles.

All is not lost. We can do it. We can do this.

I recently interacted with a group of young, intelligent nationals of Trinidad and Tobago. We were having a discussion on the need for us to encourage our workforce to look for opportunities to go beyond the call of duty; to put in more time and effort than was expected. The general feeling was that, in both the private and public sectors, persons were operating on the idea of providing the least amount of effort and time. I then invited the most vocal of the participants to challenge herself to be an instrument of positive change. She was challenged to value the power of one - one person can influence a department. I recommended that she moves from merely being a spectator and become a catalyst for change. I further suggested that she follows some simple steps in doing so (based on the principles of Action Learning).

I was pleasantly surprised when, two weeks later, she indicated that she had followed my advice. She opted to make the effort to communicate with her direct reports in relation to enhanced expectations. She shared some of the same stories and anecdotes that I had presented to her cohort. And it worked! She can now boast that, in a relatively short space of time, it is possible to have a positive influence on others. Attitudes can (and do) change when we proceed with clarity and conviction.

We have departments, companies, and nations to build (and rebuild).

May that process begin with us (you and me). We often have more influence than we imagine. We (you and I) can rebuild those bedrock values that keep societies strong. It begins with a commitment to be a positive change agent. So we proceed, with renewed vigour and commitment, to reinstate the bedrock values that make homes, communities, and nations strong.

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

St Kitts elections and other things local THE OPPOSITION FORCES in SVG are in glee over the results of the St Kitts and Nevis elections of last Monday. They claim that the election of Dr. Timothy Harris’ unity forces is a sign of what’s to come, whenever elections are called in SVG. They may be drawing a bad card yet again.

The wind of change notion among opposition forces is now legendary. We can go back to the last election cycle in 2010. Before our elections, the governing parties in St Lucia, Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago were voted out of offices. And so, we were told that it was only a matter of time before the Gonsalves administration falls. But this was not to be. Gonsalves’ Unity Labour Party bucked the trend, dug itself out of a huge referendum hole and eked out a narrow victory.

Similar wind of change songs are hitting the airways now, even though the Unity Labour Party may be in a better position now than it was in the approach to the 2010 elections. For sure, while the world financial and economic crisis is by no means over, the death grip it had on big and small economies has loosened appreciably.

The US economy has ‘recovered’ enough so that remittances have picked up again, the infrastructural damage caused by natural disasters have opened up a reconstruction boom that has put hundreds of persons back to work; the good news story that the ULP has to tell regarding the many ways in which it has brought innumerable benefits to the poor and most vulnerable sections of the population; the addition of younger, more articulate voices to the ULP slate of candidates, may combine to may make good music to the ears of voters.

The opposition says that the ULP peaked in 2001 and has been losing support since. On closer analysis, it appears that, while the NDP has picked up a significant amount of support since 2001, the ULP support base has remained constant. This failure to attract more support nationally must be a big concern for the ULP; but it remains a valid argument that a decline in the national percentage of popular votes by the ULP, does not translate into an NDP victory. For those who think this view is political rigmarole, I recommend the results of the national elections in 1998 when the NDP won 8 seats to the ULP 7, even though the NDP lost the popular vote by more than 5 percentage points.

The preceding narrative is intended to make for more sober analysis, and to demonstrate that, wild enthusiasm aside, both parties have a tremendous amount of work ahead, if either is to win favours with the Vincentian electorate. Most importantly, the maxim that we must ‘never count our chickens before they hatch’, takes on even greater political importance as 2015 unfolds.

Privy Council and a home grown court Caribbean people have a love/hate relationship with the British Privy Council. They love it when it chides our Court of Appeal on political issues, but despise it whenever it disagrees with regional courts in death penalty issues.

Whenever they make a decision that contradicts our Court of Appeal, especially on a political issue, the Law Lords in England are hailed to the high heavens. We are often told that this is the main reason why some of us will never support a home grown Caribbean

Court of Justice as our final appellate court. Our judges, we are told, are too beholden to the regional political power structure, to render good and proper judgment. Far too often, these forces argue, the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal is remanded by the Privy Council.

But this is why courts are there: to ensure that we arrive at good and proper law-making. Numerous studies have shown that the British Court of Appeal is overturned as frequently by the British Supreme Court, as our Appeal Court is reversed by the Privy Council. There is really no rational basis for concluding that judges in England, because of their remoteness, render more enlightened decisions. It would appear that judges applying their minds to a set of facts arrive at decisions after applying the law. We may remember that during the Pinochet (Chilean dictator) extradition hearings, Lord Tom Bingham, one of the most celebrated justices of the modern era, was questioned because of his supposed strong ties and views on human rights, with the clear implication that Pinochet could not get a fair hearing if he were on the panel.

Further, the European Court of Justice has frequently reversed the British Supreme Court. This does that mean that the justices who sit on the European Court of Justice are any smarter than the British Law Lords, or that the justices on the British Supreme Court are duped and helplessly influenced by the British political establishment. Why then do so many of us believe that home grown justices in the Caribbean are incapable or unwilling to render proper judgments?

We agree with our court when it sentences people to hang by their neck until they are dead.

It is my considered opinion that our judges, especially those on the Court of Appeal and those sitting on the Caribbean Court of Justice, can match any comparable panel in any other jurisdiction. Our Judges have to do far more work (number of cases to review and decide) with much less resources and support. But they apply the law and arrive at decisions that can stand the test of rigorous review. I am also of the view that law-making is fundamentally about the process of making good law. No judge should be primarily concerned about whether a higher court may overturn his/her decision. The central concern should be the application of his/her understanding of the law to the facts of a given case.

There is no court that makes perfect decisions. Any panel of judges reviewing the same facts and applying the same legal guidelines may arrive at a different conclusion. Therefore, if we remove the political commentary (maybe I am unreasonably asking for the impossible) from our opinion on our court’s decisions, and understand that law, which is like society an ever evolving, living entity, we may become less critical of our courts and embrace a home grown system of justice with a final court of appeal based in our region.

Send comments, criticisms & suggestions to wefirst@al.com

V Argyle – the ulcer that does not heal 12. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

Views

THE INCOMPETENT ULP regime stated on SVGBC TV, on Wednesday 22 January 2015, that Argyle Airport will become operational in May 2015.

It is ludicrous to suggest that jumbo jet aircrafts will be landing at Argyle anytime soon, as there is a river and chaos in the middle of the runway.

The photo (accompanying this article) of the chaos in the middle of the Argyle airport runway proves, without doubt, that in 70 days’ time, no jumbo jets will be landing at Argyle, and we will know, yet again, that we are being lied to. Argyle will take at least 4 more years; and even then, it is highly unlikely to receive an aviation licence to operate passenger flights, because of the multiplicity of major flight safety hazards that make Argyle airport unsafe.

Argyle airport will be like Ciudad Real airport in central Spain - a ghost airport! This airport lies eerily silent, and there is no sign of the ‘supposed’ 5 million passengers that the lying politicians told the people would come.

Like Argyle, Ciudad Real airport lacked a cost benefit analysis before construction. It was only after it was built that it was realised that Ciudad Real airport would run at a loss for at least 15 years, and was too expensive to maintain.

Ciudad Real ghost airport cost EC$3.4 billion to construct and is now up for sale for EC$300 million. Ciudad Real ghost airport bankrupted the region in which it was built, just as Argyle is bankrupting SVG and VINLEC. From the central square of the village of Ballesteros de Calatrava, you can see the ghost Ciudad Real airport.

During its construction, the now-deserted streets were abuzz with expectation - people were told this huge project would bring jobs and a better life.

Carmen Delgado, who lives there, says ‘people

were pressured to sell their land, and some of her family’s fields were expropriated for the airport. We’ve been robbed of our way of life, and for what? There are no jobs’. One of the parents, Milagros Coronado, says she feels angry as now there is no proper school for her children.

A major danger with the Argyle airport is the safety of the runway.

The project is being rushed through, and the soil at Argyle will not be allowed to compact naturally over a couple of years. The Argyle runway has already failed a compaction test, and under the weight of a 400 tonne jumbo jet, the runway will simply break up, just like the windward highway.

Rushing and cutting corners will only lead to disaster. Argyle can be likened to Bangkok’s new international airport, Suvarnabhumi. Four months after it opened, Suvarnabhumi was closed for urgent repairs after more than 100 cracks and potholes appeared in the runways and taxiways over an area of 97,000 square metres, due to subsidence thought to be the result of poor drainage and shoddy materials.

‘Some of the 35-cmdeep taxiway surface made up of asphalt and cement was found to be unable to withstand the weight of the aircraft’, said Mr. Somchai, a Suvarnabhumi airport official. The airport has been plagued by operational glitches and structural defects that have been blamed on the rushed manner in which it was built.

Suvarnabhumi was built on drained land known as ‘Cobra swamp’.

Likewise, Argyle is built on a river, known colloquially as ‘Jonjo’, which means an ulcer that does not heal.

Rushing, poor compaction and poor drainage present a real problem at Argyle. The cost of the repairs at

Suvarnabhumi was about EC$100 million. It was said that the Suvarnabhumi airport was opened ‘prematurely’ without proper test runs.

The northern end of the runway at Argyle ends in the sea and will lead to subsidence in the runway, because of its exposure to strong waves and wind. Sumburgh

Airport’s runway in the Shetland Islands, UK, ends in the sea and suffers from substantial subsidence.

Sumburgh airport managing director, Mr Lyon, said: ‘Some of the repairs have been quite dramatic after heavy seas. When the excavations were done,

they found gaps several feet deep underneath the tarmac, which clearly shows that what was put down is no longer there’.

He likened the action of the sea to a piston effect, or a bicycle pump, pushing air through, then sucking the infill out and washing it out to sea, leaving the runway

smashed up.

Vote Green Party to abort the $800 million Argyle ulcer. A Green government will create a strong economy and thousands of new jobs.

We will put Vincentians’ needs first, not tourists’.

SVG Green Party www.svggreenparty.org

“Indifference will not help us” INDIFFERENCE ultimately fashions an aloneness which has the potential to breed desperation which, in the quest for justice, can erupt into violence regrettable, or plunge the spirit irretrievably into the chasm of unfathomable hopelessness and despair.

When one reflects on the pervasive malaise in which our beautiful land now finds itself, one is inclined to the conclusion that our scholars and intellectuals of the last fifty and more years, have let us done. Was it not their responsibility to ensure that our country was given the best chances for survival and progress? Were they not expected to lead the way? Why then, in this age of global enlightenment, are we having one of the highest incidence of diabetes-related amputations in the world? Why do we have young people not being able to find a job ten years after graduating from college? Why are we experiencing the ignominy of having students entering secondary school not being able to read and write at the stage III level of yesteryear? Why should we have a pattern, a trend, of the delayed reopening of school at the crucial beginning of the school year, to accommodate “hurry-hurry” repairs to the school buildings?

Why was the vital banana industry allowed to die, when the government had undertaken the responsibility for pest and disease control?

The woeful indifference is baffling and blatant!

How could our intelligentsia have remained silent in the face of our government’s reckless exhibition of mismanagement in so critical an area? Did our scholars and intelligentsia not remember the hundreds of trucks which were involved in the

transport of bananas to the port every week? Do they not know that those weekly shipments of bananas represented the effort of over thirty-five thousand of our people? What could have prompted them to remain silent when it was evident that things were not going right? Is it not true to say all the other players/professionals in the economy did well?

I am still befuddled by the deafening silence of the illustrious Chamber of Industry and Commerce on the issue of the quality of our management of the Banana Industry. I had thought that organization to be well placed to influence the government’s adoption of a policy reflective of an appreciation for the value of the Banana Industry to the vibrancy of the economy of SVG, but it is evident that they also have become “indifferent”.

It may well be that the perfumes of prosperity which their members enjoyed when the Banana Industry was vibrant, are yet persisting so that the stenches of the capital from which they operate are not yet reaching their nostrils. Or are they asleep?

It was thought that they had the structure and experience to play an effective role in our development. Let us hope that they would soon be aroused to play that role in this land of peace and justice.

Indifference is a pool of social stagnation which harbours a culture fostering the breeding of organisms of evil.

No patriotic Vincentian should accommodate its development.

LeRoy Providence

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. 13.

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. 15.

14. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

(OOVZRUWK 0F*UDQDKDQ µ6KDNH¶ .HDQH (OOVZRUWK 0F*UDQDKDQ µ6KDNH¶ . .HDQH

Jazzz musician, poet extraordinaire Jaz extraordinaire b y NE by NELSON LSON A A.. KING naking@v naking@verizon.net erizon.net US C ORRESPONDENT CORRESPONDENT Editor’s no te: As th note: this is month is being celebrated in th the e United States States as Black His tor History Month,, we orry Month we consider it it germ ane to germane o ffeature e eature one of our great great ‘cultural ambassador ambassadors’, mbassadorrs’, s th the e late Ellsw orth McGranahan ‘Shake’ ‘Shak Shak ke e’ Ellsworth huge Keane, who, K eane, e who irrefutably, irrefutablyy, left left a huge the Vincentian cultural indentation indent ta ation on the and literar ry landscape, and may may still still literary b e ffar a ar from from being being rightfully rightfully honoured honoured be in his homeland.

ELLS WORTH M CGRANAHAN ‘SHAKE’ ‘SHAKE’ ELLSWORTH MCGRANAHAN KEANE, a ja zz musician a nd poet jazz and e xtraordinaire, was was born on May May 30, 30, extraordinaire, 192 7, in Kingstown, Kingstown, the Vince ntian 1927, Vincentian ca pital, a nd died on No v. 1 1 , 199 7 in capital, and Nov. 11, 1997 Norway.

Oslo, Norway.

Keane was renowned for his role as a jazz trumpeter, primarily for his work as a member of the ground-breaking Joe Harriott Quintet (1959–65).

Born into a humble family that loved books and music, Keane attended the then elementary school, Kingstown Methodist, and subsequently attended the elite secondary, St. Vincent Grammar School.

Keane’s father, Charles, who died when the aspiring musician was only 13, taught him to play the trumpet. Charles gave him his first public recital at 6, according to Keane’s biography.

But Keane did not turn to the trumpet as a career until the mid-50s.

Ellsworth ‘Shake’ Keane (1927 – 1997) showed the earliest signs of the jazz inflections that would later influence Caribbean freestyle and dub poetry poetry..

To merr merryy ole England Originally a teacher in St.

‘Shake’ Keane in the late 1980s, never without his cigarette, it seemed.

(still a colony) government administration.

In 1979, when St. Vincent and the Grenadines became an independent country, Keane self-published The Volcano Suite - A series of five poems.

That same year, he won the prestigious pan-Caribbean literary prize, Cuba’s Premio Casa De Las Americas. Casa Switzer-‘Shake’ Keane performing in Switzer published the winning land, 1964. collection, One A Week With Water, concurrently in Havana. free jazz, with Keane contributing Afterwards, he turned to teach teach-significantly to the band’s artistic ing as his main profession, with success, primarily because of his stints at the Anglican Bishop’s “fleet and powerful improvisatory College Georgetown and the skills on trumpet and flugelhorn,” Intermediate High School. He Wikipedia states. continued to write poetry.

During this period, Keane and In 1981, he performed at CAR CAR-Harriott also played extensively IFESTA IV in Barbados. with English jazz pianist Michael ‘Shake’ Keane playing trumpet and Garrick, often in a “poetry and Leaving home for a second time flugelhorn simultaneously with the jazz” setting.

Joe Harriott’ s Band.

Harriott’s Keane also made a small After his CARIFESTA perfor perfor-handful of records under his own mance, Keane emigrated to the Vincent and the Grenadines, Keane name, but these were usually light USA. He was unable to find travelled to England in 1952 to jazz, “a world away from his work immediate work because of his accord-study English Literature. with Harriott and Garrick”, accord immigrant status. But in Brooklyn, But even before his move to ing to Wikipedia.

New York, where he settled with accom-England, he was already an accom Now playing the flugelhorn, his third wife, Margaret, Keane plished poet - his nickname is short Keane was in great for “Shakespeare” - with two demand for session collections of verse published, work. He moved to mainland Europe in L’Oubili (1950) and Ixion (1952).

In the United Kingdom, Keane 1966, and played worked on the British Broadcasting everywhere, including Caribbe-becoming the featured Corporation (BBC) Radio’s Caribbe soloist with Kurt an Voices, reading poetry and interviewing fellow writers and Edelhagen’s radio band musicians. in Germany. litera-He also joined the He also started reading litera pre-eminent European ture at London University by day, while playing in nightclubs in Soho jazz ensemble of the by night, as well as doing session 1960s, The Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland work and recordings with Trini-legends, such as the late Trini Big Band.

Kitch-dadian calypsonian Lord Kitch ener, the biography says.

Home I come At London nightclubs, it says But Keane’s musical Keane worked in a number of career was set aside in high-styles, including cabaret, high 1973, when he accepted life, mento, calypso and jazz. an invitation from the From 1959, he committed government in St. more fully to jazz, spending six Vincent and the Gren years as a member of pioneering Gren-adines to serve as alto saxophonist Jamaican Joe Harriott’s band.

Director of Culture.

That department was “Harriott considered Keane closed in 1975, after the the partner that he had been waiting for,” according to Wikipe St. Vincent Labour Wikipe-dia.

Party assumed respon respon-Together, it said, the two sibility for the country’s musicians continued to expand on Harriott’s free form jazz experiments with harmony and time, “perfectly complement complement-ing each other’s styles and ideas”.

They stayed together until 1965.

Harriott's group was the first in Europe, and one of the ‘Shake’ Keane doing one of his solos first world world-with the Kurt Edelhagen Band, Germany wide, to play

intensified his poetry writing and attended less to his music, only occasionally playing reggae and soca.

Altogether, Keane produced five monographs of poetry between 1950 and 1994.

In 1989, however, he toured the UK with the Joe Harriott Memorial Quintet, which also included original members Coleridge Goode and Bobby Orr. In 1991, Keane appeared in a BBC “Arena” documentary with the Jamaican poet Linton Kwesi Johnson.

A documentary film was made in 1992 covering Keane’s early years in London at the Sunset Club.

“Equipped with flawless technique and brilliant invention, Keane - equally adept at calypso and bebop, freeform and classical was recognized as one of the outstanding trumpeters of his generation,” the biography says.

Shake Keane’s last musical testament, ‘Real Keen: Reggae Into Jazz’, was first released in 1992, in London, England.

Keane’s biographer, Val Wilmer, said ‘Real Keen: Reggae Into Jazz’ was “an inspired brainwave of

Linton Johnson’s to bring Keane and dub-master Dennis Bovell together.

“By showcasing Keane’s volatile horn in an updated reggae setting, ‘Real Keen: Reggae Into Jazz’ illustrates the self-nourishing link that exists between the diverse musical forms created within the African Diaspora,” Wilmer said.

“As Keane lets rip with his highly original phrasing, quirky at times but always eloquent, the notion of jazz being a Caribbean, as well as Afro-American music, is underlined,” he added.

In the 1990s, he remained based in Brooklyn, but found a second home in Norway, where he worked extensively, contributing music to Norwegian television and stage productions for the next few years.

He also toured the country playing jazz.

‘Shake’ in his Bedford Stuyvesant, NY, NY Y, neighbourhood in i 1989.

It was while preparing for one of those tours that Keane, referred to as a six-foot-four giant, became ill and subsequently died from stom stom-ach cancer, at 70, on Nov. 11, 1997, in Oslo, Norway.

In 2003, St. Vincent and the Grenadines ‘honoured’ Keane with the unveiling of a life-size bust at the Peace Memorial Hall in Kings Kings-town.

Keane’s son, Roland Ramanan, is a trumpeter and writer on jazz.

16. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

Quality Japanese Vehicles Online Shop Since 1997

Buy Quality Used Cars from Japan It’s Worth the Wait!!

Delivery time to Kingstown

Discount Coupon

EC$

10 - 12 Weeks Inspection Done 3 Times

270 OFF

Coupon Code: Expiration date:

High Quality Long-Lasting Used Cars

VCCP0220 31st of Mar

Enter the coupon code in the allocated box on the website when you order

Supply Parts

Ref.646471 PRICE:EC$16,180 Ref.17748 PRICE:EC$19,360 TOYOTA RAV4 J SUZUKI ESCUDO Year 2002 AT 1,800cc PETROL Mileage 24,200miles Color Silver

Search by Google

Year 2005 AT 2,730cc PETROL Mileage 52,700miles Color Gray

picknbuy24

Search

Ref.18222 PRICE:EC$24,200 Ref.19894 PRICE:EC$12,480 Ref.19778 PRICE:EC$16,020 TOYOTA RAV4 HONDA CR-V HONDA CR-V Year 2006 AT 2,360cc PETROL Mileage 69,500miles Color Pearl

E-MAIL US

Year 2000 AT 2,000cc PETROL Mileage 55,800miles Color Pearl

Year 2002 AT 1,990cc PETROL Mileage 33,500miles Color Silver

pboffer@picknbuy24.com

Ref.19280 PRICE:EC$ 9,830 Ref.19749 PRICE:EC$ 11,830 TOYOTA ALLEX TOYOTA ALTEZZA

Ref.19808 PRICE:EC$12,150 TOYOTA NOAH

Year 2001 AT 1,500cc PETROL Mileage 41,600miles Color White

Year 2004 AT 1,990cc PETROL Mileage 58,300miles Color Silver

Year 2002 MT 2,000cc PETROL Mileage 55,800miles Color Silver

+81-80-9523-0093 Add Me!

Ref.19254 PRICE:EC$ 8,020 Ref.19007 PRICE:EC$10,970 Ref.19910 PRICE:EC$ 7,130 TOYOTA COROLLA DAIHATSU STORIA (SIRION) TOYOTA SPRINTER Year 2000 AT 1,500cc PETROL Mileage 53,400miles Color Silver

Year 2003 AT 1,490cc PETROL Mileage 50,300miles Color Beige

Year 2004 AT 1,000cc PETROL Mileage 36,600miles Color White

*Prices include Car Cost and Freight up to Kingstown *Shipping schedules are subject to change with/without notice due to weather/operational reasons.

AGASTA CO., LTD. http://www.picknbuy24.com

Tel: +81-3-4330-9090 Fax:+81-3-4330-9091

Address: 4-20-3 EBISU SHIBUYA-KU, TOKYO, JAPAN

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. 17.

V

18. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

Entertainment

ÂShaggyÊ set for SVG Heroes Day Concert

YES, THE ‘BOOMBASTIC’ MAN is heading back to SVG. Orville ‘Shaggy’ Burrell, internationally acclaimed Jamaican reggae singer, is the billed star for a concert scheduled for Heroes Day, March 14, 2015, at Victoria Park.

News of Shaggy’s coming for an event dubbed ‘Shaggy in Concert’ broke here on Monday 16th February, when local promotion company, Incognito

Kimya Glasgow, PRO for the event, leading the press briefing. ‘Bobby’ Martin, Manager of Incognito Entertainment, is to her left.

us wanting more.”

Mohandus ‘Bobby’ Martin, Manager of Incognito Entertainment, which is responsible for bringing artistes like Jamaican singers/songwriters Alaine and Macka Diamond to SVG, Entertainment, record as a performer, a promises that if patrons announced the planned Grammy Award to his thought Shaggy was concert, at a media name, over 20 million in “good” the last time briefing, held at the album sales worldwide, around, he is even better Computec Conference ten #1 songs, and 8 #1 now.

Room, Kingstown. albums.

And Glasgow allayed According to Kimya When ‘Shaggy’ and any fear of another Glasgow, PRO for the Rayvon performed here artiste copping out of an event, ‘Shaggy’ will be in 2008 at the then advertised show in SVG, coming with a contingent Rhythm and Blues by assuring that, “The of 15, including his band Concert at Emerald contracts have been Tantrum, and his Valley Casino, he and signed, the airline tickets frequent collaborator, Rayvon were adjudged to have been purchased and singer Rayvon. be one of the better acts sent, so SVG, prepare for Glasgow said the that year, if not the best. an out of this world Jamaican comes with an One person who event on Heroes Day — impressive resume’, attended that show Shaggy In Concert.” including a solid track recalls that “Shaggy left Further confirmation came via Shaggy himself who, in a short video aired at the press conference, endorsed the Concert and expressed excitement about returning to perform for “the Vincentian people.”

Orville ‘Shaggy’ Burrell said he is looking forward to perform for the Vincentian people.

Local acts also billed and performing artiste, Alston ‘Becket’ Cyrus, is slated to perform on a Day that pays fitting tribute to his contribution to Vincentian culture.

Reigning Soca and Ragga Soca Monarch, Delroy ‘Fireman’ Hooper, will also blaze the stage, with what he said is a determination to show that his recent showing in Trinidad and Tobago has done little to diminish his energy.

He will be joined by fivetimes national Soca Monarch, Gamal ‘Skinny Fabulous’ Doyle, who is expected to carry over some of his wellreceived new Alston ‘Becket’ Cyrus will head a numbers he performed top class group of Vincentian during the 2015 artistes also billed on the carnival season concert.

Local acts have not been left out of the 2015 National Heroes Day Concert.

The ‘every green’, internationally recognized Vincentian calypso/soca recording

in Trinidad and Tobago.

And there is still room for more Vincy soca.

Rondy ‘Luta’ Mc Intosh is expected to ‘motivate the crowd’ in a manner only he can do.

Add a cast of DJs, including 3rd Element Sounds, Top Ah D Line Sounds, Emerald Sounds & Energy Overload, and a Garifuna band from New York among other cultural performers, and National Heroes 2015 ‘Shaggy in Concert’ is the place to be.

THE VINCENTIAN newspaper is pleased to join in endorsing this concert, along with the St. Vincent Brewery, LIME, the Ministry of Tourism & Q-Care Pharmacy, and Hot 97.

Look out for coupons in THE VINCENTIAN that can be entered in a draw for ‘FREE’ tickets.

In the meantime, tickets go on sale from Monday 23rd February, and the organizers recommend buying tickets from official ticket depots, LIME & Y De Lima.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. 19.

Economy

Courts launches major Trade-In Promotion better, since the company is also accepting items that are not working.

PERSONS WISHING to trade in their old Senior Manager at Courts, Michele furniture or electrical items for improved Samuel is assuring persons that the durability and style or the latest trade in process is completely hassletechnology have at least two weeks to do free. “Let us know you what you want so. to trade in, it doesn’t have to be Furniture and Appliance store Courts working. We will offer you the new item SVG Ltd. is giving Vincentians the at a discount, and we will pick up your opportunity to trade in their used items old item and dispose of it for you when and purchase new ones at discounted we deliver the new one,” Samuel stated. prices. The offer applies to all product She said the Trade in promotion gives categories that Courts offers except customers an opportunity to get rid of mobile phones, and includes both cash items that they no longer have use for , “ and credit purchases. It gets even or even if you have an item you want to

by KENVILLE HORNE

upgrade, we will take that item as well and give you a discount off the new one,” Samuel further explained.

Persons purchasing on credit will enjoy nothing down and nothing to pay until Easter. This offer also applies not only to the Trade-in promotions but all shoppers during the month of February can take advantage of this fantastic credit offer.

Samuel is also advising customers to take the extended warranty offer whenever they make their purchases.

She said the warranty gives customers unlimited free repairs and if the item

Blue Lagoon tops the list THE TOTALLY refurbished and newly reopened Blue Lagoon Hotel & Marina, at Ratho Mill, is rightfully elated after being listed as the number one hotel in St. Vincent on Trip Advisor, the internationally renowned agency that provides hotel reviews, photos and travel advice for vacationers.

The listing has even more ‘room for celebration’, given that Blue Lagoon, formerly Sunsail, has been open now for only two months.

Major renovations began soon after Sunsail was taken over in November 2013, by concerns of Kelcom International Inc. In addition to rooms that are “unique and individually designed to offer a new experience”, the Hotel Complex also boasts the Calm Waters Restaurant Bar & Lounge, Café Soleil, Flowt Beach Bar, The Gold Doubloon Grocery Market & Chandlery, Indigo Dive and Watersports, and Horizon Yacht Charters.

Still under construction are a

fitness center, swimming pool and additional guest suites.

The Marina remains the only full service marina in St. Vincent, where vessels can fuel up dockside, refill their water tanks and plug in to shore power, as well as take advantage Looking out to the marina from one of the hotel rooms at of all the hotel Blue Lagoon Hotel. facilities, which is a safe haven during anytime including a laundry service. of the year, including the hurricane Additionally, persons visiting by boat can now enjoy the facility of Blue season.

Lagoon status as an official port of entry. Guests can clear Customs and Immigration daily between 1pm and 4pm.

The Blue Lagoon Hotel and Marina is situated along the Cannash Bay

New CDF loan for Argyle Airport OFFICIALS of the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) are expected to return to St. Vincent and the Grenadines next month, to sign a loan agreement for USD$750,000.00, towards the setting up of a Solar Photovoltaic System at the Argyle International Airport.

Indication of the new loan agreement follows a visit by Ambassador Lorne McDonnough, Chief Executive Officer of CDF, and Lenox Forte, Director of the Regional Development Division, on February 10th 2015.

(From left): IADC’s Communications The system when fully Officer-Jennifer Richardson, CEO of the installed and operable is projected CDF Ambassador Lorne McDonnough, to provide two megawatts of and CDF’s Director of the Regional electricity, but will, in the first Development Division, Mr Lennox Forte, phase of development, provide on site.

220 kilowatts to be used in partly powering the terminal building.

The loan is made on concessionary of a Stone Crushing Plant, Quarry and base laying equipment which grounds, including a two-year included five dump trucks, a paver, moratorium. two rock trucks, two front end CEO of CDF, Ambassador Lorne McDonnough, said the project at the loaders, a rock hammer, the airfield Argyle International Airport is a pilot lighting system and generators.

On October 9th, 2011, the CDF project and is part of a larger green approved another loan of programme for the CDF, which will eventually be extended to other parts EC$8,807,400.00, in support of ‘the national development objectives of of the region. the Government of St. Vincent and This is the third CDF loan to the Argyle International Airport project. the Grenadines’, in keeping with the CDF mandate of working to reduce In May 2011, a loan of US$4.2M was made available for the purchase disparity among member states.

cannot be repaired, Courts will replace it. “We do not replace items where the defects are caused by their own negligence or misuse of the products or by environmental conditions, such as in the case of rust” said Samuel, as a caution to Michelle Samuel, customers.

“Nobody else in Senior Manager at Courts, reiterated St. Vincent offers that that her company extended strives always to warranty,” she deliver the highest further level of service. contended.

“With us, customers can have the peace of mind of knowing that they are guaranteed protection from possible failure or malfunction of their product, in the event that this does occur.”

The Senior Manager expressed thanks to the customers who have been supporting the company over the years, and gave the assurance that Courts strives to provide them with the highest level of service. “We continue to improve so that we can offer the best quality service to our customers; they can continue to depend on us for that.”

The Trade in promotion ends on the 28th February.

V Keep what you have 20. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

Advice

do? I can’t seem to get had 10 years of unbroken connection to; but that him out of my head! I feel and more than does not mean you ought guilty about not telling my satisfactory relations with to abandon who is I HAVE BEEN seeing this boyfriend, but I know presently in your life and your boyfriend. You guy for the past 10 years. go with them. Forget We have a good thing going what is going to happen if admit that you are “happy”. about the fantasy of being despite the fact that we are I do. Right now, I am with this other guy; and The question is, why not married. I am not keen considering having them would you want to ruin let him keep his present on marrying, because I have both. Can I or should? status as co-worker and that by starting a fling been married before, and do with someone else whose nothing else. If there is Unsure G not wish to get back into intentions, most likely, nothing wrong with your another marriage. The Dear Unsure G, recent relationship, do not would be just to have a thing is we are both happy good time? The reality is, try to invent a problem the way things are.

You need to look at the you will at times run into that would destroy it.

Now, to the reason for people whom you may facts of your current me writing to you. I met have an instant George this guy at work, whom I relationship. You have became very interested in. This guy is just awesome; he reminds me so much of my boyfriend.

We share similar interests. We got to the not’.

Dear George, point where I had to George, I found this entire incident to admit to him that I was be totally disrespectful of me. It was I WAS WALKING with my wife, when a falling for him. He is so man, whom she knew, walked up to her like if I was not around. Rumour has it gorgeous and exciting! My and pointed out that the zipper to her now that my wife and this guy have boyfriend is all of those something going on. I heard this after I pants was down. My wife, jokingly I things too, and I have no assumed, asked him if he wanted to pull told the story to a friend of hers who problem with him; but I ‘pinched’ me and told me that they could it up. I was shocked when the man am falling for this guy, grabbed the opportunity and pulled her be seeing each other. and I am not too sure if I I want to take this up with my wife, zipper up. When he was finished, he want to stop falling. but I do not want to cause any confusion told her that whenever her zipper My feelings for this guy needed to be pulled up or down, she between her and her friend. I am scare me, but what do I feeling very angry here. should call him. She answered, ‘Why

Dear George,

Should I zip it up?

Not laughing

My wife deceived me Dear George, AFTER ONE YEAR of marriage, I have now come to the awful truth that I do not love my wife like I thought I did.

I just found out that she has two children who were born and are living in Barbados.

When I met her, she swore to me that she was childless. As a matter of fact, she told me she was a virgin; but I found out that was not true on our wedding night. I forgave her and decided to stay married to her, but it kept on getting worse from there.

Apart from the two children she has in Barbados, I found out that she used to be a prostitute in the same Barbados. She knows my position on dating women who have had that kind of a history. I got to know about this when she continued to get calls from some of her past customers.

The bottom line is, George, my wife is not what I thought she was. There is just too much baggage, and I am not able to carry them. She wants me to ignore her history and go on being with her, but it is not that simple. I do not want to continue like this.

I want out. It is not just her history, but the fact that she deceived me big time!

Dear Not laughing,

Hurt Husband

Although there is nothing wrong with this man pointing out the need for your wife’s zipper to be pulled up, it was inappropriate for her to ask him to do so, and doing so with you being there makes it even worse.

The remarks that followed are of equal concern and ought to be addressed. It is time for you and your wife to have a serious talk - not an argument. Outline your concerns to her, and let her know what you have been hearing. Give her a chance to clear the air. You have to trust her explanation until you get evidence to the contrary.

About what her friend told you, I would be very careful about listening to ‘friends’ about your partner’s movements, or involving them in your relationship by giving them a chance to give their input into something they have no business being involved in.

Dear Hurt Husband,

George

Deception can be grounds for divorce, and if you want to build a case on that, I suggest that you contact a divorce lawyer to advise you.

However, before deciding to get out, you may want to visit with a marriage counsellor, to see if there is a slim chance of salvaging the marriage. Sometimes what we think is impassable may be not be so after all, depending on the angle it is looked at. Give yourself the chance of looking at things from a different angle, and a marriage counsellor may help you to do that.

Divorce must always be a last resort, and before that, you should grab the opportunity to talk, and talk, and talk, and talk about how to make things work.

George

Leisure

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) You have the power! Making a small compromise at work can put you in a better bargaining position. An electric eye–to–eye connection could lead to an ongoing love story. Another piece of a money puzzle falls into place – be patient.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) To get noticed in business, be firm about what you want. Opportunity knocks loudly, but you need to believe in your ability. Don’t be bamboozled by a business matter, a solution could be closer than you think. Love news is in the stars.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Believe in yourself. Don’t let self–doubts hold you back. Consider the possibility that you can have it all. Making a change at work can make a world of difference. To attract the love of your dreams, cast your wishes to the universe.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) Keep love and work separate. Love is to be cherished, and business is business; don’t let an emotional issue cloud your judgment. Your best advice is your own wisdom. Careful money planning can place you in a good position for the future.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Your career is about to climb sky high with your hard work paying big bucks.

Don’t get involved in other people’s drama. Mind your own business. Love stars are strong, but get real about a situation. Be ready to meet someone halfway.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) You’re in the zone! You can get just about anything you ask for, but you need to be proactive. An opportunity to get more involved will be challenging but satisfying. To win someone’s heart, allow yourself to be vulnerable and show your sensitive side.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) Love alert – you heart has a mind of its own! If it’s time to set a certain friend straight, do it from the heart. An ‘attitude–adjustment’ can improve your relationships tenfold. A small sacrifice at work can rocket your career sky high.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) You are moving into a busy phase at work, and you will need to get organized. Think big and stay positive.

You’ll soon reap the rewards of your efforts. Resist the urge to splurge, keep a cash reserve handy for a rainy day.

Love and friendship go hand–in–hand, you can’t have one without the other.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) If you keep secrets, keep in mind that there will be consequences. Changes at work may seem inconvenient, but in the big picture they will be beneficial. Your personal life gets an overhaul. A deep realization leads you to the next step.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) If you keep secrets, keep in mind that there will be consequences. Changes at work may seem inconvenient, but in the big picture they will be beneficial. Your personal life gets an overhaul. A deep realization leads you to the next step.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) The power is in the silence! Don’t be drawn into people’s opinionated views.

Before you agree to a financial deal, get professional advice. Love will tap on your heart when the time is right. Stay focused on your highest level of importance.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Open your heart to love. Don’t let a past emotional hurt get in the way of a good thing. At work, watch out for someone who may not be as sincere as they act.

He or she could have a hidden agenda.

It’s now possible to solve a money issue.

ACROSS 1.Lass’s companion 4. Curved entranceway 8. Chomp 12. Dwight’s nickname 13. Mob VIP 14. Author Leon 15. Like a royal estate 17. Gangplank 18. Wimps 20. Obtain (from) 23. Main course 27. Sidestep 28. Pack animal 29. Stately tree 30. Coal hole 31. New York time (abbr.)

32. Poor community 33. Baseball’s Mel 34. Owned 35. Small, as eyes 36. Sadat’s predecessor 38. Puts a hex on 39. Inquiries into lost packages 41. Sch. for

officers 44. “The Abbott and __ Show” 48. Appear 49. Popular diner dish 50. Atmosphere 51. Interchange 52. Former partners 53. Attentiongetting sound DOWN 1.Gloss recipient 2. Wanted poster inits.

3. Dover’s state (abbr.)

4. Busy 5. Heighten 6. Accountants (abbr.)

7. Most hallowed 8. Break, like a balloon 9. George Gershwin’s brother 10. Actor Allen 11. Seer’s gift

(abbr.)

16. All kidding __ 19. Naval officer (abbr.)

20. Fiend 21. A Peron 22. Raves 24. Take deep breaths, e.g.

25. Escape 26. Television awards 28. Tack on 31. Otalgia 32. Feeling 34. Not him 35. Origins

37. Bang one’s foot 38. Governor Ventura 40. Gently persuade 41. Ship’s

LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. 21.

letters 42. Baste 43. “Tell _-story” (2 wds.)

45. Fold (over) 46. Fleur-de-__ 47. Table scrap

V

22. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

News

Film screening for Garifuna Summit As part of the 2015 International Garifuna Summit, to be hosted by the Garifuna Heritage Foundation (TGHF) here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines from March 9 to 16, two evenings of films screening will be staged.

March 10 will feature the films ‘Yurumein’ and ‘Garifuna in Peril’.

‘Yurumein’, a documentary produced by Andrea E. Leland, is said to depict the ongoing revitalization of Garifuna culture here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and highlights how local Vincentian and Central American Garifuna communities are involved in that process.

It showcases stories and imagery from St. Vincent, portions of which were documented during The Garifuna Heritage Foundation’s 2012 conference, and explores the painful circumstances by which the Garifuna people were exiled from their homeland of Yurumein (St. Vincent in the Garifuna language) to Central America.

‘Garifuna in Peril’ is a film produced in Honduras, Central America and California, and directed by Alí Allié and Ruben Reyes, both of the USA. The film also chronicles the preservation and revitalization of the Garifuna culture, this time focusing on Honduras as well as the Garifuna diaspora in the United States, by highlighting the struggles of a Garifuna language teacher in his quest to construct a language school in his home village in coastal Honduras.

His project becomes complicated when tourism development in the region expands into Garifuna

lands, threatening the funding venture designed to initiate the school’s construction.

On Thursday, March 12th , two films focusing on slavery and the slave trade will be screened.

The films ‘Slave Routes: A Global Vision’ and ‘Scattered Africa: Faces and Voices of the African Diaspora’ The film ‘Garifuna in Peril’ focuses on the story of a teacher’s effort were produced by well known film producer Dr. Sheila Walker, who is to construct a language school in Honduras. also the Keynote Speaker for the Summit. estimated 100 ‘Slave Routes: A Global Vision’ was supported by million African UNESCO, and highlights the African presence people were torn across continents, the significant contributions of from their the African Diaspora to the host societies in various homelands. fields (arts, religion, knowledge, gastronomy, Screening is agriculture, behaviour, linguistics, etc.), and the scheduled for the racism and discrimination inherited from this tragic Peace Memorial past. The film’s main objective is to give a global Hall and is open vision of the different dimensions of this tragedy and to the general raise crucial questions regarding its consequences in public. modern societies in order to come to terms with this collective memory.

‘Scattered ‘Scattered Africa: Faces and Voices of the African Africa…’

Diaspora’ takes viewers across the Americas, to highlights the contribution of Argentina, Uruguay and the United States, African people exploring past and current contributions that African people made to American culture, during the to American culture. centuries of the African slave trade in which an

Vincy artistes get another international opportunity VINCENTIAN models, musicians, singers and actors will have another chance to showcase their sundry wares, starting 11am on Saturday 21st February at the Peace Memorial Hall in Kingstown.

This is according to Model, Music and Talent Showcase of the Islands (MMTS) Regional Director Nisha Hope, who told

Nisha Hope will be responsible for preparing the persons selected as delegates to the MMTS’s annual, week-long conference, in the Bahamas.

(Facebook photo)

THE VINCENTIAN last Tuesday, “As the Regional Director, my job is to prepare all the talent that will be selected from the auditions to make up the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ delegation to the Bahamas.”

The Bahamas is the venue for MMTS’s annual, week-long conference which consists of music, modeling and acting.

During the week, top fashion and talent scouts, personal managers, casting directors, booking agents, record labels and music producers judge MMTS competitions and conduct seminars, as they search for new singers, producers and songwriters as well as models and actors to work in the entertainment and fashion industries.

Anyone interested in attending Island MMTS audition on Saturday 21st should pre-register online at www.islandmmts.com. Space, according to the organizers, is limited.

The free auditions, to be adjudicated by a panel which would include local entertainment industry personages as well as Pia Glover - founder of the MMTS event series, will include a

brief performance by and an interview of each applicant as well as a presentation given by an MMTS Regional Scout.

“Once a thorough review of all the applications is completed, there will be callbacks (via email) scheduled for the following day, for a select number of applicants, and an appointment time will be assigned,” Hope explained. .

Those selected as delegates would then be prepped for the week- long conference which is slated for mid July 2015, and is expected to attract delegations from across the Caribbean island chain.

Competition will be in in 3 age divisions in 12 categories which include: Runway, Plus Model, Fashion Print, Commercial Print, Swimwear, TV Beauty Spokesmodel, TV Commercial, Monologue, Singer / Solo, Singer / Duo or Group, Singer/Songwriter and Music Producer.

Some 37 “Island MMTS is a one-of-a-kind event for the islands, and is the only modeling and talent showcase in the world specifically targeting the Caribbean market. Delegates ages 5 to 65 representing 37 Caribbean Islands will compete in 3 age

divisions in 12 categories. As far as the auditions are concerned, here is what is required:

MODELS: Simply walk down the runway dressed in heels and form fitting clothing.

SINGERS & GROUPS: Sing any song for 30 seconds (acappella - original or other - any genre). Upload a video of yourself singing on YouTube and include this link in your Online Registration.

Singers and groups can also send cover performances or original song for the Regional Scout to review no later than 11am on Audition day, by uploading to Island MMTS SoundCloud group.

ACTORS: Perform a 30 second monologue/read a script (scripts will be provided if you don’t have your own).

MUSIC PRODUCERS/ SONGWRITERS: Come to auditions and include a link to your original

Pia Glover will form part of the adjudication panel for Saturday’s auditions .(Photo: Courtesy nuwomanmagazine.com) music uploaded to YouTube or Soundcloud in your Online Registration. Send a 180 second (maximum) beats/original track for the Regional Scout to review no later than 11am on Audition day by uploading to Island MMTS SoundCloud group.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. 23.

Top T20 players on show at Arnos Vale

and LIME Radcliffe, the top performers over the years in all Possible match winners (L-R): Dyke Cato (Lime Radcliffe), Andrew Emtage THE FIRST TROPHY of the 2015 domestic formats, made it through easily in (Guardian General Saints) Hyron Shallow (Team Rivals), Donwell Hector cricket season will be decided this the end, barring some minor hiccups, (Victors ONE). weekend, when the final of the Neill with Victors ONE having a nervous Williams T20 Cricket competition takes wait before going through. They were Rivals have shown to be the most Wilkinson, and the talent of Casmond place on Sunday at the main Arnos Vale made to sweat for a few hours before focussed, and confident unit Walters and the mercurial Hyron Playing Field, from 1.30pm. the start and conclusion of the Team throughout the competition, despite Shallow.

The facts relating to the final Rivals/ASCO match. A win for ASCO not being blessed with the youngest LIME Radcliffe, some say now a weekend of the tournament are that would have eliminated Victors members in the competition. With at team of bits and pieces of talent both the venue and start time are ONE,but they lost badly after making least five of their players in the coupled with some experience, lack the known, but the information regarding a paltry 49. twilight, and in some cases, midnight confidence and killer instincts of their the finalists is based on conjecture, The Semi-finals pairing will pit of their careers, they have still been predecessors of the team in its heyday, since any two of the four teams defending champions, Team Rivals able to pick themselves up from tight with their captain, Lindon James, battling in the semi-finals on Saturday against Lime Radcliffe, who will be situations to prevail over younger Dyke Cato, and developing off spinner can book a place in the final. looking to exact a measure of revenge outfits, sometimes on the sheer willRodney Lawrence their most The four teams Team, Rivals, after being beaten in the final of the power of veterans Orlanzo Jackson, consistent performers. Pacer Delorn Victors ONE, Guardian General Saints Super40 in October.

Deighton Butler and Roland Johnson is away on regional duties.

The other semi-final sees several times winners of this competition, Victors ONE, taking on the very much improved Guardian General Saints.

On paper, Victors ONE look like the most balanced and Linda Mc Dowall was her participating in road races, VETERAN ROAD RACING talented team in the local once he has the health, and his commanding self in the female athlete, Caswin Prince, has cricket, but their apparent lack 19 and over, winning in a time legs can take him. gone unbeaten in the male of drive and will power to press Kentish Bowens, 20 minutes of 19 minutes 03.65 seconds. over- 40s category for the past home advantages gained, has 43.18 seconds, had to settle for Sheva Butcher was second in six years. been their worst enemy in 26 minutes 22.12 seconds, and Prince, a resident of North second behind Prince, and recent times. third was Joonyah Garrick - 23 third was Sandreka Hopper in Leeward, celebrated his 46th Their captain, Donwell 27 minutes 52.19 seconds. minutes 22.88 seconds. birthday last Sunday, with Hector, remains their best Taking the female 40 and But it was the equally long victory in Sunday’s Team over was recently retired lasting Pamenos Ballantyne Athletics SVG 5K grand batting talent, but has been national female cricketer finale, which was rescheduled who was first to finish the guilty of conjuring up his own Samantha Lynch, whose 28 race, doing so in 16 minutes from last December. demise with a number of illminutes 50.65 seconds outdid 42.76 seconds to take the 19 Prince took 19 minutes advised shots. Miles Bascombe, Caswin Prince, King among the second place finisher and over male category.

14.86 seconds from Trotman’s Atticus Browne , the inform the veterans.

Marguerite Douglas’ 30 Junior Ashton took the Depot in Arnos Vale to Halifax Shacquile Browne with bat and minutes 39.05 seconds. second place in 17 minutes Street in the vicinity of First ball, and the pacey Ray Jordan Sarika Hopper was second in Denisha Harry was the last 03.55 seconds, and Cyron Caribbean Bank CIBC. athlete to complete the race in 24 minutes 26.71 seconds, and will be on show. They, A joyful Prince expressed an Lewis third in 17 minutes however, will be without top Odesha John third in 24 39 minutes 13.31 seconds, 14.41 seconds. intention to continue allrounder Alston Bobb, on minutes 32.47 seconds. taking the third place. whose batting and bowling Akani Slater claimed the On the other side of the age they rely. He is on regional male Under-19title in 17 grouping, Newman Peters minutes 58.08 seconds, ahead duties. copped the Under-15 male of Orenzo Trimmingham in 18 Guardian General Saints division, stopping the clock at minutes 13.03 seconds and 20 minutes 49.052 seconds. are still in search of a major Slyford Lampkin in 18 Peters’ training partner and trophy. They beat Victors minutes 35.44 seconds. fellow St Martin’s Secondary ONE two years ago in the Shaqueil Laborde was the School student, Truloni Mc semi-final of the Super40, but winner in the female UnderKenzie, was second in 21 went on to lose the final.

19, as she clocked 26 minutes minutes 08.41 seconds, and They will have the services 29.68 seconds. Kerry Ann third Markie Edwards in 22 of dropped Windwards Small ‘s 29 minutes 38 minutes 21.75 seconds. batsman Romel Currency, but Meanwhile, 13-year-old Zita seconds put her second. There Vincent, a form one student of were only two entrants in that will miss both Kenroy Peters and Sunil Ambris on age grouping of the race. the Central Leeward Windwards duties. They will Sunday’s finalists emerged Zita Vincent Secondary School, and a Pamenos Shaqueil be hoping that Barbadian off from the various community continues to show recipient of a LIME Ballantyne: Still Laborde - winner spinner Andrew Emtage can be commanding form scholarship, raced to victory in races held during the months the one to beat. in the female a surprise package against the over her Under 15 the female Under 15, in a time of October and November last Under-19. year. rivals.

Victors One batting machine. of 23 minutes 01.12 seconds.

by E. GLENFORD PRESCOTT

Caswin Prince: King of veterans’ road racing

V

24. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

Sports

Windwards blow away Jamaica

by E. GLENFORD PRESCOTT

Caribbean people IT IS DO or die for the West Indies, or they risk losing the opportunity to display their skills on the biggest stage. Perhaps the stars have become used to the blitz of the Indian Premier League and they live in hope, if they perform, of being snapped up by a franchise, like Sammy has been.

But cricket remains a team sport. The solo effort is likely to fail. The match against Ireland proved that. It was a committed and dedicated patrol by the Irish. They came together for a purpose, and executed a mission with precision. It is a pity that the West Indies have to learn those lessons at this stage.

We are allowing the situation to get worse when we allow insular tendencies to take over our game.

What’s the sense of CARICOM when the sporting element, which the cricket team represent, portend to operate counter to the aims of the political order?

It is no surprise, therefore, that many people still have the mind-set that their particular area can make it on the world stage.

There will always be sparks of brilliance from the individual territories, but we will delude ourselves into believing that we can make it on the world stage on a divided front. That is why the cricket owes us the duty of maintaining a high standard.

We were champions when the conditions were worse than they are today. We have to return to those champion times.

The quest for unity must include the administration and all the other factors that contribute to the sports. Cricket is more than a pastime in the Caribbean. It has established a legacy, and it is vital that we build on the foundation.

Sports persons have their clause of support in the Single Market and Economy, wherein they can travel throughout the region to ply their trade. The fact that sports is on the category of CARICOM nationals who benefit from the arrangement should be a reminder of its potential.

The Caribbean Premier League is a symbol of the emerging acceptance of the trend away from strictly national parameters. But there is no escaping the ardent patriotic fervour that the different territories have of themselves.

There is nothing wrong about that. But when we make narrow borders swamp our efforts at regional survival, we engage in the act of selfdestruction no matter how distant it will appear.

It is no sense complaining of colonial domination, when years after the shackles have been removed, we carry bonds that imprison our minds.

Caribbean people have forced the world to take stock of their capability on whatever stage they perform. When it matters, we are forced into recognising who we are. It is a hostile environment we are living in, and the world is not going to look at us with any pity. We have to rise up and take our place in the flow of things. That will come with a deep analysis of who we are.

When we accept that, we will see ourselves as one condensation in an area blessed and possessed of the gifts of nature, about which not many other parts of the world can boast. It is our responsibility to fulfil our end of the bargain and enhance the possession for generations.

IN 1972/73, a star-studded Jamaica team led by Maurice Foster and including then “Batting Cinderella” of West Indies cricket, Lawrence Rowe, the steamy Uton Dowe, as well as the region’s fastest left-arm pacer Cecil Lawson, was the first team from the land of “Wood and Water” to grace the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

Their opponents were a Combined Windwards/Leewards team led by Irvin Shillingford, with the now unbanned Livingstone Sargeant, Mike Findlay, spinner Elquemedo Willet and West Indies pacer Grayson Shillingford the main eye catchers. The team also included a batsman IVA Richards who was unbanned a few years earlier.

Salivating from the day the fixture was announced, thousands of cricket fans flocked the Arnos Vale Playing Field to set their eyes on their heroes, and the foes of their heroes.

When it was over and the buzz had ceased, the telling act was: the Combined Islands had won by 86 runs. Rowe made 18 in both innings; Dowe shattered the stumps of opener Veron Edwards; Herbert Chang made 90; Lawson looked quicker than Dowe in the late afternoon; Desmond Lewis, who had replaced Findlay in the Indian series, was not as good as him behind the stump; and Richards made 14, out to Dowe in both innings. That was first class match 29540.

Alston Bobb, who was not picked for the Windwards’ last match, returned to grab a 5/38 innings haul.

In the period since the first match, the Islands have separated to become the Windwards and Leewards.

Forty-three years later, and in match 56197, the Windward Islands prevailed again, this time winning inside three days by an innings and 22 runs.

There was hardly a crowd to celebrate since there were no big name players, but a century from Grenada’s Andre Fletcher and five-wicket hauls by SVG’s Alston Bobb and Dominica’s Shane Shillingford, set up Windwards’ comprehensive triumph.

Jamaica chose to bat, but found the bowling of Bobb, 5/38, a real handful, with Jermaine Blackwood’s 96 being the topscore in their 204. Carlton Baugh got 33 as the Jamaicans crumbled from 192/5.

Devon Smith (36) and Tyrone Theophile (55) raised an opening partnership of 75, but through some good bowling and loose shots, the Windwards slipped to

Jermaine Blackwood, 96, provided the one bright light in the Jamaicans’ batting.

137/5 at lunch.

They were given a reprieve when medium pacer, David Bernard Jr. and leg spinner Odean Browne, who were creating plenty of problems, could not resume after lunch, owing to what was reported as cramps.

This allowed Fletcher (120) and the tail to add valuable runs and get the total up to 328. Bernard finished with 5/57 and Browne 3/89.

Faced with a deficit of 124, the Jamaicans never looked comfortable against Shillingford, who extracted plenty of bounce and turn on the wearing pitch. He finished with 6/31, his 28th fivewicket haul, going past Mahendra Nagamotoo’s regional record of 325 wickets in the process.

Jamaica was dismissed for 102 to lose by an innings and 22 runs.

Shillingford is top regional wicket-taker wickets regionally, and I am happy to have surpassed (him),” he said WINDWARDS ISLANDS at the end of the match, offspinner Shane which the Windwards Shillingford sits loftily won by an innings and atop the wicket-takers’ 22 runs. roost in regional cricket, “I did not realise that after surpassing I was so close to the Guyana’s Mahendra record, because when Nagamootoo as the you’re playing, you leading bowler in the hardly have time to West Indies domestic study records....and I four-day competition. was only told that during The Dominican, who the match.” went into last weekend’s Shillingford 32, said match against Jamaica he will be looking to take on 323, two shy of as many wickets as Nahamootoo’s 325, drew possible over the level with the wicket of remainder of his career, Germaine Blackwood, which he sees as possibly then went ahead when another five years. He he had opener John said that, once he Campbell brilliantly maintains his form and caught by Devon Smith fitness, he can well end at slip in Jamaica’s with five hundred second innings. wickets at the regional Shillingford finished level. with 6/31, his 28th fiveHe broke the record at wicket haul in first class the Arnos Vale Playing cricket. He has so far Field, the venue where taken 431 first class he also reached the 300 wickets in 97 matches. wicket mark.

“I am happy to be at He confessed to enjoy the top of the list of bowling at Arnos Vale. wicket-takers in regional “At Arnos Vale, you get cricket….I must so much help on the commend Nagammootoo third and fourth day for his achievement in that, once you land the taking that many ball in the right area,

by E. GLENFORD PRESCOTT

you will pick up wickets,” he said.

He is the third player from the Windward Islands, all from Dominica, who have held regional records. He follows those of former West Indies batsman, Irvin Shillingford, and former Windwards opener and current manager, Lockhart Sebastien, who each once held the record for the most runs in regional cricket.

Banned by the ICC two years ago for what was deemed an illegal action, then forced to undergo remedial work and a slight change in his action, Shillingford said that he has no negative psychological fallout from the experience.

“I was made to do some changes and cut out the use of my ‘doosr’ and initially it was kind of tough coming back, but my confidence is back and I am getting wickets and that helps,” he contended.

Out of the West Indies team for a while now, Shillingford is aiming to

New record holder, Shane Shillingford, in action against Jamaica at Arnos Vale. regain his place as the lead spinner, amid competition from Suleiman Benn, Sunil Narine, Nikita Miller and Verasammy Permaul.

“There are home series coming up and I am looking to do well enough to get a recall, and you can only do this by taking wickets, and I am doing just that, but I know the other guys are taking wickets too, so it will not be easy,” he admitted.

Shillingford has so far taken 23 wickets this season from four matches while Permaul has 36 from six.

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. 25.

News

Young entrepreneurs building capacity

called 3A’s. It will be based at Diamond Industrial Estate as a ALDOUS ANDERSON went part of the CED drive. through a series of phases He will be dealing with before finding out about unlocking phones and the St. Vincent and the with Hardware and Grenadines National Software applications.

Centre of Technological The Redemption Innovation Incorporation Sharpes resident Incubator Programme. operates from his home On Monday 9th momentarily, but he is February, Anderson “looking forward to the received his certificate as journey,” as far as the an Incubatee. He is one Incubation programme of ten persons who will goes. benefit from a Business “I am looking forward Incubator Programme, a to building a relationship drive by the Centre for and seeing how it goes Enterprise Development from there,” Anderson (CED). outlined.

Anderson’s business is He praised the NCTI

by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY

for the training imparted thus far. He is pleased that the assistance goes beyond the training that they gave, and he is assured that “they are going to stand by you and help you grow.”

Seven other persons received their certificates. They are: Rosette BacchuseKofinez; Sheldon Wood Stormy Winds Production; Westford Joseph - New Marketing and Research Solutions; Kahlina Hamilton - KLink System Incorporated; Cenus Hinds — Konservi; Ovid Burke - NetMedia

Graduates and facilitators of the recent St. Vincent and the Grenadines National Centre of Technological Innovation Incorporation Incubator Training Programme.

Information Solutions; and Paul Morris — Auxano.

Two candidates were absent from Monday’s ceremony.

Sharon Bibby, General Manager at the NCTI, reflected on her institution’s mandate which is “to stimulate the economy.”

Bibby emphasised that helping young entrepreneurs will build

the nation.

She congratulated the candidates for having progressed thus far, and expressed satisfaction that the emerging businesses were “viable, innovative and worthy of our time and investment.”

Bibby encouraged the business persons to “make the most of the opportunity,” and

reminded them that,” the success of your business depends on you.”

She advised the recipients to make integrity part of the everyday operation.

Manager Ronette Lewis noted that entrepreneurship was not an easy road, and urged the recipients to be committed and dedicated.

Xtreme FM officially unveiled

Bus for Leeward students too

DAVON CATO, Managing Director of XTreme FM, this country’s newest radio station, says that accomplishing this has been the realisation of a dream.

Cato, a local disc jockey, has partnered with local businessman Marc Richardson, to launch what has now become the latest addition to the line-up of local radio stations that are broadcasting on the FM band, here.

“Marc and I love what we do, and we are committed to what we can accomplish with a radio station, and we are committed to you to using entertainment to educate, and we are committed to partnering with our communities,” Cato said.

He explained that it was the intention of the management of the station to use it as a vehicle to unite and inspire, as they strive to remain focused on their goals.

“When we sat down to plan the station’s purpose, the primary objective was to explain to the audience, clients and employees, why we exist and it became obvious that 104’s mission would be to educate, inspire, unite and entertain, presenting quality music and broadcasting news on cultural and artistic events, which enrich the mind, nourish the spirit, enhance

THE STUDENTS on the North Leeward side of the island ought not to feel left out, now that Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has announced that they too will be provided with a proper vehicle, to transport them to school.

The bus that will ply the North Windward Gonsalves made route. the announcement while addressing a press briefing last Tuesday.

“We are about to order another bus; this time we ordering it from Star Garage,” the Prime Minister said.

He further boasted that he already had the financing for the new vehicle.

According to Gonsalves, his son, Storm — who is in his final year at law school in London — enquired about the possibility of providing a school bus, this after he heard of the tragedy which occurred at Rock Gutter on January 12, when five students on board a mini-bus died and two are still missing.

The Prime Minister said that he informed his son that he had already purchased a bus for the students of North Windward and had requested from the management of Star Garage, some specifications on a school bus which is expected to arrive in the next three months.

“He (Storm) is an entrepreneur. When he read about the tragedy, on his own, he went and sought out a benefactor to buy a bus,” Gonsalves continued.

The donor provided a sum of money amounting to EC$240,000, Gonsalves continued.

Meanwhile, he confirmed that the school bus that will serve the students on the Windward side of the island arrived in the state earlier this week.

“The bus has landed, and it is being registered and insured,” Gonsalves said.

In relation to who will have the responsibility of operating the new vehicle? The Prime Minister said recommendations were being provided from various people, including the residents of Fancy.

The cost of the bus was estimated to be EC$250,000, and was financed through funding from the Mustique Company, PetroCaribe and the National Lotteries Authority.

Part of the team that drives the power and reach of Xtreme radio. lives and expand perspectives,” he said.

One of the goals as outlined at last Friday’s official launch, at the station’s headquarters along the Vigie (Fountain) highway, was that the station will be an integral part of the community to which it serves.

“To this end, we will be happy to partner with our clients on events that they sponsor; we are also hoping to partner with organisations to cover their events,” Youlandah Gibson, Sales and Administrative Manager said.

“So whether it’s a small goal competition, or community clean-up, we want to be there to let St Vincent and the Grenadines know what people are doing,” she continued.

Senator Camillo Gonsalves, Minister with responsibility for Technology, welcomed the

new initiative.

“There are 13 radio stations in the country – although a lot are on the political talk show side of the equation; but to break into this format of music requires a heavy investment in technology; it requires a heavy investment in talent and it requires a vision to distinguish you from what already exists,” Gonsalves said.

He continued, saying that he believed that will power and the right vision do exist within the new company, and that Richardson and Cato have also been successful in putting together a talented team.

“I believe that Xtreme FM is going to be a player, a major player in music in St Vincent and the Grenadines,” he added.

Xtreme broadcasts on 104.3 FM, which Cross Country Radio once used.

V

26. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

News

St. MartinÊs Young Leaders set to go support of the parent bank, Royal Bank of Canada. Lai noted that the YET ANOTHER secondary school here has young leaders programme started in begun its 2014/2015 Young Leaders’ St. Vincent and the Grenadines some project. nineteen years ago, and it is the On Friday 13th, the St. Martin’s bank’s flagship youth development Secondary School (SMSS) held its programme throughout the Caribbean.

Young Leaders Launching at the “From its inception, we have set out school’s library. In attendance were to provide the young people of St. students from St. Martin’s sister Vincent with the opportunity to school St. Joseph’s Covent, The Girls’ develop leadership skills, and teach High School, along with teachers and you how to work as a team to create students from the school. sustainable projects that improve This year’s Young Leaders theme is lives, conserve our natural ‘Digital Citizenship; Responsibly environment, engage communities Navigating Technology’, and they across the region, and promote social adopted the sub-theme: ‘Respect and financial responsibility” said Lai. through Education that will lead to She said she believes that this the Protection of All’. year’s theme provides the perfect Amelia Lai, a challenge for the students, and she representative from urged them to do their best.

RBTT Bank St. President of the SMSS Young Vincent, said she was Leaders, Erel Hector, explained that addressing the young Digital Citizenship encompassed a leaders with the full gamut of areas of which persons should be made aware.

Amelia Lai, a representative from RBTT He said the Bank St. Vincent, described the Young Leaders Programme as one that provides SMSS Young Leaders would be the young people of St. Vincent with the focusing on opportunity to develop leadership skills.

by KENVILLE HORNE

educating the nation on respecting themselves and others, “which will inevitably lead to the protection of all from the platter of harm that exists in a digitally advanced society such as ours”, said Hector.

Some of areas that the Young Leaders would be focusing on include: etiquette, law, literacy, access and responsibility.

Activities towards this end include of a street beat, interviews in the media, advertisement on Billboards, whistle stops to the Windward side of the island.

Meanwhile, Feature speaker, Paul Morris, a former SMSS student and owner of a technology company,

Young Leaders. (Inset): President Erel Hector. pointed to the advancement of technology.

Morris explained that today a school project does not depend on how many books you read, but rather one’s ability to effectively search the internet.

He urged the Young Leaders not to take the easy way out, but to show, in their activities, that they have an appreciation of the difficult concepts and issues which are raised in the project, “and that you are advancing the unique option to resolve the issues”.

VINLEC Asst. Engineer in Japan for training ASSISTANT ENGINEER at St. Vincent Electricity Services Limited (VINLEC), Mr. Morrison Creese, is currently in Japan attending a sixweek (Feb 16 — Mar, 25) training programme, that is examining ‘Alternative Power Generation Technology for Low Carbon Society (LCS)’.

The main objective of the programme is to provide participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare an Action Plan that will introduce alternative power generation technologies for achieving a minimal output of carbon dioxide emissions.

In addition to study tours to Renewable Energy installations powered by nuclear, hydro, wind, ocean and solar systems, Mr. Creese is expected to involve himself in lectures and seminars focusing on Measures Against Global Warming, Environmental Improvement Efforts, Reduction/Utilization of Waste, Energy Saving and Energy Conservation, Renewable Energy Policy, and Power Generation through Renewable Energy Sources.

Creese, who has been employed with VINLEC for the past five years

and is assigned to the Company’s Planning Department, says he hopes to gain insight into the alternative power generation technologies that are being used in Japan, which will assist Morrison VINLEC with the Creese hopes planning and implementation of its to be in a position on his future Renewable Energy programmes. return, to He also anticipates assist VINLEC that the knowledge in designing its gained would be used Renewable to provide guidance Energy on the technologies Programme, as that are available to well as to offer homeowners, who guidance to wish to own and private operate renewable homeowners. energy systems.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ participation in the programme is being sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the agency responsible for executing Japan’s Official Development Assistance to developing countries.

Anthology of Vincentian Poetry launched AN ANTHOLOGY of and drums.

Vincentian Poetry was A release by the officially launched at the 24th VAAQWP confirmed that International Book Fair of the body of work has been Havana, Cuba, last Friday. translated into Spanish, The Vincentian delegation making it available to at the launch included cultural audiences in Cuba President of the Vincentian and further afield into Association of Artists, Writers Central and South and Producers (VAAWP) and America.

Editor of the Anthology Rene Vincentian writers Baptiste; Cultural Officer featured in the publication Anthony Theobalds; Dance are: Michael Peters, The body of work Jimmy Prince, Nzimbu, Instructor Juanita Phillips, and Music Instructor/Pannist has been Cecil “Blazer” Williams, translated into Rodney Small.

Godfrey “Bobby” Fraser, The Launch took the form Spanish.

Claude Anthony Theobalds, of a Poetry Evening, with Walter Child, Martin readings by Mr. Theobalds and Miss Quashie, Nelcia Robinson-Hazell, Baptiste. dance performances by Miss David “Darkie” Williams, La Fayette Phillips and a scintillating Johnson and Fitzroy Dowers. performance by Rodney Small on pan

V

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015. 27.

Classifieds

In loving memory of the late

Leroy S. Rose

formerly of Belmont and Arnos Vale.

His wife, children, grandchildren and siblings gratefully acknowledge the kind expressions of sympathy on their sad loss a year ago, and would like to thank everyone who attended the service under the breadfruit tree.

Special thanks to the medical staff at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

Sunrise: 05/02/1942

CARLOS TREVOR JOHN S.D. Adventist Church Glen Sunday 15th February, 2015 2:00 p.m.

ALFRED SANDFORD LAVIA

-8/,$1 2¶%5,$1 6/$7(5 ³5$6 .2-2´

St. David Anglican Church Chateaubelair Saturday 14th February, 2015 3:00 p.m.

Questelles SDA Church Thursday 12th February, 2015 3:00 p.m.

CALVIN JOSEPH GLASGOW

LYN LEONARA SARGEANT HENVILLE

Arnos Vale Methodist Church Saturday 14th February, 2015 2:00 p.m.

Bequia Anglican Church Saturday 14th February, 2015 1:30 p.m.

Sunset: 22/02/2014

PEARL FELICIA 2¶1(,/ +(5%(57 6W *HRUJH¶V Cathedral, Kingstown Saturday 14th February 2015 2:00 p.m.

The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

F O R

A.I. REAL ESTATE Brighton 3 bedrm Property 6,264 sq.ft. - $360,000.00 - H715 Langley Park 3 bedrm Property on 4,646 sq.ft. - $140,000.00 - H511

S A L E

FRIDAY,

FEBRUARY 20, 2015

VOLUME 109, No.08

Fort House on 13,180 sq.ft.

www.thevincentian.com

- $500,000.00 - H893

Other listings are available Office: 784) 457-2087/533-0431 Cell: (784)-493-9431 Office:718-807-4376 Email: donp@vincysurf.co Website: www.aisvg.com

EC$1.50

MAN SHOT BY POLICE WHILE IN HANDCUFFS

by KENVILLE HORNE

A SOUTH RIVERS MAN would like to get his fair share of justice.

Nicklan King is currently warded at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH), nursing a gunshot injury to his left leg, after he said he was shot by a police officer last Sunday, February 15, while he was at the home of a lady in Park Hill.

In an interview with THE VINCENTIAN on Wednesday, King admitted owing the court EC$5000 for “hitting a Colonarie man with a big stone,” after he was stabbed by the man.

The incident happened last year, but he was unable to pay the fine and, as a result, a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.

On Sunday morning, according to King, he was at a lady’s house in Park Hill where he had gone to lay tiles. He was eating some food the lady had offered him when two officers approached him from behind.

One had a gun, and it was he who informed King that there was a warrant out for him. King acknowledged that to be true, but he was handcuffed, and “be time me tell the man so, he rest the gun right on me foot and shoot me and drag me and tell me, me must walk. So me start to bawl and tell him me can’t walk.”

King said a man helped him into a jeep which transported him to the Georgetown hospital, from where he was transferred to the MCMH. He said, even up to that point, no statement was taken from him, but the police officer informed him that when he was released from the hospital, he would be going to prison.

Explaining the extent of his injuries, King said the bone in the upper region of his left leg is “mash up,” and he required four pints of blood for an

operation to attend to his wound and damge caused. He is not certain whether he can walk.

“Me go like to see justice, cause is $5000 me have to pay and if me go a jail with this foot here, ah suffer me going suffer,” said King.

He said he is seeking his sister’s assistance in paying the “ fee and then we go fight the case.”

King is adamant that he never resisted the police. “Me na fight back or nothing… Me Nicklan King, warded at the MCMH, alleges that he was shot by a police officer, while he was ain’t give them no handcuffed. trouble, the man just come and rest the gun When THE VINCENTIAN hearing about the incident, right there and shoot me,” said said that was the responsibility of the contacted Commissioner and he would investigate the King pointing to his leg.

Commissioner of Police to Michael Charles, he said it matter. “It sounds crazy to An eye witness to the disclose. was the first time he was me,” said Charles. incident, who refused to be identified by name, said she is saddened by the incident. She is fearful and surprised that a man

by DAYLE DA SILVA a shop when he saw could be shot while people running from a handcuffed. The PLUTO POPE remembers his nearby corner. witness confirmed brother, Rohandale Young, as an One of the individuals King’s account of the individual who liked “to party.” ran into the shop where incident.

According to the release from he was standing, and told THE the Police, Young, a 40-year-old him that his brother was VINCENTIAN also farmer and Lowmans Windward on the ground and was contacted the lady for resident, died after receiving not moving. whom King was chop wounds he sustained On his way to the scene working when he was during an altercation with where the incident shot. She said she another man, Amron Walker, occurred, Pope said that was shaken by the who was also injured during the he was joined by two incident. incident last Saturday. siblings, who also Head of the The incident occurred around informed him that Young Complaints and 7 pm, according to the police was lying on the ground Public Relations report, shortly after the funeral motionless.

Department of the of Ortis Jack.

He said he checked for Police Force, ASP Pope could not give an a pulse, and conducted Jonathan Nicholls, account of what took place, but other minor tests on his The outline of Young’s body as it lay said he was contacted said that he remembered his brother to determine if he motionless along the roadside. by someone who brother coming home, but that was dead. Young never Inset: Rohandale Young’s body wanted to make a he did not know at what point responded, Pope said. showed signs of a stab wound. report on King’s he would have left.

There was a stab behalf, but he Pope said that he wound to the chest and a that he liked to have fun. informed the person remembered the altercation, but chop wound on the left side of With regard to his well-being, that he cannot take a was able to restore calm and his back, Pope explained.

Pope said that he was trying to second hand report. talk his brother into going home Pope and his now deceased remain calm.

Asked whether the peacefully. brother shared the same abode.

“I am taking it easy — I try to Police Officer had He (Pope) said that he left his He said that his brother was hold up, to be strong,” Pope said. given a statement on home and was in the vicinity of not one to cause trouble, but the incident, Nicholls

Another chopping death

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

Printed by the SVG Publishers Inc., Campden Park.