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FRIDAY,
MAY 29, 2015
VOLUME 109, No.22
MANÊS MURDER ANGERS RELATIVES
www.thevincentian.com
Orantel Clarke died from a single gunshot wound to his abdomen.
THE REALATIVES OF ORANTEL CLARKE, also known as Keron Clarke, whose body was discovered on a dirt track at Langley Park, last Monday, May 25, Continued on Page 3.
(From left back): Irma Clake (mother), Lennox Johnson (father), Lenisha Clarke (sister) and Orantel Clarke’s daughter are grieving but angry over the death of their loved one.
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CHESTER COTTAGE YOUTH KILLED Stories by KENVILLE HORNE AN ALLEGED ONGOING FEUD between two rival groups in the community of Chester Cottage might just have resulted in the death of one individual from that community. Ranique ‘Waddo’ Ranique ‘Waddo’ Phillips might have lost Phillips, 20 years old, his life by the hands of received stab wounds persons whom he had to his chest and back befriended. during a dispute at a bar in Byera, last week Friday, May 22. It was reported that the stabbing occurred during a Karaoke session at the bar. Ranique was pronounced dead at 5 am on Saturday, at the Georgetown Hospital. Four other persons, involved in the fracas, were also taken to the Georgetown Hospital for medical attention. A group of men, from Chester Cottage, is said to be presently in custody, as police continue their investigations.
Community saddened When THE VINCENTIAN visited the community this week, many persons there expressed how sad theywere by what had happened. Continued on Page 3.
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2. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN
News
Digicel in ÂCarnival BlastÊ TELECOMS SERVICE provider Digicel took the opportunity of the inaugural ‘Carnival Blast’ event, Saturday 23rd May at Victoria Park, to showcase their products Left: Digicel was on hand to attend to the needs of customers.
and services. In addition, the popular Digicel Cash Vault provided added excitement for the patrons, driving top-up sales, and giving customers an opportunity to receive valuable products such as talk and text bundles, free data and bonus credit. Digicel partners, the masquerade band Nelson Bloc and Monday Mas specialists The Network, provided costumes and tshirt band packs, ensuring added value to
the vault. The event climaxed with the Digicel-cosponsored, ‘The Street Is Our Home’ — Xtreme 104.3 free concert which provided patrons with a preview of the 2015 offerings of local soca artistes, including Shaunelle McKenzie, Mad Skull, Luta, Fireman Hooper and Hance. Saturday’s involvement reassured the public of Digicel’s commitment to Vincy Mas 2015.
V News 3 Another murder Chester Cottage
THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. 3.
INVESTIGATIONS are on-going into the shooting death of Cameron ‘Dotcom’ Primus. According to Police, Primus’ body was discovered in his vehicle in area in known as Walker Piece in New Montrose, with a gunshot wound to his head, around 3:18 yesterday morning. Primus worked as manager of one of this country’s popular night spots, ‘Tree House Bar’, in Arnos Vale. This now brings the number of recent murders to three, beginning with the death of Ranique ‘Waddo’ Phillips, 20, of Chester Cottage, who was stabbed about his body during an altercation last Friday at Byera, and Orantel Clark, 23, who succumbed to a bullet he received to his abdomen last Monday. The number of murders committed for the year now stands at eight. (DDD)
youth killed Continued from Front page.
Cameron ‘Dotcom’ Primus’ death brings the murder count to eight for this year.
Man’s murder angers relatives Continued from Front page. are as much aggrieved by his death, as they are angry about the manner in which he was killed. And they are calling for justice to be served on the person/persons who perpetrated the crime. Clarke, a 23-year-old blocks builder and steel bender, received a single gunshot to the right side of his abdomen at about 12:44 am on Monday 25. He died on the spot. According to a police press release, two persons are in custody assisting with their investigations.
A mother’s grief When THE VINCENTIAN visited the deceased’s family home in New Chapman’s, the atmosphere was a mixed one. Clarke’s one-year-old daughter played in the yard, still not aware that she would not see her father again. His mother, Irma Clarke who usually takes care of her grandchild, said that, since her father’s death, she appears a bit more “fretful.” According to Irma, sometime after 1am, while at home, she heard a single gunshot. “When I hear the shot, a say all yo hear dey na,” she recalled. She was unaware that
her son had been shot. “Me na bin know a Keron them shot,” said the grieving mother. Shortly after the gunshot, the deceased’s daughter woke and “I had to feed her a bottle of tea and put her back to sleep,” Irma said. About two minutes later, a family friend called her and delivered the terrible news. Clarke recounted the caller saying, “‘Me na know how to tell yo this, but Keron get shoot’.” She then called on Lenisha and Jerry, her daughter and son and told them, “Leh arwe go see.” She the burst into tears. She recalled crying so much that she took ill. She recovered enough to recount the last moments she shared with her son. It was the day before he died. He brought his daughter to her and told her that he was going by his child’s mother. “The last thing he say is, ‘Mama, me gone,” Clarke sadly recounted. She expressed anger that her son was killed, “because he doesn’t trouble people. Keron was good to me. When me and his father na bin a work, he would send money from Canouan for we; but after he use to spend all his money on his daughter.”
A call for justice According to the deceased’s sister, Lenisha Clarke, one of the people in custody assisting the police with their investigation, had had an altercation with her brother in the past. She said something took place, and admitted that Keron had chopped him in his head. Other than that, she said her brother was not known to be in trouble, and she is Jerry Clarke, the unsure if retaliation deceased’s brother, is was a factor that angry about the whole contributed to her affair. brother’s death. Lennox Johnson, Keron’s father, said that with him he go react . He likes to smoke and make he and his son had a jokes. Watch the man close relationship. They daughter. She na going would usually work know him. The only way together, and Johnson I going remember him is said that his son was a through his daughter.” man who liked to work. He too, called for “Me still have the (Concrete) blocks mould, justice. Prior to his death, and he had his brother Orantel Clarke had blocks to build,” said Lennox. “He remind me completed an application of myself, he never make form seeking employment in the any trouble; the only Grenadines island of trouble I know he make Mustique. was when he chop the He is a former student guy, when they had of the Georgetown interfere with him. I Government School and want justice, “declared the Georgetown the elder Johnson. A visible Jerry Clarke Secondary School. He also worked in Canouan. said of his brother, Clarke’s death is listed “Keron is a man who as the 7th homicide for don’t interfere with anybody. If yo interfere the year.
One villager said that the men involved in the fracas grew up together; that most of them attended the Pamelus Burke Government School and the George Stephens Secondary; and that they even worked together on the Grenadine island of Canouan. One of Ranique’s neighbours, an elderly lady, described him as a jovial person. “He could a mek a joke, and he could a tek a joke. One thing about him, if he notice yo serious, he go stop. Me feel real bad, everybody cry,” she said. She recalled that the young man had just resumed his duties as bartender at Miriam Bar in Georgetown, following a brief vacation. Another villager said he was a friend of persons in the two groups that were involved, and he, too, was saddened by the incident. He referred to the incident as “putting a strain on Chester,” and of “dem bring down Chester with this stupidness.”
‘Like my own son’ Norman Mial, Ranique’s stepfather, said he was like his own son. He first became involved with Ranique’s mother after his father died of cancer; the boy was three years old at the time. Mial described his stepson as “Jokify and like to play with people. I use to tell him, when yo a play, know who you a play with and how to play with people. He would just laugh.” He admitted that as Ranique grew older, “he start getting his own way. He go be here,
Norman Mial, the deceased’s stepfather, said he considered Ranique to be like his own son. there and everywhere. He like his dance, and girls,” adding, “I would tell him sometimes na go dance, because he have to work, but he would say he go still get up for work even if he go dance.” Mial confirmed those involved in the incident that led to Ranique’s death are all friends and have worked in Canouan for a number of years. He said after they returned from the Grenadines island, they started getting into problems.”Police lock them up and caution them in this year,” said Mial He last saw his stepson on Friday night, when he came to change his clothes. At about 4 am on Saturday, he received news that Ranique had been stabbed to death. “I felt sad to know that someone who grow up with me as a son have to die that way,” he said with a jerk in his voice. THE VINCENTIAN was unable to get in touch with the deceased’s mother, but Mial said she was devastated by the loss of her son. Ranique ‘Waddo’ Phillips’ death was the sixth homicide for 2015.
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4. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN
Crime
Police appeal for restraint PAGE STORIES IN THIS ISSUE), and asked if AT LEAST two high ranking there was a need for members to the Royal SVG greater police presence Police Force are appealing there, Charles assured to persons to show that there is already a restraint whenever they are large police presence on involved in disputes. that side of the island. When THE “We try to give the VINCENTIAN contacted Division Commanders the Michael Charles, resources to police their Commissioner of Police, divisions,” said Charles. following two homicides The Commissioner over the weekend on the noted that crime is of Windward side of St. great concern, “but we Vincent (SEE FRONT have no control in some by KENVILLE HORNE
Commissioner of Police Michael Charles assured that Police Divisions are given the necessary resources to police their jurisdictions.
instances.” He explained that activities such as a Block O attract greater surveillance by the police, “but at a Karaoke you do not anticipate any real violence.” CoP Charles assured that, once a crime has been committed, an investigation ensues, and once evidence is collected and verified, a person or persons are arrested. The courts, he
‘Watchmen not paid to watch toilets’ by HAYDN HUGGINS CARL WILLIAMS, warden of the Kingstown Board, says, “The talk that watchmen are paid only to watch the toilets at the Leeward Bus Terminal is nonsense.” Williams made the comment during an interview with THE VINCENTIAN on Wednesday. Owners and operators of business houses at the Leeward Bus Terminal complained to THE VINCENTIAN last week, that their businesses are constantly being burglarized and their stocks stolen. Some of them said they were told that the watchmen on duty at the terminal from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily, are being paid by the Kingstown Board to watch the toilets and not the businesses. The story was carried on page 4 of THE VINCENTIAN last week Friday, and headlined, ‘Business operators complain of constant break-ins’. But Williams told THE VINCENTIAN, “The toilets are in the termina, but they (watchmen) are not paid to watch the toilets.” The warden explained that the watchmen are employed because there is need to protect the Terminal and the facilities there from being vandalized. Williams added that there are
shops inside the Terminal and, therefore, the watchmen have to also ensure that The Warden of the Kingstown nobody interferes with Board has affirmed that watchmen are employed to protect the those Kingstown Bus Terminal and the businesses. facilities from being vandalized. Williams pointed out that he was that from the time the Leeward viciously Bus Terminal was opened about attacked by an Supt. Ruth ten years ago, the Kingstown unmasked Jacobs, Head Board employed watchmen to gunman around of the CID, secure the area. 9:50 p.m., May confirmed that “Shops came after, but 15, in what he at least one watchmen were there before believed to be business shops came,” the Town Board an attempted operator at the warden said. robbery of his Williams denied knowledge of business place, Leeward Bus terminal had constant burglarizing of business ‘Iron Tuff and made a report places at the Terminal. He Foster about an recalled that one incident had Creations’, attempted been reported to him, but that located at the robbery. was reported by a Kingstown Leeward Bus Board worker. He said he had Terminal. summoned a meeting with the The new head of the Criminal watchmen to discuss that matter. Investigation Department (CID), Williams said he was not Superintendent Ruth Jacobs, had saying there were no other confirmed that Foster made a incidents, but he indicated that report to the police and the those reports might have been matter was under investigation. made to the police and not to the That story, headlined ‘Iron Kingstown Board. Tuff’ fights off gunman’ was also Rudolf ‘Iron Tuff’ Foster told carried on page 4 of THE THE VINCENTIAN last week VINCENTIAN last week Friday.
Operation Traffic Storm undertaken by the Traffic Branch of the WITHIN the past three Royal St. Vincent and weeks, several persons the Grenadines Police have been taken to Force, in collaboration court on charges of using with police stations unlicensed vehicles, throughout the nation, using uninsured including the vehicles, and driving Grenadines. without a driver’s When contacted this permit, while others week, head of the Traffic have been penalized on Branch, Superintendent ticketable offences. Kenneth John, told THE This comes as a result VINCENTIAN that the of an ongoing operation has so far nationwide police been successful. He crackdown. noted that police have The action, dubbed been carrying out checks ‘Operation Traffic on motor vehicles since Storm’, is being January, but have now BY HAYDN HUGGINS
stepped up that action. John is appealing to all owners and drivers of motor vehicles to ensure that their vehicles are licensed, insured and road worthy, and he made an appeal to drivers to ensure that they have a valid driver’s permit. “Do not wait until you Supt. Kenneth John are caught by the police. confirmed that the Go and pay your licence Traffic Department has and insurance, because intensified its action if you are caught, you with respect to will be dealt with in carrying out checks on accordance with the motor vehicles. laws of St. Vincent and Traffic Chief warned. the Grenadines,” the
reminded, have the final say. Charles is, however, asking persons to show more restraint, and to settle their differences without the use of weapons. Pressed on how confident he was regarding arrests in the matters surrounding the deaths of Ranique Phillips and Orantel Clarke, Charles said that he would not comment, since investigations are ongoing. Meanwhile, Inspector of Police Hawkins Nanton, currently in charge of the Police Public Relations and Complaints Department, told THE VINCENTIAN on Wednesday, when quizzed about the persons assisting the police with their investigation into the two weekend homicides, that, “Our position with regard to both murders is we continue to investigate,
Inspector Hawkins Nanton spoke of the police ongoing effort to collect all the necessary evidence before charges are laid. and we’re gathering all the information with respect to them. We are dealing with them expeditiously and will seek direction from the Director of Public Prosecution with respect to these matters.” He confirmed that up to Wednesday, no one has been charged in connection with any of the weekend murders. Inspector Nanton also appealed for persons to exercise caution.
Trini jailed for escaping Belle Isle by HAYDN HUGGINS TRINIDADIAN Desmond ‘Cat’ Pavy has been handed a new sentence, after escaping from a prison facility here 15 months ago. Pavy was on Thursday, May 14, 2015, sentenced to two years in prison for escaping lawful custody at the Belle Isle Correctional Facility, on February 22, 2014. He pleaded guilty before Magistrate Carla James at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court. Desmond ‘Cat’ The sentence will run Pavy has had consecutively to a nine-year prison two years term he is serving for drug related added on to his original offences, for which he was nine-year sentenced on November 17, 2011, along with two other Trinidadians. sentence. According to the facts presented by Constable Shamrack Pierre, on the morning of February 22, 2014, Pavy, who was assigned to kitchen duty at the Belle Isle Correctional Facility, was taken out of his cell for work, and investigations revealed that, while on the outside, he seized the opportunity to climb over the fence. He made good his escape and subsequently returned to his homeland. Pavy told the court he made the dash because he was frustrated, and that he wanted medication. Pavy was brought back to St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Wednesday, May 13, 2015, about four months after a Trinidad court committed him to be extradited to SVG. He had been remanded in the twin Island Republic to await extradition. Reports are that Pavy was arrested in Trinidad and Tobago on March 26, 2014 after intelligence reports revealed that he was spotted in that country. As a result, a request was immediately made by authorities here to detain him under a provisional arrest warrant. He had been on the run for about a month.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. 5.
Regional
Castro heading back to church?
“I WILL RESUME PRAYING and turn to the Church again, if the Pope continues in this vein.” So said Cuban President Raul Castro, following a recent visit to the Vatican. President Castro stopped in for an audience with Pope Francis, on his way back from attending Russia’s World War Two Victory Day in Moscow.
Speaking after a reported 50-minute private audience on Sunday 10th May , President Castro praised the Pope and told reporters: “The pontiff is a Jesuit, and I, in some way, am too. I studied at Jesuit schools.” And after suggesting he might turn again to the Church, he added: “I mean what I say.”
The Cathedral of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception is one of eleven Roman Catholic cathedrals in Cuba. (Credit: www. thecubanhistory.com)
Both Raul and his predecessor, Cuba’s first revolutionary President, Fidel Castro, were baptized Roman Catholics. Following the revolution of 1959, the regime sought to suppress Church related activities in Cuba. Pope Francis has, from very early into his service as Pope, reportedly made overtures to both Cuba and the USA. In fact, the Pope is credited with having brokered a rapprochement between the two feuding countries, interestingly separated by a strait of a mere 90 miles from the nearest points. President Castro has been openly thankful to Pope Francis for the role he played in facilitating secret talks at the Vatican, which resulted in the December 2014 announcement that Cuba and the USA will begin talks towards re-opening
More Tourism Development for Cuba THERE SEEMS to be no end of investors lining up to benefit from what is expected to be the eventual full lifting of the US trade embargo against Cuba. Ever since the announcement in December 2014 of efforts towards normalizing relations between the two countries, investors from across the globe have focused on the potential of Cuba. Not least among the interest is the reservoir of potential for tourism in Cuba. And towards this end, a Chinese company is the latest to cash in. Last week, according to official media in Cuba, the president of the Beijing Enterprise Group (Chinese) and Business Director of the Cuban Tourism Ministry, Wang Dong and Jose Reinaldo Daniel, respectively, signed a letter of intent, giving the green light to build a golf course, marina, condominiums and hotels. On completion, the golf course will be the second regulation-sized 18- hole) golf course in Cuba. In fact, the new development would be on the northern coast, between Havana and the Varadero beach resort, Cuba’s most famous tourism attraction and site of its only regulation-sized golf course. This recent signing with the Beijing Enterprise Group follows on a similar agreement signed last year with a British company, for a site just east of the Varadero beach resort, and valued at $350 million, with construction scheduled to begin in 2016.
Cuba is home to 12 golf courses, but only one is of regulation size (18 holes). Left: Wang Dong, CEO Beijing Enterprise Group, signed the agreement on behalf of his company. There were no immediate details with respect to cost and commencement of construction, as far as the Beijing Enterprise Group-Cuba agreement was concerned. Since the loosening of restrictions on Americans traveling to Cuba as part of the President’s historic December announcement, travel agencies have reported a huge increase in inquiries about Cuba, and airlines are lining up to establish regular flights in lieu of existing charters. Last year, according to Cuban officials, 100,000 Americans not of Cuban origin visited the island, and so far this year through March, there has been a 20 percent increase in arrivals. Some 350,000 Cuban Americans also visited their homeland in 2014. Cuba saw roughly 900,000 arrivals from Canada, 530,000 from Europe and 800,000 from other regions, in 2014. (Article Source: Reuters, Granma)
of diplomatic relations, which were terminated soon after the 1959 revolution. The Catholic Church, i.e. the Vatican, has always maintained ties Pope Francis and President Raul Castro in conversation during with Havana Castro’s last visit to the Vatican. (Credit: www.news.va) since the 1959 revolution, and the US. the Spanish-speaking Pope Francis will become He follows in the Caribbean island in 1998 the third Pope since the footsteps of Pope John and 2012 respectively. revolution to visit Cuba. (Source: BBC and Vatican He will do so in September Paul 11, and Pope Benedict XV1 who visited News) this year, on his way to
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6. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN
Diaspora
Campaign fundraisers intensify in NY
(SPOONY), an arm of the NDP, staged what officials described as a very successful BBQ at Standard Shippers, owned by Biabou native Gideon ‘Fessy’ Yorke, on Clarendon Road. Eustace, the opposition leader and NDP president, and Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) for North Leeward, Roland ‘Patel’ Matthews, were on hand, mingling with the crowd, listening to supporters’ advice and concerns, and strategizing on how to prevent the Gonsalves-led administration from Eustace (L) with Spoony president Stephen gaining a fourth, five-year “Scombo” John (R) and Spoony vice president term. Charmaine Bailey. Eustace, an economist Story and photos by Prime Minister Dr. Ralph by training, who has been criticized within and NELSON A. KING E. Gonsalves, and the without his party for lack naking@verizon.net main opposition New of charisma and social US CORRESPONDENT Democratic Party (NDP), interaction skills, spent a of former Prime Minister significant portion of his AS THE COUNTDOWN Arnhim Eustace, have time conversing with intensifies in anticipation of demonstrated their patrons — to the delight of fresh general elections in fervent commitment to SPOONY officials. St. Vincent and the both parties by attending “We’re very grateful to Grenadines, constitutionally barbecues in Brooklyn and a number of organizations due by early next year, New Queens, hosted by the and persons who York-based supporters of parties’ affiliates and supported a very the two main political individuals. successful barbecue,” parties have begun hosting Stephen ‘Scombo’ John, a series of fundraising NDP Time SPOONY president and events. former NDP candidate for Over the Memorial On Saturday, the South Windward, told Holiday weekend, Brooklyn-based St. THE VINCENTIAN nationals and friends of Vincent and the afterwards. “It was nice to both the incumbent Unity Grenadines Progressive Labour Party (ULP), of Organization of New York have our leader interacting with so many different Vincentians who came out to the event. “This is definitely NDP time, and we’re prepared to rid our country of the scourge that’s infecting our nation. We’ll stay strong and work together as a party until victory is achieved,” added John, a high school principal in Brooklyn. Matthews, who attended his first fundraising BBQ in New York, also told THE VINCENTIAN that “the Eustace greets community advocate Maxwell experience was a great Haywood. one. “I got to interact with quite a few people from home,” he said. “What amazed me, too, is the way in which people are well in-tune with current issues back in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. “I really enjoyed the multiple discussions with Vincentians at the SPOONY BBQ,” he added. “In all, I truly enjoyed the occasion, and hope that organizations, such as L-R: Richland Park supporter Arthur Pompey,MP SPOONY, will be given Roland “Patel” Matthews and NDP activist Doug the support to continue Howard.
Queuing up for ULP BBQ. the good work it [they] is [are] doing.” Eustace and Matthews were also the featured guests at a SPOONY “sit and chat” fundraiser Friday evening at Café Omar, a few yards from Standard Shippers. Café’ Omar is owned and operated by Dr. Kendall Stewart, a Union Islandborn former New York City Councilman. Stewart’s elder brother, Glenford Stewart, a former NDP Communications and Works Minister, will join Eustace and Matthews on Sunday for what SPOONY officials expect to be a massive town hall meeting at the Friends of Crown Heights Educational Center in Brooklyn. The event, to be broadcast live on the local NICE Radio, begins at 6:00 pm, John said.
Alexander and other officials. “It seems as though people are enthused about supporting the candidate (Browne) and the party. “We’ve had a number of fundraisers, and they’re been good,” added Raguette, who hails from Lodge Village, Kingstown. “People are enthusiastic of ULP activist Chris the candidate, the party Ralph signaling a leader (Gonsalves) and the potential fourth, fiveprogress that the ULP has year term for the ULP. made in the last 14 years cocktail reception for and counting.” Foreign Affairs Minister Chris Ralph, a South Camillo Gonsalves, ULP Rivers-born ULP activist candidate for East St. and coordinator for all ULP-affiliated fundraising George, at the Friends of Crown Heights events in New York, said Educational Center. he was very pleased with Toney, a Calliaqua the support for the BBQ. native, is the president “It’s a good, private event — nice participation and chief executive officer of the Friends of Crown from friends and family,” he said, adding that “a lot Heights Educational Centers. of the patrons here are Friends of Roland Luke’s relatives.” "Patel" Matthews hold a Erlin Richards — a ULP Time former police officer in the fundraising BBQ in his Royal St. Vincent and the honor, on Saturday, May Over in Laurelton, 30, at Ralty's Variety Grenadines Police Force, Queens, Lennox and who will be hosting a BBQ Store, 78 Utica Avenue, Avette Joslyn hosted on between Dean and Pacific on Friday evening, at his Memorial Day, Monday, a Brooklyn residence, for Streets, in Brooklyn, New backyard BBQ in honor of ULP North Leeward York. The event starts at ULP candidate for West candidate Carlos James — 4:00 pm. The Member of Kingstown, Luke Browne. said Browne was unable to Parliament for North The event was attended attend the event because Leeward will be in by stalwart ULP of his participation in the attendance. supporters and friends, ULP youth convention including officials from the last Sunday. Brooklyn-based Friends of Browne will be St. Vincent and the challenging Eustace for Grenadines Committee, the second time in the the ULP New York arm, East Kingstown as well as by former St. constituency. Vincent Labour Party The ‘Friends of (SVLP) MP for South Carlos James’ will also Central Windward, Offord be conducting a ‘Night Morris, and erstwhile of Praise’ fundraising Deputy New York Consul gospel concert for the General Cyril “Scorcher” candidate on Saturday, Thomas. May 30, at 2205 Utica “It’s a good turn-out,” Avenue, Brooklyn. Wayne Raguette, James is expected to president of the Friends of attend both the BBQ Kim Morgan with Lemrick St. Vincent and the Jack Alexander, vice and gospel concert, Grenadines Committee, president of the Friends of Richards said. told THE VINCENTIAN, St. Vincent and the On Jul. 25, Vaughn flanked by his vice Grenadines Committee of Toney and friends will president Lemrick Jack New York. host a fundraising
V Save water, avoid fires
THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. 7.
News
by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY JOAN RYAN, PUBLIC RELATIONS and Marketing Manager at the Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA), is encouraging persons to be mindful with the use of water. Her appeal comes in the wake of a prolonged dry period which some pundits are assessing as being the most arid May month in a long period. The CWSA indicated that the supply from the Montreal System was below its half-way mark in May. Residents in Higher Lowmans, New Grounds, Chapmans, Diamonds, Smith Valley, Kmackabrew, and New Adelphi had their supplies rationed as a way of coping with the reduced storage at the intake. That was between nine in the mornings and six pm. Residents have been cautioned against watering lawns with hoses, and washing vehicles in that fashion. Caretakers of schools and public buildings have been asked to report leaks promptly to the Building Roads and General Services Authority (BRAGSA). The public has been reminded to report leaks to the CWSA. The CWSA advised that failure to cooperate with the requests “may result in the CWSA having to reluctantly employ serious measures, including the disconnection of service.” Ryan indicated that river flows were below normal, but that the CWSA was trying to maintain a 24-hour supply to as many residents as possible. Even as the hurricane season approaches, the CWSA was continuing to monitor the lack of rainfall. She wants the conservation process to be all inclusive. The Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, as well as the Police, have been playing their role in helping to make the nation aware of the dangers of forest fires;
but Ryan wants it to be a nationwide campaign. She is encouraging persons not to light fire in the communities, especially as this adds a strain on the dwindling water supplies.
Persons must be careful with how they dispose of cigarette butts, and Ryan would be pleased if those persons who delight in setting fires maliciously, cut out the practice.
In this prolonged dry period, the CWSA is urging a wise use of the main water supply in SVBG.
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8. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 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 That no glass policy IT WAS NOT VERY LONG AGO (circa mid-1990s) when the Carnival Development Committee, now Carnival Development Corporation, (CDC), recognizing an alarming trend of the use of glass and other sharp objects to settle disagreements during the carnival celebrations, sought to encourage a ‘no glass policy’ at its shows. That original ‘policy’ extended only to the interior of Victoria Park, Carnival City. In fact, because of the ad hoc nature of the CDC at the time, it would have found itself hard-pressed, if not totally unable, to ‘enforce’ the ‘policy’ outside of those physical confines. Notwithstanding, this was the beginning of an effort aimed at inculcating a new attitude. The CDC was unambiguous about one requirement: Drinks providers (manufacturers, distributors) should take the lead and provide plastic cups for those bar operators whom they served. Sadly, the ‘policy’ attracted reluctant and strained support, both from within and without the status quo. Not least among the reluctant ‘co-operants was at least one drinks provider, whose ‘attitude’ was that It was going to cost the company an additional bit, if it was that plastic cups would have to be provided to all bar operators. The argument was taken further when some proffered that no drinks provider could supply all the cups necessary, thereby leading to additional costs for bar operators. The price of drinks would have to go up, was a challenge thrown straight in the face of CDC, which, for a while, reconsidered the whole exercise and the possible political fallout. Gladly, wisdom reigned, and the policy remained. In the midst of all the skepticism, the ‘no glass policy’ of encouragement continued and in time, after much clamouring for it by the custodians of law and order, the informal ‘no glass policy’ became a formal policy, supported by legislation. There are those who would say that this is an attitudinal issue and , therefore, we should have been able to find resolution without something as ‘draconian’ as a piece of legislation. Why, say some, must we be made to behave proper, only because it is demanded by law? That proper behavior must be enforced, legislated, makes for a good case that this continuing practice is not far from being a legacy of our slavery/indentureship past. Whatever, the ‘no glass policy’ has become part of the recurring landscape of our carnival. That’s that!! Whether the drinks providers are the ones who supply the cups, or whether the bar operators simply tack on or absorb the cost for a cup they might provide themselves, adherence to the policy has been commendable; to the point that there have been indications that other CARICOM countries are wont to take a page from our book. And interestingly, observation speaks to a gentle reminder when persons are seen to infringe the rule, rather than any ‘draconian’ action by the law authorities. It has become, with its wide-ranging intention, a soft enactment. But of course, there is fallout. The use of plastic and Styrofoam glasses and other like containers and their indiscriminate dumping wherever and whenever, create unbecoming scenes on our streets, gutters, rivers, ravines, even private alleyways. The over-abundance of discarded non-biodegradable products at this time of year, is a curse in itself. We are, it seems, ready to accept the widespread use of nonbiodegradable products if it means lessening the chances of some violent, life-threatening, if not life-taking incident(s) at our carnival. And if the truth be told, whether it is because of the ‘no glass policy’, or simply that we have learned to respect the carnival, there has been a marked decrease in the number of acts of violence and generally abusive and threatening behaviour during our Carnival. The ‘policy’, however, fails to capture a place within the revelry on the road. It is there, to the road, it would appear from past occurrences and what we have noted so far for 2015, that the violence - bloody and life-threatening - has now wended its way. It is nothing short of impossible to prevent aggressive, even violent action and reaction during the course of thousands of seemingly intoxicated persons rubbing dangerously on one another, oblivious to who belongs to whom. Patience struggles to be a virtue in these circumstances. That sadly is the extent of the no glass policy. It works well for confined and controlled spaces; its application is mooted elsewhere. The need for a true attitudinal change is still at large.
St. Vincent’s Botanic Gardens by Al T. Daisy Tim Daisy had been our foremost poet, playwright and stage performer in the 1960s. In 1964, he became a foundation member of the Kingstown Literary Society which published a periodical “Flambeau”. Among his literary gems was an article written in commemoration of our Botanic Gardens on the celebration of its 200 years of existence in 1965. It is now 250 years old and still going strong. But persons like Tim hardly feature in the New Dispensation, in its focus in highlighting the history, life and promise of the Gardens. As the past Editor of “Flambeau” and a fan of Tim Daisy, I understood the sacrifices which he made in forging ahead with our cultural development which formed part of his “Bitter Harvest”. Tim died unregretted and unsung in 1973, 42, years ago, a disillusioned and dejected personality. The following article, reproduced on the 250th year of the existence of the Botanical Gardens, serves to register appreciation of the Timothy Daisys of our country, and re-focus attention on the contribution made by such icons. “In 1765, a Botanic Garden was started in St. Vincent by General Robert Melville, Governor-inChief of the then Windward Federation. Its purpose was to produce “the exotic and valuable commercial plants from the East.” Over the years, economic gains have waned in importance, and 1965 finds that Garden a veritable showcase of Nature’s beauty. Her whitened triple-gated entrance stands tall, cognizant of the fact that she encloses the oldest Botanic Garden in the Western Hemisphere. With zestful enthusiasm, Dr. George Young set about his task as its first curator and, with the aid of its fertile volcanic soil, the Garden began to outstrip the verdurous luxuriance and multifarious vegetation that clothed her mother island. By 1773, it had attained an enviable reputation, and received wide acclaim. Today, with the laurels of two centuries flourishing within her, history re-enters the portals of the past to recall with gratitude the men responsible for making this Garden famous. Men like Dr. George Young, its first foster father (1765); Valentine Morris; Dr. Alexander Anderson (1783); Lockhead (1815) who is reputed to have been buried in his beloved Botanic Garden; H. Powell (1890); William Sands (1904), who became St. Vincent’s first Agricultural Superintendent and is responsible for the small Doric temple with its Allamanda fountain beside the lily pond; T.P Jackson (1919); A.K. Briant (1933); C.K. Robertson (1938); M.A.G. Hanschell (1948); J.M. Cave (1952). It is left to posterity to acknowledge the gallant work being done by her present custodians — H.S. Mc Connie, Superintendent of Agriculture since 1956, and C.L. De Freitas — both sons of the soil. The lean years of incompetence and negligence, of stubborn battles with the elements, all lie buried in her annals, and today, St. Vincent Botanic Garden is the attraction of international visitors and royalty. In March 1964, she gave a command performance to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother; then in November of that same year, she pruned herself again for Prince Phillip to become the setting for a miniature Island Exhibition and a Garden Party. As one enters from south, a white arch enclosing iron-barred triple gates bear testimony of an age when carriages provided the transportation. He may stop entranced by the sudden aura of blissful serenity and fragrant aroma. And if he is gifted with a vivid imagination, he may hear, while he pauses, the
clippety-cloy of horses and the rolling of the buggy wheels through the main gates, sandwiched by the tramping, shuffling feet of pedestrians. In so reminiscing, he would have recreated the purpose of the design in its historical setting. Twenty-eight different varieties of hibiscus meet his gaze as he walks up the center path — some line the walk, sharing it with regal palms that reach for the sky; others are scattered amidst the profusion of Tropical Flora. There are bougainvillea, immortelles, the flamboyant Cassia Multijuga, the spectacular “pink appleblossoms” and the stately “golden shower” or Cassia Jistula. Supporting this colourful array are the “Red African Tulip” (Spathodea), the purple and white species of Petras, a lavish assortment of Bauhinias in pink, mauve, white, red and yellow. The resplendent Queen-ofFlowers, the showy “Yellow Ebonies” from Jamaica, the incomparable Poinsettias — double red, pink, yellow and white — add their contribution to this kaleidoscopic display coupled with a most beautiful collection of Frangi-panis which adorns the upper slopes. Flowering and non-flowering hedges protect this pageantry. (It will take a book if one were to list the infinite variety of plants that abound in the Botanic Garden where Mother Nature frolics in wild abandonment, jealously guarded by Vincentians.) In 1828 progress wrested three acres from her twenty acre area for the erection of the Government House, and so it is that as one continues northward, a sprawling, magnificent white building unexpectedly crests the floral spectacle that is the garden. This is the residence of His Honor the Administrator. St. Vincent does not have much of which to boast, but her Botanic Garden has become the pride and joy of Vincentians. History flourishes there. On the 23rd of January 1793, Captain William Bligh landed at Kingstown Harbor and wended his way to the Botanic Garden. There he planted the Breadfruit Tree that still stands today. Tourists still find this an attraction, with its head covered with green leaves and most often laden with fruits. It is gnarled with age, but still pregnant with history. The Garden houses the rare Colvilleas, the much sought after red Sealing Wax Palm and Talipot Palms, indigenous of India. In 1963 a Talipot Palm gave her once-in-a-lifetime blooming, then expired after months of displaying her blossoms that took forty years to grow. The spectacle has been preserved on stamps and postcards, and succeeding generations will have the coveted opportunity to see a flowering Palm in their time, its yellow blossoms swaying gracefully in the breeze while crowning a stately palm. The king of all this pageantry is the Spacea Perforata Soufriere Tree. This is a green-leaved tree that stands in front of the residence of the Agricultural Superintendent. Not noteworthy is this tree until, with sudden realization, one grasps that this is unique in the world. It was first found on the slope of the volcano La Soufriere before its eruption on May 7, 1902. From there it was transferred, and so it is that this tree now enjoys the prominence that fate has destined for it.” St. Vincent’s Botanic Garden may not be the most beautiful, but its spectacle has been preserved for two centuries and a half, giving and taking the breath away.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. 9.
Letters
Hypocrisy or what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I WRITE TO you following the recent advertisement appearing in the local press placed by The Vincentian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Whilst I find their efforts very laudable and praiseworthy in notifying the general public regarding the penalties for inhumane treatment to animals, I detect a certain degree of hypocrisy regarding their actions. If this Society, as I am sure it does, wish for all animals in SVG to enjoy a better quality of life, and also to eradicate inhumane treatment, why do they not lead by example? I refer to the (alleged) incident some months ago, when (it was reported) that one if not two sheep where dragged behind a moving vehicle, for some considerable length of time and distance. This, if I remember correctly, resulted in one or both of the animals either dying in the process or shortly afterwards from injuries sustained. If this is not a grotesque example of inhumane treatment of animals, then I do not know what is! My question to the Society is this: If you are concerned enough to make these statutes available in the local press, why did you not follow up on your own preaching by instigating a prosecution, via the DPP, as surely this action was in contravention of these laws aired by yourselves? Since your advertisement does request that all cases of animal cruelty be reported to the police. Failing that, and in order to show that the Society has a backbone, why did it not take out a private civil prosecution? I hope I am mistaken, but this action or lack of it by the Society, leads me to understand that this Society feels that these laws apply only to us commoners, but the wife of a well known politician is exempted and above the law. A. W. Induppp.
To the Minister of telecommunications THERE is a vehicle (government) that goes around checking the frequencies of both radio and TV. The operators are paid a monthly salary from SVG taxpayers. Are they competent or are they simply party favourites? Mr. Minister of telecommunications, from the time FLOW took over from Karib Cable, the majority of TVs (without Cable) outside of Kingstown are not getting good reception. We hear voices very clearly, but pictures are all running. Sometimes they come clear, but after 10 pm, the poor reception starts all over again. We have changed antennas, and the same thing happened, but if you take cable, you get perfect pictures. Why? Is FLOW doing something to the signal sent out from SVG TV station? People from Mespo, Chateau, Greggs, over the Dry River, and other areas, have the same complaint. I purchased a TV at a store; saw it worked perfectly in the store on cable; took it home, used the antennas, bad reception; took it to Calliaqua with the same antennas and got good reception; took it back to Owia, bad reception. Mr. Minister, you will search throughout Kingstown for an antenna, and the stores that you expect would sell them, don’t anymore. The Syrians sell antennas which you can turn from inside your home. They work, but the first heavy wind that blows your way, that’s it!! As it stands, it seems citizens are now forced to take Cable if they want to enjoy TV. Like to watch TV
Questions for the NIS I WISH TO congratulate the Comrade on his “Meet the People’s tour”. It reminds me of a Prime Minister of Grenada, Eric Gairy, when he went from village to village, by invitation, to listen to the people’s needs and woes. Comrade, do the same, and you would have a 5th term. On the 28th April, 2015, the CEO of the NIS came on radio to discuss part of the institution’s policy, but it was a one-way-street.
He could not be challenge whenever he was caught diverting from the real thing. He’s too big to be questioned. Nonetheless, I wish all statutory boards CEOs will make themselves available to the public on call-in programmes, in an orderly manner, and be made to answer our questions. A question for the NIS CEO. Sir, a pensioner got employment and is asked by the NIS to contribute between 1-3%
of his salary (nothing wrong with that). Now, after contributing the regular 13-week, he got sick. Besides his pension, is he entitled to sick-leave with pay? Then again, if that pensioner had an accident and his leg or arm got broken and he needs surgery, what is his fate? And also in both cases, will he be helped with medication? Mr. CEO, the public also wants to know if you (The NIS) have or will be
getting back any of that EC$90 million invested in CLICO? We know that some have already recovered something. Let us all forget the 2pocket system, where the pocket on the right holds the ‘kitty’ for remembrance, and the left side holds the ‘kitty’ for forgetfulness, and which usually get the bigger share is not remembered. Pensioner
Man About Town Question I READ WITH interest Man-AboutTown’s question about “if they are working for a specific funeral home”. As a visitor, I was recently horrified when a friend of mine died. On visiting the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital with the family to obtain the Death Certificate, all was well until we entered the area of the steward’s office. At this time two, two to three guys converged upon us, telling the family that one funeral home was better than the other. They continued to relate to us how bodies and boxes from another funeral home were not good, and further gave us some horror stories. They indicated which funeral
home we must choose and (encouraged us) to give that information to the mortuary officer. Where I reside, no hospital employee can make that call. No such thing could obtain because it would be viewed as harassment and open to lawsuits. I mentally questioned the situation: Why is this happening? Is this an extra job, and if so, who is paying? Something like this should never be allowed since, at this time, families are in a state of emotional pain, and this harassment only adds to their distress. Jazara Wilmoth
A word of advice
story that was carried in the same IT IS WITH great love that I commit these words to paper. Recently, I read paper, which I actually enjoyed until an article in one Vincentian periodical reading of your juvenile outburst at the election campaign launch event no which recounted a narrative it less. attributed to Major St. Clair Leacock. Your apology, Sir, should be read in This narrative, after digesting its full, the very next sitting of the House, as left a rancid after taste in many citizens across this country feel grossly people’s political digestive systems — disrespected by your apparent mine included. As a young voter willing, ready and nonchalance towards our mores and values. This apology should also be able to wholly participate in our disseminated to all local media houses. democratic process of appointing I remain a committed participant in national leadership, I find myself the election process, but my ability to already feeling short-changed. endorse you and your party may Many of us look to you to broker debate sessions with opposing election become increasingly encumbered by candidates, but the khaki pants you’re such blunders, should they continue. handing us instead stinks of weeks old Bless@JPSchwmon human waste. ACTOR | FARMER | JOURNALIST I’ve chosen to speak on this issue, Sir, because my voice was loud amongst those that condemned the recent misdeeds of one member of the Prime Minister’s THE GENERAL ELECTIONS is near. In fact, I staff. Just like I will not be surprised if it is called before the end of denounced Elson Crick’s the year. Whatever the case, the date is not as very public ill-treatment important as what we will carry to the polls. of Kate, Sir, I must, on When we go to the polls, we must do so with our behalf of my peers, children in mind. It is as much for the children as reprimand you for this ourselves, that we cast our vote. action. After all, better is In casting our vote, we must be confident that we being promised by the do so in the interest of the children, in particular. political party which With that responsibility in mind, we must be you’ve committed to patient, tolerant, respectful and rise above serve, and better is ignorance and pettiness. Our vote must not be cast expected. in a spirit of emotionalism. Sir Leacock, a word of So when we go to do our civic duty, i.e. to cast our caution if I may. Please vote for a political party of our choice to govern our apologize for that country and our national affairs for the next five behavior. It was out of years, let us remember to be mature enough and not place and woefully allow emotions to get the better of us. unnecessary; its only purpose was to detract George Stevens from a solid pro-NDP lead
Think about the children
* Why do we keep calling the activities in the rural areas Rural Carnivals, when all they have are queen shows and street jump-ups? How can it be a carnival without calypso and steelbands? * What are the Calypso and Steelband associations doing about that? * How many people want to bet against me when I say the general elections coming before Christmas? * Is there anyone on the ground here in SVG who can take me on a tour of that KFC building in Kingstown before I put in a bid to those absentee receivers? If there is no one on the ground, you think anyone wants to be caught with a pig in the bag? *Are there any local persons showing an interest in those duty free shops spaces at Argyle?
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10. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN
Views
ULP continuing to build momentum towards the next general election The Issue IT HAS TRULY BECOME a major political talking point in certain circles in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The question being asked is: How has the ULP managed to generate so much energy among its supporters? What is responsible for the tremendous momentum being developed by this party on the way to a fourth term in office? The signs are all over. In the month of March 2015, the ULP held a rally at Calliaqua to celebrate its 14th year in office, and attracted over eight thousand persons to that event. The energy generated from that event was something to behold. A few weeks later, the ULP convened its annual convention at the Campden Park Secondary School. It turned out to be the largest ever convention by a political party in the history of this country. When we thought that this situation could not get better, the Women’s Arm of the ULP convened its own convention in a spirit of revival and renewal, producing the largest ever crowd at a political convention for women in the state. And then, not to be outdone, the youth arm of the ULP produced an outstanding performance at its convention on Sunday, again breaking all the records for such a convention in the State. It is this latest activity that has stunned the opposition NDP into silence.
the Grenadines! The ULP has a team that is ready for the hard work ahead, as it embarks on the fourth term. The third reason is the strength of the communications drive that the ULP has mounted, mainly through the radio programmes such as morning scoop, shake up, ULP speaks and star street beat, among others. These programmes promote the work of the ULP, and remind us about the great projects and strategies which have brought benefits to our people. Additionally, they serve to debunk the many lies told by the opposition NDP; lies about the economy, the education revolution, the international airport project at Argyle, and the health and agricultural sectors. Our young people are getting smarter and more intelligent, thanks to the education revolution and the provision of lap tops by the ULP administration. So for example, when the NDP spreads propaganda claiming that St. Vincent and the Grenadines is the rape capital of the world, our young people will go on the world wide web, and discover this to be a massive lie by the opposition. Fourth is the love shown by the ULP administration and its leader Ralph Gonsalves, for the people of this country. Even supporters of the NDP concede that the ULP is full of love, when they see the response of the government to the Christmas Eve The Momentum floods of 2013, and the Rock Gutter There are a number of reasons why tragedy in Fancy in 2015. Who would have expected that the ULP the ULP has generated so much administration would provide fridges energy at this time, and why the and stoves to those persons who were momentum is building, and has surprised some people in the country, affected by Christmas Eve 2013 floods? And the list of support for including those who support the those Vincentians who were affected opposition. First is the outstanding by natural disasters is very record of achievement that the ULP now boasts. With its “people centered impressive. development strategy”, the ULP has touched the lives of all Vincentians in Whom to choose a positive way: in education, in Many Vincentians have already health, in housing, in tourism, in agriculture, in culture and sports, and made up their minds that the ULP is the party of choice, when Prime generally in the leadership that has been provided to lift the country out of Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves rings the mess which the ULP met in 2001. the election bell. They see the ULP as Secondly, it’s the outstanding team a party that is forward thinking, of candidates that the ULP has progressive, visionary, with a strong offered to the electorate of this love for the people of St. Vincent and country. We have the energy and the Grenadines. The ULP has a clear intelligence of the young candidates plan as to the economic and social like Luke Browne, Camillo Gonsalves, development of the country, and that Carlos James and Saboto Ceasar. plan has been clearly outlined, Then there is the community spirit explained and accepted by and intelligence of Jomo Thomas, Vincentians, by virtue of the election Frederick Stephenson, Jimmy Prince, victories in 2001, 2005 and 2010. Cecil Mc Kie, Beresford Phillips and By comparison, the NDP has Debra Charles. In the north, the offered nothing by way of an imposing figure of the Carib Chief, intelligent discourse, to show that Montgomery Daniel, stands like a they are ready for governance in this rock, providing leadership for his country. How could you want people: and our comrades in the government of the county that you Grenadines, Edwin Snagg and continue to bad mouth and tell lies? Herman Belmar, are seeing the light How could you want to govern the at the end of the tunnel. people of a country when you can’t All this is backed by the veterans, show that you love and appreciate Ralph Gonsalves and Sir Louis Straker, who will provide leadership, them, that you care, and that you counseling, direction and advice. want the best for them? What a team of candidates, young, That is why the people of St. intelligent, full of experience and Vincent and the Grenadines will energy and vision, and with a great return the ULP to governance, for a love for the people of St. Vincent and fourth successive term.
The Spiritual and Social Redemption Charter THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY (NDP) believes that government’s first responsibly is to protect its citizens, by building a strong and safe society. However, it is obvious that the Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration has failed miserably in fighting crime in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Hence, the NDP has seen it fit to draft a motion on crime, which includes the Spiritual and Social Redemption Charter. The document was tabled in the House of Assembly, and is still awaiting debate. The following is the motion: WHEREAS over the last few months, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has experienced an unprecedented series of heinous and barbarous crimes contributing further to a veritable climate of fear throughout this otherwise blessed land of ours; AND WHEREAS this trend has affected the lives of all Vincentians, resulting in a large number of our potentially productive young people being lost to crime, as can be evidenced by the number of youths in our prison population, the spiralling number of “homeless youth” roaming the streets of Kingstown, and the creation of neighbourhood watch societies in several communities; AND WHEREAS there is an insufficient number of rural libraries and like facilities, an absence of a girls’ home, to complement the Liberty Lodge Boys’ home, an inadequate number of rural counselling centres, and an absence of a scientific approach to dealing with these social problems; AND WHEREAS resources need to be available to address these concerns which continue to impact society negatively, and in particular that such assistance be used for increasing community policing, lending assistance to such organs as crime stoppers anonymous, youths organizations, family life and spiritual development programmes, and for expanding local and domestic security; AND WHEREAS this unsatisfactory state of affairs has been acknowledged by the media, civil society and the Human Rights Association, as manifested by their editorials, statements of condemnation, calls for marches of peace, and a request for a return to more Christian values and the need to be “our brother’s and sister’s keeper”; AND WHEREAS this prevailing climate now sustains an environment of uncertainty, despair and unlawful conduct which threatens the best of our democratic traditions, constitutional privileges and a reasonable sense of decency; AND WHEREAS given the impact of foreign cultural penetration on small developing countries like St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the state has an obligation to reintroduce the family unit and specifically the basic role of parents in the upbringing of children by a sustained and relentless education initiative for the development of spiritual, ethical, moral and human values through social, cultural and economic interventions; AND WHEREAS it is universally accepted that there is an undeniable link between the levels of crime and depressed economic conditions, and that the issues of drug trafficking, drug use and drug dependency along with poverty alleviation loom large and require the utmost priority; AND WHEREAS government spends over $13,000.00 per annum to maintain a prisoner in the main correction institution and only $5.00 on a Girl Guide or Boy Scout(at an organizational level, as evidenced in the estimates) among youth who comprise the standard bearers of discipline for a kinder, gentler St.
Vincent and the Grenadines; AND WHEREAS the potential for development of the criminal instinct is highest in disadvantaged , homeless and orphaned youth, it is imperative that the state complements the existing Liberty Lodge Boys Training School with a counterpart female institution, introduce truancy officers in the several constituencies, towns, villages as appropriate to back up a compulsory education initiative while the Ministry of Gender and Social Affairs is charged with the responsibility for tracking homeless and orphaned children and aiding in their rehabilitation: Be it Resolved that this Honourable House support a Motion, to be called The Social and Spiritual Redemption Charter, giving tangible effect to a national commitment to a just, equitable, confinement, fearless, respectful, proud and God-fearing people by providing resources, giving leadership, employing social and economic strategies to reduce the intolerable violence, providing hope for the Vincentian aspiration, tolerance for divergence, love and respect for the dignity of human life and our commitment to the Supremacy of God in all we say and do in building the kinder, gentler society for the 21st century.
The Charter * Initiate household sustainability: Each Vincentian household must have at least one occupant employed over the next five (5) to ten (10) years. * Encourage prayer: A school prayer and pledge to be recited daily, suggested prayer to be crafted by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Christian Council in collaboration with other religious organisations. The Ministry of Education will be the executing agency. * Invigorate Sunday school: Support a fund for Sunday/Sabbath teaching. * Strength youth development: work with the National Youth Council on a pro rata contribution of $1000.00 per member group base on an approval basis. The following organizations will be given special recognition, St. Vincent and the Grenadines: Cadet Force, Girls Guide, Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls Brigade, Pathfinders, Red Cross and InterSchool Christian Fellowship and National sporting bodies. * Further stimulate the intellectual capability by promoting the capacity of students through compulsory debating societies in all government and assisted secondary schools. * Effect quantitative improvement in the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force by the implementation of national security professionalization and leadership programmes for the Office Corps. * Grant amnesty for illegal firearms. * Provide a girls’ home similar to the liberty Lodge for disadvantaged, homeless and orphaned girls. * Develop value laden family life telecasts for television * Establish a sport endowment of $20,000.00 to each of the leading sporting bodies for community based sports programmes. The NDP is ready to implement its Spiritual and Social Redemption Charter. Vincentians must ensure that they elect the NDP to office at the next general elections, so that we can live peacefully in a kinder and gentler society.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. 11.
Views
Learning to lead: Learning to serve Myths and misconceptions about food
“And there was a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as he that serveth.” — Luke 22:24-27 King James Version THE BIBLE IS FILLED with instructions about the best practices in leadership. We can learn from the instructions that Moses received from his father-in-law, Jethro, in relation to the art of delegation (Exodus 18). Moses, after leading the children of Israel out of Egypt, found himself being burdened by having to settle disputes among his followers. It was his father-in-law who suggested that he needed to delegate the responsibility among the more responsible members of his followers. Today’s leaders can learn from such an approach. Effective delegation improves the overall efficiency of the operations, and provides useful training for the next generation of leaders. Leadership calls for wisdom and a spirit of discernment. As often happens, leaders will have to make “judgement calls” when seeking to settle disputes and conflicts among followers. Today’s leaders can learn so much from reading the Old Testament book of 1 Kings. The third chapter of that biblical passage describes an incident where two young women were living in the same house. They had sought an audience with the wise King Solomon in relation to who was the rightful mother of an infant son. One of the women described how the other had accidentally smothered her son while sleeping. After this tragic incident, she removed the sleeping infant from the other mother and replaced the child with her dead offspring. The accused woman denied this. Thus, King Solomon was expected to resolve the matter and to determine which of the two women was the rightful mother of the infant. The biblical records confirmed that King Solomon paused to reflect on the information presented. After doing so, he beckoned his servants to bring him his sword. He proposed that the fair solution to this matter would be to cut the child in two to facilitate each of the claimants receiving half of the child. The child’s true mother immediately beckoned for the baby boy’s life to be spared. She was prepared to let the other woman get the child. The liar, on the other hand, proposed that the king proceed with his solution to the problem. Fuelled by jealousy, she was ready to have the child cut in two. King Solomon then declared that the first mother was the infant’s true and loving mother. This judgement became known throughout and beyond Israel. Even today, it is considered an example of a ruler’s profound wisdom. Today’s leaders can “take a leaf from King Solomon’s book” when seeking to quell disturbances. Leaders will be periodically required to discipline followers. The book of Revelation provides some best practices in relation to providing reprimand. In Revelation Chapter 2, John speaks to the seven churches. He commences his dialogue by pointing out what they had done well. He then proceeds to indicate where they had fallen short and needed to do better. Many of today’s leaders benefit from this biblical approach to leading in general, and correcting others in particular. Taking such an approach will aid direct reports in seeking to
improve their performance, noting that they are “not all bad”. There is wisdom in highlighting the good, then proceeding to point out the areas that need improvement. Such a leadership approach will encourage and inspire followers. During the 1970s, an educator and author, Robert K. Greenleaf, introduced practitioners to the concept of Servant Leadership. This concept was based on the example of the Greatest Teacher, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Jesus Christ, in the weeks leading up to His crucifixion, dedicated a tremendous amount of time to succession planning — teaching His disciples how to lead. It is not surprising that one of the powerful examples He provided in this regard occurred when He washed their feet. We would expect that they should have been the ones to volunteer to wash His feet. However, He “turned the tables” to teach a most powerful lesson. He provided a timely reminder that those who seek to lead must first be prepared to serve. Good leaders emerge from among the throng of good followers. This is no idle comment. Think back to the historic record of Joshua. He was promoted to replace Moses as leader of the children of Israel, having previously served God faithfully by serving Moses — God’s leader. Jesus Christ was (and is) the Master Teacher. He used stories and anecdotes (parables) to teach some very important life principles. He used everyday examples that His followers could easily identify with, to enhance their learning about life and the life hereafter. In the scene that is captured in the quotation that is used to introduce this week’s essay, we can see the powerful lesson that He was teaching His disciples back then. His teachings assist us here and now (some two thousand years later). The disciples were not perfect individuals. Like you and me, they had their faults. Their thoughts sometimes wandered into carnal, earthly, selfish areas. They did not always see eye-toeye. They fought while returning to Capernaum (Matthew 18:1-5; Mark 9:33-37; and Luke 9:46-48). There were times when they entertained thoughts about who was greater and who will sit at privileged positions in heaven. This passage in Luke must, therefore, be considered with these instances as a backdrop. Now, here they are, sitting with the Lord at the last supper that they would share together with their Master. Here they are just hours before His betrayal. For some of His followers, it will be the last time they would be in His company before His death … and they were engaged in arguing about who was the greatest (Luke 22:14-24). How did Jesus Christ respond? He rebuked them, and noted that true greatness is not determined by hierarchical authority (v. 25) but, instead, by service and humility (v.26). Today, we are invited to reflect on these powerful lessons on leadership. We should strive to be servant leaders. Regardless of how high we may be placed based on our experience, academic achievement, or elevation to “privileged positions”, we are still required to embrace humility … and serve. Learning to lead requires that we learn to serve. Send comments, criticisms & suggestions to julesferdinand@gmail.com
THERE IS NO SHORTAGE of health advice out there, and no shortage of bad advice to go along with it. Some misguided notions are harmless, but others are outright dangerous and can lead you down the road to chronic health problems, and may even trim years off your life. It is critically important to decipher fact from fiction. Many nutrition myths get repeated over and over until they are mistaken for truth, especially when perpetually spread by public health authorities. One of the most perpetuated myths and misconceptions is that breakfast is the most important meal. In fact, breakfast is not even a meal. It literally means to break the fast. As you may appreciate by now, anyone can break their fast at any time. My first and sometimes only meal is consumed between midday and 2 PM. Some may say, but this man is crazy. The truth is that the food is highly overrated. I have eaten food on every continent, and it’s the rare occasion that I find the food to be exceptional. In fact, there is little or no nutritional value in the large consumption of food. Caveat: children and ill persons need regular intake of food because children are still in the process of developing vital organs and other important parts vital for adult life, and the ill are under special care. The rest of us are really gorging ourselves to death. There is much research supporting the health benefits of occasional fasting, which is what some of us do whenever we zip out of the house in the morning without breakfast. Recent studies suggest that occasional fasting can provide the same health benefits as constant calorie restriction which many studies have shown to dramatically increase life span in animals. Besides turning you into an efficient fat burner, occasional fasting can also boost your level of human growth hormone production (aka the "fitness hormone") by as much as 1,200 percent for women and 2,000 percent for men. Occasional fasting and continuous calorie restriction have both been shown to produce weight loss. However, occasional fasting tends to be slightly more effective for reducing insulin resistance. Other benefits include reducing inflammation, improving blood pressure, and increased lean body mass. Occasional fasting can also improve your brain function by increasing levels of a protein that protects your brain cells from the changes associated with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. There are several types of fasting to choose from, so you can experiment to see what style works best for you. One of the easiest, however, is to simply skip breakfast, and limit your eating to a narrow window of time each day–say between 11am and 7pm, to start. The advice to "eat six small meals per day" comes from seemingly logical principles (portion control, keeping your energy up, stabilizing blood sugar, etc.), but in reality, eating this way has not been shown to provide these benefits. Our ancient ancestors never had easy access to food. They endured regular periods of feast and famine. The problem is that most of us are in 24/7 feast mode. Implementing intermittent fasting is the quickest way to jump start our body into burning fat as its primary fuel again. Another myth growing in popularity is that genetically engineered foods are as safe as conventional foods. We may
be putting our health at risk with such beliefs. Genetic engineering (GE) of our food may be the most dangerous aspect of our food supply today. Eat these foods at your own risk. In fact, avoid all GE foods. However, since more than 90 percent of the corn and 95 percent of the soy grown in the US are GE, virtually every processed food contains at least one GE component if it does not bear the "USDA 100% Organic" or nonGMO label. Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of GE foods is that the crops are saturated with one of the most dangerous herbicides on the market, glyphosate, to the tune of nearly a billion pounds per year. This toxic chemical can't be washed off, as it becomes integrated into nearly every cell of the plant, and then gets transferred into your body. No one knows exactly what will be the ultimate impact of these foods on our health. However, animal studies have pointed to increased disease, infertility and birth defects as the top contenders. A lifetime feeding study showed a dramatic increase in organ damage, cancer, and reduced lifespan. It's important to realize that, unless you are buying all organic food or growing your own, you're probably consuming GE foods on a daily basis. In order to avoid as many GE foods as possible, be aware that corn, canola, soy and beet sugar are likely to be GE unless otherwise labeled. The word insulin is on the lips of thousands of Vincentians because of the prevalence of diabetes (sugar). A diet high in non-fiber carbohydrates, particularly processed grains and sugar, leads directly to insulin resistance. Most high-carb diets are high in sugar and starch, not vegetables. When fat was removed from foods, something had to be added to make foods more palatable, and that something was sugar. The sugar comes in highly concentrated forms of fructose, such as high fructose corn syrup, which spell metabolic disaster for your body. With fat being the identified villain, sugar was completely ignored–even though sugar was the real culprit behind inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, diabetes, and heart disease. Sugar’s negative impact on our health is most visible in our waist line. Research shows a high-carb diet disrupts our insulin signaling, and over time may result in type 2 diabetes. A healthy eating habit demands discipline. We are not creatures that live to eat. We must eat to live and live healthily. A big part of this drive for health and healthy living consists of eating fresh foods that are not processed. Stay away from anything that comes in a can, or that is too salty or sweet. Consume plenty water. In the same way you bathe each day, water consumption helps to clean each cell in your body. If we make these simple changes to our diet, we will be amazed at the positive changes in our health. Truthful, accurate information allows us so to take control of our health. Send comments, criticisms & suggestions to wefirst@aol.com
V Ending the second phase of colonialism in SVG 12. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN
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to see the logic in Gonsalves fuelling this second phase of colonialism, by granting blanket tax and customs duty exemptions of billions of dollars to Taiwan and the super-rich of Mustique and Canouan, while destroying the SVG economy with massive fiscal deficits from 2005 to 2015. In order to create revenue for our country and jobs for our people, a THERE IS A SECOND phase of is so hard for many Vincentians, that This second phase of colonialism Green government will abolish the colonialism in SVG, and under this unfair thousands of households have no has to end, as it is so cruel to regime, rich foreigners get richer and mains water and electricity, and Vincentians. A Green government will billions of dollars of tax and customs duty exemptions given to Taiwan and Vincentians suffer. The ULP regime has struggle to feed their children end this second phase of colonialism the super-rich of Mustique and granted billions of dollars of tax adequately. and unfair tax regime, so as to create exemptions to Taiwan and the super-rich Vincentians suffer many financial revenue to help our people. It is clearly Canouan. of Mustique and Canouan over the years, burdens as they strive from day to unfair that Taiwan and the super-rich No child should go hungry, no child while Vincentians struggle under heavy day. They have to pay VAT and of Mustique and Canouan ‘pay no tax’, should go uneducated, and no taxes and other substantial financial property tax, as well as other financial while many households struggle households should go without burdens. outgoings such as high electricity without water and electricity and electricity and water, just so that The super-rich of Mustique and prices, heavy fuel surcharge on barely enough food. Taiwan and the super-rich of Mustique Canouan can spend millions of dollars monthly electricity bills, the water The plight of Vincentians is made and Canouan can live a life of luxury, buying planes and super-yachts and meter rental charge, basic water even more difficult, because free from taxes. not pay one dollar in tax. Taiwan uses charge on the monthly water bill, and unemployment is very high in SVG, Vote Green Party to end the SVG’s deep-sea tuna fishing licence the Environmental Fee on the monthly due to the economic incompetence of wickedness of this second phase of and makes hundreds of millions of water bill. the ULP regime. colonialism. dollars a year, and does ‘not pay one On top of these taxes and other Gonsalves is not a university dollar in tax’. financial burdens, parents still have to graduate in finance, and his handling SVG Green Party The people of SVG are experiencing buy school books, school uniforms and of the economy is terrible. It is difficult www.svggreenparty.org the most difficult period of economic, pay bus fares for their children to go to financial and social hardship and pain school. After taking care of these in living memory, but this second needs, there’s barely any money left to phase of colonialism, with its unequal buy food and clothes and pay for other tax system, is allowed to carry on. Life usual living expenses.
Fruit and vegetable display at the recent Vinsave Open Day.
Vinsave holds Open Day THE VINSAVE CHILD DEVELOPMENT Centre was a “hive of activity” as it hosted its Open Day and Food Fair on Wednesday 20th May 2015. The activity was held under the Child Month Theme: “Nutrition and Play - Healthy Children Today”. The children from the Kindergarten Section of the Kingstown Preparatory School and their teachers visited, and sang to the delight of the Vinsave children and staff. Parents and guardians also
Children from the Kindergarten Section of the Kingstown Preparatory School and their teachers at the Open Day. visited the Centre throughout the day, and spoke to the teachers about their children’s development and the programmes at the Centre. Early Childhood personnel from the Ministry of Education also visited. A lovely display of fruits and vegetables, donated by parents, as well as craft items and other materials made by the students in training, added to the ambience of the occasion.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. 13.
Business
C&W introduces drone technology THE 2015 ATLANTIC hurricane season begins on June 01, and one telecommunications service provider in the Caribbean is set to test drone technology to help speed up network and connectivity restoration in the aftermath of hurricanes and other natural disasters. With a week to go before the June 1 official start of the Atlantic Cable and Wireless is the first Telecoms Provider hurricane season, Cable in the Region to introduce Post-Hurricane Drone & Wireless Communications (CWC), Surveillance to asses tower and telecoms network for damage, so as to ensure a quicker, in a release dated May 22, announced that it has safer approach to network restoration. begun to test the hurricane or other natural disaster technology, which would entail the aerial surveillance of communications has on communications infrastructure, infrastructure, effectively eliminating therefore enabling C&W’s expert engineering staff to move quickly to the need for workers to conduct dangerous or risky tower climbs in the re-establish connectivity. “Hurricanes and tropical storms aftermath of a storm. have been known to cause severe The news of C&W’s move into the deployment of drone technology, comes damage to telecoms infrastructure in the Caribbean, including our mobile on the heels of its merger with and fibre masts. Along with power and Columbus Communications Inc., water, it is critical that we retrading as FLOW, and is seen as a establish communications swiftly, in demonstration of the new entity’s the event that adverse weather commitment to “leverage innovative conditions cause wide-spread service technology.” disruption,” Group Chief Technology In support of the use of drone technology, the release said that C&W and Information Officer, Carlo Alloni said. has noted that the treacherous “Adopting this technology will allow conditions that exist after a natural us to respond to our customers’ needs disaster, not only make it difficult to in a better, safer, and faster manner,” assess the physical damage to infrastructure, but can also endanger he added. With similar drone surveillance the field technicians sent to fix the programmes to be launched in other issues. markets ahead of the hurricane Drones, the company proffers, will season, C&W will pioneer the use of enable quick, safe, and wide-area drones in Anguilla. evaluation of the impact that the
Fish Fest climaxes in Rose Place THE FINAL IN A SERIES of LIMEsponsored Fish Fest nights, leading up to Fisherman’s Day, May 25, in Rose Place last Friday, May 22, was undoubtedly the best patronized. Persons from all walks of life and from several communities across St. Vincent, converged on Rose Place last Friday, May 22, to enjoy a wide variety of seafood culinary delights, prepared on the spot, and to witness the highly anticipated Man vs Seafood Competition. And the large gathering was not disappointed, as the Competition, a veritable battle to see who could consume a dish of raw seafood, including sea cockroaches, fish, octopus, sea eggs and squid, took on a different and exciting aura, with one female participant among a field of four men. At the end, only two men were able to put away the menu placed
Lindon Ash into his ‘putting away’ of a bowl of raw seafood, on his way to winning the Rose Place Man vs Fish Competition. before them, with Lindon Ash being declared the winner over Maurice. The winner receives a brand new waterproof cell phone with free data, compliments LIME. LIME has already made a commitment to
take the competition throughout St Vincent and the Grenadines, all year round, Last Friday’s event was organized by the Fisheries Department in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. 15.
14. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN
The Bread category was won by Nikita Bynoe with ‘Mango Banana Spice Heat’. Second position went to Nishia Antoine: ‘Dasheen Cheesy Bread.’ Haslam welcomed the students, and outlined that rules had been altered to encourage the use of Carigold Flour. She emphasised other choices, such as Easy Alana Blondel, top student participant in the 2015 Bake, All-Purpose, Whole Baking Competition, accepts her award from Wheat, and Purity Sylvia Sutherland, member of the Board of by ECGC. Directors of ECGC. ECGC’s Chief Executive Officer, Osmond Davy, endorsed Haslam’s promotion of the Zoe Millington (right), overall winner in the 2015 ECGC Baking Competition, collects her among participants which, ECGC’s products. she said, contributed to award from Ormond Davy, CEO/ECGC. “We encourage you to use our “raising of the bar.” products in your recipes, and continue The expansion includes to experiment with the Specialty by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY Rachel Haslam, Marketing Managzonal winners from the Ministry of Flour, to bring innovative products to er (ECGC), made the observation last Education Home Economics Departyour customers,” Davy indicated. THE BAKING INDUSTRY is improving week Thursday, May 21, at the sixth ment. According to Haslam, the He noted the positive impact that every year thanks to the East Caribbean ECGC National Baking Competition. collaboration is testimony of ECGC’s ECGC made with its investment in Group of Companies. Haslam noted increased enthusiasm commitment to education. the East Caribbean Bottlers IncorpoThe toast of the day, however, was rated. Zoe Millington, whose creation, “We have revitalised the national ‘Whole Wheat with a twist’, captured pride that is associated with the iconic the judges’ appetite. She was overall brand Ju-C, and we are exporting to winner, taking home a $3,000 first regional markets,” Davy disclosed. prize. He highlighted “our new Carigold Millington, representing Canon aromatic white rice.” Cakes, placed first in the Speciality Davy pledged his company’s Category, with her ‘Herb and Garlic commitment to national pride and Cupcake,’ and second in the Cake development, and encouraged compaSegment. nies and individuals “to keep striving Millington, who started her busifor excellence, as you embrace new ness in 2013, emerged National possibilities.” winner that year also. She is delightAli Medjahed, Baking Consultant ed with her second hold of the title. A and Judge, commended the participaCustomer Relations Officer at the tion of the six students. He viewed it National Insurance Services, she as an investment in this country, and plans to use this reward as a stepping urged the participants to continue to stone and expand into the supermarbe “adventurous.” kets. Medjahed, of French extraction, a Joanne Layne was second overall, baker with 34 years’ experience, having placed first in the Cake expressed excitement about the new Segment. Anna Phillips, propped up ECGC products. by her second spot in the Specialty Saboto Caesar, Minister of AgriculCategory, was third overall. ture, Industry, Forestry, Fisheries Haslam disclosed that persons who and Rural Transformation, praised take part in the ECGC competition get “increased orders and new opportunities to trade with supermarkets throughout the island.” Additionally, the best recipes are put in the ECGC Recipe Calendar, and that has become “a collector’s item locally and regionally.” Among the thirty participants in this year’s competition, was Alana Blondel, a West St. George Secondary School student. She clipped Kezz Small, a student of the Dr. J. P. Eustace Memorial Secondary School, in the Student category. Small came second in the Pastry class, beaten by Janine John with her ‘Cherry Kezz Small (right), one of the few male particiWheat Coconut Shot’. pants, was second among student participants.
the participation of the youths. He will be pleased to see more Schools in the competition next year. Nhoriscia Bobb (Troumaca Ontario Secondary), Kentish Ells (North Union Secondary), Sylvin Schaedle (St. Joseph’s Convent Marriaqua) and Valiya Allen (Bequia Community High) were the other students involved in the competition. Michelle Bacchus, Joanne Layne (right) being rewarded for placing Dorita Cambridge, Ricardo Gordon, Kettline second overall and first in the cake segment. Williams, Bernica Glynn, Mesha Glynn, Verona John, Sabrina Marks Dasent, Jessica Serene Shortte, Lorna Bess, Ronnie Browne, Mary Forde, Cambridge/Bruce, and Michelle Deoniece Dellimore, Anasha Browne, Trimmingham provided samples of St. Joel Warrican, Aleasia Rogers, their creativity.
16. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. 17.
Service
Drivers urged to make the right choice
by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY PROTECTING LIVES on the roads has been placed higher on the national agenda. That follows a twoday Regional Road Safety Conference which opened, Wednesday 27th May and ended yesterday, Thursday, at Hotel Alexandrina. It was organised by Jaric St. Vincent Ltd, in collaboration with the Caribbean Association of Roads, and held under the theme ‘Understanding the issue: identifying the problem’. The opening ceremony came off last Wednesday. Darryl Gaines, an AfroAmerican, Master Trainer at the National Safety Council in his homeland, set the flames with a stirring presentation at the opening session. Gaines, a survivor of a road mishap, confessed to being “passionate” about road safety. For him, it is “real.” He advised the participants to “make the right choice; each and every time,” as he highlighted the basics of “common sense, choice, concentration, consequence and collaboration.” And he wasn’t done with the C’s. He added “crazy” and “careless” as other contributors to what speakers regarded as carnage on the roads. He set the tone with a delivery on Wednesday morning and returned the following day to speak on the matter ‘Alive at 25’. Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Senator Julian Francis, also addressed Wednesday’s opening. He was filling for the Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves. Francis noted that this was the first such conference to be held here, and he welcomed the opportunity “to improve the lives of all Vincentians.” It was, he said, “a good time to welcome Jaric,” and recognised the need “to move towards a medium or long term safety plan.” Eric Kipps, Managing Director Jaric St. Vincent,
emphasised the need for partnership in order to “tackle road carnage.” He looked at the impact on families and the socio-economic hardships for those surviving, and projected on having “concrete, doable and effective plans.” He expressed the view that the pillars of building a culture of road safety hinged on Darryl Gaines, Master making sure that Trainer at the National people followed the Safety Council, USA, set guidelines to public the pace with a stirring safety; that designs presentation that referred were done to cater for to his own experiences on the Caribbean the road. experience; and persons had to know what was needed to be done so as to keep them safe. Kipps identified a campaign in schools, to instil in youths the importance of road safety, as one way he intends to get his message across. Hudson Nedd, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Works, Urban Development and Local Government, stressed the Eric Kipps, Managing aspect reaching out to the Director Jaric St. Vincent, stressed the population and proffered importance of knowing that, “If our society is to and following the develop in a safe and sustainable way, we have guidelines to public to look at Road Safety.” safety. Fidel Taylor, representing Sentry Charles echoed his Insurance, outlined that institution’s role in the Conference was a ensuring road safety. “step in the right Jaric St. Vincent was direction,” as he refrred to established “to offer an increase in the number environmental, safety, of vehicles here, from 8, quality and health 000 in 2000, to consulting services built approximately 29,000 on an unparalleled base presently. of knowledge, experience Commissioner of Police and global resources to Michael Charles pointed facilitate our Eastern to the prevalence of road Caribbean clientele,” deaths which he described according to Director as “more prevalent than Janice Smith. those from malaria.”
A section of the Conference participants.
18. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. 19.
News
CDC will not ban rural events celebrations in Central Leeward came to an abrupt end last weekend THE BANNING OF RURAL when a fight broke out, Carnival activities as a leaving one of the two men measure to address the involved with a bloody ear issue of the violence which occasionally occurs at and back. such events, is not an That incident was option for the Carnival reported to be the second Development Corporation time within recent times (CDC). that a carnival related So said CDC’s event was prematurely Chairman, Dennis ended. Ambrose, on Tuesday An event held during during a press briefing. the South Leeward According to Ambrose, carnival activities was the Rural Carnival Dennis Ambrose, interrupted in 2014 when activities are an Chairman of the CDC, an altercation between two important component of emphasised the groups of young men the national festival, importance of rural resulted in the death of providing momentum carnival activities to Junior McKie, a resident of creating momentum from the launch to the Clare Valley, after he was for the national grand finale in July. struck in the head by an festival. “Not having rural object. carnivals, I don’t think And activities in Biabou that’s an option,” the CDC Chairman were also prematurely ended back in said. 2013 during a stabbing incident. He further defended the decision to But Carnival was a time for continue the activity, saying that there celebration, and Ambrose cautioned is usually a lot of talent that emerges revellers whose intention it is to from the various shows that are put on misbehave during events, particularly by the rural carnival committees. rural events, that the police is taking “Even the ‘picks’ (contestants) for a serious look at the situation. Miss SVG, they come out of the rural And he reminded individuals that if carnivals, and we have been asked to any violence erupts during the staging keep the carnival activities,” Ambrose of an event, it will be shut down. continued. “And you can only blame yourself,” The comment comes after J’Ouvert he said. by DAYLE DA SILVA
Increased patrols planned for Miss SVG
PATRONS attending the Miss SVG show, scheduled to be held at the Victoria Park tomorrow, May 30th, are assured that they ought not to worry about having their vehicles broken into. This assurance has come from Ashford Wood, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC). According to Wood, the CDC has been working with the police, and they have identified a few areas around Kingstown, which include Wilson Hill and the area of the Public Health Building, where he said the majority of break-ins had occurred, in recent times. “We have asked them (police) to step up patrols in those areas,” Wood told members of the media on Tuesday.
During the launch of Vincy Mas 2015, Wood said that there were no reports of vehicles being broken into. “That is an indication that the police would have been on top of their game, and we know they will be even more on top of it for Miss SVG,” he said. Some persons who attended the ‘Carnival Blast’ event at the Victoria Park last Saturday, were not so fortunate. There were 17 vehicles reportedly being broken into, according to the CEO. Even as he recognised that the event was a non-CDC event, Woods admitted that , “In retrospect, maybe the CDC should have been working more closely with the Carnival Bands Association (CBA) (organisers of the event), to ensure something like
Ashford Wood, CEO of CDC, has given the assurance that police patrols will be stepped up for the Miss SVG Show. that did not happen; but it did happen and we are willing to give the assurance to try and avoid something like that from happening again,” Wood said.
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20. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN
Advice
Disappointments galore Dear George, I DO NOT know how to talk about this, but I guess it is alright to talk to you. I am very depressed right now. I have nothing to live for at this point in my life. I am at the place in my life where all of my dreams have faded into the distance. I am a total failure! My children are a major disappointment. I have put them through school, and at the end of the day, my three girls have all come up pregnant, two of them for the same man. They have left the house and have gone off where, I do not know. They are of age, and there is nothing I can do about that. They have told me that they did not force or beg me to pay for their education or feed them. Worse, my husband has left me for a much younger woman. She makes it her business, every day, to tell me how much she is enjoying him, and how I will never get him back. All this is after I single-
handedly put him through university and he got the job of his dreams. He has since sent me divorce papers. I have asked myself why me, but it does not matter because the answer is not going to change. Please, George, tell me what to do. You have to help me, George, Please!
Depressed Dear Depressed, It is very important that you take another look at yourself, and this time see the positive side. You have stuck with your responsibility to your family, and have done what was required of you. You have no control over the actions of your children and your husband. You have demonstrated that you have been a good mother and a good wife, one who has been the pillar of the family. The very same qualities that made you do the things that
needed to be done, as far as your children and husband are concerned, are still within you, and you need to dig deep again to bring out that resilient spirit. Push yourself to do one more good deed, this time for You. I would advise you to
talk to a consellor about your situation and also to get some legal advice. This should open windows of opportunities to a fruitful life which, at this juncture, you are unable fail to see.
George
Look in the mirror first Dear George, MY WIFE caught me talking to another woman on the telephone, and she is asking me for a divorce. It is the first time that this has ever happened, and I do not see why she would want to end a good marriage because of this one mistake. She used to tell me when we were dating, that anytime she finds me cheating on her, she would immediately leave, but I never took her seriously until now. I am of the opinion that she has someone else, and is just using this opportunity to bail out.
Confused Dear Confused, Rather than owning up to the fact that you are in the wrong on this one, and go to your wife on bended knees begging for her forgiveness, you seem to be trying to justify your action by suspecting her of having someone else. It is often said that a thief always thinks that everyone else is stealing. Because you have been unfaithful to your wife, you are trying to convince yourself that she too must be doing the same thing. The fact is you had been forewarned that, should you be caught ‘two- timing her, she would be gone. You, my friend, have been bold or arrogant enough to put her to the test. Maybe she has her reason for sticking to her policy of one strike and you are out!
George
You owe her an explanation Dear George, IT WAS VERY hard for me to witness my girlfriend of two years kissing two men, one after the other. We went to a house party, and she was seated on a sofa between two males. I did not know them, but they were her friends, it seemed. I was doing my mingling and getting to know some other people, when I looked across the room and saw her kissing one of the men on his mouth. She then turned and kissed the other one in the same manner. I was so embarrassed, I pretended not to notice. One of the men then put his hand on her breast and started to make fun of them. I heard him saying, “Your breast is as soft as your lips.” I did not go over to her. I simply left the party, and to this day, I have not contacted her. My reasoning was that she would know why I have not done so. She has been calling my cell for over a week now, but I have never answered. I am so hurt that I am afraid if I get close to her, I would hurt her badly. As far as I am concerned, I am done with the relationship, and I do not care to get an explanation about her actions.
Dagger Dear Dagger, Even though the scene you witnessed hurt you terribly, you could have at least ended the relationship in a gentlemanly fashion. You could have let her know that her actions were unbecoming of a lady, especially one who is in a serious relationship, and you would not be continuing the relationship. In so doing, she would know not to keep calling you for an explanation of your silence and absence. It is not too late to let her know that she served you notice that night not to hang around with her, seeing that she is not the quality you thought she was. Disappearing without an explanation is not the way to end a relationship into which you have invested.
George
Leisure
ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Your communication skills may win you points. Beware of someone who is trying to make you look bad. Don't volunteer private information about yourself unless you're prepared to be talked about behind your back. Deceit with co-workers is apparent.
LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) Opposition is present and you should be prepared to counteract it as best you can. You may want to look into warm vacation spots. You will be emotional about your personal life. Use discrimination and play hard to get.
TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) Unfortunately, your personal life may suffer from a lack spare time. Your mind will be wandering to exotic destinations. Education may be the answer. Secret affairs may only cause complications in your life.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Avoid any confrontations with colleagues. Try to make arrangements with close friends or relatives to spend a few days away. You may have a rather hectic day due to events that children are involved in. Deception is apparent.
GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Try to avoid being extravagant this week. Don't blow situations out of proportion. You may have been trying to do too much, leaving yourself exhausted and open to colds and infections. You will have the ability to capture the interest of others.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) You will be able to talk to your lover about future goals and perhaps make plans for the two of you to take a vacation. Be aware that minor accidents or injury may prevail if you are preoccupied. Jealousy may get in the way of a good relationship. Lack of funds may add stress to your already uncertain situation.
CANCER (June 22-July 22) Friends from your past may come back into your life. Don't forget that your budget is limited right now. You can continue to make gains if you call a few people who can help you close an important deal. Your ability to charm others will put you in the limelight at social functions. LEO (July 23-Aug 22) You may be likely to have difficulties with females. Finish off old projects before starting something new. Pleasure trips will induce exciting and passion ate encounters with those of foreign extraction. Difficulties with your mate may lead to estrangement. VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Your business sense will be leading you in a direction that indicates more travel and communication. You will do your best work on your own. You should be making plans to spend some time with the ones you love. Problems with skin, bones, or teeth may mess up your schedule.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) Double check your work and be sure that your boss is in a good mood before you do your presentation. Curl up with a good book or go for a drive in the country. You may have difficulties with foreigners. Curb any jealous fits if your partner has been flirting with someone else. AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19) You may find it impossible to get the rest you require. Romance appears. You will be on the rampage this week. You should be putting your cash into longterm investments like real estate. PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Love and romance are evident. You can help sort out problems that friends are facing. You may find that your family responsibilities are piling up. Praise will be yours if you have been pursuing your goals.
ACROSS 1.Boss’s impatient (abbr.) 5. “Tarzan” movie sound 9. “Oz” aunt et al. 12. __ Agatha Christie 13. __ Domini 14. Teacher’s group (abbr.) 15. Ferry dock 16. Walt Kelly comic 17. Court’s __ order 18. __ Lanka 20. Internet messages (hyph.) 22. Refused 25. One Redgrave 26. Extreme anger 27. Aged 29. tone-__ 32. Like mayonnaise 34. Yelp 36. Shout 37. Aria 38. Morse Code entry 40. __ Grande 41. Shade
sources 44. Decent 46. Sport coast 48. Author Follett 49. Guess at a price (abbr.) 50. Make a motion 52. Jack’s partner 56. Go pountfor-point 56. “Don’t bet __!” (2 wds.) 58. Garfield’s canine Ffriend 59. Unhappy 60. They’re blue on most maps 61. Food inspection Initials
9. Locomotive drivers 10. Repast 11. Bacomes droopy 19. Antique car 21. “The __ Griffith DOWN Show” 22. Quits, as a 1.Public notices battery 2. Baseball’s 23. Therefore Maglie 24. Overlooked 3. French friend 28. Father 4. Coca Cola 30. Returned to Competitor earth 5. Swiftly 31. Floating ice 6. Yoko __ mass 7. Heavenly 33. Part of an being egg 8. Spacious 35. Wallet
holders 39. “At __ Hop” 42. Office communications 43. Director Oliver 45. Certain pear
LAST WEEK’s SOLUTION
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. 21.
46. Fast airplanes 47. Largest continent 51. Travel term 53. Proofs of age (abbr.) 54. Covering 55. Meadow
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22. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN
News
Methodists celebrate Aldersgate May 1738: When I was about twenty-two, my father pressed me to enter into holy orders (to become a Susanna Wesley. They priest)…. (and) I began grew up in the Anglican to see that true religion Rectory of Epworth in was seated in the heart… Lincolnshire where Samuel (and) I began to Wesley had his parish. alter the whole Born in 1703 – Charles form of my conversation, was born in 1707 – John and to set in earnest Wesley wrote in a daily upon a new life… I journal an account of his doubted, but I was a spiritual pilgrimage and good Christian. thoughts. Here is part of Wesley spent the first what he wrote on the 25th ten (10) years or so in
John Wesley Watershed Editor’s Note: Aldersgate Day is celebrated by Methodists on May 24 to commemorate the day in 1738 when John Wesley ‘experienced confirmation of his salvation by the grace of God.’ This article should have reached us for publication in last
week’s issue. It didn’t, but we are pleased to bring it to our readers, since its relevance and importance are still very much intact. JOHN AND CHARLES WESLEY were two (2) of the fourteen (14) children who were born to Samuel Wesley and his wife
priestly duties as a very disciplined man of prayer, bible study and good works. At Oxford, he and others had strict timetable of Christian activity, a methodical religion. He had written in 1726 about his busy lifestyle: ‘Leisure and I have taken leave of one another. I proposed to be busy as long as I live.” He even went with his brother Charles across the Atlantic in those early days as a gospel Missionary to Savannah, Georgia, but he reflected later that he was getting nowhere, ‘beating the air’ in his search for peace with God. Here is how he put it in his journal: In this refined way of trusting in my own works and my own righteousness, I dragged on heavily, finding no comfort or help therein. When some Moravian Missionaries, ‘endeavoured to show me a more excellent way… it seemed foolishness unto me,’. However, his continued contact with the Moravians led him reluctantly to one of their meetings in London. He wrote very calmly about this important step of his pilgrimage that took place on 24th May 1738. In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Martin Luther’s preface to the epistle to the Romans. About quarter before nine (9), while he was describing the charge, which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for Salvation; and an assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death. I began to pray with all of my might… I then testified openly… then was I taught that peace and victory over sin are essential to faith in the Captain of our Salvation. That evening of 24th May 1738, John Wesley’s consciousness of personal certainty that Salvation could only be his through Faith and Grace, kicked off his evangelical career. The other Christian gifts and graces like his love for study, his simple lifestyle, his accounting
to God for every moment of time, and every opportunity and material resource, were now bound up with his new found testimony of God’s Saving Grace. Wesley was now an empowered evangelical leader in pulpit, in open air, in conference and in school. In his introductory study of Britain’s Evangelical Revival, historian, G.M. Ditchfield notes that John Wesley was a reluctant field preacher writing in his journal in 1772. ‘To this day, field preaching is across home. But I know my commission and see no other way of preaching the gospel to every creature.’ The Evangelical work of Wesley benefited from the diligence and the methodical approach of his earlier priesthood. In the places where John Wesley preached, local ‘societies’ developed. He divided these into classes and all members belonged to a class, ‘for spiritual discussion, bible reading, and selfexamination and confession of backsliding… Members who had reached a noted level of holiness were placed in ‘bands’ for more advanced spiritual improvement.’ Wesley realized that to keep the gospel revival sustained and extended, a strong link was needed between all the societies. In this way, the ongoing work became a national movement or organization known as a connexion; responsible to Wesley. Six years or so after his Aldersgate watershed, Wesley had organized his societies into geographical Circuits, Districts and a national conference. It is this Connexional type of organization that today’s Methodism represents. Aldersgate 1738 in the life of John Wesley helped launch a branch of Christian Revival to raise up moral and disciplined faith in Jesus Christ to spread scriptural holiness among the nations. Let us celebrate Aldersgate Day and examine next week, Aldergate in the Caribbean. Contributed by: Joint Aldersgate Committee 2015
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. 23.
SVG cops 4th straight OECS Squash titles Hosted at the National Squash Center at Paul’s Avenue, 21st to 23rd May, and sponsored by the National Lotteries Authority and E-Zone, St Vincent and the Grenadines made it four in a row, leaving the British Virgin Islands in second place . Having only to stave off any real challenge from the British Virgin Islands, since the other participating territory, Dominica, was under-represented, the host romped home champions in the three teams’ category - men’s, women’s and veterans. Helping to carve out the Vincentians’ retention was Jules Snagg who won the men’s singles, while Sherian Slater and James Bentick took Winston Findlay (left) accepts his trophy the women’s 40 and over and men’s from sponsor E-Zone’s Keith Boyea, over- 40 singles whom he beat in the men’s over 60. WHETHER THE TOURNAMENT takes place in St Lucia, the British Virgin Islands or here in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), there seems to be no stopping the Vincentians from taking overall OECS squash championship accolades. And they did just that, for the fourth straight year, when they were crowned overall 2015 OECS Senior Squash champions.
Part of the winning women’s unit- Gianna Miller- Alexander (left) and Greta Primus. Alexander (SVG) and Kerstin Gordon (BVI), en route to her title. Keeping the Jules Snagg won Sorrentino’s name the men’s singles Veterans’ team (left to right): Deidre Myers, Keith on the honour’s for the third time Boyea, Sherian Slater, James Bentick. list, was Neville in a row. who took the men’s Primus, whose lone loss was to over 50. He beat Patrick Martin titles, respectively. Slater. of Dominica 11-3, 11-7, 11-8. Snagg, who won the title in Bentick was also victorious in Completing the trio of titles 2013 and 2014, played all four matches, leaving for the BVI was Winston unbeaten, AND completed his Dominican Mike Adamson to be Findlay. Vincentian by birth, hat-trick when he cleaned up contented with the second place. Findlay defeated Keith Boyea of Kevin Hannaway, also of St The other three individual St Vincent and the Grenadines, Vincent and the Grenadines, 11- titles were copped by the British 11-7, 11-5, 11-4, to win the 5, 11-7, 11-9 in the final. Virgin Islands. men’s 60 and over singles. Slater also played unbeaten, Zoe Sorrentino, who was Organisers are hopeful that overcoming all who came up coming off a two-year break there would be increased against her, on her way to from the sport, champed the participation next year, when ending with three wins. women’s singles, winning all her the tournament touches down in Runner —up to Slater was matches. She beat Caroline St. Lucia. another Vincentian, Greta Dubois (BVI), Gianna Miller-
Olympic Qualifiers: SVG U23 into next round by E. GLENFORD PRESCOTT ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES Under 23 footballers are preparing for the next round of the 2016 Olympic Qualifiers, after going past Dominica 3-0, in their ‘home’ leg on Sunday at the Arnos Vale Playing Field. The victory gave the Vincentians a 5-0 aggregate win over the two legs, after coming out 2-0 winners on Sunday in the ‘away leg’, also at the Arnos Vale Playing Field. Both matches were played in St. Vincent and the Grenadines following a request by the Dominica Football Association occasioned by that country hosting international cricket between the West Indies and Australia. It took goals from Oalex Anderson (51st minute), Tevin Slater (70th minute), and Chavel Cunningham (90th minute) for the Vincentians to easily brush aside their opponent. “We played a lot better today (Sunday), and the results show that..but we still have to put away our opportunities……but I am not too disappointed,” Coach Cornelius Huggins said after the match.
He recognises that there was still work to be done, and hoped that the SVGFF could facilitate some friendly matches before the next round in Puerto Rico.
Sunday’s match The teams went into Sunday’s match, the Vincentians’ ‘home game’, with Dominica needing to better Friday’s 2-0 defeat, and stop their opponents from scoring. The Dominicans threw themselves into a mode of aggression from the One of the keen tussles for possession. get go, making some threatening runs into the SVG area and creating the 51st minute. He collected a pass and some anxious moments, resulting in outran the defence, before hitting a much shouting and gesticulations from powerful shot past an advancing Elijah the SVG bench. Toulon in the Dominica goal. SVG also had their periods of good Both teams then made a few build-up, but were hindered by poor substitutions, but it was the home team passing and/or some on-field calls, which which found the net again, with a classic had the crowd screaming its conversion from Tevin Slater, who had disagreement. looked a more confident player than on The teams went into the break 0-0, Friday. He raced down the left side and, with SVG the happier of the two teams despite being pressured by a defender, with their 2-0 margin still intact. was still able to turn the ball past The resumption saw SVG taking the Toulon from a tight angle. lead through striker Oalex Anderson in
Oalex Anderson celebrates after scoring in Sunday’s second match. Cunningham put the issue to bed in the 90th minute when he pounced on a rebound off Toulon, to hammer the ball into the net. SVG, by virtue of the win, advanced to the next round of the play-offs, where they will compete against host Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname, beginning June 24th.
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24. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN
Sports
SVGFF hosts CONCACAF WomenÊs Day THE CALLIAQUA PLAYING FIELD was the venue last Saturday, for a football festival, as the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF) observed the first ever CONCACAF Women’s Football Day. The festival brought together most of the active female footballers in St Vincent and the Grenadines, in a small goal competition, involving six teams. Although winning was not the main aim of the day, Fresh Youths turned out victors on the day. Placing second was My Youth, with North Leeward and Roseans sharing the third place. Fresh Youths’ Janique Browne netted the most
Winning team, Fresh Youths, receive their prizes from President of the SVGFF, Venold Coombs. Top goal scorer, Janique Browne, is pictured at left.
Oshola is Women’s Footballer of the Year ASISAT OSHOALA is the first player to win the new Women’s Footballer of the Year award from the BBC, voted for by football fans around the world. The 20-year-old forward best Spain’s Veronica Boquete, German Nadine Kessler, Scot Kim Little and Asisat Oshoala is one of the most Brazilian Marta to the exciting women honour. “I would like to say thank footballers in the you to the BBC, to my fans world today. around the world and to everyone who voted,” she said on being notified about her award. Oshoala, who was the youngest player to be shortlisted, was the leading scorer at the Under20s World Cup in Canada last summer, and was voted the tournament’s best player. Her performances led Nigeria to the final, where they were narrowly beaten by Germany. She was also a major influence in the senior Nigeria team winning the African Women’s Championship in October. That ensured their qualification for the World Cup, beginning June 6, 2015 in Canada, where all eyes will be on Oshoala. (Source: BBC News)
goals, 14. Taking the prize for the oldest player on show was Natasha Sampson, Some of the participants pose for a group shot at last Saturday’s CONCACAF with ten-year-old Areka Women’s Football Day at the Calliaqua playing field. Hooper, the youngest participant. The pair long way in promoting women’s football here. turned out for North Leeward. Commenting on the success of the inaugural day, Speaking at a short closing ceremony, President Jeffery Webb, President of CONCACAF, said on the of the SVGFF, Venold Coombs, trumpeted his Confederation’s website: “It’s crucial for organisation’s role in promoting women’s football, CONCACAF to continue the advancement of while bashing his predecessors for paying little women’s football while developing grassroots attention to it. programs and continue achieving major victories”. Yolande London, head of the local women’s He noted: “My vision was and remains the same; committee and chair of the Windward Islands that every man, woman, and child passionate about configuration, assessed last Saturday’s activity as football has the opportunity to access our beautiful “successful, as it fulfilled its objectives.” Among the objectives was to create an awareness game and develop their skills in order to reinforce of and to promote the sport among women. CONCACAF’s position in the global arena”. London believed that the day did just that, and As a prelude to last Saturday’s CONCACAF expressed hope that more women would get involved Women’s Football Day, FIFA’s Andrea Rodenbaugh in football, especially at the community level. made a swing through the Caribbean, including St She thinks that St Vincent and the Grenadines Vincent and the Grenadines, to meet with many of winning the inaugural Windward Islands Football the stakeholders, and to give the sport more general Association tournament last month, will also go a acceptance among the populace.
Garifuna, Tigress victorious JULIANA NERO continued her good run of form, when she put in a match-winning all round performance for Garifuna Stars over Rising Stars, in one of the weekend matches of the RBTT Bank Senior National Women’s Limited Overs cricket Competition. Garifuna Stars defeated Rising Stars on a faster scoring rate, after bad light at Arnos Vale 2 playing field brought the match to a premature end. Batting first, Rising Stars made 170 for 6 off 32 overs. National batter Crystal John topscored with 56, and Xavian Stephens assisted with 33. Bowling for Garifuna Stars,
Juliana Nero was the best bowler with 3 for 10. In reply, Garifuna Stars reached 117 for 4 off 20 overs when the umpires called off the game. Juliana Nero led the runs chase with an unbeaten 42. Bowling for Rising Stars, Samantha Caine took 2 for 23. JG Tigress continued their winning ways of the previous round of matches, when they recorded an effortless victory over Northern Girls, last weekend, at Sion Hill. Northern Girls were routed for 22 off 6.3 overs. Roshell John had 4 for 11 and LaToya Providence, 2 for 1. In response, JG Tigress raced
Juliana Nero Crystal John hit 42 not out top scored with and took 3 for 56, in a losing 10 to ensure cause, for victory for Rising Stars. Garifuna Stars. to a more than comfortable 9-wicket victory, closing at 23 for 1 off 4.4 overs. Phyllis Williams made 11. I.B.A.ALLEN
Hillview, Prisons in Bagga T-20 Finals KIZZY LEWIS, with a haul of 5 wickets for 9 runs in 3 overs, including the competition’s only hat-trick, ensured that his team, Prisons, is one of two new teams in the final of the Hairoun Beer Bagga T-20 Softball Cricket Competition. Prisons will face off against Hillview in the title decider, which bowls of this Saturday 30 May at the Kearton’s playing field in Barrouallie. Lewis, together with Alex Jessop, with 4 for 5 runs from his 4 overs, did in Valley Boys for a dismal 27 runs in 11.4 overs. This, after Prisons had earlier posted a total of 96 in 18.5 overs.
Winston Patterson top scored with 27. In the other semi-final, defending Champions, RSVG Police, were sent packing by Hillview. Hillview opted to bat first after winning the toss, and made 114 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs. Kevin Small top scored with 21 and Macrico Ash contributed a late cameo of 20. The Competition’s leading wicket-taker, Milton Trumpet, then went to work, putting down his 4 overs and grabbing 4 Police wickets for 20 runs, and with Larry Baptiste, 2 wickets for 8
runs from 4 overs, restricted the defending champions to 105 from 19 overs. Saline George top scored with 29. The finals will commence from 2pm. A prize-giving ceremony will Kizzy Lewis, follow the end hat-trick taker of the match. for Prisons against Valley I.B.A.ALLEN Boys.
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. 25.
Sports
Football fiasco THE FOOTBALL WORLD has been turned into uncertainty. What happens when the dust settles is speculation. The fact that officials from CONCACAF have been caught in the dragnet comes not entirely as a surprise, but it is an embarrassment. However, something was always on the cards. What’s in the dark, must be revealed to light. There is no pleasure in seeing anyone fall, but Jack Warner must have known that his days were numbered, and that eventually, he would have had to pay for his misdeeds. His ruthlessness included skimming off the cream that ought rightly to have come to this country. He managed to avoid the clutches so far. When he was elevated in the political arena, persons in Trinidad and Tobago, including opposition leader Keith Rowley, questioned the integrity of any entity with Warner as a main figure. Warner enjoyed the spotlight and swiped at anyone who challenged him. He must have smelled the rat and demitted office in the football circles four years ago. But the trail of corruption never abandoned him. In his typical brash manner, he declared his innocence, then had to turn up in Court and was granted bail in the amount of T&T $2.5 M. He will return July 9 with the prospects of extradition to the United States looming somewhere in the mix. It is a sad day for Caribbean politics. This development has hit the core of Caribbean ethics. Voters will have to decide that it is not all that glitters is gold, and sometimes they will be better off being contented with the little than revelling in ill-gotten gains. The Vincentian Football team have moved up the FIFA rankings to 110, 53 places above Guyana whom they face in home and away qualifiers June 10 and 14. Present form favours the Vincentians. They will have to maintain that record. The Under 23 squad advanced to the next round scheduled for June 24 to 28 in Puerto Rico, where they will contend with the hosts as well as Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname for a chance to go further. Football in St. Vincent and the Grenadines has taken a revival, spurred by the senior women squad who copped the first Windward Islandschampionship in splendid fashion. That performance served as a motivator for the males. St. Vincent and the Grenadines has always been sturdy in their defence. Their problem was finding the net. It seems that a generation of goalthirsty strikers is surfacing. The likes of Oalex Anderson, with his attachment to the Seattle Sounders FC 2, has added some prestige to the Vincentian line up. He remains in contention for participation at both levels of the national plank. His ability, agility and indeed, maturity, speak wonders for a small nation with sparse resources. Anderson stands out as an example for youths today. There are opportunities to be grasped; but the youngsters must show the commitment and discipline to fulfil the task. The FIFA scandal will have repercussions internationally. It will explode and cause more fissures before the issues are reconciled. What will be the effects of the scenario, will be seen. Everyone will be watching with keen interest.
FIFA corruption: Former SVGFF boss not surprised four executives of sports management companies. The reports say that “I AM NOT SURPRISED at also indicted are former all with this happening to FIFA vice-president Jack FIFA.” Warner, Nicolas Leoz, These were the words Aaron Davidson, of former president of the Alejandro Burzaco, Jose SVG Football Federation, Margulies, and Hugo and Dr. Adrian Fraser, when Mariano Jinkis. contacted for a comment According to the US about reports that Department of Justice, several high-ranking the officials are accused FIFA officials were of taking in excess of arrested, and a number $150m in bribes of others expected to be stretching back 24 years. charged with fraud, US prosecutors said the money laundering and officials conspired with racketeering. sports marketing Reports are that executives to “shut out among those arrested at competitors and keep a five-star hotel in highly lucrative Zurich on Wednesday, on CONTRACTS for suspicion of receiving themselves through the bribes totalling systematic payment of US$100m, were: Jeffrey bribes and kickbacks”. Webb - head of “The indictment CONCACAF and FIFA alleges corruption that is vice-president; Costa rampant, systemic, and Rica’s national football deep-rooted both abroad chief Eduardo Li, who and here in the United was due to join FIFA’s States,” said US executive committee on Attorney General Loretta Friday; Uruguay’s Lynch. Eugenio Figueredo, Fifa president Sepp president of South Blatter was not among American football the accused. governing body But in the words of Conmebol; Venezuelan acting US attorney Kelly Football Federation Currie at Wednesday’s president Rafael press conference in New Esquivel; Brazil’s Jose York: “It’s only just Maria Marin, a member beginning.” of FIFA’s club committee; Fifa Fraser’s take development officer Julio Rocha, from Nicaragua; Dr. Fraser, who served Costas Takkas, of the as president of football UK, an attache to the here in the 1990s, said if Concacaf president; and by E. GLENFORD PRESCOTT
Jeffrey Webb, head of CONCACAF and FIFA vice-president, were among those arrested. any surprise, is that it took so long for “the bowley to burst. “There were too many things happening in FIFA over the years, and you had the feeling that this day would come; but you wondered when, and today it finally came, and I hope that what is done is a total cleaning up of the organisation,” Dr. Fraser said. He said that during his time as president of the SVGFF, he encountered “some things and situations” with which he had a level of discomfort, and was never too keen to deal with certain individuals after that. But even with all the arrests and reports of widespread instances of corruption, Dr. Fraser said he is confused how
Dr. Adrian Fraser, a former SVGFF president, says he is not shocked at the recent arrests, just disappointed that they were so long in coming. current FIFA boss Blatter is able to get away apparently unscathed in all this. “How can a man who has been in an organisation for that many years and all sorts of reports are coming out, but yet he is above it all…..that is kind of strange if you ask me.” In the midst of the arrests and pending action, FIFA is expected to go ahead today with its elections, at which the 79-year-old Blatter, who is coming up against Egypt’s Prince Bin Ali, is seeking a fifth term. The SVGFF is among 209 member countries at the FIFA Congress, with president Venold Coombs and vice-presidents Marvin Fraser and Paul Boucher the representatives.
Smashers, Ishallz complete semis line-up SMASHERS and Ishallz Byam’s Physical Therapy have joined Combine Youth and Ruddy’s Electrical Unique Warriors in the semi-final playoffs of the 2015 NLA First Division National Cricket Competition. They sealed their places with last weekend quarter final victories over Prime Consulting Marriaqua and Victors Two, respectively. Smashers beat Prime Consulting Marriaqua by 100 runs at Sion Hill. Taking first knock, Smashers made 157 off 29.3 overs. Ozico Williams led the batting with 49, Deptor Culzac hit 38, and Cuthbert Springer had 34. Bowling for Prime Consulting Marriaqua, Jeremy Layne was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3 for 32. Glenroy
Jacobs and Isaac Haywood had 2 wickets each. Prime Consulting Marriaqua, in an apology of a run chase, collapsed for 57 off 19.1 overs, with Javil Harry, 16, being the only individual run-getter of note. Courtney Joyette (4 for 6), Javon Samuel (3 for 21) and Darren Russell (2 for 11), were just too good for the Prime Consulting Marriaqua batsmen. At Buccament, Ishallz Byam’s Physical Therapy defeated Victors TWO by 56 runs. Ishallz Byam’s Physical Therapy closed at 176 off 33.3 overs, with Romano Charles, 39, being their principal scorer. Leon Quashie and Imran Samuel each had indidvudual scores of 35. Bowling for Victors TWO, Jermaine Cruickshank took 4 for
50 and Adinal Richards 2 for 39. Victors TWO responded with 120 off 31 overs. Main scorers were Kishore Shallow with 41, and Adinal Richards, 25. Zimron Providence returned the impressive figures of 5 for 19, and Donald Delpheche, 2 for 12. The semi-finals will see a change in format, with each match being played over two days, as against the one day that obtained in the competition up to the quarter final stage. Those matches are scheduled for June 6 and 7, with Ruddy’s Electrical Unique Warriors against Smashers at Arnos Vale Two, and Combine Youth facing Ishallz Byam’s Physical Therapy at Arnos Vale One. I.B.A.ALLEN
26. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN
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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015. 27.
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F O R
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S A L E
FRIDAY,
MAY 29, 2015
VOLUME 109, No.22
www.thevincentian.com
CLARKE PERSEVERES Stories by DAYLE DA SILVA
AFTER FOUR FAILED ATTEMPTS, 31year-old Ray Anthony Clarke of Green Hill, accepted the 2015 Fisherman of the Year award with a bounty of satisfaction. Clarke walked away with the big prize at the 40th Fisherman’s Day prize-giving ceremony last Monday at the Calliaqua Playing Field, after six weeks of competition. He and his crew landed 3,111.8 pounds of fish during the period, to cop the title, and was the recipient of a 75HP Yamaha 2Stroke outboard engine, trophy and other fishing supplies. “I’ve done it I give thanks to everybody. I’ve done it,” Clarke told THE VINCENTIAN. He explained that he left port Kingstown at 4 Monday morning, and headed 58 miles South-East. And although the weather conditions of the day were clear and sunny for the most part, Clarke said that on his way out, he encountered some problems with the large masses of seaweed in the water. “It hampered my game, as it cut down my pace because it got into the engine and prevented us from going further,” he explained. Clarke further indicated that the patches of seaweed were also a problem for him and his crew when they threw out their line. But despite his personal disappointment in not taking the heaviest catch of the day title, he said that he was overall pleased with his performance. He dedicated his award to his deceased friend, Wayne Patterson,
Ray Anthony Clarke (3rd from left), 2015 Fisherman of the Year, shared his moment of glory with his children, a crew member and contestants in the 2015 Miss SVG Pageant. with whom he attempted to win the award on previous occasions. “But this is the first time, and I give him the respect. He has since passed away, and I give him nuff respect,” Clarke said. He thanked his crew, saying, “We rocking, we rule – they are great.” His continuing passion for what he does, comes from the time spent at sea, he told THE VINCENTIAN. “Being out at sea, gives you a peace of mind, being away from everybody, from the hustle and bustle. You don’t have to wake up for an 8 to 4; you wake up on your own timing. You create your own
pace, you do what you have to do to make it,” the champion fisherman said. Clarke also won prizes for the third heaviest single fish, 32 pounds, and third largest number of fish, 81 heads. The award for the second heaviest catch of the competition went to Andrew Gould and Philroy Matthews, with 1,811 pounds; and Vilma Tucker and Bernard Dublin won the third heaviest catch, amassing 1,430.2 pounds. The combination of Gould and Matthews also took the award for the single heaviest catch of the day, with 364 pounds.
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Fisheries Division needs structural adjustment ALTHOUGH there are qualified people within the administration of the national Fisheries Division, the task of creating a structured, modern unit still poses a challenge for the leadership of that Department. Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Saboto Caesar made the point last Monday, during the closing ceremony of 2015 Fisherman’s Day celebrations held at the Calliaqua Playing Field. “In many instances, academic knowledge and the reality flow in two separate streams,” Caesar said. “As our division celebrates 40 years of having these activities, in our reflections as nation builders, we must become more convinced, now more than ever, that fishing is a very important business, and the future of our fishers’ existence in the market- place is dependent on our ability to compete,” the minister continued. Saboto Caesar, The ultimate goal, Minister of according to Caesar, was to Agriculture and ensure that the fishers Fisheries, succeed, especially since the recognised that the fishing industry has the Fisheries Division potential to transform the is lacking in certain national economy into expertise. becoming more productive. “It is in this regard that a case is made for the institutional strengthening of the Division, with special skill sets in finance and business management,” Caesar said. A number of initiatives have arisen over the last decade, Caesar explained, referring to those aimed at improving and strengthening fisheries management, sustainable development and conservation of the living, marine resources. But while it has been recognised that these have been useful, there is now the need for the effective coordination, regulation and streamlining of the implementation processes and the prioritisation of issues, the agriculture minister said. And more persons, therefore, should be advised to seize opportunities to study areas touching on aspects of production and productivity within the sector, Caesar added.
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