THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021 VOLUME 115, No.13 www.thevincentian.com EC$1.50

A Copyrightconcern

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Vincie womenin focus

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BitingLettersPage 9

Soufrièrenews

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Cross-countryRoad

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POLICEADMITS TOLOSINGCRITICALRECORDSStories by HAYDN HUGGINS

CORPORAL ANDY JAMES, theinvestigator in the murder case of 36-year-old Denzil Sam of Ottley Hall,claims that he lost all his notes inrelation to the matter.

Up to press time Tuesday, Sam

was being tried at the CriminalAssizes for the murder of DexterRodney, who was shot in thestomach and arm just outside theplant shop of Head of the CannabisRevival Committee (CRC) Junior‘Spirit’ Cottle, around midday onOctober 1, 2015. Continued on Page 3.

JUSTICE BRIAN COTTLE has expressedconcern about the number of persons at HerMajesty’s Prisons awaiting trials.

During his prison report at the closingceremony of the Criminal Assizes onTuesday, Superintendent of Prisons, TimothyHazelwood, disclosed that there were 63persons -60 males and three females - behindbars awaiting trials.

But according to Justice Cottle, 63 personsrepresent a significant proportion of ourproductive citizenship.

With the government’s ability to managethe crisis wrought by the COVID-19pandemic and the availability of a vaccine toward of the coronavirus, Justice Cottle islooking forward to some degree of relaxationin the protocols, so that there would be anincrease in the hearings at the High Court.

Defence lawyer Kay Bacchus-Baptiste, indelivering remarks, said she was in favour ofvirtual hearings, but Justice Cottle seemed tohave preferred the face to face hearing whichcontinue to work effectively witness therestrictions imposed by COVID-19 protocols.

In relations to the 63 persons awaitingtrials at Her Majesty’s Prisons, Bacchus-Baptiste said it was not a complete picture ofthe reality as there are several other personsout on bail who are awaiting trials. This, sheinformed, will carry up significantly thenumber reported by the prison boss.

Timothy Hazelwood, Superintendent ofPrisons might just have excluded a certainnumber of persons from his report on howmany persons are awaiting trial.

63 AWAITINGTRIAL: JUDGEWORRIED

Defence Attorney Kay Bacchus-Baptistealluded other anomalies, i.e. strangethings, about the evidence that issupposed to inform the case.

Denzil Sam claimed the man he isaccused of killing was his friend.

LANCE CHAPMAN, known in the creative industry as‘Da Vinci’ is calling for a common approach to the issueof Copyrights adherence in the region.

He is the SVG Director of the Eastern CaribbeanCollective Organisation for Music Rights Inc.(ECCO), headquartered in St Lucia.

Da Vinci was responding to a suggestion by DrErica Smith, Chief Executive Officer of theBarbadian Collective management Organisation, theCopyright Society of Composers, Authors andPublishers Inc. (COSCAP), that the period forprotection of copyright works be extended beyondthe present 50-year mark that obtains in Barbadosand the Eastern Caribbean.

The number is 95 years in Jamaica and 75 yearsin European countries.

Smith zoomed in on the matter as it concernedthe works of the Barbadian born singer Jackie Opelwho died March 9, 1970. Smith is worried thatOpel’s collection of work will be opened to unfettered

use by others, therebyremoving all legal rightsto his work by heirs andrelatives.

Da Vinci cited theissue as a legitimate

concern and called for a common approach to theissue.

Also secretary of the Association of MusicProfessionals, a Vincentian based entity, Da Vinciwants to see the regional governments adopt acommon stance on the Copyright issue.

Extension in the period of protection is not theonly bone of contention for Da Vinci. Music usage onradio, other media forms including online platforms,is of interest to Da Vinci.

He noted the digital age and endorsed: “Online iswhere everything isgoing.”

Payment forcalypsonians on liveappearances isanother area ofcontention for DaVinci and he notedthat payment ofroyalties tocalypsonians isdenied by manypromotors.

Besides theextension beyondthe 50 years afterthe artistes’ death,there are calls formeasures to helpartists during theirlifetime. (WKA)

ArtsV 2. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

A copyright concern

Lance Chapman, Director of ECCO, wants acommonality among Caribbean countries withrespect to the period an artiste’s right to royaltiesextend.

Dr. Erica Smith, ChiefExecutive OfficerCOSCAP, Barbados,raised the concern onthe 50th anniversary ofJackie Opel death.

Under the existing CopyrightLaw in Barbados, JackieOpel’s (pictured) heirs andrelatives will no longer beentitled to collect royaltiesfor his work.

V News 3THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021. 3.

MOE launchGoCybersmartCampaignby GLORIAH…

COMING ON THE HEELS OFSTUDENTS receivingtablets to facilitatestudents’ access to onlineeducation, the Ministry ofEducation here in St.Vincent and theGrenadines launched itsGoCyberSmart campaignon March 16, 2021.

The promotion whichwill see activitiesrunning from March toJune, 2021, is intendedto ensure the safety ofstudents, teachers andparents as they accessprogrammes andinformation across theworldwide web (internet).

According toCoordinator of thecampaign, Mrs. MarlaNanton-James, towards

the above end, theMinistry will utilize anumber ofoutlets/platforms, e.g.www.svgcdu.org — theCurriculum Unit’swebsite where a veritablestorehouse of educationalmaterials may beaccessed; Facebook —SVG Education MediaUnit and Instagram —SVG Edu Media Unitand NTRCGetSafeOnline athttps://www.getsafeonline.vc/.

Nanton-James saidthat the Ministry ofEducation will beengaged in mediaactivities during thecampaign.

“We are basicallyusing media activities to

spread the awareness,”she said. “We haveactivities planned forradio, television andactivities geared towardssocial media.

Alongside that, wehave also prepared amanual/publication thatgives simple informationand we are remindingthe principals, as wasoutlined in acommunique which wassent to schools, that theinformation is to becreatively used andintegrated into teachingand learning.”

The principalexpectation, sheelaborated, is that theinformation about onlinesafety could bedisseminated to students

in exciting andcreative ways byteachers, who areprepared to crafttheir own activityform the variedresources on themedia outlets wherethe information willbe stored.

Once thiscampaign is takenon board by allstakeholders andstudents learn howto ‘GoCyberSmart’,the atmosphere forlearning will be wellenhanced, theMinistryanticipates.

Marla Nanton-James(Mrs.) – Coordinator ofthe GoCyberSmartcampaign expects theinformation would bedisseminated tostudents in a creativeand exciting manner.

Chemotherapy infusion pumpsdonatedby GLORIAH…

AT THIS PIVOTAL TIMEin the delivery of healthcarehere in St. Vincent and theGrenadines, especiallywhere the chronic non-communicable disease ofcancer is concerned, sixinfusion pumps used for thedelivery of chemotherapy aspart of the patient’s medicalmanagement, were handedover to the Modern Medicaland Diagnostic Centre inGeorgetown, on Thursday25th March.

This donation, which isset to advance the work ofthe Medical Centre, wasmade through the Consulate ofSt. Vincent and the Grenadinesin Toronto, and was procuredthrough the instrumentation ofConsul General FitzgeraldHuggins, in collaboration withSt. Vincent and the GrenadinesDisaster Relief InitiativePlatform (SVG-DRIP).

The equipment was handedover by Senator Hon. KeisalPeters, Minister of State in theMinistry of Foreign Affairs andForeign Trade, and others at the

presentation were Ms. IdingaMiller, Deputy HospitalAdministrator; Dr. AimeeTaylor, Oncologist; and Sis.Agatha Stay, DepartmentalManager.

According to Senator Peters,the equipment was valued at US$4,896.00.

In Ms. Miller extendingheartfelt thanks to Counsul

General Fitz Huggins and SVG-DRIP, Ms. Miller stressed theimportance of the machines tochemotherapy treatment as theywill allow the treatment to beadministered in a more efficientand effective manner.

She acknowledged also thatthe treatment they will providecould be an interventions thatcould prolong the life of personssuffering from cancer.

Continued from Frontpage.

Rodney was taken to the Milton Cato MemorialHospital where he was warded for about three weeksand discharged.

He as re-admitted to the hospital around April orMay 2016, and died on July 14, 2016.

Sam was originally charged with attempted murderbut after Rodney died, that charge was substituted forthat of murder.

Under cross-examination by Sam’s attorney KayBacchus-Baptiste on Monday, Corporal James admittedto the Court that he had lost all his notes, whichcontained everything he did during the investigationswhich spanned a period of about nine months.

The notes included a statement James said he tookfrom Rodney before he died.

James was asked about the first statement he saidhe (James) made. He told the Court that it should beon the case file.

However, Bacchus-Baptiste said she looked at thecase file, and the only statement she saw from Jameswas the one he made in August 2016. The onepurportedly made before was not there.

However, Prosecutor Rose-Ann Richardson indicatedthat the first statement from James was not meant forthe file, as it was a report James had made to hissuperiors.

Speaking with THE VINCENTIAN shortly after theadjournment on Monday, Bacchus-Baptiste said thatnever before in her 25 years of trials, had she heard ofa criminal matter in which the Prosecution lost somany critical records.

But Bacchus-Baptiste added that there are otherthings which are strange about this trial. She notedthat hospital Administrator Grace Walters testifiedthat she could not trace any record of Dr. AlishaMelissa Bonadie having dealt with Rodney at thehospital, yet Dr. Bonadie is on record as saying shewitnessed the statement Rodney gave to the policebefore he died.

The Prosecution rested its case on Tuesday, and isrelying on the statement Rodney is alleged to havegiven to the police before he died, in which he said Samshot him.

Sam, in his evidence from the dock, denied that heshot Rodney, saying that Rodney was his friend.

He accused the police of beating him when theyarrested him in 2016. He also accused them of notinforming him of his rights before doing the firstelectronic interview with him, and that they told him tosay something to save himself.

Police admits tolosing criticalrecords

The presentation party (Left to Right): Idinga Miller, Dr. AimeeTaylor, Senator Keisal Peters, Sr. Agatha Stay. (Credit: NBCRadio Facebook Page)

NewsV 4. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

St. Lucia firmsup plans toassist SVG ST. LUCIA HAS MOVED TO FLESH OUT itsresponse to assisting with the relocationof persons from St. Vincent and theGrenadines, should there be an explosiveeruption of La Soufriere volcano.

According to a release from Ms.Velda Joseph, Director of St. Lucia’sNational Emergency ManagementOrganisation (NEMO), that country’sdisaster officials held an emergencyvirtual meeting on Saturday, to reviewthe situation in Saint Vincent and theGrenadines.

Noting that seismic activity hadheightened and the experts continued

to warn about probability of anexplosive eruption, the meetingdiscussed and agreed upon a responseplan.

The meeting was reported to haveidentified shelters to be used by theevacuees, who will arrive at the GFLAirport, for those travelling by air, andat the Rodney Bay Berth, for thosearriving by sea.

Persons arriving in St. Lucia will besubject to COVID-19 screening andCOVID-19 Shelter Protocols will be inplace.

The meeting also addressed the

response plan to the needs ofresidents in the district of Denneryin St. Lucia, which, experts say,could be affected by ash andpolluted air, depending on thedirection of the wind.

St. Lucia joins with other OECSmember territories incommitting assistance toSt. Vincent, withGrenada expressing awillingness, incollaboration with StGeorge’s University, tomake available up to

2,000 beds on the campus, should aneruption of the volcano create the needfor Vincentians to evacuate.

Velda Joseph,Director of NEMO,St. Lucia, reportedon the meetingcalled to discussplans for thepossible acceptanceof Vincentianevacuees.

THE GOVERNMENT of StVincent and the Grenadines hasawarded a record number ofNational Scholarships for the2019/2020 academic year.

Fifty-eight (58) graduates of theSt. Vincent and the GrenadinesCommunity College have receivedfull or partial scholarships, whichwill fund their university studiesin a wide range of academicdisciplines.

The 2019/2020 total representsan increase of eleven (11) over theprevious year’s total number ofscholarships and awards.

Among the 58 awards, a total ofseventeen (17) NationalScholarships, tenable for five (5)years, have been awarded, whiletwelve (12) persons are recipientsof three-year Exhibition Awards

and anotherthree (3)individualsarerecipients ofSpecialAwards.

In addition, twenty (26)Bursaries/Partial Scholarshipshave been awarded, each with avalue of twenty thousand dollarsannually for a period of three (3)years.

Three (3) graduate of theDivision of Teacher Educationhave also been granted a three-year Developmental/SpecialAward in the area of Educationfor their commendableperformance in the AssociateDegree in Teaching — PrimaryEducation. Based solely on the

age limit of twenty-one (21) yearsapplied to the National andExhibition Awards, they could notqualify under the aforementionedcategories.

Of particular significance is thefact that graduates of AssociateDegree programmes at alldivisions of the CommunityCollege, including the Divisions ofTeacher and Nursing Education,and Technical/Vocational Studiesare eligible for awards under theNational Scholarship Programme.(Source: MOE)

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES recordeda total of nine new positive cases OF covid-19 onTuesday March 30, 2021.

Eight (8) cases were from one hundred andforty-nine (149) samples collected and tested onMonday, March 29th, 2021, giving a positivityrate of 5.4%. One (1) case is from some of thesamples collected and tested on Tuesday, March30. Five (5) of these cases are contacts of knownCOVID-19 positive cases and four (4) are personswith symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 seekingcare.

No new recoveries were reported, leaving thenumber of total recoveries at fifteen hundred andeighty-seven (1587). One hundred and fifty-one(151) cases remain active and ten (10) personswith COVID-19 have died. One thousand, sevenhundred and forty-eight (1748) cases of COVID-19have been reported in St. Vincent and theGrenadines since March 2020.

The public is urged to continue to use masks,sanitize, physically distance and get vaccinated toreduce the spread of COVID-19 in St. Vincent andthe Grenadines. (Source: MOH)

Nine new casesIncrease in scholarshipsawarded

People/DiasporaV THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021. 5.

IN HONOUR of Black History Month,February, 2021, the Ingram School ofNursing (ISoN), McGill University,Montreal, Canada, celebrated some ofthe inspiring Black nurses, leaders,educators, researchers and studentsacross the McGill Nursing Community.

One of those so celebrated wasVincentian Tenkarra Punnett, thefollowing is an interview withTenkarra to mark the occasion.

Why did you choose to become anurse?

As a child, I was always fascinatedwith the body and how it worked. Andgrowing up in a Caribbean household,I was taught the value of communityand the importance of taking care ofyour neighbour. My love for physiologyand the satisfaction I get from being inthe midst of my community drew meto nursing as a profession.

What is your current role?

Nursing has given me manypersonally satisfying opportunities.Currently I work in three differentnursing roles. I work at the JewishGeneral Hospital as an orthopedicnurse in the orthopedic day clinic

where we see pre-operative, trauma-fracture and post-operative patients.In this role I can use myadministrative ability in a mannerthat is not just confined to paperwork.I also work on the orthopedic unit as abedside nurse. Most recently, becauseof the pandemic, I started telenursing.This helps me channel my passion forworking intimately with the humanbody while still connecting with thepeople in my community.

What is your proudest achievementin nursing?

My proudest achievement innursing is having the opportunity toteach for McGill as a nursing clinicalinstructor. As a nursing student atMcGill, I never had a Black nursingprofessor or clinical instructor. I am ahuman of diverse origins (African,East Indian, European and Aboriginalto name a few) and I think thisheritage gives me an ability topositively interact with individualsfrom various ethnic backgrounds. Thiswas missing in my training as therewere no role models with whom I couldclosely identify. In fact, I had to reachout to one of my colleagues to ask

whether or not I wasmistaken with myrecollection of the McGillnursing faculty while wewere at school. Mycolleague could not recallhaving any Black nursinglecturers or clinicalinstructors whilepursuing their nursingstudies at McGill.

Given that so manyBlacks have been in thenursing profession for somany years, it begs thequestion as to why moreof us have not reachedthe professional heightsto be able to share ourknowledge and expertise.This is whyrepresentation inhealthcare is crucial, forhow can our society avoidor eliminate incidences ofdiscrimination inhealthcare if ourhealthcare professionalsare not taught in aninclusive environment?

It is encouraging that the IngramSchool of Nursing at McGill Universityhas made efforts for Black HistoryMonth to showcase the experiencesand voices of black nurses in theMcGill community. My hope for the

future is that McGill employs morepeople of diverse backgrounds to teachthe next generation of nurses.(Source: www.mcgill.ca/ISoN)

TO MARK Black History Month,February 2021, the Ottawa Coalitionto End Violence Against Women,Canada, highlighted/acknowledged thework of a number of women in theProvince.

Among those so acknowledged was

Monique Huggins-Neehall, who wasborn in Canada to Vincentian parentsEdson and Jennifer Huggins.

The following is taken from theFacebook page of the Ottawa Coalitionto End Violence Against Women(facebook.com/OCTEVAW).

“Mrs. Monique Huggins-NeehallOCT is an activist, educator,volunteer, ally, step-parent, partnerand proud Vincentian-Canadian. Monique has played asupporting role in opening theYouthLink (YL) Youth TransitionalHousing & Shelter Program, as theCommunity Engagement and ClientProgramming Specialist.

Monique brings expertise,compassion and excitement to thework and volunteering that she does,and the diverse community that sheserves. In her current YL position,“Aunty Monique” ensures that nomajor life event goes uncelebrated,facilitates and supports anti-oppressive programming, and workswith youth to encourage self-awareness, healing, resilience andcollaborations via connecting withyouths and planning/working throughtheir goals.

Monique is empathetic, funny andanti-racist/oppressive. From being anengaged member of YL’s Anti-BlackRacism Committee, to buildingmeaningful relationships with thosearound her, she brings positive changeto the many lives that she touches.

Because of her hard work anddetermination there is no doubt shewill be successful with both herpersonal and professional goals.”

Tenkara Punnett, BNI alumna

Vincentian Nurse celebrated

Canadian-Vincentianwoman highlighted

Monique Huggins-Neehall, volunteer,social activist and much more.

TEN FORMER PILOTS withthe fraught-filled onceregional airline LIAT havejoined together to file aclass-action suit againstthe government of Antiguaand Barbuda. Theconstitutional motion wasfiled recently in the HighCourt in St John’s, Antigua,by Captain Neil Cave ofBarbados.

This action was met bythe harshest of referencesby Prime Minister ofAntigua and BarbudaGaston Browne, who tookto his radio station tobrand the pilots as“rotten elements,” andblame them for thedemise of the airline.

“You see those verypilots, especially those inBarbados, I’m told thatthey are some rottenelements, and one of thereasons why LIATcollapsed is not so muchbecause of COVID youknow, it’s because of the

behaviour of them rottenelements within LIAT,”Browne said Saturday onlocal radio.

Browne added, “So,after those rottenelements done mash upthe company, theycoming to make troubleagain. But as they sayinggoes, ‘they better wettheir hands and wait forus because we cominghard.”

However, the tenpilots declared in acounter-response thatthey weren’t going to “bebullied into backingdown” in the face ofBrowne’s recent outburstand his previous threatto end all support forLIAT if “pilots and thosewho represent them”continue to frustrate hisefforts to rescue thecollapsed carrier.

The Antigua andBarbuda leader describedthe litigation as “very

unfortunate,” adding thatif LIAT 1974 Ltd goesinto liquidation, at bestthe former pilots wouldget about five per cent ofwhat is owed to them.

LIAT is said to owe upto EC$90 million inseverance pay to itsformer employees.

The constitutionalmotion against thegovernment ischallenging theconstitutionality of therecently amendedCompanies Act whichprohibits anyone fromsuing the Antigua andBarbuda governmentover any claims againstLIAT.

The claimants, whohave named the AttorneyGeneral as the onlydefendant, also want thecourt to order that theybe awarded costs and/orother relief the court maydeem just.

But Browne was in a

fighting mood in hisresponse to the suitwarning, “You know thesaying ‘want all getnone?’ Let them go aheadbecause they may end upgetting nothing, orlittle. How do youresolve an issue byberating agovernment thatis trying to assist

you and literallytaking thegovernment tocourt? It makes nosense.” (CaribbeanNews Service)

EX-EMPLOYEES of thefraught-filled regionalairline LIAT, who areresident in Barbados,whether Barbadian orotherwise, can now lookforward to receiving some‘cash in their hands’.

Barbados’ AttorneyGeneral Dale Marshall,speaking during thatcountry’s Estimates Debateto the country’s Parliamentlast week Tuesday,announced that eventhough Barbados “was notlegally obligated to paythose workers severance, itwas out of a sense ofhumanity and care that theMia Mottley administrationwill be ready with thedetails of the payout withindays,” Barbados Today reported.

Marshalled explained that therewere two sets of Barbadian LIATworkers who were terminated by theAntigua-based airline: those employedby LIAT in Barbados, primarilyBarbadians; and those residing inBarbados but who chose to be employedin Antigua rather than Barbados.

The first category paid contributionsinto the Barbados National InsuranceScheme (NIS) here and LIAT also paidcontributions into the NIS here on theirbehalf.

Marshall made known, according toBarbados Today, that, “There is a legalobligation on the part of the National

Insurance Scheme throughthe Severance PaymentsFund to make payments tothose individuals.”

He went on to say,perhaps for the first time forpublic consumption: “Whatis little known though, isthat the management ofLIAT under administrationhas refused to cooperatewith those employees…theBarbados-based employees,who paid in…so moneycame out of their paycheques every month andthey are entitled to get itback. The LIATadministrator refused tocooperate, to stop them fromgetting back their money.”

Those ex-LIAT workerswho chose to be employed

by Antigua but who will now benefitfrom Barbados’ assistance, are said tobe primarily pilots and some flightattendants.

The Attorney general was hopefulthat his government would be in aposition within the next few days, tosay what ex-gratia (voluntary)assistance will be forthcoming to thenon-Barbadians resident in Barbados,and who paid their dues to the Antiguagovernment.

“We are working out what we canand will give to them on an ex-gratiabasis,” Marshall told the BarbadosParliament. (Source: Barbados Today)

Cash for some ex-LIAT employees

RegionalV 6. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

LIAT pilots are Ârottenelements,Ê says Browne

Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbudawho is leading an effort to salvage LIAT, has warned theformer pilots of the regional airline that they could findthemselves getting nothing or very little at the end of theday. (Photo Credit: Times Caribbean Online)

Barbados’ AttorneyGeneral DaleMarshall as hepresented hisgovernment’s planto make ex-gratiapayments to someex-employees ofLIAT.

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021. 7.

(This was published in THE VINCENTIANFriday 30th April, 2015.)

AH FEEL FUH DR. KEN BY OTTO SAM(THE VINCENTIAN December 13th 2002)

“I FEEL EXTREMELY SORRY for Dr.‘Ken’, NDP’s Chief propagandist and“Tommy Tucker Specialist”. Everyoneremembers Dr. John as one of the longestserving chairman of the Public Service andPolice Service Commissions, position whichmay have earned him plenty moneymonthly. Easy money, milk and honey. Nuffgravy.

Obviously missing the sweetness andapparently being huffed by De Comrade,the Dr is acting like a peeved old man whohas missed the milk and honey. Hisapparent bitterness at being excluded fromDe Comrade’s infamous “Together now”which he depended on for retaining the twochairmanships, has seen him acting like asenile old fellow. How else do youcharacterise an alleged “intelligent” guycalling for the Prime Minister to contest inEast Kingstown?

Although Ken Begged De Comrade tokeep him as one of the nation’s orphans likehis friends Burns, his pleas fell on deafears, he was smartly huffed.

Today this chap, whose profession hardlyever earned him a living, has neither aclientele nor a political free cheque(handout). So sad! Feel for the gentle manbecause his life depends on it.

Comrade, please, have some compassionon Ken. He is a brilliant writer whosetwenty years with the Vincentian is a goodcontribution. His law Chambers is usuallyempty and he has no political appointment(as Chairman) and he gets no easygovernment jobs. How do you expect him tosurvive? That’s why he is so angry! Don’tyou know that he is a Tommy Tucker byprofession? After all, he had begged to stayon as Chairman of the PSC in the spirit oftogether now. Poor chaps! His life dependson it.

I really feel for him, because he is sobitter. I’m afraid that he is blowing his fuseor simply getting senile. Comrade pleasegive him a bread and butter.”

My Response

I should have rebutted this letter 15years ago before its poison had had time toseep into the body politic, but better latethan never.

Firstly, I was referred to as “KenDP”according to the baptismal rites of mynephew, Mike Browne, as editor of“Justice”. In fact I have never been a card-carrying member of the NDP nor engagedin any of its councils.

So unlikethe case ofBlazer whoedited“Unity”published bythe break-away MNU, of which he, Blazer,was Deputy Leader.

Blazer, before his appointment as ULPChairman of the “independent PSC”, wenton to serve Ralph as a Junior in his legalchambers, and twice contested nationalelections on behalf of the MNU, led by Dr.Gonsalves.

In regard to my length of service of whichmuch has been made, I was the chairmanfor fifteen years (15) 1986-2001. Blazer isnow approaching 15 years 2001-2015, andcontinuing. So what is the big point?

Otto mentioned my coming off to a big“monthly stipend”. Actually, I worked forthe princely sum of $400.00 a month, raisedto $900.00 then $1350.00 after my 6th two -year appointment. It had climbed to$1850.00 monthly by 1998 when the“powerful” Opposition ULP nearly broughtParliament to a halt, over its boisterousbehaviour in clamouring that theChairman’s pay should be scaled back to$1350.00.

At no time during fifteen years did Ireach the monthly figure of $2000.00 whichpaled in comparison with other OECSstates. I wonder what Blazer’s pay packet islike today. The $400.00 start-up salary wasoperational during Cato’s time when theChairman, lawyer Christe Norris, reaped agoodly sum from other Governmentbusiness, including the solicitorship of theNCB!

In regard to my leaving the post, Ottohas it all deliberately wrong. During thecampaigning for the 1998 elections, Dr.Gonsalves had dragged my name throughthe mud. When a snap election was called, Isaid publicly that I would resign if the ULPwon, which they did, and immediately Isubmitted my resignation based onprinciple.

I received pay up to the day in the monththat my resignation took effect, not a singlecent as a gratuity for 15 years work!

What seemed to hurt Otto especially wasmy suggestion that Ralph should tackleEast Kingstown to prove how weak he saidArnhim was. I was serious. Other leadershad done similar feats to prove a point.Joshua left North Windward in the care ofhis wife Ivy and removed Charles fromCentral Windward. Even Vincent Beachehad left his strong-hold of North CentralWindward to help Ralph win the seat and,in turn, took away South Windward fromBurton Williams. Talk about leadership!Ralph had better wheel and come againwith aplomb.

8. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

ViewsV

Editorial

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.

The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Fallout from PMBrowne’s outburst Ah feel fuh Dr. Ken by Otto SamARE WE TO ASSUME that GastonBrowne, Prime Minister of Antiguaand Barbuda, self-proclaimedsaviour of LIAT (1974) Ltd., hasfree reign over all tangible assetsof the airline and also thosehuman beings who have been leftin limbo since its demise?

Are we to assume that thePrime Ministers Dr. RalphGonsalves and Ms. Mia Mottley— St. Vincent and theGrenadines and Barbadosrespectively — have been fed adose of ‘dumb’ on all mattersrelated to the airline, e.g.financial, industrial, and otherto which LIAT Shareholders,Directors and Management hadput their ‘John Hancocks’?

Credit Mr. Browne for his‘guts’ in staying the course andcommitting to resurrect somesemblance of the airline. This isto his country’s benefit, which bythe fact that LIAT (1974) Ltd.was (is) headquartered there,has the most to gain shouldwhatever morphs as an airline(as improbable as it sounds) canoperate in the black.

That PM Browne could resortto referencing the former pilotsof LIAT as ’rotten elements’,openly accuse them of causingthe airline’s demise, and not berebuked, is enough to tell usthose governments who pumpedour money (like our NationalInsurance in the case of SVG),without due consultation into afree-falling LIAT, that theywant nothing to do with thefallout of the airline, that theyall knew was heading forimmensely threatening thunderclouds anyway.

And it appears that PMBrowne has retained hisumbrage with Barbados for, afew years back, having been apivotal part of a ‘plot’ todecentralize the administrativeand operational headquarters ofLIAT, with Barbados becominga major cog in thedecentralisation.

Readers will recall that PMBrowne wielded enoughinfluence even back then, tohave the then CEO of LIAT,David Evans, removed fromoffice even though officially itwas reported that Evans had“willingly’ tendered his

resignation.Mr. Browne’s peeve with

Barbados could well haveresurfaced given that country’sreadiness to respond (in cash) tothe needs of disenfranchisedpilots and flight attendants whoreside in Barbados but wereofficially hired by LIAT,Antigua.

What a slap in the face thismust be for PM Browne who isfacing a class action suit byformer pilots, and who had beentrying to convince Antiguanemployees of LIAT (1974) Ltd.,to accept severance pay, etc. inbonds and land among othertangibles.

And Barbados’ commitment tothe pilots and attendants mustalso run cuttingly across Dr.Gonsalves gait, for it was hewho openly and apatheticallydeclared that ‘he’ was not legallyobligated to LIAT workers.

Mr. Browne’s recent ‘rottenoutburst’ is yet anotherdemonstration of a CARICOMleader who feels that elevationto the highest political tier,accords the right to be insulting,demeaning to Caribbeanworkers.

Not for the first time, also,CARICOM heads have remainedsilent in the face of a colleague’s‘abuse’. Their silence istantamount to support of thisdastardly behavior by one oftheir own, clearing reneging ontheir obligation as electedofficials to protect the interestand integrity of the ‘masses’,come what may.

PM Browne knew what hewas getting himself into whenhe assumed responsibility torefloat the airline. He knew theextent of its indebtedness to the600 or so employees, inclusive ofstation staff, pilots, flightattendants, aircraft mechanics,etc.

For PM Browne to come nowand take his frustrations out onthe pilots and point accusingfingers at other formershareholders amount to anaffront to decency and fair play.

For his colleagues to remaindumb in the face of his recentoutburst is to sink deeper anddeeper into a cesspool ofirresponsibility.

I PAID MY VINLEC billlast week and noticed thehighly talked about 10%discount on the unitcharges. Great, I said tomyself; I am finallygetting something back.Then it struck me themany times last week Ihad heard the discussionabout the 1% increase inthe CSC tax on importedgoods. I heard theopposition spinning it asa 20% increase; I heardthe Minister of Financedefending is as not beingcallous, wicked orunconscionable; then Iheard the PM justifyingit as monies to pay duesto various regional andinternationalorganizations. I, myself,a few weeks ago wroteabout why I think it wasunfair and unjustifieddue to current stress onthe economic, brought onby the COVID-19pandemic. I labeled it aregressive taxdisproportionatelyaffecting the workingpoor in our country.

Now here we go againwith this VINLEC andCWSA 10% discount onthe unit charges. I heardthe PM calling on thesequasi-governmentoperations to offer said10% discount a few weekago. In fact, his call outseemed like an attemptto embarrass the Boardof Directors or Managerinto doing it. Well it’sdone Mr. PM - yousuccessfully forced these

institutions to give awaymy money to all, andsundry. As a rate payer Imust say these funds arenot yours to give away.So like the good oldsaying goes, “no gooddeed goes unpunished” orin this case unnoticed.

Now my take on the10% utility bill discountis that it is alsoregressive by itsconstruct. So let’s playthe numbers game again.Let’s say the averageelectricity consumption is200 units, the cost forthese units will be about$100.00 thus puttingyour discount at $10.00.The more you use, themore discount youreceive which on thesurface seems fair andjust, until you look atwho needs it more andwhat the $10 discountmeans to the workingpoor compared tosomeone in the middleclass who may receivebetween $20-25 indiscount. The personlikely receiving the $10discount is a part of theworking poor makingbetween $10-15 thousanddollars a year, while theother person is mostlikely in theupper/middle classreceiving a salary ofgreater than fiftythousand dollars peryear. So this time, the10% discount means lessto those people on theupper end of the userscale. This is a time

when a straight dollaramount would have thegreater benefit to alargest number of peoplein need of help.

I offer this suggestionfor the next time you aregoing to give away someof My Money: thinkabout the greater good tothe greatest amount ofpeople before you choosethe “Easy Button”. Afterall, $10 to the cart-manor the fisher-folks meansmuch more to them than$25 to senior civilservants. This time anacross the board $15credit would have costthe companies about thesame amount of moneyand the benefits wouldbe more far reaching as ahelping hand or aneconomic stimulus.

By the way, if theseutilities could afford a10% discount in the ratestoday it seems to suggestthat maybe the rates areat least 10% too high. A

discussion for anotherday!

Horatio

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021. 9.

LettersV

* Why do fishers from the Grenadines haveto bring their catchto the mainland forinspection?* Why can’tprovision be made todo this in theGrenadines? * Did this procedurecause an exporter ofseafood to miss hisairlift date?* Is a certainbusinessmanoffering medicalcannabis cultivatorsEC$50.00 per lb. fortheir produce afterthat samebusinessmanpromised US$50.00per lb.?* Who is going tolook into thisdastardly act, Dr.Thomas and theMedical CannabisAuthority, Junior‘Spirit’ Cottle andthe CannabisRevival Committeeor some Minister ofGovernment?* Are medicalcannabis cultivators,because of thisshoddy treatment,turning back to‘illegal’ export of theherb?

ABOUT TWO or so weeks ago, Man-About-Town asked about that piece ofroad that overlooks the GrenadinesWharf and the Quarry area. It is thatpiece of road that begins at thecrossword to go onto Cane Garden or togo back down Long Wall and intoKingstown. The piece of road runs intoCane Garden for about 200 metres ormore.

That piece of road must have themost holes for any stretch of road inSt. Vincent. (I am not certain aboutthe state of the roads in theGrenadines, though I hear that roadsin Bequia are deplorable.) The roaddoes not even allow you to dodge onehole to get away from another. Thereare just too many holes and not far

apart from each other. I would go asfar as to say there are more holes thatasphalt surface.

To use it, vehicles have to literallyslow down to a pace that doesn’t evenregister on their speedometers. It isdeplorable and I am certain that thoseof us who still drive motor cars andnot those fancy SUVs have to sufferthe most. I mean, if the PrimeMinister or anyone of his Ministersuse that road (and I have not seenthem on that road for quite sometime), they will not feel a thing intheir fancy vehicles so they mightwonder what Man-About-Town and Iare making such a fuss about.

It seems that we simple tax payerwho choose to live in Cane Garden

must suffer because somebody inauthority have the attitude, ‘Oh, letthem suffer, they have money’. Youwill be surprised, Mr. Editor, to knowhow widespread this attitude is amongpeople in general.

What a shame that with all theboast the PM and others make abouthow we are a respected nation on theworld scene, how we are member ofthe UN Security Council, but we can’tfix a road that is used by all andsundry.

It’s a real shame. Are we who livein Cane Garden and surroundingareas being penalized for someelection sin?

Time for Ralph and Julian and allthe other ULP wigs to stop the

biasness and attend to that road. Maybe we should do like people in

other countries and block the road.Must we always have to suffer thentake action before something thatshould be an ongoing responsibility isattended to?

Shame on us!! Please, attend tothat piece of road.

Cane Garden Taxpayer

PS: Someone just called to ask me ifI noticed that the minibuses havestopped using the Cane Garden‘bypass’. It must be because of thatpiece of road the caller said.

CGTp

Fix the road. ItÊs your duty

MR. EDITOR, Just like how the drive to abstainfrom sex as a means of preventing the spread ofAIDS could have had the effect of creating ageneration of people who would have become afraidof sex altogether, this computer world in which welive and operate is leading us down a sort of similarpath.

That path is all about keeping to yourself; notinteracting with people; keeping us glued to acomputer screen

Think about what is happening right now in ourworld: people are working from home, ‘on a screen’;children are going to school ‘on a screen’; all kind ofmeetings are being held ‘on a screen’; pressconferences are conducted ‘on a screen’; you can payyour telephone, cable and I am not sure what else‘on a screen’; people are even doing all theirbanking ‘on a screen’; more and more people areshopping ‘on a screen’; some people are even goingto church ‘on a screen’; entertainment needs —music, sport, movies — can be had ‘’on a screen’.

The rate we are going at, the next think theywill tell us is that we can procreate ‘on a screen’.

This stay at home, ‘on a screen’ lifestyle isleading the next generation down a road thatmakes them believe that is the new normal; thatthey don’t have to socialize or even go outside; theymust remain at home fixed to a screen.

We stand a good chance of not developingrounded individuals, just ‘screen-focused’ ones whodon’t think fresh air and sunshine really matter intheir lives.

I agree the computer technology is here to stayand will be with us for generations to come, butthat doesn’t mean that we have to become slaves toit.

And as I see it, the persons involved indispensing eye glasses will enjoy this lifestyle.

I wonder: Is this another trap by the developedworld to keep us in their grip?

Charles, Edinboro

‘On a Screen’ When the reversedoption makes more sense

Part 2

Introduction

THE CELEBRATION of the Unity LabourParty continues this week as we continueto examine some of the most popularpolicies of this people-centred governmentover the last 20 years. There can be nodenying that what this country hasachieved over the years of governanceunder this great party can only bedescribed as magnificent. The leadershipof the ULP remains resolute in itsdedication and commitment to the peopleof this country, to ensure that we keeplifting SVG higher.

Housing

Prior to the ULP taking office, homeownership was something that wasgenerally beyond the reach of theworking class. The reality was that evenfor families where two members wereemployed in the public sector, it wasdifficult to get a mortgage for tworeasons, the low salaries earned and theonerous requirement of the deposit fromthe lending institutions. This meantthat workers in the public sector eitherowned homes close to retirement, ortheir homes took years to build, as theywould normally be dependent on helpfrom members in the community whoassisted with the construction onweekends.

To address this very undesirable andunsatisfactory situation that crippledthis country’s hard-working publicservants, like teachers, nurses andpolice officers, the government had aplan. The state-owned bank, theNational Commercial Bank would beginoffering one hundred percent (100%)mortgages to qualified public sectorworkers to construct their first home.This policy removed the need to raisethe ten percent (10%) deposit previouslyrequired, allowing many who would nothave been able to come up with thatdeposit, to now apply.

The campaign promise of the ULP toconstruct 500 low and middle incomehomes was the other housing initiativethat began in the ULP’s first term. TheHousing and Land DevelopmentCorporation set about constructinghouses in Peter’s Hope, Clare Valley,Diamond and San Souci. For manypublic sector workers, this was a doubleblessing, as they were now able toaccess 100% mortgage to purchase theirlow or middle income house. It mustalso be mentioned that the governmentalso constructed “no income houses” forindividuals with very specificcircumstances, who didn’t pay for thosehomes and are allowed to live rent freeuntil death.

Today because of this policy,hundreds of homes have beenconstructed, or purchased by publicofficials who remain grateful to the ULPfor making home ownership possible.

Education

For many Vincentians, thisrepresents the single most significantpolicy implemented by the Unity LabourParty, as it has and continues to impactthe lives of tens of thousands. Almostevery family has been positivelyimpacted by this policy that was able todeliver, compulsory primary education,universal secondary education, state-funded early learning childhoodeducation, expanded post-secondaryeducation that includes teachertraining, nursing education andtechnical vocational education. Thiscountry is also on track to achieve thetarget of one university graduate perhousehold on aggregate by 2030,because of the education revolution.

The process began with theimmediate renovation of all schools the

very year the ULP took office, andincluded creating additional space bybuilding wooden structures. A few shortyears later, when the government wasready to implement universal access tosecondary education, these very woodenstructures provided the space needed toaccommodate the additional students.These were students who didn’t pass theCommon Entrance Exam, but werehowever being given access to secondaryschool education. Schools such asThomas Saunders Secondary, West St.George Secondary, George StephensSecondary and the Sandy BaySecondary School are examples ofschools started as a result of universalaccess to secondary education.

The Government has upgradedTechnical Centres across the countryand the St. Vincent and the GrenadinesCommunity College now offers a widerange of programmes including locallydeveloped associate degree programs aswell as franchised programs inpartnership with other institutions. TheDivision of Technical and VocationalEducation continues to offer morecourses through improved facilities,including their Hospitality Institute atDiamond and their state of the artautomotive department.

As of 2020, the number ofscholarships, exhibition awards andbursaries given by the government tofacilitate university studies was 58, thisis up from 47 the year before. When oneconsiders that by 2001, the NDP gave amaximum of 4 national scholarships,the true extent of the emphasis placedon support for our students’ universityeducation can be fully appreciated.These numbers do not include thehundreds who get assistance towardstheir education through the PublicService Commission or the NationalLotteries Authority. It must behighlighted that the governmentthrough its proactive foreign policy hasalso negotiated scholarships for ourstudents who have gained universitydegrees at institutions in Austria,Azerbaijan, Cuba, Mexico, Morocco,Russia, Taiwan, Turkey and Venezuela.With the full implementation of thegovernment’s policy on education, theimproved performances of our studentsat CPEA, CSEC, at the CommunityCollege and the results fromuniversities across the globe, all attestto a very successful educationrevolution.

Conclusion

It’s is obvious that this article in 2parts could not cover all the policies ofthe ULP administration over the last 20years in office. Many more projects thatemanated from policies of thisgovernment have not been mentioned,to the disappointment of many. Some ofthese include, climate changeadaptation and mitigation where wecontinue to build climate resilientinfrastructure; improvements inhealthcare, constructing polyclinics,renovating and upgrading clinics andhealth centres; expanding MCMH andthe construction of the Modern Medicaland Diagnostic Centre in Georgetown;infrastructure development, repairingroads and reconstructing bridges acrossthis country after disasters and ofcourse the largest capital project everundertaken in this country, the ArgyleInternational Airport. It cannot bedenied that the stellar leadershipprovided by the ULP over the last 20years is worthy of celebration, but wewill not become complacent. We willcontinue “To strive, to seek, to find, andnot to yield.”

(Excerpts of Dr. Friday’s PressConference)

ONCE MORE, the government hasincreased taxes on the Vincentianpeople. This time it is in the form of anincrease in the Customs Service Charge(CSC). The CSC has been increasedfrom 5% to 6% i.e. a 20% hike in theCSC.

The CSC is a tax paid on all goodsimported into the country. St. Vincentand the Grenadines is a small openeconomy. We import most of what weconsume. Therefore, the CSC isincluded in the price of most of thethings that we buy and use in St.Vincent and the Grenadines. So, itseffect is very broad. Furthermore, theCSC increase will affect VAT as well.That is to say, the amount of moneythe government will collect on eachVAT item will increase. This isbecause VAT is charged on the goodsafter the value of those goods hasbeen raised by the higher CSC.

What does this mean for us? Byraising the CSC from 5% to 6%, theprice of most goods we buy in thestore or bring into the country forourselves will go up. In fact, someprices have already gone up. Peoplehave noticed it. We will pay more foralmost everything we use, includingfoodstuff: e.g. cooking oil, cornedbeef, chicken and other meats, salt,rice, sugar, macaroni, juices, ketchup,seasonings, detergents, soap,shampoo, school supplies, clothingand shoes, and everything else thatwe get at the grocery stores andclothing stores.

We will pay more for hardwaregoods: lumber, cement, galvanize,bathroom fittings, nails, screws, paint,etc. We will pay more for otherhousehold goods: pots and pans, cloth,linoleum for your floor, light bulbs,plates, spoons, and heavy appliancessuch as stoves, fridges and microwaveovens will cost more. And we will paymore for motor vehicles of all kinds.The bigger the purchase, the moremoney the government will collect,and the more you theconsumer/taxpayer will notice theincrease.

How much will Government collect?

The government expects to collect$8 million directly from the increasein the CSC. This estimate does notinclude the additional amounts thegovernment will also get from VAT(i.e. after VAT is charged on goodswhose value has been increased bythe higher CSC). In other words, theincrease is expected to earn the sameamount, or more than the governmentearned additionally when it raisedVAT from 15% to 16%, five years ago.So, this is not a small thing. TheMinister and others in thegovernment would like us to believe itis a small thing. It amounts to a verysignificant tax increase that will affecteveryone - rich and poor, employedand unemployed directly. Every timewe buy something in the store, orsomeone sends something for youfrom overseas, you will be paying thetax.

What is this money to be used for?

The money is not to be used forspending on things here in St. Vincentand the Grenadines. It is not raisedfrom all of us to help those sufferingmore from COVID economic fallout. Itis to be used to pay various regionalorganizations to help them to covertheir operating expenses. The

Minister of Finance sought to explainit in his Budget Address.

The following organizations werementioned in the Budget Address andprovided for in 2021 Estimates:Caribbean Public Health Agency(CARPHA), ($113,000); Pan-AmericanHealth Organization (PAHO),($60,000); Regional Security System(RSS), ($2M); Caribbean DisasterEmergency Management Agency(CDEMA), ($255.7K); CARICOMImplementing Agency for Crime andSecurity (IMPACS), ($278,450);Caribbean Institute of Meteorologyand Hydrology, ($250,000); CaribbeanMeteorological Services, ($40,610);Seismic Research Centre, ($400,000);Eastern Caribbean Civil AviationAuthority ($900,000) and the OECS($3.18m). CARICOM (1.16m) and theEastern Caribbean Supreme Court($2.2m) were also added later.

We do not question the importantroles that these regional bodies playfor St. Vincent and the Grenadinesand the Caribbean. But, we mustquestion, why now a tax increase forthem? Why must the governmentimpose a special tax on the people ofSt. Vincent and the Grenadines to paythese organizations at this difficulttime? This question is important notonly because of the special times weare in as a result of the COVID- 19pandemic, but also because thegovernment imposed a similar tax in2015 for the same reasons that shouldhave paid all of these organizationsalready.

The 2015 Estimates provided thefollowing sums for theseorganizations: Caribbean PublicHealth Agency (CARPHA) (Notmentioned); Pan-American; HealthOrganization (PAHO), $115,000.00;Regional Security System (RSS,$1,800,000.00; Caribbean DisasterEmergency Management Agency(CDEMA), $100,000.00; CARICOMImplementing Agency for Crime andSecurity (IMPACS) (Not mentioned);Caribbean Institute of Meteorologyand Hydrology, $155,000.00;Caribbean Meteorological Services,$87,000.00; Seismic Research Centre,$190,000.00; Eastern Caribbean CivilAviation Authority, $485,000.00;OECS, $2,500,000.00; CARICOM,$654,000.00 and the EasternCaribbean Supreme Court,$2,100,000.00, a total of$8,186,000.00.

Over the years, the governmentcame to Parliament, especially in theEstimates it presented, and set outthe amount of money needed to payeach of these regional organizations.Parliament approved it. What didthey do with that money? Thegovernment obviously spent on otherthings and now they are coming to thepeople to ask for more money throughraising the CSC, again.

The people of this country are goingthrough hell right now! We are goingthrough a period of great economicpain and great uncertainty broughtabout by the mismanagement of theeconomy by this government, andthere is uncertainty about what theimmediate future holds.

We were put in this position by badfinancial management, which wasmade a lot worse by the COVID 19Pandemic and the way thegovernment has mishandled it. Thecurrent outbreak of COVID- 19 withthe reluctant acknowledgment by thegovernment of community spread, hasclearly set us back even more.

10. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

ViewsVTax increase during COVID-19pandemic

Twenty years of sterling leadership and good governance

(First published in the April 5, 2012

issue of THE VINCENTIAN newspaper

“THE GREAT EASTER TRUTH is not thatwe are to live newly after death — that isnot the great thing — but that we are tobe new here and now by the power ofthe resurrection; not so much that weare to live forever as that we are to, andmay, live nobly now because we are tolive forever.” - Phillips Brooks(1835–1893) US Episcopal minister,sermon at Lincoln's funeral, wrote theChristmas carol “O Little Town ofBethlehem”

It is truly amazing how quicklytechnology is advancing and howthese progressions, in turn, influenceour lives. I was reading the DailyBread Devotional several months agowhen I came across a most interestingstory that was written by David C.McCasland. He described twobrothers who, in the 1980s, wereexperimenting with a computerprogramme and discovered someunique ways in manipulating images.Many computer software companiesthought that these youngsters, Johnand Thomas Knoll, were crazy since,until this time, photographers wereunaware of the possibility of usingcomputers to edit photographicimages; John and Thomas were“pioneering beyond the knownphotography world”. The brothersinitially called their programme“Display”. Over time, the nameevolved to “Imaginator”. Theyeventually settled for the name thatwe now know as “Photoshop®”. Thissoftware is presently used around theworld as amateurs at home andprofessionals in business seek toenhance the outcome of their“photographic expeditions”. Throughthis technology it is possible to correctalmost every imaginable flaw that ismade by “photo-takers”. However, itshould be noted that many of theearly users of the software consideredthe invention “too good to be true”when they heard that the softwarehad the capability of correcting themultitude of photographic errors.

The New Testament describes thescene on that first Easter morning asthe women who carried spices toanoint Jesus’ body found the tombempty (see Matthew 28). The angelswho met them there stated, “He is nothere: for he is risen as he said.”(Matthew 28:6). This historic momentis also captured in the NewTestament book of Luke 24. And inLuke 24:11 we read that when thewomen told this to the disciples,“Their words seemed to them like idletales, and they did not believe them”.Although our Lord and Saviour JesusChrist had foretold His faithfulfollowers that He will be raised on thethird day (see Matthew 16:21, 17:22-23, 20:17-19), when it actuallyhappened their initial responseappeared to be saying “too good to betrue”.

Today, two thousand years later,there are still some who questionwhether the evidence could have been

manipulated. Is it possible that Hisfollowers could have rolled away thestone while the soldiers who wereguarding the tomb were asleep?Could they have paid the soldiers tolie? What do you truly believe? No,this is not the time to put thisquestion on a back burner “for a moreconvenient season”. This EasterSeason is as good a time as any toexamine what you truly believe aboutthis all-important aspect of history.This is truly a question to answer. Asyou ponder, let me share a story aboutan eleven-year-old boy named Philip,a Down’s syndrome child who was ina Sunday School class with eightother children:

Easter Sunday the teacher broughtan empty plastic egg for each child.They were instructed to go out of thechurch building onto the grounds andput into the egg something that wouldremind them of the meaning ofEaster. All returned joyfully. As eachegg was opened there wereexclamations of delight at a butterfly,a piece of stick, a flower, a blade ofgrass. Then the last egg was opened.It was Philip’s, and it was empty!Some of the children made fun ofPhilip. “But, teacher,” he said,“teacher, the tomb was empty.” Anewspaper article announcing Philip’sdeath a few months later noted thatat the conclusion of the funeral eightchildren marched forward and put alarge empty egg on the small casket.On it was a banner that said, “Thetomb was empty.”

And while I do not subscribe toEaster eggs, Easter bunnies, and thelike, the preceding story is shared tointroduce my belief in that firstEaster (even as you continue toponder yours). Like Philip in thestory, I am convinced that Jesus, myLord and Saviour, died for my sins(and the rest of the world) and thatHe arose “with a mighty victory overHis foes”. I believe that Hisresurrection is a fact of history; not amyth. I am convinced that Jesusconquered death and that, because Ibelieve that He lives, “I will seetomorrow”. The resurrection ofJesus Christ, the great Easter truth,enables sinful beings like me to havea life-changing experience that allowsfor a “newness of life” on this side ofthe grave and the privilege ofspending eternity with Him; Hisresurrection enables us to live noblynow (even though we will slip up fromtime to time) and to live forever inHis presence; through faith in JesusChrist and His resurrection we canhave this hope in the now and thehere-after. What do you believe?What does Easter mean to you?

Send comments, criticisms &

suggestions to

julesferdinand@gmail.com

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021. 11.

ViewsVDo you believe in Easter?

WE ARE BETWEEN A ROCK and a hardplace. There is no way to turn for relief.The service offered by Cable andWireless (FLOW) and Digicel is horribly,inadequate and inefficient. We areforced to contend with a case of 6 ofone, half a dozen of the next. We mustfind a solution.

Plain Talk had long hoped that thegovernment, through the AttorneyGeneral, would take these companiesto court to seek redress on behalf ofour people and country. But alas, thisseems unlikely. Camillo Gonsalves,the Minister of Telecommunications ison record as saying that nothing canbe done based on these companies’current contractual arrangements. A‘remedy’ floated was for us to refuse torenew the contracts until better andimproved service is offered. We do notthink this is enough.

We do not believe that there can beno redress with institutions that actimproperly in a country of laws. Asthe Indian senior counsel famouslysaid, ‘The law may be an asssometimes, but judges should notallow themselves to be led by an ass.They must find solutions to seriousproblems.’

For more than a century, Cable andWireless has reaped a handsomereward from its operations. Digicelstormed into this market about 20years ago and has sucked gluttonouslyon our every dollar. When Cable andWireless had a monopoly, calls toEurope and North America were morethan $5 per minute. Today, the feeper calls is substantially lower but isstill relatively high compared to thosein neighbouring Barbados andTrinidad.

Vincentians cherish the lower fees.Wi-Fi has dramatically assisted withcommunications, but the complaintsare mounting. These companiescontinue to swipe credit off people’sphones with no redress. They claim tooffer 4G service at high rates andnever delivers. Sometimes calls madeto the phones do not register. Othertimes calls are made but neverreceived. Calls frequently drop,adversely disrupting personal andbusiness communications.

The internet service is terrible, andthe companies’ total communicationspackages have gotten palpably worse,even as they claim to have spentmoney to upgrade. The only thingthat is being upgraded is the amountof money both companies continue tomake annually. Both companiesmaintain brutally exploitative andabusive relations with Vincentians.

Years ago, Digicel made $4 million($48 million annually) in phone cardsales per month through one outlet.Cable and Wireless make comparableprofits. And we know this becausethey have remained in the marketrather than fold. Yet these companiespay pennies on the dollar to streetvendors selling credit.

These big companies are nottransparent. They do everythingpossible to avoid paying their fairshare of taxes. Since the ULPgovernment attained power, itcollected more than $20 million intaxes from Cable and Wireless after

forensic audits of its tax returns.Digicel was compelled to turn overmillions after audits of its returns.

These are profitable businessentities. Why are they allowed to getaway with robbery in broad daylight?The National TelecommunicationsRegulatory Authority (NTRC) hasample proof of the misdeeds of thesecompanies. Yet, it refuses to act. It istime that citizens join together todemand better, cheaper and moreefficient service.

I speak from the personalexperience saying that both Digiceland Cable and Wireless have scantregard for Vincentians. For 13 years, Iwas a Digicel customer. I paid my billpromptly and in full. Yet not a monthwent by without complaints. In 2017 Ihad had enough of the abuse andswitched. I switched not because Ithought Cable and Wireless offeredbetter service. I switched to showDigicel I was unprepared to continuesucking up its abuse.

Cable and Wireless is equallyabusive and exploitative. Firstly,neither of these companies engage infull disclosure. Cable and Wirelesslocked me into a 2-year contractwithout saying so. I found outfollowing my complaint to the CountryManager about shortcomings in hisservice. I was introduced to a plan Ifound attractive and accepted theoffer. I subsequently found out thatCable and Wireless reneged on theoffer because it claimed I was oncontract for a higher postpaid monthlyfee. No one ever mentioned thecontract terms–no one called toexplain why the agreement could notbe honoured.

Cable and Wireless charges about$75 for data per month. I noticed thatI could not communicate unless I werein a Wi-Fi zone. I took up the matterwith the company to find out that,‘Yes, your observation is correct.There is a problem with the phone.’ Iwas inconvenienced and robbedwithout notice. The exploitation andabuse are unending.

Recently, a salesperson from Cableand Wireless called with an offer todouble the internet speed for a fee. Iagreed to the increased costs, yet theinternet continuously drops with noimprovement in service.

My experience is not unique. And itmatters not whether your serviceprovider is Cable and Wireless orDigicel. So what do we do? Plain Talkis absolutely sure that bothcompanies, Cable and Wireless andDigicel, have a case to answer. Let’ssee how they respond to a claimcharging deceit, intentional andfraudulent misrepresentation. Wehave nothing to lose and a whole lotto gain.

This Plain Talk piece with minorchanges first appeared on December21, 2018. There has been no changefor the better. Things have gottenmuch worse.

Send comments, criticisms &

suggestions to jomosanga@gmail.com

Cable and Wireless and Digicel havea case to answer

WARRANT OFFICER Ivan Bertie O’NealBSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, Leader of SVGGreen Party, very strongly contends thatthe lack of revenue creation is ourgreatest weakness in SVG. SVG will neverachieve prosperity without sustainablesources of revenue, but instead will onlybecome poorer.

After 20 years in power, the ULPregime has failed to create sustainablesources of revenue for our country. Notmuch money from abroad flows intoour economy. The ULP regime hasbeen wasteful with public finances byfocusing on tourism, building a big jailin North Leeward and building theArgyle airport.

None of these create sustainablesources of revenue. In fact, theyprobably cost more to run andmaintain than anything they mayearn.

Warrant Officer Ivan Bertie O’Neal,who has a BSc (Hons) degree inAccounting and Finance andEconomics from Oxford BrookesUniversity, England, says that ourcountry loses hundreds of millions ofdollars a year, because we import somuch. About 200 million dollars is lostto imported food and hundreds ofmillions more are lost because prettymuch nothing is manufactured here inSVG.

Our country’s policy makersurgently need to invest in economicvariables that offer a high rate ofreturn and sustainable sources ofrevenue. Our country needs a strongmanufacturing sector and a strongservice sector. SVG needs a moreknowledge-based economy, and forthat, we need our own university.

Former Singapore Prime Minister,

Lee Kuan Yew, was a graduate ofCambridge University, England. AfterSingapore’s independence, as primeminister he focused on a fiscal policy ofsustainable sources of revenue andproviding free, high-quality educationfrom pre-school to Singapore’s ownuniversities.

The benefits and success of thispolicy of sustainable sources ofrevenue transformed Singapore frompoverty and destitution into a WorldBank success story. Focusing onhaving an educated population and aknowledge-based economy has led toSingapore now having one of thehighest standards of living in theworld.

Tourism was never a variable inSingapore’s rapid economic rise toprosperity, as Lee Kuan Yew realised

that tourism cannot produce a highrate of return or create sustainablesources of revenue.

In April 2015, at a meeting withCARICOM leaders, former Presidentof the USA, Barack Obama, repeatedSVG Green Party’s universitymessage. He said, “If you look at someof the most successful countries in theworld, they are actually pretty smallcountries like Singapore — for example.On paper, it looks like they have noassets and yet, if you go to Singapore,it has one of the highest standards ofliving in the world. What it is thatSingapore did that might bereplicable? One of the most importantthings they did is that they made amassive investment in their peopleand, if you have got a highly skilled[and] highly educated workforce — if

you set up rules of law and governancethat are transparent and non-corrupt,then you can attract actually a lot ofservice industries… .”

The problem in SVG is that we havea highly ‘dotish’ government thatwants to use tourism as the foundationof the SVG economy, rather thaneducation. For that reason, ourcountry has no sustainable sources ofnet revenue and is very poor.

SVG will never achieve prosperitywithout sustainable sources of revenueand a change of government.

IT IS LAUGHABLE how some‘intelligent’ persons are swayed if notmisled by the current pro vaccinepropaganda … so it is left to concludethat the propaganda machine, welloiled, is effective. It has captured theimagination of even our learnedleaders, why, because they ‘fraid’ todie! … isn’t that’s why you wantthe vaccination?

When the world news announced atthe end of 2019 that a deadly viruswas spreading, (ushering the ‘new

norm’ of social distancing andassociated protocols), what became thedaily norm thereafter was news andscenes of dead bodies in Europe, USAand elsewhere — pictures of death,deaths and more deaths, leaving theworld in a state of shock, psychologicalshock, and stress.

Shock is trauma or injury of themind, and when your mind is injured,it invariably affects other bodyfunctions.

The constant bombarding from thenews media has subtly brainwashedmost of our ‘intelligentsia’ intobelieving that the vaccine is the bestway to prevent death, because that iswhat the virus is capable of doing, hasdone and will continue to do…….especially if you don’t take the jab.

No government or vaccinemanufacturer is currently LIABLE,despite the fact that trillions of dollarsare made by the vaccine makers (noteI did not state pharmaceuticalcompanies).

Vaccines are normally tested onmice and other animals to see whatthe reaction is in both the short andlong term. In this case you are dealingwith virulent DNA or segments ofDNA, which isn’t quite an exactscience when you are trying to editgenes at micro millimeter ranges.Although CRISPR (lustered regularlyinterspaced short palindromic repeats)has been around for the last decade orso, that science has not yet beenperfected. The technology has itsusefulness, but to some cold-heartedscientists, the human trials are thebest way to fast track the findings, atthe expense of human ‘guinea pigs’. Iguess some lab mice are breathing lil’longer.

Why do people really want the

vaccine?

Because the scene of COVID deathis so overwhelming, many people areafraid to die, and the vaccine is one ofthe ways to avoid death. While thevaccine may not prevent you fromcontracting future COVID variants,some medics pushing for the vaccinestate that it will lessen the effects offuture infections. There is noguarantee that the current vaccinewill be effective against new or otherstrains. So the risks far outweigh thebenefits at this time.

The second reason why somepersons took the vaccine is purely toallow them to travel withoutrestrictions; I smile when I heard thatjustification. I go no further, so themajority of persons either is afraid todie or just want to be able to travel.

There is undisputable scientificproof that our lemon grass, ‘aka’ fevergrass that grows wild in SVG, candestroy the corona group of viruses.Most persons 40 years or older wouldremember that when you had a badcold or flu, some hot lemon grass tea,sometimes with a half of lime, wouldbe given to the sick child or person,following which you would literally‘sweat it out’. In a day or two youwere up and going again.

The Good Book states that the‘herbs and the leaves thereof are forthe healing of the nations’ and mostmodern medicines have herbal origins.

Why ‘strain at a gnat, and swallowa camel’, I ask my fellow Vincentians.

In closing, when my children askedme if I was taking the jab, Ilaughingly responded, “… die I mustbut not from that vaccine!”

Donald De Riggs

12. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

ViewsVSVG: No prosperity withoutsustainable sources of revenue

⁄die I must, but not fromthe COVID vaccine!!!

by NELSON A. KINGnaking@verizon.netUS CORRESPONDENT

VINCENTIAN Rosanne“Rosie” Small-Morgan, asenior advocate for theelderly, blind, disabled andunderserved population,lost her fervent, maidenbid as an independentcandidate for the office ofTrustee in the IncorporatedVillage of Hempstead,Nassau County, LongIsland, New York.There are four Trustees inthe Incorporated Village ofHempstead that has apopulation of about55,000 residents,according to the UnitedStates Census.  

With a heavyconcentration ofCaribbean Americans,Hempstead ispredominantly AfricanAmerican (Blacks) andLatinos. There is also asmall population ofwhites and Asians.

Small-Morgan, 51 —who moved with herfamily to Hempstead inOctober 1994 afterresiding in QueensVillage, Queens, NewYork — is a wife and a“proud mother of twogifted children,” one ofwhom has autism.

Small-Morgan, whomigrated from St.Vincent and theGrenadines in 1988, wasreportedly the firstCaribbean-born womanto seek the office ofTrustee in theIncorporated Village ofHempstead.

She said she ran“proudly” under herparty’s name,

“Transparency forHempstead”, musteringonly 138 votes, thelowest among nineTrustee candidates.

According topreliminary results,published in Newsday,a Long Island-basednewspaper, KevinBoone received themost votes — 2,008;Clariona Griffith, 1,911;Charles Renfroe(incumbent), 1,241;Laquana King, 1,120;Jennifer C. Bonilla,635; Thern Shivers,547; Sherina Lucas,183; and NoahBurroughs, 178.

Despite her heavydefeat, Small-Morgan —who also works in theutility industry, whereshe manages NassauCounty and theRockaways in Queens —sought to put a positivespin on the outcome.

“It was a hard anduphill battle to run asan independent womancandidate in a villagethat deeply isentrenched by partylines,” she told THEVINCENTIAN.“However, I had theopportunity to meet somany of my fellowresidents, share myvision for us all andmake invaluableconnections.

“One thing that Iwill do, after a briefrest, is to develop myother Rosanne Small-Morgan page onFacebook to become aportal of services forthe residents ofHempstead,” she added.“Any information,resources or guidance Ican give, I will willinglyshare.

“Even though theresults didn’t go myway, I am very muchcommitted to be anadvocate for theunderservedpopulation,” she said.

Small-Morgan said,however, that she “willbe back” but wasunsure in whatcapacity.

“But it is my quest tomake a positive impactand contribution withinmy community,” she

said, thanking “the manypeople who called,donated, encouraged andsupported me through

this experience. “It is very encouraging

to hear from so manypeople since the election

who have been askingme, ‘what’s next?’” sheadded. “As I statedbefore, I will be back;

that is a promise. Iwould also like to thankmy campaign for theirvery hard work as well.”

DiasporaV THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021. 13.

The Kingstown Co-operative Credit Union Limited (KCCU LTD) highly prioritizes the health, safety and well-being of our members and our nation, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. As a consequence of the recent imminent threat posed by natural phenomena, particularly the potential explosive volcanic eruption as well as yearly hurricane chal-lenges, we have embarked on an initiative to assist with national preparedness.

The membership of KCCU LTD has donated fourteen (14), one thousand (1000) gallon water tanks to various schools around Saint Vincent and the Grenadines that have been identified as disaster shelters and are without adequate water storage facilities. This initia-tive was made possible with the involvement, partnership and approval of the Ministry of Education. Moreover, BRAGSA will assist with the implementation and installation works.

KCCU LTD takes this opportunity to urge our members and all Vincentians to take the necessary steps towards individual and household preparedness. We also wish safety and good health to everyone during this Easter weekend.

The Kingstown Co-operative Credit Union Limited (KCCU LTD) highly prioritizes the health, safety and well-being of our members and our nation, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. As a consequence of the recent imminent threat posed by natural phenomena, particularly the potential explosive volcanic eruption as well as yearly hurricane chal-lenges, we have embarked on an initiative to assist with national preparedness.

The membership of KCCU LTD has donated fourteen (14), one thousand (1000) gallon water tanks to various schools around Saint Vincent and the Grenadines that have been identified as disaster shelters and are without adequate water storage facilities. This initia-tive was made possible with the involvement, partnership and approval of the Ministry of Education. Moreover, BRAGSA will assist with the implementation and installation works.

KCCU LTD takes this opportunity to urge our members and all Vincentians to take the necessary steps towards individual and household preparedness. We also wish safety and good health to everyone during this Easter weekend.

KCCU DONATES WATER TANKS TO SCHOOLS

4 out of the 14 water tanks being donated.

CEO- Clement Lynch and Minister of

Education- Hon. Curtis King sealing the

partnership with a hand shake. Both parties sufficiently

sanitized before conducting this

handshake.

Vincy loses bid forHempstead Trustee

Rosanne Small-Morganwas unsuccessful in herbid to become aHempstead Trustee buthas abandoned heradvocacy work onbehalf of thedisadvantaged.

Soufrière FocusV 14. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

La Soufrière: Whatstage are we at now?

Stories by GLORIAH…

WHEN ON MARCH 23 theNational EmergencyManagement Organisation(NEMO) announced that a 45-minute swarm of low-frequencyseismic events had occurredthat very morning, and that thiswas followed up later in theafternoon by a series of volcano-tectonic earthquakes thatreached down to an approximate3.1 km below the surface of thevolcano, to the average listenerall indications were that thevolcano was stepping up itsactivity.

Even without panicking,Vincentians across the nationhad begun to wonder if thatactivity was heralding in anexplosive eruption.

It truly is difficult forvolcano scientists to nail downa volcano’s schedule as perdates and times when it isgoing to erupt. However,Soufriere Monitoring Unitteam leader Professor RichardRobertson, speaking on NBC’sFace to Face programme on26th March, gave informationpertinent to understandinghow a volcano works and howpersons should prepare for anyeventuality.

He explained that the waythe La Soufriere has beenerupting, persons may havebeen lulled into thinking thatthat is how it would [always]erupt.

“It would quietly ooze stuffat the top and we’re not

feeling it. People would havebeen wondering: Is this reallyerupting or are we justtricking them? I think theearthquakes tell them whatwe have been telling them:that it is actually an eruptingvolcano,” he said in preface.

“It will have differentphases in its eruption and oneof the options was always thatit could go into an explosivephase. Whether or not it willresult in somethingexplosive issomething to keepa close eye on, hecontinued.

Volcano givingindications

When asked by acaller to hazard aguess as to howclose we currentlyare to an explosiveeruption, ProfessorRobertson chidinglyreplied, “We arecloser now than wewere yesterday!”

He, however,went on to say,“This volcano hasgiven us a lot ofindication of whatit wants to do. Youhad ongoingeruptive activity forclose to threemonths, so if wedidn’t know that itcould do something,it’s telling us that it

could do something………it’snow time to shake the groundand telling us ‘Yes, I reallywant to do something!’”

His judgement was thatbased on these indicationsthat regardless of somethinghappens in the short ormedium term, it should not bea surprise.

Monitoring changes

Professor Robertsonnoted that one of themonitoring team’s job is tolook for changes and therewas a change, he said,which caused heightenedstates of alert.“Exactly what the change

will result in, it’s still earlydays to say ……but theoptions are that you couldhave ongoing dome growth,…or some sort of explosiveactivity.”

He, however, went on toexplain that “the thing that isgoing to move it from effusiveto explosive is how muchenergy you get; and you can

get new energy and renewedvigor from fresh magmacoming into the system.”

The current state

As for the current state ofthe volcano, a NEMO bulletinof 27th March stated thefollowing: “The period ofelevated volcano-tectonic (VT)earthquakes which began on23 March 2021 stopped onMarch 26, 2021. Since then,the only seismic activity beingrecorded are small lowfrequency events associatedwith the growth of the dome.These kinds of events weredominant before March 23,2021. Their rate of occurrencedoes not appear to havechanged as a result of thevolcano-tectonic earthquakeswarm.

“The new dome continues togrow towards the Leeward andWindward sides of the volcano,with the most active gasemissions being at the top ofthe new dome, as well as thecontact areas between the pre-existing 1979 and 2020/21domes.”

Even as the alert levelremains at Orange and noevacuation order or notice hasbeen issued, NEMO continuesto encourage residents,especially persons living incommunities close to thevolcano, to be prepared in theevent that it becomesnecessary to evacuate at shortnotice.

ACCORDING TO MICHELLEFORBES, Director of theNational EmergencyManagement Organisation(NEMO), “We have done asignificant amount of work overthe last few months … looking attransportation, evacuationprocedures, and nailing thatdown.”

She reported that work hasbeen coordinated with theMinistry of Transportation andWorks, BRAGSA, and the Police,along with other key agencies, toensure that plans are up to astage where, when executed, theycan flow smoothly.

One stage of these plans wasthe simulation/table-top exerciseto test the readiness ofstakeholders to respond to anexplosive eruption.

The exercise was conductedvirtually on Thursday, 25thMarch. It involved a number ofpersons in-house at NEMO’s

Emergency Operation Centre,Old Montrose, and an audienceof over eighty persons from keyagencies all of which have arole to play in the event of anevacuation, including managingpeople who will have to beevacuated from volcano hazardzones.

The simulation exercise wasrolled out as planned and afterthe March 23 confirmation ofheightened seismic activity atthe volcano.

“It was good in exposingpersons to all the what-ifscenarios, worse-case scenarios,and also to get in their mindsthe role of each agency,” Ms.Forbes told listeners of the NBC’sFace to Face programme onMonday, 29th March.

“We have been practicing foryears, we practiced for TradeWinds but we’re in the realsituation now. It was good… and

we continue to improve what wehave,” she added.

The Director needed littleconvincing that the aims ofhaving persons concerned becomefamiliar with our nationalsystems in the real-life situation,was met.

Professor RichardRobertson, Head of THEUWI SRC monitoring team,emphasized that LaSoufrière has given a lot ofindications about what itwants to do.

Michelle Forbes, Director ofNEMO, assessed the exercise as asuccessful one.

NEMO conducts simulation exercise

The new dome (left) was, according to thelatest measurements, 3000ft. long, 800 ft.wide and 350 ft. high, and continues togrow and emit magna and gases.

Soufrière FocusV THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021. 15.

Responding to thethreat of La Soufriere by SHERON GARRAWAY

“I’M SCARED, but I knowGod going protect we..,”was 13-year-old Owiaresident Kev Baptiste’sresponse when questionedabout his thoughts on apossible explosive eruptionof La Soufriere volcano inSt. Vincent and theGrenadines.

He was sitting in achair in their yard athome (Monday 29thMarch) engrossed in avideo game on his phone,never taking is eyes fromthe screen, but answeredall the questions put tohim.

His mother Desireethought her son wasbeing disrespectful, butthe interviewer calmedher with an explanationthat Kev was more thanlikely relying on hisphone as a sort of copingmechanism, i.e. adistract from the realitythat la Soufriere wasthreatening to erupt.

With eyes still pinnedto his race car game Kevconfessed, “I know I haveto stay close and staysafe and move when wehave to.”

In anotherconversation, this timewith Jemma Nero whodescribed herself as agrandparent, we learned,“It (last eruption — 1979)

happened when I was alittle girl. I tell him(grandson) we goingwrap two piece of stuffand go with them. Henever experienced it, so Itry to calm him downand tell him not to thinkabout it.”

Jemma continued,“Everybody just have towatch and see becausewe feeling tremors. Somepeople say they notthinking about it andsome taking it on. Wehave to meet at the OwiaFishing Complex andthen we going to ashelter. It will not be likeour own home, but Idon’t want to beseparated from mychildren.”

Jemma, who was justreturning from a swimwith her five-year-oldgrandson, said she toohas been feeling “a littleearthquake every nowand then.”

Nero said, “I ain’t feelno different because Iexperienced it already in1979 but this time, Idon’t know how it will be.I have children andgrandchildren and Iworry for the youngones.. dem younger ones.I heard we will be goingto a shelter in Calder,but we have to wait andsee.”

The heightened

activity at the over 4000feet La Sourfrierevolcano in hashighlighted concerns asto how this country willcope. With close to20,000 of the 110-thousand populationliving in the red zonearea, the concerns overevacuation are not beingslighted.

The NationalEmergency ManagementOrganisation (NEMO)continues to do its partto ensure that necessarylogistics are handled.NEMO is stretched as it,along with the Ministryof Health, having torespond simultaneouslyto a dengue fever

outbreak and thecoronavirus pandemic.

As it stands, though,NEMO and all otherGovernmentMinistries/Departmentsand agencies, are guidedin their responses by theUNICEF, Disaster RiskReduction (DRR), whichaddresses the potentialloss in lives, healthstatus, livelihoods, assetsand services, as a resultof a natural hazard.

The DRR, a systematicapproach, providesguidelines for

identifying, assessingand reducing that risk,with the aim being tominimize vulnerabilitiesand disaster risksthroughout a society, inorder to avoid (prevent)or to limit (mitigate andprepare for) the adverseimpacts of naturalhazards, and facilitatesustainabledevelopment..

Mitigating andpreparing for a disaster,as the one that LaSoufriere threatens, isessential as disasters

negatively impactchildren’s and women’srights, disproportionatelyaffects poor countries,erode development gainsand set back progress inachieving theMillennium DevelopmentGoals, MDG’s.

All the support thatcan be availed to NEMOand organisations ofsimilar intent, will go along way in mitigatingand preparing for theimpact of a volcaniceruption.

Hazards from an explosive eruption

by GLORIAH…

WHENEVER VOLCANOS eruptexplosively, there are certain hazardsthat could be expected to occur as a

result. Professor Richard Robertson, team

leader of the Soufriere MonitoringUnit, gave an indication of suchoccurrences when he spoke on The

University of the West Indies’ LaSoufriere Today programme of 30thMarch.

Examining hazard possibilities bothoff and on the island he began withlooking at impact on neighbouringislands. “In terms of neighbouringislands,” he stated, “the main hazardwould be ash fall.”

He explained that explosiveeruptions basically break magmaapart, fragmenting it into small piecesthat are pushed into the atmosphere.These then get driven by the wind towider areas than the volcano itself.

“So, ash fallout in areas outside ofSt. Vincent and well as inside of St.Vincent mainly in the northern parts,could impact wider areas: Barbados,St. Lucia … and by extension, it willaffect aviation traffic. That’s one ofthe main hazards in terms of areas offof the volcano, off the island.”

Similarly, he discussed the possiblehazard of pyroclastic flows on theisland itself. “In terms of the islanditself, there are these things that wecall pyroclastic flows, or you could just

call them gravity flows,” he divulged,“what happens is that instead of thematerial being pushed up into theatmosphere, it collapses back on thevolcano and it goes down themountainside; probably into thevalleys. It moves very fast. It’s veryhot. It’s a mixture of rock and gas andvarious pieces of lava.” Thesepyroclastic flows, he was adamant,“are the most dangerous thing withvolcanos like ours and that is why wehave to move people off the mountainbecause they could potentially affectsurrounding valleys on the volcanoitself.”

And as the National EmergencyManagement Organisation (NEMO)continues with its drive to inform, andeducating, and train here needed, atthis time however, it makes it clearthat the volcano is not undergoing anexplosive eruption; no evacuationorder or notice has been given and thealert level remains at Orange.

Persons are asked to desist fromvisiting the volcano.

The objects expelled during the 1979 eruption of La Soufriere landed on thisriver bed on the Leeward side of mainland St. Vincent.

Desiree Baptiste (inset) though her son Kev Baptiste was being rude by notputting his phone aside.

Jemma Nero had beenthrough the 1979eruption but admittedshe didn’t quite knowwhat to expect this timearound.

JUSTICE Brian Cottle hasstressed the key role themedia has to play in theCourt process, especiallyduring this period of theCOVID-19 pandemic andits attendant restrictions.

The Judge made the

point at the closingceremony of the CriminalAssizes on Tuesday.

Cottle said that whilethe Court sought to limitthe public attendance athearings to ensurephysical distancing, it

does not mean that thepublic must not beinformed about what ishappening in the Courts,and the media is reliedupon to make thishappen.

He said that though

the Court took steps tomitigate the risks of thepandemic, allstakeholders, includingthe Jury, the office of theDirector of PublicProsecutions (DPP),Court staff, police, and

the media mustbe commendedfor theirrespective rolesin making theAssizes asuccess, despitethe risks of thepandemic.

Director ofPublicProsecutions(DPP) SejillaMcdowall anddefence lawyerKay Bacchus-Baptiste alsothanked andcommended all thoseinvolved in making theAssizes a success.

Justice Cottle is notthe first Judge to pointout the key role mediapractitioners, especiallythose in the print media,

play in the Courtprocess.

Justice Odel Adams,now deceased, did soseveral years ago, and hewas instrumental inhaving a media boxinstalled at the HighCourt.

CourtV 16. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

Justice Brian Cottle recognizedthe media for its role in reportingthe court proceedings, especiallyduring this COVID-19 period ofrestrictions.

Justice Cottle highlightsrole of the media

WHEN POLITICAL andsocial activist LuzetteKing returns to theSerious Offences Courton April 27, there couldbe a sharp twist in theproceedings.

On King’s return tothat Court on Monday,March 29, attorneyRonnia Durham-Balcome, one of thelawyers representingKing who is facingImmigration andCustoms relatecharges, disclosed thatthe defence isexpected to make anapplication before the Court.

Balcome did not say what the application wasbut THE VINCENTIAN was reliably informedthat the defence is expected to ask ChiefMagistrate Rechanne Browne to recuse herselffrom hearing the matter.

The case was called on Monday, but Balcomeinformed the Court that attorney Kay Bacchus-Baptiste, another member of the defence team,was engaged in the High Court, before JusticeBrian Cottle, and would be there for a few days.

As a result, the matter was adjourned to April27.

The other members of the defence team are MaiEustace and Guevera Leacock.

King is charged with entering the state by airon January 30 and not presenting herself inperson to the nearest immigration officer.

Continued on Page 27.

King’s mattermight triggera twist

Luzette King’s matterbefore the court couldtake an interesting turn.

NewsV THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021. 17.

THE MINISTRY of Agriculture here is in abetter position to assist farmers withtheir cultivation especially, havingreceived a sizeable donation ofequipment from the Government of therepublic of China (Taiwan).

On March 26, Resident TaiwaneseAmbassador to St. Vincent and theGrenadines H.E. Calvin Ho handedover 133 pieces of equipment to theMinister of Agriculture Saboto Caesar.

The donation included tillers,spraying machines, compostfermentation machines, computers,printers, office equipment and more,and was made under the “Farmers’Organizations Strengthening andImproving Fruit and VegetableProduction Technology Project”, whichwas launched in 2015 and completedin 2018.

During that period, the Projectcontributed to the strengthening of theadministration operation of nineVincentian Farmers’ Cooperatives,improved the cultivation techniquesused in 8 kinds of vegetable, andincreased the volume of agriculturalcommodities produced in SaintVincent and the Grenadines by over20%.

This year marks the 40thAnniversary of the establishment ofthe diplomatic relations between the

Republic of China (Taiwan) and SaintVincent and the Grenadines.

Over the years, the cooperation inagriculture has been one of the pillarsthat demonstrate the solidaritybetween the countries.

The Government and the people ofthe Republic of China (Taiwan) arecommitted to deepening andbroadening its cooperation with theGovernment and people of SaintVincent and the Grenadines in theyears to come.

Taiwan donates toMinistry of Agriculture

H.E. Calvin Ho and AgricultureMinister Saboto Caesar at the hand-over of the equipment.

18. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021. 19.

20. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021. 21.

Vaccine causesseparationDear George,

IF SOMEONE had told me that myrelationship would end over a vaccine, Iwould tell them they are crazy. Now Ihave egg all over my face as myboyfriend and I have chosen to go ourseparate ways, all because of one stupidvaccine argument.  

I made a decision to get the COVID-19 vaccine but my boyfriend did not.Then he tells me he is not going tomarry anyone who is vaccinatedbecause he is not sure what wouldhappen to them later on down theroad. To counter that I told him I didnot want to be with anyone who is notvaccinated; that my man/husbandshould be healthy and protectedagainst this dreaded virus.

We could not come to a reasonablecompromise so we ended going apart.

Now, I am wondering if I did theright thing; whether or not I shouldhave given him some slack. But he isso hard-headed and wants to havethings his way.

We have not spoken to each other in

a while. It is what it is.

Checked out

Dear Checked out,

For relationships to flourish andsurvive there must be compromise.

Taking the vaccine or not is apersonal decision. The decision totake the vaccine or not should berespected equally and should not bethe deal breaker to a flourishingrelationship.

Having said that, it is important fortwo people who love each other, tohave the same goal and be on thesame pathway to that goal.

Maybe some quiet time away fromeach other is what is needed for eachof you to understand that imposing oneach other’s will is not the way tobuild a relationship.

George

22. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN

AdviceV

Dear George,

I FELL IN LOVE withthis beautiful girl.Everything was OK untilshe introduced me, in anonline connection to hermother who lives in NewYork. I could not believeshe was my girlfriend’smother; she was youngand hipped.

It didn’t take long formy girlfriend’s mother tocome on to me and askme to be her sidekick. She made mepromise not to sayanything to herdaughter.

Things got even morecomplicated a few daysago when my girlfriend’scousin confessed to methat she was in love withme and couldn’t seeherself living withoutme. I fell for her too.

I am now convincedthat a man can love asmany women as he likes.My problem, however, isthat I do not know whoto finally settlewith. Your thoughtsplease.

Undecided

Dear Undecided,

You cannot go aroundaccepting to love fromeveryone who professesto love you. You need tolearn the meaning andimportance ofcommitment, love anddevotion.

Loving someone willcall for your undividedattention and devotion tothat person. You will

have no eyes for anotherand certainly would notbe distracted by thelustful desires of amother, who should bedignified and principledenough not to attempt toderail her daughter’srelationship.

I do not think you areready for a seriousrelationship and untilyou are, do not take onthe role of a heartbreaker.

George

Dear George,

IT IS SO HARD to find a trustworthy woman inSt. Vincent.

I met this girl three months after breaking upwith my girlfriend who had cheated on me. Mynew girl promised never to break my heart. Shemoved in with me and things have got to the pointwhere we are talking marriage.

It so happened that one day she forgot herphone at the house. I decided to take it for her ather work place. She takes care of an elderlyman.

George, when I ‘surprised’ her, I caught herdoing things with this man that she absolutelyrefused to do with me. I had no idea that she andthis man have been lovers and he was paying herto spend time with him.

To this day she has never apologized to me andas far as I know she is still ‘working’ with thisman.

I am back in the singles line hoping andpraying to find a good and honest woman.

Fooled

Dear Fooled,

I am sure there are good and honest women inSt. Vincent but you just have to change yourmindset of the standards you are looking for in awoman.

It is good that you found out early what you didabout your girlfriend, so you can make thenecessary changes without wasting more of yourprecious time and life with someone who feeds onthe idea that the shadow is better than the bone.

George

A family affair

Can’t find an honest woman

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021. 23.

LeisureVACROSS

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DOWN

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LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23)You could come into extra cash. Avoidconfrontations with coworkers whoaren't pulling their weight. Catch up onoverdue paperwork. You can solidify yourrelationship if you plan a special eveningwith your mate.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22)You'll find it easy to meet new people.You could lose money or preciousbelongings if you aren't careful. Businesstrips will be more productive than tryingto fight the red tape facing you. Youmight have a problem juggling your time.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21)Financial gains can be made through wiseinvestments. You need to fulfill yourneeds and pre sent your talents. Yourdiplomatic nature will help you instraightening out unsavory situations.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20)Remember; talk to them, not at them. Becareful when dealing with loved ones. Trynot to argue about trivial matters. Don'tlet the moods of those you live with getyou down.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19)Pleasure trips should be on your agenda.Opportunities for romance may developthrough dealing with groups that have apurpose. Try to be considerate in yourpersonal obligations. Travel should opendoors that lead to exciting newadventures.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20)You may need help with your financialsituation. New romantic relationships willdevelop through group activity related tosports events. Ferret out information thatwill hold them responsible.

humble pose5. Humorous6. Short sleep7. Pony gaits8. Prom attendee9. Eye amorously10. Sport (hats)11. Lower limbs19. Afternoon

meal21. Chew (away)24. Knock gently25. Enchanting

Gardner26. Patriot

Franklin28. “_ never

can tell”30. Enormous tub31. Genesis figure32. Snug room

34. Travel via bus36. Commanded39. Horse pen41. Catholic sister44. Farm birds46. Stared fixedly47. Wilts

48. Pennsylvaniacity

49. Duct outlet51. Male admirer52. Wee songbird53. Otherwise56. “Found it!”

LA

ST

WE

EK

’sS

OL

UT

ION

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20)Don't let your health suffer because ofabuse. It won't take much to upset yourlover. Hide your cards and learn to sayno. Find a way to consolidate.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21)You should make special plans for youand your lover. Outings with relatives orgood friends will provide you withstimulating conversation. Opportunitiesfor romance will flourish through travel.You can come up with future trends increative fields.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21)You need to be careful not to makepromises that you can't fulfill. Get backdown to earth and to basics. Difficultieswith your mate may lead toestrangement. Implement your ideasinto your projects at work.

CANCER (June 22-July 22)Try to compromise rather than having anall out battle. Don't hold back; go withthe flow and take a bit of a chance.Family members will not be happy withthe amount of time you are spendingaway from home.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22)You will easily capture the interest ofthose you talk to. This could be thecause of a dispute that may result inestrangement. Take some time tochange your house around. Help eldersget their personal papers in order.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23)Be sure to take care of the needs of yourimmediate loved ones first. Beinnovative. Be fair, not colorful. You canmeet potential new mates, but makesure that they aren't already committedto someone else.

DAYSHAUN JOSEPH and Deajaun Collis, twotrack athletes of the Union Island SecondarySchool, are now pursuing their training onmainland St. Vincent.

Through the efforts of Javiel Saxon, whocurrently trains a number of athletes in UnionIsland, the young men are now under theguidance of Michael Ollivierre, Head Coach of ItDAT.

The athletes anticipate that training on themainland St Vincent, especially with coachMichael Ollivierre, would give them thewherewithal to compete with the top athletes inthe nation.

Joseph was happy for the opportunity. “I comeup to St Vincent to training because my love forthe sports has prompted me to seek out coachMichael Ollivierre, as I see him as the best coach.”

While he described training in Union Island asgood, Joseph admitted, “We don’t have a lot ofpeople to train with and the park is not in thebest condition, but we make it work whenever weuse it.”

The 100 and 200 meters specialist relished thefirst experience running on the Track and FieldFacility at Diamond, despite being beaten byfaster athletes.

“The first experience was good but the otherathletes were much better than I. I am lookingto compete better as I would be focusing more onmy speed and endurance in training,” Joseph said.

His ambition is to compete in other countriesand he recognizes “the need to put in the work toexcel.”

Collis, a specialist 200 and 400 meters athletes,is also looking forward to the training especiallyafter competing for the first time on the surface atthe Diamond Facility.

“I came up to train with Michael Ollivierrebecause I want to excel in the sport and reach asfar as the Olympics. I believe it will take lots ofhard work to get there and I must stay dedicatedto training.”

He is confident that his dedication and focuswill pay off.

I.B.A.ALLEN

24. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021 . THE VINCENTIANV

Welcome breaksher Triple JumprecordMIKEISHA WELCOMEestablished a new StVincent and theGrenadines Women’sOutdoor Triple Jumprecord, when she leapt to13.57 metres, and asecond place, at the ClydeLittlefield Texas Relays,USA, last Saturday.

In the process,Welcome, who attendsthe University ofOklahoma, broke herown record, a 13.15metres jump that earnedher a bronze medal inher debut outing for StVincent and theGrenadines, at the PanAm Under-20Championships in CostaRica, in 2019.

Meanwhile, anotherVincentian, KemroyCupid, who is enrolled atthe Bethel College inKansas, USA, broke hisschool records in theMen’s 100m and 200mwhile participating inlast weekend’s JinksInvite Track Meet.

Cupid ran 10.61

seconds in the 100metres and 21.47 secondsin the 200 metres.

Cupid holds the StVincent and theGrenadines Indoor 60mrecord, 6.73 seconds,recorded in February ofthis year.

Kemroy Cupid

Mainlandtraining forUnion Islandathletes

Dayshaun Joseph (left) and Deajaun Collis (right)are now under the guidance of coach MichaelOllivierre (centre).

Maloney in world-leading 4x400m run VINCENTIAN SHAFIQUAMALONEY teamed up with herUniversity of Arkansas Razorbackcolleagues - Paris Peoples, RoseyEffiong and Kethlin Campbell - totake gold in the Sanya Richards-Ross Women’s 4x400 meters, in aworld-leading time 3:26.63 andthe third fastest ever by anArkansas relay team.

The feat was accomplished atlast Saturday’s 93rd ClydeLittlefield Texas Relays, held atthe Mike A. Myers Stadium,Texas.

Maloney put the victory awaywith a 50.58 anchor split, afterPeoples ran the first leg,Campbell the second leg andBurks-Magee the third leg.

A report said that “smoothbaton passing made the differenceand enabled the Razorbacks towin by a comfortable margin overTexas (3:28.10) and LSU (3:32.28),who each had issues with thebaton in the exchange zone.”

EarlierMaloney ran apersonal bestin her pet400m whenshe finished2nd behindher Razorbackteammate,Peoples.

Maloneyclocked 51.72seconds andPeoplesfinished in51.67 seconds.

The time byPeoples is thecurrentoutdoorcollegiateleading time,with Maloney ranked second. Onthe outdoor 2021 world list, theyrank fourth and sixth.

In fact, Arkansas finished 1-2-5in the 400 meters, with the trio ofPeoples, Shafiqua and Morgan

Burke-Magee producing theircareer best times to rank them 5-7-12 respectively in the UA alltimes list.

I.B.A.ALLEN

Shafiqua Maloney is pictured anchoring herArkansas University team to victory with a world-leading time, in the 4x400m relay at last Saturday’s93rd Texas Relays.

Right: MikeishaWelcome

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021. 25.

SportsVDEIGHTON BUTLER, formerWest Indies seamer andthe only Vincentian seniorumpire on the CricketWest Indies panel, isrelishing every opportunityin his new career andalways looking to improve.

Butler, one of theumpires who officiated inthe recently concludedCWI Super50, and theonly one from theWindward Islands, toldTHE VINCENTIAN, “Mygoal is always to be thebest and represent StVincent and the

Grenadines and theregion with distinctionevery time I get anopportunity.”

He added, “I am happyto be able to give back tothe game after myplaying days. This year’sSuper50 was a shorterone due to the ongoingpandemic which wasdifficult at times, so youhad to make theadjustments and findways to stay motivated.”

Motivation came, hesaid, through roomexercises, spending more

time studying theplaying conditions, laws,calculations and TVumpiring training.

Butler, though,disclosed that the thinghe took away most fromthe Super50 experiencewas, “…the opportunityto do much more TVumpiring training withPeter Nero (umpirescoach) and David Levins(Australian umpirescoach).”

And as he encouragesmore to get involved inofficiating, he believes

preparation is veryimportant.

“The key to stayingfocus on the field andremain calm underpressure depends on howwell you are prepared forthe job: knowledge of theLaws; playing conditionsand being able tointerpret them correctly,”he advised, adding thatphysical preparation wasalso important to aidwith concentration andagility.

Butler highlightedthat his background as aplayer and coach alsohelped him on the field,to understand certainsituations that requiredcritical decisions.

He also cited thathaving a goodrelationship with theplayers is also important.

“Communication is avital part of umpiring,one must be clear andprecise. There arealways different accentsinvolved so it’s important

that you take yourtime to be attentive.The non-verbalcommunication onthe field with yourcolleague is alsoimportant,especially in tryingto get every decisioncorrect..,” Butlerdetailed.

All in all, Butlerbelieves self-confidence is amongthe most vitalingredient ofumpiring butregardless of howconfident one is inhimself, any goodumpire would taketime after a game toreview hisperformance, throughsoliciting feedback fromplayers, coaches andcolleagues (umpires),about what could havebeen done better as youprepare for the nextopportunity.

He also wants toencourage past players to

get involved in cricketumpiring. “It can be arewarding career andexperience,” he assessed.

I.B.A.ALLENST. VINCENT ANDTHE GRENADINES’Trevor Bailey was re-elected as one of fourZonal Vice-Presidents ofthe Congress of the PanAmerican CyclingFederation (COPACI).

Bailey’s re-electiontook place at a virtualCongress held by theorganisation on 19thMarch.

His re-election meansthat Bailey stays as theman responsible for theCaribbean Zone ofCOPACI, a post he hasheld since 2003.

Involved in Cycling forthe past 49 years, Baileysaid that his newmandate will see himimplementing threebroad goals, which inform hisStrategic Plan: Cycling for All; TalentIdentification and Performance;Educate and Train to Succeed.

Speaking to THE VINCENTIANlast Sunday, Bailey said that the planis part of his Manifesto, which sawhim retaining the presidency of theCaribbean Cycling Confederation(CCC) last year.

“We are working in closecollaboration with the UCI (UnionCycliste Internationale, the worldgoverning body of cycling) to carry outprojects that would contribute to thedevelopment of cycling in theCaribbean, therefore, the CCC muststrengthen its position with thevarious stakeholders in the countriesin order to support the development ofcycling in society, and theimplementation of cycling educationpolicies,” Bailey informed.

Bailey, who is thePresident of the StVincent and theGrenadines OlympicCommittee, from 1987 tothe present time,disclosed that overall, inhis capacity as Presidentof the CCC, heendeavours to foster theintegration of cycling intopublic policies.

At the helm of theCCC for the past 15years, Bailey noted thatthe CCC’s 29 membersmust embracecooperation.

“We must worktogether, share anddevelop genuinecooperation, in order toempower themselves to

become actors of their destiny, bothlocally and internationally,” Baileyindicated.

Apart from Bailey, the other Vice-Presidents elected were PierreLaflamme of Canada, who is in chargeof the North Zone; Gabriel OvidoCuruchet of Argentina - South Zone;and Jader Antonio Grijalva ofNicaragua- the Central Zone. JoseManuel Pelaez Rodriquez of Cuba isthe President.

At the Congress, five memberswere elected on the ManagementCommittee and four on the UCIManagement Committee. Two of theelected members are from theEnglish-speaking Caribbean.

Sharon Lowe of Antigua andBarbuda is a member of theManagement Committee, while CyrilMangal of St Lucia is part of the UCIManagement Committee.

Deigton Butler isrelishing his new role(umpiring) on thecricket field.

Butler reflects on umpiring

Bailey extendsstay on COPACIÊsExecutive

Trevor Bailey

SportsV

THE VINCENTIAN FOOTBALLERS move toGuatemala June 4 and round off their bid for aspot to Qatar when they face Cuba here June 8.They rebounded from a five nil drubbing to hostCuracao, last week Thursday, with three goalsagainst British Virgin Islands last Tuesday.

One team from each of six groups advances tothe second round. Curacao and Guatemala bothon six points head the standings. Cuba andBritish Virgin Islands are yet to get a point.

Antigua and Barbuda, four points and ElSalvador with an equal number, top Group A.Grenada holds the third spot with three points.Montserrat on two points is in fourth position.The US Virgin Islands lost both matches.Montserrat continues to shock teams and theirpoints came from draws against El Salvador andAntigua and Barbuda.

They play Virgin Islands June 2 and GrenadaJune 8.

Canada top Group B with six points, poweredby a better goal difference over Surinam also onsix points. Bermuda three points are in thirdplace. But Aruba and Cayman Islands are yet totally. Dominican Republic top Group D with sixpoints by reason of goals difference over Panamasame on points. The Panamanians overcameBarbados in a one/nil battle.

Dominica equalised in the 81st minute againstPanama, only to see their dreams of a drawshattered by an 86th minute second goal.

Barbados three points are third in this Groupwith Anguilla like Dominica still to get a point.

Group E features Nicaragua, Belize, Haiti, andTurks and Caicos Islands. St. Lucia opted out ofthe qualifiers to the dismay of their players.

St. Kitts/Nevis, six points heads Group F.Trinidad and Tobago is second with four points.Guyana has three points, while Puerto Rico’spoint comes from their draw with Trinidad andTobago. Bahamas zero, completes this slot.

With Puerto Rico secured their single point in adramatic equaliser with Trinidad and Tobago.Bahamas, the other team in Group F is yet to geta point.

Questions have swirled after the results of theSVG Curacao game. They centre on the rationalebehind changes in the squad which had all butqualified us for the Gold Cup.

The questions also surround disclosure ofstatements attributed to persons in thedevelopmental process of the squad. But theWorld Cup qualification exercise is ongoing, andthere is the leg of the Gold Cup to complete.

Those associated with the football fraternityought to keep a lid on their pronouncements orhave some sense of diplomacy about theirrelations.

Kick it off

26. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021 . THE VINCENTIAN

CONRAD SIMON, a formernational basketball playerand executive member ofthe SVG BasketballFederation, is availing hisskills and experience toadvancing the sport ofRoad Tennis here.

Last Saturday at ameeting held at theArnos Vale SportingComplex, Simon waselected President of afive-person ExecutiveCommittee, to serve theSVG Road TennisAssociation for the nextfour years.

He has as his team:Sharon Peters (VicePresident); WinstonSnagg (Treasurer);Annette Joseph(Secretary) and SeanStanley (Public RelationsOfficer).

Speaking to theVINCENTIAN after hiselection, Simon said heembraced theappointment withenthusiasm and islooking forward to serve.

“I have served inseveral positions on theSt. Vincent and theGrenadines BasketballFederation and it will bea privilege and honour toshare by experience withthe Road TennisAssociation for the 4-yearterm limit according tothe constitution.

“As a relatively newsport, we’re hoping towork in collaborationwith the SportsDepartment, theNational Sports Counciland the NationalOlympic Committee, toestablish the sport in thecommunities and theschools. Already thesport is being played inthe communities ofChester, Villa, ArnosVale, Layou and Bequia.”

Simon went on torecognise the sport notonly as another avenuefor physical exercise, butas one that offers anopportunity to play forfinancial rewards locally

and internationally.He alluded to persons

“who play for money inBarbados, where thesport was founded,” andthose “who live by thesport not only inBarbados but also in theUSA.”

The Executive usedthe occasion of last

Saturday’s meeting toacknowledge theextensive work to date,that the Sports

Department andespecially Bevan Burginhave put in towardsestablishing Road Tennisin the state.

I.B.A.ALLEN

AFFILIATES of the St Vincentand the Grenadines FootballFederation (SVGFF) havecompleted a series of training inFinancial Reporting, which wouldhave sharpened their basic skillsin Book-Keeping, Budgeting andCash Flow Management.

The final of the six workshopstook place last Saturday inGeorgetown, and First Vice-President of the SVGFF- OtashieSpring, who has the responsibilityfor finance, expressed satisfactionwith the turn out.

“Overall, I would say that overthe six sessions we had a turn outof about 85 % of the affiliates… ,”Spring related.

“We were able touch on thebasics and we are pleased fromthe feedback and questioning thatthe message and intent wereachieved,” he added.

Reflecting on the objective ofthe workshops, Spring said,“Basically, we just want toimpress on the affiliates about theneed to practice accountability…We receive monies from FIFA andgive it to the affiliates… So, theremust be the chain, the affiliatesaccount to us and we accountFIFA.”

Spring revealed that part of theworkshops involved presenting atemplate.. “a sample of how we

wantthem toaccountfor fundsgiven tothem,”which is astrict conditionof the ongoingfinancial, material andadministrative assistance handedout to affiliates.

All of this, Spring said, is partof the re-culturing of the sport inSt Vincent and the Grenadines.

The SVGFF First Vice —President also lauded the effortsof main facilitator- CerlianRussell

All clubs which participated inthe 2019/2020 National Club

Championships received anassistance from the SVGFF -Premier Division clubs received$20,000, in tranches of $5,000 and$15,000, and First Division clubssecured $10,000.

Additionally, all affiliated clubsof the SVGFF received $7,000 aspart of a FIFA COVID Reliefpackage, while Football Leaguesgot $10,000.

Affiliates are in line for asecond drawn down on the FIFACOVID Relief Package.

Simon heads RoadTennis Committee

The Road Tennis Executive Committee (L-R):Sharon Peters, Sean Stanley, Winston Snagg(Treasurer), Conrod Simon (President) and AnnetteJoseph.

SVGFF concludes Finance ReportingWorkshops

Participants in one of theseries of Workshops whichFirst Vice- President of theSVGFF- Otashie Spring (inset)assessed as having met theirobjectives.

Continued from Page 16.

She is also chargedwith, upon arrival onJanuary 30 at the ArgyleInternational Airport(AIA) in St. Vincent andthe Grenadines,prevented the carryingout of a search for

anything that is liable tobe forfeited, detained,seized or removed, by notpresenting herself to theCustoms officer on dutyat the Airport.

King is additionallycharged with uponarrival at the Airport in

St. Vincent and theGrenadines on January30, failed to declareanything contained inher baggage, or anythingcarried on her or produceher baggage forexamination by theCustoms Officer on duty

at the Airport.King has pleaded not

guilty to all threecharges.

She made her originalCourt appearance duringa virtual hearing beforethe Chief Magistrateearlier this year.

ClassifiedsV

SIS. ANITA THERESA CHARLES

ParadiseSeventh-Day Adventist

ChurchVermont, St. Vincent & the

GrenadinesInternment:

Penniston Cemetery

LYNDA PHILLIPSa.ka. Lynda Hunte

Saturday, 20th March, 2021Cathedral of

the Assumption Kingstown

Viewing: 10:00 a.m. Service:

11:00 a.m.Interment:

Kingstown Cemetery

DUDY CORNILOUS ABERDEEN

Saturday, 20th March, 2021Church of God of

Prophecy Victoria Village

Viewing: 10:00 a.m.

Service: 11:00 a.m. Interment: St. Joseph

Cemetery Stubbs

FITZROY BALLANTYNE

Thursday, 25th

March, 2021 New Testament Church of GodLowmans Hill

Viewing: 10:00 a.m. Service:

11:00 a.m. Interment:

Lowmans Hill Cemetery

QUIERIEL TOUSSAINT

Thursday, 2nd March, 2021Wesleyan

Holiness Church Campden Park

Viewing: 10:00 a.m.

Service: 11:00 a.m.Interment:

Lowmans LD Cemetery

DEVIN LERON SIMON

Saturday, 20th March, 2021Church of Christ,

BrightonViewing:

10:00 a.m. Service:

11:00 a.m. Interment: Brighton

Cemetery

THE VINCENTIAN. THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021. 27.

King’s matter might trigger a twist

THURSDAY, APRIL 01, 2021 VOLUME 115, No.13 www.thevincentian.com EC$1.50

Published by The VINCENTIAN Publishing Co. Ltd, St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Printed by the SVG Publishers Inc., Campden Park.

AI REAL ESTATERevierre 6,740 sq.ft @ $12.00 p.s.f. - $80,880.00 -

BB195Sion Hill 3 bedrom Property on 6,095 sq.ft. -

$183,000.00 - H517Grand Sable 38,877 sq.ft. @ $4.00 p.s.f. -

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(784)- 457-2087/(718)-807-4376 office(784)-493-9431/(784)-533-0431 whatsappcell

donp@vincysurf.com

Stories by DAYLE DA SILVA

ACTIVITY as it relates to the constructionof the modern cargo port at Rose Place,Kingstown, is expected to pick upbeginning in the middle of April, thisafter a launch of the project in the saidmonth.

According to Senator JulianFrancis, Minister of UrbanDevelopment, Energy, Airports,Seaports, Grenadines Affairs andLocal Government, as he spoke onradio on March 28, the project isexpected to be launched by the middleof April 2021.

“We are at the stage where thepriority is the relocation of thosepersons living in Rose Place,” Francissaid.

Rose Place, located atthe western end of theKingstown Bay, isdescribed as a fishingcommunity. It provided,before the advent ofcontainerized cargo, thegreater percentage ofstevedores/longshoremenfor the Kingstown Port.

Those persons soaffected will be relocatedto Lowmans Bay,beginning later this year.

According to Francis,four duplexes were already completeand contractors were startingconstruction on some of the otherhouses.

“So, they are progressing nicely,”

Francis said, although he admittedthat he thought that construction workcould have progressed at a fasterpace.

The minister in charge of sea andairports added that the projectmanager was already on the ground,and that there was already a site officein place on Bay Street, in closeproximity to the construction site.

“And I see things picking up afterthe launch in the middle of April,” hesaid.

In his 2021 Budget Presentation inJanuary, Finance Minister Camillo

Gonsalves said that physical works onthe site were expected to begin laterthis year.

The 2021 Budget also provided forthe construction of 47 homes tofacilitate the relocation of familiesaffected.

A sum of EC$41.1 million wasallocated to advance the PortRedevelopment Project Gonsalves said.

The project is being funded by aUSD110 million loan from CDB; aGBP25. 6 million (about USD32million) grant from the CDB-administered United KingdomInfrastructure Fund, and a USD43million contribution from theGovernment of St. Vincent and theGrenadines.

BUILDING the cross-country roadwas always going to be a challenge.

So said former Minister ofTransport and Works and GeneralSecretary of the Unity Labour Party(ULP) Senator Julian Francis, as hereflected on the project.

He made the observation lastSunday while speaking on WE FM, aspart of celebrations, albeit low keyed,to mark the 20th Anniversary of theULP’s being elected to office.

The ULP had included in itsmanifesto for the 2001 generalelections, plans to construct a cross-country road linking the Windwardand Leeward sides of mainland St.Vincent. The project was then

estimated to cost $26 million. Work on the project got underway

in 2005, but the project nevermaterialized.

According to Senator Francis, workhad actually begun on both sides ofthe island, at points designated by theplans.

where as the plans had designated. But while Francis reiterated that

the project was always going to be achallenging one, he pointed to otherrestraining external forces which hadnegatively impacted on the realizationof the cross-country road.

One such restraint was the 2009financial meltdown and additionally,funds had to be directed to the Arnos

Vale Playing Filed to fulfil acommitment to ensure renovations toaccommodate the Cricket World Cup(2007).

The Taiwanese had given theircommitment to the project, Francissaid, through the donation ofquantities of money in either loans orgrants.

These funds, the Senator admitted,were diverted to other projects, “andwe never got back around to it.”

Although the project has since beenshelved, Francis is comforted by whathe said were two new roads whichtoday serve the residents of Rose Hall(Leeward) and North CentralWindward.

The modern cargo port, to include the lower portion of the Kingstown Bay, isexpected to bring significant changes to Kingstown.

General Secretary of the ULPSenator Julian Francis gave someinsight into why the cross-countryroad project was shelved and hasnot reappeared as one of his party’sprojects.

CROSS-COUNTRY ROAD: ALWAYS CHALLENGING

Houses under construction atLowmans Bay will be assigned tofamilies who will be relocated fromRose Hall.

PORT PROJECT SET FORAPRIL LAUNCHPORT PROJECT SET FORAPRIL LAUNCH