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FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 VOLUME 109, No.11 www.thevincentian.com EC$1.50

The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

by DAYLE DA SILVA

PRIME MINISTER Dr, RalphGonsalves has weighed in on therecent closure of three KFCrestaurants here, followingaction by Receivers appointedby Nova Scotia Bank.

While he said on Tuesday,during a press briefing, thathe regretted what happened

with the former fast foodchain, which was operated byOrmiston ‘Ken’ Boyea, thePrime Minister took umbragewith reasons for the closure asstated by Boyea.

Miscalculations

Boyea told at least twomedia outlets here,immediately following theclosure of the three outlets,two in Kingstown and one inArnos Vale, that he expectedthat the International Airport

Argyle would have beencompleted by now, and thatArnos Vale, where the mostrecent location was set up,would have already beenturned into the proposed newcity.

But Dr. Gonsalves said thathe believed that the majorityof the members of the privatesector here had a fairunderstanding of thesituation, which led up to thetaking away of the KFCfranchise licence from Boyea.

“So the point is this, I don’tknow… first of all, Ken Boyeahas been a very good businessman in this country, one witha very good track record. Idon’t know what all thereasons are, and I don’t knowwhen he said what he wasquoted as saying,” the PrimeMinister said.

“He said that heanticipated that the airportwas going to come and thecity a little earlier. Let’s justdeal with the years. Youstarted to build the place in2010, out at Arnos Vale, hesaid the airport was to becompleted in 2012 to 2014,does anyone expect that thecity would be built at ArnosVale in less than five years?,”Dr. Gonsalves questionedrhetorically.

A ‘throwaway line’

According to Gonsalves,the franchise recorded afive percent growth inrevenue during one of themost economicallychallenging years — 2010.

He said he believed thatBoyea may have made thecomment as a “throwawayline,” and that with twooperating branches inKingstown and a thirdconstructed in Arnos Vale, this(the third) would only beopened if the demand couldnot be supplied.

The single most significantcontributing factor whichaccounted for the shuttingdown of the business,according to Dr. Gonsalves,was the point Boyea madeabout spending too muchmoney.

“To me, that is the germaneissue. I don’t see how, if yousay you build this place andyou couldn’t get the top floorsrented and had to take themoney from the franchise, wellit means the mortgage was toohigh,” Dr. Gonsalves deduced.

Holding out hope

Shifting the focus awayfrom Boyea, the Prime

Minister expressed concern forthe workers.

“I understand from all theinformation that I have gotfrom talking to persons, thatthe owners of the Kentuckyfranchise are exploring otherpersons, so I expect thatsometime in the not toodistant future we will behearing announcements aboutwhich entity has beenawarded the franchise, andwhen business is expected tostart,” Dr. Gonsalves told thenews persons at the briefing.

He added that he was alsohopeful that a Vincentianentity would take over theoperations of the restaurants.

Prime Minister RalphGonsalves took his oncepolitical ally Ken Boyea totask for the reasons Boyeagave for the closure of theKFC chain of restaurants.

Ormiston Ken Boyea was theonly holder of a KFCfranchise in St. Vincent andthe Grenadines.

This KFC outlet was the first of three to open its doors inSVG.

See more onPage 3.

2. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

SHORTLY AFTER JAMAICAbecame the first country in theCaribbean to decriminalize smallamounts of marijuana, leaders inthe Caribbean Community(CARICOM) have agreed eventuallyon the formalisation of acommission, charged withinvestigating the legalization of thedrug throughout the region.

According to the communiquéfollowing the recent 26th Inter-Sessional Summit of CARICOM,held in the Bahamas, Heads ofGovernment agreed on thecomposition of the MarijuanaCommission, which is expected tobegin its work soon, to look into thesocial, economic, health and legal

issues surrounding the use ofmarijuana, and to consult withstakeholders to get views on theissue.

But it will be some time beforethose who have been appointed tothe Commission will be revealed.

Prime Minister Dr RalphGonsalves said on Tuesday at amedia briefing at Cabinet Room,that it was not in his place to namethe Commission’s members.

“I am not the chairman ofCARICOM,” Gonsalves said.

He did, however, indicate thattwo Vincentians are among thoseappointed.

One he described as a youngprofessional, while the other, he

said, was not a born Vincentian, butbecame a national throughmarriage.

According to Gonsalves, thenames of those on the Commissionwill be announced in due course.

At their 25th Inter-SessionalMeeting held in St. Vincent and theGrenadines, March 2014, Heads ofGovernment of the CaribbeanCommunity (CARICOM) mandatedthat a Regional Commission be setup to address issues identified inrelation to marijuana use.

Expectations were that theCommission would have beenformalised and a first reportsubmitted to Heads Summit of July2014.

Heads of Government at the 26th Inter-Sessional Summit of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) namedpersons to the Commission but there has been no public disclosure yet, of those names.

V News 3THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. 3.

Boyea hopeful ofretaining KFC franchiseby KENVILLE HORNE

ORMISTON KEN BOYEA,original holder of the KFCfranchise in St. Vincent andthe Grenadines, is confidentthat he would get back theKFC franchise, despite theclosure of the threebranches of the fast foodchain by Receiversappointed by the NovaScotia Bank, earlier thisweek.

The first KFC outletwas opened here on May8th 1986, at the corner ofGrenville and MelvilleStreets. Since then, twomore outlets have beenopened — another inKingstown and one atArnos Vale.

The closure of the threeKFC branches means thatover 180 full timeemployees and part timeworkers are now on thebread line.

But Boyea said that itis too early for the doomand gloom attitude, as heis hoping to take remedialaction. “Give us a week orso to sort things out,” saidBoyea, in an interviewwith THE VINCENTIANlast Wednesday night.

The business magnate,the Managing Director of

St Clair Investments Ltd,under which KFC St.Vincent Ltd falls, saidproblems started after hemade an EC$16 millioninvestment in a mall atArnos Vale.

According to Boyea, hewas hoping to secure aloan at 7% from NovaScotia Bank to constructthe mall, but instead hadto settle for one at 9.5%.

He admitted ‘goingafter the investment’ atArnos Vale to benefit fromthe opening of theInternational Airport atArgyle and the plannedDevelopment of the ArnosVale area.

Unfortunately,completion dates for theairport kept shifting, andit is now scheduled to beopen on various dates,including 2014, but hassince been pushed back tothe middle of this year. “Ilike to move ahead of thecurve,” said Boyea, addingthat “the problem is I amnot a person who likes todo things half way, and Ianticipated the airportwould have been opened.”

He said though, that heis not blaming governmentfor his problems. Heblames himself. “May be I

was a bit ambitious,” hequipped.

Boyea disclosed thatthe ground floor of themain section of the mall,which houses a Super Jsupermarket, and theannex whichaccommodates KFC3 andPizza Hut, continues to dowell, even though he hadto reduce the monthly rentfor the supermarket fromEC$ 70,000 to EC$ 50,000.

He admitted that hefaced difficulty renting theupper floor of the mainbuilding, and thiscontributed to his currentdebacle.

Telecommunicationservice provider Digicelhad shown interest inrenting the upper floor ofthe main building, for thepurpose of operating aCall Centre, but Boyeainsisted he would ratherrent to small business.

Boyea intimated thathe used funds from theKFC restaurants to helpservice the mortgage onthe Arnos Vale mall,resulting in a drain on thecash resources andreserves of the franchise.

The Businessman also

told THE VINCENTIANthat he tried getting localinvestors to purchaseshares in KFC St. Vincent,but was unsuccessful.

Notwithstanding, Boyearemains effervescent abouthis future. “I will fight it;I don’t give up so easily.”He is encouraged, he said,by interest from sources inSt. Lucia and as far awayas the United Kingdom.He is hoping to holdimportant discussions nextweek.

He assured: “Oncethings go well .. the KFCfranchise would be backon its feet again, with mestill at the helm.”

Ormiston Ken Boyeaexpressed optimism asfar as his retention ofthe KFC franchise wasconcerned.

by DAYLE DA SILVA

THE ISSUE OF ACCREDITATION of coursesoffered at the St Vincent and the GrenadinesCommunity College has once again surfaced.

Opposition Leader, Arnhim Eustace on Monday,during the New Times Radio programme, said thathe was still seeking answers from the Ministry ofEducation, as to what was the state of accreditationof those diploma courses being offered.

“Those of you who think that we have forgottenabout the debate about accreditation, you betterbegin to think again. … I still want to know howmany of the courses for the diploma are accredited,”Eustace said.

The leader of the opposition first broached theissue of accreditation during a press conference inSeptember 2014. He announced then, that the two-year diploma was not accredited by the Universityof the West Indies or any other tertiary institution.

Nigel Scott, Deputy Dean of the College, issued astatement in response, saying that the process ofseeking accreditation had begun.

He informed that the first step of this process hadalready been achieved when the institution receiveda Certificate of Registration, or essentially whatScott termed Pre-Accreditation, in November 2013.

Scott said then, that the process of accreditationcan only be granted by an accreditation body, suchas the National Accreditation Board of SVG.

But Eustace on Monday said that, despite all thetalk, there were no figures to say what courses wereaccredited.

“We have not spoken much about it, but I haveraised it again; I want the Ministry of Education totell us what is the real state of accreditation of thosediploma courses — I am still waiting for that,” hesaid.

The issue of accreditation of diploma coursesoffered by the SVG Community College is farfrom being a ‘dead issue’, as far as theOpposition Leader is concerned.

CARICOM Marijuana Commission to be announced

Eustace raisesaccreditationissue again

A representative of the Receivers appointed byNova Scotia Bank places a new lock on the mainentrance to the KFC outlet in downtownKingstown, on Monday morning.

4. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

Court V

Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS

A presiding judge or judges mayrefuse to hear an attorney orsolicitor who is not appropriatelydressed for court, until he/shemeets the standard of dress asdirected by Chief Justice of theEastern Caribbean SupremeCourt Janice Periera.

The direction, referred to asPractice Note No 1 of 2015,states that the dress standard,which took effect from March1, 2015, is also applicable toRegistrars of the SupremeCourt, who are required toattend court.

According to a documentoutlining the details, lawyersappearing before any court arenot to wear bright anddistracting colours.Permissible suit colours areblack, navy blue and darkgrey. These colours may besolid or pin-striped, and onlysolid or pin-striped white,

navy blue or dark grey innershirts are permitted to beworn by male counsel. Forfemales, only solid or pin-striped white, black, navy blueor dark grey inner shirts orblouses are permitted. Shoesmust be black, navy blue, darkgrey or dark brown in colour.

For every court appearance,lawyers are required to wearappropriate formal businessattire which, for males,includes suits, sports jacketsand pants that are typical offormal business attire forwork. For all courtappearances, except opencourt, male lawyers must wearties which should not containdistractingly bright colours.

For female lawyers, theappropriate formal businessattire includes pants and skirtsuits, sports jackets anddresses with full lengthsleeves. When inner shirts,blouses or bodices are worn,

these are to be of anacceptable colour. Innerblouses or bodices withplunging and low cutnecklines are to be discreetlyworn and should not beexcessively revealing. Skirtsshould be at least knee lengthor not more than one-inchabove the knee. Where pantsor trousers are worn, they areto be the traditionally tailoredtype. Low cut or low risetrousers are not permitted.Generally tight fitting andbody hugging clothing is notpermissible.

For members of the InnerBar appearing in open Court,a black waistcoat with greyand black striped or solidblack or grey trousers or skirtsshould be worn.

Closed shoes must be wornby all lawyers. In the case offemales, sling back shoes withclosed fronts may also beworn. Open toe or peep toe

shoes and sandals are notpermissible. Any deviationfrom this must be approvedby the court prior tocounsel’s appearance.

At all times, jewellerymust be unobtrusive. Thewearing of extravagantdesigns and excessiveamounts of jewellery shouldbe avoided. Eyebrow rings,nose rings and othersimilarly non-traditionalpiercings must beunadorned when counsel isappearing before the court.When counsel is robed,necklaces, broaches,bracelets and scarves mustnot be visible. Whenhosiery is worn, it shouldbe plain and either shear oropaque. Fish net patternedand adorned hosiery is notpermissible, and hairstylesshould be professional andappropriate for court, andshould not be distracting.Tatoos must not be visible.

Lawyers appearing in opencourt are expected to be fullyrobed, which includes gowns,wing collars, bands andcollarettes. When fully robed,counsel must wear appropriateattire above and under theirgowns. In the case of malecounsel, court bands must beworn, with the attachmentbeing securely hidden underthe collar of the shirt,revealing only the tabs. Shirtsmust be plain white, collared,

and buttoned to close jacket,and waistcoats must be fullybuttoned at all times. Forfemales, collarets or full bibscollarets must be worn on theinside of the inner shirt ordress, with the attachmentbeing securely hidden underthe collar of the shirt,revealing only the neck bandand tabs.

Lawyers must ensure thatat all times, gowns areproperly fitted and nothanging loosely off theshoulder. They are notpermitted to robe or disrobe inthe court room while court isin session.

WHILE SOME lawyers here aredispleased with the recent dress codedirection issued for Attorneys andSolicitors, as well as Registrars of theSupreme Court who are required toattend Court, defence lawyer GrantConnell does not have an issue withit.

“There are so many issues in thiscountry to be addressed, where thecombined efforts of lawyers can effectsome change; but they are silent onthose issues, and chose the style ofclothing to create a mountain out of amould,” Connell told THEVINCENTIAN on Wednesday.

“I don’t have any issue with it(dress code direction). There must besome order. If you want to come tocourt dressed like you going to aparty, I guess you are in the wrong profession. After all, thisis supposed to be a noble profession,” Connell said.

“I understand some may want to have a Caribbean look; butyou have to limit the flair in the way you want to look. It isnot a carnival,” he contended.

He is aware that “everybody is entitled to their opinion andat the end of the day, you could dress how you want.” But hecautioned, “You will be seen and not heard.”

The Practice Direction, as it is known in legal practice, tookeffect from March 1 this year.

PRESIDENT of the St. Vincent and theGrenadines Bar Association (SVGBA) ReneBaptiste admits that, since she returned tolegal practice January 2011 after close to tenyears in parliament and cabinet, “By andlarge, the practitioners whom I encounter fromtime to time in various courts have beensuitably attired.

“I have not seen anybody who has not beenproperly attired,” Baptiste told THEVINCENTIAN during an interview onMonday.

Her comments came in the wake of a recentcourt direction on the mode of dress forAttorneys-at-Law and Solicitors who practisebefore the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court,which includes the Magistrates Courts,Industrial Court, High Court and Court ofAppeal. That dress standard is also applicableto Registrars of the Supreme Court who attendCourt sittings. The ‘Practice Direction’, as it iscalled in legal practice, which took effect fromMarch 1, was issued by Chief Justice of theEastern Caribbean Supreme Court JanicePereira, and outlined in a document headlinedPractice Note No 1 of 2015, dated February 13,2015.

Baptiste revealed that some members of theBar are very displeased with the development,have taken umbrage, and have asked her totake up the issue which “we would do in theearliest possible time, and forward ourresponse to the Chief Justice.”

The SVGBA’s president said that attorneyJoseph Delves has issued an open lettervoicing his concern, and asking that she useher office to facilitate a response. She notedthat several practitioners have endorsed whatDelves said.

Baptiste pointed out that, as president ofthe local bar, she is obligated to represent theinterest of members with respect to theirresponse to the court direction issued by theChief Justice. She noted that the OECS Barheld a meeting in St Lucia last weekend, andthe two items on the agenda were the mode ofdress and social decorum. The SVGBA wasrepresented at the meeting by its vice

president Duane Danieland Secretary PatriciaMarks. Baptiste said thatthe lawyers were expectedto return last Sunday, butshe had not yet receivedany feedback. She,however, added that theSVGBA should meetaround March 19, and theissue of the PracticeDirection concerning themode of dress would beamong the items to bediscussed.

“This is a matter whichI had hoped that theBench-Bar (Lawyers andJudges) would haveaddressed in ourcommittee meeting. I didnot expect that this issomething I would have toaddress, but I have anobligation to represent theinterest of the Bar,”Baptiste assured.

In Delves’ letter, whichwas endorsed by attorneyPaula David, he pointedout in part, “our right and that of our clients tobe heard should be based solely on the meritsof the case and on the contents of ourcharacter, and not on our appearance. Nothingought to turn on whether we wear a pink shirtor a blue one, old fashioned waisted pants orlow waisted ones.”

Delves also stated in the letter, “We expectour institutions to lead the way in embracingour unique, multicultural and heterogeneousCaribbean culture, and in freeing ourselvesfrom unnecessary colonial vestiges.

“Our Court of Appeal judges producebrilliant opinions in the most trying ofconditions. But in this matter, which touchesthe intersection of culture, history and the law,in our view and with respect, they got itwrong”.

Chief Justice of the EasternCaribbean Supreme Court JanicePeriera has laid down ‘the law’as far as a dress code isconcerned for attorneys,solicitors and other courtoffcials.

Chief Justice issuesdress code direction

‘A mountain from mould,’cries Connell

Attorney GrantConnell wants to knowwhat all the fuss isabout concerning adress code directionfor Attorneys andSolicitors.

Rene Baptiste,President of theSVG BarAssociation, saysshe is obligatedto raise thedispleasure of theBar’smembership, inrespect of a courtdirection on themode of dress forAttorneys-at-Lawand other officersof the courtsystem.

Lawyers displeased

by KENVILLE HORNE

VINCENTIAN RECORDING artistes andothers associated with the music industryhere in SVG were honoured last Friday,March 6 as outstanding achievers for2014.

The honours were bestowed at theSecond Annual St. Vincent and theGrenadines Association of MusicProfessionals (SVGAMP) Music Awards,held at the Peace Memorial Hall.

The evening’s actual awardsceremony was preceded by a red carpetaffair, which allowed nominees andpatrons, the Who’s Who of the musicindustry here, to ‘show off’ a range offashion designs. Add to this anappropriately decorated lounge area, andthe near perfect ambience was assuredfor the evening’s programme.

Internationally acclaimed composer,and soca recording and performingartiste, Gamal ‘Skinny Fabulous’ Doyle,with seven nominations, led the list of2015 hopefuls. He walked away withthe Songwriter of the Year award and

the converted award of Entertainer ofthe Year.

Lancelot ‘Mad Skull’ Gloster, comingoff his best season to date, took home theawards for Best Soca Single of the Yearfor his recording, ‘Family’, and Best NewMale Artiste of the Year, with Geneina‘Gem’ Browne taking the Best NewFemale Artiste award.

Veteran Soca Artiste Rondy ‘Luta’McIntosh bagged the award for RaggaSoca Single of the Year with his hitsong, ‘Till morning’; and reigningSoca/Ragga Soca Monarch Delroy‘Fireman’ Hooper, absent from theevening’s ceremony, copped the Record ofthe Year title for his ‘Rum Meeting’.

UK-based Marlon ‘Matta Fix’Roudette received two awards on thenight — Best Music Video of the Yearand Universal Single of the Year for his‘When the Beat Drops Out’.

Newcomer Joel ‘Dynamite’ Tyril gotthe surprise of his life when he won theReggae Single of the Year award for hissong ‘Believe’.

Others awarded were: Zamfir ‘Man

Zangie’ Adams for Calypso Single of theYear (Act before it’s too late); BridgetBlucher - Gospel Single of the Year(Greatly Blessed); Multi-Denominational- Best Vocal Performanceby a duo or group (Called Out); LennoxBowman for Christmas Single of theYear (Two Christmases); and Melissa —Dancehall Single of the Year (GoodName).

Darron Andrews grabbed theMusician of the Year award, and the duoof Shertz ‘Problem Child’ James andPatrice Roberts was adjudged Best VocalCollaboration of the Year for ‘Born toWin’. Calvin ‘DJ CJ’ Llewellyn fromEmerald Sounds took the Disc Jockey ofthe Year award. Alex ‘Kubiyashi’Barnwell received the award forProducer of the Year, and Wetty Beats/Stadic Studios took the award for BestRiddim Track of the Year for ‘Wreck itRiddim’. Rodney Small & the UltimateBand was adjudged Best Live Band ofthe Year, while NBC Radio was namedRadio Station of the Year.

Campden Park resident, Akene ‘Prez’Keizer, captured the award in the HipHop and R&B Single of the yearcategory for his song ‘Talk About Me’,which featured Carice and YoungQuinic. ‘Prez’ also took home the Digicel

People’s Choice Award for RecordingArtiste of the Year.

The Second Annual SVGAMP MusicAwards also saw special recognitionbeing accorded calypsonian Alston‘Becket’ Cyrus and band leader RolandSardine.

Clement ‘Baha’ Lawrence, a formercalypso king, received this year’sLifetime Achievement Award.

Live performance punctuated lastFriday evening’s programme, includingcontributions from: Gospel band CalledOut featuring Kelsie Haynes; K-Netiksband with lead singer Akiedo; Hip Hopartiste Yung Quinc; Reggae artiste‘Dynamite’; Gospel singer Stacy Lyttle;and ‘Luta’, the evening’s curtain-closer.

Many persons in the audience wereheard to comment that this year’sAwards Ceremony was a vastimprovement over last year’s inauguralceremony.

PRESIDENT OF THESVG Association for MusicProfessional (SVGAMP),Orande ‘Bomani’ Charles,says his association isengaged in a necessarystruggle to protect themusic of this country, andto ensure thatinternational establishedsystems of music royaltycollection are enforcedhere in St.Vincent and theGrenadines

Charles, speaking atthe second annual AMPMusic Awards on Friday6th March at the PeaceMemorial Hall, appealedto those involved in themusic industry to avoidspeculation and, instead,“do their research on theirmusic rights.

“When the dust settlesand all the talking headshave moved on to the nexttopic, it’s your intellectualproperty that is left to beprotected,” said Charles.

He said the currentsituation where upwardsof 85 cents for every dollarcollected for royalties willleave SVG to go to

Trinidad, Jamaica, UnitedStates and the UnitedKingdom, “wasunacceptable, and wemust set about the task ofkeeping more royaltypayments )at home).”

He proffered that it isfor local broadcasters toplay more Vincentianmusic more consistently,and called on musicmakers to lift their gameand set higher standardsin music production andmarketing.

But ‘Bomani’ wasoptimistic, saying, “Wecan do this together as wecontinue the hard work tobuild our music sector intoa music industry.”

The President, himselfa composer, performingand recording artiste,

explained that theSVGAMP Executive tookthe decision to hold theceremony this year tocoincide with the season ofinternational musicawards activities. “Moreimportantly, we wanted itto fall within the time ofthe National Heroes

month. I believe that themusic of SVG is deeplyembedded in our heritagethrough songs of struggleand freedom, to songs ofspirituality,” said Charles.

He thanked allpartners of AMP andsponsors for their support,and extendedcongratulations to all thenominees and awardees.

ArtsV THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. 5.

AMP stages 2ndAnnual MusicAwards

‘AMP engaged innecessary struggle,’says President

Orande ‘Bomani’Charles, President ofthe SVG Association forMusic Professionals,called on localbroadcasters to playVincentian music moreconsistently.

Gamal ‘Skinny Fabulous’ Doyle wasvoted Entertainer of the year.

Lancelot ‘Mad Skull’ Gloster had abreakout year in 2014, and wasnamed Best New Male Artiste of theYear.

Geneine ‘Gem’ Browne, the new girlon the block, was heralded as thebest New Female Artiste of the year.

6. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

HeritageVStories by WILLIAM ‘KOJAH’ ANTHONY

CURTAINS will come down on the 2015International Garifuna Summit, Festivaland Conference this Sunday, March 15.

A Pilgrimage to Balliceaux willprovide the climax to the Summitwhose activities began on Monday, butwhich was officially opened lastWednesday evening, with a keynotepresentation by Dr Sheila Walker, atthe Peace Memorial hall.

Baliceaux is considered sacredground to Garifuna whose ancestors,5000 in number, were horded therebefore banishment to Roatan Island offthe Central American coast ofHonduras.

An Extravaganza at HeritageSquare in capital city Kingstown ispart of tomorrow’s (Saturday)activities. That event will featureGeneration X Band and Adrian ‘TheDoc’ Martinez, in a display of Garifunainspired rhythms.

The Extravaganza follows a wreath-laying function at the Obelisk atDorsetshire Hill early Saturdaymorning, National Heroes Day, inhonour of Paramount Chief JosephChatoyer who was killed in battle onthat spot, March 14, 1795.

Model Village

The Summit, hosted by the localGarifuna Heritage Foundation, openedwith the unveiling of a model of anearly Indigenous Village at theNational Public Library, last Monday.

That portrayal came with help fromProfessors Corinne Hoofman andMenno Hoogland, and complementedby material analyses at the FreeUniversity of Amsterdam and theCatholic University of Leaven,Belgium.

Interest in the nation’s past wassparked by findings at the site of theArgyle International airport.Excavations there revealed the layoutof the indigenous settlement withlocation of houses, burial grounds,plaza and refuge areas.

The unveiling was made possiblewith the support and collaboration ofthe SVG National Trust, and theInternational Airport DevelopmentCorporation.

Exhibition of Garifuna culture

Aspects of Garifuna culture wereagain exposed at an exhibition stagedat the Old Public Library inKingstown, also on Monday. Thisfeatured photographs by Martiniqueborn Robert Charlotte.

An opening ceremony wasaddressed by Garifuna HeritageFoundation president David ‘Darkie’Williams and Cultural Officer AnthonyTheobalds.

Charlotte made trips to St. Vincentlast year. His interaction withresidents in the Garifuna communitiesproduced a documentation of their lifeand struggle.

His display featured portraits ofpersons at Chateaubelair, Rose Bank,Sandy Bay, Greggs, Fancy, and FortCharlotte. If things go according toplans, Charlotte would extend hisdocumentation to include the Garifunadiaspora. November is set as atentative date for this undertaking.

Director of the Alliance Francaise ofSt. Vincent and the GrenadinesVanessa Demirciyan was happy toidentify with the mission, especially

so because ofher institution’smission ofrenewingcultural linkswith theOrganisation ofEasternCaribbeanStates.

Other activities

Filmshighlightingaspects of theGarifuna legacywere shownduring theweek, beginning on Monday.

Workshops focussing on GarifunaMusic, Theatre Arts, and GarifunaMedicinal Plants also formed part ofthe week’s deliberations.

Today Friday will see the opening ofa Back to our Roots Garifuna Villageat Heritage Square and on the groundsof the Old Public Library.

In 2001, UNESCO proclaimed theGarifuna Language, Dance and Musica ‘Masterpiece of the Oral andIntangible Heritage of Humanity’ inNicaragua, Honduras and Belize.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines isthe ancestral homeland of theGarifuna nation.

BAND MASTER of the RoyalSVG Police Force Band,Inspector Bernard Haynes, isquestioning the veracity ofthe SVG Association ofMusic Professionals NationalMusic Awards.

The ceremony to recogniseachievements in 2014 washeld at Peace Memorial Halllast Friday.

Insp. Haynes’ claim isthat there was no mention ofthe Police Band in any of thecategories for adjudication.

Questions surface since,as he said, the Police Bandhas been in the public eyesfor almost every day of theyear.

According to Insp.Haynes, the Police Band hasbeen providing musicalaccompaniment at thisnation’s premier culturalevent for the calypsofinalists since 1996.

For the past three years,the Police Band has beenspearheading Training Programmesfor students during the July/Augustholidays.

When it comes to Independence,the Police Band is a fixture ofcelebrations.

Christmas time sees the PoliceBand at concerts throughout St.Vincent and the Grenadines.

Furether, Insp. Haynes disclosed,the Police Band has played for AMP-related functions, in addition toappearances at Schools Sports,Literacy Marches, Pan Against Crime

Concerts, funerals, openingof Parliamentary sessions,and nearly every occasionfor which music is needed.

“The Police Band isworking very hard,weekend, holidays, ornormal events. That issupposed to bringrecognition. … It can’t bethat they don’t see theBand. What category is thePolice Band?” Inspt.Haynes pondered.

As far as Haynes isconcerned, the Police Bandis renowned.

Insp. Haynes has beenin charge of the PoliceBand since 2011. But he isnot new to the musicalscene. He celebrated 35years in the Police Forcelast Saturday, and has thedistinction of havingappeared at everyIndependence celebrationhere since 1979.

He noted that the band, formallyestablished in 1951 under thedirectorship of Weston Lewis, hasreceived accolades from institutionsand individuals over the years. He isof the view that, with the awardshaving been initiated, the Police Bandshould have attracted some attention.

The Police Band has produced anumber of outstanding individualmusicians, including band masterslike Cecil St. Hilaire, Arnold Caesar,Sydney Harry, Brian James, DennisWilliams, and Carlos Sampson.

Band Master raps AMP

InspectorBernard Haynesis making a caseto SVGAMP forconsideration tobe given to theRoyal SVG PoliceForce Band whendeliberations areheld to decidewho gets NationalMusic Awards.

Model of the earlyGarifuna/Kalinagovillage at Argyle, ondisplay at theNational PublicLibrary.

Garifuna culturetakes centre stage

Photographer and DocumentaristRobert Charlotte (L) and Director ofthe Alliance Francaise of St. Vincentand the Grenadines VanessaDemirciyan at last Monday’sPhotography Exhibition.

One of the portraits on show at thePhoto Exhibition was one of HoraceRodgers of Greiggs.

NewsV THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. 7.

by DAYLE DA SILVA

WHILE HE SAID that he has an issue withthe profanity that was used, Leader ofthe Opposition, Arnhim Eustacemaintains that there is a broader issue inrelation to the matter involving JosetteBibby-Bowens, a teacher, who wasarrested after posting profane commentson the social media site, Facebook.

Bibby-Bowens was taken intocustody by members of the MajorCrime Unit at her work place, theBishop’s College Kingstown, Paul’sAvenue, on Monday 2nd March.

She was subsequently charged withthe distribution and public exhibitionof profane remarks which referencesPrime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves,appeared before the KingstownMagistrate’s Court on Tuesday 3rdMarch, pleaded not guilty, wasgranted continuance on her bail, andordered to return to court on March17.

The Principles of Accounts andInformation Technology teacher wasalleged to have posted on Facebook onFebruary 17, 2015, “Ralph you should

shame to congratulate the newGovernment of St Kitts, dem must tellyou hal yuh (expletive).”

Bibby-Bowens further posted,“wunna does (expletive) feel the(expletive) country is wunna own, deymust jail yuh (expletive) now, all yuhdoes let power get to all yuh head buteven the longest rope have an end.”

She was arrested by members of theMajor Crime Unit, who went to herwork place and took the 37-year-oldwoman into custody. She was grantedstation bail.

But Eustace said on Monday, on the‘New Times’ radio programme, thatpeople have made remarks onFacebook from time to time, and havebeen involved in activities or actions,and all they got was a rap on theknuckles, or sometimes no action hadbeen taken.

“I can’t understand the rationale fortreating the teacher in this manner,”Eustace said.

He continued, saying that he did notsupport Bibby-Bowens’ use ofprofanity; however, the heavy-handedreaction was cause for concern.

“Others have beenaccommodated for doing muchmore wrong in civil society, butshe has had the whole bookthrown at her, even preventedfrom travel. What’s this?” Eustacequipped.

The Leader of the Oppositionsaid that he was in agreementwith Bibby-Bowens on the stancetaken by Dr. Gonsalves in relation tothe issue in St Kitts-Nevis particularlywhen for two years, the ‘Team Unity’-led administration were unsuccessfulin its bid to put forward a no-confidence motion against the then DrDenzil Douglas-led administration.

“To me, in my mind it is veryhypocritical also, to come and raisethis matter in the way it was doneafter the elections in St Kitts andNevis,” Eustace said.

“The question is why the heavyhand, when in comparison with otherswho are on Facebook and who havedone much worse in many instances,where was the heavy hand for them?Why is there a heavy hand for her?”

This heavy-handed reaction meanssomething else, Eustace said, and it

raises questionsin the minds ofmembers of thepublic, whetheror not there aredifferent laws fordifferent people in society.

“A democracy cannot exist in thatkind of environment where in fact youare trying to stop people fromexpressing their views.

“People have made much worsestatements than that on Facebook andnothing has happened to them, noteven a rap on the knuckles, and that iswhat I have great difficulty with,”Eustace continued.

He said that he was not going to bedistracted with such issues, sincethere were a lot of other far moreimportant issues for him to deal with.

Leader of theOpposition ArnhimEustace does notcondone theprofanity allegedlyused by a teacher,but questions thehigh-handedmanner in whichshe was arrestedand charged.

Josette Bibby-Bowens’ case maywell turn out to be atest case for futurereference here andin the region.

‘Something wrong deepinside,’ says Eustace

IT IS NOW EXACTLY 23 YEARS since thefirst baptism ceremony was held publicly tohail whom the people considered to be ourFirst National Hero, Joseph Chatoyer, and tocelebrate the first National Heroes Day on the14th March, the date on which Chatoyer waslast seen alive.

This historical-cultural event took placeunder the headship of a few grass-rootsorganisations and personages without anofficial authorisation, whose blessing came byway of two sympathetic Ministers of an NDPGovernment.

The day marked a milestone in our socialdevelopment, and was captured by aVincentian Journalist Conley Rose, who hadbeen a conscientious activist in the ceremony,and bears repeating, if only in my column,This Week, for its socio-historical significance.

The First National Heroes Day Rally by Conley Rosepublished in THE VINCENTIAN 20/3/1992

In spite of the inclemency of the weather,the National Quincentennial Committee(NQC) held a historic and successful NationalHeroes Day Rally at the Langley ParkGovernment School, on Saturday 14th March,1992.

Under themes: “Let us Honour our Heroes”and “500 years of struggle and Resistance”,the NQC activists, led by its Chairman,Renwick Rose, must be congratulated forbraving the pouring rain and carrying on theday’s celebration, in such damped anduncertain conditions. The rally neverthelessstarted around 5:15p.m, with singing of theNational Anthem, followed by a fitting prayerby Nelcia Robinson, and welcoming remarksby Tydel John, the chairman of the day’sproceedings.

Opening remarks were given by the NQCchairman Renwick Rose, who stressed thesignificance and importance of NationalHeroes Day, and he emphasised therepresentative character of the NQC, and alsoindicated that the request to the Governmentof St Vincent and Grenadines, is one of aserious nature to be treated in such manner.In his words, “National Heroes Day has to dowith our history, our self-pride, our identityand also our cultural traditions as astruggling people”.

Minister of Education, Sports and CultureJohn Horne delivered greetings to the rally onbehalf of Government. The Cultural Ministerin an emotional address, said that, “at timeslike these, reality must give precedence to ouremotions.” He went on to state that theGarifuna people in Belize become veryemotional and hysterical when reacting to StVincent as their homeland, and he is veryproud of the Garifuna response in Belize. TheEducation Minister stated that he knows thatthere is a burning desire by the people of StVincent to recognise March 14th as NationalHeroes Day, but that it was up to the Cabinetto decide on the issue. Mr Horne was non-committal personally on the NQC request, butlater played a pre-recorded voice of PrimeMinister Mitchell that he had no objection to

declaring March 14th as National HeroesDay. He later called on the people above theDry River to recognise their roots as Garifunapeople to seek to develop Calinago Culture.

The Minister of Culture stated that inthree years time, a number of the descendantsof the Black Caribs from Belize would bevisiting St Vincent for the centenarycelebrations, and said, the question is, “are weready and able to welcome the Garifunapeople to our shores”?

He then made some recommendations tothe rally: (1) that Vincentians consider aprogramme of education on history andculture of St Vincent and the Grenadines. (2)That the History book “Rise and Fall of theBlack Caribs” be taught in all schoolsthroughout the State. (3) That Dr. Kirby andDr. Fraser compile a book on local history touse as a history book. (4) That the HistoricalSociety be revived as an active organisation.

The Education Minister, on behalf of theGovernment, thanked Mayor Sylvia Flores forvisiting SVG. The Minister of State in theMinistry of Education and Culture, YvonneFrancis Gibson, followed soon after with ashort address.

Cecil ‘Blazer’ Williams paid tribute toEbenezer Theodore Joshua. He spoke on the“Life and Times of Joshua” and reiterated thecall for “Pappy Joshua” to be made a NationalHero.

The highlight of the National Heroes DayRally, however, was the feature addressdelivered by the guest speaker, the Hon.Sylvia Flores, Mayor of the City of Dangrigain Belize. Mayor Flores was given a rousingwelcome and a standing ovation by theChairman and officials present at the rally.Chairman Tydel John gave a good account ofhimself in keeping the attention of the crowd,and moreso, for his precise introduction ofMayor Sylvia Flores.

The chairman told the crowd that SylviaFlores, a descendant of the Black Caribs, isthe First Woman Mayor, (a Garifuna) of thecity of Dangriga in Belize.

Mayor Flores asked the rally to observeone minute silence for Chatoyer, then reciteda poem on Africa, which was well received.The mayor said that her visit to St Vincent isthe fulfilment of a dream come true, ofreturning to her roots and homeland. Sheoutlined the common bonds of blood relations,history, culture and struggles as a people bothin Belize and in St Vincent.

Several cultural performances took placethroughout the rally, including the kids ofNew Adelphi, the Sandy Bay/Owia QuadrilleDance Group, Sulle and others. An exhibitionof arts and craft, and photos of NationalHeroes were displayed. Local foods, includingdoucana and bam bam, with local juices wereon sale. D.L music complemented a fineevening of rich culture and positive education,combined with a strengthening of the bondsbetween Garifunas of Belize and the people ofSt Vincent and the Grenadines.

THE MONTH OF MARCH is a busy month as far as observances by the United Nations are concerned.

These observances are usually declared as ‘Months’, ‘Days’ or even‘Years’, in an effort to promote awareness of and action on importantpolitical, social, cultural, humanitarian or human rights issues.

The majority of these observances have been established by theUnited Nations General Assembly, and some have been designated byUnited Nations’ specialised agencies like UNESCO, UNICEF andWHO.

But back to March. Among the 15 ‘Days’ designated by the UN/UNAgencies for March are: International Women’s Day (March 8);International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (March21); World Poetry Day (UNECSO — March 21); International Day ofForest and Trees (March 21); World Water Day (March 22);International Day for the Right to Truth concerning Gross HumanRights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims (March 24); andInternational Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and theTransatlantic Slave Trade.

The fore-mentioned are listed since, by interpretation, they holdsome significance for St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

It is meaningful, therefore, that, as we seek to establish our place inworld community, we choose to designate March 14 as National HeroesDay and March as Heritage Month.

Isn’t it even more significant that the Garifuna Heritage Foundationwould hold its annual Summit during this month, the month that isdesignated for heightened awareness of slavery and the genocide thatcame with colonialism, founded on the ‘right’ of one man over another —one race over another?

And fittingly, we celebrate World Water Day, recognition of the basicnutrient for life (water), with a Water Week all of our own, duringwhich the importance of forests and trees is not diminished.

So, knowingly or unknowingly, we have jumped into an internationalagenda with an agenda of our own making. For that, we can take abow.

Yet, there remains much, much more real, not imaginable, things tobe done to make us a people proud of our own, and proud to standamong the global community, as an equal partner.

Not least is for us to stop pussy-footing about the naming of anotherNational Hero.

That pussy-footing, if the truth be told, has descended into anotherpolitical abyss, encouraged by one side moreso than any others.Unfortunately, this state of unnecessary (political) procrastinationmakes the naming of another National Hero a further stroke ofdivision, thereby flying in the face of the expectation that a NationalHero unites a people, not divide them.

What in the name of Zeus’s #$&* is holding back the process? Somenarrow, partisan impression of who or what constitutes a NationalHero? Some promised agenda as repayment for some deed done?

Can all this be put to spend with an announcement of anotherNational Hero this National Heroes Day? Wishful thinking, eh?

Subject to correction, but isn’t there consensus for the naming,sooner rather than later, of George Augustus Mc Intosh as our nextNational Hero?

Isn’t there consensus that he should stand alone in this round, sothat his National Hero status will be allowed to grow, permeate ourpsyches and thus inform the now and the future?

Why can’t we put an end to all the intellectual posturing, all theadvancements of personal positions on this matter? Time to stopspeaking to and for the people and listen to the people!

And maybe that is the crux of the indecision that rests heavily onour bosoms. That we have allowed the ‘debate’ to hover at such levelsof ‘knowledge’, that we have removed the sentiments of the people asconsideration in a final decision.

In the final analysis, it is the people who, in their acceptance or non-acceptance of what our politicians come up with, should inform theexercise of naming a National Hero.

And while we are at those whom we recognise for their service topeople, spare a moment of commendation for our calypsonianextraordianre, Alston Becket Cyrus, who has gone beyond mere wordsof ‘giving back to community’. (See Page 19 of this issue.)

Becket has formalised his Becket Benefit Organization, comprised ofordinary folk from his native Layou, to map and direct with continuity,a course of assisting residents of Layou who are in need, andaddressing the needs of Layou as a whole.

Is this something of a first timer in SVG? Irrespective, it isunquestionably something to be emulated; something for which Alston‘Becket’ Cyrus deserves our appreciation.

Happy National Heroes Day to all.

8. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

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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

March in our lives

National Heroes Day

In the News 20/2/15, I saw an application for thepost of ‘Senator’ for ‘Storm’ by his father D-Doc,who will approve same and hand the job to him.Another lawyer in the family; another lawyer in thedynasty; another one in the House. Way to go Doc!Storm, a young son, who never worked, but canentice the voters with a school bus which he claimshe asked for (as a donation) and was given, (Tomdrunk, but Tom na fool).

Storm really love his fellow Vincentians. Theyshowed him the road, ‘to be ah Millionaire’.

The (LPG) retailers are crying foul. They wantthe PM to go on air and say he made a mistake.

The old stock should besold first before the pricedrops, so they theretailers are using theold prices still. (We can’tget receipt to prove).

Now, if the PM shouldcome on air and say hemade a mistake -actually the gas priceshould have risen to, letus say, $55 per cylinder,would the retailers notraise the price rightaway (from the price ofold stock)? Advise themto stock up the cheapones now, so wheneverprices rise again, theywill get a fat profit whichthey always get.

A Vincentian

Editor, Maybe I am toomuch of a realist, andthat I should just simplyaccept, withoutemploying any criticalthought whatsoever, theeccentricities in theMinistry of Education.However, with thecurrent discussion aboutschool dropouts and poorperformances of ourstudents in SVG, relativeto those in the othermember states of theOECS, this topic of mineshould be declaredpertinent to the swirlingscholastic currents. Notto mention to the debateof the famous ‘educationrevolution’.

For a very long timenow, I have seenstudents locked out at

various schools, and,may I emphasize, lockedoutside of the schoolcompound, for being late.These students mustlinger and loiter in theroad until break time,and waste learning timebecause that is therespect that their hard-working parents deserve.Teachers do arrive late,and some, systematicallylate, but they areallowed to come in.

I don’t know whoseidea it was this to lockstudents out of thecompound for being late;but it sickens me to thecore. If this was themethod they came upwith to deter lateness,and so improvepunctuality, I would saytheir intention wasnoble, but their visionwas distance-challenged,meaning, they could notsee afar.

Editor, these areantiquated methods atbest, especially in oureducationally advancedera. They are notworking and cannotwork. In fact, they aremore counterproductive

than productive. Thestudent loses a lot more.

When we examine andanalyse the poor resultsof our students, there area number of factors thatmust be taken intoaccount. I could begin tolist ten of them, but whoin the mighty ‘system’above us, will ever takenote from a duncy head?While I do not have allthe answers, I think it ismore commendable iflate-coming be measuredin points/days, and thatafter a certain number ofpoints/days, a studentshould be made to bringin his/her parent orguardian, to discuss andstem this problem. Inthis way, there isinterface with the child’scustodian who can helpto answer to and addressthe matter.

On the other hand, ifa child is constantlyearly but arrives late onemorning due to someunforeseen circumstance,he or she is locked out.How barbaric thissystem!

Duncy Head

I AM NOT going to getinto the privacy issue of‘facebook’ and all theother social media towhich, it seems, we,Vincentians, are ashooked as the rest of theworld. Rather, I want toask a few questionsabout teachers, theteachers union and self-respect:

Has the acceptancethat as a teacher, wehave to set an examplefor the younger onesgone through the door?

As much as theTeachers Union has tolook out for its members,is it not its responsibilityto rebuke its memberswhen they fall out ofline? Are they (the

Union) not also a body ofprofessionals that isexpected to ensure thatits members behaveaccordingly?

Have we lost ourrespect for ourselves?More particularly, haveour women lost respectfor themselves? Is thebehaviour of that teachernot an indictment in thistime when we focus onthe attributes andcontributions of womenthe world over?

Is it that we are soovercome these days byour own prejudices — andI blame our politiciansfor fostering this — thatwe don’t know when to‘shut-up’?

Jones

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. 9.

LettersV

* Doesn’t theMinister of Financehave the right torequest or demandinformation from acommercial bankwith respect to atransactioninvolving a civilservant, in a matterunder review?* If the PM doeshave that right,what is the problemgetting an copy ofthe invoice relatedto the matter inwhich theComptroller ofCustoms is deededto have beeninvolved?* Why are schoolchildren saying thatKFC now stands forKen’s FinancialCrisis?* Were thereefforts by persons inhigh national officeto prevent theclosure of the KFCoutlets?

This is 2015, and Vincentiansare eagerly awaiting theopening of AIA, the ArgyleInternational Airport, moreappropriately to be namedREGIA - Ralph EverardGonsalves International Airport.We have been waiting since2010, the first officiallyannounced opening date. Manyhave since passed.

As of today, the estimates(cost) vary, but regardless ofwhen the Airport finallyopens, has anyone, to date,asked THE QUESTION: In

which way will theGrenadines benefit from thisAirport?

While heartily welcomingthe airport to the mainland,where investments are verymuch needed, what are theadvantages the new Airportwill bring to the Grenadines,the sister isles, where most ofthe revenue is generated inTourism, Crown LandProperty Sales, Island Lease,Ex-pat Investments, etc. ?

Let’s assume the AIA willbe accepted by International

Aviation Authorities, serviceby International Carriers suchas BA, AA, CA, Jet Blue,Delta, Condor, etc, issomething that has not beenestablished in spite of much‘lobbying’. No commitmentsso far have surfaced fromabroad.

Anyway, you are landing inArgyle, fine, what’s next?First, you need a long, curvytaxi ride to get to theGrenadines Wharf. There youneed to be lucky to meet aferry ready to sail. When

arriving in the laterafternoon, you need to getyourself a hotel, as there areno late boats. In short, you arespending lots of additionalmoney, and most of all,precious time before you reachyour final holiday destination.Of course, in case you havethe money, you can alsocharter an additional flight tothe Grenadines, JUST ASYOU CAN DO FROMBARBADOS which couldmake a crucialdifference...since there is the

likelihood of less hassle, muchless time and probably lessmoney too! So, where are thebenefits to the Grenadines?

Anyone who ever lookedinto this scenario in a sober,apolitical way, will determinewill concluded that the onlysensible, hugely beneficialsolution for the Grenadines isa direct, reasonably pricedshuttle schedule fromBarbados to the Grenadines!

Concerned Citizen

ÂArgyleÊ and the Grenadines

Questions aboutteachers and teaching

School children lockedout for being late

I MAY HAVE missed the actual datefor International Women’s Day by aweek or so, but I don’t think it is toolate to celebrate and recognise thecontributions that women have madeto our country.

I am not going to labour on theexploits of outstanding women here —those in politics, law and so forth.

Rather, I want to recognise and saya big thank you to all the ordinarygrandmothers, mothers, aunties,sisters, wives, who shape the lives ofthose for whom they care day in andday out, sometimes working miraclesas they stretch the dollar to makeends meet.

I have nothing but love, and wishall God’s blessings on those women

who are God’s exceptional gifts to theworld — those who make unimaginablesacrifices to set the lives of so manyon the straight and narrow path ofhonesty, good manners and a strongwork ethic.

Not that I will forget those whomthe society has thrown up forrecognition; but I can’t help but thinkof the thousands of women who, dayin and day out, work selflessly tomake this country what it truly is.

Thanks to all those strong, oftenunrecognised women who labour inthe vineyard of humanity. They arethis country’s true GEMS.

Charles

I can feel the cool, coolbreezeMaking sounds in theswaying trees, whistlingleavesWith buttercupsglowing in the darkAnd photos of big andsmall buildingsMotor vehicles parkedin lanes.

All shops are closed, novendingCustomers are asleep,til’ the morningOnly the drivers movingbyPassing the pedestriansmorning and night.

The streets are so quietand warmIt invites you to see thelighted harbourTo enjoy that peace ofmind in tranquillityOh, how happy to bewalking along thisbeautiful cityIt’s paradise in St.Vincent and theGrenadines.

Joanna FeliciaThompson- PC 823

Recognising the real women

Tom drunk, but Tom no fool

The midnightstory

The issueThis month of March, the 28th to be exact,marks 14 years since the Unity LabourParty (ULP) scored its first electoralvictory at the polls, with a 12 to 3 majorityto the New Democratic Party (NDP), whichhad been in government for 17 years.Today Vincentians can be proud of theachievements the ULP has delivered underthe leadership of Prime Minister Dr. RalphGonsalves.

Currently, that progress continues andcan be seen in several projects, includingthe continuing construction of the $700million International Airport at Argyle;the $26 million rehabilitation of theSouth Leeward Highway from HospitalRoad to Layou; the $5.8 million dollarrehabilitation of the Milton CatoMemorial Hospital; the construction of a$4.5 million polyclinic at Buccama; asimilar project in Mespo, as well asseveral doctors quarters and nurseshostels in Sandy Bay, Chateaubelair, andUnion Island; and the DiagnosticHospital in Georgetown.

Work also continues apace on severalprojects in relation to rehabilitationfollowing the 2013 December floods,which include the Caratal Bridge, severalhouses in that same area, the HopeBridge and houses in that area as well,and several Bailey Bridges in the NorthLeeward area.

This list is by no means exhaustive,but certainly paints a picture of agovernment that after 14 years has notstopped pushing for the progress anddevelopment of St. Vincent and theGrenadines.

Impressive recordThe first two terms of the Unity

Labour Party have a long list ofachievements some of which we willchronicle this week.

* In the first term as part of the first100 Days plan, the ULP administrationrepaired all primary and secondaryschools and other educational institutionsbetween July and August 2001 at a costof $5.5 million.

* Rebuilt and extended the Post Officeand Old Ministerial Building (thatbuilding also got a face lift last year whenit was repainted)

* Built the Leeward Bus Terminal* Built the George Mc Intosh

Community Market at Paul’s Avenue,and cleaned the street area in front of theBishop’s College

* Renovated Victoria Park and put infloodlights (the National LotteriesAuthority has spent over a million dollarson other improvements to the VictoriaPark over the years)

* Restored, rebuilt and extended thePeace Memorial Hall

* Built a modern 2-storey YWCAfacility, including an Early ChildhoodEducational Center, at the back ofGrammar School

* Purchased, rebuilt and extended theCyrus Squash Complex as the NationalLotteries Headquarters

* Constructed a modern multi-milliondollar headquarters for the NationalInsurance Services

* Built a modern, state-of-the-art two-storey Technical Centre near to theBishop’s College in Kingstown

* Built an ultra-modern EmergencyOperations Centre and NationalEmergency Management Office (NEMO)headquarters.

* Built and enlarged modern facilitiesat the School of Nursing

* Restored and upgraded the oldAdministrative Wing of the Milton CatoMemorial Hospital, MCMH, (as notedearlier, rehabilitation work is currentlytaking place at the MCMH in the tune of$5.8 million under the 10th EuropeanUnion Development Fund Programmewhich focuses on health)

* Rebuilt and restored the formerKim’s Rental Building as the modernheadquarters of the Housing and LandDevelopment Corporation (HLDC)

* Rebuilt, reconstructed, extended andmodernized the Kingstown Fish Market

* Rebuilt and restored the formerKim’s Rental Building as the modernheadquarters of the Housing and LandDevelopment Corporation

* Built and equipped a modernNational Public Library at Richmond Hill

* Rebuilt and extended a modern

Curriculum Unit Building at Kingstown* Built Learning Resource Centres at

Sandy Bay, Chester Cottage, Colonarie,South Rivers, Evesham, Sans Souci,Biabou, Villa, Upper Cane Hall,Questelles, Layou, Fitz Hughes, andUnion Island

* Built a modern, well equipped Schoolfor Children with Special Needs atGeorgetown

* Extended several existing secondaryschools, namely, Grammar School, GirlsHigh School, Campden Park Secondary,Carapan, North Union, Troumaca, andEmmanuel Kingstown (a new modernbuilding has since replaced this nowcalled the JP Eustace Secondary)

* Restored, extended and rebuiltexisting physical facilities into secondaryschools at Sandy Bay, Colonarie, Belair,Richmond Hill, and Buccament

* Completed modern primary schoolsat Byera and Sandy Bay, built areplacement primary school at Colonarie,a modern primary school in PeruvianVale and two ultra-modern primaryschools at Bequia and Fair Hall, as wellas extended the Lodge Village PrimarySchool

* Built a modern, state-of-the-artAutomotive Repair Training Centre at theTechnical College at Arnos Vale

* Built three ultra-modern secondaryschools at Edinboro, Peter’s Hope, andUnion Island

* Constructed the InformationTechnology Centre of Excellence atDiamond (a modern Tourism Hospitalityand Marine Institute is currently beingconstructed nest to this facility)

* Built three modern well-equippedclinics at Greggs, Biabou, and Retreat, aswell as a polyclinic at Stubbs (polyclinicsof a similar type are now beingconstructed in Buccament and Mespo)

* Repaired and renovated 21 clinicsnationwide, including pharmacies atCanouan, Biabou, Greggs, Retreat,Richland Park, Lowmans Windward,Evesham, Barroullie, Layou, Georgetown,Mespotamia, Belair, Union Island, SandyBay, Owia, Byera, Calliaqua, Colonarie,Park Hill and Diamond

* Rebuilt Police Stations at Owia,Sandy Bay, Mespotamia, and Rose Hall

* Built modern Police Stations atCanouan, Biabou, Questelles andGeorgetown

* Built a jetty at Mayreau* Built power facilities at Mayreau and

Lowmans Leeward* Built over 1200 no-income, low-

income, and middle income houses* Built the historic Rabacca Bridge* Built the Canouan Jet Airport* Built two Golden Years Activity

Centres for the Elderly at Cane Groveand Black Point

* Rebuilt the entire WindwardHighway, including several bridges (thebridge at Colonarie among them)

* Built the multi-million dollar SeaDefence and Board Walk Project at Layou

ConclusionThis list is by no means exhaustive

and does not include policy baseprogrammes such as Universal Access toSecondary School, student loans for theEconomically Disadvantage, one hundredper cent mortgages for public servantsand scholarships in every corner of theearth. Not captured in thoseachievements also is the YESProgramme, the SET programme, HomeHelp for the Elderly and now the Lives toLive programme.

There is no doubt that in these lastfourteen years the ULP administrationhas delivered more to the people of St.Vincent and the Grenadines than anyother government in the country’s history,including the 17 years of NDP rule. Westand proud and ready to celebrate these14 years and ready to vote the ULP foranother 14 years and more for themagnificent work it has done so far.While we have not delivered perfectgovernment, which can only be attainedin eternity, as the great Cubanrevolutionary Camillo Cienfuegos wouldsay, “we are going good!”

THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY (NDP)recognizes the central role of agriculture tothe economy of Saint Vincent and theGrenadines (SVG) and its considerablecontribution to the livelihood and well-beingof Vincentians throughout successivegenerations. Despite the importance andvibrancy of the agricultural sector, itsdominant position in the life of Vincentianshas declined substantially in the pastdecade, as large numbers of people left thesector/industry.

Three main causes have beenidentified for this decline: Government’sneglect and degradation of the sector; theimposition of ill-advised policies liketerminating the banana credit systemand failure to incorporate the establishedbanana facilities overseas to expand thenational diversification efforts; and Thenegative impact of a range of externalfactors such as the high cost of importedinputs, stringent quality standardsimposed on our exported products,unstable markets, low prices offered forproduce, all of which are essentiallybeyond the control of our farmers,processors and traders.

The mission of the New DemocraticParty is to arrest the deterioratingsituation and revitalize the agriculturalsector to make it efficient, technologicallyprepared and internationallycompetitive, so that the sector can regainits place of prominence as a majorcontributor to the national economy, andguarantee the food and nutrition securityof our people, and provide employment,income, and sustainable livelihood, whilepreserving the environment for presentand future generations.

As a result, the NDP will establish a“Special Green Team” whose specific taskwill be to establish at least 1000 acreageof land under banana cultivation withinour first year in office. Revisit theBanana Act, in an effort that will givefarmers full control of the sector andcreate a ground crew program for thespraying of bananas that will be moreeffective in terms of cost and application.

In addition, we will foster acomprehensive approach to helpingsmallholder farmers prosper thatincludes income support, access toinputs, more effective tools and farmmanagement practices, locally relevantknowledge, use of technologies wherepossible, and reliable markets. Introduceagricultural policies that support farmersin their efforts to better feed themselvesand their communities. The NDP willalso reintroduce the Credit System andmake it available to all stakeholders inthe Agro Sector. Proper guidelines will beinstituted to ensure the system is runeffectively to the benefit of allstakeholders in the sector. And seekfunding for the rehabilitation of theexisting feeder roads and the creation ofnew roads where possible to facilitate theaccess to new land areas for agriculture

Livestock

Livestock is a key part of farming inSt. Vincent and the Grenadines. Asubstantial amount of root crop,vegetable and tree crop farmers ownlivestock. The NDP will support efforts toimprove the health and productivity oflivestock–particularly chickens, goats,sheep, pigs and cows–by improvinganimal genetics and veterinary care.

Land use policy

The New Democratic Party willintroduce a land use policy that will givebetter directions for land usage as we tryto make maximum benefit from thelimited lands available to us for foodproduction and other use.

Crops identification policy

The NDP government will, aftercareful marketing analysis, identifyspecific crops for development. This willgive farmers and other stakeholders abetter understanding and direction in

determining which crops to plant, as wellas the geographical suitability of the areato cultivate such crops.

Agro Processing

The NDP will establish a functioningstate operated agro lab that willencourage agro processing and also assistsmall business enterprises, especiallythose in the cottage industries thatproduce such items as pepper sauce,jams and jellies etc.

Agricultural Depots

The NDP will re-establish agriculturaldepots throughout the islands so thatfarmers will have a centralized place forthe selling of their produce.

Chemical Control

While it was commonplace to usechemicals indiscriminately for foodproduction, it is now relevant for a newapproach to farming with a less chemicaldependency. A registry of chemicals usedin SVG will be created, and a consortedeffort will be made by government togradually decrease the use of toxins infood production.

Fisheries Development

The world seafood market, whichencompasses fresh, canned and frozenseafood products, is expected to exceed$370 billion by 2015, according to GlobalIndustry analysts. It is predicted themarket will be fuelled by a rising globalpopulation, increased discretionaryincomes, and technological advances suchas packaging and improvedtransportation. Demand will beparticularly strong in developing regionsincluding Latin America and Asia-Pacific. The overall market foraquaculture and fisheries is predicted toexceed 135 million tons by 2015. Otherfactors driving the market include agrowing trend towards healthy eating.

With this in mind, SVG is poised tobenefit immensely from this sector. Inorder to realize our full potential infishing, the country first must use everyavailable resource to get off theEuropean Union (EU) Black List that thepresent regime has failed to do for almostfourteen years. To enable SVG to benefittremendously from the fisheries sector,the New Democratic Party will:

1) Do what is required to get St.Vincent and the Grenadines off the EUBlack List as it relates to fishing

2) Upgrade and reopen existingfishing facilities to ensure that fisherfolks are involved in the management ofthese facilities.

3) Assist fisher folks with the usage offish location devices to enhance fishcatch.

4) Provide credit facilities andconcessions to fisher folks in the industryto enable them to buy boats, engines andother resources.

5) Spearhead an overall program tolift the status of the fisheries sector tonational development by introducingeducation awareness, starting from theschools and communities.

6) Seek technical assistance, with aview to open a fish cannery in SVG tocapitalise on the amount of fish and fishproducts available.

7) Encourage the usage of ICT infisheries in an effort to upgrade thesector to maximize gains and also forsafety, especially in the case of being lostat sea.

8) Explore the possibility of creatingby-products such as the marketing ofblackish oil.

Therefore, Vincentians must go to thepolls when the next generals are called,and vote for the NDP.

10. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

ViewsVThe NDP, agriculture and fisheries in SVGCelebrating fourteen years of progress

“Various balls of stone were found onexcavation near Mohenjo-daro. Marblesare also often mentioned in Romanliterature, like Ovid’s poem Nux aboutnuts playing and there are manyexamples of marbles from ancient Egypt.They were commonly made of clay, stoneor glass.” — Source unknown

MY USA-BASED DAUGHTER, Liselle,recently posted a photograph of me onher Facebook page. It was a photo thatwas probably developed at Alleyne’sPhoto Studio (in the building that nowhouses George’s Plaza on Back Street inKingstown). The black-and-whitephotograph captured one of my teenagemoments when I was standing on BackStreet in an area just east of DasSnackette (now Music Centre). There Iwas, with my Philips Audio Cassette inhand, listening to some of the popularmusic of that time (probably IsaacHaynes or Percy Sledge). My fluffy Afrowas motionless in the wind, having beenneatly patted down with a book or pieceof stiff cardboard. The upper three shirtbuttons were undone (probably todisplay the few grains of emerging hairon my chest). Liselle’s commentbeckoned a response for the exposedchest. My initial thoughts had been tomake a comical comment. And thosethoughts have generated the content forthis week’s article. Some readers maynot readily see the relationship betweenthe photograph described and the topic.But, think again. My knee-jerk reactionto Liselle’s comment about theunbuttoned shirt was to quip that thoseupper buttons were missing. It was tothen proceed to jokingly comment that Imay have been playing “button-tip” withthose mysteriously missing buttons.And then I wondered how many oftoday’s readers would be familiar withthe game “button-tip”.

Most children of my generationenjoyed playing marbles. Many of uswould have purchased our glassspheres from Mr. Prescott’s Store inMiddle Street. His store stockedalmost everything that our simplecommunities needed. He sold rope,bicycle parts, cutlasses, Mother Goose(the old time iron), the one-burnerpump stove, and a host of other items.There is where we procured oursupplies of regular sized marbles aswell as the “more prestigious” largersized marbles called Gombes. One-Love Bassy Alexander may have tocorrect my spelling of the last word inthe preceding sentence.

The game of marbles would involveseveral players. A circle(approximately 12-14 inches indiameter) would be drawn in thesand. Two lines are then drawn. Onewould be positioned 3-4 feet from thecircle and the second one will beplaced approximately 4-5 feet furtheraway. The first line indicated theposition where the individual must bestanding when seeking to throw (roll)their marble as close as possible tothe second line to determine the orderof play. The person whose marblegets nearest to the line would playfirst and the sequence would continueuntil all of the players had their turnof seeking to dislodge the marblesthat would have previously beenplaced in the circle. Conservativeplayers would engage in risking onemarble per game. The more

adventurous (and often the betterskilled) player may challengeopponents to play a “two shot” or“three shot” game — risking a greaternumber of marbles being placed in thecircle.

There were times when themarbles would be scarce. This mayhave been due to the heavy lossessome players may have encountered.This would then give rise to theversion called “button-tip”. Themarbles that would normally beplaced in the circle would then bereplaced by buttons taken from ourshirts. As boys, we saw nothingwrong with mutilating our schooluniforms in the interest of competingin such games. It was often quite adifferent story when we got to ourrespective homes and were requiredto account for the missing items.However, we trusted that our skillswould have been sufficient to “winback” the buttons and have themreaffixed to our shirts before gettinghome. That did not always happen.Sometimes the shirts willmysteriously disappear from ourparents’ view until we could findreplacement buttons.

The game of “knucks” was aversion of marbles that had beendesigned for the brave and tough (andfoolish). Unlike the regular game ofmarbles, knucks required that a smallpit be dug. This would beapproximately 3-4 inches in diameterand 2-3 inches deep. The otheraspects of the regular game ofmarbles would apply in relation todetermining who plays first. Theplayers then seek to cast theirmarbles as close to the hole aspossible without going in. Theplayers then determine whose marbleis closest to the pit. This person isdeemed the winner. The losers thenhave to place a closed fist (withknuckles exposed) beside the hole.The winner has the “privilege” ofpitching (flicking from his fingers) hismarbles at the opponent’s knucklesuntil he (the opponent) is able todirect the marbles into the hole.Many knuckles were bruised andswollen at the end of such escapades.Many friendships were temporarilydisbanded too. This was especially sowhen some adventurous youthsamong us ventured to replace theregular glass marbles with the steelbearings that were secured from theauto-mechanic shops in the area.While these “steel marbles” weremuch more difficult to pitch, thechampion players who developed theskills and techniques of using thesewere understandably feared.

We learnt a lot from playing thosegames of marbles, button-tip, andknucks. In many ways, these gamesencouraged us to develop characterand courage. And, especially whileplaying knucks, the losers among uslearnt how to bear pain.

Send comments, criticisms &suggestions to

julesferdinand@gmail.com

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. 11.

ViewsVMarbles, Button-Tip and Knucks

THE YEAR 2015 will mark 15 yearssince the signing of the MillenniumDevelopment Goals Declaration, and20 years of the Beijing Platform forAction for the Advancement ofWomen. That Conference produced aPlatform of Action on the twelvecritical areas of concern for theadvancement of women: thepersistent and increasing burden ofpoverty on women; inequalities andinadequacies in and unequal access toeducation and training; inequalitiesand inadequacies in and unequalaccess to health care and relatedservices; violence against women; theeffects of armed or other kinds ofconflict on women, including thoseliving under foreign occupation;inequality in economic structures andpolicies, in all forms of productiveactivities and in access to resources;inequality between men and womenin the sharing of power and decision-making at all levels; insufficientmechanisms at all levels to promotethe advancement of women; lack ofrespect for and inadequate promotionand protection of the human rights ofwomen; stereotyping of women andinequality in women’s access to andparticipation in all communicationsystems, especially in the media;gender inequalities in themanagement of natural resources andin the safeguarding of theenvironment; and persistentdiscrimination against and violationof the rights of the girl child.

These issues remain an excellentframework against which to measurethe progress of women, taking intoaccount the provisions of theMillennium Development Goals. Atthe local level, the outcomes of theFirst National Congress of Womenheld in March, 2012, provide aframework for assessing the status ofwomen in SVG within the context ofthe Beijing Platform for Action, andrelated Conferences.

That Congress paid attention toViolence Against Women, the fourthCritical Area of Concern, which is thevisibly raw face of the afflictionswomen suffer, as outlined in the otherareas of the Congress Statement. Itis the face of abuse that is mostneglected, and can make null andvoid any gains achieved in the othereight critical areas of concern. Asabuses continue, many go un-reportedbecause of the lack of both skills tomake the report, and the necessarysupport services. The fact that amentally challenged woman wasraped and then burnt to death provesthat there is no discrimination incommitting violence against women —none are exempt. More and morewomen are becoming statistics overthe years, and more is required at thelevel of Policy and the JusticeSystem.

It is therefore heartening to recallthe pledge by Commissioner of Police,

Michael Charles, that he will have afocus on the arrest of rape and otherforms of physical assault on women;and Senator Camillo Gonsalves’statement in Parliament that hewould like to see more women in theHonourable House of Parliament,that is, in Leadership and Decision-making at that level.. A definitewind of change is blowing as a reportof violence has travelled to the HighCourt, and the Victim is able to seeher justice. High Court Judge KathyAnn Latchoo in a recent ruling, senta strong message to the perpetratorsor would be perpetrators of violenceagainst women, when she handeddown a 20-year sentence on aperpetrator for attempting to murderhis former lover, by chopping herseveral times with a cutlass.

The Judge had this to say beforehanding down the penalty: “Theincidence of violence against womenin our communities has become aserious problem, and the court mustattempt to curtail this by itssentencing policies. Unless it does so,the perpetrators of violence againstwomen may very well believe thatthey have a licence to do sounimpeded. Our sentencing policymust necessarily be directed atchanging behaviour, especially thoseabhorrent to human decency,”

Justice Latchoo stressed, thatdomestic violence attracted a highcost. - “Violence in domestic relationsdamages not only the victim and theimmediate family, but the country asa whole, since every nation stands onthe foundation blocks of families”.Justice Latchoo suggested that “aholistic approach to the scourge ofdomestic violence is needed.”

The women’s movements have longcalled for more levels of support ineliminating violence against women.Let us applaud these Champions andPillars of Support who have emergedfrom the Justice and Parliamentarysystems. The women’s movementsmust now call louder for the NationalPolicy on Women, and thecomprehensive LegislativeFramework that will bring thefulfilment of the Beijing Platform forAction for the Advancement ofWomen. Let us mobilise the criticalmass of support from schools,churches, NGOs, youth clubs,associations and other groups toconfront the very real problem ofviolence against women, instead ofignoring it or blaming the victim. Wecan make it happen!

As we approach InternationalWomen’s Day — March 8 — an oldChinese Proverb, used during thehigh resolve of Beijing is still relevant— When Sleeping Women Awake,Mountains will Move!

Nelcia Robinson - CoordinatorCommittee for the Development ofWomen

Time to mobilise mass supportagainst domestic violence

GIVEN the recent outcry bypromoters, shopkeepers, bar operators,and others over implementation ofcollection of Copyright fees for users ofmusic, THE VINCENTIAN, in keepingwith a service it began some time ago,shares some information that itconsiders to be fundamental toarriving at an understanding ofCopyright and the rights inherent.

This is not a commentary on or anassessment of the rates for fees,licences, etc., that come with theobligation to protect the use of theworks of persons protected by aCopyright Association.

What is Copyright?

Fundamentally, Copyright protectsoriginal literary, dramatic, musicaland artistic works.

It allows an original work to beconsidered a property that is owned by

somebody. It, in effect, says that if youcreated it, you own it.

It is, however, the Copyright Law ofa specific country or region thatassures that ownership

Under Copyright Law, as is the casewith the Copyright Act of 2003 of St.Vincent and the Grenadines,permission must be obtained beforeCopyright works can be used.

As well as existing in originalliterary, dramatic, musical, andartistic works, copyright protection isalso afforded to: sound recordings,films, broadcasts (includingbroadcasts via wire or cable), andtypographical arrangements ofpublished editions.

The ownership that Copyright Lawgrants comes with several rights.These rights include the right: toreproduce the work, to preparederivative works, to distribute copies,to perform the work

and to display thework publicly.

These are the rights ofthe creator, unless theyare willingly given up.No one can violate themlegally. This means that,unless you say otherwise,no one can perform apiece written by you, ormake copies of it, evenwith acknowledgement,unless you give the OK.

What is ECCO?

The Eastern CaribbeanCopyright Organization(ECCO), of which St.Vincent and the

Grenadines is a full member, is knownas a Collective ManagementOrganization, primarily because itsrole is to administer certainintellectual property rights on behalfof its members in the EasternCaribbean and, through reciprocalagreements, of creators throughout theworld.

ECCO collects fees by issuinglicences to music users — clubs, shops,bars, DJs, promoters/organizers offestivals, business places (who pipemusic during business hours) -granting them permission andauthority to use the copyright workunder its purview.

In order to make royalty paymentsto its members, ECCO needs to know,for example, what music is being used.ECCO uses a digital monitoringsystem to monitor what certain audioand audio-visual stations play, withsome radio stations also providingECCO with detailed reports of themusic they play.

For major live and fixed calendaredevents such as Carnivals, ECCO sendsits agents to obtain information firsthand on the songs performed.

Due to the huge number of publicperformances that take place everyyear at bars, nightclubs, hotels,concerts, it is impossible to track everyperformance that occurs; therefore,ECCO distributes Licences with fixedrates as per nature of operation.

Basic role of ECCO

The basic role of any CopyrightOrganisation, ECCO and its membersincluded, is: to grant licences to musicusers (radio and television stations,

restaurants, bars, hotels, DJ’s,promoters, etc.) for the publicperformance of music (in the countriesconcerned); collect licence fees; anddistribute royalties to its members andforeign copyright owners, whose worksECCO also controls through reciprocalagreements.

On the latter point, it is worthnoting that Copyright Organisationsare networked. That is to say that theCopyright organizations in the UnitedStates are obligated to act to protectall the work that is under copyright bya colleague organisation and viceversa.

So that the work of a Vincentianartiste registered with ECCO isprotected in the USA, and theAmerican artiste is protected in St.Vincent and the Grenadines.

What is universally accepted is thatfees, call it what you want, must becollected under Copyright Law onbehalf of the creators of work, whetherthat work be literary, dramatic,musical and/or artistic works.

Not to pay a fee or pay for a licenceto allow the use of the works ofanother person/group is aninfringement of the law.

What may be up for discussion isthe rates of payment which, whilealways computed on a realisticbenchmark, can be modified/adjustedto suit the given situation of aparticular country and/or particularsituation.

All in all, there is no excuse for notwanting to pay for the use of theproperty of others, especially if the useof that property is for gain.

(Partial Source: ECCO Website)

IN THE SVG HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, on Tuesday 3 March2015, the ULP Minister of Health told the people ofSVG, that the Ministry of Health and the Environmentintends to phase out the use of public baths andstandpipes.

Poor people cannot afford to buy piped water.According to CWSA statistics, during the period of2006 to 2010, the average number of householdwater disconnections per month was 360. Over this5-year period, this means that 21,600 householdswere disconnected from the mains water supply. Ifthe average household is 3 or 4 persons, then thenumber of people cut off from the piped watersupply over this 5-year period was between 64,800and 86,400.

It would be a crime against humanity if the ULPregime took away all the standpipes, which are usedextensively by poor people to get safe drinking waterand sustain their life. They cannot use river wateras this is polluted by chemicals used in agricultureproduction. Standpipes have been used in SVG forover 50 years.

It is utter economic madness to kill thestandpipes, because it will force thousands of poorpeople to use unclean water and expose themselvesto the risk of illnesses, such as cholera. Poor peopleare already suffering a lot as SVG is going throughits worst economic period ever, with a very high

level of unemployment and crime among other socio-economic problems.

Punishing poor people, by killing standpipes, tosave the incompetent ULP regime a few thousanddollars, is completely stupid, especially in light ofthe fact that the ULP regime granted the super-richof Mustique and Canouan blanket tax and customsduty exemptions. (See for example the MustiqueAct No 48 of 2002.) It is better to abolish this Actand others, and collect the hundreds of millions ofdollars of tax from the super-rich of Mustique andCanouan.

Taiwan uses SVG’s deep sea fish licence to catchtuna in the Atlantic Ocean, but does not pay tax inSVG. From a macro-economic perspective, this iscomplete madness. Taiwan should pay taxes ofhundreds of millions of dollars annually, and theTaiwan ships which are recognised as local SVGfishing vessels, should off-load their Atlantic fishcatch in SVG.

However, the ULP regime turns a blind eye tothis wickedness. Rather than collect millions intaxes from Taiwan, the ULP regime would prefer tokill the standpipes that provide safe drinking waterfor poor people, in order to save a few thousanddollars.

A Green Government will increase the number ofstandpipes to provide safe drinking water for poor

people and abolish the Mustique Act No 48 of 2002.The super-rich must pay tax. We will cut ties withTaiwan and set up a joint-venture tuna fishingscheme with China, to create thousands of new jobsand earn hundreds of millions of dollars in revenueannually for our country.

A Green government would bring smart meters,which use the key charge system, to SVG.Households could then top up their water meterkey, as they do with mobile phones, whenever theywant, in amounts that are affordable to them, Thisway, no household in SVG would ever have theirwater cut off again.

A Green government would also cut the price ofwater by 50% and abolish the water meter rentalcharge. The reconnection charge of $100 would beabolished too, because with smart meters, it wouldbe redundant.

It is repugnant and immoral to kill thestandpipes that provide safe drinking water for poorpeople, whilst maintaining hundreds of millions anddollars of tax and customs duty exemptions toTaiwan and the super-rich of Mustique andCanouan, and turning a blind eye to Taiwan not off-loading its Atlantic tuna fish catch in SVG.

Vote Green for a change of government, to keepstandpipes and to stop this crime against humanity.

SVG Green Partywww.svggreenparty.org

12. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

ViewsVKilling the standpipes: Acrime against humanity

The Copyright issue

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. 13.

PeopleVBruce-Lyle still availableby HAYDN HUGGINS

“MY LEGAL MIND willalways be available to St.Vincent and theGrenadines, and theCaribbean.”

Those were the wordsof retired High CourtJudge Frederick Bruce-Lyle, during a telephoneinterview with THEVINCENTIAN onWednesday.

His retirement tookeffect from February 17,2015, but Bruce-Lyle hadproceeded on 249 daysvacation leave prior tohis retreat.

According to thelearned jurist, he is

enjoying his retirement.“It is relaxing. I feel

very relaxed, but I intendto keep myself busy,”said Bruce-Lyle, a nativeof Ghana and citizen ofthis country, whocherishes his belongingto the Caribbean.

A sports enthusiastand still active squashplayer, the retired judgeintends to get moreinvolved in sportingactivities during hisretirement.

Reflecting on his 36years in the legalprofession, during whichhe served as High CourtJudge for 15 years,Bruce-Lyle said, “There

were good times and badtimes, but overall, I haveenjoyed my career. Therewas overall camaraderiewith my colleagues onthe bench, quite a few ofwhom have gone to thegreat beyond.”

When asked, whatwere the mostmemorable cases hepresided over in thisjurisdiction, Bruce-Lylesaid, “I would not wantto mention any names,but I had somechallenging cases, and Ifaced some challengingcases.” But he addedthat “Overall, I enjoyedmyself.”

Bruce-Lyle was called

to the bar in Ghana in1979. He served as HighCourt Judge for 15 yearsdoing stints inAntigua/Barbuda, St.Kitts/Nevis and St.Vincent and theGrenadines. He alsoserved as Magistrate inSt. Vincent and theGrenadines, BritishVirgin Islands (BVI), andBelize, as well as ChiefMagistrate inAntigua/Barbuda.

He took up duties hereas Magistrate in 1989following his stint inBelize, and wassubsequently elevated toSenior Magistrate. Heleft for the BVI in the

early 1990s, where heserved as the onlyMagistrate in Tortolauntil 1997. He was thenappointed ChiefMagistrate in Antiguaand Barbuda until 2002before being appointedHigh Court Judge inAntigua/Barbuda. Hewas transferred to StKitts/Nevis, where heserved in that capacityuntil early 2003, beforebeing transferred tothese shores as HighCourt Judge. He wasSenior High Court Judgehere up to the time of hisretirement.

Bruce-Lyle has beendescribed as diligent,

outspoken but fair. THEVINCENTIAN wisheshim a happy retirement.

Retired High CourtJudge Frederick Bruce-Lyle won the respect ofthose who came beforehim in the courts and ofthose with whom heinteracted.

by NELSON A. KINGnaking@verizon.netUS CORRESPONDENT

VINCENTIAN-BORN JUDGeSharon M.J. Commissiong

Gianelli has been electedfor a 14-year-term to theNew York State Supreme

Court in Nassau County,Long Island, a New YorkCity suburb.

Justice CommissiongGianelli, 52, the niece ofprominent local lawyersSamuel and BertramCommissiong, waspreviously elected toserve two terms as aDistrict Court judge inNassau Country’s ThirdDistrict.

Justice CommissiongGianelli — who was bornin Questelles andattended the KingstownPreparatory Schoolbefore migrating to NewYork in 1973, when shewas 10 years old — toldTHE VINCENTIAN, inan exclusive interview,that it is a “genuinehonour” to serve thepeople of New York “withmighty expectations Iintend to meet.

“Reflecting on my ownVincentian heritage —and the changes Americahas experienced in thelast few decades —reminds me to always begracious and hard-working in my position,”she said. “While few ofmy background havecome before me, my wishis that many will follow.

“I’ve been elected tothe New York StateSupreme Court, and itfeels truly great,” sheadded, noting that theSupreme Court is thehighest trial level courtin New York. The courthandles civil andcriminal cases thatexceed the authority ofthe state’s lower courts.

CommissiongGianelli saidthe law is aboutequaltreatment forall, stating thatthere should be“no room forprejudice, nortime forsilliness andunnecessarydelay.

“It’simportant toalwaysremember thatthe law affectsevery dayhuman beings,”she said.“There is noweakness inhearing out allsides beforecoming to afirm decision.”

CommissiongGianelli saidshe is “a proudVincentian,” pointing outthat her values, workethic and core principleswere “forged and formed”in St. Vincent and theGrenadines, and “furtherdeveloped and honedhere in America”.

She said she was“raised by a village ofparents, grandparents,aunts, uncles, sisters,brothers, cousins,teachers, friends andothers of good will”, andthat she was “honouredand humbled to havebeen bestowed thisblessing.”

She said she willalways be mindful thather newly-elevatedposition comes with“great responsibility toobserve the law and [to]ensure that justice isdone.”

As a former presidentof the Nassau CountyDistrict Court JudgeAssociation, as well as anerstwhile social workerin the City of New York,Justice CommissiongGianelli said hersignature work beganwhen she was chosen topreside over theAdolescent DiversionPart (ADP) — one of onlynine statewide pilotprojects to handleadolescent misdemeanorand felony cases.

An alumna ofBrooklyn Law School andSyracuse University’sSchool of Social Work inupstate New York,Commissiong Gianellipreviously served as anAssistant DistrictAttorney in theManhattan DistrictAttorney’s Office and ascounsel to the New YorkState GrievanceCommittee.

Prior to herappointment to theDistrict Court by NassauCounty ExecutiveThomas Suozzi, sheserved as majoritycounsel to the NassauCounty Legislature from2000-2005.

Currently, she serveson the New York StateJudiciary AdvisoryCouncil, and is a memberof the New York StateBar Association; NassauCounty Bar Association;Nassau County Women’sBar Association; and,“quite proudly”, theCriminal Courts BarAssociation of NassauCounty.

Justice CommissiongGianelli is among justthree Vincentian judgesreportedly sitting on thebench in the New YorkTri-State area.

Justice Sylvia Ash —whose father, the lateRudolph “Fire” Ash, wasfrom Kingstown Hill —serves on the bench atKings County StateSupreme Court inBrooklyn in the CivilDivision.

Judge Emille Cox — aSt. Vincent and theGrenadines GrammarSchool alumnus andformer master, who hailsfrom Union Island andlived in New Montrose,Kingstown beforemigrating to New York —is a Supervising Judge ofCompensation, CamdenVicinage, south NewJersey.

He has been asupervising judge in theDivision of Workers’Compensation,Department of Labor andWorkforce Development,in New Jersey for 3 ½years and a judge since2003.

14. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

DiasporaVVincentian elected to NY State Supreme Court

Justice Sharon M.J.Commissiong Gianelli says hercore values were formed andforged in St. Vincent and theGrenadines by her extendedfamily, teachers and friends.

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. 15.

16. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

The Kingstown Co-operative CreditUnion Limited, on Monday 2ndMarch, 2015, presented to theThomas Saunders Secondary Schoola cheque in an amount of threethousand dollars (EC$3,000), insupport of the students attendingthis year’s Penn Relays inPhiladelphia.

KCCU is a proud supporter ofthe school, named after one of ourfounding fathers, Bro. ThomasSaunders, who served as presidentof the Credit Union from 1973 to1977.

Bro. Terral Mapp, representingthe Board of Directors, made thepresentation. He expressed that itgave him great privilege to makethe donation, not only because ofthe late Thomas Saunders being acommon development factor, butbecause this school, though stillvery young, has been exceptionallysuccessful at track and field.

“The Thomas SaundersSecondary has won the Inter-schools athletics meet numeroustimes, and is the first school herein St Vincent and the Grenadinesto participate in the Penn Relays,with this year making 5consecutive years of participation,”Mapp said.

Mapp also highlighted thatKCCU, mindful that its ownfinancial health is heavilydependent on the health and thedevelopment of the economy andthe society, is committed tocontributing towards nationwidedevelopment. “We are partneringwith schools and other institutionsacross this beautiful country in aneffort to economically improve oursociety. “We are investing in you[the students] so that you can, oneday, make your mark on theworld,” Mapp said.

These are exciting times forKCCU, Mapp told the gathering.

Last year, he noted, the CreditUnion launched its Website,

‘KlickKCCU’, with modern onlinebanking services, among manyother attractive features. Morerecently, the KCCU merged withthe Marriaqua Cooperative CreditUnion in an effort to strengthenthat institution, and to provide awider range of services to personsin that area and its environs.

Mapp assured the public ofbigger and more exciting thingsfrom KCCU.

“I wish those studentsparticipating a successful journey,as they go out as ambassadors oftheir school and of St Vincent andthe Grenadines - Give your best..,”Mapp concluded.

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. 17.

Youth/Education V

Colin John, President of the KCCU (2nd from right front) makespresentation of support to members of the TSSS team to the 2015Penn Relays.

KCCU supports TSSS Penn Relay team

AS THE MUSIC INDUSTRY evolves along withsociety, no more do we use cassette players orrecords. Music is now downloaded directly to yourphone, tablets and other devices throughapplications like iTunes. In the making of modernmusic, quite a lot of technology is used, such as:computer software, mixing boards, editingprograms and much more.

Through modern technology, your favouritesongs from whatever genre you may prefer canalways be with you. Music can be carried on almostall new devices. As music is now easily popularizedthrough the fact that any member of thecommunity may get to listen to it upon their desire,it has become quite an efficient way to spread amessage on any topic chosen.

The St. Vincent Grammar School Young Leaders,with the help of Mr Mark Cyrus, released a songentitled “You Can Run, But You Can’t Hide!”

Technology as anAgent of Music

[INTRO: JAYDEN KALONDA]St. Vincent Grammar School YoungLeaders 2015Responsible Navigation; Building Our NationThat’s our theme!

[CHORUS: DANTE OLLIVIERRE]You can run and you can't hideChoose to stand instead with prideAll of these are illegal actsDon’t become a part of the pack

You can run and you can't hideChoose to stand instead with prideBullying and all the rest Can put you to the test…They seem like no big dealThink about how you might feel

[VERSE 1: SEAN SOLOMON ANDLESLIE ISAIAH RODNEY]Bully one, bully twoWhat did I ever do to you?Two, three and fourPlease don’t do it anymoreFive, six, seven, eightCyber bullying ain't so greatNine, ten you did it again…Man these games got to end!

Stroke by stroke, the damage is doneAll the while, you think it's funYou're just there planning a schemeWhile I’m depending on my self-esteemYou tell lies in every postLies that spread like butter toastYou share these lies ruin my faceAnd then you leave without a traceHow far will you go? (How far…)Man this ain't no comedy showSo I say this once againNot as an enemy but just as a friend…One plus one, equal twoCyber bullying you shouldn't do

[CHORUS]

[VERSE 2: ALEXANDER CYRUS ANDSEAN SOLOMON]Tap, tap. You punch away

Happily doing it light and gayHacking is a serious crimeAre you ready to do the time?To you it seems just like a gameBut hacking, it's just not the sameLives are destroyed, information lost!Have you ever considered the cost?

But as usual you don't careBut is not my head shape like a pearThat was supposed to be funny (ha-ha-ha) but Since you hacked me I don't have anymoneyWhen you watch me you see a wallBut like humpty dumpty I can fallYou don't enter you trespassLike express mail… You work fast

[CHORUS]

[VERSE 3: MIKHAIL BROWNE]Sending photos back and forthNot realizing what they are worthSmile and pose at which you stareEyes light up like a chandelierGrinning now from ear to earBoy it's almost hard to bearFingers flying across the keysCalling out, stop now please!Not before long the damage is doneAnd here you are a carnival clownPutting up this great impressionNeeding some interventionLeft behind are scars and shameFalling from claim to fameWhen tempted to send that snapBetter get up and take nap!

[CHORUS]

[OUTRO: LESLIE ISAIAH RODNEY]No one takes the time to thinkJust like how you normally blinkStealing others works seems like a jokeBut before long you going to chokePlagiarism is what it's calledLeaving you feel so very smallI think I have said enough becauseThis is going to end very rough

“You Can Run, But You Can’t Hide!”

18. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

THE LAYOU-BASED BecketBenefit Organization (BBO)is now formalised.

This follows a generalmeeting of January 16,2015, held at the LouisStraker Resource Centre,Layou, during which anExecutive Committeewas elected to run theaffairs of theorganization for the nexttwo years.

The Executiveincludes: President -Marcus Martin; Vice-President - Vernon McDowall; Treasurer -Crawford Young;Assistant Treasurer -Irie Hannaway;Secretary - ReesaMatthews; AssistantSecretary - ClinteishaPrince; Public RelationsOfficer - Osbert Young;Assistant PublicRelations Officer -Winston ‘Chief’ Davis;Press Secretary -Vakeesha John;Chaplain: RoslynFrancis.

Founder of theorganization, Alston‘Becket’ Cyrus, reservesa seat on the Executive.

A release from theorganization, received onTuesday of this week,describes Becket as notonly the founder of, butmoreso the inspirationfor the organisation.

BBO finds its purposein the person of Becket, anative of Layou and thiscountry’s foremost,internationallyrecognized performingand recording artiste,whose life’s missionbears adherence to CesarChavez’s proclamationthat, ‘...we cannot seekachievement forourselves and forgetabout progress andprosperity for ourcommunity; ourambitions must be broadenough to include theaspirations and needs ofothers, for their sakesand our own’.

(Cesar Chavez was anAmerican farm worker,labour leader and civilrights activist, who, withDolores Huerta, co-founded the NationalFarm WorkersAssociation.)

Towards that ideal,the BBO aims toengender ‘..love, peaceand unity within thecommunity of Layou,’through, ‘…assisting,guiding and supportingthe community in health,education, sports andculture, social services,disaster and theenvironment’.

Even before itsformalization, Becketlaunched his intention,

and that of hisorganization, with aBenefit Concert, dubbed‘A night for Patsy’, heldon December 26, 2014, atthe Layou Hard Court, inaid of raising funds toassist Ms. Patricia‘Patsy’ Matthews ofLayou, with her vital,overseas medical needs.

This event wasfollowed by a barbeque,on January 29, for thesame purpose.

And as the BBOendeavours to fulfil itsaims and objectives, it isexpected to stage a seriesof fund-raising effortssince, as the release said,‘…this (BBO) is not abunch of rich persons.These are people whogive their time in tryingto raise funds so thatthey can build theircommunity’.

Plans are afoot to hosta “Beach Splash’ thisEaster Monday (April 6),at the Layou Waterfront,and the organization isanticipating thecontinued support for acause led by AlstonBecket Cyrus, who, withhis manyaccomplishments,hasbrought recognitionand pride to SVG ingeneral and the town ofLayou in particular.

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. 19.

CommunityVBecket BenefitOrganisationformalised

Members of the ‘Becket’ benefit organization with Founder Alston ‘Becket’Cyrus (seated left) and President Marcus Martin (standing 2nd from left).

FERNS, MOSSES and many slow-growing plants are ideal for growing inbottles. Plants last much longer in bottles because they are protected fromdust, pests, draughts and fumes.

Here are a few tips:

1. Glass containers are very suitable for making bottle gardens

2. Jars, goblets, fish bowls and many other glass containers can be used forbottle gardens.

3. Bottle gardens look very attractive if planted properly with suitable plants.

Next week, we will look at preparation for your bottle garden.

Plants in Bottles/Bottle Gardens

Dear George,

I AM A VERY jealous man,and I have told my fiancéethat I do not want to beput in any situation whereI would have to deal withher involvement withanother man. 

I got the shock of mylife when I discoveredshe had been involvedwith another woman.She confessed this to methinking that I would beok with it, seeing that Ihave suggested to her inthe past the idea of a 3some with anotherwoman.

My male friends aretelling me what a luckyman I am to be in thissituation, but I do notthink so. I have heardstories that when awoman is involved withanother woman, sheusually ends up leavingthe man she is with. I do

not want this to happen.I want to tell my girl toleave this woman alone,but also want to have ago with both of themtogether, before I do so.Is this a chance worthtaking?

Jealous See.

Dear Jealous See,

If you plan to playwith fire, then youmust entertain thepossibility of gettingburned at some point.

You cannot let yourfantasies sidetrack youfrom laying thegroundwork on whichyou hope to build afruitful relationship andmarriage. You need totake a position and stickto it. Flip-floppingbetween 1 and 3 will notget you anywhere. Theinvolvement of any 3rdparty in your

relationship will bringcomplications that noteven you will be able tohandle or solve. Keep itdown to one and onlyone.

Now that your fiancée

knows that you are notok with her gettinginvolved with anotherperson, male or female,she should be in aposition to make adecision with respect to

which direction sheshould go.

Try to work things outwith her, with the help ofa counsellor if needs be,and who knows, thisbump in the road might

end up being the kind ofbooster shot from whichyour relationship canbenefit.

George

Dear George,

I AM NOW painfullydiscovering that I am nolonger interested inbeing with a woman whois going over the hill.My wife and I have beenmarried for 25 years, andall the signs are there ofher going over the hill,and I am not in the leastbit excited about it.

She does not want todo the things that weused to do to keep theexcitement in our sexlives, and I am bored orturned off. She cries for

pain more often thannot, and that too is a‘turn off’. She does notconsider having sex inthe car and out in thewide open field asexciting anymore. Thewoman I married 25years ago is now a totalstranger to me, and I donot want to hangaround.

Call me whatever youwant, but I know how Ifeel, and he who feels itknows it. She does notknow it yet, but I am onmy way out.

Goner

Dear Goner,

It would helpconsiderably if you takea moment to cast your

mind back to that day 25years ago, when youlooked your beautifulbride in her eyes, andpromised to love andcherish her for better orworse, and till death doyou part.

Before you decide torun off on the womanwho entrusted her heartand life to you, be a manand tell her that you liedto her 25 years ago, andno longer wish tocontinue with her andwhy. In doing so, try tokeep in mind that youtoo are going over thesame hill, and yourshortcomings may showup differently than those

of your wife. Now is notthe time to focus on whateither of you cannot doany more, but rather onwhat you can discovertogether, havingbenefited from beingtogether for a quarter ofa century.

This phase that youare going through, whileit may beunderstandable, willrequire you getting someprofessional help so thatyou can get throughit, withoutcausing regrettabledamage to yourmarriage.

George

Going over the hill 

20. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

AdviceVThird party means complications

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2015. 21.

LeisureVACROSS

1.Blank5. Driver’s ID

issuer8. Rickles or

Knotts11. The “A” of

“A-Rod”12. Shad __13. Group of

rakedleaves

14. “__ Ha’i”15. Cause

disaffection17. Critical

examiner19. “Casablanca”

role20. Green and

pekoe21. Shelley work22. British potato

chip24. Consecrated28. __ Paulo

(Braziliancity)

29. Very wide shoe width

30. “I’ve __ enough!”

31. Peeved34. Dreads36. Berlin’s land

(abbr.)

37. __ cuts38. “__ keep”40. Runway’s

spot43. Soaking45. Impresses46. Ship parcels47. NYC transit

org.48. Soak

through49. Mommy’s

three50. __ capita51. Betting

term

DOWN

1.Rum cake2. Actor Ladd3. Connection4. Outcasts5. Lady’s

garment6. Majority7. Kitty doc8. Loud noises9. Gymnast

Korbut10. Born13. Loses color16. Excursion18. Bark

snappishly21. Juan’s “rah”22. 1860

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20)Help elders in your family. You haveyour own family to consider as well. Goafter your professional goals. Do notget involved in joint financial ventures.Be aware that minor accidents or injurymay prevail if you are preoccupied.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21)You can easily impress others withyour generous nature. Emotional rela-tionships will be plentiful if you attendgroup activities. Take care of the needsof elders in your family. You can contin-ue to forge ahead if you make a fewlong distance calls pertinent to closingpending deals.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21)Try looking into new ways to makeextra money. Be cautious handlingtools, machinery, or dangerous objects.Look out for yourself this week. Makesome notes regarding the changes thatyou should make.

CANCER (June 22-July 22)Socialize with friends, but don't over-spend on lavish entertainment. Letthem know what your intentions are.Hold your temper and refrain fromdoing anything that might cause injury.You will have a tendency to exagger-ate, which will lead to major confronta-tions with loved ones.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22)Be careful to avoid wrong doings. Theemotional state of peers may cause aproblem for you. Travel opportunitiesmust be taken advantage of. You needto get out if you want to meet potentialpartners.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23)You can get a promotion if you put in alittle extra detail. Update and reviewyour personal investments. You canfind out interesting information if youget a chance to talk to people yourespect. Get more involved in groupefforts at work.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23)Minor health problems will flare up ifyou don't take care of yourself. Youneed to do something energetic and dif-ferent. Take care of any pressing healthproblems. Sudden romantic connectionsmay be short lived.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22)Offer consolation, but don't give themany direction. You may have personalproblems, but professional duties mightbe pressing. Consider selling yourhomemade crafts at the flea market.You may have problems with those youlive with.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21)A passionate encounter with your mateshould help alleviate that pent-up ener-gy. Don't exhaust yourself or minorhealth problems will set in. You may beout of sorts If you have been extrava-gant or have let children or friends takeadvantage of you financially. Take what-ever time you can to get to know eachother all over again.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) Plan to visit friends or relatives. You candiscuss your intentions and ideas withyour colleagues or friends this week. Donot yield to children or relatives whenthey really don't deserve it. Don't allowyour lover to take advantage of yourgood nature.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19)Beware of colleagues who don't haveyour best interests in mind. Spend somequality time with your lover.Daydreaming will be your downfall. Yourown small business on the side soundspretty lucrative.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20)Be prepared to have relatives or closefriends introduce you to new and excit-ing individuals. You could easily loseyour temper at work. Don't push youropinions or ideas on others. Your emo-tional attitude with respect to your sta-tus and direction in society may beunrealistic. Don't bang your headagainst a wall.

alliance(abbr.)

23. Flowed24. River floor25. Followed

secretlyand closely

26. Piercing spot

27. Dentist’s degree (abbr.)

29. Always, poetically

32. Was a girl-watcher

33. Bark34. Represent-

ing35. City on the

Rio Grande (2 wds.)

37. What Grouchosmoked

38. Line-__ veto

39. Decades

40. Poker fee41. Water grass42. Three make a

tbsp.43. Compass

reading44. Little demon

LA

ST

WE

EK

’sS

OL

UT

ION

COMMONWEALTH Queen’sYoung Leaders awardwinner, Kenville Horne, hasbeen recognized and

celebrated in hiscommunity of Rose Hall.

On Monday 23rdFebruary, 2015,residents of thatcommunity and othersfrom surroundingvillages, converged at theRose Hall CommunityCentre to celebrate

Horne’s historicachievement.

Horne is among 60young persons from theCommonwealth, and only6 from the entireCaribbean, to berecognized for theiroutstanding service tocommunity, by theQueen’s Diamond JubileeCommittee.

On being sorecognized, Horne wasoffered an online coursefrom the University ofCambridge, and in June,will travel to the UnitedKingdom for a one-weekvisit, during which timehe would receive hisaward from Her MajestyQueen Elizabeth 11 atBuckingham Palace.

From humblebeginnings

At the celebration,community activist andbusiness woman, AnestaRodney M.B.E., paidtribute to Horne, who isknown affectionately as‘Fonando’ in Rose Hall.

Rodney said thatHorne grew up in RoseHall, and from a tenderage he was destined tofind a life for himself.

“I am happy, happy,real glad for ‘Fonando’,”she declared.

The nationallyrespected communityactivist described Horneas having a big heart,saying, “He has grown tobe a little man and a bigman at the same time,with ambition, andbecause of that we aresitting here in this halltonight.”

Horne, a full timereported with THEVINCENTIANnewspaper,

was born to BellmarHorne of Rose Hall andformer Police OfficerOsborne Phillips ofBequia.

Rodney traced Horne’searly upbringing andhighlighted his roughpast, noting that he couldnot have run up theladder, but instead toiledon his books.

She recognized ClareValley resident, AlienaJames, who she saidfinanced Horne’s tertiaryeducation at theCommunity College.

It was while Horne

was an employee at theDivision of PhysicalEducation that hestarted the KenvilleHorne Sports Academy,with the objective toreach out todisadvantaged and atrisk youths in Rose Hall.

Rodney recalls Horneleaving his Lowmans Hillresidence to travel eachweek to “train thechildren in Rose Hall.For this, we must say tohim. Rose Hall is proudof you,” Rodneycontinued.

In closing, Rodneyimplored Horne toremember where he hadcome from, and to behumble. “Humility isthere to guide you,” sheadvised him.

Other tributes

Tributes also camefrom community activistand member of the RoseHall Drummers, SelywnPatterson, who said hefelt proud about Horne’saccomplishment.

Another communityactivist, HaydenFerdinand, commendedthe young man for hisachievement anddedication towards thecommunity, NorthLeeward and SVG as awhole.

ULP candidate forNorth Leeward, CarlosJames, who played apivotal role in organizingthe event, also paidtribute to Horne, beforepresenting him with anaward.

In his response, Horneexpressed thanks toeveryone who came outto show support; AlienaJames for sending him tothe Community College,and to Carlos James forhis support.

He said the trials andtribulations that heendured were anexperience to be used tomake a difference in thelives of others. Heencouraged the youths toremain humble and showrespect, while pledging tocontinue to give back tohis community.

“I will continue torepresent Rose Hall andto do whatever I can tomake the communityproud,” said Horne, toroaring applause.

22. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

PeopleVHorne laudedin Rose HallLeft: Kenville ‘Fonando’Horne receives anaward from Ms. AnestaRodney.

Stories by E. GLENFORDPRESCOTT

CENTURIES BY HYRONSHALLOW and theinformed CasmondWalters, augmented by afive-wicket haul by KesrickWilliams, propelleddefending champions,Team Rivals, to an inningsand 100-run defeat ofnewly promoted TriumphUnited, at the main ArnosVale Playing Field lastweekend.

SCORES: TriumphUnited 102 &152, TeamRivals 352/2.

But, despite beginningtheir quest for a fourthstraight Premier Divisiontitle in such emphaticfashion, the championslooked a disjointed andlethargic unit, startingthe match with only eightplayers.

Team Rivals won thetoss and inserted theiropponents, and did nothave long to wait forsuccess, as Williamsremoved Leroy Roberts(0) and Ahmed Baptiste(0), caught at the wicket,with the total on one. Itwas quickly 6/3 whenRohan Ash (5) was

V THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. 23.

Kesrick Williams, who returned figures of 5/22 in the firstinnings, was bothered by no ball in the second.

JAMAICA’S DAVECAMERON has left many,including St. Vincent andthe Grenadines’ PrimeMinister, Dr. RalphGonsalves, possiblygrimacing in anguish andfrustration after easilyturning back what somewere hoping would be aserious challenge byformer West Indies fastbowling great, Joel “BigBird” Garner, to win asecond term as WICBpresident.

Garner sadly lost hisdad twenty-four hoursbefore his defeat toCameron.

Cameron won the voteby a convincing 8-4margin, He will head theorganisation till 2017. Hisvice-president, Dominica’sEmmanuel Nathan wasalso returned to office witha similar 8-4 count overTrinidad & Tobago

businessman BaldathMahabir.

Cameron went into theelections in his homecountry of Jamaicaagainst the background ofheavy criticism of hishandling of West Indies’abandoned tour of Indialast year.

The premature endingof the tour during the ODIseries which had precededthe three tests matches,was attributed to abreakdown in negotiationsbetween the WICB, inparticular Cameron, andthe players led by DwayneBravo.

The BCCI subsequentlyslapped a $42.7 millionclaim on the WICB, tocover damages from theloss of revenue.

Leading up to theelections, Cameron hadsecured the support of fourWICB members - Guyana,

Windward Islands,Leeward Islands and hishome country, Jamaica.Garner’s camp hoped forpossible late defections onvoting day, but it did nothappen. Garner receivedsupport from TnT and hisnative Barbados.

Even with Garner’stempting promises asoutlined in a manifesto inwhich he said he wantedto help West Indies cricketstrengthen its base, andclimb up the ladder onceagain, and support forGarner from people inpositions of authority, itwas clear that Cameronwas near untouchable.

Cameron’s push for re-election was founded onhis achievements amongthem: installing aprofessional franchisestructure at the domesticlevel; improving relationswith the West Indies

Players Association; andputting in place a freshmemorandum ofunderstanding with theplayers that should lendfinancial security to notjust the internationals,but also to players fromthe regional teams.

Cameron, seen asconfident and to somearrogant, appearedunmoved by the adversecomments and publiccriticism by Dr. Gonsalves,who spearheaded a move

to oust the Jamaican. In fact, Gonsalves, who

will be seeking a fourthterm as this country’sprime minister, could beheard on call-inprogrammes and othersports shows across theCaribbean voicing hisdispleasure at thepossibility of a secondterm for Cameron.

Reports say the localcricket associationpresident KishoreShallow, the man in lineto cast one of the votes onbehalf of the Windwards,

was removed from thatposition by majoritydecision, when the otherthree member associationsof Dominica, Grenada andSt. Lucia took the decisionto nominate LochkartSebastien and Dwaine Gillto be their delegates.

Shallow and hisexecutive have cried fouland have promised tomake an official release onthe matter. One weekafter the elections, there isstill no comment from theSVG Cricket Association.

Below Par Team Rivals stilltoo good

Cameron beats Garner,Gonsalves et al

David Cameronwithstood oppositionfrom within and withoutthe regional cricketfraternity.

Joel Garner could noteffect a last minute turnaround in his favour.

Dr. Ralph Gonsalves,PM of SVG, did not hidehis desire to seeCameron removed.

Lawrence Shoy on the go during his whirlwind 55.Casmond Walters (105*) goes through theoffside.

comprehensively bowledby Walters playing back.

Opener Leanoro Gilkes(25) survived for morethan an hour and aquarter to stabilise theinnings, which resultedin the lower order addingsome crucial runs to seethe total over thehundred mark.

Williams, who cameback to clean the tail andcause injury, finishedwith 5/22. DeightonButler finished with 3/23with his left-arm spin.One player was struck onthe helmet and suffereda cut to the head fromthe impact, and took nofurther part in the gameafter his dismissal.

Team Rivals then setabout the bowling withgay abandon, Shallow

(104) and Marvin Small(68) racing to 171 beforethe latter lifted a catch toshort midwicket, off thebowling of Ash. Smallstruck seven fours andone six off the 69 balls hefaced. Twenty runs later,Ash (2/83) picked up hissecond wicket when hehad Shallow caught. Hestruck 15 fours and faced99 balls. Team Rivalsended the day 228/2, alead of 126, with Walters30 and Skerritt 11 -.

Day Two saw Walters(105*) getting to hiscentury in quick time ashe smashed 11 fours andfour sixes in the 82 balls,with Skerritt (56*)playing a supporting role,as the pair added 161*for the third wicket.

With a massive lead of250 runs, Team Rivalsduly won with time tospare by dismissing theiropponents for 150 in 40.3overs. But they wererudely exposed by someembarrassing fieldinglapses and a hiding totheir spinners, fromLawrence Shoy (55). Aburly clean striker of theball, Shoy careened tohis half century off just22 balls, with seven sixesand two fours, captainOrlanzo Jackson (foursixes) and Butler (threesixes) feeling the brunt ofthe heavy blade. He wascaught at the edge of thelong on boundary offWalters, and the inningsfolded soon after, justshort of the tea interval.

Zenroy Lee (29) alsooffered some fight.

Butler, 4/36, was theleading bowler for TeamRivals, who would beconcerned with thesecond innings bowling ofWilliams, who repeatedlyoverstepped the frontcrease in his effort togenerate the extra paceagainst the “New Boys”.In his 8.4 over spell, hesent down eight no-ballsas well as having onedelivery going for fivewides. He also sufferedthe ignominy of beingstruck for threeconsecutive fours by Lee.Williams admitted tolosing focus, butpromised an improvedperformance as theseason goes on.

TWELVE POLICEOFFICERS have beencharged with theresponsibility of teachingthe basics in Tennis totheir communities. Inwhich they serve.

The twelve, drawnfrom the various PoliceYouth Clubs strewnacross St Vincent andthe Grenadines, receivedtheir certification lastTuesday at a closingceremony, which tookplace at the GrassrootTennis Club on Murray’sRoad.

Launched last Mayand intended for sixweeks, severaldebilitating factorsoccasioned a ‘stop — start’programme, whicheventually spanned eightmonths.

Intended to be acrime-fighting tool aswell as part of the publicrelations strategy of thelocal constabulary, headof the Grassroot TennisClub and initiator ofprogramme GrantConnell, told lastTuesday’s closingceremony, “We want toreplace the knives andguns with rackets andballs. … We have tounderstand the power ofsports ... Sports can helpus to de-rock.”

In his address,Commissioner of Police,Michael Charles,vouched his unwaveringsupport and enthusiasmfor the programme and

stated, “What isinteresting in thisprogramme after all issaid and done, it is thebeginning of Tennis in StVincent and theGrenadines ... Tenniscan take you places.”

Connell thanked theMustique Tennis Club,especially RichardSchaffer, for theprovision of equipmentfor the programme.

Under thearrangement, four courtshave been identifiedwhere the training of theyoung players will takeplace.

Storage of theequipment will be at fourpolice stations within thefour communities, wherethe courts are located.

Charles pointed outthat, whilst the initialtarget groups are thePolice Youth Clubs, otherinterested youths andeven adults can be partof the programme.

Last Tuesday’s closingceremony was alsoaddressed by Presidentof the National OlympicCommittee Trevor Baileyand President of the StVincent and theGrenadines TennisAssociation JamesBascombe.

GTC’s head coach,Trevor Sam, who was themain facilitator of thetraining programme,identified CorporalsLoraine John and MarkBilly as the most

promising player andmost outstanding playerrespectively.

John received sixteencans of balls, while Billygot a brand new Headracket, compliments theMustique Tennis Club.

24. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

SportsVGIOVANNI MILLER –ALEXANDER, KaiBentick and Thandi Myers, each coppedtwo individual category titles, when theNational Junior Championshipsconcluded last Saturday afternoon, atthe National Squash Center at Paul’sAvenue.

Miller- Alexander paired the GirlsUnder-13 and Under-15, ahead ofLoushanna Peters and Lauryn Doylerespectively.

Bentick was successful in the BoysUnder-15 and Under -17, leavingRashid Constance to settle for therunner-up spots in both categories.

Myers laid claim to the Girls Under-17 and Under-19, beating Jada Rossin the Under-17 final and DemiOllivierre in the other.

The other individual winners were:Tianna Gill, who won the beginners’category; Jlan Mac Master over hisyounger brother- Malachi in the BoysUnder -13; and Jason Doyle in theBoys Under-19 , with Omari Wilson,the runner-up.

Doyle and Mikal Quashie overcameRashid Constance and Omari Wilsonto take the Doubles, as the SquashAssociation introduced the doubles

competition.The young

Squash players will now focus onsecuring places in the St Vincent and

the Grenadines team to participate inOECS Junior Championships, set forhere, April 10th to 12th.

EIGHT promising, localcyclists are the recipientsof bicycles, donated bythe Pan AmericanCycling Federation.

The cyclists — KadmielPeters, Casnell Duncan,Shurwayne James,Quasim Thomas, SamuelLyttle, Bradley Charles,Lisa Gaymes and ArielDurant - received theirbikes last Monday duringa a handing overceremony at theConference Room of XpertComputer Center,Grenville Street.

Trevor Bailey,President of the SVGCycling Union and Vice-President of the PanAmerican CyclingFederation, in handingover the bikes, outlinedthe conditions and contractual arrangements whichgovern their use and upkeep.

“The bike costs a lot of money, take care of it andenjoy cycling ...We are going to be very, very strict...You have to bring in the bikes every threemonths ... If we notice that you are not using thebikes for races and training , we are going to takeback the bikes,” Bailey told the cyclists and theirparents.

Ten bikes were received; local Cycling Union willkeep the other two in its possession, to be made onloan to cyclists who may have difficulties withtheirs.

Apart from the ten bikes, ten national outfitswere part of the package from the Pan AmericanCycling Federation. These will be used by personsselected to represent SVG at championships home

and abroad.Bailey thanked the government of St Vincent and

the Grenadines for the waiver of the duties on thecycles, which he said was a major help.

In accepting his bike, Quasim Thomas said it wasalways his dream to have a cycle in his possession.

“I love cycling... It is in me, and now that I havethis bike, it is an opportunity to show what I havein me,” Thomas expressed with a broad smile.

Also sharing in the joy was Kadmiel Peters.“It is a great feeling... I am glad for the

opportunity to have a bike”, he said.The eight recipients would have a chance to test

their new bikes, when the SVG Cycling Unionstages a road race this Saturday — National HeroesDay.

The bikes have a value of EC$4,000.

Eight benefit from bike distribution

The eight recipients flanked by members of the SVG Cycling Union as wellas Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Culture -Senator Luke Browne and Vice President of the National Olympic Committee- Wayne Williams.

Jason DoyleJlan Mc Master

Double squash title for three

From left to right:Thandi Myers, Kai Bentick, GiovanniMiller- Alexander.

Tianna Gill

The police officers trained in Tenni, flanked by Grant Connell (left), COP-Michael Charles (2nd from left), ASP Jonathan Nicholls (2nd from right) andCoach- Trevor Sam (right).

Police officers now Tennis coaches

Vincentian players underÂfriendly fireÊby E. GLENFORDPRESCOTT

QUESTIONS CONTINUE tobe raised over the hastewith which players fromSt. Vincent and theGrenadines are discardedfrom the Windwards seniorteam, while theircounterparts from theother islands, in particularDominica and St. Lucia,are given protracted runsamid continuous failures.

Over the recent past,persons here haveexpressed this concernfollowing the omission ofa number of players herefrom the team, under thetenure of coach IanAllen. While in the past,information suggeststhat team managerLockhart Sebastien wasbehind the perceivedhard times meted out toVincentian players,investigations haveshown that theDominican no longerholds such powers asteam manager. In fact,when questioned twoyears ago, Sebastien wasquick to point out that itwas the coach and nothim as manager, whomakes decision withregard to the omission ofplayers and the inclusionafter the squad wasselected.

Sebastien also, at thetime, admitted that hehimself had heardcomments about thecoach’s attitude towardsplayers from SVG, buthe refused to elaborateon the matter.

A check withWindwards Boardofficials with regard tothe situation withselections, revealed that,while the selectors namea squad, the authorityinvariably lies with thecoach to say who playsand who leaves.

The facts show thatover the last few years,more Vincentian playershave been dropped from

the team than from anyother of Dominica,Grenada and St. Lucia.

The records show thatDonwell Hector, MilesBascombe, LindonJames, Kenroy Peters,Alston Bobb, RomelCurrency and SunilAmbris have all beenaxed from the team,while doing better orequal to TyroneTheophile, KeddyLesporis, LiamSebastien, GairyMathurin and MervinMathew, at the time oftheir exclusion.

Of some interest isthat, despite enjoying anexcellent WindwardIslands season in 2013,both Bascombe andHector were not selected,based on what reportssay was negativeinformation provided tothe chairman ofselectors, by anindividual close to theWindwards team.

In 2012, Sebastientotalled 19 runs in hisfirst seven innings, butwas retained for theentire season, while in2013 Lesporis played theentire season despitehitting a solitary halfcentury and ending withan average of 18.

Bobb, despite enjoyingbetter returns in theWindwards tournament,was forced to sit out forthree seasons while theauthorities persistedwith St. Lucia’s Maturin.And reports say thatwhile being the team’sleading spinner with justunder 30 wickets in2015, he still cannotcommand a place in theteam.

Currency, one of theteam’s most experiencedplayers, was dropped,even though he hadscored a half century andlooked the most assuredof the batsmen. Hisbrother, Sunil Ambris,was threatened withsbeing dropped twomatches previously and

was finally axed.The duo of Currency

and Bascombe, recalledfor the last matchagainst Trinidad,covered themselves inglory. Forced to batbehind St. Lucianallrounders CraigEmmanuel and DaltonPolius, Currency hadscores of 59 &66*, whileBascombe, who wasflown to Trinidad at thelast minute, batted atnumber three and hadscores of 65 &42.Captain Liam Sebastienand Lesporis were bothout ill. But even so,Bobb, with Sebastienout, lost his place toPolius who bowled justseven overs in thematch.

The team wascaptained by Theophile,with the experiencedPeters, who was namedMan of the Match, andCurrency, both withleadership experienceand knowledge,overlooked.

The Windwards takeon Barbados in their lastmatch this weekend, andall eyes will be on whichof the players from SVGof Currency, Bascombe,Peters, Delorn Johnsonor Bobb will be omitted.

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. 25.

SportsV

Alston Bobb, one of theVincentians who havesuffered the ins andouts of Windwardsselection policy.

26. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. THE VINCENTIAN

THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015. 27.

ClassifiedsV

LPG RETAILERSCOMPLAIN

FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 VOLUME 109, No.11 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.

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FOR

SALE

by DAYLE DA SILVA

SOME RETAILERS of LPG gas arecomplaining that they are being chargedhigher prices than the set wholesaleprice, and the slim margin allowed forretail is forcing them out of business.

At least two retailers who calledinto a radio programme on Monday,addressed the issue and called on thegovernment to do something about it.

One retailer said that he has beenin the LPG retail business since 1987,but he was forced out of the business

because the wholesale price he paid,did not allow for him to make a decentmark-up on the commodity.

The retailer said that he was beingcharged close to EC$28 for thestandard 20 pound cylinder. Andaccording to this retailer, he wasmaking just over $1 on a cylinder ofgas.

A decrease from $42.00 to $29.00 forthe retail price of a 20-pound cylinderof LPG was announced a few weeksago by government.

“There is no possible way for the

dollar to cover cost,” theretailer said.

He recalled that before aprice adjustment in 2011,there was a meeting involvinggovernment, retailers and theimporters. He lamented thatthere was no such meetingthis time around.

Another retailer said thathe was informed by theMinistry of Trade that thewholesale price for LPG gas isEC$21.65, which, allows for a marginof $7.35 after retailing at $29.00.

However, he continued, retailerswere being charged as high as $27.98.

“We are willing to sell for $29.00,but with the price we are paying forthe gas, we cannot do that,” he said.

Neither retailer disclosed fromwhom they were purchasing.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalvesaddressed the issue on Tuesday duringa press briefing, saying that therewere two importers of LPG gas -PetroCaribe and Rubis, with Rubissupplying SOL for further distribution.

According to the Prime Minister,prices vary as per 4 geographicalareas.

“The difference (in price among theareas) really is the transportationwhich will take it from Chateaubelairor North of the Dry River or down inthe Grenadines,” Gonsalves explained.

The price set is the maximum retailprice, and anyone can sell below thesuggested retail price, he furtherexplained.

“The way thishas been donehistorically up tothe present,there is amargin forretail, thedifferencebetween themaximumwholesale priceand themaximum retailprice, thatincludes themargin for theretail.

“At themoment, the retail price is $29.00; themaximum wholesale price is $21.65, sothe difference to be distributed is$7.35,” he emphasised.

Under the old dispensation, inwhich the maximum retail price was$41.00, it allowed for a return of $9.00for retailers.

“We considered the price of $21.65as a fair price as the maximumwholesale price,”Gonsalves stressed.

by KENVILLE HORNE

ONE PERSON is said to behospitalized after a minivan,travelling to North Leeward,overturned in the Central Leewardtown of Layou, last Wednesday night.

The minivan carrying the name‘Khandi’ and registration numberHV108, is said to have hit a wall andoverturned.

Scores of residents rushed to thescene to provide assistance to thepassengers and driver, or simply toget a glimpse of the unfolding drama.

The minivan lay on its right sidefor quite some time before residentsassisted in getting it back on itswheels, one of which showedextensive damage.

According to one passenger, thevehicle was not speeding at the timeof the accident.

Minivan overturns in Layou

The mini-van ended up on its rightside after hitting a wall.

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalvesemphasised that the maximum retail price fora 20lb cylinder of LPG is fixed, for the timebeing, at $29.00.

LPG is imported byRubis andPetroCaribe. SOLdoes not import.