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Weekly feature by Edward Harris |
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Quotes:
"Have a nice day"
Machine gun-toting police officers to family of seven after having raided their home on Darling Road, Castries, at 5:00 a.m. to search for drugs. They found nothing (Thursday Voice, 16th March).
"Sure the Bajan is happy, happy, happy. Meanwhile our stressed-out local industrialist is fast becoming a suicidal sociopath, already an overweight alcoholic, he considers what idiot he must wreak vengeance on for ever suggesting that he mortgage his house, steal his children's savings, whore out his dog, whatever, to start a manufacturing operation. Now they're going to bring a law giving consumers rights. Good luck Mr. manufacturer".
Lawson Calderon on how the new consumption tax hurts local manufacturers (The Star Commentary, 18th March).
"Dear Customer, We sincerely apologize for the infected attachment, which was sent to you today. As a precautionary measure, we urge you to update your anti-virus program, which will serve as a protection against files downloaded from the Internet. If you have not yet opened the attachment, please delete it immediately."
Email received by local internet users ostensibly from Cable & Wireless, referring to an earlier message announcing new internet rate cuts.
"My own reading of the situation suggests that despite the rhetoric, we're still uncomfortable about tourism. Some still see the industry as a bourgeois thing, with 'wide bodies' disgorging hordes of 'white bodies' onto our precious turf, barking orders at our native sons and daughters".
Cletus Springer on the development of sustainable tourism (The Mirror, 17th March).
"Get out of your head the handicapping notion that you are a servant of white people. Yes, pointless denying it, folks, I know it's there hidden away in your mind. I know. The race issue. But winners have no room in their heads for such loser mindsets. What you are offering those white people that you enticed here with million-dollar colour brochures, TV ads and other expensive seductions is black-people hospitality in exchange for white people's green.
When you think of colour, let it never have anything to do with race. The only colour that's of any real use, whether you are black or white or red or yellow, is the colour you can use, and that's green. Whether that green happens to be in the wallet of a white or black tourist is of small consequence".
Rick Wayne in his feature address at Sandals (Halcyon) Awards Ceremony (The Star and Voice, 18th March).
"But the manager of Hyatt, Dale McDaniel, does not agree. The advent of Hyatt is good for St. Lucia, he said. He added that it will create more promotion opportunities in other hotels if experienced ones choose to go to Hyatt".
Dale McDaniel in response to accusation by the manager of Windjammer Hotel that the new Hyatt hotel is poaching their trained staff (The Voice, 18th March).
"Officer, I left my room and went to the beach to enjoy myself and it is possible that someone entered my room and put the cocaine there".
Englishman (35) to policeman on being arrested after cocaine with a street value of $300,000 was found in his suitcase at GFL Charles Airport. The man was convicted and ordered to pay $100,000 or spend eighteen months in prison. (Tuesday Voice, 14th March).
"Jesus Christ led a powerful Christian Ministry while in his twenties and early thirties".
Henry Mangal on why Menissa Rambally, at age 23, can succeed as minister of Tourism (Voice, Star and Crusader, 18th March).
"At some point [Dennis Barnard] walked into the factory and saw [John] Compton speaking to somebody. He told Compton to get out! Compton refused. Barnard drew his revolver. Compton also drew his revolver. The two of them were matching revolvers (laughs). But wiser counsel prevailed and they put away their guns. In retaliation Compton went away and blocked the road to the estate to prevent Barnard from hauling out his bananas. It's really during that time that Compton and the rest of us became very close once again".
Sir George Charles remembering the 1957 banana strike in the Mabouya Valley, and the emergence of the SLP and UWP (interview by Tony Williams, The Crusader, 18th March).
"Smart Duah's case has exposed the 'unlovely' side of of our 'simply beautiful St. Lucia'. One that many prefer to forget and pretend does not exist. This may be a good opportunity for some soul-searching in this 'International Year for the Culture of Peace' to examine our xenophobia, prejudices, and inhumanity towards other human beings. Smarth Duah's case is not about race, class or nationality, all these extraneous issues we use to cloud simple injustice, it is about respecting the constitutional rights of every human being and his/her right to enjoy the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights".
Shery Alexander-Heinis on the illegal 3-1/2-year imprisonment of Nigerian Smart Duah (The Mirror, 17th March; Crusader, 18th March).
"And we need to remember that exciting though the new ways of communicating undoubtedly are, what matters most is what we say to each other".
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in her Commonwealth Day 2000 message (Tuesday Voice, 14th March).
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Top foreign appointment creates waves in police force
The appointment of Canadian Neil Parker to the post of Deputy Commissioner of the Royal St. Lucia Police Force caused some political turmoil this week - largely a result of the manner in which the appointment has been handled. In both The Voice and The Mirror, minister of Legal and Home Affairs, Velon John, comes in for criticism. The Voice accuses the minister of unnecessarily obscuring the circumstances of Parker's appointment. Specifically, the newspaper wonders why minister John refuses to elaborate on what will happen come July, when current Police Commissioner Francis Nelson is due to retire. The Mirror in turn, reports that minister John told media workers that "if local officers were not found fit to serve [as Commissioner], then obviously, the Canadian would be expected to fill the role". This announcement, writes The Mirror, has infuriated many police officers who say they do not have a problem with a foreign Deputy Commissioner being brought in to do a specific job - namely that of reforming the police force in collaboration with the Police Reform Committee - but who do have a problem with a foreigner filling the post of Police Commissioner. There are currently three Assistant Police Commissioners - Hermangild Francis, Ausbert Regis and Peter Cherry - all of whom, according to minister John as quoted in The Mirror, were "not found fitting" to take over as Commissioner. "Police officers know the Force needs reform and they are willing to see it work, but not like this", a senior policeman is quoted as saying in The Mirror. In its weekly editorial, the newspaper writes further: "Everyone knows that St. Lucia's police, like most all over the world, suffer from some serious problems - inadequate public relations, declining moral authority, antiquated organizational, legislative and infrastructural support systems. Many people, especially those familiar with the old colonial ways, think that a foreign Police Commissioner is the best, if not the only way, to go to the heart of the problems in the Police Force. Whether it is or not, is a whole discussion by itself. But ... [e]ven if the Minister fully intended to post a foreigner as Commissioner of Police, he did not have to insult the best police on the island to do it".
Minister John, in a statement to the press which is published in full in The Voice, emphasises that the appointment of Neil Parker to the post of Deputy Commissioner is for two years only and adds: "None of this government's actions can be construed as designed to replace capable nationals with a non-national". According to Micah George in The Voice, neither the minister nor his permanent secretary wished to comment on future plans for the police force, after July, when Commissioner Nelson is due to retire. "[O]ne could have sworn that the appointment [of Parker] is illegal and the matter concerning Nelson a state secret", writes The Voice.
Meanwhile, the United Workers Party, also in The Voice, calls on prime minister Dr. Kenny Anthony "to clarify the situation of confusion and uncertainty surrounding the leadership of the Police Force". The UWP statement questions the current SLP government's appointment of a foreigner to head the police, after having criticised earlier similar appointments made by the UWP when that party was in office. Finally, in a commentary in The Star, Lorraine Williams criticises both the previous UWP and the current SLP administrations' decisions to bring in non-nationals to try to clean up the police force. "Can a single non-national do for our police force what the present and past local leaders evidently could not? Or are we yet again ignoring the real problems of the force in the name of political expedience? Are we still attempting what others had tried in vain to accomplish?"
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Ban on turtle fishing to remain
St. Lucia's turtle population has not yet recovered sufficiently for turtle fishing to be allowed an open season says permanent secretary in the ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr. Jimmy Fletcher. "I think there is still a need for delicate management of the fishery. I do not think we will see a lifting of the turtle moratorium for a few years because I think we still do not have sufficient numbers that would suggest that we could allow an open season", Fletcher is quoted in The Star.
Fletcher made his statements based on an as yet unpublished report by staff of his ministry, following a controversial month of turtle fishing in December 1999. The department of Fisheries received a lot of flack from conservationists and hoteliers when it lifted the four-year-old moratorium on turtle fishing late last year [see news archives]. The department insisted at the time that incidental turtle sightings by local fishermen indicated that the endangered sea turtle was prevalent enough to again allow a fishing season. In addition, the Fisheries department claimed that the turtles that were being killed provided invaluable scientific data. Although now admitting that, indeed, present turtle population levels do not allow for a hunting season, Dr. Fletcher maintains that the data provided by the December exercise are "extremely valuable". The report based on the December hunting season makes a number of recommendations about the future of turtle fishing in St. Lucian waters but Fletcher declined to outline these until the Chief Fisheries Officer has had a chance to respond to them first. The Star newspaper has followed the entire turtle issue closely.
Meanwhile, The Star also reports that the Fisheries minister in Guyana has proposed to local fishermen that the habitat of sea turtles be declared 'no-fishing zones' from April to August in a bid to protect the endangered sea animals which, reportedly, are being killed in increasing numbers along the Guyanese coast.
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Time running out for Nigerian Smart Duah
It is as yet unclear if 24-year-old Nigerian student Smart Duah, who was illegally imprisoned in a St. Lucian jail for 3-1/2 years before being released by a court last week, will be able to stay in the island as a political refugee [see last week's news]. Duah was given two weeks to arrange his departure when Justice Suzie d'Auvergne released him. He has since filed an appeal at the ministry of Foreign Affairs for refugee status but his deadline runs out on Tuesday the 21st March. According to reports in this week's Star and Crusader newspapers, Duah's chances of being allowed to stay are slim despite the fact that a return to Nigeria, says Duah, might cost him his life. According to The Star, Duah's continuing presence would be an embarassment to the authorities who, unlawfully, allowed the Nigerian to remain behind bars without a conviction. Further, the involvement of civil rights activist Albert Deterville,is a thorn in the side of the government, writes The Star. An earlier statement made by minister of Legal and Home Affairs, Velon John, to the effect that if it were up to him, Duah would be shipped out of St. Lucia immediately, strengthens the belief that Duah may fall victim to political embarrassment. The Star, Mirror and Crusader all come down hard on minister John for his words. Nevertheless, The Crusader reports that the ministry of Foreign Affairs, where the power now lies to grant Duah the status of political refugee, in its initial reaction was "positive" about the young Nigerian's application.
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Budget Day: Tuesday 28th March
Budget Day will be on Tuesday, 28th March this year. This was announced by prime minister and minister of Finance, Dr. Kenny Anthony. On that day, members of the House of Assembly and the Senate will first hear Governor General Dame Dr. Pearlette Louisy's Throne Speech and subsequently be presented with this year's Budget Estimates by Dr. Anthony. Following this, the House of Assembly will meet again on Monday 3rd and Tuesday 4th of April to debate the Budget. The Senate debates on the 6th of April. The entire budget presentation and debate will be broadcast live by GIS on Cablevision Channel 2. The Mirror reports this.
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Cost of internet access to drop by 46%
The cost of internet access is set to drop in St. Lucia by an average of 46 percent as of April 1st. Cable & Wireless (C&W) made this announcement in all of this week's newspapers. Region-wide, internet access is reduced by an average 37 percent but as telephone access charges are also to be discontinued in St. Lucia, the total savings may amount to almost half the bill.
In its new internet pricing scheme, C&W offers customers a choice of four packages at varying monthly cost, depending on the amount of time customers spend on-line. The Base Plan, which offers one email account and mailbox, no web space and ten hours inclusive, will cost $35. The Mid Plan, which offers two email accounts and mailboxes, no web space, and twenty hours inclusive, will cost $60. The High Plan, offering three email accounts and mailboxes, 1MB of free web space and thirty hours inclusive, costs $80 and, finally, the Top Plan, offering four email accounts and mailboxes, 3 MB of free web space and fifty hours inclusive, comes at $120. C&W promises it will contact every current user over the next few weeks by e-mail and regular mail to advise on the changes and make a recommendation for the plan that best matches the customer's profile based on their history of internet usage. For more info, call C&W at 211 or visit the website: www.candw.lc/new_plans
In a related development, Cable & Wireless' local internet users today received an email message, ostensibly from the C&W webmaster, warning that an earlier message notifying users of the new rate changes, contained a virus.
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Bar Association makes discipline of members priority
The new president of the St. Lucia Bar Association, Kenneth Monplaisir, says that the matter of displine amongst members will be one of his association's priorities, especially in light of the imminent introduction of the new Legal Profession Act. The Bar will need to be energised and restructured to deal more effectively with this issue, said Monplaisir, and will attempt to set up a secretariat to increase its effectiveness. Another priority on the Bar Association's list is the establishment of a legal aid centre in St. Lucia to assist in improving relations with members of the public. During the celebration of Law Week, last year, it became clear that many St. Lucians harbour a strong distrust of lawyers. The other members who were elected to the new executive are: Lorraine Williams (vice president), Robert Innocent (treasurer) and Georgis Taylor (secretary). Floor representatives are Hilford Deterville, Michelle Anthony, Effrem Edgar and Dexter Theodore. This is reported in The Star .
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Fresh produce and livestock production boosted
Following similar moves in Grenada, producers of fruits and vegetables in St. Lucia are set to receive technical, administrative and financial support in the months to come, to help improve the overall quality of fresh produce. This assistance comes from the Castries-based Caribbean Regional Human Resource Development Programme for Economic Competitiveness (CPEC) and is aimed not only at St. Lucia but also at Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. The Mirror writes this. Almost Cdn$150,000 is being allocated to train staff and strengthen relevant trade policy legislation and regulations where they exist, or to develop these where they do not yet exist. The project brings together the Bureaux of Standards in each of the four islands, the ministries of Agriculture, quarantine officers, inspectors, exporters and farmers. With bananas fetching lower prices on the world market, the importance of the fresh produce trade is becoming more pronounced, CPEC is quoted as saying in The Mirror.
Meanwhile, The Voice and Crusader both report that St. Lucia's livestock industry has experienced "one of its most buoyant years in recent history". The production of local chicken, eggs, goat, lamb, pork and beef all experienced significant increases over 1999. In the broiler sector, 354,200 birds from 52 commercial farms were processed, making for a 73% increase in production over 1998 and a 46% increase in the number of commercial broiler farmers. Another 105 farmers are expected to start commercial broiling operations this year. Egg production rose by a dramatic 112% - making St. Lucia self-sufficient in this respect. Local mutton production increased by 51% and the national flock now stands at roughly 14,000 sheep and 10,000 goats. Local cattle numbers about 6,000 and local beef processing increased by 64% over last year. Milk production at Beausejour Dairy Station rose by 7%. The Ministry of Agriculture, which has actively supported the further development of the livestock industry, expects that St. Lucia will soon enjoy "a consistent supply of fresh, wholesome, high quality local meat products".
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Japan donates computers to school
The principal of George Charles Secondary School signed a contract this week with the Japanese Ambassador which guarantees that the government of Japan will provide the school with computer equipment to introduce the school's 710 students to information technology. The donation consists of twenty computers, six printers, two scanners and a notepad with accompanying software. The donation is the first of its kind to be made under a more encompassing US$80,584 agreement in which Japan has pledged to provide grant assistance to grassroots projects in St. Lucia. The Voice reports this.
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Chastanet: conflict based on misunderstanding
Local businessman Michael Chastanet, who was pressured last week by directors of local airline carrier HelenAir to step down as chairman of the Aviation Licensing Board because of a perceived conflict of interest [see last week's news] has denied the need to do so. According to Arthur Neptune and Mario Reyes, Chastanet was listed as a director of regional airline EC Express whilst simultaneously acting as chairman of the board. This, the HelenAir directors say, is a direct violation of the 1992 Civil Aviation Act.
Chastanet, in this week's Thursday Voice, explains his position as follows: "No matters concerning EC Express were entertained by the Air Licensing Board before January 31st, 2000 which was 11 days after my resignation, therefore the accusation of a conflict of interest simply does not exist." Chastanet was appointed chair of the Aviation Licensing Board in 1997 and, according to a document in the Registry, was named a director of EC Express in December 1999. He ceased to be a director of EC Express on 20th January, 2000. Moreover, Chastanet claims the directorship at EC Express was based on a misunderstanding. "I was nominated as a director of EC Express sometime in December 1999, but declined the nomination. Unknown to me, my name was included amongst the list of directors on December 16th, 1999. On January 15th, 2000 in the course of a conversation with the company's secretary, I learnt my name was registered as a director. At that time I requested that my name be withdrawn as a director. On January 20th, 2000, I ceased to be a director", Chastanet is quoted as saying.
The Civil Aviation Act stipulates that: "no person, who for the time being has any interest, whether as shareholder or otherwise, in any business or understanding which provides transport for passengers or cargo whether by air, sea or land shall act as a member of the Board unless he has declared such interest to the Board and to the Minister".
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