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EC-Xpress airborne - OECS fears over-capacity
EC-Xpress, the region's latest airline, finally took to the air last Wednesday after an unexpected and somewhat embarrassing incident on Tuesday forced the new carrier to find alternative transportation for its first set of customers. Following a scenic flight on Monday for tourism officials and members of the press to mark the launching of the new service, someone allegedly reported EC-Xpress to the International Civil Aviation Organisation, saying that the scenic flight had been a part of EC-Xpress' commercial activities. "That raised a major red flag and put a halt to a lot of things. All of a sudden everybody became extremely cautious and so things that would normally have happened did not", EC-Xpress' spokesman Allan Chastanet is quoted as saying.
EC-Xpress, which is registered in Jamaica, had apparently acquired a tentative approval based on its air operating certificate but did not yet have definite approval. According to Chastanet, it took EC-Xpress all day Tuesday to clear the matter with the Jamaican authorities, which resulted in the transfer of passengers on the Tuesday flight to Barbados to other airlines. All affected passengers have been given a free ticket on EC-Xpress for future use.
Meanwhile, opinions are divided about the recent expansion of the regional airline market. The Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA), which represents more than 1200 hotels and resorts throughout the Caribbean, has "strongly endorsed" the advent of EC-Xpress. CHA's president Ed Malone is quoted in The Voice: "Other carriers have not been able to provide the seamless and timely connections that our passengers need and expect. We believe a strong regional carrier is essential to the vitality of the Caribbean and we commend Air Jamaica, together with its partners, for its initiative to help fill that void". Air Jamaica maintains close ties with EC-Xpress - as well as a close physical resemblance - although spokespersons have denied that EC-Xpress is a subsidiary of Air Jamaica. Another CHA spokesman goes on to state "There is no such thing as too much airlift".
This latter view is, however, disputed by a spokesman for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), George Goodwin. "From all the information that we have we could be headed into an over-capacity situation within the Eastern Caribbean because we will have four carriers operating with Dash 8's ranging between 37 to 50 seats, plus American Eagle operating out of Puerto Rico to most of the destinations". Besides EC-Xpress, there are HelenAir, LIAT, BWIA Express and, later this year, Caribbean Star will take to the sky. According to The Star, "Goodwin said that with the current regional traffic and the projections they are looking at it was clear that the sub-region will not be able to sustain four carriers operating with the kind of equipment they now possess". The nine-nation OECS, for almost twenty years, has been seeking to come up with a comprehensive approach to the regional transportation sector but, to date, there is no policy or strategy on aviation. The Star further writes that the matter has raised concern amongst all nine OECS prime ministers and will be discussed at the OECS Heads of State summit on 4 and 5 May, in Grenada.
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Soufriere fishing crew lost at sea
Three fishermen of Baron's Drive, Soufriere, have been missing at sea for over a week. The three, John Louisy (50), Paul Joseph (35) and Anselm Weekes (35) left Soufriere Bay on Friday 15th April at 5:30 in the morning and were expected to return that same afternoon. But to date, nothing has been heard or seen of them. The boat they were crewing is ironically named 'Dead Men Don't Count'. Both the Fisheries Department and Soufriere Police have been notified by the female owner of the boat. One Caribbean reports this.
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SLAPS rescues stray dogs from city pound
The St. Lucia Animal Protection (SLAPS) moved in on Tuesday to save eight stray dogs from the Castries City Council's pound situated in the Botanical Gardens following reports of abuse. According to the Tuesday Voice, a teacher who took his class to the gardens reported that "a man was seen pummelling one of the captured animals on its head with a spade. The dog eventually slumped to the ground unconscious. Another dog, which was trying to free itself from a bag which was tied around its neck with a wire seems to have strangled itself in its attempt to break free". According to SLAPS volunteers who moved the dogs to a private foster home on Tuesday, one dog was dead when they arrived at the pound, and another injured. Persons wishing to (temporarily) adopt a rescued dog or puppy, please contact SLAPS at tel. 457-7527 or visit http://www.geocities.com/slapss
Meanwhile, SLAPS this week received and distributed a total of thirty donkeys that were brought to St. Lucia from Montserrat under the supervision of the World Society for the Protection of Animals. The animals were to have been shot in Montserrat, where they had become a nuisance and a burden on public funds. In St. Lucia, they have been placed with stables, charcoal makers, farmers and other private individuals all around the island. The demand for donkeys far outnumbered the available number.
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PM considers total tax waiver on farming trucks
While expressing reticence to be drawn into playing a more active role in the banana industry, prime minister Dr. Kenny Anthony last Monday promised farmers that his government would consider giving them a 100% import tax waiver on imported vehicles, instead of the current 20%, to bring the waiver in line with that enjoyed by taxi drivers. Dr. Anthony was speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the shareholders of the St. Lucia Banana Corporation (SLBC). The PM was presented with a range of issues, questions and criticisms from farmers. Besides the tax waiver on vehicles, he was also asked to remove service charges, duty and consumption taxes on farming inputs. Dr. Anthony replied by saying that although government had initially agreed to do so in the case of three importing companies, it has since had to review its decision because the companies were not translating these benefits into lower prices for farmers. "If we are to make these concessions available to the importing companies, then we also have to institute a system of price control to ensure the farmers are not cheated of the benefit of lower prices". Another issue was that of the price of cardboard banana boxes produced by Vieux-Fort based manufacturer WINERA. Farmers asked the PM to assist them in sourcing cheaper boxes from overseas but Dr. Anthony emphasised the negative effects this would have on WINERA, saying it would endanger the jobs of its 100 employees. The PM promised to investigate whether the Environmental Tax is responsible for WINERA's boxes being more expensive than similar boxes from overseas, but according to The Voice, the PM has since found out that this is not the case. The PM further announced that already, a committee had been put together to investigate farmers' claims that locally used fertilizer is of inferior quality. The SLBC itself has sent samples of fertilizer to laboratories in Miami, Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago. The PM also requested farmers to submit a list of the feeder roads in their areas that require urgent attention.
Finally, on the issue of farmers asking government to intervene in the issue between WIBDECO and the SLBC regarding the payment of bonuses, Dr. Anthony warned farmers to be careful about inviting government to get involved. "Each such step by government would reduce and weaken your independence as a private company", the PM said.
Besides The Voice, The Crusader and Star also report on the SLBC's meeting. The next SLBC meeting is on the 9th May.
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C&W warns of telephone scam
Cable and Wireless (C&W) has put out advertisements in various newspapers this week to warn the public of a telehone scam being conducted from the United States. "If your telephone rings and an automated voice recording tells you to press 1 for a free call, please do not do so. This is in fact a collect call for which you will be billed. Cable &Wireless is currently investigating this matter however we urge customers to exercise discretion and not be fooled into accepting these calls".
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Rose Hill fire leaves two homeless
A fire in Rose Hill early Saturday morning has left two persons homeless and virtually without possessions but, thankfully, nobody was hurt. Around 7 am, Anastasie 'Zazoo' George was startled by a ball of fire when she tried to light her stove. She ran out of the house, managing to grab nothing more than two pairs of pants and two shirts. Neighbours and the fire service, all of whom arrived promptly, could not save the wooden house. Damages are estimated at over $35,000. Ms. George and her son Thomas 'Zion' George are currently living at a friend's house. Others have donated a mattress, pillows and sheets. "All in all, people have been very helpful and we are grateful for that", Ms. George is quoted as saying in The Crusader. Her son added: "I'm sorry she had to go through all that but, all the same, she escaped with her life and I thank God for that".
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French soldiers clean up Lenny's mess in Soufriere
For three days, French soldiers laboured in Soufriere to help clear the debris left behind on the town's waterfront by last November's freak hurricane Lenny. From Wednesday to Friday, a unit of 73 men of the Regiment du Service Militaire Adapté de la Martinique removed debris, backfilled and levelled the road, repaired furniture, repainted the Soufriere Primary School and fixed the school's toilet block. The French soldiers were invited by the Soufriere Marine Management Area (SMMA), which is a long-standing recipient of French support, on behalf of the town of Soufriere. The French originally also funded the Soufriere fish market and the craft market - both of which were damaged during Lenny.
On Friday, a short ceremony with district representative Dr. Walter Francois celebrated the success of the French effort. Meanwhile, plans for the reconstruction of the waterfront area and the relocation of some of the Baron's Drive inhabitants, are still to be finalised. The Star, Mirror and Crusader all report on the Frenchmen's hard work.
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St. Lucia elects Women of the 20th Century
Dame Dr. Pearlette Louisy, Ione Erlinger-Ford and Joyce D. Auguste have been elected as St. Lucia's Women of the 20th Century in their respective fields of Education and Government, Social Development of Women, and Music and Culture. The Voice reports this. The names of the three outstanding women were submitted by the St. Lucian Embassy at the recent gathering of the Symposium of the Alliance of Pan-American Round Tables, which was held on 14th April in Washington DC. All the member countires of the Organization of American States were asked to submit the names of three women of the 20th century. St. Lucia was represented at the meeting by Ambassador Sonia Johnny.
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Local company assists in US visa applications
There are now three ways to apply for a visa to the United States: by mailing an application to the US Embassy in Barbados, by applying in person, or by visiting a new business venture in Castries, called Visa Star Express. Managed by Colin Blackman, Visa Star Express is an agency that specialises in the preparation and processing of visa application forms. The company is not connected to the US Embassy but is recognised by it as forming an individual body in St. Lucia. According to a press release in The Voice this week, Visa Star Express helps applicants "to avoid the hassle, fatigue and overnight ruggedness endured on a temporary visit" to the Embassy in Barbados. Although Visa Star Express cannot guarantee that each application it processes will return with a visa, it assumes that there is "a reasonable degree of certainty that the applicant becomes the holder of a US visa". Should an application be denied, then the applicant receives a 40% refund of the total fee paid to the company, "as a gesture of professional ethics and to preserve a long-lasting client customer relationship", says Blackman. The company further says that its services are a little more expensive than applying for a visa through the mail-in procedure, but less expensive than travelling in person to the Embassy in Barbados.
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San Antoine to become a hotel once more
One year and ten million EC dollars down the road, the San Antoine Restaurant on the Morne is expected to re-open as a top quality business hotel, unique in design and reminiscent of the Ladera Resort in Soufriere. Owner of San Antoine, Michael Richings, reveals this in this week's issue of The Star. In 1920, San Antoine became St. Lucia's first ever hotel. The property had been built in 1860 as a private home. It was burned down in 1970 and later reopened as a restaurant in 1984. Michael and Alison Richings bought San Antoine in 1988. They have now had to sell the majority shareholding to an Irish-owned property development company, in order raise the necessary EC$10 million investment required to rebuild and extend the property. San Antoine will ultimately, will be a 54-room hotel with two swimming pools and conference facilities for up to 120 people. Rather than demolishing the existing buildings, levelling the terrain and starting to build from scratch, Richings has found an English architect able to work with the existing buildings, rather than against them. "The quality of the finished project here is going to be amazing", says Richings. The hotel intends to cater for the upper end of the tourist market, for visitors not necessarily looking for a beach holiday, but who can "appreciate the ambiance of the building and the spectacular views of Castries". The room prices will be in the US$85 and US$90 range.
There will be an open house sale at San Antoine from 4-10th May, from 10am to 3pm, where everything from crockery, cutlery, chairs and light fittings will be on sale.
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PM: develop policy for political refugees
With still no word on the outcome of Smart Duah's application for refugee status, PM Dr. Kenny Anthony this week nevertheless admitted to reporters that the issue surrounding the 24-year-old Nigerian's situation in St. Lucia has been "badly handled" and that "it was very unfortunate that politicians got involved in this matter". The Star reports this. Smart Duah was unlawfully imprisoned for three and a half years after overstaying his visa entitlement. He was freed following the intervention of a team of human rights lawyers but his subsequent application for political asylum became highly politicised after a cabinet meeting secretly voted to deport the Nigerian. This week, PM Anthony said: "I think we need to get a comprehensive review of what went wrong, but certainly I am prepared to say that it was very badly handled". The PM also placed the Duah case in a wider context. "St. Lucia is a very small country and we have to be very careful. If we develop a reputation that it is a location for political refugees then we can find ourselves in an embarrassing situation, with the flood gates open and all and sundry feeling that this is the place to come in an effort to get protection". Dr. Anthony added that there should have been a more involved role on the Smart Duah matter for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "Clearly we will have to look at our procedures and develop bilateral relationships with other countries, particularly on prison exchanges", the PM is quoted as saying.
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Certification and tighter control of taxi business
Hundreds of taxi drivers assembled at the Castries Comprehensive Secondary School on Tuesday to receive their certificates following a nine month training programme conducted under the Ministry of Tourism's Certified Taxi Drivers programme. This policy is aimed not only at training taxi drivers in the art of customer relations, tour guiding, history and culture, flora and fauna, defensive driving and safety and security, but also to help regulate the number of persons entering the taxi-driving business. Studies conducted in 1995 and 1998 report that the number of taxi seats exceeds the "absorption capacity" of the tourism industry, resulting in intense competition and regular complaints about unfair distribution of work. Addressing the graduates, prime minister Dr. Kenny Anthony said that there is "an urgent need to establish systems of licensing and rationalising both the quality of service and the number of vehicles operating as taxis". The drivers who were certified last week will be issued with special identification cards and number plates as of the 1st of May. This will give them access to special duty and tax exemptions on vehicle parts and, if they have been operating for five years or more, tax free vehicles to be used in the taxi sector for a period of up to five years. The certification programme will be reviewed every three years to accommodate newcomers. The Star reports on the graduation ceremony.
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New work permit structure maintains old problems
After almost a year, the Review Committee for the issuing of work permits has come up with a proposal - albeit one that looks remarkably like the old one in that it seeks to maintain the power of the minister of Labour to act regardless of the advice of his advisors - precisely the issue that caused the previous advisory committee to collapse. This is the gist of an article in this week's issue of The Mirror. In the middle of last year, the 11-member advisory committee on work permits, chaired by Thomas Walcott, resigned after minister of Labour Velon John issued work permits to Indian nationals against the advice of the committee. Velon John, at the time, made it clear that as far as he was concerned, the committee's role was advisory only and he was not bound by its recommendations. Since the resignation of the committee, minister John has had sole responsibility for the issuing of work permits. This week, the Review Committee consisting of Peter Devaux, Lawrence Poyotte and Michael Gordon has advised that the responsibility for granting work permits be moved to a Work Permit Authority whose members will be appointed by the Public Service Commission. The authority should get clear guidelines, outlined in a written policy document from the minister, but the minister continues to have the final say on work permits. The Review Commission also advises that the procedure for making recommendations should be expedited and made more efficient. At the same time, however, it advises that the consideration, processing and administration of work permits be the responsibility of the Civil Service - an institution which, according to The Mirror reporter David Vitalis, "is generally noted for its delays and inefficiency".
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