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Business community closes ranks behind Eagle Air

The Eagle Air affair continues to fester and although few additional facts emerged this week, the voices of protest have continued to grow. The Chamber of Commerce, the St. Lucia Industrial and Small Business Association (SLISBA), the Employers' Federation and the opposition United Workers Party all added their voices to that of Eagle Air owner and manager Ewart Hinkson, who fears that as of this week, his airline company Eagle Air may go under. Two weeks ago, it was revealed that Eagle Air would lose its sole contract with Federal Express (FedEx), following a decision by the St. Lucia Air Transport Licensing Board (ATLB) - with the consent of Aviation minister Menissa Rambally - to grant a one-year license to US airline Mountain Air. This license permits Mountain Air to operate a second plane from St. Lucia. Although Eagle Air's contract with Federal Express was not due to expire until February 2002 - and despite the fact that the ATLB in granting the Mountain Air license had stipulated that local carriers such as Eagle Air should be given special consideration - FedEx almost immediately informed Eagle Air that it would be cancelling the contract as of the 27th of August. It was further announced that Mountain Air would be taking over Eagle Air's FedEx routes from St. Lucia to Martinique and Dominica.
A debate broke out as to whether the imminent demise of Eagle Air is a case of betrayal of an indigenous business by St. Lucia's government, or whether it is the result of Eagle Air's inability to compete in the harsh reality of a global and highly competitive market [see last week's news].
In the continuing debate, minister of Aviation Menissa Rambally is receiving severe flack. According to The Voice, various business organizations are urging the minister and the Air Licensing Board to revoke the license issued to Mountain Air. "After all, FedEx has demonstrated that contracts can be gotten out of... surely licenses can be revoked just as easily". The business organizations are calling for a preferential policy for nationals. Minister Rambally has always insisted that this is precisely government's policy but Eagle Air's CEO Ewart Hinkson condems those words as "lies". The Wednesday Star prominently features photographs of Hinkson holding up placards with the words 'An Act of Betrayal' and 'Deception + lies lies lies'. Hinkson took his protest to Barclays Bank on Bridge Street in Castries where, according to the newspaper, "Several [customers] stopped to offer sympathy and comfort". Hinkson reportedly shouted: "I owe this bank thousands. I want to let the bank know how the government is treating me and my business. The bank has a right to know what is happening to business people in the country". And again: "The government has told such lies. Be very careful when going into your own business here in St. Lucia. There is nothing in place to assist you with your investments when you need help. They just don't care".

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UWP's Lewis analyses SLP years and says he's ready

Opposition United Workers Party (UWP) leader Dr. Vaughan Lewis says he and his party are "now ready to resume the dialogue on a correct and productive path of policy making for our country". He states this in a lengthy article published in this week's Voice, in which he also attempts to analyse 'where it went wrong' - in his view - with the current St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) administration. "The fact of the matter is that over these years, the government has not demonstrated that it has a policy, or coordinated series of policies, relating to the economic development of this country and its various sectors. Rather what has been in existence has been a stratagem of patronage utilising the economic and other resources available to the Government, to try to maintain the political support of the private sector. This stratagem of patronage has consisted of the selective grant of concessions on an ad hoc basis, to entice different entrepreneurs and economic groupings to support Government's activities".
One area where, according to Dr Lewis, this "stratagem of patronage and selective concessions" has been most visible is in the banana industry - but also in the economy at large, alleges Lewis, it lies at the root of today's problems. "A series of promises of a specific nature were made to different individuals and groupings in the society. We knew, from practical and observational experience, that this network of promises of concessions of one kind or another would subsequently tie the Government's hands, and compromise and then paralyze, its capacity to make effective economic policy. That is where we are today".
According to the UWP leader, there are five basic problems in the current SLP government's economic policy (or stratagem). These are, first of all, "A haphazard manner of decision-making without the required substantiation or explanation of particular policies", whereby decisions "are political rather than economic". Secondly, says Lewis, there are "Unstable taxation policies, the result, firstly, of Government's desperation for revenue  and secondly, of a laxly considered approach to external advice - an approach borne of inexperience and a refusal to utilise the services of experienced public servants, because they are not considered to be 'one of us'". Thirdly, Lewis lists "Erratic management of statutory and public corporations". He specifically mentions the Air and Sea Ports Authority and the National Conservation Authority and the tourism sector. A fourth basic problem that the UWP leader sees, is "Incomplete and inconsistent reporting to Parliament of the Government's financial affairs and intentions". Here, Lewis mentions both the Helen Air affair and the manner in which the government first decided not to accept ministerial backpay, but subsequently proceeded to give it away to Belle Fashions workers who had lost their jobs [search news archives]. Fifth and finally, Lewis observes "general indecisiveness in economic planning best demonstrated in the case of the banana industry but generally visible in the Government's trial and error approach in the important sector of education. The mixed signals which Government has given in the air transportation industry, as the competing companies grapple for market share and domination in a limited arena is another example".
Although Lewis does not explain why he and his party are only "now ready to resume the dialogue" on policy making in St. Lucia, he does add that "The meaningful choice of personnel for politics and public policy making is not about whom we like and dislike; or who sounds nice and is willing to appease and accommodate; or who comes out best in the rumour mongering and scandal husbanding and throwing so characteristic of our present society. It is about those who have had appropriate experience of public life; who are able to coalesce effective technical and practical workers and interest groups ...; those who have an appropriate perspective of today's dynamic external environment rather than an approach of begging for gifts all over the world; and those who have a vision of balanced development in today's unbalanced world".

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Caribbean Freedom Party takes on face

The Caribbean Freedom Party led by lawyer Martinus Francois has finally officially seen the light of day, after a highly informal and moderately successful launch at Sabwisha Beach in Choiseul - Francois' home village, last Sunday. Francois was accompanied by two party members and prospective candidates for the Castries South East seat and Gros Islet North respectively: Kervin Ragunanan and Sheldon Elcock. The Star, Voice and Mirror all report on this. During Sunday's meeting, the Freedom Party representatives made a case for more support for the island's young people, education and housing, and all three members unanimously condemned both the SLP and the UWP.
According to The Voice, two other members and future candidates are: McDonald Alexander (Micoud North) and Brian Charles (former representative for Choiseul). The Freedom Party will next take its promotion to Soufriere.

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Cuthbert Didier prominent in Caribbean Marina Assn

Cuthbert Didier, General Manager of the Rodney Bay Marina, is a member of the Steering Committee of the newly formed Marinas Association of the Caribbean (MAC), which forms an umbrella organization for marinas and other yachting-tourism related interests in the wider Caribbean. MAC will act as a nautical counterpart to the venerable Caribbean Hotel Association. This is reported in The Voice. Besides St. Lucia, representatives from marinas in Antigua, the Bahamas, Cuba, Grenada, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, the USA and the Virgin Islands are on the Steering Committee - all people described as "some of the finest minds in marina management in the United States and the Caribbean". Cuthbert Didier has in recent months repeatedly publicly lamented the scanty interest displayed by government representatives and tourism organizations in St. Lucia in the important contribution of the yachting sector to tourism.

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V-Fort Fisheries Complex operational in November

It is due to the St. Lucia Fish Marketing Corporation (SLFMC) and the Goodwill Fishermen's Cooperative that the new Fisheries Complex in Vieux Fort, that was officially opened by prime minister Dr Kenny Anthony on the 11th of June this year, is still not operational. So says permanent secretary in the ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr. Jimmy Fletcher. According to reports in The Star, Mirror and Voice, Fletcher explains that the SLMFC is currently transporting equipment from Castries to Vieux Fort, and setting up a management structure. The Goodwill Fishermen's Cooperative is busy "energizing the fuel station" for its members. Furthermore, says Fletcher, although fish processing and retail operations will not start until approximately two and a half months from now - in early or mid-November - the cold storage facility at the Vieux Fort Fisheries Complex has in fact been in use since last February, and the ice-making machine and a 5 ton insulated truck since March of this year.

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LIAT in alliance with Winair and Carib Aviation

LIAT and Winair of St. Maarten have formed a new business alliance, which is expected to result in "fully integrated schedules which minimize connecting times, offer wider choices and a spread of daily services, coupled with value for money through fares". This is reported in The Voice. New services will be introduced later this year between the French islands, St. Maarten, Antigua and Santo Domingo. According to LIAT's top man Garry Cullen, the alliance between LIAT and Winair comes on the heels of a recent alliance between LIAT and Antigua-based Carib Aviation. LIAT, with Winair and Carib Aviation seem to concentrate particularly on improving services to the Northern Caribbean.

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A' Level pass rate drops almost four percent

The pass rate of A' Level students dropped by almost four percent compared to last year, to an average of 74.24 percent of students having passed their exams at both Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC) and the Vieux Fort Comprehensive Secondary School (VFCSS) this year, against 78.11 percent last year. Whereas last year VFCSS just topped SALCC (78.17 against 78.05 percent), this year SALCC clearly outscores VFCSS, with 76.31 of SALCC students passing their A' Level exams, against just 72.19 percent in Vieux Fort. Also significantly reduced is the percentage of students who obtained high scores (grades A-C). In 1999, 37.25 percent of SALCC students obtained A-C levels, and 33.10 percent in Vieux Fort. This year, just 29.48 percent at SALCC scored A-C grades (a drop of almost eight percent), and 28.48 percent of students in Vieux Fort scored the high grades A-C, a drop of 4.62 percent.
At SALCC, the worst results were obtained in Biology (52.50 percent), Economics (54.55 percent) and Chemistry (64.71 percent), while the best results came in the fields of English Literature (100 percent pass), Spanish (100 percent) and French (91.67 percent). Top student in the A Level exams is Emefa Sewordor of SALCC who obtained straight A's in Economics, Mathematics, Sociology and the General Paper. Three A's and one B were obtained by Rand Jean and Erdell Maurice, also of SALCC, and Joel Charles of VFCSS. The University of Cambridge scholarship will be announced later this year.
At SALCC, 283 students wrote the exams, and 57 did so at VFCSS. The Voice and Crusader both report this.
The Star, in a background analysis of the A Level results, asked chief education officer Gaspard Charlemagne for a comment. Gaspard suggested that perhaps the fact that certain subjects were oversubscribed, resulting in students having to opt for other subjects, might have contributed to the decline in pass rates. He allegedly also suggested that "the attitude and discipline of students, and the level of tuition received" might need analysis. Permanent secretary Didacus Jules told The Star that his ministry "was conducting an analysis of the results and a release would be supplied to the media".

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Flood promises domestic violence shelter 'soon'

Minister for Health and Women's Affairs Sarah Flood-Beaubrun announced at a large international meeting on domestic violence this week, that the government has spent some $800,000 on a building that will act as a shelter for victims of domestic abuse. "Building works are going on", said the minister, who is quoted in The Star. Although the minister could not give an estimated time for completion of these works, "a functioning shelter" should be operational before long, she promised. The shelter, however, will be able to house just a very limited number of the women who require a temporary escape from abusive domestic situations. According to Flood-Beaubrun: "The shelter will be able to accommodate at least five families". The Star adds to this: "What she meant by 'families' was anyone's guess". Ione Erlinger-Forde, director of the indigent Crisis Centre, who has lobbied for a shelter for battered women and children for eleven years now, declined to comment on the news that the newly announced shelter will house some five families. "Her sigh said it all", writes The Star. Margaret McCauley, head of the Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA) who had organised the international workshop, was more direct about Flood-Beaubrun's plan for a shelter in St. Lucia. "I am disappointed. Only five families? I cannot see where there is the political will".
But political will there is, assured Flood-Beaubrun.
In the middle of last year, Flood-Beaubrun fuelled vehement controversy when she suddenly cancelled a project supported by the British government to set up a shelter in St. Lucia [search news archives].
At Wednesday's meeting, seventeen representatives from around the Caribbean targetted police officers, social workers and NGO's to train them in domestic violence intervention. Besides minister Flood-Beaubrun, also present was Deputy Police Commissioner Neil Parker, who is quoted in The Star as saying: "I have spoken to the Prime Ministers and the Minister for Health on these particular issues and I have committed my police force to doing a better job. ... Domestic violence is not just a women's issue. It is a social issue. Domestic violence is a criminal activity and must be taken on and seen in that regard. The people who are victims must come forward. It takes people to stand up and say, 'I am not going to take this anymore. I don't have to take it anymore. People have also to realise that something will be done when they come forward and that is where the police come in".

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Crime: Another week of horror in St. Lucia

Another grizzly week passed in St. Lucia, during which two men were brutally murdered, and once again the police has come in for serious criticism. On Thursday night, a homeless man who was sleeping in his usual place at the bottom of the stairs in the CDC apartment building on Jeremie Street was doused with petrol and set on fire. He burnt to death. There are no witnesses to this gruesome, deliberate murder which occurred in the early hours of the morning and the police are as yet at a loss for clues. The man, who was known by residents and others as 'David' and might have originally come from Bexon, reportedly never bothered anyone beyond staring at passersby. He is described in The Star by someone as "a quiet man, who seemed to have a mental problem". The Crusader and Mirror also report on this.
Earlier in the week, on Monday, 34-year old Nigel Prospere, a driving instructor from Augier, Vieux Fort, was shot in the back of the head, back and abdomen and subsequently thrown over the Devil's Bridge in the Choiseul area, into the river some 100 feet below. He was found by a passerby. His car was later found along the beach in Vieux Fort with bloodstains on the doors. According to The Mirror, police have no clues or leads in this incident either. Further according to The Mirror, a lady tourist was attacked and hospitalized this week also - but no further details are provided.
Finally, The Star carries the detailed story of a woman who was attacked and cut with a cutlass in her home at Cap Estate by a man who, on at least one other occasion, had broken into the US$2.5 million holiday home. After the first burglary, the family - of British origin - had security cameras installed in the house. Before long, they were burgled again - but this time, the cameras clearly recorded the perpetrators. Although the videotape was handed to the Gros Islet police almost immediately, and at least one of the burglars was recognised, no action was taken to apprehend him. Last Wednesday morning, at around 4.45 am, the same two men again entered the house, where this time they were accosted by the lady owner. One man proceeded to attack her with a cutlass and cut her head and arms before her family and two live-in housekeepers could come to her rescue. Once again, the two men escaped. It is said that the police are now actively looking for at least one of them, who is said to live in the Dennery Valley. Meanwhile, the victims have indicated that they now wish to sell their multi-million dollar home in Cap Estate and never return to St. Lucia. "We will probably lose one of our flagship rental properties, and with it the jobs which go with this villa when it is rented to tourists", states Bridget McNamara of Tropical Villa's, who manages the Cap Estate property where the attack took place. "I don't know what the answer is, really. Maybe we should just close things down here. If we can't  realistically provide tourists with protection and we can't offer them a safe holiday, then perhaps we shouldn't bring them here".
The English couple has met with Tourism minister Menissa Rambally and Assistant Commissioner of Police Hermangild Francis following Wednesday's attack. Prior to this latest attack, they had already spoken about apprehending the men recorded on the surveillance video with the Deputy Police Commissioner Neil Parker, and the St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association - apparently to no avail.
Inspector Albert Fregis, in an official response, stated: "It is disturbing, of course. It is very disturbing, but whilst it is disturbing, people must learn to protect themselves from this sort of thing". The Star continues: "When informed that the [family] had installed security cameras around the property, Inspector Fregis said: 'Video surveillance cameras are no protection when it comes to defending yourself against assailants, they can only help when it comes to identifying those who commit crimes'. Indeed".

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Curfew in Rodney Bay limits noisy hours

Police have been enforcing a strict curfew on late night music in the Rodney Bay area - to the chagrin of some and the relief of others, particularly residents, hoteliers and restaurateurs. The Lime Restaurant, the Triangle Pub and, more recently Half Yellow Moon, have all come in for serious criticism from residents because of the loud music they play, especially at weekends, when the music continues until 5 am. Although some people seem to feel, according to The Star's street interviews, that the curfew will damage the tourism industry and that it is the residents who ought to move away, most people directly involved in the Rodney Bay area seem happy with the curfew – apart from the staff and proprietors of the establishments in question. Interestingly, The Star reveals that according to a spokesperson at the ministry of Planning, this ministry does not consider the noise problem in Rodney Bay its responsibility. Because the area is a commercial touristic zone, says the spokeswoman, the noise problem is one for the police to deal with. 

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Minister Damien Greaves marries quietly in USA

Damien Greaves, minister of Culture, is reported to have "slipped quickly away to the United States to get married. According to reliable source the bride to be is a step-daughter of former representative for Dennery South, the late Remy Lesmond. Mr. Greaves replaced Mr. Remy Lesmond as the Labour Party candidate for Dennery South". The Crusader is the only paper to report this.

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Joe 'London Calling the Caribbean' Cox passes away

Producer and presenter of the famous BBC programme 'London Calling the Caribbean' Joe (Joseph) Cox passed away last Sunday at Victoria Hospital in Castries. Joe Cox would have been seventy in December. He was well-known, not only as a media personality but also for working with the governments of St. Lucia and Antigua in various capacities, including as Telecommunications Officer, Principal Information Officer, and as a radio programme maker with the Government Information Service in St. Lucia. He served with the British army in Cyprus and worked with Rediffusion in Malta. For some years, Joe Cox suffered with diabetes. He leaves to mourn his wife, Mrs. Theresa Cox and his family.

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St. Lucia votes against Cornibert at WIBDECO

Although his own country - St. Lucia - voted against him, Bernard Cornibert has been re-elected to serve for another three years as chief executive officer of the Windward Islands Banana Development Company (WIBDECO). This is revealed in The Mirror. Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada all supported Cornibert's reappointment but according to a letter written by Julian Hunte, who is appointed by the St. Lucia government to represent St. Lucia on the WIBDECO board, "Saint Lucia did not support Mr. Cornibert's reappointment". The letter was supposed to have been confidential. Cornibert, in a response, laments that the lack of confidentiality of WIBDECO board meetings but at the same time says he will not let St. Lucia's lack of support embitter him. "I do not believe that my failure to get the support of St. Lucia had anything to do with my work performance, my efficiency level or even commitment. Indeed, it has nothing to do with St. Lucia or even the St. Lucia Banana Corporation (SLBC). Instead, it has everything to do with one man, Patrick Joseph (SLBC chief) and his personal vendetta against me. Obviously, someone has decided to assist him in his campaign. I am just sad that those who are supposed to represent us, at even higher levels, cannot rise above such pettiness".
According to The Mirror, minister of Agriculture Cass Elias last week called for the removal of Cornibert as top man at WIBDECO after Cornibert expressed his suprise at news (broken by Elias and SLBC chief Patrick Joseph) two weeks ago, that Geest Bananas was considering going into liquidation [see last week's news]. Minister Elias says he has seen documentation to this effect. The Mirror, claiming to have seen this same particular document, says that it "made no reference to any discussion on liquidation". Moreover, in its editorial, The Mirror this week denounces St. Lucia's decision to vote against Cornibert, saying that St. Lucia "virtually spat in his face", and that it "exposed once again the divisive nature and the pettiness of St. Lucian politics". The Mirror also writes: "It is beginning to appear that someone in St. Lucia may want Mr. Conribert's job very badly, to the point that St. Lucia is prepared to stand alone and vote against his re-appointment".
Cornibert was re-elected during last week's Board of Directors and shareholders meeting of WIBDECO, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
One of the resolutions that came out of the board meeting is that emergency support funding will be sought from the European union to combat the price and production crisis that is facing the banana industry in the Windward Islands. This decision was reached partly on the grounds that fraud with import licenses in Europe has aggravated the plight of banana producers here. "We think a case can be made because the difficult conditions in the market were created by the illicit activity, and while we do not hold the EU culpable, they obviously have responsibility for the consequences, being managers of the market", explained Cornibert.

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Latest radio station: Hot FM

Hot FM is the latest addition to St. Lucia's radio spectrum. Broadcasting on 105.3 and 96.1 FM, Hot FM was launched on Friday. Lovers Rock, Zouk, Soca and R&B music, along with short features and a comprehensive package of local, regional and international news will form the basis of Hot FM's package. The station will be managed by Patrick Smith, who for years worked for radio stations in the New York Tri-state area. It is further expected that Tony Paul will be the new Programme Director, while former RCI employees Yasmine and Marlon Clovis also appear to have joined Hot FM. Janella Prescius, formerly of HTS/Helen FM will be managing the news and current affairs department, together with Kendal Burton who has worked with The Voice and Crusader. This is reported in The Mirror. Hot FM is St. Lucia's fifth radio station.

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