|
More foreign investors vie for space in factory shells
With eight new investors seeking to occupy factory shells at Odsan, Dennery, Bisee, Union and Vieux Fort, the National Development Corporation (NDC) is stepping up its efforts to regain possession of factory space occupied by defaulting tenants. Foreign investment and employment figures at government-owned industrial estates run by the NDC are currently experiencing a marked upsurge, the Voice newspaper reports. As a consequence, factory space has become a scarce commodity.
Officials of the NDC revealed this week that, between 1997 and 1999, nine new companies have been accommodated on one of the industrial estates, increasing employment figures from 1,649 (in 1996), to 2,236 in 1999. The companies are engaged in industries such as informatics, bottling of spring water and beverages, garment production, paper and plastic products, roofing materials and supply of vintage wines, according to The Voice. Furthermore, another three factories in Vieux Fort have expanded in the past two years, with Fenwall Electronics heading the ranks with an expansion of staff from 147 in 1997 to 423 in 1999.
The Voice further states that the NDC aims to create 1,000 new jobs every year, through direct foreign investment, and 500 through small business development. Also, the corporation intends to generate at least 250 new businesses per year, and a 5% increase in export earnings annually.
Meanwhile, the Mirror and Voice newspapers both report that the NDC's proposed Investment Mission to Jamaica, scheduled for October 12-14, has had to be be cancelled because of a lack of interest shown by the St. Lucian business community in promoting their goods and services on the Jamaican market at this point in time.
ñ BACK TO TOP OF PAGE ...
Miss Big & Beautiful outshines Miss Piton Girl
The Star newspaper this week claims that the Miss Big & Beautiful Pageant show outshone the annual Miss Piton Calendar Girl search, which was held at the same venue on the previous evening. The attendance certainly supports that conclusion, as the National Cultural Centre was jampacked on Saturday for Miss Big & Beautiful, and only partly filled for Miss Piton.
Miss Big & Beautiful was organised for the first time this year, by the Friends of Victoria Hospital, in an effort to raise funds to upgrade the hospital. The six contestants, Betheldred Philgence, Kurl Stanislaus, Sophie Alexander, Leona Philip, Ezra Charlemagne and Leah Yarde, represented various medical departments. According to the Star, they "poked fun at traditional beauty pageants", while at the same time delivering "a message that they have plenty of what it takes to be down right sexy and gorgeous". The contestants went through the standard pageant routine of talent, evening wear and swimwear. Betheldred Philgence was ultimately chosen to be Miss Big & Beautiful 1999, with Kurl Stanislaus as first runner-up. The organisers are planning on making this an annual event.
Jardin Fanis (22) is Miss Piton 2000. The organisers are considering changing the formula of the show for next year, the Mirror reports.
ñ BACK TO TOP OF PAGE ...
FAO cuts funding for fish management - but may support new projects
A honey producers cooperative, a cassava producers association and a seamoss producers group - these are three projects which are currently under consideration for support from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) but, at the same time, St. Lucia faces a cut, albeit indirectly, in financial support from FAO as far as fisheries management is concerned. Through its membership of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAF), St. Lucia is one of 32 Caribbean and Latin American countries which has been receiving financial and personal support from FAO. But due to financial constraints at FAO, the organisation will cease to act as a funding agency in the future. This was revealed at the 9th meeting of the WECAF, held last week in St. Lucia. Basically, FAO insists that WECAF is a mature enough organisation to be financially supported by its member states, instead of by FAO. The Star newspaper carries a full-page report of the conference. St. Lucia's Chief Fisheries Officer Horace Walters was nevertheless optimistic about the future of marine resource management on the island.
ñ BACK TO TOP OF PAGE ...
Minister and PS scrutinise own inadequacies in int'l negotiations
Better preparation before engaging in international negotiations - that is the bottom line conclusion reached by two high ranking government officials on separate occasions this week.
Earl Huntley, permanent secretary in the ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade this week noted that for St. Lucia and the other banana producing states in the Caribbean, the experience with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has been a very bitter one. But, Huntley said, in a sense this has been brought on by complacency. "It has been our fault because when the negotiations were taking place for the establishment of the WTO countries like ourselves were not there or if we were there we were just barely there", said Huntley. "You do not attend now but when the negotiations are over you pay for not attending and that is what has happened".
In light of this observation, Huntley welcomed a four-day seminar held in St. Lucia this week aimed at strengthening the negotiation power of African, Caribbean and Pacific delegates to the next ministerial conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). This meeting is scheduled to be held in Seattle in November. "In the past, participation of developing countries in the WTO's ministerial negotiations had been restricted, leaving them basically standing in the corridors of the negotiating process. It is hoped that by having some input from African, Caribbean and Pacific states, the WTO will be able to reduce the risk of marginalisation in the future". This is reported in both the Star and Thursday Voice newspapers.
At a separate meeting this week, minister of Agriculture Cassius Elius similarly admitted that small states like St. Lucia suffer because of their inability to manipulate negotiations with international trade organisations like the WTO, and major nations like the US. "We do not take advantage because our technical people lack the expertise, knowledge and understanding and so, very often, as politicians we are not properly advised", the Star quotes Elias. The minister's observation came at the opening of the 30th meeting of the OECS Economic Affairs Ministers, held last week. Speaking in the context of the banana issue, Elias further said that due to several shifts in positions, the producing countries have been left powerless. "In reality we are not party to the process. The Americans simply ask us, Mr. Minister tell us what you want and we will transmit this to the European Union, but they deny us access to those meetings at which those same issues are going to be discussed". The Star reports this.
ñ BACK TO TOP OF PAGE ...
CSA wary about possibility of downsizing civil service
The Civil Service Association (CSA) is entering discussions with government representatives with some misgivings about the proposed direction that public sector reforms will take. In particular, the CSA is not assured that there will be no cuts in the civil service. Director of Public Service Reform, Mark Louis, will meet on Wednesday with representatives of the CSA, to debate a so-called green paper on the matter. The CSA general secretary, Larence Poyotte, says that although there is no definite statement in the paper regarding the size of the civil service, certain passages indicate that the government might be thinking of down-sizing. The Mirror opens its frontpage with this news. The paper claims that "the size of the public service, and what to do about it, has been a hot issue here since the early 1980s. Successive governments, supported by reports from international financial institutions like the [...] IMF have been noting the high cost of the public service on the earnings of the country. But any suggestion of mass redundancies as a solution has been strongly rejected by the public sector trade unions, which believe that the measure will create intolerable unemployment and social collapse".
ñ BACK TO TOP OF PAGE ...
Lotto jackpot at $780,000 record high - long queues at lottery agents
Long queues as gas stations, supermarkets and other Lotto Agents betray the fact that the National Lottery jackpot has reached a new record high, topping the win of $701,253 by a Vieux Fort resident on November 17th 1998. Last Friday, the jackpot stood at $710,000 and once again, there was no jackpot winner, thus bringing the amount up past the three-quarter million dollar mark, to $780,000. No jackpot has been won since July 2nd. The Mirror reports on this.
ñ BACK TO TOP OF PAGE ...
Violin festival to keep folk dancing alive
In an attempt to preserve the tradition of violin music in St. Lucia, the Helen Folk Dancers recently carried out a survey around the island, and registered ten violin bands. Eight of these are scheduled to perform on Sunday afternoon at the National Cultural Centre as part of Creole Heritage Month. "The music of our folk dances needs to be preserved", Helen Folk Dancers' founder and co-ordinator Mrs. Theresa Hall, told reporters this week, "for if there is no violin music there cannot be continuity with the dances". The Star and Mirror newspapers both dedicate substantial articles to the Violin Festival. Third Eye, Allegro PanGroove, the St. Lucia School of Music Folk Band and the United Talent Club of the Blind Welfare Assn. will support the concert.
ñ BACK TO TOP OF PAGE ...
Salvation Committee critical of SLBC executives' salaries
Patrick Joseph, the chairman of the St. Lucia Banana Corporation (SLBC) comes under heavy criticism this week from the assistant secretary of the Banana Salvation Committee (SLB), Gilbert Pierre. Pierre claims that Joseph's salary as chairman of the SLBC is too high and that all executives' salaries should be tied to the prices that are being paid to farmers for their fruit. Furthermore, Pierre claims, there is no need for the SLBC to have both an Executive Chairman and a General Manager, since "they are doing the same job". This is reported as such in the Voice. The accusation is particularly poignant since a few years ago, Patrick Joseph was himself the chairman of the BSC, and in that capacity expressed the opinion that the then-general manager's salary was too high, and ought to be more in line with the fluctuating price of bananas. The BSC is set to hold a rally in Desruisseaux this Sunday at which it will discuss banana prices and other matters. The Voice carries this news on its front page this week.
ñ BACK TO TOP OF PAGE ...
Overseas Telephone charges drop an average 27%
Charges for overseas phonecalls have dropped by an average of 27 percent, from this week. This was confirmed by Cable and Wireless, who first announced the price cut last August. All international calls at weekends, all day Saturday and Sunday, now cost less than US$1.00 per minute. Calls to the US at weekends are US$0.75 per minute. No international calls cost more than US$2.00 per minute. "Residential and business customers across the Caribbean will see significant savings in their October phone bill, and in all subsequent bills", C&W CEO Odie Donald said. The Mirror reports this.
ñ BACK TO TOP OF PAGE ...
New Chinese ambassador takes up post
His Excellency Liang Jianming has officially taken up his post as Ambassador of the People's Republic of China in St. Lucia. Last Wednesday, the diplomat of long-standing service and experience held a cocktail reception, which was attended by several high-ranking persons in the community. The Chinese Embassy is located at Cap Estate. Jianming replaces Gu Pine Arh, whose tenure came to an end on August 18 and who has been applauded by the government of St. Lucia for his involvement in the construction of a Free Trade Zone and the implementation of a National Sports Stadium, both projects in Vieux Fort. Jianming is being accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Wang Feng-Zhen. In a page-long article, the Voice this weekend sketches an account of China's recent history.
ñ BACK TO TOP OF PAGE ...
Internet technology conference in the making
Before the year is over, St. Lucia should see its first ever internet technology conference and exhibition. This promise comes from the St. Lucia chapter of CAMDA (Caribbean Management Development Association). The exhibition aims to update St. Lucians on advancements made in telecommunications and internet technologies. It will take the form of an interactive trade fair.This is reported in the Voice.
CAMDA asks all persons involved in the distribution of computer hardware and software, development and promotion of websites and other internet-related services (including e-commerce) to contact Kimberlie Xavier at tel. 451-7623 to register for participation in this conference/exhibition.
ñ BACK TO TOP OF PAGE ...
Derek Walcott supports Universal Children's Day
Universal Childen's Day, on October 7th, will be marked on the island with an ecumenical service at the Cathedral in Castries on Tuesday 5th, and a special rally at Derek Walcott Square on Thursday 7th. In a special gesture to support the observance of the Universal Rights of Children, Nobel Laureate Sir Derek Walcott met in Mexico City this week with a select group of other notable Latin American and Caribbean writers to sign a Manifesto for Children. It is hoped that the manifesto, which has been signed by key opinion makers in the region, will give addtional political leverage to the cause of children among all sectors of society. The Star reports this.
ñ BACK TO TOP OF PAGE ...
New video company to produce quality local TV programmes
Bernard Fanis, an award-wining television producer and journalist, has set up a new video company, called Visual Domain Limited. With him on the team are a number of other television producers, and someone with marketing/sales experience. Visual Domain Ltd. will specialise in producing quality local television programmes and in making entertainment and sports events more television-ready.
ñ BACK TO TOP OF PAGE ...
|
