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Quote of the week:
"Suddenly, the twenty-first century is here and most of us will find that change, either way, did not come on the scale that was predicted, if at all. If there is one lesson from the just-ended century and millennium that must be a guide to life in the next, it is the uselessness of creating alarm, mainly through politics and religion - perhaps the two most influential, yet chaotic and confusing organisational forces of the last two thousand years".
David Vitalis in The Mirror (7/1/2000)
Y2K causes anti-climax in tourism industry
"Hoteliers expected bumper occupancies as a result of the millennium celebrations but their expectations have fallen flat, resulting in a major anti-climax for the tourism sector". This is the sobering conclusion of Berthia Parle, president of the St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA), as reported in The Star. "Usually at this time of the year and even up to the second week in January, you would find every single hotel fully booked but the current levels are certainly the lowest we have witnessed in five to six years", says Parle. "The majority of hotels are way down in occupancy, some as low as 20, 30 and 40 per cent".
Parle cites tourists' anxiety over Y2K computer problems, as well as the lingering effects of hurricane Lenny as possible causes for the slump in hotel occupancy rates. In addition, she reports, some hotels and airline companies had raised their prices in an attempt to make an extra dollar out of the millennium celebrations. Instead, however, many travellers appear to have opted to go elsewhere or stay at home. The plunge in occupancy rates affects not only St. Lucia but other Caribbean destinations as well, particularly those hit by hurricane Lenny, in November. "We have been talking to a number of hoteliers in other islands and it appears that everybody is in the same boat", according to the SLHTA president. It is expected that occupancy rates will increase again by the middle or end of January.
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British High Commissioner denies charge of racism
The British High Commissioner in St. Lucia, Peter Hughes, is facing a British employment tribunal over accusations of racial discrimination and unfair dismissal brought against him by a former British Consular Officer. According to an article in British newspaper The Daily Telegraph, Hughes has denied the accusations. In St. Lucia, The Voice carries a short article to this effect.
Former British Consular Officer Pamela Baptiste (43, born in Bushey, Herts, just outside of London) alleges that Peter Hughes "promoted a racist culture" at the High Commissioner's Office in St. Lucia, which "smacked of colonial attitudes". In a statement to the tribunal, Baptiste claims that "an office keyring had 'white is right' tippexed on it. Further, that black office workers were ordered to look down when speaking to Foreign Office staff and to refer to them as master or mistress".
According to The Voice, Baptiste was dismissed by Hughes in 1998 for failing to provide him with information regarding her business interests or connections with business interests. Baptiste first filed a case against Hughes in the St. Lucian High Court but withdrew this later, saying it was "going nowhere". According to The Voice, this may have been the result of the fact that cases against a person who enjoys diplomatic immunity in St. Lucia - like the High Commissioner - must be filed following particular procedures.
Peter Hughes has denied the accusations, saying they are "completely without foundation" and "a misrepresentation of the truth". "Being accused as a racist is extremely upsetting to me. I am not one", Hughes said.
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Thieves spoil millennium fireworks at Reduit
A massive half-hour firework display planned to mark the turn of the millennium at Reduit Beach and a wide surrounding area went out with a fizzle, after an unknown person or persons made off with the goods. Some $35,000 worth of fireworks had been installed on a platform anchored 200 yards off shore, in front of the Rex Hotel and timed to go off at midnight. The display started on time but was aborted after just five minutes. Investigations revealed that the remainder of the fireworks had been stolen. General manager of the Rex Resorts, Alan Hunter, in an open letter to the newspapers calls the act "A sad reflection in the face of tourism. What thoughts and opinions will have been made about St. Lucia by our guests who, as a result of this act, suffered great disappointment". Hunter also said he hoped the thieves "are proud of their actions, but then they probably don't have a brain cell between them".
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Crime rates drop in '99 - but only two murders solved
Eighteen homicides, of which "close to ten percent" have been "cleared up, with one outstanding case soon expected to result in an arrest". That is one of the feats on which Police Commissioner Francis Nelson prided himself earlier this week during the formal release of St. Lucia's criminal statistics for the year 1999. On the whole, crime rates have decreased in 1999 as compared to 1998, which year saw "an unprecedented level of criminal activity ... most of which took the form of armed robberies". The Mirror reports this.
In 1999, there were 1,591 house break-ins, as compared to 2,031 in 1998. "So there has been a significant reduction in the number of incidents in 1998", said Nelson. "We cleared up 161 of the 2,031 [7.9%] and in 1999, we resolved 357 [22.4%] which also suggests that a lot of work is being done by the police".
In addition, the police seized more firearms in 1999 than the previous year, as well as 125 kilos of cocaine and 280 kilos of marijuana, while some 40,000 marijuana plants were destroyed.
As for crime and tourism, Nelson reported that whereas just three cases were resolved in 1998 out of a total of 75 reported crimes (4%), in 1999 ten cases out of 72 were solved (making for a 13.8% success rate). With respect to the figures provided in The Mirror newspaper for homicides, it must be concluded that just one or two murders have been solved.
According to The Star however, two senior police officers claimed on national television last week that only two 1999 homicides still need to be resolved. The newspaper takes issue with that view, quoting a number of as yet unresolved murder cases, including the deaths of four persons allegedly killed by police. "Over the last several days at least three mentally ill persons were shot to death by policemen detailed to take them in for treatment", The Star claims. The newspaper further questions developments following the December 5th death of a 20-year-old Castries man, Marvin Joseph, who was shot four times in the back by police officers.
Police Commissioner Nelson, remarking on the fact that in 1999, the number of reported cases of police brutality has increased, said: "This is a problem that we are grappling with and we are taking a serious zero tolerance approach to these incidents. We simply cannot allow the good work and the good name of the Force to be tarnished by persons engaged in that level of conduct". According to The Mirror, in 1999 three police officers were dismissed and one disciplined for misconduct.
Meanwhile, relatives of Marvin Joseph are appealing to the prime minister to arrange an inquiry into the young man's death. According to the victim's sister: "My family are getting nowhere with the police. We have no idea if there will be an inquest. The police keep putting us off".
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Expats told to stay out of island's environmental issues
Environmentalists in St. Lucia have been told by the Assistant Chief Fisheries Officer not to get involved in issues to do with the island's marine resources, especially since according to the officer, most environmentalists are expatriates. In a similar vein, minister for the Environment, Cassius Elias in a recent television broadcast said that his ministry would not allow itself to be 'blackmailed' by environmentalists who, he said, 'have their own agenda'. The minister further implied that by their actions, these groups threaten the viability of the tourism industry.
The two statements come in the wake of criticisms from various environmentalist and animal protection groups, both on the island and abroad, following a decision by the government to temporarily lift the ban on turtle fishing.
In a statement to The Star newspaper, the St. Lucia Animal Protection Society (SLAPS) expressed its disapproval of being labelled "a bunch of ex-pats". Vice-president Barbara Cadet explained that 82 percent of SLAPS' 122 members are residents, of whom about a quarter are non-nationals. The remaining 18 percent are tourists and part-time residents. SLAPS is "an approved membership association dedicated to the welfare of St. Lucia's animals, both wild and domesticated", Cadet says. SLAPS recently became affiliated with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) in the U.K and has applied to join the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA).
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New millennium creates no great stir in St. Lucia
No major incidents occurred following the turn of the millennium in St. Lucia. The Y2K bug did not display its much-feared bite, but neither did any of the festivities planned to mark the millennium moment create a great stir of enthusiasm. Assou Square – held this year at Cul de Sac - turned into a mud bath, with vendors seeing much rain and very slow business on the first two days, with an upsurge only on the third and last day of the annual fair. A "disaster" and a "disappointment", The Voice judged. Furthermore, a fireworks display scheduled for Reduit and surrounds was aborted due to theft (see story elsewhere on this page) . The overall feeling following the advent of the year 2000, as reported in the papers this week, seems to be one of anti-climax. "Now that we are all back to normal ... we still have the same global, national, community and personal issues to struggle with. All the unsolved problems keep growing and all the nagging issues keep nagging", writes The Mirror in its editorial. And The Star agrees, quoting the famous phrase "The more things change, the more they remain the same".
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Salary increases for ministers approved in House
An additional 1.4 million EC dollars will be spent on salaries for ministers and top executives in the civil service, following the ratification by the House of Assembly of a proposal to increase salaries for top officials. This is reported in The Star. Under the new regulations, government ministers who currently get EC$97,680 a year in salary and allowances, will receive between EC$124,438 and EC$142,438, depending on place of residence. The prime minister's salary (including allowances) moves from EC$121,932 to a maximum of EC$152,739. The governor-general will receive anywhere between EC$110,165 and EC$157,375 a year. According to prime minister Dr. Kenny Anthony, "the proposed increases would correct the anomaly of permanent secretaries who report to ministers, earning much more than ministers, who were elected by the people and took overall responsibility for the affairs of the country". Permanent secretaries currently earn between EC$94,800 and EC$122,600 a year. They will move up to between EC$100,626 and EC$129,006 a year.
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Leprosy awareness takes center stage
Leprosy awareness is gaining full attention this month, with a full-page newspaper article in The Voice and messages being broadcast in the electronic media. Although leprosy has been steadily on the decline, the disease continues to claim victims in St. Lucia, as elsewhere in the world. In an attempt to take away fears and superstitions about the disease, the St. Lucia Leprosy Unit is explaining its symptoms and dangers. Whereas in the past, people with leprosy were quarantined for life (both Rat Island and Malgretoute, Soufriere were leprosy quarantine stations at one time), the discovery in 1982 of a complete cure has brought about much change. Nevertheless, the fear and stigma of the disease continue to prevent medical agencies in the island from stamping it out altogether. "Leprosy is not a visitation of godly wrath. It does not indicate lack of cleanliness or low social status. Leprosy is a disease spread by close contact with someone who has the infectious form of the disease", says doctor Marie Grandison-Didier, dermatologist at the Victoria Hospital. She calls on people to closely monitor any lightening of the colour of the skin, reduction or loss of feeling in these areas and pain or tenderness in the nerves, and to seek medical advice in case of doubt.
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Record Blue Marlin caught 3 km off Castries
The largest Blue Marlin ever to have been caught by rod and reel in the lower Caribbean region - this is how The Star describes the 940 pound, 13-feet Blue Marlin caught on January 4th just three kilometers off the Castries harbour. Parisian journalist Jean-Michel Caradec'h and his British companion Marion Highlands took an 'exploratory' trip aboard the 35 foot 'Bounty Hunter', one of Captain Mike's Sport Fishing boats from Vigie Cove. With Lenny Rambally and ship's mate Noah, the Frenchman struggled for four hours to bring in his huge catch. An 80 pound test line was used to bring in the Marlin. The previous island record was a 707 pound Blue Marlin, caught in 1996 by Martiniquan Jean Francois Fredonic. The Star reports this.
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In-fighting continues at Banana Salvation Committee
The Banana Salvation Committee (BSC) continues its in-fighting, after president Fred Flood wrote dismissal letters to a number of members of the executive. Members of the executive reacted promptly, informing Flood that they had not been elected by him and therefore could not be dismissed by him. All thirteen members of the BSC executive are elected by banana farmers and therefore a general meeting should be called if any problems arise, according to the group of angry executive members. Spokesperson for the group, Majorie Alexander, said that disciplinary action will be taken against Fred Flood and three of his protegees on the executive. This is reported in The Star.
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