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Quotes:
Already in many of our islands we are witnessing the upsurge of a thriving sex industry hidden under the guise of exotic dancing, involving female youth who are jeopardizing their health through being put at risk for sexually transmitted diseases, which could decimate the citizens of a small economy. There seems to be a pervasive and continued blindness to these issues ...".
George Odlum, minister of Foreign Affairs, in a speech to the 30th general assembly of the Organization of American States on 5th June (The Crusader, 10th June).
"People like Lorraine Williams I can tolerate, because she makes a lot of sense, is articulate and speaks fearlessly, apart from the fact that she cuts an attractive figure on TV. But for heaven's sake DBS, let us have less and less of characters like Henry Mangal and their one-track views, who cannot see beyond their party. When a man is a media commentator and cannot give a commentary without quoting other people, he becomes a joke in my eyes".
Juno Severin in a letter to the editor, on the DBS Television Commentary segment (The Mirror 9th June).
"Who ever thought that John Compton would be the subject of complimentary calypso?"
"His first song, 'Rod Kyan Kill De Cat' got the most provocative mixed response. To generalize, women didn't like it and men did".
"Let calypso be its own language, its own art form, with its own rules and its own rules for breaking rules".
'Scribbler', reporting on performances at the Master Blaster Calypso Tent and Take Over Tent (The Mirror 9th June).
"Parker could not say how much support he had but ventured to theorise that he would be starting with a 30% disadvantage - those who would never support him. The right thing to do, he said, would be to concentrate on a probable 20% support and the 50% undecided".
New Deputy Commissoner of police Neil Parker, a white Canadian 'Mountie', speculating on the support he can muster for his task of reforming the Royal St. Lucian Police Force (The Mirror, 9th June).
"For example there are certain set formulae as to how you go about calculating salaries and perks and benefits. For example let me read to you what was the recommendation of the Commission which will give you an indication of the complexity of the exercise. I'm glad I don't have to say that in patois".
Earl Bousquet, trying to explain to Andre Paul on HTS radio what the Salaries Review Committee had advised on the issue of back pay for ministers of government (The Voice 10th June).
"Being the middle ingredient of the bourgeoisie sandwich, the Labour Party cannot enjoy a concordant performance profile. What this article tries to enunciate is a cultural conglomerate interlaced with a skilfully contrived matrix of heterogeneous packages designed to destabilize the Party".
Pat Brown on ?? (The Voice 10th June. The St. Lucia Online News Team eagerly awaits a more precise explanation of what Mr. Brown intended to convey in this paragraph).
"Note: If you feel you may encounter a la Diablesse on your way home from a party - take off all your clothes, turn them inside out, put them on again, and this will surely protect you from La Diablesse".
(The Voice, Canelles - 10th June).
"Misinformation, giving viewers and readers the impression that the Prime Minister's house has more rooms than Buckingham Palace is hogwash. ... Today, almost every St. Lucian gravitates to a multi-room mansion with swimming pool, Jacuzzis and even a tennis court. Hence, we could not accept a Prime Minister who opted for anything less".
Pat Brown on what he describes as "the vicious attempts by external forces to isolate the Labour government" (The Voice, 10th June).
"The complex English language becomes delightfully confusing in our St. Lucian culture where it is sprinkled or dipped in African, French, Jamaican, American and Cuban Spanish phonetics and titillated by our Creole patois. But the delight is made septic when our lips blurt out the faux pas or when our tongues stumble in our efforts to mimic another culture. ... [T]here were quite a few scares during the budget debate when several parliamentarians 'axed' the prime minister and the minister of communications and works".
Le Roy Charles, letter to the editor on 'Langue Maman Nous, and all that' (The Star, 10th June).
"Indeed some families are surviving on $12,000 a year. On that amount students have to be sent to school and provided with books, uniforms, food and nourishment. Light bills, water bills, cooking gas bills and medical bills have to be paid out of that amount. not to mention the other necessities and affordable luxuries of life. But it will take $30,000 a year to maintain a constituency office with one secretary, perhaps a refrigerator and one or two forty watt light bulbs. If there were ever an allowance that ought not to have been increased by such an astronomical amount; this is the one".
The Thursday Voice, editorial (8th June).
"Listen to Bousquet in the House of Assmebly in 1979 at the time of a debate on a Dangerous Drugs Amendment Bill: '... anytime an amendment or a bill is before this honourable House dealing with dangerous drugs, members of the Opposition, to put it mildly, get excited. You have no objection to the word 'excited', I hope?"
The Mirror on former parliamentarian, Allan Bousquet, who was laid to rest last Thursday at the age of 93 (9th June).
"Allan Bousquet deserved every minute of his official funeral. Never one for pomp and ceremony, he would probably have shunned it all. In the circumstances, however, what choice did he have?"
The Star (10th June). |
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New Fisheries Complex to diversify island's economy
From Japan to St. Lucia with love - the EC$54 million dollar Fisheries Complex in Vieux Fort is being officially opened this Sunday 11th June by prime minister Dr Kenny Anthony. The largest of its kind in the subregion and a present from the government of Japan, the new Fisheries Complex is expected to encourage the continuing increase in fish landings from Vieux Fort, Laborie and Choiseul, as well as becoming the home of a fish processing industry that is compliant with international standards. This would make it possible, for the first time, for St. Lucian fish products to penetrate high-quality markets in Europe.
The Vieux Fort Fisheries Complex has been more than a year in the making. The complex contains an additional 400 tons of cold storage capacity, offices for the Goodwill Fishermen's Cooperative, a retail outlet, ice-making and a fish processing facility and an artifical harbour where fishermen can moor their vessels.
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Cass Elias, describes the Fisheries Complex as "another important step in the diversification thrust" of his ministry. "Much has been written and said in recent times of the challenges and uncertainties facing our primary export crop, bananas, and unfortunately we have been so consumed with developments in that sector that many of us have failed to notice the significant changes that are taking place to allow us to respond to the challenge that banana restructuring poses".
The development of the fishing industry, says Elias, offers "tremendous growth potential, with an ability not only to assist with food security, but also to create employment, generate income, and earn and save foreign exchange". The Voice this week carries a special 'Vieux Fort Fisheries Complex Supplement'. (picture taken from The Voice)
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Allan Bousquet laid to rest in atmosphere of unity
At the age of 93, Joseph Robert Allan Bousquet, St. Lucia's longest-serving parliamentarian and a man widely admired for his selflessness, humility, integrity, commitment and tender humour, was brought to his final resting place last Thursday. A funeral service at the Catholic Cathedral in Castries was attended by several hundreds of relatives, friends and acquaintances, including the governor-general, prime minister, former prime minister and the chief justice, as well as official delegations of the police band and rifle detail, the St. Lucia Ex-Services League, the Rose of Eden Lodge, the Babonneau Mothers and Fathers Group and the Babonneau Choir.
Although Bousquet's long-standing friend and fellow United Workers Party representative Sir John Compton was one of the speakers during the ceremony at the Cathedral, the funeral service is described in The Star as "one of those all-too-rare occasions when national unity rose to the fore. St. Lucia had decided to bury its political hatchets to pay tribute to someone special".
The Bousquet family had specifically requested that the service remain devoid of politicizing and indeed, "The atmosphere at the Cathedral Thursday was one where politicians from opposing camps sank their differences and reached across the divide to greet each other in the name of Allan Bousquet", The Star concluded.
The Mirror carries a page-long article on Bousquet's political career, which started in 1961 when he won the Castries North-West/Gros Islet seat for the St. Lucia Labour Party. In 1964, both Allan and his brother JMD Bousquet resigned from the SLP government following differences of opinion about the management of the then-nascent banana industry. As a result, the SLP government fell. In the elections that followed, both Allan and JMD Bousquet ran as independent candidates. They both won their seats and subsequently joined the new UWP government. In years to come, Allan served as minister of Social Affairs, minister of Communications and Works and minister of Education and Health. He was also deputy speaker of the House of Assembly from 1964 to 1967.
The Tuesday Voice, in its editorial, mourns the passing of Bousquet, saying his death "signifies the closing of many important chapters in our history, chapters that speak volumes about whence we came and about our development from a British colony, to an associated state and finally an independent country. The passing of Allan signifies the changing of the guard: men and women who contributed tremendously to building the nation and keeping the faith and the trust of the people. The likes of Joseph Robert Allan Bousquet we shall never see again. His likeness shall never grace the campaign platforms of St. Lucia politics again. For his contributions, we salute him. May he rest in peace".
All newspapers dedicate articles to the passing of Bousquet.
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Common Entrance Exam results tumble once more
Although more children sat the Common Entrance Exam this year than ever before (4530) and more were assigned to secondary schools than ever before (2049), the national average tumbled once again, falling to a low of 41.118% percent. This means that of 4530 students registered to sit the exam, less than half (2166) scored a passing grade. The Crusader describes this situation as "a big disappointment".
Last year, the national average was 44 percent and, at the time, this gave the ministry of Education cause for concern. With respect to this year's results, minister of Education Mario Michel is quoted: "The exams went fairly well this year. However we have experienced a drop in the overall average which was 44% last year and is 41.2% this time around. This we attribute to the low results obtained in the mathematics paper". The average score on mathematics this year was 28.32 percent. "But overall, we were able this year to send more students to secondary school". The Star writes this.
This year's CE exam represents a break with the past in the sense that the ministry has broken with the traditional practice of consulting teachers prior to designing the examination questions. Instead, the ministry this year assigned total control of the exam to a three-member examinations team. Even before the results came out, last week, teachers, parents and others had already expressed criticism about the degree of difficulty and, in some instances, the alleged inappropriateness of the questions.
Overall, girls once again outperformed boys in virtually every subject of the examinations. In English Language, girls scored an average of 51.321%, boys 42.204%. For the General Paper, girls scored 50.479%, boys 45.831%. In Mathematics ("a disaster", writes The Crusader), girls scored 29.607% and boys just 27.021%.
The best-performing schools this year were Bonne Terre Private (62%), Tapion Private (60%), Pierrot Combined (54%), Carmen René (51%), Anglican (50%), Balata (49%), Boguis (47%), Ave Maria ( 47%), Camille Henry, Bocage, Rivere Doree, Dugard, Laborie Girls and Plain View Combined (all at 45%). The best student of the island was Sharbachas Edward from Vieux Fort Primary, who scored 88%, followed by Shervon Antoine (Camille Henry Memorial), Kareem Francois (Methodist Primary), Gregory Louisy (Mongouge Combined), Latchman Singh (Gros Islet Primary), Marenka Odlum (Anglican), Maudy Lewis (Anglican), Raque Augustin (Plain View Combined), Kervory Charlery (Plain View Combined) and Sunshine Edward (Bexon Combined).
The Mirror, in its brand new 'Southern Section', pays special attention to Sharbachas Henry and her teacher, Pamella Aldonza, both of Vieux Fort Primary School. Not only did 'Sherby' Edward top the island's list of students but for the first time in her career, teacher Aldonza saw all 35 children in her class pass the Common Entrance exams.
All children who managed to score the national average or higher have been assigned places in secondary schools, as have 359 pupils who scored just under the average but for whom school places were still available.
Incidentally, the ministry of Education, Human Resource Development, Youth and Sports is set to launch its new website on Thursday 15th June. Data from the statistics department will be available there, as will the Education Development Plan 2000, the school calendar and procedures for school transfers. Also included will be information on scholarship opportunities.
The webaddress is www.education.gov.lc or www.youthandsports.gov.lc
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Rape suspect under police protection at hospital
The man who was the sole suspect in the 1997 rape-murder of 13 year-old Trisha Dennis but who was released after the evidence against him "was bungled by those handling the case", has been placed under 'round the clock police protection at Victoria hospital after "people trooped to his hospital bed by the dozens to jeer at him". The Thursday Voice reports this.
Last week, it was reported that the man in question was about to be picked up by police again after a 26-year-old woman from Grand Riviere accused him of raping her. Before he could be arrested however, the man allegedly tried to hang himself and, when that failed, said he consumed gramozone, a lethally poisonous weedkiller. He has since been in hospital, where the presence of a police guard has now been deemed necessary to safeguard the accused's life and to allow hospital staff to perform their work unhindered. [See last week's news]
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Post office on sick-out; teachers threaten action
Workers in the parcel post section of the Castries post office went on a sick-out on Monday and Tuesday, causing several post offices around the island to close their doors. They were supported by the Civil Service Association. CSA president Lawrence Poyotte says the workers are "extremely frustrated" and urges the authorities to pay attention to their complaints. The Star writes this.
According to the newspapers, one of the workers stated the reason for the sick-out as follows: "Of concern to us is the stoppage of overtime, the general working conditions and the issue of uniforms and shoes. We asked for an air condition unit months ago. Sometimes the heat is so unbearable. This has not been attended to. They are supposed to give us safety shoes. There is a shortage of staff, and I have to tell you the volume of post has increased tremendously over the years. Yet they are stopping the overtime. The authorities are not listening to us".
Asked for comments, Postmaster General Ianthe Charlemagne explained that work on the air conditioning unit should have started in March but that parts for this unit "are still on the wharf". The shoes that workers are entitled to could not be purchased in bulk, and vouchers that were offered to the workers instead were refused, according to the Postmaster. "As far as overtime payments are concerned", said Ms. Charlemagne, "I would say that this is a budgetary problem. ... The stoppage of overtime is not a deliberate thing, it all depends on what is in the budget. I have to work with what is allocated".
Finally, with respect to the issue of understaffing, Ms. Charlemagne suggested that a manpower study would be necessary. "You have to look at who is sitting doing nothing and idling. There is a volume of items that people are supposed to process within an hour, that is not being done".
Meanwhile, the National Executive Committee of the St. Lucia Teachers Union (SLTU) has asked the minister of Finance to provide them with "a definite date" by which the payment of increments to teachers will begin. According to the SLTU, there has already been an "inordinate delay", considering that during the last round of negotiations between government and teachers, agreement was reached to reinstate increments as of April 1999. The SLTU says that provision was made in the budget for $1.8 million dollars for this but to date, no payments have been made. The Mirror writes this. The SLTU Executive now intends to demand a definite date from government, "mindful of recent civil unrest involving teachers in St. Vincent and Grenada and mindful, too, of recent plans by Government to pay handsome back pay to parliamentarians".
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John Compton queries legality of water rate increase
Former prime minister Sir John Compton is refusing to pay the water bills at his private home and his office until the Water and Sewerage Company WASCO "satisfactorily" replies to his letters of April and May. In these, Compton challenges the legality of WASCO's increase in the price of water by 100 percent as of January 2000. According to Compton, WASCO continues to be governed by the Public Utilities Commission Act and hence, he reasons, any changes in water rates must be in accordance with this Act. The Voice confirms that according to the attorney general's office, the Public Utilities Commission Act is indeed still in force not yet having been repealed, despite the fact that the previous water and sewerage authority (WASA) has since been privatised to become WASCO. Furthermore, claims Compton, WASCO is not in possession of a licence to provide the people of St. Lucia with water and sewerage removal services as stated by the Water and Sewerage Act no. 13 of 1999.
In a first response, WASCO this week said that it is currently seeking an external legal opinion on the matter. WASCO promises to respond to Compton as soon as that opinion has been received.
In its editorial, The Voice surmises that WASCO finds itself in a legal quandary, not having investigated the legal authority for its price increases prior to implementing them. On the other hand, writes the editor, "this may all be a matter that could be cleared up quite simply. For although the Water and Sewage Act gives WASCO the power to fix rates and charges for the services it performs, it also gave Cabinet similar powers to fix rates and charges until WASCO can do so as authorized by the Act".
In his letter to WASCO, Compton warns that should the company attempt to interfere with or cut off the water supply to his residence or office, he will apply to the High Court for an injunction and claim exemplary damages for any loss or inconvenience arising as a result of such interference.
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Islander Hotel to expand; gaming on the cards
If all goes well, then eighteen months from now, the Islander Hotel will boast 254 rooms and will have been transformed into a full-fledged EP Resort with conference facilities and duty free shops. "We are trying our best to bring a different twist to the hospitality industry", says chief executive officer of the Islander Hotel William Charles - perhaps better known in St. Lucia as the owner of American Drywall Building Centre Ltd. "I believe the timing is right for our involvement in this new hotel development project. The banana industry has virtually collapsed and we can see no light in terms of reviving it just yet. I believe that the hospitality industry is all we have to lean on now".
The Voice reports this. On 1st June, Charles hosted a business meeting to launch the new hotel development plan. Also involved in the project are Diamond Crowns Holdings Limited, which is the parent company for the new Islander, Radisson Hotels Worldwide, which will serve as marketing and booking agent, and Driftwood Ventures Inc., which will manage the hotel upon its completion. According to William Charles, the partnership with international companies will ensure a welcome injection of foreign capital into the St. Lucian economy, which will help to "make things turn-around". Charles expects that some 300 people will be employed at the new Islander once it is fully operational.
Although not dwelling specifically on the topic of casino gambling, the interview with Charles does reveal that gaming may well be on the cards for the new Islander Hotel. Charles is quoted as saying: "And in the interest of gaming, I think we cannot go wrong. I mean, everybody is doing well and even the native Indians [in the USA] are doing very well with the gaming. So I believe that the new thrust of trying to revitalize the hospitality industry, I believe all we can do is good for ourselves, because you know St. Lucia needs to lead and dictate the pace of development in the Eastern Caribbean. I can tell you, that I want to be part of the development process of St. Lucia. ... Recently, we have seen the failure of some hotels on the island. That should not scare others from going ahead and try to get involved in the industry. ... I think it is about time for young entrepreneurs and locals to start doing things in St. Lucia in a big way".
The expansion of the hotel will take place on its existing site at Rodney Bay.
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Police find guns, cocaine; suspects smuggling triangle
Four St. Lucians and a Barbadian national were arrested last Wednesday after police raided an area in New Village following a tip-off. They found a nine millimeter handgun and a shotgun. The Bajan man is wanted in his homeland for possession of firearms and a number of other offences. According to Assistant Police Commissioner Hermangild Francis, there appears to exist a smuggling triangle between St. Lucia, Martinique and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. "We are aware that persons have been engaged in a lot of housebreaking, and stealing lots of electronic equipment, which is shipped and sold in St. Vincent, much of it in exchange for drugs which is then taken to Martinique and traded for guns and ammunition".
Also arrested on Wednesday was a British national who was found in possession of 3.5 kilos of cocaine. The Brit had just arrived in St. Lucia from St. Vincent. The Mirror reports this.
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WIBDECO and Geest to market non-banana crops?
The ministry of Agriculture is particularly concerned about the imminent welfare of banana farmers on the island, seeing as it does suspected fraudulent use of banana licenses (causing an artificial drop in prices in the European markets) and the advent of yet another seasonal drop in banana production. At the same time, investigations have started to determine whether existing banana exporting organisations can also play a meaningful role in the export of crops other than bananas - particularly to British supermarket chains.
During a meeting of Eastern Caribbean ministers of Agriculture held in St. Lucia last weekend, the ministers decided to request a meeting between the leaders of government in the Caribbean and the British prime minister and other European leaders to ensure that the abuse of banana licences is discontinued. With respect to the expected seasonal decline in production, the ministers are "hoping to encourage a joint approach between the private and banking sectors to reschedule farmers' loans ... so that the effect to farmers will be minimized".
As a proactive measure, the OECS ministers also discussed what roles the Windward Islands Banana Development and Exporting Company (WIBDECO), Geest Bananas and the OECS Agriculture Diversification and Development Unit can play in marketing fruits and vegetables other than bananas to British supermarkets. St. Lucia's minister of Agriculture, Cass Elias, appears hopeful about this possibility.
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International financial sector 'poorly structured'
St. Lucia's budding international financial services industry has been rated as being of a category three standard, which means it is considered to be "among the most poorly structured". The Mirror reports this on its front page. The rating was undertaken by the Financial Stability Forum (FSF), a Washington-based forum that is an arm of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation in Development. This further involves the G7 group of nations, the Bank of International Settlements, Australia, Hong Kong, the Netherlands and Singapore.
According to The Mirror, the International Monetary Fund will use the FSF report in designing measures it deems necessary to improve the standards of international financial services in category two and three countries. The FSF report warns countries whose financial services are rated inadequate that failure to amend their laws "could lead to being excluded from the international financial system, as well as the imposition of sanctions". Barbados and Bermuda have been ranked in category two; St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda are all considered category three countries. According to the FSF report, these countries' financial sectors are all in need of "remedial action".
The minister of International Financial Services in St. Lucia, Phillip J. Pierre, responds sharply to the FSF report, calling it an "attack" on efforts in the Caribbean region to attain a level of economic independence. According to The Mirror, "Pierre said this week that it was clear from a recent statement by Barbados' Prime Minister Owen Arthur that there were forces that really wanted the Caribbean islands to remain out of the financial services sector purely for economic reasons".
The newspaper also quotes Pierre as saying: "We've got to embark on a joint response. All the offshore centres in the region have to come together to defend their patrimony". And Pierre adds: "It is not only St. Lucia but all countries in the world in the financial services business that are being attacked. So I think what we will have to do is to continue to let our story be heard in the advocacy for our economic independence because in the final analysis these attacks will only harm the people of St. Lucia".
There have been previous doubts about the standards of the regulation in St. Lucia's international financial services sector. The Mirror recalls for instance that during the budget debate last April, "Pierre had accused certain persons of trying to sabotage St. Lucia's financial services sector. It was not clear then who he was referring to".
During the week of 11th March 2000, The Mirror reported that St. Lucia had been placed on a top priority list of financial service sites that deserve close scrutiny by international watchdogs. The newspaper described this as a first "assault on the firewalls of integrity" of the emerging financial services sector. The alarming statement followed two controversies about perceived conflicts of interest in what was introduced, last year, as the new pillar of St. Lucia's economy.
First of all, there was some confusion about the precise status of the company that has been allocated the task of registering operators within the financial services sector: the International Financial and World Investment Center (IFWIC). Minister Pierre at the time claimed that IFWIC is 100 percent government-owned. But in an issue of Business Focus around the same time, the deputy managing-director of the Financial Center Corporation (FCC), Anthony Bristol, said that IFWIC will be managed by a private company, i.e. FCC, which moreover will also be the promoter of St. Lucia's financial services sector in general.
In all, The Mirror last March identified four major areas within the financial sector which, it claimed, must remain divided by "firewalls" in order to prevent corruption (or the semblance thereof). "[I]t is important to keep the regulatory and administrative quarter separate from the promoters who should themselves be separate from the agents and trustees", wrote The Mirror and the paper went on to outline the conflicts of interest that would otherwise arise. "How would it look if the person who is promoting the financial services sector also has an agency and is competing with other businesses for the clients that they are supposed to be getting for the agents and trustees? How would it look if the registration of international business companies and trusts and certification of agents was done by someone who was himself a licensed and registered agent? How would it look if people in the registry and in the regulatory side of the industry were also involved in being agents in the industry? Certainly, the registry cannot be itself a registered agent and trustee".
Despite assurances to the contrary from Anthony Bristol, The Mirror continued: "[B]ut the very things which were just mentioned seem to be happening now. The registration function of the Department of Financial Services has been taken over by a private company and that company is the same company which is promoting St. Lucia".
Another moot point tackled by The Mirror back in March was the fact that in April 1999, the chief executive officer of Phillip J. Pierre Business Services, Mario Lendor, applied to the Department of Financial Services asking to be registered as financial services experts. The then-head of the Department of Financial Services, Ingrid Bullard, responded by asking if Mario Lendor was applying on behalf of the company or Phillip J. Pierre. Lendor replied twice: the first time saying the application was for both; the second time to say the application was for himself only, and not for Phillip J. Pierre. "The letter was said to be written on stationery bearing Phillip J. Pierre's letterhead, but Pierre showed The Mirror a copy of the letter which had no letterhead and no signature", wrote The Mirror. The paper continued: "Pierre told The Mirror he did not know that Lendor had applied to be a registered agent on behalf of his company. He told The Mirror that he knows fully well that the Minister shall not engage in the business he holds the portfolio for, but he said he cannot remember if Bullard told him that Lendor had confirmed that the April 1999 letters of application were Phillip J. Pierre Business Services as well as Lendor".
Following the confusion, Pierre lodged a resolution at the Registry (on 5th October 1999) stating that neither he himself nor his company will get involved in financial services while he is a government minister. Pierre lodged the resolution "out of an abundance of caution", he said, according to The Mirror.
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