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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC
VOL. 6, NO. 20 October 10, 2012
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West Indies 137 for 6 (Samuels 78, Sammy 26*, Mendis 4-12) beat Sri Lanka 101 (Jayawardene 33, Kulasekara 26, Narine 3-9, Sammy 2-6) by 36 runs In one of the most incredulous turnarounds in recent cricket his- sent opener Tillakaratne Dilshans off stump cartwheeling to leave tory, the West Indies overcame a disastrous start to defeat hosts Sri Sri Lanka stunned at 6-1 at the beginning of the second over of the Lanka by 36 runs in the October 7 final of the ICC T20 World Cup. hosts reply. From a perilous 14-2 after 5.5 overs, the West Indies recovered It was a disastrous start from which they never recovered. Sunil miraculously to post 137-6 off their twenty-overs. Naraine 3-9 off 3.4 overs was the West Indies most effective bowler, Thanks mainly to a superb 78 from 70 balls by Marlon Samuels, as Sri Lanka eventually folded to 101 all out in the 18th over, to the which included six sixes and three fours, stunned dismay of their home crowd supporters and the absolute Ravi Rampaul then produced the ball of the tournament that joy of the entire Caribbean.

Digicel Launches
Canadian Customer Appreciation Days!
Within recent months Digicel has been steadfastly increasing its Canadian brand visibility through the installation of attractive lifestyle signage at selected Agent locations. Digicel Beacon stores are designed to heighten public awareness of the availability of their Top Up service to the Caribbean. The service allows Canadian residents with Caribbean origins to send credits to the cell phones of their loved ones back in the Region. To date nine of Digicels Agent locations in the GTA have been Beaconized. By year end that number is expected to be in excess of thirty. To further heighten awareness of its Canadian service availability, particularly at its Beaconized stores, Digicel will be hosting a series of Customer Appreciation Days during the next ten weeks. The companys Digicel Days will feature promotional giveaways, prize contests and attractive instore specials at participating Agent locations. Montego Jerk (1 Yorkgate Blvd), Da House of Jerk (600 Rexdale Blvd) and Bramptons Betta Jerk (2903 Queen Street E) will host the first three Digicel Days on October 13, 20 and 27 respectively. Torontos only Caribbean Radio Station FMG98.7 has agreed to participate in the Digicel Days ten week initiative by hosting three Radio Remote broadcasts. The first of the three G98.7FM Radio Remotes will be held on October 13 at Montego Jerk.

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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

October 10, 2012

Caldeira Foundation Launches Medications Donations Appeal

he Stouffville based Allison Vyfhuis Caldeira Foundation (AVC), a registered Ontario non-profit organization, has pledged its support to the Guyanas Ruimveldt Childrens Home and Care Centre (RCHCC) as its Charity of choice for the next five years. The RCHCC is a registered and independent non-governmental organization, working to provide assistance to neglected and abandoned children infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS. The RCHCC also provides required support towards local communities in Georgetown, Guyana. Lauren Ashby, Judy Harrison and Lenny Goodman, along with its founder Allison Caldeira are the backbone of the AVCs Foundation. Since its conception AVC has worked closely with several other community charities and organizations including the GTLime website, the Guyana Christian Charity Organization (GCC); the Yvonne Triesman headed Bridges Canada, as well as the US based Deskan Institute thats headed by Joan Liverpool and Dr. Claudette Heyliger-Thomas. The latter three were instrumental in including AVC in Project Dawn 2012. According to Caldeira without their invitation to be a part of the project the Children of RCHCC would not have had the opportunity to receive the medical treatment and professional recommendations they so graciously provided, as they were not part of the plan originally. She asked them to accommodate the children on behalf of herself which they graciously did. Caldeira herself recently returned home to Canada from Guyana, having completed the Medical Mission Dawn Project. Many adults and children at rural locations, including 23 boys and girls between the ages of 3 14 years old living at the Georgetown Ruimveldt Childrens Home Care Center, were seen and treated during the Dawn Project. Since her return Caldeira has launched an appeal to the GuyaneseCanadian community for donations of much needed medications to the RCHCC. The required medications

include Acetaminophen Ibuprofen Cough Suppressant Cough Expectorant Antihistamines (Benadryl, Chlorpheniramine) Salbutamol /Albuterol Inhalers Antiemetics ORS/Pedialyte Prednisone Liquid/Tablets ; very much needed Multivitamins; Anthelminthic Medications; Antibiotic Ointments Antifungal Creams; Hydrocortisone Creams and other Mild Steroid Creams. Caldeiras involvement with the RCHCC began during the summer of 2011. She hosted an all-inclusive dance at her Stouffville residence featuring live music by the popular Caribbean Community bands Raymond Lee Owns Triple Play and Fuh Fun. The Caldeira hosted sold out Caribana Sunday All-Inclusive Dance served as the perfect launching pad for Heal & Soul and Wish Upon A Star Projects towards the RCHCC. The Projects allowed attendees to donate Heal & Soul boxes to children at the RCHCC. The boxes included personal items for their well being and toys to play with and share with each other. The Wish Upon A Star Project collected items needed by the Centre and was a huge success. The items were subsequently shipped to Guyana and received at the RCHCC to the delight of its resident children. Individuals wishing to donate the required medications to the RCHCC can drop off their donations between the hours of 8:00 am 5:00 pm at Tex-Sel Vehicle Maintenance (805 Middlefield Road, Unit 5, Scarborough). Monetary donations of $20 or more can be mailed to the AVC Foundation, 2829 Durham Road #30, Stouville. L4X 7X4.

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Caribbean Jewel Caribbean Jewel

Remembering

Charles Roach
he Canadian Caribbean Community has lost another of its stalwarts. Charles Roach, a human rights activist, lawyer and one of the Canadian black communitys most respected leaders, died of brain cancer on October 2. He was 79. Roach was one of the founders of the Caribana festival in 1967, which subsequently became an internationally known event celebrating island culture, and is now called the Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival. He also helped established up the Movement of Minority Electors in 1978 to encourage non-whites to run for public office, and was appointed lead defence counsel at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, from 1998 to 2005. Roach was born the son of a trade union worker in Belmont, Trinidad and Tobago, on September 18, 1933. He studied law at the University of Toronto, was called to the bar in 1963 and opened his own practice in 1968. In the 1970s, Roach fought for people seeking refugee status, as well as the rights of migrant workers. Roach also co-founded the Black Action Defence

Lovely Lisa is an aspiring model and social worker. She spends much of her spare time volunteering for worthwhile causes. As stunning and smart as she is were sure shell succeed in her chosen career!

Committee (BADC) with Dudley Laws, Sherona Hall and Lennox Farrell. Under Roachs and Laws combined leadership BADC pushed for independent investigations after several black people were killed by police in the Toronto area more than 20 years ago. Questioning whether police were able to properly police themselves, the group fought for civilian control of policing. The committees efforts were credited for having prompted the creation of Ontarios Special Investigations Unit. In 1990, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) was launched to investigate civilian deaths and injuries involving police officers. The civilian-led unit, which is independent of police, investigates cases where officers seriously injure or kill people. It replaced the former process, which once saw police forces investigate other forces. His final fight, for the right to gain citizenship without making the oath to the Queen, began in 1988. Roach is survived by June, his wife of 10 years, and four children.

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RPB

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

October 10, 2012

- 33 Years of Calypso Relevancy

aving a thriving career span of 33 years and counting in the music industry which is known to be both strenuous and superlative in nature is not only a piece of good fortune, it also exemplifies the character of the person who lasted for such a long period of time. Stedson Red Plastic Bag Wiltshire, also called RPB, is an iconic calypsonian who is passionately committed to his craft. Undoubtedly, he is an esteemed entertainer, composer and lyricist. There is a droll story about how the name Red Plastic Bag came into existence. In 1979 when he entered into his first competition in his parish he had no stage name to go by. More often than not in Calypso, artists tend to use names that include Lord, King, Mighty and the like. One Sunday afternoon he spent time at ease on the beach and ended up getting scorched by the sun. Someone then remarked to Wiltshire and said you look like a red plastic bag! The name was utterly uproarious to RPB thus causing him to instantly gravitate to that moniker. RPB is pleased that he chose to use that name for several reasons given that its a colour that people can identify with. People in the Company Nationals bring their red plastic bag and wave it over their heads, and the fact that the name seems so insignificant. It does not speak of anything that is mighty or that calls itself king or anything of that sort. To date, RPB has recorded 25 albums and a collection of over four hundred songs. At the age of 21, RPB became the youngest calypsonian to win the Pic-O-De-Crop National Calypso Competition. Deserving more attention is the fact that he has won this highly covetous title for an unmatched record of ten times, of which August 2012 marked his most recent triumph. In spite of his many performances in stadiums teeming with supporters, global recognition, and awards for his emulous efforts, RPB attaches success to composing songs that resonates with those who are disenfranchised and of lower socioeconomic brackets. I see myself as their representative and I get my satisfaction from being the mouthpiece of the people. RPB explained. RPB was born in the rural side of St. Philips, Barbados and the youngest of ten children. Growing up in a large family has taught him lessons of substantial value in sharing, being the recipient of love and giving it back, along with being content with whatever little he and family had access to. RPB is appreciative for the significant deposits of solid principles these experiences have made in shaping his life. Even though he has a demanding schedule that requires him to travel frequently, his values have always determined his priorities which are to his family. RPB has received global recognition for his hit song titled Ragga, Ragga. It has been recorded in seven different languages, featured in the

Photo by Alwin Kirk Photos

Irish movie The Sparrows Nest, and was number one in several African countries. The people of Columbia Christine created a dance for Ragga, Raggaand bands from across the world have performed the well-liked song. Even though there were a few people who viewed the song as a lack of respect for dancehall music, RPB says that the intention of the song was never to discredit or disgrace dancehall in any way. Instead, it was composed with joviality. There were many Jamaicans who acknowledged and appreciated his point of view. Calypso music has been known to deal with social and political subject matters both cleverly and caustically while soca music is generally known for its lightheartedness and prurient appeal. Even though soca originated from Calypso in the 1960s, some believe that it is the current precipice of calypso and should be in its own musical category. RPB is not in agreement with that stance and accepts as true that there is a place for both. I think when you look at the various competitions, the calypso competitions, and we even have the groovy competitions and the up tempo party songs, they all fall under the umbrella of calypso and they were all born from calypso. With the vast array of music that regularly inundates the media, calypso has yet to be given more exposure on a larger scale. I want to be able to sit in my living room one day and see a soca artist or a calypso artist receiving a grammy award. That would be great. explained Barbados Digicel Ambassador. He believes the amount of work that needs to be done in order to promote and propel Calypso into becoming much more mainstream is extensive but not impossible. I think that we need to get out of that mold of just producing music for the festival and look to produce music all year long and try to market it beyond the West Indian Diaspora. The tools are there and the reality is that we need to stop making music just for the Caribbean and start making music for the world. Working with adolescents who display a great deal of interest in the arrangement of music and seeking more involvement in the composition phases has always given RPB a strong sense of satisfaction. If he had more availability in his schedule, continuously working with youths would be one of his peak priorities. I would like to be able to be in a position where I could do more work in terms of helping young people by teaching them how to compose, teaching them more about the art form and getting them more involved in the art form. explained the founding member and current director of the Copyright Society of Composers Authors and Publishers (COSCAP). RPB strongly encourages young adults who wish to obtain a prolonged existence in the entertainment industry to have a solid plan and do much research in order to fathom what this career path is all about. If you love it and you want to excel, then you need to be committed.

Reid

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Caribbean Perspective A Successful GuyExpo

uyanas annual national trade show GuyExpo this year reflected a return to the original concept of focusing on attracting new business for Guyana, increasing the involvement of the local private sector, while introducing a number of new features including a fashion village to promote local designers. GuyExpo was conceived with the aim of educating the Guyanese public about the wide range of quality products produced in Guyana and using the event to increase exports and attract investment, both local and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). For the first time in years, businessmen and business organisations from both within and outside the region came to the show with the aim of making specific purchases of agricultural produce, furniture, wood products and to explore opportunities for investment. Most notable among these were Barbadian entrepreneurs interested in fresh produce for the Barbados hotel industry and who also met with farmers and will be placing orders shortly for sizeable quantities of pineapples, melons, oranges and bananas. There was also significant interest in Guyanas timber for use in Barbados. Some of the 15-member group from New York also placed substantial orders for seafood, agri products and condiments such as casreep, pepper sauce and achar. Exports of furniture made from bamboo and the establishment of a plant to manufacture custom fabrics were also explored by the New York entrepreneurs. The representative from the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce of Florida announced plans to import more Guyanese food products into Florida and Jamaica where he has a trading company. One of the new features at GuyExpo was the Busi-

An in-depth focus on Caribbean issues

ness Forum where the overseas entrepreneurs, representatives of business organisations and potential investors were able to connect with Sandra Ann the local private sector, including the Presidents of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Commission, the Chamber of Commerce and the Private Sector Commission. In addition, four business leaders from overseas offered their views on ways to strengthen business ties with Guyana. For those skeptics who believe that nothing positive is happening in Guyana, the Guyanese business leaders provided information to the contrary in their presentations to the Business Forum, the first of its kind at GuyExpo. Chamber President Urling told the forum: We are sending a very strong message to businesses and countries around the globe that Guyana isnt just open for business, but Guyana can be one of the best places to succeed in business. According to Urling, the many reasons to invest in Guyana include six consecutive years of economic growth, clear and robust economic blueprint, robust and fair regulations, a strong macroeconomic environment, strong financial sector, no currency controls and attractive investment incentives. He also alluded to affordable land and labour and Guyanas free and open trade and economic policy. The Guyanese businessman, who owns Germans restaurant, also noted that countries with more diversified export portfolios have a more stable stream of export revenues. GMSA President Mohindra Chand echoed Urling`s sentiments and also pointed to plans to promote the non-traditional agricultural sector to produce more by-products and the wood sector. He disclosed that an organisation of honey producers is being estab-

Baptiste

lished and steps are being taken to conduct training on cultivation and extraction, packaging and marketing of the product, which can be exported once they get investment to expand production. Chand also expressed the private sectors support for the highly anticipated Hydropower Facility at Amaila Falls describing it as a Carbon friendly energy alternative. Another major development he highlighted is the upgrading and paving of the Guyana/Brazil road or corridor that is intended to facilitate transportation of overland cargo between Guyana and Brazil. As, well, Chand said the planned upgrade of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport is aimed at enhancing air transport of goods, especially perishable products. He underscored the need for larger injections of foreign capital for infrastructural development. Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Irfaan Ali, Co-Chair of GuyExpo told the business Forum that a Malaysian company is investing in a mega farm that will involve 100,000 hectares of land and there are several other large-scale investment proposals under review for the production of specially targeted crops like spices, soya bean, corn and selected fruits and The feedback about GuyExpo 2012 was very positive. We need to work hard to build on this momentum to ensure that GuyExpo 2013 will provide opportunities for significantly more business to boost Guyanas exports and thereby make a visible impact on job creation.
(Sandra Ann Baptiste is a Business Consultant and Specialist in Caribbean Affairs).

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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

October 10, 2012

Commentary Back Where We Belong!

es Indies; Calypso In Colombo; We Did It; The October 8 headlnes of newspapers in cricketing countries around the world, were a recurring acknowledgement of the West Indies amazing previous day triumph over hosts Sri Lanka in the ICC T20 World Cup Final. As one newspaper reported, millions in the Caribbean were given cause to bear grins as wide as the Atlantic Ocean after West Indies sensationally captured Twenty 20 crickets biggest prize the World Cup by knocking Sri Lanka over in their own backyard. For three and a half hours, every sports bar and rum shop throughout the entire Region, from Jamaica in the north, south to Guyana, had standing room only. Thousands were glued to ESPNstelevised coverage for every nail-biting minute of an absorbing showdown, which the Caribbean boys eventually won by 36 runs. Here in Canada, West Indian households undoubtedly erupted with joy when the final Sri Lankan

Tony Mc

wicket fell to leave the Windies as World Champions once again! The West Indies triumph was an exhibition of the very best of Caribbean cricket, which for so long had seemed to have lost its way, mired in internal bickering, humiliating defeats and Board player disputes. All that was cast aside by a West Indian T20 World Cup Final performance that was a most refreshing combination of resilience, bravado and outright Caribbean flair. When the last Sri Lanka wicket had fallen, 36 runs shy of the West Indies posted total of 137-6 off their 20 overs, the eleven West Indians on the field were joined by their non-playing teammates for a Gangnam dance amidst shouts of joy. Their smiles, jubilation and sheer ecstasy were in contrast to a packed stadium of glum-faced Sri Lankan fans, telling a story of disappointment as the West Indies lifted their first world T20 title. It was the West Indies first major victory since the capture of the 2004 Champions Trophy and their first T20 win over Sri Lanka in five encounters.

The West Indies had suffered the shocking loss of their second wicket, that of the all-important Chris Gayle, with their score on a paltry 14 after 5.5 overs. Marlon Samuels then played an innings of sheer class, scoring a majestic 78 off 56 balls. His innings, which included six mammoth sixes and three fours, helped rescue the Windies, allowing them to reach a decent 137 for six in 20 overs. Skipper Darren Sammy chipped in with a valuable 26 not out at the end of the innings. To the dismay of their 40,000 home fans Sri Lanka were strangled by effective West Indies bowling, none moreso than that from the Mystery Man offspinner Sunil Naraine who finished with the highly impressive figures of 3-9 off 3.4 overs. Samuel Badree, Samuels, Ravi Rampaul and Sammy all chipped in with valuable wickets at crucial stages, as Sri Lanka was skittled out for 101 in 18.4 overs. The celebrations started immediately thereafter, at the venue stadium in Colombo, in bars, restaurants and homes throughout the Region and across the entire Diaspora. Back where we rightfully belong: World Champions Again. How Sweet It Is!

Diplomatically Cutting Costs: Learning From Canada

he economies of almost every Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country except Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago are in deep trouble. Not only are the governments heavily in debt but their Budgets and their trade balances are in deficit. They would do well to learn from Canada about cutting costs. One area should be diplomatic missions abroad. On September 24, the foreign ministers of Britain and Canada, William Hague and John Baird, announced in Ottawa that their two governments have signed an agreement under which they would share facilities and consular services in several countries. Money is a significant factor in the decision. The foreign services of both countries have had cuts to their budgets. The British government has reduced its financial allocation to its Foreign and Commonwealth Office by $160 million and the Canadian government has sliced $170 million from the budget from its Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Yet, the two governments are keen to establish a presence in markets where there is potential for business. The collaboration between their foreign services, therefore, makes perfect sense. What makes the collaboration more practical is that Britain and Canada are, for the most part, likeminded countries, with similar values domestically and internationally. They have a history of cooperation as members of the Commonwealth. While their policies have diverged on issues, there is much greater commonality than discord between them. John Baird summed it up by saying: This is about increasing Canadas diplomatic reach in a handful of areas where we dont already have a presence. Canada will be sharing space, as we do with other trusted countries, to get maximum reach at minimal cost to taxpayers. We will do so while maintaining our principled, independent foreign policy. It is precisely shared values and common objectives in the international arena that should also encourage Caribbean small states to pool and share their diplomatic missions. Within the framework of the CARICOM Treaty, they have a wide range

of common purposes better served by robust collective action than by feeble national efforts. They do not have to give up indiSir Ronald vidual High Commissioners or Ambassadors but they could share office space, office facilities and back office staff. Apart from the financial savings that would be achieved, the effectiveness of diplomatic missions to international or multinational organisations such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the European Union (EU), the Organisation of American States (OAS) and several UN organisations would also become more effective through the sharing of back office experts to service each of the missions. In Geneva, where the WTO and several UN organisations are located, the Commonwealth has provided office space for several small states from the Caribbean and the Pacific. Despite this, there are several Caribbean countries that are not represented by a resident team. For some of them, accredited Ambassadors are located in Brussels, London or as far away as New York making their participation marginal - if not ineffectual - to vital decisionmaking that affects their countries. Further, even where countries are represented, missions are undermanned to service the myriad committees that meet regularly on complex issues. A similar observation is true of Brussels where the Caribbeans crucial relationship with the EU is played out. Again, many Caribbean countries are not represented and even where there is representation, Embassies lack the range of skills necessary to cope with the large staff and myriad experts available to the EU organs such as the European Commission. A joint Caribbean back office of appropriately skilled persons serving all Caribbean countries would help to improve the negotiating capacity of Caribbean representatives. Where there is a requirement by an international or multinational agency that countries be individually represented, it is perfectly feasible for each Caribbean small state to name a representative while sharing offices and back office experts and facilities.

Sanders

Money would be saved with greater benefits being derived from informed analysis and preparation of the issues at hand. And, there should be nothing to stop any country from pursuing on its own a matter in which it has a special national interest. Even in that regard the country involved would still have the support of the shared back office expertise. As far as bilateral relations are concerned, Caribbean nationals resident in the UK, Canada and the United States are, for the most part, dual citizens of those countries. Therefore consular services do not apply to them. For visiting Caribbean nationals, such as students or tourists, their numbers are small enough to be handled by a joint Caribbean Embassy or High Commission. Special envoys trouble-shooting particular bilateral issues with a country would also be more productive and cost efficient. It may be argued that remittances and investments from the Caribbean diaspora are of importance to several Caribbean countries and, therefore, regular engagement with them is important. This is certainly true for countries such as Jamaica and Guyana where remittances make a significant contribution to foreign exchange receipts. But, such regular engagements with the diaspora could be maintained by visits from Ministerial and other delegations. Indeed, they may even be more welcome. Sharing of overseas missions is not a novel idea. For instance, when Guyana and Barbados became independent in 1966, they shared a High Commissioner in London, and for many years the independent countries of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) had one High Commission in London and Ottawa. Even Britain and Canada had such arrangements before their September 24 announcement. British diplomats are housed in the Canadian embassy in Mali, and in Myanmar a Canadian representative is housed in the British embassy. If shared and pooled resources can work for two well-developed G7 countries like Britain and Canada that have global interests, there is surely value in the formula for small Caribbean countries to consider.
(The writer is a Consultant and former Caribbean diplomat) Responses and previous commentaries: www.sirronaldsanders.com

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

Publisher/Editor: Editorial Consultant : Contributors: Legal: Graphic Design:

Tony McWatt Malcolm Cliffe Sandra Ann Baptiste, Beverly Brown, Akua Hinds, Christine Reid, Sir Ronald Sanders, Oumarally and Baboolal Susan Zelinski

618 Strouds Lane, Pickering, ON L1V 4S9 Tel: 905.831-4402 Fax: 416.292.2943 Email: caribbeangraphic@rogers.com www.caribbeangraphic.ca

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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

PAGE 7

Caribbean Destinations St. Vincent & The Grenadines (SVG):

One Destination, 32 Gorgeous Islands
rom St. Vincents lush tropical rainforest full of eco-adventures, to the idyllic beaches, coral reefs and turquoise lagoons of The Grenadines, SVG is a tropical paradise for yachting, scuba diving, enjoying nature, and relaxing in luxurious hideaways. An escape a hectic lifestyle, an opportunity to live your dreams and enjoy a true Vincy experience! Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a Caribbean nation of one hundred and four thousand people composed of a main island (St. Vincent) and a number of smaller Islands (two thirds of the Grenadines) - in total there are 32 islands and cays. The islands are located in the Caribbean Sea, and are part of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles chain of the West Indies. The country has a French and British colonial history and is now part of the Commonwealth of Nations and CARICOM. Resistance by native Caribs prevented colonization on St. Vincent until 1719. Disputed between France and the United Kingdom for most of the 18th century, the island was ceded to the latter in 1783. Between 1960 and 1962, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a separate administrative unit of the Federation of the West Indies. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in 1979. The administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. Most Vincentians are the descendants of African slaves brought to the island to work on plantations. There also are a few white descendants of English colonists, as well as some East Indians, Carib Indians, and a sizable minority of mixed race. The countrys official language is English, but a French patois may be heard on some of the Grenadine Islands. St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth of Nations. Queen Elizabeth II is head of state and is represented on the island by a governor general, an office with mostly ceremonial functions. Control of the government rests with the prime minister and the cabinet. The parliament is a unicameral body, consisting of 15 elected members and six appointed senators. The governor general appoints senators, four on the advice of the prime minister and two on the advice of the leader of the opposition. The parliamentary term of office is 5 years, although the prime minister may call elections at any time. Banana production employs upwards of 60% of the work force and accounts for 50% of merchandise exports in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with an emphasis on the main island of St. Vincent. Such reliance on one crop has made the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in banana prices and reduced European Union trade preferences. To combat these vulnerabilities, the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has focused on diversifying its economy away from reliance on bananas. Tourism in the Grenadines has grown to become a very important part of the economy, and the chief earner of foreign

exchange for the country as a whole. The Grenadines have become a favorite of high-end tourism and the focus of new development in the country. Superluxury resorts, yachting tourism, and a commitment by the government to rehabilitate and protect the Tobago Keys as a national park have all contributed to strong tourism returns in the Grenadines. As a tourist destination St Vincent and The Grenadines offers visitors the opportunity to get very close to nature. Hike to the top of a volcano, to stunning waterfalls or along scenic coastal paths. Scuba dive or snorkel over coral reefs. Go whale and dolphin watching, explore forests in search of the endemic St. Vincent Parrot, meander through colourful tropical gardens, or dream yourself to sleep on a beautiful beach.

Fabulous desert island treasures, St Vincents awe-inspiring beaches are picture perfect - from the powder-white sand beaches that adorn its pretty islands and cays to the picturesque black sand beaches that fringe the windward and leeward coasts on the main island. On St Vincent, Indian Bay and Villa beaches are popular along the south coast, as is the lovely white sand beach of Young Island. These beaches also have hotels and restaurants nearby. More secluded black sand beaches include Richmond Beach, Buccament Bay, Mt Wynne, and Petit Byahaut on the leeward coast. Sandy Bay and Black Point Beach are fabulous windward coast beaches. Bequias beaches include Princess Margaret Beach and Lower Bay Beach on the leeward coast. On the windward coast, Friendship Bay is long and very pretty, and Spring Bay and Industry Bay have secluded picturesque beaches. Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau, Tobago Cays, Palm Island, Union Island and Petit St. Vincent all have their topography punctuated by beautiful beaches. The latter is a private island resort that is almost entirely encircled by powder white sand beaches. Kingstown, St Vincents capital, contains 12 small blocks with a variety of shops and a busy dock area, which is the center of commerce for the islands. A walking tour of Kingstown is a wonderful way to experience Vincentian history and hospitality at the same time. Visitors can spend a few hours walking the cobblestone streets under the arches that give this historic city its nickname. Some of its many attractions include 19th century buildings like St. Marys Cathedral of the Assumption. Built of grey stone, it is a graceful combination of several European architectural styles displaying Romanesque arches, gothic spires and Moorish ornamentation. Its architecture has led Kingstown to become known as the City of Arches. Theres also the hustle and bustle of the Kingstown Market to experience and enjoy. The Saturday morning market, comprising many stalls piled high with fresh fruit and vegetables, brings everyone to town. St Vincent is one of the few islands where good West Indian cuisine can almost always be enjoyed in hotels. There is also plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood on offer. National specialties include Red snapper, Kingfish, Lambi (conch), Callalou soup and Souse (pickled meat or seafood). Sea-moss is a very popular drink amongst locals as are Vincentian beer and rum, and a very wide variety of local exotic fruit juices. Nightlife in SVG is mostly hotel oriented. Nightclubs include the Aquatic club and the Buccama Club on the Leeward Coast. The Attic in Kingstown features a wide variety of music during the week and live entertainment at weekends. There is one casino on the island, at Peniston, on the Leeward side. With so much on offer St Vincent and The Grenadines are worth a visit!

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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

October 10, 2012

Barbados Beat Rubis Coming To Bim

BRIDGETOWN, French company Rubis Energy is coming to Barbados. And it will be bringing $2 million in investments, as well as keeping 73 Barbadians employed. This month the international company will complete the rebranding of what used to be Texaco gas stations across Barbados. Rubis Caribbean chief executive officer Mauricio Nicholls told reporters on October 8 that the company considers the Caribbean a great place to do business and they will also be rebranding gasoline outlets in St Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, and Guyana. The company has been based in Barbados for 18 months and is completing a multimillion-dollar deal to take over the Texaco brand from international giant Chevron. We have some very exciting plans for Barbados and soon people will see those benefits. This is a very large investment. We will be spending $2 million in the first instance to complete the rebranding, Nicholls said during a Press conference at Rubis Warrens office in St Michael. The rebranding starts October 15 at the Sunset Crest station, which is expected to take about five days. After its completion, 11 other stations will be rebranded, the entire process Ribis CEO Mauricio Nicholls is expected to finish mid-November. Nicholls noted that even though individual dealers run the various outlets, no job losses are expected with their takeover of the brand. Rubis has hired 73 people and also put on individual contractors who worked with Texaco but not as appointed staff. The Colombian-born CEO said the European company is very serious about service excellence, so staff would be subject to continuous training. Rubis has already partnered with the National Initiative for Service Excellence in a special programme to increase service provision once the rebranding is complete. Nicholls noted the companys first featured product would be Ultra Tec, a special form of petrol formulated with a special additive that cleans engines, improves response, and increases milage. The company has also spent almost half a million dollars for a high-tech, no-touch Caraway Music System to be installed in the Rubis outlet at Kendal Hill, Christ Church.

BRIDGETOWN, No one cares that Barbadian megastar Rihanna is releasing her new fragrance Nude. No one cares about her big October 6th performance at the Bakus Crystal Hall in Azerbaijan. Or the fact that she was crowned the top Billboard Pop Songs Artist of the last 20 years.

Rihanna Spotted With Brown

What has the media buzzing and Twitter on fire is the apparent rekindling of the romance between her and ex-boyfriend Chris Brown and the breakup of him and his girlfriend, Vietnamese model Karrueche Tran. Tran and Brown, according to various reports, have been dating for more than a year.

Dental Pain
BRIDGETOWN, A Proposal by Government to allow dentists who study at the University of the West Indies (UWI) in Trinidad to practise here without passing the Barbados Dental Council exam is not sitting well with the association representing registered dentists. But Minister of Health Donville Inniss is insisting on more transparency in the process that has blocked graduates of the School of Dentistry at Mount Hope, St Augustine, from working here. We have a number of Barbadians who have been trained in dentistry at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad who are practising dentistry in Trinidad, but cant practise in Barbados. I think I have a duty as minister to find a solution to that, he said in an interview with local reporters. The Government, which invests

Low On Funds
BRIDGETOWN, The Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) needs another partner. A financial partner, to be exact. CTUSAB president Cedric Murrell is bemoaning the umbrella bodys current financial position and has revealed that it will soon be approaching Government to have its annual sub-

Donville Inniss $150 000 on each student sent to Mount Hope, has proposed that graduates be allowed registration to practise dentistry in Barbados after two years of practice in an approved jurisdiction, once they are in receipt of a certificate of good standing from the jurisdiction.

vention increased. Murrell made the revelation during an October 8 Press conference, as he gave a synopsis of CTUSABs fifth biennial delegates conference, held at the end of last month. CTUSAB is a very poor organization, Murrell told his comrades during the presidential address.

Dems Playing Politics

BRIDGETOWN, Opposition Leader Owen Arthur has accused the Government of playing politics by naming a football tournament after late Prime Minister David Thompson. He made the charge in an October 7 speech during which he declared that the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) was on the edge of an emphatic electoral victory and would build an economy for the youth once it came to power. At Tyrol Cot in Codrington Hill, before a sizeable crowd at the unchallenged nomination St Michael North-East Member of Parliament Mia Mottley, Arthur said Government should have named the tournament after either Reggie Haynes or Victor GasClarke, two former outstanding Barbados players. At this time when Barbados should be opening up sports like the rest of the

Opposition Leader Owen Arthur world as an avenue for professional development of our young people and to give them careers, what is the Democratic Labour Party doing? seeking only to use sports for the purposes of their own political development, and it is wrong, he said.

October 10, 2012

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

PAGE 9

EC Reviews
Gonsalves Calls
NEW YORK, Stating that substantial migration from St. Vincent and the Grenadines over the past 100 years is a fact of life which is likely to continue way into the foreseeable future, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has reiterated calls for the full embrace on the Vincentian Diaspora. The sensible policy option for Vincentian policy-makers is not to decry such migration or to turn from it, but instead to embrace it as a vital on-going plank in our nations socio-economic development, said Gonsalves in delivering the October 6 feature address at a St. Vincent and the Grenadines Diaspora and Development Conference in Brooklyn, New York. The Vincentian leader, who returned for the conference, a week after addressing the 67th Session of the United Nations General Assembly Debate, noted that up to the 1990s, the bulk of Vincentian migrants, on entry into the labour market of the host countries, occupied more or less the lower rungs of the ladder in the international division of labour.

For Full Embrace Of Vincentian Diaspora

The Vincentian leader estimated that remittances from abroad to St. Vincent and the Grenadines amount to about EC $120 million annually or roughly 6 percent of the countrys Gross Domestic Product (GDP). He said this figure has the potential to rise to 10 percent of GDP, and beyond, without extraordinary effort. Gonsalves said the remittances increase wealth and job creation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and contribute to the further training of other prospective migrants, adding that he does not accept the stylised thesis of the brain drain as possessing a one-sided deleterious effect on St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Gonsalves said his government and the Vincentian Diaspora must work closely on the five strategic goals highlighted in the Draft National Economic and Social Development Plan: Enhancing Global Competitiveness; Ennobling Human and Social Development; Promoting Good Governance and Public Administration; Improving Physical Infrastructure and Preserving the Environment; and Building National Pride, Identity, and Culture.

Assistance Requested

GEORGETOWN, St Vincent and the Grenadines - Police have asked the Guyana Police Force to assist them in their probe of several suspected hackers of Automatic Teller Machines (ATM), a senior official here has said. Police Chief of Criminal Investigations, Deputy Police Commissioner, Seelall Persaud told media reporters that the request by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force was done through the International Police (InterPol) system. Persaud said Vincentian police want background checks on the five men and two women. These will include whether they had been involved in similar incidents in Guyana and confirmation of their identities. The Deputy Police Commissioner, meanwhile, confirmed that one of the Guyanese men, Kevin Orindio Mc Lennan, is a former member of the Guyana Police Force. He ceased being a policeman about five years ago, Persaud said. The others charged are Rizwan

Mohamed Meerza, Aslam Mohamed Kayum, Surendra Sookdeo, and Devindra Singh, along with females Savitrie Sookraj and Gangadai Sookdeo. The seven appeared before Senior Magistrate Sonya Young on October 3 and faced three counts of conspiracy to commit the offence of burglary. They have been remanded into custody until February 4 with the option of applying to the High Court for bail. According to information from the court, the accused were met with ATM related devices which the Police suspected would be used to commit fraudulent activities in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Among items in the visitors possession were 314 data cards, two scanners with cameras, two red handle pliers, magnifying glass, two data card readers, cords, a drill, X-ray paper, and a Toshiba Lap top. Prosecutor Nigel Butcher objected to bail for the seven on the grounds that they being non-nationals presented a flight risk.

Grenadians Among Bus Crash Injury Victims

WAYNE, New Jersey - Officials here said on October 7 that 19 of 57 passengers, primarily Grenadians, on a tour bus from Canada bound for New York City have been critically injured when the bus flipped over on a highway and skidded down an embankment. Officials said the bus flipped onto its side at an Interstate 80 exit ramp here about 25 kilometers northwest of New York City. Eight passengers remained in critical condition at St. Josephs Regional Medical Center, officials said. We are so saddened and disappointed, Maureen Isaac, secretary of the Grenada New York Adventist Organization in Toronto told reporters in Brooklyn, New York. Isaac said convention organizers were anticipating over 100 Seventh Day Adventists from three Toronto churches, including the

Toronto Central Adventist Church and the Grenada Toronto Community Network (GTCN). She said the buses left Toronto early on the morning of October 6 heading for the 2012 Grenada New York Adventist Organization convention at George Wingate High School in Brooklyn. Isaac said about 700 Adventists from around the world attend the annual one-day convention and that most usually stay for the long holiday weekend, returning to Toronto on October 8. Sgt. Jeff Long, of the New Jersey State Police, told reporters that the bus driver, who suffered a gash to his arm, said he was cut off by another vehicle. Long said the crash caused some of the bus windows to smash, with three people pinned by window frames before being freed.

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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

October 10, 2012

Mega Store Opening Customs Broker Charged

GEORGETOWN, On October 11 the spanking new Footsteps Mega Store at the junction of Camp and Regent Streets, was scheduled to open its doors to the public. The impressive six storeyed multi-million-dollar building, dubbed the United Center, will now house the Charlotte and Camp Streets Footsteps Store, Home and Beyond, and also the Essential Shopping Center, all owned by the United Investments entity. The work force has been increased by some 15% to adjust to this new initiative. GEORGETOWN, A customs broker was arraigned on October 8 on a charge of trafficking in a quantity of marijuana that was found almost 10 months ago in a shipping container of pumpkins that was bound for Barbados. Malcolm Sonaram off 188 Garnett Street, Albouystown pleaded innocent when he appeared before Chief Magistrate, Priya Sewnarine Beharry. Sonaram was remanded to custody until the following day. Police accused Sonaram of trafficking in 19 kilogrammes 930 grammes of marijuana between December 20, 2011 and January 10,2012 at the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) wharf, Georgetown. Defence lawyer, Sanjeev Datadin told the court the customs broker cooperated fully with police and provided the names of the persons who

Guyanese Suspected
Arrested In St Maarten Murders
PHILIPSBURG, St Maarten Following the recent arrests of the two Jamaican suspects in the September slaying of the South Carolina couple found stabbed to death in their St Maarten beachfront apartment last month, authorities have now arrested a Guyanese suspect. While St Maarten authorities only identify murder suspects by their initials, the Guyanese press has identified the suspect as 20-yearold Guyana-born Jamal Jefferson Woolford. He has now joined the first suspected identified in the Jamaican media as 28-year-old security guard Meshayne Johnson, and as yet unidentified 17-year-old carrying the initials J.C.M. Public Prosecutor Hans Mos said that the 20-year-old Guyanese suspect had flown out of the Dutch Caribbean territory this week to the United States Virgin Islands but he was located, captured and extradited to St Maarten with the help of US authorities.

had hired his services. Instead, he was charged and not the persons who were responsible for the consignment of pumpkins. Datadin said Sonaram had no knowledge of what was inside the container since it was not his duty to know.

GEORGETOWN, The suspect in the murders of broom sellers Flory Pappiah and Jennifer Pooran, whose bodies were found in the backlands at Adventure, Corentyne, has died, police have said. Deodat Persaud called Simon, 21, of Port Mourant, Corentyne, succumbed at about 19:30 hrs October 7 at the New Amsterdam Hospital, a police press release said.

Suspect In Broom Sellers Murders Kills Self

He had ingested a poisonous liquid before being taken into police custody and had later orally admitted to having committed the offence, the police said. Pappiah, 33, and Pooran, 19, both of Miss Phoebe, Port Mourant, Corentyne were found dead on Sunday September 30, in the backlands at Adventure, Corentyne, with wounds to their throats.

Stricter Measures Required

GEORGETOWN, An internal inquiry aimed at clearing the name of the Roraima Group of Companies- the local handler of the American-owned Delta Airlines- in the involvement of cocaine trafficking has recommended that stricter measures for transporting food to the airline. The catering company is Water Chris whose driver and a Roraima Aviation Security agent were charged with being in possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. Against the background of the fact that the matter is before the court, Vice Chairman of the five-member probe team, Roshan Khan guardedly referred to the discovery of shortcomings but said none had to do with Roraima Airways. We did find some shortcomings and the shortcoming was not within the Roraima Airways Group. He said the committee of inquiry recommended that stringent measures be taken with regards to food being taken on aircraft Khan said the report also contains recommendations that would be beneficial to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Authority, Water Chris catering and the Guyana Police Force. Jointly charged with being in possession of 1.856 kilogrammes of cocaine are Roraima Airways Aviation Security Agent, Sydney Matthews and Water Chris catering services driver, Mark Fredericks. The cocaine, which was sewn into a blanket, never made it to the Deltta Airlines New York-bound flight on September 3 because of a hand-over /take-over system between Roraimas security agents on arrival of meals at the airport.

October 10, 2012

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Government Blasted Bolt Camera Auctioned On Crime For Charity

KINGSTON, Opposition Leader Andrew Holness has blasted the Government on its handling of crime, arguing that Jamaicans are now fearful that the country will return to the runaway crime rate of the 1990s. He argued that the Government has lost the momentum in fighting crime, pointing out that two years ago under the JLP administration criminals were on the run and crime was down. He said that at that time the murder rate was 2.5 per day and gang leaders went into hiding. The Opposition leader was speaking against the background of a number of heinous crimes including the robbery and rape of five females in St James and the murder of retired Superintendent of Police Anthony Tony Hewitt committed in the island over the past few weeks. Holness argued that the Government appeared not to be in control of the runaway crime rate and warned that if the economic condition was not addressed, the situation could worsen. STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Swedish press photographer Jimmy Wixtrom is raising money for charity by auctioning off the camera that Usain Lightning Bolt used to take pictures to capture the excitement after winning the 200-metre final at the recent London Olympics. Jamaicas sprint sensation grabbed the Nikon D4 from Wixtrom, of Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, and used it to snap a series of shots of the jubilation that accompanied the attainment of his second gold medal at the games. Before returning the camera to Wixtrom, he made it a genuine collectors item, adding his autograph by carving BOLT #1 on the top with a screwdriver. Wixtrom has put the autographed camera up for sale on e-Bay, saying the proceeds will go to the Swedish Cancer Society and Bolts foundation for promoting education among young children in Jamaica. The starting price was US$500, but bids

Second Teenager Raped

MANDEVILLE, The police have launched an investigation into the rape of a 16-year-old girl, the second such incident in the parish in less than a week. Head of the Manchester Police Superintendent Lascelles Taylor said the teenager was assaulted on her way home in Alligator Pond on the night of October 7. The police report that the girl was walking with a male relative when they were held up by a man. He dragged the teen into bushes and assaulted her.

Superintendent Taylor says investigators have information on the alleged rapist and attempts are being made to find him. Detectives are also still making arrangements to lay charges against the taxi operator accused of raping a 12 year old girl in the parish. The suspect, who is known by the child, was questioned on October 8. The man, who is said to be in his 20s, was picked up after the child was assaulted on October 4, after she took a ride in his cab.

had rocketed above US$7,000 by October 3 and have continued to soar. By the time the auction ends it is anticipated that the camera will fetch considerably more than the US$6,000 price tag of a new Nikon D4. Whoever cops the camera with the highest bid will also receive a framed 50x70cm picture of Bolt using it at the Olympics.

Plane Crash Victim

KINGSTON, Jamaican - Annya Duncan was celebrating several milestones all at once when her life was cut short in the ill-fated October 7 Fly Montserrat airline flight that crashed on take-off in bad weather in St Johns, the Antigua and Barbuda capital. Duncan, described by her grief-stricken dad, Coswell Duncan, as a caring and loving daughter who always wanted to do well in life, was celebrating her 29th birthday that very same day. She was also being celebrated as the first Mathematics teacher to have 100 per cent of her students pass the subject in this years CSEC exams from Montserrat Secondary School. And, Duncan just had her two-year teaching contract extended by a year because of her history-making achievements in that eastern Caribbean island. Her dad, the pianist at First Baptist Church at Sandringham Avenue in Eastwood Park Gardens, St Andrew, said he received the dreadful news of his daughters death from the schools Human Resource Officer Daphne Castle.

Remembered

Jamaican Confesses To Double Murder Involvement

PHILIPSBURG, St Maarten Meyshane Johnson, a security guard held as a suspect in the brutal stabbing deaths of a visiting couple from South Carolina, has confessed to his involvement in the crime, officials in the Dutch Caribbean territory said on October 3. Johnson, a Jamaican resident of St Maarten, was arrested two days after authorities found the bodies of American visitors Michael and Thelma King in their vacation home on September 21. A statement issued by Public Prosecutor Hans Mos revealed that the 28-year-old security guard admitted being involved in the violent deaths of the couple, as well as the robbery of a restaurant. No details of the confession have been released and authorities have not disclosed a possible motive in the murders of the Mount Pleasant, South Carolina couple. On October 3, a judge ruled that there was enough evidence to continue holding Johnson in pretrial detention pending further investigation.

Annya Duncan He said his daughter had gone to Antigua to do a CAT-Scan for a medical condition and was returning to Britishrun Montserrat on the nineseater twinengine Britten-Norman Islander plane when the tragedy struck late afternoon at the VC Bird International Airport. Annya is also survived by mother, Grace; sisters Sobrina, Sadiekee, Grace Ann Safiya; and brother David.

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PAGE 12

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

October 10, 2012

Crime Dropping! Sisters Claim Child Abuse

PORT OF SPAIN, The drop in crime in all the hotspots has been achieved without the expenditure associated with the $80 million Stephen Mastrofski plan, the $10 million Major-General Cameron Ross plan or two Canadians (a reference to former commissioner of police Dwayne Gibbs and deputy commissioner Jack Ewatski), National Security Minister Jack Warner has boasted. Speaking in the October 8 budget debate in the House of Representatives in Tower D, Port of Spain International Waterfront Centre, Warner said he looked forward to the day when murders would be a thing of the past. He said in Laventille there were 81 murders for the year, the last one on September 9; in Four Roads, there were 10 murders, the last one on September 10; in West End (Diego Martin), there were 14 murders, the last one on September 10. In Carenage there were four murders, the last one on June 16. He said Laventille had 81 murders, with the last one occurring on September 9. Never before in this countrys history that ever happen. And I didnt have Mastrofski, I didnt have Ross, I didnt have of course two Canadians. What we had were people who were comPORT OF SPAIN, Two sisters aged 11 and 13 appeared before the police on October 8 claiming they had escaped from the home of relatives who held them against their will, while abusing and under-feeding them. Since their escape three days ago, the girls have been staying with their mother in Chaguanas. The elder child showed marks on her neck and her sister had bruises on her knees. They said the injuries were at the hands of three abusive relatives, who beat them with pieces of wood and struck them with bottles. The children told reporters their father suffered from Parkinsons disease and died five years ago.

National Security Minister Jack Warner mitted to change, Warner said. Citing figures for this month, Warner said in the country there were no murders on October 1, one murder on October 2 (in Tobago), two on October 3 (in Port of Spain), none on October 4, none on October 5, none on October 6, one murder on October 7, one on October 8. When PNM was in power this was unheard of, Warner said. He said the PNM was telling people that crime was out of control, but the facts showed otherwise.

A year ago, they were taken by a 69-year-old woman and 76-year-old man living at a house in Penal, along with a 24-year-old male relative. The elder child said she was forced to stop attending primary school more than a year ago and made to work at a relatives bar. The sisters said they were beaten and made to do housework. The 14-year-old said she had formulated an escape plan a while ago after she had complained to her mother of the abuse they had been undergoing. She said after they escaped, she stopped a car in Penal and was taken to San Fernando, where they then took a taxi to Chaguanas. The girls were able to make contact with their mother.

From Football Says Warner

PORT OF SPAIN, National Security Minister Jack Warner has alleged mismanagement at the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation as he sought to explain a letter written by him urging Sports Minister Anil Roberts to not authorise funds to the entity. On October 5 Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley raised the issue of a letter dated April 20 from Warner, then Works Minister, to Roberts. Rowley said this letter in relation to TTFF funding came amid a FIFA ban of Warner, pending probe into FIFA bribery allegations. Warner has responded that he never gained from football at any stage in his career. Warners statements came amid lingering questions over allegation of bribery in relation to the 2011 FIFA presidential elections in which he has failed to deny handing out thousands in cash to members of the Caribbean Football Union at a meeting at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain. Warner was also involved in a FIFA ticketing scandal where a travel agency tied to his family was alleged to have profited. He was reported to have been made to pay a fine. While Warner said he was never banned, he was in fact suspended from football last year, during the probe of the bribery investigations, shortly before he quit his plush post as FIFA vice-president in a move which triggered FIFA (for unclear reasons) to end its investigations against him.

I Never Made Money

Motion For Censure

PORT OF SPAIN, Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley has filed a motion in the House of Representatives to censure Attorney General (AG) Anand Ramlogan for his handling of the controversial Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Acts repealed Section 34. And, in an unprecedented move, Speaker of the House Wade Mark has accepted the motion that could lead to Ramlogans removal. The motion of censure calls on Parliament to vote to, express its strongest disapproval of the flagrant breach of Parliamentary trust by the Attorney Generals involvement in the premature proclamation of Section 34. It also alludes to Ramlogans handling of the extradition matter. The motion asks the House of Representatives, in which Senator Ramlogan does not sit, to call on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, to fire Ramlogan. The motion alleges that Ramlogan committed a flagrant breach of Parliamentary trust in relation to assuranc-

Anand Ramlogan es given in Parliament by his former Cabinet colleague, sacked Minister of Justice Herbert Volney, in November 2011 during debate of the legislation. The motion is expected to be debated on Private Members Day the day set aside for Opposition and non-Government business, which is due on October 26, but this is subject to approval of Government Chief Whip Dr Roodal Moonilal and to the completion of the Budget debate.

October 10, 2012

Wow.
RIA DA COSTA

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

PAGE 13

Trinbago Beauties X 10!

We have always accepted that Trinidad & Tobago is home to some of the most beautiful women in the world. For those who have ever doubted that assertion, these Calvin French photos of the10 finalists for the Miss T&T Universe Pageant, that were featured in the October 9 Issue of the Trinidad Express Newspaper, should be sufficient to remove all such doubts.

SARAH JANE WADDELL

RENEE BHAGWANDEEN

AVIONNE MARK

MARY ESDELLE

LATOYA FRANKLYN

JESSICA DIDIER

AMANDA CHEDU

SHENEILLE LEELAH

MAURICIA DE PEZA

School Fungus Concerns

PORT OF SPAIN, With symptoms of rashes, skin irritation and headaches, being experienced by students attending the Palo Seco Secondary School, worried parents are asking whether or not these symptoms may be as a result of fungus found in classrooms. They have called for the intervention of the Health ministry to have each child tested. Since the start of the school term this school has not been opened due to the fungus. Results conducted

by the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) disclosed there were three types of fungi found after tests were conducted at the school. The results were recently submitted to the Ministry of Education. The schools Parent/Teachers Association head Marjorie Figeroux-Thomas has said that results showed Asphergillus-penicillium, Basidiospores and Cadosporium as the three fungi found at the school.

PORT OF SPAIN, After more than three years in limbo, investors and policyholders in CLICO have been offered a final solution by the Trinidad and Tobago government aimed at recovery of the millions of dollars in outstanding payments owed. In his maiden national Budget presentation on October 1, Minister of Finance Larry Howai announced that a new insurance company would be incorporated into which the traditional policies and other assets would be transferred from CLICO and that new company would continue to manage the traditional policies. Minister Howai said the Government was discharging the liabilities held by individual and corporate investors in CLICO Short-Term Investment Products (STIPs) in two components:

CLICO Solutions Presented In Budget

cash payments for amounts less than TT$75,000 and a mix of cash and zero-coupon one-20 year bonds for amounts over TT$75,000. He revealed that up to last month over 25,000 STIP holders, including credit unions and trade unions, accounting for TT$10.268 billion, had accepted Governments settlement offer. Howai also disclosed that government would launch the CLICO Investment Fund on November 1. He said policyholders who exchanged their 11-20 year bonds for units in the Fund should be able to begin trading those units from January 2, 2013, on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange. He added that provisions were being made for the income generated by the Fund to be tax-exempt in the hands of investors.

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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

October 10, 2012

October 10, 2012

CARIBBEAN GRAPIC

PAGE 15

Belly Bustas Take 3

A Short Time to Live
A man hasnt been feling well, so he goes to his doctor for a complete checkup. Afterward the doctor comes out with the results. Im afraid I have some very bad news, the doctor says. Youre dying, and you dont have much time left. Oh, thats terrible! says the man. How long have I got? Ten, the doctor says sadly. Ten? the man asks. Ten what? Months? Weeks? What?! Nine...

Fully owned and managed by Joe & Sandra!

By My Side
Her husband had been slipping in and out for a coma for several months yet she stayed by his bedside every single day. When he came to, he motioned for her to come nearer. As she sat by him, he said, You know what? You have been with me all through the bad times. When I got fired, you were there to support me. When my business fell, you were there. When I got shot, you were by my side. When we lost the house, you gave me support. When my health started failing, you were still by my side. She just smiled and held his hand. He then continued, saying When I think about it now, I think you bring me bad luck.

Planting Time
A prisoner in jail receives a letter from his wife: Dear Husband, I have decided to plant some lettuce in the back garden. When is the best time to plant them? The prisoner, knowing that the prison guards read all mail, replied in a letter: Dear Wife, whatever you do, do not touch the back garden. That is where I hid all the money. A week or so later, he received another letter from his wife: Dear Husband, You wouldnt believe what happened, some men came with shovels to the house, and dug up all the back garden. The prisoner wrote another letter back: Dear wife, now is the best time to plant the lettuce.

Every Friday!

DJS

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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

October 10, 2012

Banks To End Home Affairs The Ontario Human Rights Code Cashback Down
iscrimination is defined as the process by which two stimuli differing in some aspect are responded to differently; prejudice or prejudicial outlook, action or treatment (Webster). In a free and democratic society discriminatory behaviour is not to be tolerated. Such behaviour is aimed at diminishing the self worth and respect of a person. However if we are to progress as a community, each person must be treated with dignity and respect: The Ontario Human Rights Code was enacted with this particular purpose in mind. The preamble to this legislation states: Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world and is in accord with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as proclaimed by the United Nations; And whenever it is public policy in Ontario to recognise the dignity and worth of every person and to provide for equal rights and opportunities without discrimination that in contrary to law, and having as its aim the creation of a climate of understanding and mutual respect for the dignity and worth of each person so that each person feels a part of the community and able to contribute fully to the development and well being of the community and the Province; And whereas these principles have been confirmed in Ontario by a number of enactments of the Legislature and it is desirable to revise and extend the protection of human rights in Ontario. In effect the Ontario Human Rights code is pro-

vincial law that is designed to give all persons equal rights without discrimination in the following areas: Selwyn R. Employment Accommodation Goods Service and facilities Membership in vocational associations and trade unions

Payments

Baboolal

This law is geared to prevent discrimination and harassment based on ones: race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed (religion), sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family status, receipt of public assistance (accommodation), record of offences (employment). Over the years we have dealt with quite a number of these cases. Perhaps the most common types are those that occur in the workplace. For instance, Joe who is a hard worker is subjected to racial slurs and name calling. Joe reports the incidents to his supervisor but no action is taken to rectify or stop the offensive behaviour. This is discriminating behaviour and Joes employer has an obligation to put a stop to it and rectify the situation. If you or someone you know finds that you are facing discrimination on any of the enumerated grounds above you should speak to a lawyer. Selwyn R. Baboolal is a partner at Oumarally Baboolal practicing in the area of litigation for the past 18 years. The foregoing is intended for information purposes only and you should consult a lawyer if you need legal representation or a legal opinion.

hen buying a home so many factors and incentives come into play. Many offers that look attractive Bianca may not really be what is best for you. Sitting with your trusted mortgage advisor and going through your goals is a value added process that should not be ignored. That advice with the guidance of your Realtor and Lawyer are all key components. Cashback down payment mortgages are one of the items on the list of the B-20 Underwriting Guidelines. OSFI has decreed that Cash back should not be considered part of the down payment. Most Federally regulated lenders must therefore eliminate these offerings no later than October 31, 2012. Cashback mortgages essentially 100% financing are a niche product that is seldom appropriate for owner-occupied purchases. There are exceptions but most of the clients that desire the product may simply be prematurely ready to buy. The Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals supports OSFIs call to end cash back products in lieu of 5% down payments. There are not many federally-regulated lenders with 5% cashback down payment mortgages left and those options likely will not be around for much longer. Despite the new guidelines, banks may continue selling cashback mortgages as long as the funds are not being used as equity. Buyers may use cash back for costs associated with purchasing such as land transfer tax, lawyers fees or other related closing costs, moving costs, furnishings, landscaping, and additional renovations. Do not get discouraged by the upcoming changes as it may not have been what was right for you to begin with. We sometimes get attracted to things once we are told we can no longer have them.

Aziz

*The information in this article is not intended as specific investment, financial, accounting, legal or tax advice for any individual.

October 10, 2012

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

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Womens World Health

The month of October is considered to be the month for Breast Cancer Awareness. . The Breast Cancer Fund gave us these breast cancer prevention tips-as they say, prevention is power. There are lots of simple things you can do every day that could add up in a big way when it comes to reducing your breast cancer risk. Take a look: Avoid overnight work shifts for long stretches. Keeping a regular daily schedule and limiting the number of years that you pull overnight shift works may reduce your breast cancer risk by 33 percent. Overnight shift work over the long-term--and continued exposure to light at night--is associated with 1.5 to 2.5-fold increased breast cancer risk. Make sure you actually need that X-ray or CT scan. Both can give important information for medical diagnoses--but, according to the Breast Cancer Fund, theres no such thing as a safe dose of radiation, which is the most well-documented environmental cause of breast cancer--so be careful to limit medical radiation, and ask your doctor if there are any alternative tests that dont use radiation (such as ultrasounds). This may be especially important for women with BRCA mutations--breast cancer genes--who are under the age of 30 (they have almost four times the risk of breast cancer). Avoid hormonedisrupting chemicals, such as parabens and synthetic fragrances. While the Breast Cancer Fund says that the science is too new to estimate risk based on chemicals that disrupt hormones-and breast development is guided by those hormones--limiting your exposure may help explain some of the 50 percent of breast cancer cases where there is no other known risk factor. Here are a few ways of cutting off potential hormonedisrupting chemicals: Choose shampoos, conditioners, etc., that are free of parabens and synthetic fragrance (which can contain phthalates and synthetic musks). Avoid canned foods, which are lined with the hormone disruptor BPA. Use environmentally-friendly cleaning products that are free from alkylphenols and synthetic fragrance, and select products from companies that fully disclose all ingredients (cleaning product companies arent legally required to do so). Choose organic foods, since many pesticides are hormone disruptors and can end up in food and ground water. Buy furniture made from oldschool materials like cotton and wool instead of highly flammable polyurethane foam, which tend to be full of hormone-disrupting flame retardants. Limit hormone-replacement therapy after menopause. While menopause may still be pretty far off, its still important to remember that keeping hormone-replacement therapy to a minimum lowers your breast cancer risk by 26 percent, particularly when avoiding combined estrogen-progesterone therapies.

Breast Cancer Prevention

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October 10, 2012

Sports Beat

Bolt Aims To Lower Record

Olympic one and two hundred metres champion Usain Bolt says his goal of lowering the 100-metre mark below 9.4 seconds still stands, and hints of a possibility of it happening next season. Bolt made his declaration on October 8 as he ended a whistlestop promotional tour, which has seen the worlds fastest man on New Zealand soil for less than 24 hours. The 100m and 200m world record holder had previously predicted lowering the 100m mark below 9.4 seconds. His current record is 9.58. Theres a possibility [for 9.4], theres a definite possibility. I think this season

Jamaicans Stars Among Nominees

Individual Olympic gold medallists Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann FraserPryce,as well as relay gold medallist Yohan Blake, have been listed among the finalists for the IAAF male and female Athlete of the Year to be named next month. Bolt, who retained his double sprint titles in London while lowering his own Olympic record in the 100m to 9.63 seconds, and Blake, are among the 10 male athletes named, including Grenadas Olympic 400m champion Kirani James. Fraser-Pryce, who also retained her Olympic 100m title, is the only Caribbean female athlete on the list of 10. The list will be shortened to three each in each category after the first round of voting, while the winners will be announced at the annual IAAF banquet to be held in Barcelona, Spain on November 24. Those eligible to vote are IAAF and IAF Council Members, IAAF Member Federations, IAAF Committee and Commission Members, One-Day meeting directors, IAAF Ambassadors, athletes representatives, top athletes, selected international media and IAAF Staff Members. The vote closes on October 28, after which the top three athletes in each category will be invited to the IAAFs Gala in Barcelona where the technical committee will vote on the winners. Blake won three medals in London silver in both the 100m and 200m and as gold in the 4x100m, along with Bolt while Fraser-Pryce added a relay silver medal.

wont be so stressful, I can relax a little bit more, focus a little bit more, said the six-time Olympic gold medallist. It will be much easier without the pressure on your shoulders. Im just going to continue working hard and pushing myself.

Super Weekend For

Cyclist Matthews
Barbados cyclist Darren Matthews completed a super weekend of racing when he won the October 7 UCI sanctioned Tour of Tobago in the Sister Isle The 21-year-old Matthews, who was crowned the overall champion of the four-stage Tobago Cycling Classic on October 6 , capped off an impressive week of racing with his win in the gruelling 112-kilometre course, which took cyclists throughout most of Tobago from Scarborough to Charlotteville. Earlier Matthews had won the Tobago Cycling Classic stage two, a 110 kilometre course, taking riders from Mt Irvine to Whim, to Plymouth and back to Mt Irvine for four laps, and stage three, consisting of 50 laps of a 1.3 kilometre circuit around the village of Plymouth, to finish as the overall leader. He earned the win even after failing to place in the top five of the final race, a 60-lap contest around the onekilometre Market Square, Scarborough course. On October 7 Matthews continued his good form to make a clean sweep of titles in the week-long event, winning the Tour,the King of the Mountain title and the Under-23 title.

Another Silver
For Bovell
Trinidad and Tobagos George Bovell won another silver medal on October 8 , finishing second to American Anthony Ervin in the mens 50 metres freestyle final on the second day of the Qatar-leg of the FINA/ Arena Swimming World Cup, in Doha. Bovell touched the wall in 21.06 seconds, just behind Ervin who won gold with a time of 21.02. Australian Kyle Richardson got bronze in 21.54 seconds. Bovell, who was seventh in the same event at the London Olympics earlier this year, had the slowest reaction time but made up for it with his speed to claim his fourth silver medal in a row. The previous day the T&T swimmer earned silver in the 100m individual medley with a time of 51.87 seconds.

T&T Duo Struggle

After failing to reach the knockout phase in the under-15 division the day before, Trinidad and Tobago players Aaron Wilson and Arun Roopnarine were also unable to advance from their respective groups in the October 4 under-18 category of the Scotiabank Junior & Cadet Open Table Tennis Tournament, in Canada. Wilson, who turned 14 on September 26, was beaten 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 by Canadas Hongtao Chen in Group B, and 11-8, 11-9, 11-8 by Jeremy Hazin, the No. 1-ranked under-12, 13 and 14 player in Canada. After squandering a two-games to love lead and losing his opening match 8-11, 7-11, 11-4, 12-10, 11-6 against Canadian Antoine Bernadet, Roopnarine failed to win a game from his other two

matches in Group C. The 15-year-old national under-21 champ was whipped 11-8, 11-4, 11-7 by Xuebo Li of Canada, and then drubbed 11-3, 11-4, 11-4 by Cheng-Ting Liao of Chinese Taipei. Roopnarine, a member of the Trinidad and Tobago senior squad which captured the mens team title at the Caribbean Championships in Dominican Republic in late August, then went under 11-4, 13-11, 11-4 against Canadian Michael Luo in the first round of the consolation draw. And after beating Barbadian Tyrese Dere Knight 9-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-7, Wilson, winner of the recent Tobago Open, lost 12-10, 11-7, 11-5 to Filip Ilijevski of Canada in the consolation quarterfinals.

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Worth The Wait.

Its been eight long years since the West Indies last won a world championship in cricket. The October 7, triumph over hosts Sri Lanka to capture the ICC T20 World Cup has been worth the wait. This Cricinfo collage captures some of the triumphant images of the West Indies victory.

Worth Repeating

Issues Dead And Buried

They had clapped in the Premadasa media room after Darren Sammy finished his pre-final press conference on Saturday. They clapped in the Premadasa press box on October 7 after West Indies took the last Sri Lankan wicket to win the World Twenty20 2012. They clapped in the Premadasa media room after Sammy finished his post-final press conference. So rare have such occasions been for West Indies cricket after their decline that Sammy called this victory the best moment for me. The West Indies captain sauntered into the media room draped in the maroon West Indies cricket flag. He kept the World Twenty20 trophy proudly in front of him on the table. My trophy is so big I cant see you, he joked with the first questioner. He spoke about treasuring the achievement for the rest of his life. He was asked whether his performance with both bat and ball in the final was an answer to the critics who had questioned his place in the side all along. He said when even Christ was crucified without fault, he himself was nothing. It was a much-criticised, large-hearted man speaking from his heart, and Sammy didnt hold back tonight. We will definitely cherish this moment. I will for sure, Sammy said. Were going to relive it every day of our lives. This is the best moment for me in any cricket. This here (the trophy) is for the Caribbean people. West Indies fans all over the world have been craving success. I know theyre partying from Jamaica down to Guyana. And we know how to party. I think theyll need a lot of bartenders. Anybody could have an opinion about me. I like it. My shoulders are broad enough. Its been like that from the time I started cricket. Once I wear this [West Indies] crest (pointing to his shirt), I wear it on my heart. Thats what matters. If I turn up and dont have a good day, I suck, Ill come the next day and try and put in a better performance. I dont play for glory. I play for the Caribbean people. Sammy was asked what had won the game for West Indies, after they had been 32 for 2 at the halfway stage of their innings. He spoke about belief, and he spoke about God. We have a strong belief in God. He works in mysterious ways. He performs wonders, Sammy said. Like I kept saying in every press conference, theres a belief we had in the team. Yes, we expected them (Sri Lanka) to give us a good fight and they did. Throughout the last year or so, weve been showing that never-saydie attitude, but weve not been winning games. In this tournament, weve won games. Every man believed that

Moments Of Triumph.

whoever was out there could do the job. Today, it was Marlon Samuels and (Dwayne) Bravo steadying the ship. In the end, every run counts. The bowling discipline was just brilliant, and the fielding. I said we needed our A-plus game, this here is proof of it. After Marlon Samuels 78 had carried them to 137, Sammy said West Indies believed they had a chance. The coach was saying that if we get the score we got in Pallekele (129 for 5 against Sri Lanka) on this wicket, well win the match, Sammy said. The momentum we had from our batting carried through to our bowling. It was Dwayne Bravos birthday, so in the huddle, I gave him the chance to say the last words before we went on the field. He said, lets go out there and give it our all. If we do that and play how we can play, these runs are going to be a fighting total. Ravi (Rampaul) started it off with his first ball, and we never looked back from there. We have some of the most experienced Twenty20 players. Once we play the way we can, well always be a force to reckon with. We didnt brag about it but we believed we could go out there and take it one game at a time. I said hurdle by hurdle, and today was the final one. The coach said were climbing to the top of a mountain, and thats where the prize is. Weve got to go and take it. Today, we did that. We had different persons coming up with performances in different matches. The team has gelled well in this tournament. Signs of progress have been there, but this is the icing on the cake. There have been questions raised about the unity of the squad in the past, and the board and the players have had numerous disputes, but Sammy hoped this victory could be the start of something new for West Indies cricket. This is the moment here, he said. Issues done and buried. Twenty20 World Cup, 2012, Sri Lanka - West Indies champion. And Sammy held the trophy up. And there was another round of applause. Source: Cricinfo!

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October 10, 2012