29 Nov 2013
28 Nov 2013
27 Nov 2013
26 Nov 2013
25 Nov 2013
PAT BROWN OF THE SAINT LUCIA LABOUR PARTY RIPS HIS GOVERNMENT APART:
By Pat Brown
Regarding my article on the 11 million dollar bridge, as a diehard Labour Party supporter, my adulation was expected. But my comments were not directed at anyone but at the Labour Party, whose habitual performance is to isolate its supporters, and go about its merry ways as soon as an election is won.
Historically, the Labour Party leadership cannot, as deceased Sir John Compton could, claim to have led the Party into its first election victory without the support of professionals and technicians in their several fields of endeavour, and the red mealy bugs whom the Labour Party discarded immediately after the election victory. After the 16-1 landslide victory, instead of uniting a Party which remained in the wilderness for over fifteen years, they divided it in twain with the introduction of New Labour. They discarded Old Labour, and did not extend a hand to the youth, the “red mealy bugs”, or Rastafarians, but kept UWPees in senior positions in the civil service, which contributed to the Party’s decline, culminating in the loss of one seat in the following general elections.
In the next, Labour Party, even with a cadre of Doctors of Philosophy, legal and economic experts, were put to route by a sickly octogenarian who passed away some nine months later.
What followed was a government whose leader was appointed by the octogenarian, and whose accomplishment was overshadowed by the troika who controlled his Cabinet. The rest is a subject of history. But even with a weak and not entirely honest government fighting the following general elections, the Labour Party, with their “An’ rouge, en’ rouge” chants, managed to edge through with an 11-6 victory, with two seats still being contested.
24 Nov 2013
21 Nov 2013
20 Nov 2013
19 Nov 2013
17 Nov 2013
Venezuela's regional energy program Petrocaribe wobbles
By Ezra Fieser November 15, 2013
When Guatemala announced it would join Petrocaribe, the alliance where Venezuela sends petroleum to 17 countries at below-market prices, there was little worry about the program’s future. Oil was trading at more than $100 per barrel and Venezuela was sitting atop the world’s largest reserves.
But that was 2008.
Since then, President Hugo Chávez succumbed to cancer, leaving behind a Venezuela with serious economic concerns that put in question his ideology of “Socialism for the 21st Century,” and how flagship programs at home and abroad might be affected.The future of Petrocaribe, a pillar of Mr. Chavez’s foreign policy, is top of mind.
Guatemala announced in early November that it was pulling out of the alliance as the cost of staying within it increased. Guatemala's decision was the clearest sign yet that the program could be on the verge of serious changes.
“Either they save their own regime, or they keep doing what they’re doing, which is contributing oil wealth to friends and associates and comrades. In that case, the whole thing [Petrocaribe] collapses,” says Evanan Romero, an energy consultant who served on the board of PDVSA, the Venezuelan state oil company, until 1999.
While the Venezuelan government has promised to keep Petrocaribe intact, it has quietly cut oil shipments, and may be contemplating pushing up interest rates and modifying repayment terms. Any such changes could have deep and lasting impacts on small countries accustomed to propping up their economies with the shipments.
16 Nov 2013
What does Kenny know one year on?
Prior to Gonsalves jostling, Anthony had met with LIAT’s Board of Directors, Chairman Jean Holder and then CEO Captain Ian Brunton. At the time, Anthony was “circumspect about investment in the financially strapped airline.” He also expressed concern that the new aircraft LIAT was proposing to purchase as part of its fleet expansion was “a tall order for the carrier, which has accumulated millions of dollars in debt.”
However, the prime minister went on to explain that Saint Lucia should be more responsive to the plight of LIAT given that the island provides minimum guarantees for aircraft from other countries bringing tourists into the island. “It seems unfair that we are subsidising other aircraft and we do not extend assistance to LIAT,” Anthony said at the time.
12 Nov 2013
11 Nov 2013
Carrying The VAT Cross
Creole
Friday (Vandwedi Kweyol) Oct. 25 provided the ideal opportunity for one
citizen to play on St. Lucia’s Creole-English vocabulary to protest the
effects of the value added tax (VAT) on himself and the rest of the population.
Using the buzzing Constitution Park/Boulevard as a stage, cultural activist, Laurent Jn Pierre, b.k.a, ‘Jomo’, carried a crown of leaves to resemble the crown of thorns carried by Jesus Christ; a wooden cross fitted with a tie (kwavat) in the traditional ‘madras’ fabric; and two madras ties around his own neck.
Jn Pierre is Chairman of the Folk Research Centre’s Kweyol Language Committee, which organizes Kweyol literacy classes and produces the Kweyol Poetry Competition during Kweyol Heritage Month.
His piece of drama on Kweyol Friday made use of similarly pronounced words in different languages to mean different things. The kweyol word for cross is ‘kwa’, and the word for ‘tie’ (the item of clothing) is ‘kwavat’. Separate the word into ‘kwa vat’ and the direct English interpretation is ‘the cross of vat’!
Figuratively, Jn Pierre was carrying the financial burden of the value added tax on the people. ‘Mwen ka pòté kwa-vat la!’ (I am carrying the cross of VAT), as he himself declared.
According to Jn Pierre, his action on Creole Friday was not only a protest, but also an awareness campaign and political statement.
Using the buzzing Constitution Park/Boulevard as a stage, cultural activist, Laurent Jn Pierre, b.k.a, ‘Jomo’, carried a crown of leaves to resemble the crown of thorns carried by Jesus Christ; a wooden cross fitted with a tie (kwavat) in the traditional ‘madras’ fabric; and two madras ties around his own neck.
Jn Pierre is Chairman of the Folk Research Centre’s Kweyol Language Committee, which organizes Kweyol literacy classes and produces the Kweyol Poetry Competition during Kweyol Heritage Month.
His piece of drama on Kweyol Friday made use of similarly pronounced words in different languages to mean different things. The kweyol word for cross is ‘kwa’, and the word for ‘tie’ (the item of clothing) is ‘kwavat’. Separate the word into ‘kwa vat’ and the direct English interpretation is ‘the cross of vat’!
Figuratively, Jn Pierre was carrying the financial burden of the value added tax on the people. ‘Mwen ka pòté kwa-vat la!’ (I am carrying the cross of VAT), as he himself declared.
According to Jn Pierre, his action on Creole Friday was not only a protest, but also an awareness campaign and political statement.
HAROLD DALSON UNDER SCRUTINY ONCE AGAIN THIS TIME OVER SHADY LAND DEAL: "CABINET CONCLUSION 418"
This piece of property, owned by the Crown has a bit of controversy attached to it, so The VOICE has learned, further that more than one proposal has been forwarded to the respective authority by individuals interested in purchasing the said piece of property.
The Cabinet of Ministers on 29th July, 2013 considered a Memorandum dated 26th November, 2012 submitted by the Ministry of Physical Development, Housing and Urban Renewal and approved the sale of that piece of waterfront property, block and parcel No. 0031C 460, comprising approximately 6000 sq. ft. to GMC Holdings Inc. for the purpose of implementing a Tourist Development.
This is Cabinet Conclusion 418: Sale of a portion Block and Parcel No. 0031C 460 to GMC Holdings for the purpose of implementing a touristic development.
No. 418 went on to state that this approval is subject to the purchaser bearing the cost of relocating squatters, and that the Crown should undertake the completion of the surveying and valuation exercises to determine the sale price.
Efforts to get Minister Harold Dalson to comment on the relocation of squatters, he being the parliamentary representative for Soufriere, were pointless.
On Thursday his office on the Castries Waterfront said he was not on the island. Friday morning his office said he was in office. The reporter identified himself and his organization when the spokesperson picked up his call. The reporter was first told to hold on, an indication that he was being put through to the minister. The spokesperson returned and told the reporter to call back in five to ten minutes. The reporter called back twelve minutes after and was told:
… you just missed him. He had an appointment with the Cuban doctors….”
Another reason for seeking out Dalson was this: Saint Lucians would remember the rhetoric of the Labour Party during the last general elections regarding the sale of government lands, the Black Bay lands being the one coming readily to mind.
Gender Justice Advocate Calls for more Human Rights Laws
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| Felicia Browne |
Shakadan Daniel’s death has drawn much concern in relation to modern legislative laws and litigation where we rely upon the professionalism of custodians and that of the penal system. Though many agree that human rights are of key significance in our society, very little has been done to educate the general populace on the Human Rights Conventions. Human Rights are fundamental to human development and shape our modern understandings of what actions are morally permissible when interacting within our own society. Rights structure very nature of governments, the content of our laws, and the shaping of our moral values and our ability to act responsibly to our fellow humankind. Such moralities and universal values are usually geared towards shaping our human and national development- in relation to personhood, collectivism and patriotism. Felicia Browne, who was recently awarded a Ambassador for Peace, agrees that though our legal and human rights advocates have continued to advocate for justice and peace within our society, not much has been done to educate various sectors on Human Rights. Human Rights have been often seen as a nuisance in many social matters. However, it is imperative that the rights of others, regardless of soci-economic backgrounds, must be upheld by the State and human institution. Victims of human rights violation are becoming an international and global concern. These violations have an extremely devastating effect, not only on the victim but the perpetrator as well. Theories of Victimology recognize that passive victims are more likely to be prone to further abuse within their formative and developmental stages. These may manifest themselves through various forms of violence, which include but not limited to; bullying, rape, suicide, crime and gun violence. In many cases, families of human rights victims are usually prone to further violence or injustices which may create a space for internal and immediate conflicts that are far removed by possible solutions. Browne adds that “Governmental and non-government organisations must not remain at loggerheads with each other, nor remain silent on matters of human dignity. A young citizen has died, and it is the State’s responsible that the general public, including the media, understand how such cases are being handled without any biases or ambiguities.
9 Nov 2013
UWP Town Hall Meeting ....Synopsis.....
The meeting of like minded PEOPLE as it was advertised on the flyer was honest, no Party bashing, no mapwis “ain’t nobody got time for that”…… Just pure harsh reality on the facts and exchange and sharing of ideas on how WE the PEOPLE while not physically present are can assist in charting and planning our way out of the current mire. And its not like St. Lucians don’t already know all is not well in fair Helen there is also the realization that St Lucians have lost faith in band of good Doctors, who have no remedy for the conditions of malaise that is currently plague or beloved Home Country.
The evening started with invited guest speakers Brian Figeroux, founder and CEO of the New American Chamber of Commerce sharing with St Lucians the power of forming a local chamber of commerce of business minded people and how this in turn can assist with trading opportunities with our St Lucian business counterparts. There is power in numbers my Fellow St Lucians and we need to learn how to use that power to our advantage……
6 Nov 2013
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