Eye
Surgery Volunteers Give New Sight to Many
By Bennette Roach
Dr Scott and
her team in discussion
The grinding two-week stint of Dr. Dorothy Scott
and her team (a month for Dr. Scott) is turning out to be one the organizer's
most satisfying years of coming to Montserrat and offering her services, free.
It was quite a job trying to speak to Dr. Scott,
who has been practicing eye-care for 45 years, and members of her surgical team,
refractory surgeon Dr. Dipendra Dhaliwall and ophthalmologist Dr. Rookaya Mather.
That was not because they avoided the press, but because of their difficulty in
finding the time to afford us the privilege of seeing them at work.
During another visit to the Cudjoe Head clinic
where much of eye care services were taking place, on Monday and Tuesday we saw
many of the patients and the volunteer workers in action,as they happily carried
out their duties with Dr. Scott in the center of things. This very senior lady,
it would appear, spoke to every single patient who came into the clinic, while
she carried out her own examinations. She did this alone, while Drs. Dhaliwall
and Mather attended to surgical matters at the St. John's hospital theatre.
On Tuesday the expressions of joy were immense
for patients and doctors alike. That day several of the one-eyed persons were
full of joy as they showed up for their post-op follow-ups. Every single patient
I spoke to had the same joyful explanation. "I am seeing better out of the
eye that was blind than the one that was still good," was the same joyful
expression from each one.
One by one they came in to be examined among the
others who had lesser, or sometimes even more complicated problems. One very well known
family mom could not contain herself when she could read the letters on the
chart that was put in front of her without any aid, whatsoever.
"The bad eye is better than the other one
now," one gentleman told me.
Another one said he had not been able to tell who people were: "the dark spot is still in the other one, but before I couldn't tell who you were. I know you are Bennette, right?
Patients
waiting for consultation
Dr. Dhaliwal and Dr. Mather are first timers on
the mission with Dr. Scott. They are from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and have
known Dr. Scott at the St. Francis Medical Center, where she also has an office.
There are other support staff. Joe Warnicki is a
photographer/technician who is on his third visit. He serves as a technician in
patient care and his job helps to secure and allows for a successful progress
follow-up of the patient. In his first visit, he remembers, the concentration
was in the schools, while his second was with the identification of glaucoma
problems on the island.
Dr. Scott, who owned a home in Richmond Hill,
stays with friends on Montserrat, as do her other volunteer surgeons and staff
who travel with her to Montserrat, with all organization and expenses met by
her, with very little assistance from the government.
Properties in North Due To Be Revalued
By
Helena Durand
In a Proclamation dated 15th January,
2002, His Excellency the Governor Anthony Longrigg has declared "a new
valuation list shall be prepared from 15 January, 2002, and shall come into
force on 1st January, 2003.
The data collection for the new list is expected
to take a little over six months, as all properties in the north of Montserrat
will be re-evaluated.
This comes on the heels of insistence by the
Department for International Development (DFID) that Government implement the
Consultant Mr Van Oppen’s recommendation of 1999, that a new property
evaluation be undertaken.
Comptroller of the Inland Revenue Haycene Ryan
told the Montserrat Reporter, “Good evaluation practice demands that property
evaluation be made every five years; however, the last property evaluation done
here was in 1988, 14 years ago.”
In a ZJB radio interview he said that the list
should be prepared every five years to reflect the changes in property values.
To emphasize some of these changes, he said that
in an exercise undertaken last year, “We found over 800 structures which are
not included on the present list. Why should persons who have properties which
are taxable not pay any tax on them when other people are paying taxes on their
properties?”
Opposition Member Reuben Meade told the nation in
a radio address yesterday that this re-evaluation of property is simply a ploy
by the Government to increase the burden on the people of Montserrat, as this
year “taxes will be increased very significantly.”
He said in 1995 prior, to the volcanic activity,
land prices in the north of Montserrat were
"well below $1 per square foot, or in some cases as high as $1.20 or
$1.50 per square foot. Land prices in the north have risen to at least $5 per
square foot. This is an increase of over 500 percent in many cases. This also
means that when the property evaluation exercise is carried out later this
year…houses constructed and completed in 1988 will also come onto the tax
books. Your new house on which there was no tax since you built it, rest assured
that you need to start saving plenty money to pay your property taxes when they
become due in 2002.”
Mr. Ryan told the Montserrat Reporter, however,
“At the end of the exercise, persons who are not satisfied with the value
given to their property have recourse to the evaluator, the magistrate, or the
court of appeal.”
He explained that persons could ascribe whatever
value they desire to their property, but that the technical people will consider
every aspect of the property; its location, size, and selling prices in the
general area, and will then determine its taxable value.
The determined value, he said, is based on
economic and market realities, not sentiment and not what the owners wish.
“The Inland Revenue does not interfere with
market price,” Mr. Ryan said, “It simply adds a value for tax purposes.”
He noted that regardless of what system of
taxation a country uses, taxes have always been a consequence of existence to
raise revenue to assist in the management of any country.
"If Our
Leaders Don't Involve All of Us, The Exodus will be More than Money"
Three weeks after the NPLM government took office
we commented: "there is no mistaking the frustrating looks on their faces
as they go around trying to fill their busy and important schedules and
functions."
It is not yet even a year, but no one in or
outside Montserrat would have believed from the brief political campaign we
endured, that there wouldn't be smiles on their faces and
ours as well. But let's quote another line from a previous editorial:
"It is quite clear from all the rumblings, the whispers and the information
available that somewhere it is still the wish that those of us left behind and
those returning will be brought to our knees."
The Honourable Claude Hogan may not have spoken
only for himself last week when he said he didn't know "the job would be so
difficult," and that the "economy had deteriorated so badly." Yes
how ignorant they were of the realities, or were they? If they were and knew
history they would not have believed or encouraged the Chief Minister to simply
roll over to the subtlety, directives and minds of HMG and DFID.
Nothing has changed to ease the impending burdens
and pressures on those seriously willing to live out their lives in Montserrat,
only very soon it will come down to whether we could afford the transportation
cost to leave forever, since leaving and returning will be made almost
unmanageable. The people on another Colony, or rather Overseas Territory, St.
Helena, (who have been following our airport story closely) will soon be much
better off than we are and will be able to travel away from the island at will
and in much greater comfort.
Let us back up again to an earlier editorial:
"…discussions is the anxiety over the airport. The debate does continue,
but while the propositions are not simple, the position at this time for
Government is not at all complex. It must be that Montserrat must not involve
itself in the construction of a fixed-wing facility . . . . It is well known
that a runway/airstrip at Geralds of only 400 meters will never be adequate; and
one 600 or above will not be able to accommodate aircraft safely because of the
hazards involved. It is said that this latter is being studied, but why only
Geralds? What happens when it is found out that it is not worth the
consideration? And why is it taking so long - who is delaying that?"
That was from April last year, but today we are
much closer, as we are being told by Mr. Hogan, that there are "no longer
any pre-requisites for the construction of an airport at Geralds." He seems
to guarantee that an airport at Geralds will be licensed for commercial
international operations and even mentions that Geralds has the capability of
being considered as the permanent airport for Montserrat.
According to Mr. Hogan, Geralds airport project
manager, "a permanent airport is not a physical issue," suggesting, it
would seem, that a permanent one can go any where. Correct perhaps, since, as he
said, "an airport can even be built in the sea." Does all this really
mean that the safety studies that were expected to take place prior to
construction are now all out the window? Someone now needs to clarify that.
Part 2 of the Feasibility Assessment for the
Permanent Solution Final Report said of Geralds Bottom: "a possible future
development of the "temporary" solution at Geralds Bottom cannot be
satisfactory, due to its heavy social impact, and its utilization in the long
term with limited operational characteristics could affect the overall economic
development of the island."
That word "developmental' is the key-word to
any airport in Montserrat. Again from the same April Editorial: "There are
those including the British and government officials who can charter (out of the
moneys allocated to Montserrat) the small five-seater aircraft to land at
Geralds, but can the masses do that? Will all our tourists want to do that?
There are even British friends waiting to introduce the service. We must never
be involved in spending British taxpayers' money poorly or unfairly."
Last night we heard the same British friends
being included on the discussion panel on ZJB admit owning Islanders but
promising to obtain the required "De Havilland 6 - Twin Otter" air
crafts. No doubt HMG will stand ready to support him financially. How this will
"aid" Montserrat and its development must be studied. Conflict of
interest? Well there are those of us who do not know it, but it was rampant,
however subtle, among the panel.
There are many questions yet to be asked to give
some acceptance to the course being taken, but paramount to all of this and any
airport, is that one at Geralds Bottom must not be like many of the previous
British "own-way" funded projects on this Island. And that word
"elephant" keeps cropping up.
One of the reasons given by our government
officials for pursuing the Geralds Bottom airport is the time it would take to
change course and the lack of injection of funds into the economy of Montserrat.
A few weeks ago we "inexpertly" tried to show that our economic
situation is about to be impacted very little by the fact that there will be
some $25 million in project funds to be handled in Montserrat. At that time we
showed that only about $4 million of that will in fact circulate in Montserrat.
But expert sources have advised us how wrong we
were, that in fact it will be much less than that. We hope to get the new
details of this shocker, but the part emphasized was the fact that the monies
left here and spent on dubious efficiencies send further funds overseas rather
than creating more employment. A simple example was that if each contractor were
to purchase a truck out of the income derived from their work, it means truckers
will all be out of business. Then there is the amount of money that is
repatriated overseas, not only by non-Montserratian workers, but by
Montserratians to their family overseas.
There are also the serious and continued
rumblings over the disappointment of government ministers, officials and civil
servants that the so-called new "autonomy" was a DFID trick agreed to
by the Foreign Commonwealth Office. Autonomy without funding is worse than DFID-controlled
spending. And to make bad matters worse, there is Afghanistan which, if even we
had a place on the back-burner, for DFID we do not even exist. The result of all
this is what we predicted, that there will be increases brought on subtly and
other ways unimaginable, with the result that the threated or promised
exodus of people from Montserrat will become reality. Every person
stepping onto this rock, whether as visitor or otherwise, is significant. So too
is anyone leaving permanently. What we must realize is that some of those
elected to make the decisions for us have already relocated to Britain. This is
like a fictional movie.
Ah yes, the ferry rates will go up, the
helicopter rates will go up, maybe substantially; taxes, direct and indirect,
(including property taxes), licences, rates and fees of all description will go
up; electricity, water, and anything imaginable will go up. The result is that
everything will be increased, the cost of living will go up.
As the British take the money out of our pockets,
the effect of reduction of aid, so incomes will be reduced. The civil servants
will see that it will be better for them and the country that they did not take
salary increases. There are always the privileged few, of course, they will
scoff at these suggestions, but we have not been proven wrong yet.
Is there any hope? Only when everybody is sought out who can contribute and who is not laughed at when they ask a question or make a suggestion in an effort to bring all the considerations to the table. All attempts at hood-winking and suppressing, must cease, so too the way the information is made available. There is no one or anything now to acquiesce to. So mediocrity, laziness, cowardice, failure and selfishness must change (we'll say it once again) to the involvement of organizations, associations, groups and individuals with specific aims to grow certain areas of our economy is a political challenge to their leadership.
Except
for the editorial, opinion articles expressed in these pages are not necessarily
those of the Montserrat Reporter editors, employees or advisers.
Readers are encouraged to submit commentary articles.
All viewpoints, unless libelous, in poor taste, or anonymous, are
welcome. Send your contributions to
The Editor, P.O. Box 306, Olveston, Montserrat, W. I., e-mail: editor@montserratreporter.org
or monrep@candw.ag. Manuscripts
will not be returned unless accompanied by a return stamped envelope.
The Montserrat Reporter is a privately owned independent newspaper.
Jus
Wonderin items may be called in at telephone 491-4715 or Fax 491-2430
Living Stones
Come to him, a living stone, though rejected
by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let
yourselves be built into a spiritual house.
1 Peter 2:4-5 (NRSV)
I treasure the pendant my husband, Douglas made
from a small, white stone.
I first saw the stone rolling down the beach in
the ebb tide. He put it into his stone-polishing machine where it rubbed and
jostled against other stones for three weeks If a stone could feel, this
stone’s experience would have been uncomfortable, even painful.
But when Douglas took it out of the machine it
had become smooth and shiny. I will never forget what Douglas said then: “The
art of polishing stones is knowing exactly how much rough and tumble they need
to make them shine.”
The apostle Peter likens Christians to living
stones that fit together. We each are shaped and smoothed as we are being built
into God’s spiritual house.
Looking at my pendant, I see that God can use
life’s painful rubbing and jostling to smooth away the rough edges of my
makeup. Now when I find myself in difficult situations, I remind myself that
they can make me shine for God.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for using life to shape us into the people you want us to be.
Mold us to fit into place in your master plan. Amen.
Thought for the Day: Each
of us is something God is building.
Christine Wood.
What
are Consultants Smoking These Days?
Mr.
Editor:
Did
I just hear the esteemed Claude Hogan on ZJB attempting to justify the 500-meter
airstrip at Geralds? I think I heard correctly that he said their consultants
predict passenger volume of 62,000 in 2004. THAT IS 170 PASSENGER MOVEMENTS PER
DAY, YEAR ROUND! If you fantasize that Gerald's could handle a 20-passenger
plane, that is 8.5 flights per day. A 9-passenger plane, completely sold out,
would mean 19 per day.
Even
if you allow for fully loaded incoming and outgoing flights, for a 20-passenger
plane that is still 4.25 flights per day each way; for a 9-passenger 9.5
flights.
Add
to that the difference between air traffic off season and in season, and the
unrealistic expectations visualized by these "consultants" who knew
what they were paid to come up with are laughable. Plenty love and money!!!?
What the NPLM and its consultants are giving us is plenty something I doubt you
would print.
Just heard
Much More Needed
To End Child Abuse
Dear Editor,
I am a concerned mother who loves children who
would care and do a full-time course on caring for kids if the opportunity ever
presented itself. My deepest
grievance is to know the pains, the morning sickness for most mothers during
their pregnancy, and sometimes no father to help them.
Mothers are there for their children through thick and thin, and then the
nightmare comes. I firmly believe
that something more has to be done to stop child abuse on this little island,
not just talking, some serious action must be taken.
The Community Services Department needs to
introduce Child Abuse Education in school so that children can be aware of the
signs and how not to be afraid to tell their parents and to know that it is
wrong, no matter what they are told and by whom. Seminars should also be held
for parents and young adults to educate them on the signs of child abuse, how to
handle it and how to put a stop to it before it escalates into a much bigger
problem…They also need to take further steps whenever they see signs of child
abuse in school; to have effective training to handle that particular child, to
get him or her to open up and not shut out everybody else, trying to deal with
such a problem on their own, which we know would lead to a bigger problem for
the child at a later stage in their life.
Just last week, we witnessed a young man in his
late twenties, drunk, assaulting or attempting to assault a 2-year-old
child….whenever we see these things on CNN or hear it on Cana News we just
shake our heads and say thank God for Little Montserrat that, that sort of thing
would never happen here. But never say never….Tell me, what is on a 2-year-old
for a young man to fancy? Is he sick mentally or did he just lose his senses for
a minute?
We cannot say now that it’s the Guyanese or
Jamaicans or even Dominicans to ship them out cause Immigration is not doing
their job, it’s one of our very own, a Montserratian…Tell me, who can you
trust, especially with your children…let me answer for you ABSOLUTELY NO
ONE….I sincerely hope that the authorities deal heavily with this young man,
teach him a lesson AGAIN. And show anybody else that we do not tolerate child
abuse in Montserrat and we as parents have to look out for each other's children
cause we know the hardships of motherhood.
To the parents of the child we do sympathize
because I’m a mother and it’s hurting me as if it was my own child and I
know that there are other mothers who feel your pain…..May God guide you in
this heart-wrenching time.
Arietta Buffonge
Former
Student Hails MBE for Sarah Allen
Dear
Editor,
As
a former student and co-worker of Miss Sarah, Allen, I would like to
congratulate her on the outstanding achievement reflected in her award of Member
of the British Empire.
I
know that she does not like anyone singing her praises, but she deserves it,
since it is her belief, and my belief as well, that "Whatever is worthwhile
doing is worthwhile doing well."
Well
done Miss Allen!
Lafton
Lee
livingston_ll@yahoo.com
The Passing of Former Clerk of Parliament of Barbados,
Mr
George Eustace Theodore Brancker, LLB, CBE
The Clerk of Councils, Mrs. Claudette Weekes,
represented the Government of Montserrat at the official funeral of the late
George Eustace Theodore Brancker, LLB, CBE, former Clerk of Parliament, in
Barbados on 9th January, 2002, where a wreath was laid by the Clerk
on behalf of the Government and People of Montserrat.
Mr. Brancker’s passing, in the words of Chief
Justice of Barbados, The Honourable Sir David Simmons, marked the “death of an
institution and the desiccation of a depot of institutional memory, not only in
Barbados and the Region but throughout the Commonwealth.”
For Montserrat, Mr. Brancker was responsible for
training no fewer than three of its Clerks of the Legislative Council, Miss
Kathleen Russell, Miss Veronica Lee and Mrs. Weekes.
In addition he would most certainly have impacted on Mrs. Mary Taylor,
Mrs. Cynthia Ryan and the Rev. Daniel Bramble as they interacted at Commonwealth
Parliamentary Association Seminars and Conferences.
Mr. Brancker last visited the island as a participant in Montserrat’s
last CPA Seminar for Presiding Officers and Clerks in the early 1970’s.
Attachments to the Barbados Parliament were
inspiring and rewarding exercises. They came at the Pleasure of the Clerk. He was like that. He spurred those Clerks with academic
aspirations, attitude and aptitude on to greater heights.
But it is the Olympian heights to which Mr.
Brancker took the profession that will stand out most in the minds of those
whose careers he impacted positively. He
was no mere recording secretary. He
wrote numerous articles on Constitutional and procedural matters, some of which
have been published in the esteemed “Parliamentarian,” a Journal of
Parliaments of the Commonwealth. He
networked with a number of Parliaments in the Dependent Territories,
facilitating many of their CPA Conferences and Seminars with unmatched
resourcefulness, highlighting the important role of the Clerk as the chief
advisor on procedural matters within the House and prime administrator of the
parliamentary office.
His advice was relentlessly pursued by Presidents
of Senates and Speakers and Clerks of the various Houses of Assembly, from
Trinidad in the South to Jamaica in the North.
Put simply, he served with absolute distinction in the office of Clerk.
It is no surprise, therefore, that he became the pillar and role model of
budding Clerks as well as highly seasoned ones within the region and throughout
the Commonwealth who thronged the St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Cathedral in
Barbados to pay their last respects. Their
distinguished presence was shaded only by the most distinguished presence of the
Right Honourable Owen Auther, Prime Minister of Barbados and the pall bearers in
His Honour Senator Sir Fred Gallop, President of the Senate; The Hon Billie
Miller, Deputy Prime Minister; The Hon Sir David Simmons, Chief Justice of
Barbados, The Hon Mia Motley, Attorney General, and The Right Hon. Sir Lloyd
Sandiford.
For his unparalleled contribution to the
development of Parliamentary staff in Montserrat and the region we therefore
applaud greatness and say thanks. May His soul rest in Peace.
New Public Market
At Festival Village
By
Helena Durand
Agriculture Extension Officer Easton Farrell is
pleased that the Ministry of Agriculture has finally established a public market
on Montserrat.
He said throughout the volcanic crisis it has
been particularly difficult for farmers to display their agricultural produce
since the loss of the market in Plymouth.
“As a result they took the initiative to
display their produce on the roadside," Mr. Farrell said. "Most of you
would have seen farmers at Cudjoe Head Center, at Brades mini agricultural
station, in Salem at the roadside, and next to Rams Emdee.”
He said his pleasure stems from the fact that now
farmers have a market to display their produce and to encourage clientele,
“because in the absence of a Central Market, the sale of the farmer is reduced
significantly.”
The proposed site for the market is at Little Bay
Festival Village. Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Housing and the Environment
Mrs. Margaret Dyer-Howe said the facility is a much-needed one for the
Montserrat community.
“A Central Market is much more sometimes than
just selling,” she said. “It’s an area to socialize. It’s a gathering of
people, and when you have a Central Market and everything is available you can
spend less time, for instance, in getting what you need rather than running from
place to place. Farmers too like to know that they are located in an area where
other farmers or other producers are so that sometimes not only other customers
buy, but farmers would also buy from other farmers and sell the other farmers
produce. So it’s more than just selling. It’s a gathering, it’s to
socialize, [and] it’s to bring everything in one location so that people have
a wider variety and a better choice of goods.”.
Cultural Centre
Getting Set for Construction to Begin
A
press release issued today by Sir George and Lady Martin, it states that due to
the efforts of many persons; some 70 per cent funding is in place for the
construction of the Cultural Centre at Little Bay.
According to the release, a considerable sum
still needs to be raised, but everyone involved is optimistic that it can be
achieved in the coming months.
A new Trust is reportedly being formed which will
hold the land on which the Centre is to be built on behalf of the people of
Montserrat.
Rev. Florence Daley, ably supported by a number
of responsible persons representing a wide cross section of the island, will
head the newly formed Board of Administration.
The Cultural Centre will be the first major building in the development of Little Bay and it is hoped that it will act as a catalyst and incentive for future private investment.
Meanwhile, in related news, some Montserratians
living overseas say they are willing to take up the challenge issued by Sir
Howard Fergus in the Montserrat Reporter when he lamented the lack of a cultural
centre for the school children to perform their plays and concerts in his review
of the concerts.
The suggestion is that “The Cultural Center
Committee (CCC), or an appropriate government office, should negotiate uniform
prices with all participating local building suppliers and publish a 'Donation
List' which would be made public in Montserrat, at Heritage Quay in Antigua, on
any Montserrat information website (including ZJB's home page) and particularly,
on the Montserrat Reporter Online.
“On the list should be items that can hang
around for a long time and the cost. For example: 50 concrete blocks (8") - $100; 50 concrete
blocks (6") - $80; 10 steel rods - $50; 20 boxes nails (3") - $40;
etc. What this does is give the
person donating the item an opportunity to choose what amount he/she can afford
and actually make the purchase. “The
contributor gets a receipt from the store, on which is recorded his/her name and
address (telephone number/email address optional).
A copy of the receipt goes to the CCC (or government office responsible)
who would, in turn, enter the name and contact information of the contributor
into a database and a certificate of thanks sent in the mail within a specified
period of time. The CCC, at the
time of bulk purchasing for construction, only needs to consult the database to
determine what items they have on
hand, and what needs to be purchased.
“The building supply store benefits: 1) from
the sale; 2) they get to claim a tax deduction for that charitable donation by
transporting the items to the storage facility (this assumes of course that the
CCC has storage space - an empty factory shed, for instance?); and 3) there is
more money in circulation in the economy.
“Persons who have no intention of going to
Montserrat would still have an opportunity to contribute, by either sending
funds with someone traveling to the island, or if the
building supply store can process credit card payments; they can pay from where they are by credit card.
The Cultural
Center groundbreaking ceremony in Jan 2001
“Many things can go wrong as we all know, but
if we are able to convince everyone involved that it is in our interest to
commit to this project for the benefit of all our people, we would have made
giant strides toward self-sufficiency….”
So Cultural Center Committee, the ball is in your
court.
Nagico Insurance
Firm Presents Cricket Gear
General Manager of Nagico Insurance Imrad McSuud presented some cricket equipment to the Sports Division in a brief handing over ceremony yesterday morning at the Lookout Tennis Courts.
Sports Officer Fitzroy Buffonge played the
pivotal role in soliciting the consignment of balls, bats, gloves, and pads from
Nagico Insurance.
He said after making a request to Nagico, he
received a favorable reply within three weeks.
Mr. McSuud said his company was more than happy
to assist, particularly himself, as he is “a keen cricket fan and a die-hard
West Indies Cricket fan.”
Taking up Mr. Buffonge’s challenge, Mr. McSuud
has promised to assist cricket in Montserrat in every way possible. He pledged
his company’s full support and said he is looking forward to sponsoring the
youth cricket as the young people are the future and he prefers to work with
them.
Also attending the presentation were Vice
President of the Montserrat Cricket Association Roy Greaves and a cricket team
of 7- and 8-year-olds who will use the cricket gear.
Member of Parliament Claude Hogan gave the vote
of thanks.
Promoter William Blake Says Customs Needs Overhauling
By
Helena Durand
Montserratian-born
Show Promoter and Businessman William Blake has expressed concern over what he
believes are “hostile policies” governing not only the Customs department
but the island itself.
Mr. Blake, who visited the island on Monday to
further organize and promote an upcoming show, told the Montserrat Reporter he
was very surprised and disappointed with what he has found.
“I’ve been promoting quality shows for
Montserrat for years but now I cannot understand what is happening,” he said.
He said in other countries where he promotes his
shows, when he comes in at the seaport with his band/equipment, the equipment is
itemized and priced but he is allowed to go on and have his show.
“After the show, when we are leaving, I have to
show them the list of itemized equipment and if anything is missing from that
list, then I would have to pay for the missing equipment. But here in
Montserrat, at the port they itemize and price the equipment and you have to pay
up front. These equipment are very expensive. It seems you have to be a
millionaire to produce a show on Montserrat. That policy is wrong. The Customs
needs some serious overhauling!”
Mr. Blake said he is “Not blaming the present
Government, because they met this policy here, but they cannot sit back and
allow these things to go on.”
Comptroller of Customs Rudolph Dyett told the
Montserrat Reporter he is not aware of things happening as Mr. Blake has
claimed. He said, “All goods imported into the Colony of Montserrat have to be
duty paid, unless the tariff dictates otherwise. There is a law governing
importation of temporary goods. Deposits must be paid and that law makes no
distinction between foreigners or nationals.”
Another concern Mr. Blake expressed is that of
the cost of running a show on the island.
He said he was told that it was the
Government’s policy to charge 20 percent from the gate proceeds.
“First time I hear anything like that. I know
you charge 5 or so percent on the profits, but not 20 percent on the gate. The
promoter never makes more than 20 percent. If Government is charging that, what
will I get?”
He said “this must go” or nobody will be able
to produce quality shows on Montserrat.
Something he also wants gone is the system of
counting heads at the gate.
“The Inland Revenue man comes with a ticker and
counts the number of persons who enter the gate. They do not go by the number of
tickets sold. That means there are errors. Many people who go to shows go back
outside for one reason or another and then come back in. It means if the man is
counting heads entering, some people may be counted more than once. That is not
fair because they multiply that number by the price of the ticket and then
charge you.”
Notwithstanding all of this, Mr. Blake said he
has told Government officials that since Montserrat does not have an auditorium,
give him some land and he will build one at his expense for the country.
“I have invested millions in Antigua which
should really have been invested here. So this way I can contribute more to the
island. I told them so this week and they said they will get in touch with me,
so I am waiting,” he said.
Mr. Blake left the island yesterday.
Indecent Assault
Charged, Young Suspect in Remand
Charles Meade of Collins Ghaut, a young man in
his late 20’s was arrested and charged with indecent assault of a 2-year-old
girl child, and entering with intent to commit burglary last weekend.
He is currently on remand after appearing in the
Magistrate’s Court, where he will make his next appearance on January 22.
According to the Royal Montserrat Police Force,
Mr. Meade, who resides in the north of the island, allegedly broke into the
house in the south of the island. Police learned that the little girl and her
8-year-old brother were in the house but in separate rooms.
The boy reportedly heard suspicious sounds in his
sister’s room and telephoned his father, who had just left from visiting them.
The father arrived to find Mr. Meade in the house. He in turn called the
children’s mother, who reported the matter to the police.
According to police records, this not the
suspect's first offense.
Tourist Board P.R.O.
Returns After Study
Miss
Rosetta West, former Marketing and Public Relations Officer of the Montserrat
Tourist Board, has returned to the Board as Communications and Public Relations
Officer after a four-year stint in the United Kingdom.
During the heightened volcanic activity in 1997,
Ms. West, like many other Montserratians, left the island for the U.K.
While there she took the opportunity to further
her studies in tourism and was declared “Student of the Year” at
Loughborough College, where she gained a Higher National Diploma in Tourism
Management.
She later went on to the University of Derby,
where she was awarded an upper Second Class Honors Degree in Tourism.
Her new post will see her liaising with a wide
cross-section of the general public, in addition to the Tourist Board’s Public
Relations Representatives abroad..
No Visits Allowed
to DTEZ Without Official Permission
Prompted by concerns that groups and individuals
are entering the unsafe zone without permission, The Governor’s Office this
week reminded the public that entry into the unsafe zone is prohibited, and that
anyone found there is liable to arrest.
The Office says that anyone with an urgent and
pressing need to go into the unsafe zone must follow these set procedures.
A letter should be written to the Commissioner of
Police, stating where persons need to go, for what reason, and how long it is
expected to take.
The Commissioner would then refer the matter to
the Volcano Executive Group (VEG) who, after taking scientific advise, will
decide if there can be entry to the area.
It should be noted, however, that very few
applications are approved because of the dangers involved.
The decisions of the VEG are final and that there
can be no entry without its approval.
The Governor’s Office said that any entry into
the unsafe zone will be dependent on the availability of Emergency Department,
Police, and scientific personnel who are to accompany persons into the zone.
USVI Cruise Ships
Land 4 Percent more Passengers
CHARLOTTE AMALIE, St. Thomas -- Cruise ship
passenger arrivals in St. Thomas for 2001 were 1,790,452, a 4-percent increase
over 2000.
Bahamas
Entertains 1,000 Rescue Workers
NASSAU, Bahamas -- Club Med Paradise Island is
hosting 1,000 World Trade Center rescue workers, their families and families of
victims of the Sept. 11 attacks for six-night stays through Jan. 20.
Club Med partnered with North American Airlines,
Planet Airways and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism for the all-expense-paid
trips.
‘Aruba On
Us’ Debuts As Tourism Promotion
ARUBA -- The Aruba Tourism Authority launched the
"Aruba On Us" promotion that offers $200 in travelers checks for
on-island expenses as well as a value card for discounts on meals, entrance fees
and activities.
The promotion is valid on new bookings of five
nights or more made through Jan. 31, or for the first 6,500 bookings. Travel is
valid from Jan. 12 to March 31 and must be booked through an official Aruba tour
operator.
BVI Marine
Centre To Cost $5.11-million
ROAD TOWN, Tortola - A contract totaling $5.11
million was signed Monday by the Government of the British Virgin Islands and
Tarris Hill Associate Ltd. to build the Marine Centre at the H. Lavity Stoutt
Community College.
Chief Minister Ralph T. O’Neal, also Minister
of Finance, said the erection of the centre would signal the transfer of
Technology at the college and within the territory.
“One of the ways to help our people develop is to have the transfer of
technology from the developed countries to the under developed countries,” he
said.
Described as what may be the finest facility in
the Caribbean, the Marine Centre's lower Ievel will include a Marine Wet
Laboratory, Analytical Laboratory, Teaching Laboratory and Mechanical Workshops.
The upper level will have a Simulation Ship's Bridge, Electronics Laboratory,
Computer Classrooms, a Marine Library and a Nautical Museum.
The-long awaited project will be built adjacent
to the Paraquita lagoon and is scheduled to be completed within 16 months.
BVI Seeks to
Eliminate Work Permit Confusion
ROAD TOWN, Tortola -- Steps will be taken to
reduce uncertainty surrounding work permits and persons granted Certificates of
Residence in the British Virgin Islands, Ralph T. O’Neal, Chief Minister and
Minister for Immigration, disclosed recently.
He said that over the years condition of the work
permit has not been enforced and his government intends “to make sure this
provision is deleted from the law so persons who are granted Certificates of
Residence are truly and legally exempted from having to obtain a work permit.”
Speaking at a ceremony where 59 persons were
given certificates, Mr. O’Neal said that such people would not have to get
work permits any longer. He said the Attorney General’s Chambers would soon
get instructions to amend the relevant laws, to remove all doubt.
Chief Minister O’Neal welcomed the new
permanent residents and commended them for their patience in waiting while their
certificates were being processed.
He also disclosed that consideration is being
given to instituting a “cut-off date” on immigration to territory. “When
that date is decided," he said, "persons coming to work (after that
date) will have the status of a migrant worker and it will be compulsory for
them to leave the territory once the time given is up.”
He said, however, that the new measure will not
affect persons already working in the territory.
St. Kitts/Nevis
Promises Regular Reports to UN
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts -- The Ministry of
Community, Social Development and Gender Affairs said Tuesday it is working
feverishly to complete its report to the United Nations Committee seeking the
elimination of violence against women and children.
The report will cover actions taken in 16
specific areas in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. Some of the more
relevant are education, employment, health, economic and social benefits,
equality before the law and rights and responsibilities in marriage and family.
The Ministry said it is committed to submitting
regular reports.
The Federation has been party to the Convention
on the Elimination of all Forms of Violence Against Women and Children (CEDAW)
since 1987. During this time no reports have been completed.
As a party to the convention, member reports
should be submitted once after the first year and every four years following.
The Ministry said it will submit a report to cover the entire period which is
due and will keep its reporting up-to-date.
Carnival 2001-02
Winners Receive St. Kitts Awards
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts -- A large crowd of
spectators gathered at the Carnival Grand Market on Monday to witness the
presentation of awards to the winners of the various events of National Carnival
2001-02.
Among awardees were Orin “Mighty Take Over”
Roberts, the Junior Calypso King; Avrilette Francis, the national Ms. Talented
Teen; Husaq Huggins and Sh’raine Williams of the Dr. William Connor Primary,
Rotoract Prince and Princess; Kibian “Singing Kibi” Willette; David
“Pungwa” Patrick, Calypso King and Wanda Connor National Queen.
In addition to participants of the shows, awards were also presented to
winners of the various parade prize categories, including the Movers and
Shaker’s Mass Makers “Liquid of Life” which was judged Overall Troupe
Winner.
The closing ceremony saw various cultural
presentations and performances by the winners of the various calypso shows.
There was also a fashion showcase of the designs of Sandra Bowry owner of
Sanny’s Boutique. The evening
concluded with a Jam Session by Road March champions Nu Vybes.
CARICOM'S SG
Cited For Service to Caribbean
GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- Mr. Edwin Carrington,
Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has been honored by a
consortium of associations representing the Caribbean diaspora in North America.
The CARICOM Secretary-General, together with U.S.
Secretary-of-State, United State Colin Powell, are this year’s recipients of
the National Collation on Caribbean Affairs (NCOCA)
highest award, the Pinnacle Award.
Mr. Carrington
has been recognised for his dedicated service in the cause of regional
integration, and for his sterling representation of the Caribbean in
International Affairs.
At a simple ceremony on Wednesday, Dr. Joseph
Edmunds, member of the advisory board of NCOCA, and former Ambassador of Saint
Lucia, made the presentation on behalf of the association to Mr.Carrington at
the Georgetown-based Secretariat of CARICOM.
Mr. Carrington said he was accepting the award on
behalf of all Caribbean nationals at home and abroad. He also
remarked that he considered the award as a very important one, which
underscored his contribution to public service and humanity.
NCOCA, the representative body of all the
Caribbean associations in North America, gives due recognition of distinguished
service by Caribbean citizens as part of its annual program of activities.
U.S. Data Lifts
Onus From Low Tax Nations
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Center for Freedom and
Prosperity Foundation released a study Tuesday, based on government data,
demonstrating that there is no link between so-called tax havens and money
laundering.
Andrew Quinlan, President of the Center, said, "This new study uses State
Department, CIA, IRS and FATF findings to show conclusively that countries with
low tax burdens and financial privacy are not any more likely to be money
laundering centers than high-tax countries. In fact, it shows the opposite.
Dirty money is more likely to be laundered in high-tax countries because that is
where the illegal activity is most likely to occur."
The report, entitled "U.S. Government Agencies Confirm That Low-Tax
Jurisdictions Are Not Money Laundering Havens," is written by Heritage
Foundation tax expert Daniel J. Mitchell.
The CFP Foundation study finds that the State Department, Central Intelligence
Agency, and Internal Revenue Service each independently assess whether countries
are money laundering centers and/or have systems that make them vulnerable to
dirty money. All of these government agencies - as well as the OECD's Financial
Action Task Force - conclude that tax havens do not attract a disproportionate
share of the world's criminal loot.
"This paper puts an end to the malicious
stereotype that low-tax jurisdictions attract a disproportionate share of the
world's dirty money. It is time for politicians from high-tax countries to set
aside their shameful demagoguery and put crime-fighting ahead of
extra-territorial tax grabs," Mr. Mitchell said.
Veronique de Rugy, Cato Institute policy analyst added, "Hopefully the WTO
ruling will give the right incentive to the Bush administration to switch from a
worldwide tax system to territorial taxation. Territorial taxation is not only
good trade policy but it is also good tax policy and it will increase
substantially the competitiveness of U.S. firms."
Nevis Reports
Strong Industry Gains in 2001
CHARLESTOWN, Nevis -- Nevis’ international
Financial Services Sector, one of the major generators of the island’s revenue
base, registered a significant increase in 2001, according to a release from the
financial sector.
Director of Development and Marketing, Dr. Agatha
Jeffers-Gooden, observed that the Financial Services Sector was faced with
numerous challenges emanating from the actions of the FATF, the OECD, the
terrorist attack on the WTC and the Pentagon, as well as the global economic
downturn.
Accordingly, she said, "Not withstanding the
challenges of the past year, the offshore financial services has registered a
substantial growth, which brings the total number of entities registered in
Nevis since 1984 to nearly 29,000.
"As at December 31, 2001 the number of
International Business Companies (IBCs) for 2001 increased by 2,340 to over
21,000, representing an increase of 12 percent. Limited Liability Companies (LLCs)
increased by 1,182 to nearly 5,000, representing an increase of 33 percent.
Trusts increased by 241 to 2,718, representing an increase of 9.7 percent. This
equates to an average growth rate of 15 percent, " Dr. Jeffers-Gooden said:
The financial services sector is extremely
important to the economy of Nevis, and Premier Vance Amory said recently that
Nevis is committed to the intentions it gave to the FAFT in December to further
tighten and strengthen its regulations and sealing what are perceived as loop
holes.
Anguilla Golfers
Get Aquatic Driving Range
ANGUILLA -- Capa Juluca in Anguilla has opened an
aqua driving range for golfers.
The range, which is located in front of a lagoon,
is marked for yardage. Driven golf balls float in the water and are then blown
back to shore by the breeze.
A putting green and two other practice areas for
golfers will be added in March.
Early School
Leavers Finish Guyana Course
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) -- The Young
Entrepreneurial Skills Training Programme (YEST) undertaken by the Ministry of
Culture, Youth and Sport for the improvement of the skills of young people
nationwide held a graduation ceremony this week for 52 students of the Sophia
Training Center.
This program was introduced to give early school leavers opportunities to move
their lives in positive directions. The similar program is held at the
Kuru Kuru Training Center, where 150 students are enrolled.
Courses were conducted in catering, refrigeration, office procedure, information
technology and craft.
Minister Gail Teixeira said there is the need to move away from traditional ways
of teaching to meet the needs of young people. The Ministry seeks to change
their behaviour, not just to introduce technical skills, but also to create an
awareness of HIV/AIDS, drugs, and other common situations.
The program is conducted over a six-month period
for young people between the ages of 16 and 25.
Jamaica
Increases Access To Official Documents
KINGSTON, Jamaica, (JIS) -- The pivotal
development for the year in Jamaica’s Information Ministry was the tabling of
the Access to Information Bill, which was officially presented in Parliament in
December. The measure is intended to replace the Official Secrets Act, which
dates back to 1911, as Government moves toward greater openness and
transparency.
The Bill also provides for access in
certain circumstances to categories of documents, which would otherwise be
exempt from disclosure. It also requires the tabling of reports in Parliament on
the operation of the provisions, as well as periodic reviews by a committee of
both Houses of Parliament.
Although the Bill was tabled by new Information
Minister Colin Campbell, his predecessor Maxine Henry-Wilson played a
significant role in the process of drafting the legislation. Mrs. Henry-Wilson
said the Bill reflects the commitment of the Administration to encourage wider
public participation in governance by increasing access to official information.
A
new Access to Information Unit is to be established in the Jamaica Archives and
Records Department of the Office of the Prime Minister this month.
Guyanese
Promised New Health Facilities
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) -- Residents in Region
Nine (Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo) will soon have easier access to health
facilities, according to Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy.
Dr. Ramsammy and Minister of Local Government and
Regional Development Harripersaud Nokta commissioned three new health huts in
Quarrie, Massara and Hiowa during a three-day visit to the Region.
The visit was aimed at checking that the Region has completed its budget for
2001 and to see what else is needed for 2002.
Dr. Ramsammy told residents that the Health Hut should be the focal point of
their community because good health is important for development. He said that
even though the Government tries to develop the communities the residents should
play their part in maintaining the health huts so that they will be able to
benefit future generations.
Minister Ramsammy encouraged the parents to have their children vaccinated so as
to enable them to combat potential diseases.
Last year Guyana won a medal for its immunisation program under which it had
over 90 percent coverage in most areas throughout Guyana. The country is free
from certain types of diseases but because Region Nine lies next to the border
there is a threat that children can contract the diseases from Brazilian
visitors or when they visit Brazil.
Displacement
Delayed For Angered Antiguans
ST. JOHN'S, Antigua -- Tempers were high on Tuesday morning in the Fibrey area as residents vented their frustration over an eviction notice and the disconnection of their utility services before an agreement was reached among the owners of lands, residents and the parliamentary representative, the Hon. Steadroy Cutie Benjamin.
Hon.
Steadroy Cutie Benjamin and Landowner George Ryan
Landowner George Ryan, following the intervention
of Minister Benjamin, agreed to give an extension of one month to allow
residents to relocate in Belmont, paving the way for the development of the
Fibrey area.
Mr. Rryan made the concession on the
understanding that he receive in writing a commitment from Minister Benjamin,
and signed by the residents, that they will leave the premises by the end of
January.
Late Tuesday afternoon APUA workmen were busy
reconnecting the utility services following the delivery of the signed agreement
by Minister Benjamin to Mr. Ryan, co-owner of
the land in the area with Mrs. Edris Sylston.
Minister Benjamin informed residents that the
government will use the services of Wills Martin, a local contractor, in
transporting their homes to Belmont. He added that he will be approaching the Central Housing and
Planning Authority to get special assistance in building homes for those
residents whose houses cannot be removed from the area.
Mr. Ryan has also pledged to provide
building materials at half price, while Mr. Wills Martin also offered his
services at a discounted rate to construct homes in Belmont for the displaced
residents of Fibrey.
The Fibrey area is part of government’s
plans to further develop the docking facilities there to accommodate mega cruise
lines. An additional pier along
with shopping and parking facilities are expected to form part of the
development.
Belize Youth
Training Awarded IDB Grant
BELMOPAN, Belize -- The Youth Enhancement
Services (YES) this week received a grant of BZE$30,000 from the Inter-American
Development Bank (IDB).
The grant will allow YES to expand its program to include young women and girls
living in "low-income" areas of Belize City and the Ladyville/Lord's
Bank areas.
Established in the late 1980's, YES is an institution for out of school young
women where they take part in a two-year, non-traditional skills training and
literacy programmes.
Under this expansion of its programme, YES will gather information on potential
participants and assess their needs, set up outreach centers in the operation
area and conduct workshop and activities to meet the needs of the people who
will take part in the project.
After the signing of the agreement, YES Executive
Director Florence Dillet was congratulated for her years of dedicated work in
empowering young women and girls to take their place in their communities.
The Youth Enhancement Services
currently caters for close to 30 young women and has a staff of four, including
the Executive Director.
Bahamas
Government Opens Official Website
Phase I of The Bahamas Government's official web
site has been launched at www.bahamas.gov.bs.
This is in fact a web network that allows viewers access to dedicated sites of
other government agencies through its portal.
One of the responsibilities of the Government is to provide information on
the structure of the Government and its various services. According
to Charles Knowles, National
Coordinator of Information Technology in the
Public Service, this website will be a means for disseminating
information in a more timely way,
as well as letting residents, visitors and potential
investors know that the public sector is operating in the electronic
world.
Ms. Carol Roach, Senior Supervisor of Systems and Programming and leader of the
Web Design Team, says that Bahamians can expect to see a site that is not only
rich in information on the various arms of government, but one that is also a
storehouse of cultural and historical information.
Saba Voters
Electing New Parliament Today
THE BOTTOM, Saba (SGIS) - Lt. Governor Antoine
Solagnier, who is also Chairman of the Main Voting Bureau told the Saba
Government Information Service (SGIS) that the Bureau met on Monday, to discuss
final preparations for today's parliamentary polls.
The ballots arrived on the island last Friday
from a St. Maarten-based printer, Mr. Solagnier said, along with two ballot bins
on loan from St. Maarten authorities to be used for the polls.
Saba's own two ballot bins were destroyed by
Hurricane Lenny in 1999.
Polling stations will open from 8.00 a.m. to 7.00
p.m. All employers must give their employees four hours off in order for
them to exercise their right to vote.
Two parties are contesting the poll, the Windward
Islands Peoples Movement (WIPM) and the Saba Labor Party (SLP).
Saba Drivers
Await Lower Gasoline Price
THE BOTTOM, Saba (SGIS) - Commissioner
responsible for Economic Affairs Will Johnson told the Saba Government
Information Service (SGIS) that a downward adjustment will be made to the
gasoline price some time next week, if not before.
He made the announcement following a meeting with
Shell representatives on Monday morning.
"World oil prices have been declining,"
Mr. Johnson said, "however an adjustment was never made on Saba. I
look forward to the local Shell agent making the necessary preparations for the
adjustment."
FAVACA Prepares
to Join Drug Fight
Basseterre,
St. Kitts (January 15th, 2002): Representatives of the Florida Association of
Voluntary Agencies for Caribbean Action (FAVACA) are in the Federation carrying
out a needs assessment of drug prevention programs conducted by the National
Council on Drug Abuse Prevention.
The main
objective of FAVACA is to assist Caribbean countries as a friendly neighbour by
providing short-term training and technical assistance in a wide range of areas
to aid in the development process.
FAVACA
has been active in the Federation since 1987 and has assisted mainly with
projects concerning the elderly and women’s affairs. FAVACA now hopes to put
its resources towards fighting the illegal drug trade by focussing on programmes
geared at demand reduction.
According
to FAVACA representative Natasha
Marks, in this case, FAVACA’s services were specially requested by the United
States’ State Department through its office in Barbados to provide assistance
in the area of illegal drug prevention.
St.
Kitts and Nevis are among other Caribbean countries which will benefit from this
project for this proposed three-year project. Other Caribbean islands include
St. Lucia and St. Vincent.
During
their visit to the Federation the FAVACA representatives, which
also include Terry Allen-Jones and D.Mäjken Peterzen, met with
Prime Minister Hon. Dr Denzil Douglas and other government officials,
school guidance counsellors, social service counsellors, department directors,
and key persons in the wider community.
Prime
Minister Douglas stressed the importance of assistance in the area of situation
analysis. He said a key component of success in ridding society of its most
challenging problems must be gaining the capacity to determine the realities of the situation with regard to drug
abuse, HIV/ AIDS and Poverty Assessment.
As
leader of the host agency, Dr. Patrick Prince, National and Regional Drug
Coordinator, organised the meetings and is leading the assessment visit of the
FAVACA representatives.
By Peter
Adrien
The
search is on! The selectors are frantically seeking quality players. They are
searching for men and not boys. They will be looking for signs of sustained
performance and not flashes of brilliance. The difficulty for the selectors has
been the ability to determine the ideal gestation period of selected players.
That is to say, when to switch the investment from one player to another.
Moreover, how far does one go in making difficult choices during a lean period?
This is why even with the 2002 Busta Cup bowling
off on 25th January, the present condition of the senior team, as
well as the recent developments, do not allow any rational attempt at making
predictions on the outcome of the regional tournament. Why? Firstly, a 22-man
squad for a West Indies trial match at Trinidad & Tobago's Queen's Park Oval
from January 18 to 21, including Carl Hooper (captain), Marlon Black, Ian
Bradshaw, Darrel Brown, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore,
Cameron Cuffy, Mervyn Dillon, Daren Ganga, Leon Garrick, Chris Gayle, Keith
Hibbert, Ryan Hinds, Wavell Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Jermaine Lawson, Neil
McGarrell, Dave Mohammed, Dinanath Ramnarine, Marlon Samuels and Ramnaresh
Sarwan has been separated from the limited pool of regional cricketers. Sixteen
of those 22 will leave for Sharjah on February 18 and will return to the
Caribbean only in time for the last three Cup matches and the play-off matches
in the Busta International Shield competition. The 16 senior players will face
Pakistan in two Tests and three One-day internationals in the Gulf state
Secondly, a 14-member squad left for the Youth
World Cup in New Zealand and included the best of the youth cricketers, namely
Narsingh Deonarine (captain), Dwayne Bravo, Alcindo Holder, Lorenzo Ingram,
Gareth Matthew, Ron Matthews, Ryan Nurse, Donovan Pagon, Ravi Rampaul, Darren
Sammy, Shane Shillingford, Lendl Simmons, Gavin Tonge, and Tonito Willett. They
will face the young Scotland team on Monday, young Australia two days later, and
young Kenya the following day.
Despite what you may think about the prevailing
cricketing standard in the West Indies, those two teams constitute the crème de
la crème of West Indies cricket. And when one considers that Brian Lara the
superstar will be sidelined for some time, what will be on exhibition in this
year’s competition is the “remnant of the boys.” In this case, the more
important issue requiring our attention is how we continue the search for a
wining combination for the senior team. And this is what I am constrained to
dwell upon.
Now that the youngsters, particularly Chris
Gayle, Daren Ganga and Marlon Samuels, are still fettered by a combination of
poor techniques, fluctuating confidence and weak mental fortitude, what do we do
about the senior players in the team or those still talented but on the outside?
Should we give these boys a longer gestation period or should we reconsider
Jimmy Adams (who is doing fairly well in South Africa)?
Should we re-entrench Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who has played for a long
time but has not established himself as a pedigree batsman? Given the problem of
the firm of Gayle and Ganga to establish the West Indian enterprise against good
swing bowling (they failed to establish a partnership above 15 against Sri
Lanka), should we reconsider the more experienced employees, Stuart Williams,
Sherwin Campbell, Adrian Griffith and Robert Samuels? If you were the selectors,
would you be acting responsibly replacing the young brigades with the old
brigades? Do you truly think there would be much values-added in such a
decision? Can you answer this question without fear and favour, without giving
primacy to nationalistic or parochial interest, without succumbing to personal
or sectional preferences? Would you be placing national interest over regional
interest if you, driven by the frustrations that anger all of us, were to make a
near-wholesale policy change?
Is there any hope? Our blowing attack is our
weakest link. After maligning Ambrose and Walsh, arguing that they were being
kept beyond their usefulness (an accusation that the two great men literally
destroyed with their exceptional performances, ending careers with 405 and 519
wickets respectively), we may be experiencing our worst bowling crisis since the
lean years (1969-1973).
Where are the bowlers? The cupboard is almost
empty. We saw young talents; we saw a big tear-way in Marlon Black; we saw a new
Malcolm Marshall in Corey Collymore; we saw a wicket-taker in Merv Dillon; we
saw a reincarnated Michael Holding in Reon King; we saw a new deceptive Colin
Croft in his fellow Guyanese, Colin Stuart. We were so excited by them that we
quickly sidelined the aggressive Franklyn Rose, claiming that he is too
indisciplined to represent us; we refused Nixon McLean for taking too long to
learn the art of pitching up even, if we did very little to develop his
confidence by entrusting him with the new ball, with which he does better. But
the international terrains have exposed all our new talents.
Like we did
to Franklyn Rose and Nixon McLean, we have killed the potential of our fire
power in the past through faulty selection policy. We failed to tap the fire
power of Ian Allen, Cameroon Cuffy, Casper Davis and Kenneth Benjamin.
We are now learning that international fast
bowling is hard work. It needs time, hard work, mental fortitude, fitness,
endurance, physical and mental discipline, and expert coaching.
And both Franklyn Rose and Nixon McLean are more capable than their
replacements with both bat and ball.
We definitely need to revisit that policy
decision. We must find strike bowlers – bowlers who at least look like taking
wickets in Test cricket. Moreover, we pray that Cameron Cuffy is fit for the
Pakistanis tour
This time
the scouts must search without prejudice and sift without fear and favour. The
selectors must search for answers among the 22 players called for the camp for
Sharjah; among the Under-19 World Cup team; and more importantly among the
players who will exhibit their skills in the 2002 Busta Cup.
Age is
certainly not an issue here, as any player who can qualify for any of these
three teams would have the chronological age for international cricket. We must
be careful that we don’t reject our seasoned players for youngsters who have
not earned their badges.
Given the
present circumstances, almost all the positions on the West Indies team are up
for grabs. Any player who excels could walk into the team.
Go for it
boys!
Peter
Adrien is a Central Banker, an author, a syndicated sports commentator, and a
freelance photographer. He may be contacted at www.adreinsenterprise.com
or at e-mail: info@adriensenterprises.com
PHOTO
CAPTION: Mike Findlay, the chief scout (Photo: Peter Adrien)
By Justin ‘Hero’ Cassell
(Agricultural Development Officer)
“EAT FROM THE LAND, NOT FROM THE CAN”
Week ending January 18, 2002
LET YOUR BACKYARD PLOT WORK FOR YOU!
The Irrigation Project provides a tailor made
system for Backyard Farmers. Roof collection systems are available to backyard producers.
Type of System
Guttering will be provided to collect rainwater
from roofs. The water is stored in
tanks, with tubing attached to take it to farm plots
Irrigation Water is Cheaper
Roof collection systems will reduce backyard
producers' dependence on the mains water supply for the irrigation of their
crops. Using water from the mains
is expensive; water bills are increased by over 100 percent in some cases.
What is Your Contribution
Backyard producers will have to pay 50 percent of
the materials cost of the Roof Collection System and tank.
The materials cost of a roof collection system is approximately EC$1,000.
Participants will therefore be required to
contribute EC$500.00 plus the cost of installation.
How can you be included?
To be included you must satisfy the following
criteria:
The plot should not exceed ¼ acre.
Each farmer must contribute $500 towards the
establishment of the system.
Farmers must be willing to take advantage of
training opportunities.
Farmers must be willing to produce consistently.
Farmers must have a history of involvement in
backyard farming.
Container farmers are eligible.
Register Now
Interested persons are asked to register with
your Extension Officer. Please make
sure that you fully understand your obligations as a participant of this project
Contact the Department of Agriculture on
telephone numbers 491-2546 or 491-2075.
Remember
Plants need adequate water for proper growth and
development.
Property Rites
Attention you folks in the north,
An edict has newly come forth,
We must take a new look
And record in the book,
How much all you own is now worth.
Air Tourist Forecast
Claude Hogan's projections are tall,
The airstrip sounds more like a mall;
It seems that consultant
Has made him exultant;
We wouldn't have room for them all.
Jus wonderin which big wig went to Salem and
hoped to pay with a blank checque.
Jus wonderin if CH MP thinks he above the law he
don’t have to pay his water bill.
Jus wonderin if 2002 started on de wrong foot.
Jus wonderin why jus wonderin doh get a MBE, TDK,
LUV, and great sum.
Jus wonderin if de women dem tek over de men dem.
Jus wonderin no matter how much price go up if
people will still shop in Antigua.
Jus wonderin wha happen to de good times she used
to de hab wid de soldier boy.
Jus wonderin when jus wonderin a go hab wan
raffle.
Jus wonderin when de girl in de yellow house a go
stap de bad words dem in the neighbourhood.
Jus wonderin when dey a go ge wi more money than
dat kind o love.
Jus wonderin who say words no hurt, but only make
people cry.
Jus wonderin why Mary, Jane and Pam get in
flinging John, Peter and Paul left, right and center.
Jus wonderin if de women dem gone from stick to
flat bread.
Jus wonderin if 2002 will really be year of
growth and development for Montserrat.
Jus wonderin wat name dey a go ge dem new house
day at Lookout.
Jus wonderin if everybody gone crazy or stupid.
Jus wonderin what de GoM going to do for we dis
year, for a change.
Jus wonderin wha mek de man left from Brades and
gone all dey way a Lookout to see de man pan he woman roof.
Jus
wonderin why people make judgements based on one side of the story.
Jus
wonderin how much money the London holiday people had to spend.
Jus
wonderin if the blackbird got pay off or if it still eating from the gutters.
Jus
wonderin if the lawyer has to wait for his pay.
Jus
wonderin who the MP is that should make noise when he doesn't pay his water bill
and get cut off as to he is etc.
Jus
wonderin if that other MP washed his face since he was kissed on both cheeks by
the DFID Minister Short.
Jus
wonderin how long Montserratians and residents will suffer what is about to
come.
Jus
wonderin who will have the last laught- over there or here.
Jus
wonderin why house to rent so hard to find for some of us.
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