Mrs. Dyer-Howe: Island Cannot Afford FMD
By Helena Durand
“If by chance there is an
outbreak -- and I repeat if by chance -- effective control and eradication (of
Foot and Mouth Disease) will be based purely on the principle of mass slaughter
and burning of the carcasses,” the Hon. Margaret Dyer-Howe, Minister of
Agriculture, said Tuesday at a one-day workshop here.
Although the Department of
Agriculture has already imposed a ban on meat and meat products from countries
with Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) as a first precaution, Mrs.
Dyer-Howe said all it would take to destroy the small livestock supply on
which Montserrat is living “is one case of Foot and Mouth Disease…We simply
cannot afford it.”
Economists predicted in March
that the outbreak of FMD in the United Kingdom would cost £9 billion (US$13
billion), in lost earnings for agriculture and tourism industries. Some workshop
participants found this a cause for concern because of Montserrat’s
interaction with Britain as a British Dependent Territory. In addressing that
concern, it was noted that most of Montserrat’s meat and foodstuff come from
Antigua and St. Martin. Since neither of these countries produces its own meat,
it was suggested that goods coming from such transshipment points must be
critically examined, and that merchants, custom officers, immigration and port
authority officers must ensure that the countries of origin for these products
are free of FMD.
Director of Agriculture Mr.
Gerrard Gray noted, there is no cure for FMD.
Mrs. Dyer-Howe
recalled that at one time, Montserrat exported cattle, goat and pigs to
some Caribbean islands, and now the department “is aggressively seeking
markets for some of our cattle from the exclusion zone. From time to time, the
Department of Agriculture certifies small quantities of goat meat for export
purposes.
"Tourists continue to be
attracted to Montserrat, and the taxi and hotel associations benefit from day
excursions. Be aware that it will only take one case of Foot and Mouth Disease
in Montserrat to change this scenario.”
Participants
formulated a common approach to prevent the introduction of the disease into
Montserrat, by amending a broad list of recommendations from CARICOM for
specific immediate preventative measures. The many proposals, which range from
import bans to policies affecting incoming tourists, will be reviewed by the
Ministry of Agriculture before any are put in place.
Agriculture officer Easton
Farrell noted with regret that no merchants were present or represented at the
workshop, particularly as they play “a major role” in the importation of
foodstuffs and meat. Only two
farmers were present. Other participants included ministry officials from
agriculture, customs officials, and the media.
Montserrat and other British
Dependent Territories such as Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands are
bearing the brunt of bureaucratic snobbery because of questions about their
national legitimacy.
In a recent call-in radio
programme between ZJB and BBC 5Live, a Montserratian forced by the volcano to
reside in England complained that although she possessed a "British"
passport she was not allowed entry into France from England.
Similar complaints have been made by locals who have attempted to travel
to far off lands, or even the United States, on their "British"
passports, only to be rudely informed that they could not enter the country
because their nationality was unclear; and that they needed an American visa.
The cover of full British
passports states, "British and Member of the European Community,"
while the cover of passports for Montserrat, Anguilla and the BVI states,
"British Passport" at the top, and "Colony of Montserrat" at
the bottom. On the inside back cover of a Montserratian’s
passport, in the section
where the bearer’s nationality is noted, it states, "British Dependent
Territory Citizen."
On some passports issued
outside of Montserrat at British Embassies and in Britain, some is written
“British, British Dependent Territories Citizen” in passports on the outside
which read ‘United Kingdom etc. One person carrying such a passport with
”British, British… inside was turned away by American Airlines and told he
needed a visa, while the Immigration department charged him departure taxes as a
British citizen all in the same day.
The issue of full British
citizenship is expected to be one of the major issues of Anguilla's upcoming
constitutional and electoral review process, which is scheduled to start before
year-end.
Although Britain has promised
to grant full British citizenship to residents of its dependent territories
without reciprocity, “Anguillans remain concerned that there were no firm
guarantees,” CANA reports. "They also fear that Britain might back-pedal
on its promise because that country is a member of the European Union (EU).
“We need to see how they
would give this guarantee legally within the context of the European Union,”
said David Carty, Chairman of the Constitutional and Electoral Reform Committee
in Anguilla. “We believe that the EU’s legal commitments may over-ride
Britain.”
He said he believes the issues
of "belonger" status and "citizenship" require more dialogue
between Britain and its Dependent Territories, because people in tiny
territories fear being swamped by those from Britain and the EU on the basis of
EU rules.
"As
Far as DFID is Concerned, Montserrat, St. Helena are Two Peas in the Same Pod"
Montserratians are tired of
being complimented for their sunny smiles and resilience in stormy weather. We
are angry. Like St. Helena, a British Dependent Territory, we are frustrated by
colonial inaction which is not in our interests.
Montserrat is getting very
close to the brink where, even as many residents of its Caribbean neighbours are
barely aware that the island still functions with people living on it, its own
people abroad will forget it.
The future growth of the island
depends very much on the return of at least half of the people who remain abroad
since evacuating as a result of the volcanic crisis. Why many of them could
forget is largely due to the reason why many left in the first place --
particularly in 1997-8 -- and that is the lack of hope. Worse yet, even those
who remained or returned are near the point of leaving for the same reason.
Back in 1997, the British
government was saying evacuate the whole island because of an impending
cataclysmic event, and local government offered no resistance nor words of
encouragement and hope. Those who stayed did so only because of their own
resilience and beliefs.
Over and over consultants --
especially Caribbean consultants and advisors -- have agreed that Montserrat
needs to determine what it wants and where it wants to go. Do the British agree
with that? It is difficult to say no because they continue to set aside funds
for various projects that seem never to get off the ground, or those that do
take forever. So do they have other
motives? Whatever their position, we seem to encourage it, and it is not one
that is moving us forward.
It’s been six years plus
since the volcanic crisis began, more than five since it was agreed that the
north is safe to be developed and Montserrat can continue to exist, but people
are still not permanently housed.
Much of British aid and
emergency funding has been wasted or badly spent, not by us, although Mr. Barry
Kavanagh, head of DFID’s office in Montserrat, was allowed to get by having
said: “it is simply not true that DFID runs the show in Montserrat…we talk
to government…and all sorts of people so that the priorities are appropriate
for the island, and that is what the government wants to spend the money on. We
don’t force things on them. That would be a waste of British taxpayers’
money.”
Not a squeak of protest from
our leaders, but we wonder: Government Headquarters, the water tanks, Davy Hill
houses, and more at Lookout; the consultancies, often unnecessary, and various
staffs and their cost, the transportation subsidies -- and the further
consultancies.
It could be because Mr.
Kavanagh pretty much proved by his own further statements that what he said
cannot be true; perhaps it is too well known if only we remember our historical
new calypso monarch’s song at Festival last year.
Mr. Kavanagh said that from day
one “DFID has been subject to criticism. Most people are misinformed”; and
then he said, "looking back, there are things DFID would have done
differently if it had known that the situation expected to last a few months
would turn into four years (guess he meant six). But then that is where the lie
is, because the scientists have said all along a minimum three to five years,
and they have not been proven wrong yet. And let’s not forget they brought
“their own scientists” in very early. Mr. Kavanagh does not need to be
reminded of the critical reports that have come from their own parliamentary
committees and other private sources hired by them.
No, on the face of it our
politicians do not run things and they are not prudent enough to admit that to
those who elect them. But they should tell the country why they feel it is wise
to take the European Union’s $10 million and risk the disastrous consequences
three years from now, just because putting the funds into the economy will ease
the current burden of inactivity.
Can we, like Hon. Eric George,
Member of the St. Helena Legislature (MLC), say with confidence that we see a
way forward, which is not of the UK government’s doing? We should, because
like Montserrat, the Government of St. Helena depends solely on DFID (which
provides approximately £9 million a year) to support the island. As here in
Montserrat, DFID determines virtually how that money is spent in St.
Helena, and almost none of it is retained by the island.
Are you familiar with this
complaint? We quote Hon. Eric George: “It is spent on the island’s shipping
service . . . to a British company, and also by paying the costs of the small
army of British diplomats, administrators, civil servants, researchers, and
‘experts’ who are sent out to ‘run’ the island, on UK salaries with free
houses thrown in. This succession of ‘specialists’ have put forward a whole
range of solutions to the island’s woes, including mass privatization . . .
others focus on making consumers pay the full price for essentials such as water
and power, which already costs twice as much as in the UK.” End of quote.
These policies do not make for
a sustainable future for either of our countries. The only policy that offers
these islands self-sufficiency is one that the UK Government has been
steadfastly discounting for years -- four years in our case -- that is
the provision of an airport.
Both countries have argued for
years that our only chance for development is via improved access to the island.
Too many “consultants” have echoed Britain’s euphemisms for something that
is regarded in London at least-as unnecessary, troublesome, and expensive. If
DFID has its way, Montserratians will be forced to ‘make do’ with a meager
EC$10 million from the European Union, simply because DFID believes a safe
airport with developmental potential for the island in the future is too costly.
The year 2004 has been targeted
for the completion and operation of an airport which will supposedly improve air
access to Montserrat. That, of course, is providing that it is not an airport
that can accommodate only Short Takeoff and Landing aircraft.
They think we are
"resilient." Let us show them we are "resourceful."
St. Helena has seen the light
at the end of the tunnel. A company, albeit a British one, created by an
impressive cast of hands-on executives from airline, tourism, construction and
marketing industries, have made proposals for an airport, airline and hotel on
the island planned to be operational by year 2003. Incorporated as the St.
Helena Leisure Corporation (Shelco), the company has recently published its
extensive research study and draft business plan to stimulate the interest of
potential investors. Where are our "consultants" reports?
The idea that an active volcano
is a deterrent to investors is a myth. Montserrat is ripe for development.
It’s a rebirth which investors are willing to be part of if only they knew
about it. Unfortunately, there is only a tiny corner of the world to which the
UK permits us dependent territories access for financial aid.
Well, like St. Helena, we may
be a colonially conditioned populace, where the Governor constitutionally still
holds absolute power; but we are aware that if an airport is not
in place within a few years, Montserrat will be left with only the old,
the mentally ill and the dying, if even those. Everyone will have left to find
work elsewhere. Of course, that is, in those countries to which our
“British” passports allow them access.
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.
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
So we are ambassadors for
Christ, as if God were appealing through us.
2 Corinthians 5:20
When I was young I thought it
quite romantic to be an ambassador. What a privilege to represent a country, to
speak in a country’s name, to work defending and protecting my country’s
honour and furthering its pursuits -- even offering refuge to those in special
need.
As I’ve grown older I realize
that I am an ambassador -- I am
Jesus’ ambassador. I am the representative between Jesus and the people with
whom I minister and with whom I come into contact. I am an ambassador for the
people I’ve never met. I am the only ”Jesus” some people will ever see. In
Jesus’ name, I am privileged to offer not only hospitality and refuge but
compassion, care, kindness, and love. In Jesus’ name, I defend and protect the
sacred honor of another, a person’s reputation. As ambassador to Jesus I am
privileged to spread the Good News, to draw others to Jesus, to live his tender,
provident care for each, for all.
As Jesus’ ambassador, I am
privileged not only to receive in Jesus’ name, to give in Jesus’ name, but
to receive Jesus Himself, to give Jesus Himself!
Sr. Charleen Hug, S.N.D.
2Corinthians 5:14-21; Psalm
103:1-4,8-9,11-12; Matthew 5:33-37
100-percent
Safety Is Simply Impossible
Dear
Editor,
I
can understand the reason for evacuating the people from their homes in areas
deemed too dangerous due to possible volcanic action. I cannot, however,
understand the period of this denial being so extended.
In
other parts of the world there are eruptions and evacuations, but within a few
months or weeks the residents have returned to their homes, even while the
volcano rumbles and smokes. We in Montserrat are looking at six years of
enforced evacuation from our homes.
If
it is the Government's intent to allow residents of homes and land south of
Belham to return ONLY when there is 100 percent safety, they may as well
expropriate the property, indemnify those property owners and write off the
larger part of the island for the foreseeable future. No one can guarantee 100
percent safety from anything.
I,
for one, would happily sign a release saying I am responsible for my own safety
and would absolve the Government of any blame or claims should something happen
to me due to volcanic action. Restore the water to the area south of Belham and
clear the roads and let those people return who want to return. Water is all
that is needed. Generators could be imported for individual residences and
cellular phones would be fine for telephonic communication.
I
would be willing to bet a great number of people would return to the
"Exclusion Zone," providing work for maids, gardeners, workmen of all
types and bettering the economy of the island and people in general.
How
much longer must we wait?
jjcurryjr@aol.com
Ferry
Needs to be Used To Montserrat's Benefit
Dear
Editor:
More
people would use the ferry for day trips from Heritage Quay in Antigua if they
KNEW it was there, and if when they got there they could find information
easily.
The
check in and immigration procedures are reminiscent
of crossing Europe's old Iron Curtain!
Montserrat
should purchase the ferry and treat it as a business, i.e. develop its use for
travel to other nearby islands; for tourist trips around Montserrat but with the
profits coming to Montserrat
Antigua
is the gateway to Montserrat but there is very little to indicate this around
the Heritage Quay area.
The
ferry may carry only about 20 people per trip (at the moment!) but it also
carries some freight and the mails. The ferry spends an awful long time docked
in Antigua. If it is not moving, it is not able to make money.
When
the port at Little Bay is developed there will be a greater need for the ferry,
which then hopefully will be able to overnight at Little Bay
If
the island has its own company running the service then again it is Montserrat
that will benefit, not a company from elsewhere.
Jus'wonderin,
thats all....
Chris
Runciman
Montserratian
scholar Sir Howard Fergus has been honored by yet another achievement.
The University of the West
Indies Appointments Committee has agreed to the promotion of Dr. Howard Fergus
to the rank of Professor. This achievement says a University release, takes Dr.
Fergus “to the highest academic level in the University.”
The promotion, which is based
on his scholarly publications, came after his work was reviewed by three
academics of professional rank from outside the University of the West Indies
itself.
”All were positive in their recommendations” states the release. The
promotion comes less than a month after the knighthood was conferred on Dr.
Fergus in Her Majesty the Queen’s 2001 birthday honors.
Sir Fergus has published widely
in the areas of poetry, literary criticism, education, history and politics and
his works appear in several scholarly international journals and books. His
latest poetry manuscript, Volcano Verses has been submitted to an English
publisher and he is in the final stages of a major work, History of Education
in The British Leeward Islands 1838-1956. His latest book, Montserrat in
the Twentieth Century: Trials and Triumphs, will be published locally on
1August 2001. Dr. Fergus has often repeated his interest not only in publishing
himself, but also in promoting the writing of others towards the development of
a Montserratian literature.
Dr. Fergus believes that his
formal appointment will show that he has been assigned the title Professor of
Cultural Studies as this best captures his wide publication interests on aspects
of Montserratian and Caribbean society.
ECCB
Monetary Council To Meet Next in Dominica
Finance Ministers from the
eight-member Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU), will meet in Dominica on
Tuesday, July 24, for the 42nd Meeting of the Eastern Caribbean
Central Bank’s Monetary Council.
Presiding will be Dominica’s
Finance Minister Hon. Ambrose George, who will take over the chairmanship from
Antigua and Barbuda’s Finance Minister, Lester Bird.
The ministers will receive the
Governor’s Report on monetary and credit developments as mandated by the
agreement establishing the Bank. The
Monetary Council Meeting, will be preceded on July 23rd by a meeting
of the Regional Debt Co-ordinating Committee (RDCC), comprising Financial
Secretaries of ECCB member countries.
The Monetary Council is the
Eastern Caribbean Central Bank’s highest decision making body.
By
Helena Durand
New
Chairperson of the OECS Pharmaceutical Procurement Service (OECS PPS), Hon.
Idabel Meade, said the OECS PPS is on guard against counterfeit medical supplies
which have been circulating the region.
“Some time ago,” she said
“fake antibiotics were identified in Guyana.”
She said the threat of these counterfeit drugs being administered to
patients is deadly and that the OECS PPS has put in a place a “Comprehensive
Quality Assurance Programme, including technical and managerial activities to
look into the matter.
"It encompasses drug
selection, pre-qualification of pharmaceutical suppliers, contractual purchasing
agreement and periodic testing of quality drugs at the Caribbean Regional Drug
Testing Laboratory and Rudock and Sherrat Laboratory in England. So far, all
medicines tested from Montserrat have come clean. The performance of the PPS is
up to standard.”
The Meeting was told that
counterfeiting deliberately and fraudulently labeling medicines is occurring
among both brand and generic companies with increasing sophistication.
However, Mrs. Meade said,
random testing is done and that during the reported period 1999/2000, 71 samples
were submitted to three laboratories for testing.
Montserrat, like other
Caribbean countries, she noted, does not procure pharmaceutical supplies
directly, “We order medicines, and it is forwarded to the OECS PPS who send it
to us. We depend strongly on the OECS PPS.”
Minister Meade said, medicines
sold over the counter here are legal and tested and bear the warnings for
overdose, and age. “Buyers” she said, “must always follow the warning on
any medication.”
Hon. Idabel Meade has replaced
Dr. Modeste Curwen of Grenada as the Chairperson of the OECS PPS.
St. John’s Day Care Teachers Surprised with PTA Party
Members of the Parents
/Teachers Association of the St. John’s Day Care, surprised the principal and
members of staff at the Day Care yesterday with a show of gratitude and
appreciation in which parent Victor Cabey organised a presentation of a gift to
the teachers.
When the media arrived at the
Day Care, both Principal Mildred French and her teachers were not aware of what
was about to happen. With the arrival of Lady Eudora Fergus, the excitement was
high, but no one wanted to guess what might be happening.
Then someone walked in with a
beautifully wrapped gift and the small day care centre went silent. The gift
turned out to be an expensive wall clock, which displays not only the time, but
the days of the week, the months of the year and a thermometer.
Mr. Cabey introduced Lady
Fergus who gave a short speech on the virtues of teachers and the pleasure the
actions of the parents had brought her. The parents she told the teachers,
“thank you for the work you have done with their children. You have really
done a wonderful job.”
After the gift was presented to
the principal by parent Linda Halloran, a bottle of champagne was popped and
glasses lifted in toast to a brighter future for the children and best wishes
and blessings for the teachers.
St. John’s Day Care has 25
children, ranging from 1 to 3 years old. It operates from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., Mondays through Fridays.
Following increased volcanic
activity, including pyroclastic flows which went down towards the Amersham area
last Wednesday, a decision has been taken by the Volcano Executive Group to
close the Day Time Entry Zone (DETZ) until further notice.
In announcing the decision,
Government House said the situation will be regularly reviewed with the hope of
reopening the DTEZ if volcanic activity subsides.
The official release also
re-emphasized offshore restrictions:
"There remains a two-mile
maritime exclusion zone from a point off the southern end of Old Road Bay in the
west, around the south of the island to a point off the bluff at the northern
end of Trants Bay in the east. All fishing vessels and other marine traffic are
required to stay clear of this area.”
Sixteen students from the St.
Augustine Primary School will enter Montserrat Secondary School when it reopens
in September for the academic year 2001-2002.
A school graduation ceremony
took place last Sunday at the Roman Catholic Church to mark the occasion.
Prizes were awarded to students for academic excellence and other
virtues.
In her report, Acting Principle
Vernetta Williams said there were many challenges during the year, but the hard
work of staff and students and volunteers guaranteed success.
“Challenge seems to be a
major factor in education, and our school had its fair share, namely financial,
disciplinary and staffing,” she said. “However, the Divine hand has led us
through yet another year. This year is designated IYV, that is International
Year of Volunteers. I take this
opportunity, to salute volunteers throughout the world, but especially here in
Montserrat, and yet, closer home, to all those who have volunteered their
services to St. Augustine.”
Parent Teachers Association
member George Skerritt delivered the feature address.
“A family alone cannot
adequately train children for adult roles in a complex society.” Mr. Skerritt
said. “The school transmits skills and practical knowledge, as well as
inculcates important cultural values.
“Values such as patriotism,
ambition, concern for others, and care of the environment are often passed on in
the school system. You must be
particularly careful to choose that which would serve to uplift you, and make
you better members of society. “
The ceremony was attended by
His Excellency Governor Anthony Longrigg , Permanent Secretary of Education
Albert Taylor, and other officials
from the Ministry of Education.
The Ministry of Agriculture is
again taking steps to prevent the entry of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) into
Montserrat.
As a first precaution, the
department has already imposed a ban on meat and meat products from countries
with FMD.
At a one-day workshop on
Tuesday, efforts were made to sensitize ministry participants and a cross
section of the community to the nature of the disease. Director of Agriculture
Mr. Gerard Gray told participants there is no cure for FMD and that its entrance
into Montserrat would devastate the island.
Minister for Agriculture Mrs.
Margaret Dyer-Howe said, “If by chance there is an outbreak in Montserrat --
and I repeat if by chance -- effective control and eradication will be based
purely on the principle of mass slaughter and burning of the carcasses.”
“The little that we are
trying to live on, will be lost if we do not take the right steps now,” she
said.
She recalled that at one time,
Montserrat exported cattle, goat and pigs to some Caribbean islands, and now the
department “is aggressively seeking markets for some of our cattle from the
exclusion zone. From time to time, the Department of Agriculture certifies small
quantities of goat meat for export purposes.
"Tourists continue to be
attracted to Montserrat, and the taxi and hotel associations benefit from day
excursions. Be aware that it will only take one case of Foot and Mouth Disease
in Montserrat to change this scenario. We simply cannot afford it.”
Participants formulated a
common approach to prevent the introduction of the disease into Montserrat, by
amending a broad list of recommendations from CARICOM for specific immediate
preventative measures. The many proposals, which range from import bans to
policies affecting incoming tourists, will be reviewed by the Ministry of
Agriculture before any are put in place.
St. Kitts, Nevis Fisheries Get New $4.6 Million from Japan
TRINIDAD, CANA - Japan has
given a grant of US$4.6 million to St. Kitts and Nevis for the second phase of
the project for the Construction of the Basseterre Fisheries Complex, in an
agreement signed Thursday between the Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas and
Ambassador of Japan Yoshio Yamagishi.
Japan extended a first grant of US$3.1 million in November 2000. This second
grant brings the total funding provided by Japan for the complete project to
US$7.6 million.
The project aims to construct facilities in Basseterre including: mooring
facilities, breakwater improvements, and a fisheries center incorporating fresh
fish processing, freezer and chiller rooms, ice making and storage equipment, a
fish shop, fishing gear shop, and administration facilities.
Cable & Wireless Barbados Offers Outbound Roaming
BARBADOS, CANA - Barbadians
visiting major North American cities and several Caribbean islands can now call
home or be reached via their cellular phone.
Cable & Wireless announced late Wednesday the immediate launch of outbound
mobile roaming, which it expects will be a boon for business travelers and
family members who want to stay in touch.
Barbadians visiting any of 11 other Caribbean countries where Cable &
Wireless has operations will pay just under 70 cents U.S per minute, plus local
taxes and toll charges. In North America, the per minute charge is just under
one U.S dollar, plus local taxes.
Airtime is charged on both incoming and outgoing calls.
Roaming is automatic, so a
Cable & Wireless customer can start making or receiving calls on arrival at
a destination with which the company has a roaming agreement. A one-time set-up
fee and registration are required prior to departure.
Antigua
Blood Bank Need Underscored by Red Cross
Director
General of the Red Cross Gerald Price has called for the immediate establishment
of a national blood bank for Antigua and Barbuda.
His
appeal came against the news from the American Red Cross that the cost to import
blood here has increased from US$196.81 per unit, to US$326.29, which must be
paid for in advance to the American
Red Cross.
The new price
puts the purchase of blood from overseas beyond the reach of most Antiguans and
Barbudans, Mr.
Price said.
The local Red Cross chapter and the Health Department have long emphasised the need for an adequate national blood bank, and the latest news of the increase underscores the message.
Antigua
Responds To Hoteliers' Woes
The
Antigua and Barbuda government has moved to address problems voiced by the
country's hoteliers Monday when a delegation from the Antigua Hotels and Tourist
Association (AH&TA) met with Prime Minister Lester Bird to discuss their
concerns about the country’s economic standing and its impact on the hotels
and tourism sector. The hoteliers
requested a number of concessions, among them a 40-percent cut on utility bills,
duty free allowance on food, beverages and on items needed upgrade and renovate
hotels.
As
a result, Cabinet, decided to grant, for a period not exceeding four
months, duty-free allowance on food only and a 15-percent
deduction on utility bill, providing all bills have been brought up to
date.
The
Ministry of Finance will also conduct a study, as requested, on other revenue
measurers that can be taken to assist hoteliers, and the impact such action will
have on the country’s economy. Cabinet will make a further decision following that report.
Second Volunteer Gets HIV Vaccine
Trinidad, CANA - A 37-year-old
Trinidadian woman became the second person to be injected with a genetically
developed HIV vaccine on Wednesday.
The mother of three said she decided to volunteer for the HIV vaccine trials
when a close female friend tested positive for the HIV virus.
"I am doing this for myself and I am doing it for the country. If there is
a vaccine to prevent you from getting HIV, I am here to help," she told
reporters.
Nicknamed "Jane," the
volunteer was injected at the Medical Research Foundation on Wednesday and was
monitored by a group of doctors.
Holding her hand as the injection was administered into her arm was 28-year-old
"Joe," the country's first vaccine volunteer.
"Joe" who was injected with the vaccine on June 21 said he felt fine
and healthy and has not experienced any side-effects.
The volunteers were injected with the vaccine developed by scientists at the
Pasteur Institute in France.
Head of the Foundation, Professor Courtenay Bartholomew has explained that the
vaccine is a genetically engineered copy of the "outer coat" protein
found in the HIV virus which produces antibodies to block the HIV virus' entry
into cells.
He said it was impossible for volunteers to contract the disease from the
vaccine.
A total of 40 volunteers are needed.
They will be monitored for 18
months with researchers looking for particular response in the immune system of
those who receive the vaccine.
The local team responsible for administering the trials consists of four
doctors, 10 nurses, a pharmacist and other staff of the Foundation.
After Gunfire Kills 23 Compiled
from dispatches
KINGSTON, Jamaica -- After three days of
violence that killed at least 23 people in this city of 750,000, tensions
remained high on Wednesday but troubled west Kingston was relatively calm as
soldiers on foot, in tanks and in armored carriers patrolled the streets.
Sporadic gunfire was heard in Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town, residents said.
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson called out the army on Monday night to help
restore order when Jamaica's police force was overwhelmed by the violence in
parts of the Jamaican capital.
Among the dead were three police officers and a soldier.
The gunbattles erupted on
Saturday in Tivoli Gardens and other poor neighborhoods in west Kingston after
police reportedly went into the area on a hunt for illegal weapons.
Officials said the police were responding to gunfire and firebombs, but
opposition politicians have accused the security forces of shooting bystanders,
and charged the government with fomenting unrest for political reasons.
"The wave of violence has nothing to do with political persuasions. It is a
brazen challenge to the security forces by criminal elements to put the country
in unrest," Mr. Patterson said. "We cannot allow these elements to
succeed and as long as I am prime minister I'll do everything in my power to
restore law and order."
He was responding to charges
by opposition leader Edward Seaga, head of
the Jamaica Labor Party and a former Jamaican prime minister, that the
violence had been organized by the ruling party ahead of general elections
expected next year.
"This is a ploy to turn popular opinion against us," said Mr. Seaga,
whose party has a 16-point lead in opinion polls. "It happened in 1997 when
my constituency was raided and it's happening again."
In Tivoli Gardens, a poor neighborhood of ramshackle homes that has been
represented in Parliament by Mr. Seaga for 40 years, residents said soldiers
fired randomly at people in the streets last weekend.
Trouble had been brewing for several months in west Kingston, with gun battles
erupting periodically between rival gangs linked to political parties.
Protests against the violence spread outside Kingston on Tuesday. Residents set
up small roadblocks and burned tires in St. Andrew and St. Catherine parishes,
bordering Kingston, and Manchester parish, about 40 miles (64 km) west.
On
Wednesday Mr. Seaga, urged his supporters to desist from blocking roads, now
that the security forces were pulling out of the area.
Several
roadblocks were mounted across the city Monday causing severe dislocation and
confusion.
Banks,
factories and other business enterprises opened their doors to the public early
Wednesday, while the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the University of
Technology, which had suspended classes since Monday, resumed without hitch.
A handful of
"handcartmen," street sellers, returned to the crumbling sidewalks of
west Kingston as residents ventured out, some for the first time in days. But
Coronation Market, the city's largest and cheapest source of food and goods, was
still closed, its rickety wooden stalls empty.
Mr. Patterson met on Wednesday with business leaders who toured the Seaga
stronghold on Tuesday. Both sides have said they are searching for a way to end
the violence, but the Prime Minister and Mr. Seaga had not met.
The violence did not come close to the resorts that are key to the tourism
industry on the island of 2.6 million people -- Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and
Negril on the north coast. Tourism officials said they were planning a
"major campaign of damage control" to keep tourists coming.
Sobbing relatives lined up on Wednesday outside a funeral parlor, waiting to
identify bodies of relatives killed in the violence.
Trinidad
Advised to Close Bankrupt Sugar Factory
TRINIDAD,
CANA - A Cabinet-appointed committee has recommended that the Trinidad and
Tobago government send home close to 10,000 employees of the bankrupt
state-owned sugar company by October and shut down operations.
The
closure of Caroni (1975) Ltd. would not only affect the 9,697 employees but also
cause dislocation to some 6,000 farmers who supply sugar cane to the company and
another 3,000 who perform various jobs, the Express newspaper reported on
Wednesday.
The
paper quoted from a draft report dated May 25 in which the committee made its
recommendation to Enterprise Development Minister Mervyn Assam.
"The
sugar industry in Trinidad has long outlived its usefulness and has no place in
a modern knowledge-driven economy. The major stakeholders of the industry (sugar
workers and cane farmers) have become entrenched in a dependency syndrome, while
the industry itself has become irreversibly uncompetitive," the committee
stated.
The
committee said that long-term sustainable development can only be achieved
through closure of the industry and replacement by new forms of enterprise
development and economic activity consistent with global trends.
Several
trade unions which represent the workers at Caroni responded with disbelief to
the recommendations contained in the report.
Raffique
Shah, who represents cane farmers, said any move to shut down Caroni would lead
to "massive unrest in the sugar belt."
The
closure of the factory could also have political repercussions for the ruling
United National Congress (UNC) as Prime Minister Basdeo Panday was a long
standing union leader until his party was elevated to government in 1995.
Various
governments have tried to put Caroni on a viable footing by injecting large sums
of money into it and writing off multi-million dollars debts. None were bold
enough, however, to tightly restructure the company and trim the excess fat,
causing it to constantly depend on the treasury to meet the wage bill of
thousands of workers.
Soca
Monarch Contest Draws Nine Calypsonians
ST.
LUCIA, CANA - Nine regional calypsonians have confirmed their participation in
the first ever Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) soca monarch
competition taking place here Sunday.
The
National Carnival Development Committee (NCDC) which is organising the event,
said Tuesday the competition was a new feature of the island's annual carnival
taking place this month.
Thirteen
artistes altogether will enter the contest, including five St. Lucians.
Those
taking part in the show include Onyan Edwards, formerly of Burning Flames of
Antigua; Anderson Armstrong of the Barbadian group Square One; Hunter from
Dominica; Socrates from St. Kitts-Nevis; Wayne Hodge of Anguilla; Godfrey Dublin
of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Martino Mark of the British Virgin Islands;
Tangler of Grenada; Cecil Lake of Montserrat; and Sylvestre Hodge of St.
Kitts-Nevis.
The
St. Lucia contingent will be led by De Invader, who was crowned local soca
monarch last weekend.
The
competition will be judged by a panel that includes musicians and writers from
Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Lucia.
The
show will be held at the Marchand Grounds on Sunday July 15th 2001,
as part of the King and Queen of the bands competition, and starts at 8.30 p.m.
Belize Plans Survey For Better Agriculture
BELMOPAN CITY, Belize -- In an
effort to improve its efficiency and its interaction with the farmers in each
district the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Cooperatives (MAFC) has
recognized the urgent need for an agriculture survey primarily for establishing
a Belize Farm Register.
The last agriculture census conducted was in 1984/85. The 2001 Belize
Agriculture Survey, scheduled to take place in September of this year, will
improve mechanisms and opportunities for Belizean farmers to increase production
and income.
This is a joint project with the MAFC and FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations) valued at $684.000.
The Ministry of Agriculture is requesting the kind cooperation of the general
public.
St.
Vincent Farmers Lack Banana Essentials
KINGSTOWN,
St Vincent, CANA - Banana officials in St Vincent and the Grenadines on
Wednesday assured farmers that imputs needed for their production would soon be
made available.
The
assurance followed complaints from growers that about 15 items are not available
at the storehouse of the St Vincent Banana Growers Association (BGA).
BGA
general manager, Henry Keizer said the Association, whose overdraft at the
state-owned National Commercial Bank has reached EC$16.5 million (US$6.1
million), continues to subsidise the price to growers to the tune of around
three EC cents per pound.
"The
fact is we are still paying out all the money we receive to the farmers plus our
operations but most of the imputs should be here this week," Keizer added.
Among
the items not available are fertilizer and diothene, which is required to cover
the growing banana fruit to prevent damage.
A
number of creditors have been refusing to do further business on credit with the
BGA because of problems getting their money, a source told the Caribbean News
Agency (CANA).
This
has affected their ability to provide necessary service to farmers, much of
which is provided on credit.
The
government has committed itself to commercialising the banana industry under a
restructuring proposal for the Windward Islands' banana industry. The prime
ministers adopted the proposal in principle at a June 1 banana summit in
Kingstown.
Implementation
of the plan would result in a new structure and mode of operation for the local
BGA.
St.
Lucia Bar Association Acts to Provide Legal Aid
ST.
LUCIA, CANA - The St. Lucia Bar Association is moving to establish a system to
provide legal aid services, President Lorraine Williams said Tuesday.
The
Association has engaged the services of Jamaican consultant Nancy Anderson, who
is the executive director of the Legal Aid Centre in that country operated by
the Jamaica Bar Association.
The
consultant, who is in St. Lucia for talks with the local Bar Association, will
also meet with government officials and representatives of service clubs and
associations during her visit.
Ms.
Williams took over the leadership of the Bar Association earlier this year
promising major reforms.
Ms.
Anderson said some aspects of Jamaica's legal aid experience may not be suited
to St. Lucia, but she believed they could easily be tailored to suit local
circumstances.
St. Lucians Deplore Violence in Schools
Compiled
from dispatches
ST.LUCIA
-- Increasing acts of violence in the islands schools have been condemned by St.
Lucia police, the St. Lucia National Youth Council (NYC), and a former teacher
who is now a member of of the National
Alliance, a broad-based grouping that plans to challenge the ruling St. Lucia
Labour Party (SLP) in the next general elections.
The
NYC said there was urgent need for the Ministry of Education, in consultation
with the St. Lucia Teachers Union and the NYC to devise strategies to deal with
the indiscipline in the schools.
"We
call on the government to adopt a zero tolerance policy towards indiscipline
within our schools," the NYC statement said.
Dr. Morella Joseph, Vice
President of the National Alliance, blamed social and economic stresses in the
St. Lucian society as negative influences on young people.
Herself the victim of a 1995 cutlass attack by a student while she was a teacher
at the Vieux Fort School, Dr. Joseph said: "The incidence of crime,
violence and anti-social behaviour in our schools is shocking."
Among
the series of incidents:
·
Last Friday, in
the southern town of Vieux Fort, police arrested six students of the
Comprehensive Secondary School there who were involved in a fight on the
premises. Three knifes were confiscated.
·
Also last week, a
female student was stabbed by a male student at the Sir Ira Simmons Secondary
School in Castries, which was called "surprising" considering the
level of discipline that had obtained at that institution for some time.
·
In the southwestern
town of Soufriere last week, a 17-year-old female student was slapped with four
charges -- including assault and wounding -- after her attempt to defy an order
suspending her.
·
The Ministry of
Education meanwhile is investigating another major incident at the
Castries Comprehensive Secondary School where four boys were suspended
following a May 28 sexual attack on a female student.
Police Inspector Cyrus Faulkner said, "the police will not tolerate such
behaviour and certainly we intend to take action against those who choose to
behave that way."
Government
Investigates Sewage Matter;
Financing for Overall Sewage
Plan Being Looked Into
GREAT BAY, St. Maarten
(GIS) - It has been brought to the attention of the Executive Council, that
sewage water from a hotel property near the beach is allegedly being pumped into
the sea.
The Island Government
Hygiene & Veterinary Department (H&VD), is looking into the situation
and will be taking the appropriate steps with management to have this problem
rectified.
The Island Government
will not tolerate businesses with private sewage systems to operate
indiscriminately posing a danger to the environment as well as public health.
The Executive Council is
busy with an overall plan to deal with the sewage situation on the island that
has been estimated to costs approximately Naf.170 million.
The Government is busy
negotiating a public-private partnership that could result in such an investment
in relation to dealing with the sewage problem in a structural manner.
Other investments to take
place will be the expansion of the sewage plant and the construction of sewage
lines in Philipsburg, Middle Region, St. Peters, Dutch Quarter and Madame
Estate.
Exco
Approves Five-Year Strategic HIV/AIDS Plan of Action
GREAT BAY, St. Maarten
(GIS) - Commissioner responsible for Public Health Franklyn Meyers, told the
Government Information Service (GIS) on Wednesday, that the Executive Council
has approved St. Maarten's Strategic Human Immune-Deficiency Virus/ Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) Plan 2001 - 2005.
"I am pleased that
we are on the move to strategically deal with the deadly HIV/AIDS in our nation.
This Government understands the critical role of health in the economic
development of our people and we have been taking the appropriate steps.
Last month marked 20-years since the first case of AIDS was isolated and
identified as AIDS.
"The overall
intention of the plan is to reduce the spread and impact of HIV/AIDS on St.
Maarten. Its framework identifies areas of priority at a local and
regional level, which are focused on promoting a strengthened multi-sectoral,
effective and coordinated response to the epidemic," Meyers told GIS.
The Commissioner pointed
out that St. Maarten's Strategic Plan over the next five years will emphasize
leadership, strategic planning, management, implementation and resource
mobilization.
Research
Detects Dangers In Dust Blown from Africa
WASHINGTON, (AP) -- Dust from
the African deserts is bringing germs and fungi across the Atlantic, according
to researchers who tested samples of the dust collected last summer. They warn
that "pathogenic microbes associated with dust clouds may pose a risk to
ecosystem and human health."
While windborne transport of African dust to North and South America long has
been known, scientists thought that few microbes would survive the trip because
of exposure to ultraviolet radiation in the atmosphere.
Researchers now believe the dust clouds themselves block enough of the light to
protect bacteria and other microbes during the five- to seven-day journey.
The findings of the group, led by Dale W. Griffin of the U.S. Geological Survey,
are reported in the June issue of the journal Aerobiologia.
About 10 percent of the microbes identified were "opportunistic
pathogens," Mr. Griffin said in a telephone interview. He said they are
organisms that do not cause disease in healthy humans, but could affect someone
with a compromised immune system such as AIDS patients, the very old or young
and transplant or cancer patients with suppressed immune systems, he said.
In addition, he said, some 25 percent of the microbes were known plant pathogens
that affect elm trees or such crops as peaches, cotton and rice, he said.
Joseph M. Prospero, director of the Cooperative Institute for Marine and
Atmospheric Studies at the University of Miami said his research in Barbados
also has seen fungi and bacteria associated with African dust.
The researchers cited a 17-fold increase in asthma prevalence in Barbados
between 1973 and 1996. "This increase corresponds to the observed increase
in African dust flux impacting Barbados." The dust also has been implicated
in coral reef damage in the Caribbean.
Using NASA satellites to track the African dust clouds, they were able to take
air samples both on clear days and days with dust plumes affecting the region.
Tragic Barbuda Crash Rallies Antigua Forces
Compiled from dispatches
ST.
JOHN'S, Antigua -- The deadly crash of a bus and a heavy-duty vehicle on the
island of Barbuda threw the emergency services of Antigua and Barbuda into a
"red alert" operation late Tuesday evening, forcing an emergency
airlift, involving planes and helicopters.
Three persons died in the accident near Martello Tower and several others were injured so severely, police said, that the small medical team on the island was forced to seek help from the mainland.
Medical
worker helps injured boy on the Carib Aviation plane
The
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Antigua sprang into action, rushing a team
to assist with help of Carib Aviation and Caribbean Helicopters.
Health
Minister John E. St. Luce said an airlift involving a Carib Aviation aircraft
flew the injured to Antigua, where they were then whisked from V.C.Bird
International Airport to Holberton
Hospital by two aircraft from Caribbean Helicopters.
PM Bird and Minister Humphreys at the V. C. Bird International with a look of deep concern on their faces.
Upon
hearing of the tragedy, Prime Minister Lester Bird rushed to the airport to
personally oversee the airlift operations.
"As
you know I have always regarded myself as half Barbudan, as the majority of my
maternal side hails from Barbuda," he told GIS before rushing off to the
Holberton Hospital to visit the injured.
"As
I listened to the names of the deceased and the injured, I recognised that some
of them are my relatives. Therefore, this is not just a case where I am the
Prime Minister of the country, but this is a personal tragedy for me and I want
to offer personal condolences to the families of those whom we have lost in this
awful tragedy."
Mr.
St. Luce expressed complete satisfaction with the effectiveness of the emergency
effort.
"When
I heard of the tragedy, I immediately rushed to the hospital where I met the
Prime Minister and there I saw first-hand, the speed and precision with which
our EMS and the medical personnel at the hospital went to work, I felt
pleased," he said.
"I
think everyone moved on to the playing field and got involved. It was a great
show of the commitment to duty in the hour of crisis, and everyone in the
medical world who rallied to the call on Tuesday evening must be
complimented."
The
police have launched a full investigation into the cause of the accident, which
is said to be the worst in the island's traffic history.
Meanwhile,
families of the injured who were forced to make the emergency trip to Antigua to
be with their loved ones and were without places to stay were accommodated at
hotels courtesy of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda.
An
injured man being placed on the Helicopter
Digital
photos by Norman "Gus" Thomas
By Peter Adrien
Victors but losers! Even when
we are victors, circumstances would dampen our happiness and restrain our
celebrations! Even when we are conquerors, we are reminded of the difficulty of
sustaining the competitive edge in the merciless market in which we sell our
products.
The “Knight” (“Sir Carl
Hooper”) and his men of the round table exhibited mettle, courage, fight and
gallantry, but we were somewhat robbed of the joy of triumph by an unfortunate
circumstance that surrounded the magnificent victory over the almost unbeatable
Indians. No sooner had the sons of slaves and indentured labourers begun their
well-earned celebrations in Zimbabwe, the former land of racism and oppression,
than they were reminded of their technical limitation in the global
entertainment market and of the reality of the punitive character of the
adjudication process in the New International Economic Order (NIEO). The
victorious one-day cricketers were instructed that one of their key players,
wicket keeper, Ridley Jacobs, had been suspended for unfair play.
Journalist Rick Eyre called the
action “one of the more bizarre disciplinary cases in the history of the ICC refereeing
system.” The ICC Coca-Cola Cup tournament match referee Denis Lindsay found
that Jacobs was guilty of a breach of the Players and Officials Code of
Conduct, and of a transgression of the "Spirit of Cricket," as
codified in the preamble to the Laws of the game.
The breaches occurred when
Jacobs failed to recall a batsman incorrectly given out stumped in the July
4th one-day game against India in Harare. Indian batsman Virender Shewag
was given out by umpire Kevin Barbour without referral to the third umpire
upon appeal by a number of West Indian players, but not including Jacobs
himself. Television replays showed that Jacobs broke the wicket with his
right hand while the ball was held separately in his left.
The decision to suspend Jacobs for the Kenyan games (to be played in Nairobi on
August 15, 18 and 19) was overturned when the adjudicator learnt that Jacobs
would not be touring Kenya. Lindsay announced his decision to revoke the
original suspension, replacing it with the ban for the Second Zimbabwe Test.
This incident is very
unfortunate on two counts. First, Ridley Jacobs, a devout Christian who has been
known for his moral posture in the sports arena, is tarnished by an incident
which many who know him would agree could not have been a malicious act. Perhaps
he was overcome by the developments surrounding the appeal and the dismissal and
got carried away. Every one of us has our moments of weakness and our moments of
forgetfulness.
Second, the brittle batting
line-up will be weaker without him. Courtney Browne, the recycled mediocre
Barbadian keeper, is really an insult to the development posture of the team,
and an indictment on the integrity and vision of Michael Findlay and the
selectors. They had been romancing the underachiever for a long time, and we
suspected that national politics would have brought him in sooner or later.
What about the youngsters like
Wayne Phillip from the Windwards Islands, who were being touted as the heir
apparent to Ridley Jacobs? It is this kind of backward policy that makes our
adjustment process so painful.
But the impact of the victory
is greater than the impact of the wound. The West Indies team defied the odds
and made many of us, (like your humble journalist) who dared to predict the game
of glorious uncertainties, look foolish. Well Done Hoops!
Collymore finished with four
for 49, with the wickets of Ganguly (28), Tendulkar (0) and Laxman (18). He had
done exactly what I predicted that Cuffy would need to do to give the West
Indies a winning chance.
When West Indies batted, Carl
Hooper, in concert with his fellow Guyanese Indian batsman, Shivnarine
Chanderpaul, established the platform for a West Indian victory. With an 86-run
partnership between openers Daren Ganga and Chris Gayle, the classiest batsman
in international cricket showcased his batting skills in Zimbabwe.
Captain Carl Hooper came in and
answered the call for him to lead from the front. He and Shivnarine Chanderpaul
had to settle in, but then they got the board moving again, not so much
with the powerful boundaries of their opening pair but more through
skillful placement for ones and twos. Hooper ran to his 50 off 46 balls,
and Chanderpaul soon followed before being yorked by Nehra for exactly 50.
The pair had added 108 and West Indies were 238 for four in the 43rd over.
The aim was no doubt for 300, but Hooper (66 off 63 balls) skied Zaheer
Khan to mid-off, which put that difficult target just out of reach.
It was great entertainment to
the last ball. The Indians needed 25 runs off the final over and it was just too
much, even with the heroic Dighe finishing unbeaten with 94.
The West Indies was the better
team at Harare on July 7, 2001. They won a hard-fought battle, and deserve all
the credits.
Stephen Alleyne, WICB Director,
reflected our collective thought in his congratulatory message on July 8th:
“I wish to express sincere congratulations to the West Indies team for its
superb and inspiring victory over India in the final of the Coca-Cola Cup
yesterday. It was a truly magnificent display of determination, purpose and
teamwork and it showed what can be achieved despite adversity if one believes in
oneself. Your resilience, particularly in the face of a number of injury
setbacks, has been fantastic and is a lesson to us all. In recent times, the
road has not been smooth for West Indies cricket, but we are confident that with
continued performances like this one, our team will once again be counted among
the best in the world.”
Congratulations to de boyz and
dem!
PHOTO
CAPTION: Corey
Collymore, the destroyer (photo: Peter Adrien)
By
Justin ‘Hero’ Cassell
(Agricultural
Development Officer)
The
Department of Agriculture’s activity highlights for June are presented under
the following captions:
Poultry
Egg Production
Yam
& Ginger Production
Seedling Sales (Trays)
The
following amounts of seedlings were sold: -
The
following species were imported: -
Farmers Symposium
The
Department of Agriculture has initiated a process of reviewing its Extension
programme with the aim of empowering farmers and improving its delivery.
In
this respect a symposium would be held on August 1st 2001 at the
Methodist Church Centre in Cavalla Hill from 7:00 p.m.
The
aim of this symposium is for farmers to identify and prioritize their training
needs. All farmers are kindly
invited to attend and play an active role in the decision making process.
Transportation
and refreshments would be provided.
Airport
Strategy
All alternatives DFID
refuses,
Each rejected with fiscal
excuses.
They're determined, you
know,
To build Geralds, then crow,
"There's your airstrip,
which nobody uses."
Variation on
a Theme
Foot and Mouth must be kept
from the land,
It's a problem we don't want
on hand;
But there is a variety
That plagues our society,
If you say "in" in place of the "and."
Jus
wonderin about de officer wey dem a chat bout a wha mek he a stay so close to
home, a wha a fraid he fraid so.
Jus
wonderinalso about de young man me hear he a rob de cradle now.
Jus
wonderin why some women a go dey a lookshop, wha dem kan'y cook food dey dem
house or a cook dem kan't cook.
Jus
wonderin wha a happen to dem school house dem away dem a put dem up.
Jus
wondein when de government a go give de people out a lookout wire to fence dem
place to keep out de cattle and donkey out of dem yard.
Jus
wonderin if foot and mouth no ya why de people dem fraid fer eat de beef and de
pork.
Jus
wonderin out loud when de crime a go stop.
Jus
wonderin when de backbiting a go also stop.
Jus
wonderin if de girl wid de split tooth got sugar down below, wha de one with de
close tooth dem hab.
Jus
wonderin if jus wonderin hab all de sexy lady and dem or is I am de one a wonder
too much.
Jus
wonderin when we a go eat for Christmas when dem stap send ham ya.
Jus
wonderin when de lady a go tek she son in hand and talk to he about de company
dat he keep.
Jus
wonderin if me talk for me right, should it bother anyone.
Jus
wonderin about the song (it wasn't me) and both of them is doing it and a say it
wasn't them.
Jus
wonderin about a sexy lady at ZJB why de officer crazy about she so, and wha he
see inna she.
Jus
wonderin if looks coulda kill, allawe woulda dead long time from all de bad
watch and dem awe get.
Jus wonderin if the holidaying
CID officer miss de cock and take de hen.
Jus wonderin who a go pay fer
de damages.
Jus wonderin DFID hierarchy
paki home from the Works Department.
Jus wonderin what high oversees
2nd government employee behaviours keep going on in Salem bars.
Jus wonderin all what
secrets get told and legs warmed.
Jus
wonderin if one and one mek eleven, wha 69 ago ge you if you put um flat.
Jus
wonderin why de gal out a lookout so rude and disrespectful to she moder and
still a look respect from she cadet privates and dem, when she nar show none.
Jus
wonderin a who a de baby father.
Jus
wonderin if man had two heads and women had four, what would happen if dem butt
up, or try to kiss.
Jus
wonderin about de officer from lookout, wha a he problem.
Jus
wonderin about de fan and wha he problem is wid people ya.
Forward all Questions, Comments and Suggestions to: editor@montserratreporter.org
This site is maintained by West Computer Works. Please read Disclaimer.