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PM BROWNE DELIVERS
Tuesday 13th January 2015
A n t i g u a
a n d
B a r b u d a
Vol.3
No.75
$2.00
DeNiro’s project goes
before barbudans pg 4
Prime Minister Gaston Browne, right, delivers the 2015 Budget Speech.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne issued a call to arms during Monday’s 2015
Budget Presentation, urging citizens and
residents to put all shoulders to the wheel
as the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) administration continues the
challenging task of rebuilding the economy.
The prime minister’s 67-page statement titled “Rebuilding Our Nation: A
Call for Action, Performance and Excellence,” was delivered to a packed gallery
in the House of Representatives.
PM Browne said his presentation
moved beyond talk and promises and excuses to focus on action and accomplishment for the benefit of all.
The Budget presentation began with
the prime minister detailing what he
termed the mismanagement of the previous United Progressive Party (UPP)
administration – including arrears to
many debtors, such as the International
Monetary Fund (IMF), and regional institutions, like LIAT to spending, without
cont’d on pg 2
Academy of cosmetology graduation pg 12
Seven confirmed dead
in SVG bus crash pg 14
pg 23 For Voucher
2
caribtimes.com
cont’d from pg 1
ever tabling in Parliament
as required by law, a supplementary budget that
totaled around $1 billion
over the course of a decade.
PM Browne detailed
the measures the ABLP
administration took upon
coming to office on June
12, 2014, and he reiterated
comments made in other
forums and by other members of his administration
that the ABLP had inherited a woefully untenable
situation and had to move
expertly and swiftly to
prevent a collapse.
Tuesday 13th January 2015
Prime
Minister
Browne outlined an agenda for growth that will
secure new investments
especially in the area of
tourism. He referenced an
expected increase in airlift
and special attention to
cruise tourism, to include
the much-needed dredging
and sweeping of St. John’s
Harbour, as well as the
modernisation and the revitalisation of St. John’s as
a cruise and commercial
port.
More jobs will be created, according to Prime
Minister Browne, with the
advent of the Sunny Hill
CONSULTANT FOR IMPLEMENTATION
SUPPORT ON BUSINESS TAXATION REFORMS
The World Bank Group (WBG) is seeking to hire a consultant for a six month appointment. He or she will be based in
Antigua and Barbuda to provide implementation support on
business taxation reforms. The consultant will work with a
WBG team to support the Inland Revenue Department by:
(i) providing technical input and insights on local business
taxation; (ii) collecting and analyzing data; and (iii) developing recommendations and implementing reforms.
Requirements: Degree in Accounting/Economics with a
strong background in Tax Policy and Administration; experience working with government institutions particularly
with regards to advising on process mapping and implementing new administrative solutions; and at least 10 years
of relevant professional experience.
For further details and to send expressions of interest, please
visit the World Bank Group’s eConsultant2 website (wbgeconsult2.worldbank.org) Selection #: 1167819 or send your
CV in English to [email protected] Subject: Business Taxation Consultant. Deadline to apply is 23 January,
2015. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Group Investment project
of a 400-unit project in the
Falmouth/Bethesda area,
the Beaches Resort project
at Long Bay, which will
add 400 more rooms and
about 1,000 jobs. Development at Half Moon Bay,
Hodges Bay Club, Morris
Bay and a 500 room resort
near Royal Antiguan Resort were also highlighted.
Other job opportunities will be derived from
the Island Paradise Resorts
at Guiana Island (YIDA
International Investment
Group), NS the construction of 2,000 homes, with
construction set to begin
shortly at the Dredge Bay
site.
“The pride is really
back,” PM Browne said,
taking and owing a tagline
popularised by the former
administration.
Curbing crime was
also listed as a priority,
PM Browne said, noting
his administration’s zero
tolerance.
Within the presentation, Prime Minister
Browne outlined the allocations for 2015 for the
respective ministries:
- Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries & Barbuda Affairs
$16,481,889
- Ministry of Works
and Housing $76,172,648
- Attorney General’s
Office and Ministry of
Justice and Legal Affairs,
Public Safety, Immigration
and Labour $71,561,290
- Ministry of Tourism,
Economic Development,
Investment and Energy
$19,422,264.
- Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and International
Trade $19,309,157,
- Ministry of Health
& The
Environment
$74,116,668
-Ministry of Education
Science & Technology
$78,539,140
-Ministry of Public
Utilities, Civil Aviation &
cont’d on pg 3
Tuesday 13th January 2015
cont’d from pg 2
Transportation $6,968,868
-Ministry of Trade,
Commerce & Industry,
Sports, Culture & National Festivals and Community Service $23,474,686
-Ministry of Information,
Broadcasting,
Telecommunications and
Information Technology
$14,956,625
The 2015 budget also
includes allocations for:
• Office of the Governor General $1,349,686
• The Legislature
$2,202,671
•
The
Cabinet
$3,565,033
•
The
Judiciary
$2,000,288
• The Service Commissions $663,591
• The Director of Audit
$1,113,274
• Pensions and Gratuities $60,198,737
• Electoral Commission $3,712,045
•
Ombudsman
$480,553
• Charges on Public
Debt $436,877,173
The budgetary allocation for the Office of
the Prime Minister and
Prime Minister’s Ministry is $26,831,132 while
the allocation for the
Ministry of Finance and
Corporate Governance is
$81,460,458.
Prime
Minister
Browne reiterated that his
government’s immediate
plan is to grow the econ-
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3
omy, increase Foreign Direct Investment, widen the
scale of employment, private sector sustainability,
and pay down the massive
debt left by previous administration.
4
caribtimes.com
Tuesday 13th January 2015
DeNiro’s Project Goes Before Barbudans
The people on the sister island, Barbuda, are to
hear the first full details of
the proposed multi-million dollar tourism project
earmarked for the property that operated under the
name, K-Club.
Barbuda Affairs Minister, Arthur Nibbs, confirmed that a meeting is
taking place in Codrington
on Thursday that all residents of the island are invited to hear the proposal
and to indicate whether
or not it is a project they
would wish implemented.
American movie icon,
Robert DeNiro and James
Packer, son of the late
Kerry Packer, the Australian business tycoon, are
proposing to investment
over $250 million into the
project to construct a major tourism project.
“It’s a preliminary
meeting that will serve to
NATURALIZATION
NOTICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY
given that LIXING YANG
of Newgate Street, Antigua,
is applying to the Minister
for Naturalization and that
any person who knows any
reason why Naturalization
should not be granted should
send a written and signed
statement of the facts to the
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs.
get the views of the people about whether or not
they have an interest in
the project. It is not a consent meeting and as such
all that is required is for
the Council to advertise
the time and place for the
meeting,” he explained.
He added that should
the people of Barbuda
indicate that they have
an interest in the project,
then the next step is for
the principals of the project to present its full proposal to the Council. If
the Council approves the
project, then it goes back
to the village council for
ordinary Barbudans to
give their consent.
Nibbs’s explanation
comes as a member of the
opposition Barbuda People’s Movement, Mckensie Frank, has been complaining that the Council
is not following the law
regarding the holding
of village meetings to
Barbuda Affairs Minister, Arthur Nibbs
consider developmental
projects. He said the law
stipulates that the proposal ought to be published
alongside the notice for
the meeting. He said this
has not been done and he
is raising concerns.
The Barbuda representative said Frank is
getting ahead of himself
and there will not be any
attempt to get a final determination of the project
at Thursday’s meeting.
Instead, the representative
of the company, Paradise
Found, will address the
meeting discussing preliminary plans with the
villagers.
Nibbs has made his
views quite clear on the
matter. He is in favour of
the project as it will provide much needed jobs
and economic activity for
the people of Barbuda.
Fuel prices to be lowered
High fuel variation costs are now a
thing of the past.
This tax which has proved burdensome on consumers will be finally reduced after years of electricity bills rising at an astronomical rate.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne
made the disclosure while delivering the
2015 Budget in Parliament on Monday.
With advice from the World Bank to
use increased revenues from the reduction in oil prices to repair poor government finances Prime Minister Browne
also disclosed that as of February 1,
2015 fuel at the pump will be reduced
as well.
Tuesday 13th January 2015
caribtimes.com
5
Police Probe Grays Farm Shooting
Police are investigating a shooting incident
in Grays Farm, where a
Browne’s Ave resident
claimed that he was the
target of a shooting.
The Browne’s Ave
man reported that he had
just offered a friend a ride
on Buckley’s Street Grays
Farm, when he was allegedly fired upon by an
armed masked man.
He however managed
to escape from the scene
without any physical injuries.
No other injuries were
reported coming out of the
incident. Police are conducting further investigations into the matter. The
alleged incident took place
around 11:45pm on Sunday.
Meantime, the police
are investigating a report
of Robbery which took
place in Crosbies.
It is alleged that a
well-known business man
and his son were robbed
of an undisclosed sum of
money and jewellery early
Monday morning.
Reports are that the
man and his son were
asleep, when they were
disturbed by masked intruder inside their home.
It was further reported
that the perpetrator held
both men at gunpoint and
demanded money. The
man allegedly stole an undisclosed sum of money
along with a quantity of
jewelry.
It was further reported
that during the incident the
he discharged his firearm;
however, no one was physically hurt.
The alleged incident
took place around 1:50am
on Monday. Further investigations are ongoing into
the matter
NATURALIZATION
NOTICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY
given that MOSHE PERETZ
of Seatons, Antigua, is applying to the Minister for Naturalization and that any person who knows any reason
why Naturalization should
not be granted should send a
written and signed statement
of the facts to the Permanent
Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs.
6
caribtimes.com
Tuesday 13th January 2015
Make reading fun for children
Helping your children enjoy reading is
one of the more important things you can do
as a parent and it’s well
worth the investment of
your time and energy.
Though children will
learn reading skills in
school, they often come
to associate reading with
work, not pleasure.
As a result, they lose
the desire to read and
along with it, the curiosity and interest which
make up the cornerstone
to using reading and related skills successfully.
Child development
specialists note that by
far, the most effective
way to encourage children to love books and
reading is to read aloud
to them, and the earlier
you start, the better.
Even a baby of a few
months, they say, can see
pictures, listen to your
voice, and turn cardboard pages.
It was particularly
interesting to see how re-
gional children’s Author,
Robertha Reid, made one
of her books come alive
during the launch of her
book, “Please Help Me
When I Am Afraid”,
which took place recently in the food court of
Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall.
The book tells the
story of Lee Lee the
lamb, who encountered
several “friends” whom
he thought he could trust,
only to find out that they
intended to eat him.
He learns that God is
one friend he can trust
and eventually, that trust
in God leads him to find
a family who will love
and take care of him.
The story was read
to several children who
were drawn to the launch
by a puppet show and
sing-along to introduce
the book.
An overhead projector displayed illustrations of the story-line
and children also had
the opportunity to create
cont’d on pg 7
Tuesday 13th January 2015
cont’d from pg 6
their own lamb masks.
These
activities,
along with the question
and answer segment
which followed the reading, helped to bring the
story alive and spark an
interest in those children
to read the story again
for themselves.
Once upon a time,
we suppose, it sufficed to
place a book in a child’s
hand and instruct them to
go off and read.
Nowadays, with all
the added distractions or,
as some may prefer to call
them, alternative sources
of self amusement, parents and educators must
now find creative ways
to get our children not
only reading, but initiating that reading process
on their own.
The approach of the
guardian to reading will
have significant bearing
on how children view
this form of activity.
Marketing Manager
of the recently opened
Chattel House Books,
Erica Hinkson, lamented while speaking at a
recent book launch that
there were times when
children actually wanted to read, but were deterred from doing so because the parents simply
did not feel that they
“had enough time” to accommodate their request.
Hinkson
remarked
that many adults themselves were not interested in reading and thus,
could not pass on this desire to those within their
care.
Cultivating such a
desire is really not that
hard of a task. Apart from
reading aloud to your
children from an early age, it is a good idea
to keep many pieces of
reading material around
your home, whether they
be novels, encyclopaedias, magazines, storybooks, comics or newspapers.
Encourage them also
to incorporate reading
into their other activities.
If they like to play games
on their handheld devices, ensure that those
games include reading as
part of the requirements
to successfully compete.
If they like to play
sports or have a favourite
sports team, encourage
them to read as much as
they can about the sport
or team.
It does not matter
what they read (provided
what they read is child
appropriate) just as long
as they are reading. (Reprinted from the Barbados Advocate)
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8
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Tuesday 13th January 2015
The Unforgiving
Before closing the
book on the life of Jim
Galloway one final word
is required. That word has
to do with the unforgiving
nature of the UPP faithful.
On Friday last, the UPP
faithful amply demonstrated their unforgiving
spirit by their vindictive
refusal to recognize, even
in some small, grudging
way, the passing of an individual who had played a
role in advancing their political interests in the past.
From the very beginning, Jim Galloway was
a supporter of Labour. He
became part of the Labour
movement at a time in our
country’s political development when it was the
natural thing for poor people to rally behind VC Bird
and the AT&LU. There
was no question about
it: Jim Galloway, like so
many others, joined the
movement as naturally as
African Americans would
later rally behind the leadership of Martin Luther
King, and for much the
same reasons.
For the ordinary man
and woman, Labour was
the only game in town.
Any other political organization that existed at
that time would necessarily have represented the
professional, commercial
and landed middle and
upper classes. For a young
man like Jim Galloway,
who cast his first vote in
1951 at the age of 21, the
choice would have been
automatic. In those days
everybody, all the poorest
people, had no other place
to go other than to the
Union, which made them
strong.
The tale is told of how
Jim Galloway plunged
with verve into the mammoth task of assisting
Chief Minister VC Bird
as he galvanized the poverty-stricken people of
this country into pooling
their scarce, hard-earned
coppers to purchase the
Syndicate lands from the
declining Sugar Barons.
To the young revolutionary, this was the ultimate
expression of nascent
national
independence.
As a man who loved the
soil, and loved to get his
hands dirty in it, ownership of land in land-hungry Antigua was the first
real step toward building
the Nation: Land was real
wealth, a resource that
would form the foundation for the future of a free
people.
At the time of the
great schism of 1968,
Jim Galloway the Man of
Principle joined the great
movement of the people.
He had too much personal
integrity to accommodate
VC Bird’s thrust toward
dictatorship. Now part
of the Antigua Workers
Union and the Progressive Labour Movement,
Jim remained true to his
commitment all the way
through 28 years in the
wilderness right through
to the triumphant elections of 2004, when the
UPP promised a new political dispensation.
When the dream immediately turned into a
nightmare, Jim scornfully
turned his back on the lost
UPP, and become a committed member of the Serial Marchers. In disillusion, he went back home
to the ALP – and was welcomed by a party eager to
attract militants into its
ranks.
Not many people have
been able to grasp the deep
philosophical reasoning
behind Jim Galloway’s rejection of the UPP, and his
scornful refusal to accept
the paltry sum offered him
for his work at the Botanical Gardens. UPP mouths,
empowered by access to
trusted broadcast media,
did a very good job of creating confusion, obfuscating the issue and casting
the Man for All Seasons in
the role of a money-grubbing leech who simply
wanted more cash in his
pocket.
The truth was far more
subtle than that, and it is
a sore testimony to the
cupidity of those UPP
mouths that they were entirely unable to perceive
that if all Jim Galloway
was after was a fatter paycheque, he would have
hungrily pocketed the sum
offered while continuing
to agitate for a raise.
The issue was more
complicated than that: Jim
Galloway was a man who
loved the Land, and who
was deeply rooted in the
soil. Campaigning beside
VC Bird to purchase the
Sugar Syndicate acreage,
Jim Galloway knew that
working the land was the
foundation of the People’s
wealth – and he valued
his work as custodian of a
beautiful garden far above
the mechanical, almost
mindless work of a vehicle driver, who really produced only an inexpensive
cont’d on pg 9
caribtimes.com
Tuesday 13th January 2015
9
Prime Minister Browne: Banks’
Interest Rates Are Too High
The interest rates
banks charge their customers have attracted the
attention of Prime Minister Gaston Browne…and
he is not pleased.
As an expression of
his concern, the Prime
Minister addressed the
matter in some detail at
Monday’s 2015 Budget
presentation in the House
of Representatives. He
said the banking sector has been performing
well in recent years with
higher deposits and larger
profits.
cont’d from pg 8
Yet, the Prime Minister said the interest
rate spread, which is the
difference in what the
banks pay on savings
versus what they charge
for loans, was a worrying
trend.
“The interest rate
spread between the banks’
prime lending rate and the
savings rate amounted to
7.8 percent at the end of
September, 2014,” he observed.
According to PM
Browne over the past
few years individuals and
service.
Yet in exchange for his own
valuable productive services, Jim
Galloway was offered less pay than
the driver who only ferried workers
to and fro, and ran messages. It is
a testimony to the social blindness
of the young, upwardly mobile,
middle-class politicians who misunderstood him, that they failed to
perceive the true nature of his complaint – preferring instead to insult
him with their open scorn. Their
disdain becomes even more poignant when we remember that certain of the new ruling clique once
stood proudly beside ACLM Leader
Leonard ‘Tim’ Hector, afro-ed, dashiki-ed, and giving the Black Power “clenched fist” salute. Indeed,
businesses were unable to
service their obligations
to the banks, and families and businesses were
forced to utilize their savings to exist. “Even so,
the 7.8 percent spread that
banks enjoy is particularly high,” the Prime Minister declared.
Browne noted that the
cost of money represented by excessively high
interest rate is a deterrent
to development financing
and it places domestic investors at a disadvantage
against foreign investors
one of the vapid UPP mouths who
worked to assassinate Jim’s character has since morphed into a farmer of sorts, campaigning avidly for
a better deal for the agriculturalists
who labor to feed the Nation.
Ah, well … times change – and
so do boys.
It is not in the nature of the shallow, bad-minded, resentful, vindictive power-seekers who populate
the now opposition party to understand the principled motivations
that might lead former supporters
to transfer their allegiance to another political organization, or even
to stand alone. Neither is it within
their capacity to obey the Jesus they
claim as their own, and forgive one
they have decided is their enemy
… not even after death has claimed
who can secure cheaper
money.
He said the Antigua
and Barbuda government
along with other members
of the Eastern Caribbean
Currency Union, want to
engage the banks in discussion to explore ways
to reduce what he termed
‘onerous’ borrowing rates
and to increase the accessibility to and demand for
credit. Browne believes
that the drop in borrowing is due to the high cost
of money thus making it
very unattractive.
him.
So the lost UPP failed to grasp a
shining opportunity to show the Nation that they do in fact put people
first, and are willing to show some
little gratitude to a fighter who stood
with the opposition movement
through 28 years in the political
wilderness. No UPP representative
bothered to turn up to make even
a small contribution to honoring a
brave individual who gave so much
to his Country, and helped the party
to win power at last. Not even the
Observer Media Group, that Jim
Galloway helped to finance, and
who the illustrious founder Fergie
Derrick once named “Man of the
Year”, remembered Marse Jim.
Sic Transit Gloria Mundi. Requiescat in Pace: Jim Galloway.
10 c a r i b t i m e s . c o m
Tuesday 13th January 2015
Darkest Hours – Citizens –
Motorists And Tourists
Continued from
last Wednesday’s issue
FARE BRAWL
That which Taxi drivers shall know is that the
“...meticulous
tourists”
will have visited websites with the official government’s approved taxi
fares. For instance, a visitor with initials “...CJG”
wrote “...Make sure to negotiate the price ahead of
time before heading off
to your destination” [Antigua Nice: January 13,
2012].
Thus, many tourists
had opted for rentals to be
“...Self-driven.” In some
instances, however, there
may have been legitimate
complaints that a non-bona fide, but unscrupulous
minority had reportedly
deceived the “...visitor
through unusually long
drives for fares that had
become contentious.” This
may have been among
the reasons for a vicious
“...$100 Taxi Fare-Brawl”
that broke out between “...
dispute settling Police officers and five irate American tourists” [September
4, 2012].
SIGNS OF AGGRESSION
Clearly incensed over
the fare and an unscheduled visit to the Police
precinct, “...four female
tourists and a male” had
engaged intervening Police officers with their “...
fists; ...feet and teeth.”
They had reportedly “...
punched; ...kicked; or had
bitten officers they had
apparently seen as adverse
to their interest. A female
officer reportedly had
‘weaved hair’ forcefully and painfully severed
from her head.”
When the “...Brawl”
was over, the combative
tourists and intervening
Police officers were left
“...bloody and wounded.”
Seemingly, the intervening officers appeared to
have failed to detect “...
signs of aggression.” For
the combatants, that may
have been their “...Darkest Hour.”
For the taxi driver, it
may have been his “...Safest Hour.” Ironically, as
much as the contentious
taxi driver “...Joey Medica” with whom the dispute
started, may have been as
“...Hungry as a Bird,” for
the tourist dollars, he gave
no indications that he
wanted to fight with tourists. He prudently kept out
of harm’s way.
INEXTRICABLY
LINKED
There can be no doubt
that likened to “...Map
reading, Road Signage”
is inextricably linked to
tourism. This may have
been readily observed
when “...self-driven tourists” were touring the nation. Hence, it is of vital
importance that priority is
given to the erection of “...
Illuminating Road Signs”
in facilitating the effective use of guide maps by
the tourists. Incidentally,
likened to the “...Heroes
and Heroine” billboard at
the Tomlinson’s Park, previously affected by normal weather conditions,
which was flattened by
tropical storm “...Gonzalo” [October 13, 2014]. A
cursory look around the
island will show many “...
directional signs,” either
lying on the ground and/
or in a state of obscurity.
Most were affected either
by “...overgrown trees
or clustered by commercial signs.” Thus, many
‘Signs’ were invisible at
locations where they may
have been strategically
erected with “...directions
to places; ...Warnings of
speed bumps; ...sharp
bends; ...rail-less bridges; ...active drive-ways;
...hazardous conditions;
...road closures and/or detours.”
TOURISM EARNINGS
There comes a time
in life when people shall
experience either their “...
Darkest Hour.” For two
female American tourists,
while endeavoring to find
their way back to their
Jolly Harbour accommodation, theirs came just
after twilight. Just before
“...7 pm on Saturday, December 13, 2014,” the
sun had disappeared early
from the sky. As twilight
cont’d on pg 11
Tuesday 13th January 2015
cont’d from pg 10
faded, terrifying darkness
had rapidly descended
upon the nation. A white
rental motorcar, “...travelling in an easterly direction on the Sidney Walling
Highway,” pulled into the
“...Charlie’s Service Station at Gunthorpes.” The
occupants were two disoriented visiting females.
Losing their sense of direction, they had actually lost their way to Jolly
Harbour. Policy-makers
may, therefore, take their
experiences as a “...Sign”
that the time has come for
“...Utilization of a portion
of the Tourism earnings,”
for the erection of “...Directional Signs,” if only
to provide guidance to “...
self-driven tourists.”
WE ARE LOST
When two self-driven female tourists found
themselves travelling in
an easterly direction, having lost their way to Jolly
Harbour, this may have
resulted from a combination of factors. The cover of darkness and lack
of directional signs may
have caused them to travel some ten miles off the
route to Jolly Harbour. The
eldest of the two females
alighted from the vehicle
with a map of Antigua and
Barbuda. She approached
the “...ever courteous and
helpful attendant, Robert
‘Rusty’ Phillip.” Smartly attired in his “...Rubis
uniform,” consisting of a
white short-sleeve shirt
and a pair of black pants,
he was easily identifiable.
He was at the time servicing my vehicle. Having
exchanged good night
courtesies, frantically she
said “...We are lost; ...We
are trying to get to Jolly
Harbour.”
ANXIETIES
Without
contradictions, their unscheduled
visit to the Service Station was primarily due to
“...Inadequate Road Signage.” For any visitor,
singularly wending his
way through the traffic”
and confronted with an
unfamiliar route from “...
Charlie’s Service Station
to the Golden Grove intersection,” would have been
challenging. Nonetheless,
the attendant attempted to
give directions, that under
“...cover of darkness and
without illuminating road
signage,” will have been
difficult for first time visitors.
Both females were
only anxious to get back
to their Jolly Harbour accommodation.
Sensing
their fears and anxieties,
the attendant introduced
his customer as a “...former Police officer.” Responding only with my
name and giving assurances of their safety back
to their destination, this
seemed to have lifted their
spirit.
PERSONAL SAFETY
Brief discourse revealed that the duo shared
a“...mother/daughter relationship and were first
time visitors.” Thus, from
Law enforcement perspective, their safety and
security were dependent
upon on preventive measures.” There were several critical factors to be
considered, foremost of
which was concern for
their “...Personal Safety.”
Even more crucial was
the distance to travel in
the enveloping darkness.
With the knowledge that
“...Marauding Gunmen”
were wreaking havoc on
the “...community and
other citizens going about
their legitimate business,”
two vulnerable, innocent
and defenceless females
needed assistance. The
possibility of disorientation and making turns
that may have led them
into difficulties were also
considered. Other critical
considerations included
“...seeking directional information from strangers”
caribtimes.com
11
who,
opportunistically
and deceptively may have
lured them into “...an unsuspecting and inescapable human trap.” Recent
allegations of assault on
an inebriated female, suggested other “...possible
night-time dangers” [December 31, 2014].
MARAUDING GUNMEN
There were other considerations,
including
possible
“...irreparable
damage to the Tourism
industry; ...negative publicity that the nation was
a “...safe stop-off point for
tourists,” should adversity
strike. These had greatly
influenced the decision to
escort them to a reasonably safe junction. Caught
between an incomplete errand and assisting the “...
Lost Tourists,” it was decided to escort the females
from the service station
through what may have
been a most difficult route
to the “...Whenner/Valley Roads intersection.”
Leading the way and frequently using the rear
view mirror, they were to
be seen driving at a relatively safe distance as they
followed on behind without intervening vehicular
traffic or stoppages.
Continued in the next
issue of Caribbean Times
12 c a r i b t i m e s . c o m
Tuesday 13th January 2015
Physically challenged student
graduates from Caribbean Academy
of Cosmetology and Technology
A student with disabilities walked away a major
award when the Caribbean
Academy of Cosmetology
and Technology held its
6th annual graduation exercises at the Multi-purpose
Centre in Perry Bay on
Sunday night.
Lee-Anne Lake who
has hearing and speech
impediments said she has
always stuck by the motto of her alma mater that
demanded students to “focus on your ability and not
your disability.”
In thanking the Academy for recognizing her
hard work of the years,
Lake said that she will always strive to be the best
that she can be in her profession.
“To my parents Ronice Thomas and Edmeade
Lake, thank you for your
love, support and encouragement,” she said.
Lake is the first student
in the history of institution
to successfully complete 4
courses namely Nail
Technology, Professional Make-up Art, Massage
Therapy and Aesthetics.
The student was presented with the Corporal
Rohan Richardson Award
which was established to
honour the memory of
the late police officer who
Lee-Anne Lake who has hearing and speech impediments was also a student of the
graduated on Sunday night.
Academy and who studied
massage therapy and also
successfully completed the
nail technicians’ module.
“He was as dedicated
a police officer as he was
a student. He was simply a
professional,” said Danella Phillip-Raebourne of
Richardson who had plans
to open a wellness spa once
he had completed a career
as a police officer.
Phillip-Raebourne
said Lee-Anne showed the
same spirit, dedication and
perseverance to complete
the four courses she did.
I am very happy that
I thought of this award
to honour the memory of
such an exemplary police
officer, a fine professional
cont’d on pg 13
Tuesday 13th January 2015
cont’d from pg 12
and a wonderful gentleman, “she said.
Meanwhile,
several
other students were in the
spotlight at Sunday’s ceremony.
Aquaci John received
a special award for her determination to successfully
complete the programme
and Bara’a “Babs” Yousef
was awarded for her persistence as she struggled to
overcome a language barrier to complete the programme requirements.
The
valedictorian
was Kellisia Bedminister as just reward for her
all-round success. She received top grades in attendance, deportment and assignments and was always
available to play a role in
Academy-sponsored programmes
Eighteen
students
successfully
completed
courses in message therapy, facial care and make
up arts, esthetics and only
one in cosmetology due to
the late arrival to the programme of other students.
caribtimes.com
13
14 c a r i b t i m e s . c o m
Tuesday 13th January 2015
Seven confirmed dead in tragic
St. Vincent minibus crash
KINGSTOWN,
St.
Vincent, CMC - At least
seven people, mainly students, died after a minibus
plunged into the sea in
Rockgutter, an area between Owia and Fancy on
the northeastern tip of St.
Vincent early Monday.
Police and government officials say that five
bodies have so far been recovered from the sea, and
one person died in hospital. Another person died
on the way to the medical
institution.
Police are still trying
to verify how many persons were in the minibus
when it plunged into the
sea sometime between
7 a.m. and 8 a.m (local
time). Initial reports said
that as many as 20 people, including 14 students
from the North Union and
Georgetown Secondary
Schools respectively.
One police source has
said that officials were
told that the minibus,
which is licensed to carry
18 passengers, was “full”
when it left Fancy, the
northernmost community
in St. Vincent.
Residents say that
minibus was packed with
students from the two
communities further south
in this North Windward
constituency.
They said that the conductor was standing, suggesting that the minibus
was carrying more people
than it was licensed to carry, a common practice in
St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
A large crowd has
gathered at the scene
where two Coast Guard
patrol boats have been
searching for bodies or
survivors.
The efforts are being affected by especially
large waves characteristic
of the Atlantic side of St.
Vincent, where the terrain
is an alternation of steep
inclines and deep gorges
and winding roads.
Among the bodies recovered from the water is
that of a female student.
Health authorities said
the body showed signed
of trauma, presumable
inflicted as it knocked
against the large rocks
that line the shore.
It is not yet clear what
caused the incident, but
police say that villagers
were notified by persons
who jumped out of the vehicle before impact.
A grief stricken Prime
Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, speaking on national radio, said the “entire nation of St. Vincent
and the Grenadines…has
A relative of one of the victims in the crash breaks down in
tears.
been touched by this tragedy of national proportion.
“We all grieve and
ask God for guidance and
strength as well as we lean
on one another,” he said,
noting that the recovery
of bodies from the sea is
ongoing.
“Some of the questions you have are not
fully answered, that will
come in due time, right
now it is the task of making sure that everyone is
accounted for.
“We cannot yet give
up hope because there are
hope we can find additional survivors as inhospitable as the conditions are,
we have to hope…and
we have to put the pieces
back together and to see
what we can do to try to
ensure that this…tragedy
does not happen again,”
Gonsalves said.
“It was a terrible accident and I think everyone’s heart is really heavy
because of what has taken
place,” he added.
In the wake of the
tragedy, Prime Minister
Gonsalves has announced
a postponement of his
budget speech that was
scheduled to have been
delivered to Parliament on
Monday.
“As a consequence
of this terrible tragedy, I
have consulted with the
Leader of the Opposition,
the Speaker of the House
of Assembly and His Excellency the Governor
General and we have all
agreed that the Parliament
session this afternoon…be
postponed until tomorrow
the same time,” he added.
Tuesday 13th January 2015
caribtimes.com
15
Guyana’s decision to prorogue
Parliament draws warning from Britain
GEORGETOWN,
Guyanas, CMC – Britain
Monday warned Guyana
that it risks being referred
to the Commonwealth
Ministerial Action Group
after the Caribbean Community
(CARICOM)
country suspended Parliament in November last
year.
“There is discussion
about countries of concern
in the Commonwealth every few months….Guyana is moving into a category of concern for the
Commonwealth. That is
quite clear from discussions that take place in
London,” British High
Commissioner to Guyana
Andrew Ayre told a news
conference.
President Donald Ramotar prorogued Parliament on November 10 last
year as the opposition parties – A partnership for National Unity (APNU) and
the Alliance for Change
(AFC) – moved to table
a vote of no confidence in
his administration.
The two opposition
parties have a one seat
majority in the 65-member Parliament.
Ramotar, who is likely
to be the ruling People’s
Progressive Party (PPP)
choice for presidential
candidate, justified the decision to prorogue Parliament, saying he had earlier indicated a desire for
the National Assembly, in
its post-recess sittings, to
deliberate and give priority to important matters relating to the development
of the country.
Ramotar has also said
he intends naming the date
for fresh general elections
on or before February 23
when Guyana observes
Mashramani, the annual festival that celebrates
Guyana becoming a Republic in 1970.
The last general election was held here on November 28, 2011.
The British diplomat
told reporters that the decision to prorogue Parliament is a clear breach of
the Guyana Constitution
and the Commonwealth
Charter.
“These things matter.
The UK and other governments don’t sign the Commonwealth Charter…and
then just put them to bed,”
he said reiterating London’s earlier call for President Ramotar to resume
Parliament without delay
or lay out a timeline for
the resumption of parlia-
British High Commissioner To Guyana Andrew Ayre.
mentary democracy.
“Guyana could be
subject to a critical review
because of breaches of the
Commonwealth Charter,”
he said, hinting also that
Georgetown could fall a
foul of Britain’s aid to developing countries.
“Without a parliament
there is no parliamentary
oversight of development
assistance or anything
else. Clearly the appetite
to send money to a country that has no parliamentary oversight is much reduced,” he asserted.
The diplomat said that
he hoped President Ramotar would deliver on
his promise late last year
that general and regional
elections would be held
early this year because of
the need to pass amendments to the Anti Money
Laundering and Counter-
ing of Financing Terrorism (AML-CFT) Act and
a national budget.
“It means that no budget can be passed, so local
investment will eventually grind to a halt. And external investor confidence
takes a further knock as
insecurity around Guyana’s future prospects decreases the appetite of investors to take the risk of
investing whilst pushing
up the costs of so doing,”
he said.
“The UK Government therefore calls on
the Government of Guyana to resume Parliament
without further delay or
lay out a timeline for the
resumption of parliamentary democracy which
helps to deliver shared
commitments to democracy, security and prosperity
for all,” he added.
16 c a r i b t i m e s . c o m
Tuesday 13th January 2015
Police: As many as six Paris terror
suspects may be at large
PARIS (AP) -- As many as six
members of a terrorist cell involved in
the Paris attacks may still be at large,
including a man who was seen driving a car registered to the widow of
one of the gunmen, French police said
Monday.
The disclosure came as France
deployed 10,000 troops to protect
sensitive sites - including Jewish
schools and neighborhoods - in the
wake of the attacks that killed 17 people last week.
Brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi
and their friend, Amedy Coulibaly,
were killed Friday by police after a
murderous spree at the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket. The three all claimed ties
to Islamic extremists in the Middle
East.
Two police officials told The Associated Press that authorities were
searching the Paris area for the Mini
Cooper registered to Hayat Boumeddiene, Coulibaly’s widow. Turkish officials say she is now in Syria.
One of the police officials said the
cell consisted of about 10 members,
and that “five or six could still be at
large,” but he did not provide their
names. The other official said the cell
was made up of about eight people
and included Boumeddiene.
One of the other men believed to
be part of the cell has been seen driving Boumeddiene’s car around Paris
in recent days, the two officials said,
speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized
to discuss the investigation with the
media. They cautioned that it was not
clear whether the driver was an op-
erative, involved in logistics, or had
some other, less-violent role in the
cell.
An Interior Ministry official declined to comment on an ongoing investigation, and a spokeswoman for
the Paris prosecutor’s office was not
immediately available for comment.
One of the police officials also
said Coulibaly apparently set off a car
bomb Thursday in the town of Villejuif, but no one was injured and it did
not receive significant media attention at the time.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls said
the manhunt is urgent because “the
threat is still present” from the attacks.
“The work on these attacks, on
these terrorist and barbaric acts continues ... because we consider that
there are most probably some possible accomplices,” Valls told BFM
television.
The nationwide deployment of
troops would be completed by Tuesday and would focus on the most
sensitive locations, Defense Minister
Jean-Yves Le Drian said.
By midday Monday, soldiers and
police filled Paris’ Marais district one of the country’s oldest Jewish
neighborhoods. About 4,700 of the
security forces would be assigned to
protect France’s 717 Jewish schools,
Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve
said.
“A little girl was telling me earlier that she wanted to live in peace
and learn in peace in her school,” Cazeneuve said on a visit to a Paris Jewish classroom, where the walls were
covered with children’s drawings of
smiling faces.
French soldiers patrol around the Sacre
Coeur basilica at Montmartre district, in
Paris,, yesterday.
“That’s what the government,
that’s what the Republic, owes to all
the children in France: security in all
schools, especially in the schools that
could be threatened,” he added.
The children listened and waved
Israeli and French flags.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu visited the kosher market. Volunteers, meanwhile, recited
prayers over the bodies of some victims as they were prepared for burial
by the Jewish Burial Society in Paris.
The attacks began Wednesday
with 12 people killed at the publication Charlie Hebdo, which had lampooned Islam and other religions, by
gunmen the police identified as the
Kouachi brothers. Police have said,
however, that the attack was carried
out by three people.
Authorities said Coulibaly killed
a policewoman Thursday and then
killed four people at the kosher market Friday before he was slain by police.
Tuesday 13th January 2015
caribtimes.com
17
Binge Drinking Upsets Immune
System of Young Adults, Says Study
Binge drinking is defined as
consuming enough alcohol to meet
or exceed the legal blood alcohol
limit for driving. Aside from yielding regrettable choices from the
night before, binge drinking also
causes the body’s immune system
to drop, making it more susceptible
to infections.
According to a study published
in the journal Alcohol, the body’s
immune system revved up as intoxication peaked after about four to
five shots of vodka but significantly
dropped to levels lower than when a
subject was sober after two and then
five hours.
When the immune system
was revved up, it produced higher
numbers of white blood cells
in the body called natural killer
cells, monocytes and leukocytes.
Cytokines, a protein, was also
in abundance when the immune
system was elevated.
At the two- and five-hour points
after peak intoxication, fewer natural killer cells and monocytes were
detected, as well as the presence of
various types of cytokines that work
to signal the body’s immune system
to stop working actively.
As it is, binge drinking increases the likelihood of burns, falls, car
accidents, gunshot wounds and other traumatic injuries but add the immune system component, and this
points to longer-lasting effects from
the act.
Previous studies have showed
A lot of people drink to unwind. Take too many shots though and you might be
unwinding more than you want, getting your immune system shot.
that binge drinking hastens blood
loss, delays wound healing and increases the likelihood of catching
pneumonia but those on a night out
don’t usually concern themselves
with these. Most of the time, they’d
be on the watch out for crazy behavior, thinking that all alcohol does is
lower inhibitions.
Led by Majid Afshar, M.D.,
MSCR, the study involved seven
men and eight women with a median
age of 27 years old. All subjects
voluntarily drank shots of vodka
to meet the requirements of binge
drinking, meaning every participant
downed about four or five shots.
Researchers then took samples
of the subjects’ blood after peak
intoxication, first after 20 minutes,
then two hours and then five hours.
The study used these times because
these are the usual points after intoxication that patients arrive in
emergency rooms for treatment.
A critical care physician, pulmonologist and epidemiologist,
Afshar is planning on conducting a
follow-up study on patients in the
burn unit, comparing alcohol blood
levels, measuring markers for the
immune system and noting the effects of decreased immune system
activity in the setting.
Consuming four or five drinks
within two hours usually constitutes
binge drinking, and one out of every
six adults in the U.S. engages in the
act around four times in a month.
Binge drinking, however, is most
common in young adults between
18 and 34 years old.
18 c a r i b t i m e s . c o m
Tuesday 13th January 2015
“The life you save could be someone you know”
Antigua & Barbuda Red Cross Is Offering Certified FIRST
AID/CPR Training Course Mondays and Thursdays 5:00pm
to 8:00pm Starting on Thursday January 15th, 2015 For Further Information: Call Tel # 462 0800/ 771-8253
LEARN HOW TO MEDITATE
Find out for yourself how a few minutes a day training your
mind to focus improves the quality of your day.
Free class. 10am at the Museum on Long Street, St.Johns.
Any questions? Phone 776 2566
The Antigua & Barbuda Red Cross in collaboration with the
American Red Cross has a First Aid App to launch. The Antigua & Barbuda Red Cross wants the residents of Antigua to
know the importance of the App and the long term benefits
to our Society. What you can do in case of an emergency or
life threatening condition. It also has the Red Cross history,
activities, sponsors, and quizzes. We would like the general public to be aware of the App and feel free to download
same, if you have an android device such as a phone or a
tablet kindly use the Android link and you can use the iOS
link for your iPhone device.
iOS devices: 3cu.be/shareatg
Android devices: 3cu.be/shareatg
If you have any questions contact Mr.Martin 723-7258 or
email [email protected] or [email protected]
Thank you for your attention and I look forward to your continued support.
To:
All food-handlers/vendors with expired food-handler’s identification cards, as well as new food handlers
The Ministry of Health, Central Board will be conducting
training in Food Safety for Food Vendors, Restaurants, Hotels, Caterers, School Cafeterias, Community Groups, and
their Assistants who will be vending around Antigua and
Barbuda.
Food Handlers are asked to bring along:1.
The Expired ID or 2 Passport sized photographs,
2.
A Note Pad, and
3.
A pen.
Venue: Multi-Purpose Centre Perry Bay
TIME: 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
DATE: Monday 26th & Tuesday 27th, January, 2015
“Together We Can” is the theme for Child Evangelism Fellowship 2015, We are presently inviting pastors and children
ministry workers to a very important meeting on Thursday
15th January 2015. Venue: Ottos Wesleyan Church, Time:
6:00 pm. Our Regional Coordinator Myron Tschette from
the U S A will be present, partnering with us as we seek to
reach children in schools.
Remember “IT IS BETTER TO BUILD A CHILD THAN
TO REPAIR A MAN.’
please to be on time.
Employment
caribtimes.com
Tuesday 13th January 2015
Monday’s Sudoku Solution
19
SUDOKU
C R O S S WO R D
Across
1. Not at ease, perhaps
6. All there
10. Thick slice
14. ___ plexus
15. Walk heavily
16. Hawaiian port
17. ‘’Why can’t you see what
you’re doing to me ...’’
20. Coup d’___
21. Metals in the rough
22. Intestinal
23. Content of cognition
25. Supercilious one
26. ‘’Your love is worth all the
gold on earth ...’’
31. Northern inhabitant
33. ___-dieu (kneeling bench)
34. So-so mark
35. They were cast for some notable clothes
36. Union Pacific stop
38. Three-player card game
39. Volcanic residue
40. Surrender
41. Wagner specialty
42. ‘’Kiss me my darling, be
mine tonight ...’’
46. Word in a counting-down
rhyme
47. Kind of thermometer
48. Death ___ (poisonous plant)
50. Knock or social attachment
52. Phyllis Lindstrom’s TV
hubby
56. ‘’... and the desk clerk’s
dressed in black ...’’
59. Long-winged sea eagle
60. Feldman role
61. Surpass
62. ___ the line (obeyed)
63. Gaunt
64. Certain musical composition
Down
1. ___ quam videri
2. Beat soundly
3. Movie lioness
4. Faultfinding
5. Prefix with ode or pod
6. Type of staircase
7. Burn soother
8. Entre ___
9. Bradley and McMahon
10. Civil War battle site
11. Defensive stalwart
12. Benjamin Franklin Pierce
portrayer
13. Bartlett kin
18. Admitting both sexes
19. Recipe directive
24. Semi-colon?
25. It’s a put-on
26. Where Jesus was arrested
27. Type of hand
28. ___-Magnon man
29. Emulate a mother
30. ‘’I never ___ man I didn’t
like’’
31. End of a court game name
32. Befuddled
36. Like morning grass
37. Ancient Tokyo
38. Don’t abbreviate
40. Building business, for short
41. Fertilization sites
43. Entered shouting distance
44. Signatory certifier
45. Actor Estrada
48. Guitar legend Atkins
49. Dynamic start
50. Seagoing vessel, in myth
51. Gaseous element
53. Island off Alaska
54. Famous Foxx
55. Fruit for flavoring gin
57. Item in a baby’s wardrobe
58. Cultivation tool
20 c a r i b t i m e s . c o m
Tuesday 13th January 2015
Tuesday 13th January 2015
caribtimes.com
21
DEAR LADY X HOROSCOPE
I have been with “Paul” for
10 months. We met shortly after he and his fiancee broke up.
Because of her, he had gone into
debt, and after their breakup he
lost his job. I have helped him
with money from the moment
we met. He’s still jobless and his
unemployment benefit will end
shortly, but he is careless with
money. He ends up spending
mine and borrows from friends
who have to be paid back. Last
month, he took my credit card,
and within a week 1,400 euros
were gone and bills were left unpaid.
Because Paul is stressed
and depressed, he goes out and
drinks. More than once he has
spent the rent money in bars. He
often gets home at 4 a.m. He’s
also jealous and controlling. He
texts and rings me constantly and
asks why I took so long to answer. If I go out for a coffee, he
demands to know who with. He
has a hot temper and shouts at me
for the slightest thing -- like if I
didn’t close a door, or he thinks I
didn’t pay attention to something
he said.
Our sex life has never been
great. He blames me for that, too.
He says I don’t initiate it enough,
and he’s threatening to start going with other girls. He is also
bossy. He always says I never do
anything for him. Even though I
work until 5:30, he expects me to
bring him water, coffee, turn on
the air con and stuff. I love Paul,
but I don’t feel appreciated. I’m
scared of what he will do when I
leave. Please, I need your advice.
-- TORN
DEAR TORN: Your Paul is
an emotionally abusive, bottomless pit. He will suck you dry financially and emotionally if you
let him. It’s important that you get
rid of him now. If you think Paul
might do something to you if you
end the relationship, contact the
police or a domestic abuse hotline and take their guidance. If
you think he might harm himself, forget it. Paul will survive. It
doesn’t take a psychic to predict
he will quickly find someone else
to use, so don’t worry about him
and don’t look back.
Monday’s Crossword Solution
ARIES (March 21-April
19). You think you know him
so deeply because you have
examined his blueprint many
times. This is the one who
will throw you for a delightful loop. Stay alert.
TAURUS (April 20-May
20). You’re zany, inventive,
clever, simply irresistible to
anyone who observes you.
So stop worrying about how
you are being perceived, and
start enjoying the extra attention.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21).
There’s something about
your work that you enjoy
immensely, and the most
productive part of your day
occurs because you dwell
awhile in that feeling, ignoring all else.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).
People will praise you, but
beware: Pride goeth before
the fall. Indeed, that puffedup, high-and-mighty feeling
lends just the altitude necessary for a dramatic drop.
Humility is the way.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov.
21). What you did, you did
for a reason. Your crew is
behind you. Good to know
that you don’t have to stand
alone. There’s an earth sign
on your side: Taurus, Virgo
or Capricorn.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21). Don’t stir the pot
when things seem to be
mixing with or without you.
Talking about it doesn’t always make it better. Sometimes it makes things worse.
CANCER (June 22-July
22). Sometimes you just
need new friends. Everyone
you know leads to more people. You’re so charming now
that it won’t take much to
add a few to the mix.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan.
19). “Keep calm” is the motto, and yet sometimes that’s
just not possible. People
get riled up over the littlest
things. Maybe that excitement is good. Let it ride.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). If
you sound like a nag, you’ll
be tuned out. Take matters
into your own hands, and
make it look like fun while
you’re at it. Others will rush
to hop onto your moving
train.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.
18). It’s said that there is
nothing new under the sun,
and yet, if there were, you
probably would’ve invented
it. Your wheels are spinning
this week, and many people
other than you will enjoy the
spectacle.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).
You’ll constantly have to remind yourself of your deeper
purpose, even if you think
you know it intrinsically.
This is how you prevent the
distractions of the day from
sending you on a quest for
short-term gains.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March
20). The question now is:
Are your goals appropriate?
The ideal goal for you is personally meaningful, probable and yet still slightly out
of reach. You’ll get it. Baby
steps.
22 c a r i b t i m e s . c o m
cont’d from pg 24
ter to Cameron that the omission of
Bravo and Pollard “reeks of village
vengeance, discrimination and victimization” and slammed the decision as “glaringly [lacking] cricketing
merit.”
Cameron defended the squad
selection, arguing that the selectors
were embarking on a rebuilding process and infusing the ODI set-up with
new blood.
“The team we have selected has
a very good mix of experience, youth
and a lot of talent. One would remember that the team four years ago didn’t
do very well in the World Cup and
we are ranked number eight today so
the selectors have decided they want
to put some youth and build for the
future and I think it is a very good bal-
Tuesday 13th January 2015
ance,” Cameron said.
On using the World Cup as a
starting point for moulding a squad,
Cameron argued: “That’s a discussion
one could have, whether you build for
the future or try to win. We’re ranked
number eight today so realistically if
you look at the numbers, we should
come number eight, so one has to be
very careful.
“We’ve always been looking at
just winning, winning, winning and
we’ve not really been building a West
Indies team. For my own part and for
the board’s part, it is a matter of when
you start doing that, whether you do
that today or six months from now.”
Pollard and Bravo boast 255
ODIs between them, and despite their
unflattering statistics with bat and
ball, are powerful batsmen and steady
bowlers in the shorter versions of the
game. In recent years, they have become virtual fixtures in the T20 and
ODI squads, but Cameron pointed
out that team building was the focus
at this juncture.
“The board of selectors have appointed very eminent persons to select the West Indies team and they
have selected those players based on
the balance and merit etcetera, and we
have accepted that team,” he said.
“West Indies cricket goes on irrespective of who is playing and not
playing. We have been building a
team ethic. It’s not an individual sport
and so what I like to do is focus on the
team, focus on the persons that are in
the team and giving them all the support that they need to make the West
Indies proud.”
caribtimes.com
Tuesday 13th January 2015
23
Gayle: Pollard, Bravo axing is “ridiculous”
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, CMC – An upset Chris Gayle
has blasted the omission of Dwayne
Bravo and Kieron Pollard from the
West Indies squad for next month’s
World Cup as “ridiculous”, and says
it smacks of victimisation.
Speaking after firing West Indies
to an historic victory in the second
Twenty20 International against South
Africa at the Wanderers on Sunday,
the maverick opener lashed out at
selectors for axing the all-rounders,
arguing the move weakened the oneday side.
“How can those two guys not be
in the team? To me it got to be like
victimisation when you look at it towards those two guys,” Gayle ranted.
“Come on, guys. It is just ridiculous. Come on. Ridiculous. [I’m]
really hurt. Ridiculous. Honestly, it
throw me off. We can only talk. We
can express our feelings, which I’m
doing at this point in time. The squad
already is announced. It is just sad.”
The claim of victimisation is in
reference to the role Pollard and Bravo played on the controversial abandoned tour of India when the one-day
team abruptly quit the series over a
contracts dispute with their players
13 January 2015
union, WIPA.
Bravo, the one-day skipper at
the time, led the fight for the players
against WIPA and the West Indies
Cricket Board, as the players spokesman.
Pollard, meanwhile, was one of
the senior members.
In selecting the squad for South
Africa and the World Cup, West Indies selectors said they were looking
to rebuild the squad, naming rookie
fast bowler Jason Holder as the new
captain.
And on Sunday, WICB president
Dave Cameron rejected claims Pollard and Bravo had been victimised,
contending the squads had been selected on a cricketing basis only.
A furious Gayle said, however,
the strength of the one-day side would
be impacted by the move.
“It is a big batting line-up when
you look at our team. But it’s just
disappointing when you look at the
50-over format – we won’t be at our
strongest,” Gayle said.
“We don’t have our strongest
team without Pollard, nor Bravo. So
that is actually sad for us. It is a really
big blow for us to actually lose two
key players, two key all-rounders as
Until 17 January 2015
well, very good in the outfield.
“I don’t know what’s the history
behind it, but it is a ridiculous selection from my point of view.”
He added: “I don’t know where
our cricket is actually going to …
where we are heading with this sort of
situation. But it is really sad. Actually
we won the [Twenty20] series with
our best team and now there will be
changes, with two of our biggest players in ODI cricket not involved in the
50-over format and the World Cup.
“It really hurts but I’m really, really glad that we won the series for
Pollard and Bravo.”
West Indies pulled off the highest
run chase in Twenty20 Internationals
to beat South Africa by four wickets
with four balls to spare here Sunday,
and take a winning 2-0 lead in the
three-match series.
Gayle smashed a top score of 90
from 41 balls to record his second
half-century and Man-of-the-Match
award in the space of three days.
Caption
hris Gayle signs autographs for
fans after he led West Indies to a record breaking win over South Africa
in the 2nd T20 on Sunday at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.
19 January 2015
24 c a r i b t i m e s . c o m
Tuesday 13th January 2015
WICB president rejects victimisation
claims, says team picked on merit
ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – West Indies
Cricket Board president,
Dave Cameron has rejected claims that all-rounders
Dwayne Bravo and Kieron
Pollard were axed from the
World Cup squad because
of their roles in the controversial abandoned tour of
India.
Neither player was
named in the 15-man squad
announced on Saturday
to contest the World Cup
which bowls off in Australia and New Zealand next
month. They were also
overlooked for the fivematch series against South
Africa starting Friday.
When the squad for
South Africa was announced last month, St
Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr
Ralph Gonsalves wrote to
Cameron to complain that
the WICB had “dishonoured that undertaking” of
not punishing any player
involved in the India tour
walk-out.
However, Cameron remained adamant the ODI
squads for both the South
Africa tour and the World
Cup, had been selected on
cricketing merit.
“We have not gone
back on our agreement. At
the point in time we made
it very clear we didn’t
want to use the terminology that was being suggested, because if you made
any changes to the team
then that could be termed,”
Cameron told CARIB UPDATE News in a radio interview here Sunday.
“And so we have been
very, very firm that as a
body we have entrusted
that relationship and that
decision making to some
of the biggest legends we
have in West Indies cricket
and their judgement is what
the board goes by.”
He added: “We have
not disciplined anybody. If
West Indies Cricket Board President, Dave Cameron.
you talk about non-cricketing reasons, we have
reviewed the task force
report. As a matter of fact,
we had a board meeting
yesterday (Saturday) and
what we have done is review the task force report
and accepted a number of
the recommendations for
implementation.”
The task force was established by the WICB to
investigate the reasons behind the abandoned tour
and make recommendations on the way forward.
Like the squad in South
Africa, the World Cup unit
will be skippered by rookie fast bowler Jason Holder
who featured on the tour of
India last October.
The 23-year-old has
played just three Tests and
21 ODIs and replaced Bravo who took over from Darren Sammy in May, 2013.
Gonsalves, who brokered an agreement between the players, the
WICB and players union,
WIPA, in the wake of the
abandoned tour, also contended in his two-page let-
cont’d on pg 22
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