Homepage Mobile - Magazine PRO - Page 1190 of 1190 - The St Kitts Nevis Observer (2024)

• TOP NEWS STORIES

October 14, 2005

By Stanford Conway

The Observer

A father and daughter died last Monday in St. Kitts and one man hospitalised following a traffic accident involving two cars on the island’s main road in Mansion Village.

Fifty-three-year-old Ebenezer Edmeade and his 21-year-old daughter Delsa of Saddlers Village lost their lives after the vehicle in which they were travelling collided with another while on their way home.

According to the police, on Monday, October 10, the accident occurred around 9:15 p.m. and involved motorcars PA4856, owned by Garfield Michael of Cayon and driven by Jerome Michael of the same address, and P775 owned and driven by Ebenezer Edmeade of Saddlers Village.

The vehicles were travelling in opposite direction when the accident occurred.

The police added that the senior Edmeade was pronounced dead at the scene, while his daughter was transported to the Joseph N France General Hospital where she succumbed to injuries the following morning.

Both vehicles were extensively damaged and Michael is a patient at the same medical institution undergoing treatment for his injuries.

Resident pathologist Dr. Rual Santiago performed autopsies of the bodies of the two deceased at the JNF General Hospital last Wednesday and found that the senior Edmeade’s death was due to a ruptured aorta – the great arterial trunk that carries blood from the heart to be distributed by branch arteries through the body, while his daughter’s death was due to a ruptured liver.

This is the seventh road fatality in the Federation for 2005 – six in St. Kitts and one in Nevis – one more than that of the previous year.

The bodies of the Edmeades will be laid to rest at the Saddlers’ Recreation Ground next Wednesday and, among those left to mourn their death are wife and mother Brenda, daughter and sister Dahlia and her brother Delvin.

Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police Robert Jeffers said that plans were afoot to implement seatbelt laws in the Federation in an effort to minimise the number of injuries caused during vehicular accidents.

• Letter

October 14, 2005

Dear SKN Observer 10 Oct, 2005

Hello from Brasil, or Bom Dia! as we say here.

Fred Davis from Morning Star reporting in.

While travelling to see the largest waterfalls on the planet at Iguacu, Parana State, Brasil I found a bit of Nevis St Kitts news.

The huge series of waterfalls more than a mile wide are located at the junction of the borders of Brasil, Argentina, and Paraguay in central South America. Also located there is the world’s largest hydro-electric generating facility at Itaipu, 14,000 megawatts!

Hello NEVLEC!! It is an amazing facility and in the visitor centre is a chart showing the number of visitors from different countries all over the world. I was surprised to note our St Kitts/ Nevis Flag and that there had been one visitor from our Island nation. I wonder who number one was, and hereby send you a picture of visitor number two!!

All the best, see you soon on ‘de rock’!

Fred Davis

• Health

October 14, 2005

By Dr. Franz Browne

Why weight control?

If you weigh 10% more than you should. It can be detrimental to your health. 20% more, and your weight becomes a serious medical complication. Yet about half of us weigh too much, and one in ten of us is severely overweight or obese. Overweight people can die sooner and are more prone to disease of the cardio-vascular system, kidney, liver and gall bladder than their lean friends.

If you are overweight, you are also more accident prone and more likely to get diabetes and other degenerative illness, not to mention having to deal with the emotional pressure the heavy person has to cope with in our ‘lean-oriented’ society. That’s all the bad news. The good news is that all these hazards disappear when excess pounds are shed by weight control.

The habit of losing weight.

The habit-forming approach to losing weight is simple; regardless of built-in tendencies to gain weight, most excess poundage is the result of bad eating habits developed over many years. Why these habits develop is a complicated subject, and the reasons vary from person to person. Forget the background for the moment. Instead, deal with the results; too much fat. We may not find it easy to understand why we want to eat three portions of chocolate cake but we can learn to control ourselves and eat something with less calories.

It doesn’t demand great willpower, yet the habit control techniques can be effective in getting you slim and staying that way. Surprisingly, overweight people seldom have the pangs of real hunger that people of normal weight feel. They eat too much out of boredom, unconsciously nibble while watching television, or eat rapidly whatever food has been put on their plates.

This curious ‘habit-eating’ can be turned to advantage; become aware of exactly what habits are causing the trouble, and work to change bad habits to good ones. It is a question of self-education, that’s all. It may sound too simple to be true, but such techniques are now successfully used to manage all kinds of problems from smoking to drug addiction. The following check chart approach provides the perfect tool for appetite control to go with any of a sensible weight loss diet. It is also something you can do yourself, without a lot of bolstering up. Forget ‘I can’t diet no matter how I try’ you can!

Before you begin any diet, use a weekly chart to note down when, where and how you eat (no matter how small a nibble or even a taste) and your feelings before and after each meal. It is important to be honest – this will make you aware of what habitually makes you want to eat. Perhaps you absentmindedly pick up a few nuts or a piece of fruit while you are on the telephone, especially if the bowl is too near, or every time you come into the house you automatically head for the refrigerator. These things don’t happen by chance.

Learn to know what you do, then using the basic steps listed, change your response, and if necessary your surroundings – move the fruit bowl, go into your bedroom instead of the kitchen, and so forth.

To begin with you will stop picking at bits of food that add up surprisingly quickly. Then with new habits and better planning any good diet will work. If you need added reminders make a new check chart for yourself once a week, or once a month, to hold on your new habits and keep yourself slim and healthy.

<> Step one – put everything on record. Keep track of your progress, your slip-ups, your difficulties, then you can take conscious steps to re-arrange external stimuli so you replace old negative habits with positive ones.

<> Decide to record your eating habits, decide to record your exercises, deicide to record your personal reactions.

<> Step two – where do you eat? It matters a lot. Overweight people are stimulated to eat by outside factors, the time on the clock, the sight of food, a feeling of loneliness. Limit the number of places you eat in and you’ll limit your food in take.

<> Decide to eat in only one room, decide to eat in only one place in the room, decide to do nothing else while you’re eating.

<> Step three – what do you eat? Everyone has special temptation foods. Eliminate temptation foods from your shopping list.

<> Step four – how does your food look? Research shows that the overweight person is strongly affected by visual contact with food. Food served on a small platter tends to make them feel more satisfied than food served on a big one. When it is attractively presented it is also more satisfying.

<> Decide to use measured quantities of food so you know how much you are eating, decide to make your food look as good as possible.

<> Step five – how fast do you eat? Eat slowly and you will eat less and feel more full.

<> Decide to put your fork down after each bite, decide to chew each bite at least twenty times. Decide to take no more food into your mouth until what is already in is chewed and swallowed.

<> Step six – how do you keep your spirits up?

<> Many overweight people eat from boredom, fatigue or depression, eating food compensates for other parts of their life they neglect. Decide to eat regular meals with a timetable, decide to get enough sleep and relaxation, decide to increase your anticipation in activities not connected with food.

<> Step seven – the exercise factor. Exercise not only burns calories, it also raises your spirits and increases metabolic efficiency.

<> Find an exercise or sport you enjoy and stick to it. Decide to walk briskly as much as you can every day.

I conclude with a Psalm of David. Psalm 103: 1-5. ‘Bless the lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who groweth these with loving kindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagles.’ Let us praise the lord for he is our health and salvation. Amen.

For further information, treatment and training in massage therapy, do not hesitate to contact Nevis Holistic Massage Centre at Farms Estate, Charlestown Nevis Telephone 469-5464

• Newspaper Cover

October 14, 2005

• Entertainment

October 14, 2005

By Jaedee Caines

The Observer

The popular Nevisian night spot, Spotlight Night Club came alive last weekend with the ‘St. Kitts-Nevis Reggae X-plosion’ on Friday.

The dance, which commenced around 10 p.m. featured Nevis’ own Recklife Movement, Triple S Sounds of St. Kitts, Ibis from Antigua and Stone Love International out of Jamaica featuring Selecta MC Rory.

Raga Lox, Killa Face Sounds, DJ Flexx, DJ Yardy and Evolution Sounds were also featured on the line-up but did not appear. Despite the weather, a large crowd turned out to the dance and partied until dawn. The Observer was on hand to partake in this DJ Bash of Reggae X-plosion.

The dance was videotaped by 2Links and organised by Laughton Browne of Brown Hill.

• Entertainment

October 14, 2005

By Suelika N. Buchanan

The Observer

T.N.O Sounds has reloaded and is now new and improved.

Members of T.N.O have matured and have now taken on the responsibility of organizing and promoting dances at the Golden Torch Restaurant now turned night club.

This Friday evening, Oct. 14, the top ranking sound will host a dance entitled “Tuck Een You Belly” which was taken from the popular song by Leftside and Esco.

“We expect people to come and have a good time, we’re trying to make Golden Torch as a new place to hold events, it’s a new and safer place and we hope this dance would be the beginning,” said Cheddi Bradshaw a member of the promotional team and main selector of the sound.

Other rankng soundings performing that night include DJ Yardy of Energetic, Exhibit A and Culture Blend.

Ladies are free before midnight while the regular admission is $10.

There is also a special request that is asked of the ladies.

“We want the ladies with the flattest belly to come out and show it off, others can come too of course, but keeping in mind with the theme of the dance, we will be giving a prize to the lady with the flattest belly,” Bradshaw said.

Security will be tight and another advantage the club has besides it’s beautiful setting is the parking space.

Members of the sound say T.N.O represents the young people because the group started as several friends who hung out together and were still attending high school.

It all began in 1999, with the passion and love for music.

“I wasn’t a member of the Sound at the time but we were all friends, and the popularity of the Sound stemmed from the attraction from our peers and other young people, so I guess they felt the Sound represented them,” he said.

T.N.O began playing for private and house parties, until finally they developed enough popularity and supporters to start hosting their own parties at the Girls Guides Headquarters.

According to Bradshaw, the Sound has gone through a number of changes and restructuring of the members. He said back then the mind set of the members were probably about playing music and the love for it, but now it’s different, they are more focused and more business minded.

“Now we’re more into the business side of things where we are into organizing bigger and better events that we plan to do in neighboring islands and with neighboring artists,” said Merisa Grant who is also a member of the promotional team.

The Sound also had a radio segment on Elements of Surprise which is a positive youth radio program organized by the Department of Youth and hosted by youth.

“The program really helped us transform into a more positive Sound, and we began playing for more youth related activities,” Bradshaw said.

The members of the Sound are Calvin Harris, who acts as Manager of the Sound, Miguel Knight a.k.a. MK the Sound’s main mc, Reo Warner as a selector, Dwayne Ferguson a.k.a. DJ Flames as a mc, Jaime Adams as consultant/marketing person along with Bradshaw.

Grant said that Bradshaw is really encouraging the changes that have occurred in the Sound group.

“He’s decided to take his music very seriously, there’s a saying that says, ‘Your Company reflects who you are’ and so this is T.N.O rising to that other level,” she said.

The Sound also boasts to be one of the few if not only DJ Sound that can mix clean and smooth.

“Our main M.C also has an outstanding voice, whether it’s on the radio or in the club, he draws attention,” Bradshaw said. “And know one mixes as clean as we do, it’s not necessarily our equipment but the skills we have.”

• Entertainment

October 14, 2005

By Suelika N. Buchanan

The Observer

Live Wire Promotions in conjunction with Tombstone International and Energetic International will host a “Fearless” Pre-Halloween party at Oasis Sports Bar at Frigate Bay on Friday Oct. 28th.

The party is expected to be one of a kind and unique as organizers Kareem Morton and Osric Liburd explained that special decoration and music will be put in place to make the event a memorable one.

“It’s going to be a different feeling and we’re going to decorate the place with the Halloween theme in mind,” Liburd said. “We really want to see the crowd reaction and see what they come up with.”

Both Morton and Liburd said that they have seen costumes and masks that people can purchase that are being sold at the Toy Store on West Independence Street.

Liburd expects people to show up as witches, goblins and creepy crawlers at the “creepy” decorated.

The first DJ to perform will be DJ Shaggy of Big Link Sounds, and the rest of the night will belong to Tombstone and Energetic Sounds, in no particular order.

“We are inviting everyone to come out and see how deejaying is done, people have been complaining about going to dances and hearing one DJ play followed by a next DJ who will play the same set of songs that DJ played before, but, this will not be so at our party,” Morton said. “There will be a variety of music being played that everyone will enjoy.”

The duo also added that they are currently working on surprises for the best costume and most scariest, “we want people to come as fearless as they can.”

The best and latest dances out of Jamaica will also be on display by some Jamaicans living on the island.

Liburd said that they are positive that people will come out to this event even though Halloween is indeed an American holiday.

“People will react, they like different vibes, they’re Americans living here and some going to the colleges here so we’re also promoting our party there as well, we’re pretty much catering to everyone,” he said.

The next event they plan to have is in December around the Carnival activities when they plan to bring a Jamaican artist.

• Entertainment

October 14, 2005

By Suelika N. Buchanan

The Observer

The Gem Family Rave will once again return to St. Kitts.

Gem Radio plans to host Nov. 6 a beach bashment event and concert at the Frigate Bay Beach.

The beach event, which will begin at about 2 p.m. and run until 11 p.m., will be a part of Ocean Fest.

Ocean Fest is one of the activities for St. Kitts’ Tourism Week organized by the Ministry of Tourism.

Since the re-launch of the New Gem Radio six years ago, the company has used the rave as an event to increase their listening audience.

The Gem Family Rave is a day of fun, music, games and other exciting activities that attracts thousands of people, said Audley Goodwin, an executive at Gem Radio.

Goodwin said the last rave to be held in St. Kitts was in 2002. He said that rave was an overwhelming success and that the event attracted hundreds of new listeners to the show, as well as new advertisers.

He said visitors from Montserrat, Nevis and Antigua also participated in the rave.

Goodwin described the rave as a day of fun on the beach involving different types of games, including balloon tossing, tug-of-war, sac racing and special races for the kids. Also Goodwin pointed out tons of give-a-ways will take place as well as a special clash of the bands competition.

Goodwin said in preparation for the rave a Gem pre-rave dance would be held to get people into the festive mood. He pointed out that in the past pre-rave events have included performances by Third World.

• Editorial

October 14, 2005

Always Obey The Highway Code

The tragic death of a father and daughter last Monday puts a bright spotlight on the importance of safe driving in the Federation.

The police is not doing enough to put a stop to bad driving on our roads.

It is unacceptable that nearly every month that someone has to die from a traffic accident. It simply means people are driving too fast and without due care.

Drivers it seem have no regard for the consequences of bad driving.

Fifty-three-year-old Ebenezer Edmeade and his 21-year-old daughter Delsa of Saddlers Village lost their lives after the vehicle in which they were travelling collided with another while on their way home.

No one witnessed the accident and the police do not know what led to the accident. However more and more people are complaining that people are just driving too fast on the main roads.

The Ministry of National Security needs deploy more patrol cars on the road with radars to catch speeding motorists.

Also, instead of cutting back on subsidizing fuel maybe the Government need to draw up policy that would allow the police to issue more tickets for traffic violations for extra revenue. This idea may not be practical but a typical day in the Federation one can easily spot eight to ten traffic violations. Where is the police to write the tickets?

Yes, the tragic accident has many unnerved and maybe one should not be so quick to lay blame on the police.

Blame should rest with us, for we allow our friends to speed unnecessary or we allow the bus drivers race one another on the main road. We need to stop speeding and we need to drive more responsible with a greater sense consideration for one another.

It does not matter who maybe in the wrong, because when a death occurs it almost useless to assign blame, especially in instances where a simple and easy act of courtesy would have avoided the whole matter.

We tender our condolences to the Edmeade family and hope that motorist young and old will sit up, open there eyes and drive more carefully, more responsibly and with more consideration. How hard can that be.

• Commentary

October 14, 2005

By Everson W. Hull,

Ph.D. Econ.

Last week’s commentary page of the Democrat newspaper issued a scathing criticism of the President of Taiwan’s visit to St. Kitts and his apparent disregard for the People of Nevis. The article expressed the strong displeasure of many Nevisians regarding the disparate treatment of Nevis by the Taiwanese leader who is said to have slighted Nevisians by not including Nevis on his itinerary.

Over the years, Nevisians have come to expect this sort of callous disregard by an incumbent Labor Government of Basseterre. But, we certainly do not expect this sort of shabby treatment from the Leader of Taiwan, with whom we share a common bond in our struggle for full and complete political independence.

The People of Nevis share the same aspirations for fully governing ourselves, as do the freedom-loving People of Taiwan. The Taiwanese dedicate a sizeable chunk of their budget to fending off attempts at re-unification by a Communist-led government in Beijing. They seek to establish themselves as a fully independent state, and member of the Community of Nations, with all the rights and privileges attendant thereto.

Nevisians seek no less. We seek to dissolve a political union that is harmful to our interests, that grabs our resources for use in the development of St.Kitts; and imposes a heavy deadweight burden that prevents us from reaching our fullest potential.

Despite the nice diplomatic pleasantries that we see on the surface, the cold harsh reality is that international votes for various causes are bought with money. The range of products that Nevis brings to the marketplace is severely limited. We have neither crude oil nor natural gas.

What we do offer for sale that is highly valued in the global marketplace is financial privacy, clean air and the sandy beaches that are associated with this wonderful place that has come to be known as Paradise. As a twin-island Nation, we also bring to the marketplace our joint vote for various international causes, including Taiwan’s bid for UN membership.

When Taiwan plunks down $32.5 million for the development of the Warner Park Complex in preparation for World Cup cricket; it is not doing so merely out of the goodness of its heart, or because of concerns for our plight as a developing country. By contrast, it is offering a payment, or reward, for the unwavering joint support of St.Kitts and Nevis for its bid for UN membership and for its political independence from Mainland China.

To illustrate, here is what the Honorable Prime Minister had to say on receiving the Taiwanese check that was made payable to both St.Kitts and Nevis. He said,

“…This is important to us….. It is because of those strong ties of friendship,….. why we have consistently been able to support the interest of the people of Taiwan, especially at the United Nations in securing the fact that the 23 million people of Taiwan need to be properly represented in this international august body….”

It is as cold and as brazen as this. St.Kitts and Nevis, as joint members of the UN, commits to vote in the UN in support of Taiwan’s independence; while St.Kitts and St.Kitts alone pockets the check when it arrives in Basseterre. This can only be described as hypocritical, abusive, heartless and cruel by those in St.Kitts who plead for this union to be spared.

Had His Excellency Chen Shui bian visited Nevis, he would have sensed the displeasure of Nevisians that not one red cent of the $32.5 million of the free Taiwanese grant money that his government approved has actually gone to Nevis, even though Nevis has the highest number of test cricket players per capita in the world, while St.Kitts has no presence whatsoever on the international stage of cricket.

Had His Excellency visited Nevis, he would have heard about the terrible condition of the Main Road from Market Shop to Newcastle. He would have heard first hand about the Labor Government’s shunting the Nevis Main Road project to the back of the Kuwaiti Funding line, while Port Zante was leap-frogged to the front of the line.

Had the Taiwanese president visited Nevis he would have perhaps wondered about his current pledge of financial support for the $48 million expansion of the RLB Airport. He would have heard the cries for relief from Nevisians who cross a dangerous strait to catch a flight out of the RLB airport. He would also have heard of the enormous cost to Nevisians and our high-priced guests from ferry, taxi and porter services as well departure tax revenue leakages and time lost when using the RLB airport instead of our own VAIA airport.

This may have been sufficient motivation for him to channel those funds into providing expanded airport service in Nevis that would handle our anticipated intermediate–term demands for long haul non-stop flights from London, New York and Toronto.

Had the Taiwanese President visited Nevis he would have been shocked to learn that of the millions and millions of Taiwanese dollars that his government pours into Basseterre each and every year for health clinics, community centers and stadium complexes, that barely a pittance has been shared with Nevis whose people have stood with the Taiwanese as comrades in a shared struggle for securing full political independence.

Had the Taiwanese President visited Nevis, he would have learned first-hand from the NRP leadership of their firm resolve to retain the Section 113 clause that grants the NRP the right to move expeditiously to full political independence when they are returned to office. The President of Taiwan would have beamed with pride as he learned of the February 18th 2003 Joint CCM-NRP Communiqué crafted by our two fine political leaders, in a spirit of oneness and brotherly love, as they rose above Party politics, and peacefully:

“…….advised of their preference not to participate in future Federal Elections and to expeditiously seek full Autonomy for the People of Nevis……”

Had the Taiwanese President visited Nevis, he would also have been comforted by the firm commitment expressed in the same Joint CCM-NRP Communiqué which stated that:

“…..whatever process is used, the future relationship between the Peoples and Governments of both Islands should be secured and sustained in a special manner…….”

This would have given His Excellency the assurance of the oneness that we hold with the People of Taiwan as we jointly pursue our full political independence; while increasing the number of UN votes, by one, in support of Taiwan’s bid for independence.

This is the message that His Excellency Chen Shui-Bian did not hear from the People of Nevis with whom his people share a common bond. And, yes, these are also the messages of abuse and neglect of the People of Nevis at the hands of a ruthless central government in Basseterre that the Labor regime seeks to hide from His Excellency and the remainder of the world.

Taiwan must do better. Nevisians cling to the same preferences and ideals, as do the people of Taiwan. We share a common struggle for our liberty and political freedom. This is the time to cultivate friends. This is not the time for snubbing the People of Nevis and treating us with disdain.

• Commentary

October 14, 2005

By James Gaskell

Even in England it is hard to leave Nevis behind. My son at Leeds University is trying to make contact with Nevisians in that city, and I, peacefully reading the newspapers, am struck by the pictures and obituaries of Constance Baker Motley, a most eminent daughter of our island. She was born of Nevisian parents in Newhaven, Connecticut on September 14th 1921 and died, just into her eighty-fifth year, on September 21st 2005.

A long life, much of which, in one capacity or another, was given up to a struggle for justice and social equality between the races. Her parents left Nevis to better themselves, and, as it happened, to produce twelve children. Constance was number nine. Dad was a chef at Yale University. Mum was the founder of the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP).

Apparently Constance showed little early interest in race or politics until, aged 15, she was turned away from a public beach in Connecticut because she was black. She was a good student at high school in Newhaven, but had little prospect of going on to University, until, one day, aged eighteen, she gave a speech at a local social centre which so impressed the listening Clarence Blakeslee, a white businessman and philanthropist, that he offered to pay the fees.

She went to Fisk University, an all black college, where she found that most of her fellow students intended to remain and prosper within the segregated African American society. She had a broader vision. After Fisk she took an economics degree at New York University, and then went to Columbia University to read law.

While there she met Thurgood Marshall, leading lawyer in the NAACP. He offered her a job at the Legal Defence Fund’s office. And when she graduated in 1946 she became an assistant and later associate counsel for the NAACP’s Legal Defence Fund.

By 1954, the year of the US Supreme Court’s hearing of Brown v School Board of Topeka she had worked her way up so that it was she who drafted the original complaint in the case. This was then argued successfully by Marshall, himself, later the first black justice on the Supreme Court. Brown was the case in which the Court ruled that there was no such thing as ‘separate but equal’ education, and thus declared that segregated schooling was unconstitutional.

Regretably the white segregationalists of the Southern States intended to make implementation of the Court’s decision almost impossible. Although Brown was a landmark decision, it marked only a stage in the fight for racial social justice.

Mrs. Motley was at the heart of this struggle for many more years. She became lead counsel for the Defense Fund, and won nine out of the ten cases which she personally argued before the Supreme Court. These were cases which ended segregation in restaurants and lunch counters and restrooms.

In 1963 she represented more than one thousand black children who had been suspended from school in Birmingham Alabama for taking part in civil rights demonstrations and advised Martin Luther King, the Rev. Abernathy and other civil rights leaders when they were locked up in various Southern jails.

Perhaps her most famous case was that of James Meredith who sought admission to the University of Mississippi, then (1962) an all white establishment. The case dragged on and on, but after sixteen months Meredith succeeded, entered the University as the sole black man and obtained a diploma. His case focused international attention on segregation in the Southern States, and shone a favourable beam upon Constance Motley.

In 1964 she was the first black woman to be elected to the New York Senate, and became the Manhattan Borough President, the first woman to occupy that position. In 1966 President Johnson appointed her a Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. In 1982 she was made Chief Judge for this Court, perhaps the busiest and most important Federal Court in the U.S.

I did not realise until reading her autobiography, Equal Justice Under Law: The Life of a Pioneer for Black Civil Rights and Women’s Rights (1988) earlier this year just how pre-eminent she was. In everything important that she did she was the first black woman to do it. She was simply a ‘first’ all the way through her long and admirable life.

Certainly she had luck. If kind Mr. Blakeslee had not heard her speak she would not have gone to university. If Thurgood Marshall had not noticed her, she might not have worked for the NAACP. And work it was. Underfunded and understaffed, you didn’t do it for the money.

Thurgood had great stamina and was known in the preparation stages of a big case to say to his colleagues at midnight ‘We will have a fifteen minutes break’! All in the Civil Rights Movement had to have courage. The Reverend Delane of Somerton, South Carolina, who was a voice for his people received a letter, probably from the just formed White Citizen’s Council, giving him ten days to leave town or die.

The letter referred to a case of 1898 in which a black postmaster’s house had been burned, and then he had been killed. The Reverend Delane was an enormously courageous man. His job was at risk. He lost it. His church was at risk. It burned.

It was amongst people such as the Reverend Delane and Medgar Evers that our Constance Baker Motley lived and worked. She cannot have been any less courageous than her clients and companions. Indeed she spent a night under guard at the home of Medgar Evers just before he was murdered in his front yard.

In December 2002 I wrote in this newspaper ‘…Commentators have concentrated on the naming of this Airport (The Nevis Airport). For me it is simple. However outstanding a citizen may be it is not right because it is not fair to his opponents, that a prominent public edifice (or a highway) be named after a serving politician who may be seeking re-election.

Nothing wrong with ‘Newcastle’, the place name. Overall the naming is not of importance; what is of significance is the value to the taxpayer of that which he, with his money has bought…’.

Had I been aware when I wrote that, what I now know of Constance Baker Motley, I am sure that I would have put her name forward. The Premier, after whom the Airport is now named cannot, in public service or in international repute hold a candle to Judge Motley. She is unique. Her reputation is assured. She is in the history books. All who study the Civil Rights Movement will have to refer to her and acknowledge her importance in that struggle.

Two centuries ago Napoleon said ‘The idea of dedicating monuments to those who have rendered themselves useful to the people, is honourable to all nations; but it should be left to after ages to construct them when the good opinion conceived of the heroes is confirmed’.

St. Kitts for Bradshaw, Antigua for Bird and Anguilla for Webster, have chosen to honour their local politicians, Chief Ministers, Premiers, Prime Ministers, whatever titles they had. With the passing of Judge Motley, Nevis has a chance to break out of this pattern.

Let the Premier, who, we were told did not name our Airport for himself, but accepted his Cabinet’s request in that regard, now stand his own name down and replace it by that of Constance Baker Motley, thus honouring not only her family, but also the Island of Nevis, in recognition of the extraordinary, internationally recognised, historic achievements of this most exceptional daughter of Nevis.

• Commentary

October 14, 2005

Bt Stanford Conway

The Observer

In our last discussion of Perjury, we dealt primarily with inconsistent or contradictory statements and also with some of the terms used in court as well as the punishment that can be awarded.

I also promised to publish what the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) said concerning aiders, abettors, suborners and false statements with reference to marriage, births and deaths, which are all offences that fall under the St. Christopher and Nevis Perjury Act Number Two of 2005.

The DPP said that anyone who aided, abetted, counselled, procured or suborned another person to commit an offence against the Perjury Act would be liable to be prosecuted and punished as if he were a principal offender.

He also said that any person who incited or attempted to procure or suborn another person to commit an offence against the same Act committed an offence and would be liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than one year and not more than two years, or a fine of not less than EC$5, 000 and not more than EC$10, 00 or both.

The DPP explained that while the terms, aid is to help, abet is to encourage and procure is to get or make available, the most seemingly complexed term, suborn, means to persuade another to do wrong.

He noted that, in the past, many cases of similar offences were before the courts and some of them were either dismissed or the perpetrators fined according to the old Law. But, with the amended Act coming on stream with higher penalties, it was hoped that people would desist from committing such crimes.

Speaking to the subject of false statement Merchant said that it had many categories.

He explained that false statements on oath made otherwise than in a judicial proceeding refer to any person who, “being required or authorised by law to make any statement on oath for any purpose, and being lawfully sworn wilfully makes a statement which is material for that purpose and which he knows to be or does not believe to be true; or wilfully uses any false affidavit for the purposes of the Bills of Sale Act; commits an offence and on conviction on indictment shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not less than seven years and not more than 10 years, or a fine of not less than EC$30, 000 and not more than EC$50, 000 or both.”

With respect to false statements with reference to marriage, he noted that any person who for the purpose of procuring a marriage or a certificate or licence for marriage, knowingly and wilfully made a false oath or made or signed a false declaration, notice or certificate required under any enactment for the time being in force relating to marriage committed an offence and would be subjected to the same penalties as the abovementioned.

“The same penalty goes for any one who knowingly and wilfully makes, or knowingly and wilfully causes to be made, for the purpose of being inserted in any register of marriages, a false statement as to any particular required by law to be known and registered to any marriage.

“Further,” he added, “anyone who forbids the issue of any certificate or licence for marriage by falsely representing himself to be a person whose consent to the marriage is required by law, knowing such representation to be false, also commits an offence and will suffer the same consequences.”

He however noted that prosecution for an offence against the false statements with reference to marriage would not be commenced more than three years after the commission of the offence.

The DPP said that false statements as to births and deaths carried the same penalties as those of marriage and oath made otherwise than in a judicial proceeding.

“According to Section Seven of the Perjury Act of 2005, any person who wilfully makes any false answer to any question put to him by any registrar of births or deaths relating to the particulars required to be registered concerning any birth or death, or wilfully gives to any such registrar any false information concerning any birth or the cause of any death; or

“Wilfully makes any false certificate or declaration under or for the purpose of any enactment relating to the registration of births or deaths, or, knowing any such certificate or declaration to be false, uses it as true or gives or sends it as true to any person; or

“Wilfully makes, gives or uses any false statement or declaration as to a child born alive as having been still-born, or as to the body of a deceased person or a still-born child in any coffin, or falsely pretends that any child born alive was still-born; or

“Makes any false statement with intent to have it inserted in any register of births or deaths, commits an offence, and on conviction shall be liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than seven years and not more than 10 years, or a fine of not less than EC$30, 000 and not more than EC$ 50, 000 or both.”

He added that a prosecution for an offence against this section would not be commenced more than three years after the commission of the offence.

The DPP also said that a person who knowingly and wilfully made otherwise than an oath, a statement false in a material particular and the it was made in a voluntary declaration or in an abstract, account, balance sheet, book, certificate, declaration, entry, estimate, inventory, notice, report, return or other document in which he is authorised or required to make, attest or verify by any enactment for the time being; or in any oral declaration or oral answer, which he was required to make by, under, or in pursuance of any enactment for the time being in force committed an offence and would be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not less than two years and not more than five years, or a fine ranging from EC$10, 000 to EC$30, 000 or both.

In the next issue we will continue the discussion on The Perjury Act where we will deal with false declaration to obtain registration and forms of indictment.

• TOP NEWS STORIES THIS WEEK

October 14, 2005

By Stanford Conway

The Observer

Prime Minister (PM) Denzil Douglas said the Government could not continue to subsidise fuel at its current cost and plans were afoot to seek alternative energy sources.

The PM made this pronouncement last Tuesday afternoon during his monthly Press Conference with members of the media.

The PM said that the Government normally spend some EC$15 million annually on diesel and other associated products, but that amount had already been expended in the first half of the year and an additional EC$10 million had to be provided for the purchasing of petroleum for the remaining six months.

He added that in the interest of the nation, the Government had to provide the funds for the purchasing of petroleum products that the country must have in order to fuel the generating plants that provide electricity.

“Let me emphasise that the Government cannot continue to subsidise fuel in this way. I have been advised last week by the Ministry of Finance that for every gallon of petrol sold at the pump, the Government is subsidising by as much as six dollars.

“That has to come to an end. Obviously, this is going to ruin the country, it is going to ruin the Government and, so, very shortly we have to make the necessary adjustment to the prices so that this is not borne by the Government but by the people,” Douglas said.

He said the same would be done with regards to electricity, noting the energy charge, to date, was not passed on to the consumer.

“Government, at the moment, is selling its electricity at EC 45 cents per kilowatt hour. It is the lowest in the whole Caribbean region but the cost of diesel, which we have to use to generate that electricity, we are paying EC 45 cents for every kilowatt hour that is generated by that diesel.

“In other words, we are not even charging our consumers what it costs the Government to buy just diesel alone to run the generators. I said nothing about the maintenance cost of the generators…that does not include the capital recovery cost. Just take into consideration the basic infrastructure, the buildings, the maintenance and so forth; this has to be re-examined,” Douglas said.

The PM declared that in the near future he would request the Ministry of Finance to prepare the necessary submission to be brought before the Cabinet in order to have a second look at the situation.

He noted, from that backdrop, it was important for the Government to quickly get onboard with the PetroCaribe Initiative that was pursued by the Venezuelan Government.

Douglas intimated that because of the escalating cost of fuel, the Government was actively pursuing a number of initiatives with regards to alternative fuel sources, including windmills, hydro-thermal energy, energy from sugarcane, “Ethanol and other primary products we may have that can be utilised as a source and a form of energy.”

He further intimated that a team out of Cuba and assistance from Venezuela would soon be in the Federation to examine the potential of the lost sugar industry with regards to the production of ethanol.

The PM also said that plans were afoot to conduct a United Nations/ECLACT funded initial feasibility study in the tapping of water from the ocean to produce energy in running the country’s electricity generating plant.

“In fact, when I hopefully go to Japan next week, I have made the request to visit such a plant that I have seen as a model when I visited Mauritius in January to look at the environmental development programme; that initiative that we had asked for Small Island Developing States. And hopefully see that initiative and to what extent St. Kitts and Nevis can benefit from those researches that are taking place with regard to alternative energy,” said Douglas.

Douglas also used the opportunity to remind residents of the twin-island Federation about the conservation of energy.

• Local News

March 2, 0207

By Ketricia Finch

St. Kitts Reporter

Digicel has launched its new phone service called Join the Freeness With Digicel starting with immediate effect from March 1, 2007.

Join the Freeness With Digicel is the offer replacing of the 123 service that began in July 2006 and lasted until February of this year.

Digicel’s country manager Donavon Whyte said the initial time that the offer is supposed to last for is one month. He also said the name of the offer means to talk for free.

“It’s very simple. For pre-paid customers, you call for 10 minutes any day, every day and the rest of that day all of the calls you make from Digicel to Digicel would be free,” Whyte said.

He added that pre-paid customers would get free SMS every time they tap up their phones.

“So for every $EC10 top up, you would get 10 free SMS loaded onto your account. Additionally, if you top up $EC100, you would be getting 100 free SMS.”

Whyte said every post-paid customer has a bundle of minutes that they pay for monthly.

“Once they’ve exceeded those bundles, all their Digicel to Digicel calls for the rest of the month are free. For example, if you have a Corporate One plan and you are paying $EC59 for that plan for 160 minutes, as soon as you reach 158 minutes of your bundle, every call you make after that which is a Digicel call would be free.”

Whyte said that Digicel values the business and the services provided to the customers.

“We feel that it is important to always provide them with some mechanism that would allow them to equate better value. What we mean by better value is better rates.”

Whyte said you could talk limitlessly. He urged persons who don’t have a Digicel phone or don’t use a Digicel phone to get one, for they would have every opportunity to talk more, talk for free and get the best network in St. Kitts and Nevis.

Whyte in an update on Digicel since the company launched in the Federation said it was a long first year but an exciting one.

“It was a first year where customers felt very happy to be a part of the Digicel family and they felt that they got value for their money.”

Whyte thanked the customers and all the people of St. Kitts and Nevis for embracing the entrance of Digicel to the Federation.

He said there are many plans in the pipeline.

“This is really a testimony to Digicel’s commitment to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis to ensure that you continue to enjoy the services provided by Digicel but more importantly, the value that we bring to mobile telecommunication. To do that we have plans of widening our coverage in the Federation.

“Presently, we are in the process of constructing new cell sites. One is in Shadwell and the other is at the Cable. We are also upgrading and doing a switch over at our Ottley’s Village site. We are continually upgrading our coverage network to ensure that our service is available to all.”

Whyte said the construction of the coverage expansion in Nevis is almost in operation.

Whyte explains how St. Kitts and Nevis fits into the Digicel model.

“We have broken the OECS into two regions. There’s the south that includes St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada and Dominica and there’s the north-east section which includes St. Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla and Antigua.”

“This is the day after Black History month where we talk about Emancipation. We want to lengthen Emancipation and we want to emancipate you from higher rates, bad service and we want to emancipate you into the realm of the Digicel World where you get better value,” Whyte concluded.