Gonsalves said the Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines belongs to us Vincentians, stating that the government is still the major client of the bank.

Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves is encouraging Vincentians to become educated with regards to the purchasing of shares in the Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, formerly the National Commercial Bank.

This is following the official signing of documentation for ownership shares to the National Insurance Services in the Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines yesterday.

At a price of $8.23 per share, the NIS currently owns approximately 9% of shares in the bank. 5% of that total amount was originally allotted to the NIS, as a result of the divestment in majority ownership shares of the Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the St. Lucia based East Caribbean Holdings.

Gonsalves said the signing of yesterday’s agreement shows a continuation of his government’s policies to keep St. Vincent and the Grenadines moving forward.

He further added that an education programme in the form of a video presentation will be put in place to sensitize the public on the intricacies involved in buying shares.

Gonsalves said the Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines belongs to us Vincentians, stating that the government is still the major client of the bank.

Minister of Sports Hon. Cecil Mckie has commenced a series of visits to sporting facilities in his new Ministry.

Newly appointed Minister of Sports Hon. Cecil Mckie has commenced a series of visits to sporting facilities in his new Ministry.

Minister Mckie officially took up the post on Tuesday November 21st and spent his first day by visiting the Arnos Vale playing field which is in the final stages of upgrading to international standards to accommodate the first three cricket matches of Australia tour of West Indies 2012.

Three One Day Internationals Cricket Matches between the West Indies and Australia is slated to be held here in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on March 16th, 18th and 20th March 2012.

Chief Agricultural Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture Reuben Robertson said that his Ministry was asked by the National Sports Council on January 5th to provide technical assistance to aid in getting the field ready for the upcoming One Day Matches.

Robertson said a Management Recovery Program was put in place to aid in the rehabilitation of the ground as a result of a number of issues which contributed to the degradation of the field such as overuse and infestation by mole crickets. He said as a result the field is now greener and much closer to International Standards and would not have been possible without the hard work of Bill Edwards who is the supervisor for the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

Director of the National Sports Council Oswald Browne said that the field is indeed a success story because of the complete turnaround, noting the condition it was in before and what it is in now.

Browne said the field is scheduled to be inspected tomorrow Thursday February 23rd by the Chief of Cricket Operations of the West Indies Cricket Board Roland Holder and he has no doubts that Holder will be very surprised at the turnaround made.

hopeful that it will greatly enhance the relevance of the scout movement in today’s society

Stakeholders and members of the local scout movement have been encouraged to employ the use of modern technology to improve their membership.

The call was made by Feature Speaker at the Annual General Meeting of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Scout Association Cleveland Sam, which took place last Saturday.

Sam, who was speaking on the theme scouting in changing society, told the movement that the embracing of technology does not have to be at the expense of the traditional programmes and values which the scout movement is known for. In fact, he is hopeful that it will greatly enhance the relevance of the scout movement in today’s society.

Sam said scouting is the only opportunity some people will have to learn certain skills such as First Aid, making and cooking on an open fire, pitching a tent and emergency preparedness.

He said while one may argue that some of these skills are not necessarily important on a daily basis, one cannot dispute the immense value of these skills in a crisis or dangerous situation; and this makes such skills more relevant now more than ever.

a blue Toyota Corolla car license number P588 and a white Noah van- H192.

A serious accident which occurred on the Villa Main road yesterday afternoon have left many eye witnesses terming it as one of the most horrific incidents they have ever seen.

The accident involved two vehicles: a blue Toyota Corolla car license number P588 and a white Noah van- H192. The owner of the van Staford Thomas was fortunate not to sustain much injury or damage to his vehicle. However, Shayman Soleyn who was driving the car with Rawlton Ragguette in the passenger seat, were not as lucky as they are currently nursing serious injuries about their bodies as a result of the impact.

According to Thomas, who is an airport taxi driver, he was driving when he saw the car driven by Soleyn coming from the opposite direction hit a wall, crashed into his vehicle and the momentum caused the car to overturn. According to reports, the two occupants of the car escaped death because they were wearing seatbelts.

Reports also state that the car had to be cut open so that they could be removed. Police are currently investigating the cause of the accident.

St Vincent to host meeting of CARICOM cabinet secretaries

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent — A number of cabinet secretaries from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) region will begin arriving in St Vincent and the Grenadines on Wednesday for a top level meeting.

The fourth Commonwealth Caribbean Consultative meeting will be convened under the theme “From Public Sector Reform to Governance” on February 23 and 24.

The cabinet secretaries will look at a number of issues including public administration and the new public governance, taxation, tax reform and governance in developing countries, and approaches to improving governance in the public service.

The overall aim is to focus the attention of the regional cabinet secretaries on a new system of values, policies and institutions, all aimed at enhancing economic, social and political governance in the region.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves will deliver the feature address at the opening ceremony on February 23. Other addresses will come from Dr Colin McDonald of the Commonwealth Secretariat, and Susan Dougan, the cabinet secretary in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

1) EG Lynch eye surgery fund Persons can donate monies to Scotia Bank into the account number 5069179. For those in the US who wish to donate they can do so through JP Morgan Chase, New York, using the swift code CHASEUS33. Vincentians and well wishers in England can make their donation to HSBC, England using the swift code MIDLGB22.

1) After spending 11 years of the latter part of his life campaigning for the opposition party the New Democratic Party to form government, EG Lynch was this morning inviting persons to donate monies to assist with his medical expenses overseas.

Last year the talk show titan was diagnose with a condition that caused him to bleed in the back of his eyes for which he sort medical attention in Barbados for the past three months, but which was futile.

Locally persons can donate monies to Scotia Bank into the account number 5069179. For those in the US who wish to donate they can do so through JP Morgan Chase, New York, using the swift code CHASEUS33. Vincentians and well wishers in England can make their donation to HSBC, England using the swift code MIDLGB22.

Lynch said that he is hoping that after his eye surgery he will be able to serve the nation again.

2) Farmers in the north leeward village of Rose Bank, a former cocoa producing area, lead the way in the rehabilitation of old cocoa field with the prospects of fullscale re-introduction of the crop here.

2) Farmers in the north leeward village of Rose Bank, a former cocoa producing area, lead the way in the rehabilitation of old cocoa field with the prospects of fullscale re-introduction of the crop here.

On Thursday 16th February, five of the former major cocoa producers gather with interest at Mr. Noel Sullen farm in Cocoa Valley, Rose Hall, to observe the results of a demonstration that took place late last year.

According to Treecrop Officer, Dan Richards, the cocoa field was abandoned for over 2years, with an abundance of vines, lichen, parasitic plants and exhibited signs of the diseases, Witches Broom and Black Pod. This field was cleaned, pruned, fertilized and sprayed in November. Last Thursday’s exercise was viewed with interest as the farmers withnessed a rejuvenated flowering field in readiness for the production of pods.

Mr. Sullen, on whose farm the demonstration took place, expressed his excitement with the rejuvenated apparence of the field, voicing his readiness should the cocoa project so come on stream. These sentiments were shared by his fellow farmers at the site.

According to Officer, Dan Richards, the rehabilitation of some of the abandoned cocoa field is an activity now being encouraged by the Mnistry of Agriculture. Rehabilitated fields have been known to produce cocoa pods within 1 year and continue to increase in yields with proper management.

There are a number of abandoned cocoa fields throughout St.Vincent on which the Ministry hopes to carryout similar rehabilitation exercises.

The intensified use of compost on the farm is now being re-introduced as a means of enriching the soils, improving soil and water conservation and reducing certain pests and disease incidences.

3) The Ministry of Agriculture has commenced its annual farmers training program that targets some of the major production issues that affects the yields and quality of crops produced here.

Last Wednesday, 13 vegetable farmers gathered at the Wallilabou Agricultural station to look at issues relating to ‘the Management of Soil for improved Vegetable Production’.
The workshop addressed the question: “Is Fertile Soil Production Soil”.

Mr. Phibert Gould, coordinator of the exercise outlined some of the issues affecting soil fertility and suggested that one way of elimating these issues was the use of compost. The intensified use of compost on the farm is now being re-introduced as a means of enriching the soils, improving soil and water conservation and reducing certain pests and disease incidences.

In talking with some of the farmers they expressed interest in the composting which has been known to have shown improvement with other farmers in the production of higher yields and quality produce now being asked for by VINCYFRESH, the agro-processing plant at Lauders that has expanded its product line to include a number of vegetables. Additionally, the farmers are excited about the establishment of the buying and cold storage depots to be established, similar to the one now being successfully operated at Rabacca Farms.

Mr. Gould has indicated that this is the first in a series of workshop that will target other areas in the production chain through the year.

National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) will be hosting another series of community discussions throughout SVG.

The National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) will be hosting another series of community discussions throughout SVG. As such, the Commission extends an invitation to the general public for the first community discussion for 2012 to be held at the Biabou Learning Resource Center on February 28th 2012 beginning at 7:00 pm.

Topics to be discussed include:
• The increasing role that the NTRC is playing within the telecom sector
• The various projects being implemented by the NTRC
• Issues affecting residents in the area with respect to the telecommunications services being provided by LIME, Digicel and Karib Cable. Presentations will be made by senior officials from the NTRC.

“Living the Garifuna Heritage and Culture After 215 Years – Strengthening Links, Forging Networks, Claiming Ancestral Space” International Garifuna Conference , March 10th-13th, 2012 Peace Memorial Hall, Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

“Living the Garifuna Heritage and Culture After 215 Years – Strengthening Links, Forging Networks, Claiming Ancestral Space”
International Garifuna Conference , March 10th-13th, 2012
Peace Memorial Hall, Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Save the Date!

The Garifuna Heritage Foundation Inc.
P.O. Box 2867
St. Vincent,
St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Tel/Fax: 784-45-62124
Email: tghfoundationsvg@yahoo.com
Conference Secretariat Email: yurumeiconference@gmail.com