FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021 VOLUME 115, No.04 www.thevincentian.com EC$1.50 No community Frankie Randy sent Another No Lahar spread gratified off homicide Page 12 Page 3 Page 5 Page 11 Page 24 ANOTHER BILLION- DOLLAR YEAR Stories million. The minister of finance added that per cent increase) and sinking fund by DAYLE DASILVA This anticipated deficit, not new to taxes on income and profit was also contributions (EC$2 million, 51.1 this country, was this time around expected to fall by 4.3 percent, or $7 percent decrease). THE 2021 ESTIMATES OF REVENUE AND attributed to the weak position in million — the same with taxes on goods Capital Expenditure EC$317.4 EXPENDITURE which amount to which government began 2021 because and services which was expected to million, a 2.1 percent increase, was EC$1,212,601,578 and is 2.2 percent of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the decrease by EC$7.2 million or 3.7 projected to be used primarily for higher than the approved figure for expected slowdown in economic percent and taxes in international physical infra-structural projects 2020, got a safe passage through activity for the coming year. trade and transactions to fall by 7.8 aimed at reducing the vulnerability Parliament on January 27. percent or EC$13.7 million. factor. The overall projection is for a Tax sources taking a blow Financing was expected to come deficit year of EC$50.7 Expenditure – Revenue from Current Revenue amounting to Including in that EC$647,386,000, a decrease of 4.8 projected decrease is a Recurrent Expenditure in 2021 was percent, and Capital Receipts of Camillo blow of a 5.4 percent projected to amount to EC$565,212,575. Gonsalves, to tax sources. It EC$895,199,329, inclusive of Finance was estimated that amortization (EC$175.1 million, 14.8 Continued on Page 3. Minister, tax sources would tabled yet generate EC$554 another million to the deficit . Consolidated Fund and non-tax sources PUBLIC DEBT EC$93.4 million, a one percent drop. INCREASES FINANCE MINISTER CAMILLO GONSALVES, during his presentation of the 2021 Revenue and Expenditure at a sitting of the House of Assembly last Wednesday, January 27, disclosed that the public debt stood at EC$1,871,029,887, as of December 31, 2020. This figure, the Minister said, represented a 12 percent increase over the figure for 2019. and other development agencies, In detailing the debt, Gonsalves against which some net payment said the domestic debt increased by were made during 2020. 17.2 percent and was now put at Those included a payment of EC$579.6 million, with EC$2.5 million to loans from the external debt registering an Caribbean Development Bank; EC$6 increase of 2.9 percent to million on a loan from the Republic of now stand at EC$1.29 China on Taiwan; EC$4.2 million to billion. ALBA; EC$1.5 million to the The increase in the CARICOM Development Fund and external debt was EC$5.8 million to bond holders. the product of soft The total debt service for 2021 is loans from agencies projected to be EC$271.9 million, or like the World Bank 41 percent of the current revenue. 2. FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021. THE VINCENTIAN V News Medical Cannabis Pharmacy opened here THERE HAVE been some Building on Bentick Square, with their medical needs. challenges as a result of the Kingstown. Chief Executive Officer Covid-19 pandemic on the Speaking at the opening at MCA, Dr. Jerrol progress of the local Medicinal ceremony, Operation Manager Thompson noted that Cannabis Industry. However it of Green Lava (SVG) Inc. Green Lava (SVG) Inc. is has not stopped the opening of Hilton Dalzell thanked the one of a number of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Government and the Medical companies that have first Medical Cannabis Cannabis Association (MCA) received a license to Pharmacy. almost a month ago. for its cooperation and support engage in medicinal On Wednesday, December thus far, and informed that cannabis cultivation, and 23, 2020 Green Lava Labs the pharmacy will offer a suite is the first to establish a Pharmacy, opened their of medicinal cannabis products medicinal cannabis Government and Green Lava official at the official opening of pharmacy located on the that will aid both local and dispensary in SVG. the Pharmacy. ground floor of the Nicholls visiting qualifying patients He added that the MCA has facilitated training for Caesar. He congratulate the which are keen to explore the over 90 medical doctors, staff of the MCA for its pharmacology and science of pharmacists as well as continued work and stated many of the plants which were veterinarians in the that it is the quest of the brought to the Vincentian medical use of cannabis, government to establish a shores by the people of Ghana. and that he was pleased modern, medical, wellness Caesar stated that it is the to see that one of those industry of which cannabis hope and intention of the pharmacists has been will play a primary part as a government to be a destination engaged by Green Lava. central pillar. of a well- planned, structured, Also speaking at the In a related reference, and conceived, local ceremony was Minister of Caesar disclosed that the nutraceutical industry. Agriculture, Saboto Government of St. Vincent and In extending a warm the Grenadines has started welcome to Green Lava Labs Green Lava Medical conversations with private in the pharmaceutical field, he Cannabis Pharmacy, located in the Nicholls sector companies in West urged them to execute a well- Building. Africa, especially Ghana, organized business. V News 3 lHE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021. 3. No community spread MINISTER OF HEALTH ST CLAIR clustered in time, geographic ‘JIMMY’ PRINCE maintains that location and/or by common the transmission of the COVID- exposures. 19 virus here in St Vincent and According to the Health the Grenadines is not to be Minister clusters identified categorized under community so far had been associated spread. with ministerial He made the statement departments, churches, during last Wednesday’s parties, private sector sitting of the House of workplaces and families Assembly in answer to a with many of the clusters question posed by Leader of having linkages. the Opposition Dr. Godwin Meanwhile, the numbers Friday. published up to January 26 The World Health indicate that there were 35 Organization (WHO) defined confirmed new cases of community spread as being COVID-19, bringing the evidenced by the inability to total number of local cases relate confirmed cases through to 657 and a total of 798 Tamara Bobb, Epidemiologist, chains of transmission for a recorded in the country. shared statistics to show the large number of cases, or by An additional 12 persons demographic impact of COVID- increasing positive tests had recovered bringing the 19. through sentinel samples. total number of recoveries to “For the majority of 165 with 631 cases determine the information. confirmed cases of COVID-19 remaining active and two Persons between the ages of cases in St Vincent and the COVID-19 related deaths. 25 to 44 made up the majority Grenadines, the chains of Epidemiologist Tamara of the cases testing positive, Health Minister St. Clair ‘Jimmy’ Prince was adamant that transmission have been due to Bobb, at a press briefing on comprising 35.4 percent Bobb given the WHO definition, there was no community spread of contact with known cases,” January 26, indicated that said; those between 15 and 24 the coronavirus in SVG. Prince said in response to the based on preliminary data made up 12.9 percent and Leader of the Opposition Dr there were more females who persons between 45 and 54 Godwin Friday in Parliament tested positive accounting for number of infections accounted for 11.9 percent. accounting for over 50 on January 27. 47 percent of the overall There were cases recorded And it was in keeping with positive cases recorded. Males percent of the total Another in all age groups Bobb said. this definition of community made up 35 percent and there cases recovered to The Calliaqua, Pembroke date, the transmission Prince argued were some remaining samples and Georgetown Health that rather, local cases were where it had been difficult to epidemiologist added. billion- Districts led with the greatest (DD) Some facilities off limit dollar year Continued from Front Page. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC have been reminded that visits Under the projected (2021) to the Argyle Isolation Facility Recurrent Expenditure, wages and (AIF) and the area designated salaries show an increase of EC$14.8 as the COVID Unit in the million with salaries amounting to Milton Cato Memorial Hospital EC$271.9 million, allowances (MCMH) were strictly EC$24.9 million, EC$25.2 million for prohibited. wages and National Insurance Speaking at a virtual press Grace Walters, Hospital Services (NIS) of EC$13.6 million, briefing Tuesday 26th January, amounting to $345.9 million. Grace Walters, Hospital Administrator, asked for co- Administrator, reiterated the The Argyle Isolation Facility was used for administering Wages, salaries, pensions, etc. reminder and said in addition, the operation with the patient care but is now a dedicated to isolation restrictions on decision had been taken to discontinue purposes only. the 11 O’clock visitation time at the visits to two major The budgeted 4.6 percent increase MCMH, and restrict visits to one health facilities in the wages and salaries bill for for all specialized cases, as the district surgical ward 2021 was attributed to the increases person per patient.