NationWIDE THE OFFICIAL NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SAINT LUCIA NationSATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2015 WIDE WEEKLY Love Thy Neighbour! Prime Minister Dr Kenny D. Anthony will today address the historic United Nations General Assembly on its 70th anniversary and tomorrow he’ll address Saint Lucians n in New York on what’s happening back home. Never mind reports of a plot on his life (following similar talk regarding the life of the National Security Minister), Dr St. Lucia Playing Leadership Role at UN’s AOSIS Anthony has had to live life as usual: taking care of the nation’s business, at home and Ministerial - Page 3 abroad. He updated the nation through the press last week on the state of the nation’s economy and chaired Cabinet and attended Parliament this week before leading the ministerial delegation to the two UN summits and tomorrow’s Town Hall Meetings in PROUD Enhances Home Ownership - Page 4 Brooklyn. This Prime Minister is also at the forefront in rallying aid for Dominica after being hit hard one month ago by Erika. He took time to visit the neighbouring island St. Lucia-based Company to Purchase Barbados’ by helicopter (above) hours after the tragedy. He surveyed and assessed the damage Banks! - Page 5 done to the Nature Isle and procured its Needs List. He deployed the ‘Defender’ and the Marine Unit to deliver supplies while instructing NEMO to gather all the help and Viva Mexico! - Pages 6 and 10 support Saint Lucians can give. The OECS, CARICOM and the entire world community have come on board. Now, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has visited and promised to deliver 300 houses for persons rendered homeless by the tropical storm The High Flyer Lands Again! - Page 7 -- in addition to also helping Saint Kitts and Nevis (See Pages 3 and 11). Truly, never mind the expected opposition criticism, this prime minister is indeed driven by his Deputy PM Addresses Leadership belief that we are all our neighbour’s keepers. Meanwhile, here’s to another weekend Conference - Page 8 of happy reading and enlightenment about what the Government of Saint Lucia, led by this Prime Minister, has been doing and saying here and there, at home and abroad. And, of course, what our friends in the region and beyond have been doing and saying here. Read, watch and enjoy! And remember: you can also watch NationwideTV on NTN daily and browse the Nationwide Website at stlucianationwide.com Happy Reading! Happy Viewing! Happy Browsing! WHAT’S INSIDE Page 2 NationWIDE Saturday September 26, 2015 Caribbean braces for worst Editorial drought as dry season nears Believability! ake a pause and think be published. He explained about us – who we’ve this national security docu- he most severe drought in the eastern Caribbean remain become. We’ve changed ment is too sensitive to be made to hit the Caribbean in re- in drought, and officials warned T much. Much we held on to, we a public document. He noted Tcent years is expected to that the current wet season will no longer do. We no longer see that its publication -- at this worsen despite rains from tropi- likely end before the traditional things as they are, only how time -- could impair the jus- cal storms that have replenished date of Nov. 30. we want to. Indeed, things we tice process, as there was need some reservoirs. Forecasters say Both Barbados and Grenada used to do, we no longer do. to determine whether there El Nino phenomenon is gather- had their third lowest rainfalls in Take the truth. We’ve been should be public prosecutions. ing strength and will continue recent history for August, while turned into a people who large- But seven months later we still to warm the tropical Pacific until Haiti saw up to a 50 percent loss ly believe what we want and hear the President of the Police early next year, which translates in crops in the hardest-hit areas, not what we’re told. Mistrust Welfare Association calling for into sparse rainfall for this largely according to a report from the In- has become an instinct. We’ll its publication on the basis (of parched region as the dry season ternational Monetary Fund. Some islands, including the Ba- believe some people and not his claim) that the entire Force approaches. The neighbouring Dominican hamas and Cuba, have had some others, no matter what. Truth is bewildered, broken hearted “The real concern will come Republic saw its agricultural pro- relief in recent months, and more doesn’t matter when it comes and de-motivated by the con- late in the year,” said Adrian duction drop nearly 11 percent as rain is forecast for them than any- from certain mouths. If we tents of a report that he and Trotman, a forecaster with the a result of drought, and dairy in- where else in the Caribbean in the don’t like you, then be damned. none of his men has seen. Caribbean Institute for Meteorol- dustry officials have warned that coming months. The Prime Minister gave an The beleaguered Police Com- ogy and Hydrology. “We are defi- production could drop 30 per- Severe drought also has ebbed upbeat update on the state of missioner exercised his option nitely in a period of relief, but it’s cent by year’s end. Jamaica also somewhat in Puerto Rico, where the economy four months af- to seek early retirement after quite likely the relief will not be has struggled with crop losses, officials this week eased austere ter the last National Budget. seven months of silence on why as long-lived as we would like it especially in the island’s eastern water rationing measures. How- The captain of the ship of state he was on extended leave. But to be.” region. ever, 19 percent of the island re- and general manager of the na- even after the Finance Minis- El Nino has produced a quiet “They are suffering terribly,” mains under an extreme drought tion’s economy offered all the ter made it clear there was no hurricane season, which begins said Leslie Simpson, a specialist and 45 percent more is under a proof and evidence to back his deal on the table, some Doubt- in June and ends in November. with the Caribbean Agricultural severe one. claims, all the while underlin- ing Thomases still insist the Only two of nine named storms Research and Development Insti- The Caribbean Agricultural Re- ing that we’re still not near be- vacationing Top Cop has been having dumped significant rain- tute. “It’s really going to be more search and Development Institute ing out of the woods. But all being paid five million dollars fall over parts of the Caribbean. serious as we go into the dry sea- is encouraging farmers to find some heard was his admission to go home. The institute issued a report this son, not only for agriculture but new irrigation methods and better to not having the latest up-to- And in the midst of it all, the month saying that many islands for domestic consumption.” manage existing resources. (AP) date unemployment figures. Police admitted this week that And those who couldn’t dis- some most brazen thieves had pute figures asked for evidence. used a blowtorch to try break The President of the Senate, into a container containing evi- Saint Lucian is new CEO of in his other more public role as dence at Police Headquarters. a talk show host, revealed an All this in a country where alleged plot by four police of- many of us still think whip- ficers to not only besmirch the ping a young man tied to a post Caribbean Development Fund Prime Minister’s character, but after a botched theft is a good to get rid of him. He offered all lesson to him and others think- he Barbados-based CARI- association forged many produc- the pointers he could without ing of stealing… COM Development Fund tive partnerships with Govern- naming names, revealed their Yes, we’ve changed a lot. To- T(CDF) has a new Chief Ex- ment, the Caribbean Hotel and ranks and departments and day, sadly, it’s not about what’s ecutive Officer (CEO), who will Tourism Association (CHTA), pointed to some incidents that true, but who says it. Facts and lead that organisation through international training insti- could easily be verified. But he figures no longer matter, we its second funding cycle, 2015- tutes and development agencies, ends up being accused of ac- want to see pictures. We so no 2020. He is Rodinald Soomer, an around key industry priorities cusing the entire police force longer believe others that we’ve Economist, who was previously including inter-sectoral linkages, of plotting a coup against the even started not to believe our- employed in the Division of Eco- visitor safety and security, mar- government and being asked selves, or in ourselves. nomic Affairs with the Organisa- keting, public awareness, human to provide proof by evidence, But where will we go and tion of Eastern Caribbean States resource development and tour- or resign. Never mind the how will we get anywhere if (OECS) Commission, from May ism policy advocacy. Prime Minister verified he’d we don’t believe anyone -- or in 2005 to August 2015, where he With the CDF, Soomer’s key re- also heard all the talk show anything -- anymore? headed the Economic Develop- sponsibility will be to provide host said and wanted the mat- Clearly, when it comes to ment Policy Unit.