WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2020 VOLUME 114, No.52 www.thevincentian.com EC$1.50 COVID & 9 Killer appeals Yachties and Cricket’s new Prison break Nights sentence COVID President disgrace Page 3 Page 4 Page 15 Page 20 Page 24 GRENADA RENEGES Right: Grenada’s PM Dr. Keith Mitchell offered to help with supplying ON PROMISE petrol to Union Island, but has yet to come good on that offer. provide food and cooking This disclosure was The sole petrol gas to residents on reported in the December station in Union Carriacou and Petite 19 issue of THE NEW island went up Martinique following the TODAY newspaper in in flames on Covid-19 virus outbreak Grenada, and was May 19, 2020. in the region, which derived from what the resulted in Dr. Mitchell newspaper said was an accusing him of exclusive interview “encouraging Grenadians conducted with Dr. to break the laws of the Gonsalves. country …,” since According to Dr. Grenada’s borders were Gonsalves, as per THE closed to protect locals. NEW TODAY report, not Carriacou illegally to get However, even after a single person in the gas for their use. all of that and the Mitchell-led He said that St. amicable settlement administration in St. George’s simply did not occasioned by Grenada’s George’s has approached deliver on the promise promise to assist the his government in St. and “we just survived Union Island with a Vincent to make good on otherwise. petrol supply, another the gas promise about Dr. Gonsalves IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING fishermen was concern. between Prime Minister row between the Prime seven months ago. indicated that the THE MAY 19, 2020 fatal The offer was accepted Dr. Keith Mitchell of Ministers could be As a consequence, the situation would soon be fire at the sole petrol by the Government of St. Grenada and Prime brewing. St. Vincent and the resolved as two station in Union Island, the Vincent and the Minister Dr. Ralph The word is, as Grenadines government applications are government of Grenada Grenadines. Gonsalves of St. Vincent confirmed by Dr. has had to take certain presently before the offered to provide petrol to This act of OECS and the Grenadines. Gonsalves, that Grenada steps to address the Planning Board in St. fill the void left as far as a camaraderie had put to The exchange had has not fulfilled its situation, especially since Vincent for permission to regular petrol supply to bed an earlier exchange developed when promise to provide petrol fishermen on Union were establish fuel stations on Union island residents and of ‘not-so-nice words Dr.Gonsalves offered to to Union Island. going to Canouan and Union Island. GRENADA: A CONDUIT FOR NDP MATERIAL PRIME MINISTER DR. reported Dr. Gonsalves as it — the t-shirts came in RALPH GONSALVES has saying that he had picked up through Bequia — not through fingered Grenada as being the information for “quite the Customs,” he told the the conduit through which some time” that the election Grenada’s newspaper. election material was material was being stored in As though hinting at funneled for the opposition Grenada, and came quickly another likely public New Democratic Party (NDP), into St. Vincent via Bequia as disagreement with Grenada’s in the November 5 general soon as he announced the Prime Minister Dr. Keith elections in St. Vincent and election date. Mitchell, THE NEW TODAY the Grenadines. He was also reported as asked Dr. Gonsalves to This ‘charge’ was levelled saying that he had describe his relationship with by Dr. Gonsalves during an information that the Chinese Dr. Mitchell, he admitted, Dr. Godwin Friday, leader of interview with Grenada’s and the financiers engaged in “We talk — I would say that the opposition New THE NEW TODAY, as the passport selling business we have a working Democratic Party, to the best reported in that newspaper’s who supported the opposition relationship. I don’t have a of the knowledge of this edition of December 19, 2020. in St. Vincent, had used close buddy-buddy publication, has not The newspaper further Grenada as the transit point relationship between him as commented on the ‘election to get their election material say like how I have with material’ finger pointing by into St. Vincent and the Skerritt (Dominica Prime the Prime Minister. Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister, said that he had Grenadines. Minister Roosevelt),” he information that Grenada was the ‘transit’ for election material “I didn’t do anything about responded. for the Opposition New Democratic Party. Continued on Page 3. 2. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2020 . THE VINCENTIAN V News 3 lHE VINCENTIAN. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2020. COVID-19 and Nine Nights patronage by GLORIAH… when they visit the hold down any persons would come out.” Gardens: sanitization at Vincentian! They are a PERSONS HAVE BEEN available stations and resilient people!” Nadia Windsor – Teacher: WONDERING if the persons subjected to Christina Smith Godfrey Harry incidence of COVID-19 here temperature checks upon Godfrey Harry – Athletics “It appears that way. will deter patrons from entry; wearing of masks Coach: Last year, on the first engaging in Nine Morning and maintaining safe night, there were more activities. social distances were also “Yes, in that people are persons than are here Chairman of the encouraged.” still concerned about the tonight. I also was National Nine Mornings THE VINCENTIAN virus, especially with the reluctant because I saw Festival Management traversed the grounds of recent cases. Locally, we online that cases had Committee, Orande the Botanical Gardens on have no transmission, so increased. We like to ‘Bomani’ Charles assured: opening night and posed persons coming in need to come and enjoy a Vincy “We have been working the following question to follow the protocols, Christmas but we don’t closely with the Ministry a number of patrons: “Do because patrons do not like to follow rules, and I of Health and were you think that the want to get infected. don’t think the impact guided on how we conduct presence of the Oppositely, some persons will be lessened with Nine Mornings 2020.” He coronavirus in SVG will will not be deterred encouraging protocols assured that coronavirus deter patrons from because they see it as a because we don’t like protocols are employed at attending the festival time-out for their rules.” Gideon Nash Nadia Windsor the Kingstown venue here this year?” families, and will attend.” (Heritage Square) and Following are some Ikesha Delpesche – encouraged other responses. Gideon Nash – Chairman Designer: communities to follow of the NPRBA: suit. Christina Smith, “No! I don’t think it is The Nine Mornings Journalist, Barbados: “There is a visibly the COVID at all! I Festival commenced reduced number of believe it is more the across the state on the “Definitely not! The persons here. I know that recession. People don’t morning of Wednesday rest of the region has many persons are have that kind of money 16th December. The Nine been impressed with the concerned about COVID like they used to and, Nights of Lights at the way SVG has handled the and with the recent even if they have it, they Botanical Gardens had COVID-19 pandemic. imported cases, they are will spend it on needs jumped ahead with an Honestly, when I arrived not here because of that. more than wants.” opening on the night of tonight, I was a bit To put patrons at ease, Tuesday 15th. disappointed at the we have put in place Lennox Bowman – Dep. The chairperson of the numbers here but I guess protocols set out by the Chairman Nine Morning Ikesha Delpesche Lennox Bowman Nine Nights committee, over the nights, the Ministry of Health. We Committee: Mrs. Calisha Solomon, presence of Vincentians encourage persons to do would be cautious and still come out. Families like Charles, was clear will increase. I am social distancing with “I don’t think new that is certainly our hope. should keep their bubbles, that, “We have been confident they will come families sticking together. cases would create such a It’s an outdoor event and stay together and be working with the out. This is a tradition If these are followed, disruption that Nine if people wear their aware. What I would like Coronavirus Taskforce to they have enjoyed and COVID spread will be Mornings lovers will not masks they should be to say to persons who ensure persons’ safety COVID is not going to minimized and more come out. I think people okay. At the same, time come to SVG and are in if it gets any quarantine, is to respect worse it could the guidelines of the impact, but for quarantine. The country Four win ECGC bursaries now I think could be affected health- people who wise and it could affect us love Nine economically as well.” Mornings will Grenada: A conduit for NDP material Tana Martin Contionued from Frontpage. within the OECS. He then made a proposal to the The Vincentian Prime Minister went Sylvia Ashton Zascha Robertson Samantha Cumberbatch Board of Directors for the on to explain that Dr. Mitchell is very establishment of a close to former St. Vincent Prime THE ECGC FOUNDATION Childhood and Family best in their academic and charitable organization Minister Sir James Mitchell and the New INC., in collaboration with Studies; Ms Samantha professional pursuits. which will focus ECGC Democratic Party which he founded. the University of the West Cumberbatch - BSc Human The ECGC Foundation contributions and services For his part he said, “I got connections Indies Open Campus, St. Resource Management; Ms Inc.