Year 54 NO. 38BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, W.I. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH, 2012 EC$2.00 At The Pumps This Weekend Maximum Price ULG per gal 23/11/11 DELTA $16.37 / SOL $14.11 / TEXACO $15.91 EventsEvents forfor visitvisit Police reports double digit decrease in reported ofof RoyalRoyal CoupleCouple serious crimes BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS announcedannounced (CUOPM) – The St. Christopher BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS (CUOPM) – Greeting the public, naming and Nevis Police of the National Park, visits to Brimstone Hill, the Children’s Home, the Force is reporting Children’s Ward at the Joseph N. France General Hospital and a decrease in the Government House, and a State Dinner are the major events to be total number of undertaken by the Earl and Countess of Wessex, during the Royal Visit reported to the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis early next month. incidences of crime in 2011 compared with the previous year. Police Commissioner Mr. C. G. Walwyn said statistics revealed that Commissioner of Police Mr. C. G. Walwyn during the recent inspection of the ranks at there was a 14.3 the Police Training School. (Willett’s Photo) percent reduction of serious crimes recorded. overall compared with the Walwyn, who pointed out that the “On our sister island of Nevis previous year 2010. However, the law enforcement agency is also there was a 5.5% increase in the detection rate in District C, Nevis total number of crime reported Division stands at 47.4%,” said Mr. (cont’d on page 2) CARICOM and Haiti sign MOU following mission BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, The Special representative of would wish CARICOM to work (CUOPM) – CARICOM Secretary- the Heads of Government on Haiti, General His Excellency the Most Honourable PJ Patterson (cont’d on page 2) Ambassador Irwin LaRocque and was also a member of the Haiti’s Foreign Minister, His delegation. PAGE 02 Excellency Laurent Lamothe have The delegation met with His signed a Memorandum of Excellency Michel Martelly, PAM continues to Understanding identifying a President of Haiti and there was clamour for public number of areas in which agreement that the support of CARICOM can assist Haiti. CARICOM was of vital importance disodeR, violence The signing of the MOU came for Haiti, and for the Community and lawlessness. at the end of the two-day Mission itself. Among the areas agreed (SEE EDITORIAL) to Haiti by the Bureau of Heads of upon are: capacity building in Government of CARICOM led by government agencies for Chairman His Excellency Desi investment; technical assistance COMMENTARY The stop in St. Kitts and Nevis on March 3rd by Their Royal Bouterse, President of Suriname. in education, agriculture, public BY Highnesses Princes Edward and Countess Sophie is part of a Caribbean The Rt. Honourable Dr. Denzil health, transportation, tourism * THE THINKING CITIZEN tour to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. L. Douglas, Prime Minister of St. among others and youth exchange * VIEW POINT Government House has announced that Prince and the Countess Kitts and Nevis; the Honourable initiatives. * REV.CANON PERCIVAL Princess will disembark at Port Zante and will be greeted by His Excellency Phillip Pierre, Deputy Prime CARICOM says at a press * EARL CLARKE the Governor General, Dr. Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, who will introduce the Minister of Saint Lucia, conference on Tuesday afternoon, * SOTTO VOCE Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas. representing his Prime Minister Dr. President Bouterse said the visit Prime Minister Douglas will then introduce his Federal Cabinet as the Honourable Kenny Anthony had been most rewarding as the well as the Premier of Nevis, the Hon. Joseph Parry, who will introduce and Secretary-General LaRocque Bureau had heard from the were the other members of the President, the cabinet, the private (cont’d on page 3) Bureau on the mission. sector, and parliament how they 2 - OPINION / LOCAL NEWS - The Labour Spokesman FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH 2012 St. Kitts And Nevis Youth Directors THE SPOKESMAN - ESTABLISHED MAY 1957 Exchange Best Practices Published by: The St. Kitts-Nevis Trades & Labour Union Basseterre, St. Kitts, February to form.” participate in Youth Month 16, 2012 (SKNIS): The Federation’s Ag. Managing Editor: Dawud Byron Director Hanley briefed his activities celebrated in April in youth stand to benefit from an counterpart on the 25 Most Nevis. He expressed an interest in Masses House, Church Street enhanced relationship being Remarkable Teen awards which learning more about the NIA’s P.O Box 239 . Basseterre . St. Kitts . West Indies pursued by the Department of was introduced last year in St. Summer Job Attachment Tel: (1 869) 465-2229 <> Fa: (1 869) 466-9866 Youth Empowerment on St. Kitts Kitts. The youth recognition Programme which has produced Email: [email protected] and the Social Services programme, which honours non- many success stories over the last Website: www.labourspokesman.com Department in Nevis. traditional accomplishments, is nine years. The six-week Director of Youth being expanded to Nevis this year. programme facilitates internship Empowerment Geoffrey Hanley Ms. Pemberton explained that she opportunities for 4th to 6th form and the Youth Services was very impressed with the students providing practical Coordinator in the Nevis Island initiative and was eager to work experience for the working world. Editorial Administration (NIA) Diana with stakeholders in identifying A work exchange initiative is Pemberton, exchanged ideas and suitable candidates. being explored between the youth information on various initiatives Mr. Hanley thanked Ms. staff from both islands which will being carried out by their Pemberton for her commitment to deepen linkages and facilitate a Eternal respective agencies during a strengthen the relationship better understanding of related meeting in Basseterre on Tuesday between both entities and eagerly issues. (February 14). accepted an invitation to Ms. Pemberton told SKNIS that the meeting “went well” and vigilance is the highlighted a number of areas of mutual interest targeted for greater cooperation. Youth entrepreneurship was discussed in price of peace depth. Increasing community service was another critical issue Prior to the advent of the People’s Action Movement (PAM) politics considered. in this country was for the most part a gentlemanly affair. Different sides “Volunteerism is on the decline vigorously contested elections, following which those involved on both islands,” Ms. Pemberton continued to be respectful and civil towards each other, and the citizens stated. “We are trying to get continued their daily living as members of one large family. persons to actually give up their PAM introduced violence into our politics. Let us all remember this. time for the youth, give up their From their platforms they loudly and unreservedly encouraged people time for afterschool programmes, SKNIS Photo: Director of Youth Empowerment Geoffrey Hanley and to “break the law”, which is quite different from protesting a particular give up their time for the activities the Youth Services Coordinator Diana Pemberton, met in Basseterre Act of Parliament, which everyone has the right to do at various times, and the many groups we are trying on Tuesday (February 14). according to their political points of view. Throughout their history they have always incited their supporters to indulge in such activities as “buss Labour people as..” and have are going the wrong way, TURN BACK. having earlier in the same article written about boasted of having “Force 10” from Cayon to deal with Labour people. One of the most saddening aspects of all this is Gaddafi ‘stopping a bullet with his head’. This is all It is also to be remembered that they always boasted of having the the fact that, after all these years, PAM has not so characteristic of PAM, the party of armed Police on their side. improved. To the contrary, they have become even violence. In 1965 (when they came into being) and 1966 they played on the worse. It also illustrates another favourite ploy of PAM, honest and well meaning desire of many of our citizens who felt that Having tasted stinging defeats at the hands of namely encouraging our people to leave their land. they wanted to see a better opposition in the country than what there Labour, four times in a row, and being well on the road What was done to Colonel Gaddafi is exactly had been up to that point in time. They whipped themselves and others to becoming irrelevant, they have become so desperate what they wanted to do to Mr Bradshaw and Mr into a frenzy and became convinced that they were popular and politically that they have gone overboard with their vitriolic Southwell in 1967. It is an established fact that they well supported. attacks on the Prime Minister. For years they have had plans to tie both gentlemen behind a land rover In the Elections of 1966 Labour, under Mr Bradshaw’s leadership, been trying to demonise him as they did with Mr and drag them through the streets of Basseterre, gave them a whipping that they have never forgotten. Bradshaw - The same old same old. after which they would have decapitated them, all At home and abroad they had made numerous promises and given because Mr Bradshaw and Mr Southwell were so certain undertakings on which they then found themselves unable to PAM: The Party of armed violence beloved by the people and much too politically deliver. They had so convinced themselves and others of a stunning What is of grave concern and moment is their powerful for PAM to have ever been able to defeat victory