NationWIDE THE OFFICIAL NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SAINT LUCIA NationSATURDAY FEBRUARYWIDE 6, 2016 Biggest-ever Local Cricket Tournament Bowls-off Today! The 2016 Independence Celebrations get under way today, with the biggest- n ever local cricket tournament bowling off at the brand new Dennery Playing field this afternoon. The Prime Minister’s National T-20 Cricket Tournament ICT Training Under Way in the South! - Page 3 will give local players chances to both play their best and earn the most, while entertaining crowds backing the various teams (Story on Back Page). The Destination Saint Lucia Scores Big at World Independence 37 program has also been launched (See Page 2), following Wedding Expo! - Page 3 on the heels of the recent opening of Walcott Place, a new national cultural museum at the birthplace of the island’s only surviving Nobel Prizewinner Gas Price Here Lowest in OECS! - Page 4 (See Centre Pages 6 and 7). This issue also highlights the full text of the Prime Minister’s New Year Address (See Page 9), as well as all you need to Coconuts on the Rebound! - Page 5 know about the latest pronouncements on the Zika virus by world, regional and local leaders and health officials (See Page 12). The Diplomatic Courier CELAC Adopts CARICOM’s Reparations Call - column updates you on the latest related national, regional and international Page 8 issues, at home and abroad (See Page 8). As always, Nationwide starts your Zika Gets National Health weekend with an early and fresh update on what the Government of Saint Priority Status! - Page 12 Lucia has been doing and saying, in the name of country and people, at home and abroad. Read and Enjoy! And remember to 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 February 6, 2016 Editorial Of Minors, Children and The Law… he ease with which we “as a country, Saint Lucia arrive at conclusions we has a right to tell interna- 2016 Calendar of National Events deem logical can some- T tional community that it is times be mind-boggling. time to re-examine the issue, DATE EVENT VENUE TIME Home Affairs and National to determine whether what 2016Independence Calendar Netball Classic of NationalVarious Communities Events Security Minister Senator Vic- obtained in the past is still (Netball Saint Lucia) tor La Corbiniere treaded very relevant today.” carefully earlier this week, in The minister noted that School Independence Celebrations School Districts response to a question from “Many of today’s minors are (Ministry of Education) the media about when a minor far more mature, and they Feb. 6 Prime Minister’s Cup T/20 Cricket Various Communities or child can be charged for a fully understand what they DATE EVENT Championship VENUE TIME criminal offense. are doing at an earlier age.” Without pointing to a He insisted that “Youth re- Feb. 6 Independence Beach Volleyball Sandy Beach, Vieux Fort specific case, the minister sponsibility cannot be sim- Championship responsible for implementa- ply assessed by age, because (SaintIndependence Lucia NetballVolleyball Classi cAssociation) Various Communities tion of the island’s laws had today’s youth are maturing (Netball Saint Lucia) Feb. 7 Independence Table Tennis Beausejour Indoor Facility to point out the real fact that at an earlier age.” Championship (Saint Lucia National “many minors today are ful- The average reporter had School Independence Celebrations School Districts Table Tennis Association) ly aware of their actions.” wrongly assumed that guilt (Ministry of Education) The question was posed or innocence is judged by age. Feb. 13 Independence Invitational Games George Odlum Stadium, Vieux Fort 10:00 a.m. to the minister against the But, as the minister correctly Feb. 6 (SaintPrime Minister’s Lucia Athletics Cup T/20 Cri Association)cket Championship Various Communities backdrop of the arrest of a pointed out, time changes Feb. 13 Kia National Independence Tennis Saint Lucia National Tennis Centre 4:00 p.m. 16-year-old female charged just as the climate does, with Feb. 6 IndependenceTournament Beach Volleyball Championship Sandy Beach, Vieux Fort with “non-capital murder” the passage of time. (Saint(Saint LuciaLucia Volleyball Tennis Association) Association Inc.) in the death of a Bagatelle Young persons in the Inter- man over 40 years her senior. net Age are not at all as inno- Feb. 13 National Sports Awards(Ministry of National Cultural Centre 7:00 p.m. The man was found in a cent and unaware of wrong Youth Development and Sports) Feb. 7 Independence Table Tennis Championship Beausejour Indoor Facility pool of blood at his home and right as might have been Feb. 18 (Saint LuciaNational National Day Table of Tennis Prayer Association) Islandwide 6:00 a.m. late last month. felt decades ago. The case has highlighted Feb. 19 National Colours Day Island wide Too many youth today what some in the local press have rejected all adult please Feb. 19 Ecumenical Service(Ministry of Social Minor Basilica of the Immaculate 9:30 a.m. consider discrepancies in to avoid violence and settle Feb. 13 Independence Invitational Games George Odlum Stadium, Vieux Fort 10:00 a.m. Transformation) Conception Saint Lucia’s domestic laws disputes peacefully. They (Saint Lucia Athletics Association) Feb. 19 St. Aloysius R.C. Boys’ Infant School Castries Circuit 10:00 a.m. relating to the definition of consciously embrace and Road Race a minor and the definition cultivate a love for the un- Feb. 13 Kia National Independence Tennis Tournament Saint Lucia National Tennis Centre 4:00 p.m. enshrined in the United derworld, even involving Feb. 20 Independence(Saint Lucia Tennis Bikers Association Extravaganza Inc.) Castries Waterfront 10:00 a.m. Nations Convention of the occultism and other shady (Lucian Street Riders Motorcycle Club) Rights of the Child. aspects of the modern crime Feb.Feb. 13 20 National Independence Sports Awards Bayfest National Cultur Rodneyal Centre Bay 7:0012:00 p.m. p.m. Saint Lucia is a signatory to world. the convention, which holds To expect the law today not Feb. 20 (MinistryIndependence of Youth Development Volleyball and Sports) Beausejour Indoor Practice Facility that a child is below the age to also grow-up and under- Championship of eighteen. However, local stand the effects of today’s (Saint Lucia Volleyball Association) Feb. 18 National Day of Prayer Islandwide 6:00 a.m. laws say that from the age changed circumstances on Feb. 20 Roseau Valley & South Castries Youth Marigot Secondary School of twelve, an individual can the thinking and behavior & Sports Council Creole Spelling be held liable for a criminal of today’s young people is Competition (National Youth Council) offence. to call on the law to bury its Feb. 19 National Colours Day Island wide Asked to explain Saint Lu- head in the sand like most of Feb. 20 Miss Independence Pageant 2016 Nat’l Cultural Centre 7:00 p.m. cia’s position, the National us still do, especially when Feb. 20 Independence Challenge Around the Island 4:00 p.m. Security Minister said, “Mi- we consider the matter is & 21 nors were very actively in- “Not my business!” Feb. 21 Mon Repos Road Relay Mon Repos 7:00 a.m. volved in a lot of the recent But if we ever have to get gang violence involving a handle on youth violence Feb. 21 Babonneau Youth & Sports Council Babonneau Playing Field shootings and killings here, and crime, our attitudes have Edurama Fair (National Youth Council) some of whom are awaiting to go through as much a sea Feb. 21 Lobster & Seafood Fiesta Fisheries Complex 10:00 a.m. trial at the Bordelais Correc- change as the minds of our (Ministry of Agriculture) tional Facility.” children are going through As a lawyer of good stand- at a rate that outpaces their Feb. 21 Carenage Craze Castries Waterfront 12:00 p.m. ing with responsibility parents and grandparents. Feb. 21 Naming of the new Hospital Hospital Grounds 3:00 p.m. for law and order and na- There’s been rapid climate (Ministry of Health) tional security, Senator La change in the minds and val- Corbiniere said Saint Lucia ues of our your people and Feb. 21 Cocktail Reception Prime Minister’s Official Residence 7:30 p.m. “is clearly bound by interna- the quicker we adapt to that Feb. 22 Military Parade (Mindoo Philip Park) 8:00 a.m. tional conventions.” change the better for the en- (Royal Saint Lucia Police Force) “However,” he also said, tire society. Feb. 22 Cultural Expo Mindoo Philip Park 8:00 a.m. Feb. 22 National Celebratory Rally Mindoo Philip Park 2:00 p.m. Feb. 22 JETE Dance Competition Mindoo Philip Park 5:00 p.m. (Ministry of Tourism) Feb. 22 SLAM Concert (Ministry of Tourism) Mindoo Philip Park 7:00 p.m. Feb. 25 Independence Lecture: Vladimir Gros Islet Secondary 7:30 p.m. Lucien “The Artist and Saint Lucia: An School’sAuditorium exploration of the Saint Lucian Self” Feb. 25 NYC Annual Independence Debate National Insurance Corporation’s 3:00 p.m. (National Youth Council) Conference Room Feb. 27 Youth Vision Mapping Pigeon Island National Landmark 10:00 a.m. Feb. 28 D.A.S.H Independence Colour Run Choc - Rodney Bay 6:30 a.m. Feb. 28 Map4Saint Lucia’ Mapathon National ICT Centre 9:00 a.m. (Ministry of the Public Service) Feb. 28 Independence Challenge Swim Meet Rodney Heights Aquatic Centre 10:00 a.m. (St. Lucia Amateur Swimming Association) Feb. 28 Order of Saint Lucia Government House 2:00 p.m. (Office of the Governor General) March St.