Author: Editorial Staff

Government Underscores Commitment To Protecting Rights Of The Elderly

Minister for Equity, Social Justice, and Empowerment Joachim Henry has underscored the Saint Lucia government’s commitment to protecting the rights of elderly persons in a message on Saturday to mark the International Day of Older Persons.

The theme for the observance is ‘Resilience of Older Persons in a Changing World.’

“I take this opportunity to assure you that the Government of Saint Lucia remains committed to protecting the rights of our older persons and providing avenues for enhancing their well-being and embracing their participation,” Henry stated.

In this regard, the Minister noted that the Government has expressly included Elderly Care as part of the Health Ministry’s mandate.

And the Castries South East MP expects that the Ministry of Health will soon establish an Elderly Care Unit for dedicated attention to issues relevant to older people.

Additionally, Henry observed that the harmonised provisions of the revised National Policy for Older Persons and the updated National Social Protection Policy would also contribute to ensuring the protection of the rights of older persons.

He also explained that based on growing demand, the Government had expanded the Home-care programme of the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF) to ensure benefits to people in need.

Henry expressed gratitude to older persons in Saint Lucia, praising their hard work and contributions towards the development of Saint Lucia and its people.

Today, we salute you, both men and women for your resilience amidst adversity and your commitment to positively impact the developmental landscape of this beautiful land of ours,” he stated.

And the Minister urged all to advocate, promote and facilitate the inclusion of the voices and perspectives of older persons in national planning efforts.

“Let us also consider their needs as we seek to ensure that our national policies provide a holistic response to local, national, and global challenges and catastrophes,” Henry declared.

October 1, 2022
Taiwan Technical Mission, CAFRA Sign MOU To Promote Women Empowerment

On Wednesday, September 28, 2022, representatives from the Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM) and the Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote women empowerment.

The signing ceremony took place in the Ministry of Commerce’s Conference Room, Heraldine Rock Building, Waterfront, in Castries.

The Ministry of Commerce, Manufacturing, Business Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs facilitated the signing ceremony for the MoU between the TTM and CAFRA, towards the implementation of a “Women’s Economic Empowerment through Garment Construction and Soap Making Project”.

The project aims to assist the economic recovery and empowerment of Youth and Women in Latin America and the Caribbean in the post-COVID-19 era.

Participants for the project were selected based on their keen desire to participate and willingness to be part of the cooperative, which will be registered, to encourage them to work together for group projects/contracts after the training.

Invitations were sent to key groups to identify women who fit that description and the notices for persons to apply were also sent out.

Twenty women from Saint Lucia were selected from the project, and are from Vieux Fort, Soufriere, Castries North, Castries Southeast, Choiseul, and Castries East.

Those selected were either unemployed, women farmers who were willing to supplement their income, and women already into small operations which complement the project, for example, knitting, crochet, costume and jewelry.

The goal of the MoU is to support the establishment of a regional collaboration business model into the community.

The Taiwan Technical Mission and CAFRA will cooperate to develop training plans for 35 women from Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The women will benefit from training workshops that include support financial management and business establishment, improved and standardized quality of product, search for digital financial solution/ literacy, and establish a common branding for better marketing.

His Excellency Peter Chia-yen Chen, Taiwan’s Ambassador to Saint Lucia, said such areas of cooperation are concrete and vivid, adding that implementation of the “Technical Assistance for Youth & Women’s Employment, Entrepreneurship and Financial Inclusion” project has proven that significant changes are always brought about by small and individual changes.

“I would like to commend Hon. Emma Hippolyte for recognizing the importance of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and continuing to address their needs from all facets,” Ambassador Chen said. “This forms a big and strong support for our projects implemented in Saint Lucia. The Government of Taiwan believes that empowering youth and women through continued capacity building and investment in training and skills is essential to nation-building. We will keep working with the Government of Saint Lucia and other partnership to support youth and women entrepreneurs.”

Hon. Emma Hippolyte, Minister for Commerce, Manufacturing, Business Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs, thanked the Government of Taiwan for once again demonstrating their generosity to Saint Lucia.

She stated that Government recognizes and acknowledges the importance of empowerment of women and youth towards the advancement of their growth and independence.

“Going forward, it is intended that this project will enable the establishment and standardization of a regionally unique and identifiable brand of high quality garment and soap products recognizable in the world market,” Hon. Hippolyte said. “Once the brand becomes recognizable in the market, it is easier to achieve economic sustainability.”

According to Nadine Constantine, Coordinator/National Representative of CAFRA, this initiative could not have come at a better time.

She said hundreds of women applied for the training that only afforded limited spots, a reflection that women are very interested in participating and benefiting from meaningful projects.

“This important project will not only train the women in dress-making and soap-making, but it will facilitate the establishment of a cooperative enterprise, which will enable the participants to work together on joint contracts and projects, for their collective economic benefit,” said Constantine.

“I can tell you that every single participant who was selected to undertake this training has been waiting with great excitement for the start of the training.”

One of the participants in the project is Donna Felix from Soufriere, who confessed that she had missed the registration deadline, but was fortunate enough to be accepted. In the vote of thanks, she said participants will embrace every aspect of the opportunity they have been granted.

“Without the kind generosity and support of the Government and people of the Republic of China (Taiwan), none of this would be possible, and I want to reiterate our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Ambassador Chen for making this possible. We will never forget this gesture and we again assure you that we will make maximum use of this opportunity made possible through your kind donation towards women’s economic empowerment in Saint Lucia.”

Meanwhile, Calixte George Jr, Project Coordinator, said that despite the geographical distance between the two countries, Taiwan has become Saint Lucia’s leading development partner.

“It is quite ironic that an island country thousands of miles away from our shores is now so very integrally linked to development work here in Saint Lucia,” he said. “So we really have a lot to thank the Ambassador personally and, of course by extension, the 23 million citizens of Taiwan who are making these projects possible.”

SOURCE: Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Saint Lucia

October 1, 2022
Saint Lucia Freedom Coalition Urges COVID-19 Pandemic Postmortem

Saint Lucia’s Freedom Coalition has written Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre an open letter, urging a COVID-19 postmortem as the pandemic recedes and life gradually returns to normal.

Freedom Coalition President Fremont Lawrence signed the three-page September 28 letter to Pierre.

The letter said the postmortem was important to determine how Saint Lucia handled the COVID-19 situation and learn lessons to better manage any future ‘pandemic’.

And while commending Prime Minister Pierre for remaining true to his word in not implementing a mask mandate despite enormous pressure, Lawrence took issue with the recently revised COVID-19 protocols.

The Freedom Coalition President expressed concern and disappointment that the new measures empowered business owners to ‘control the lives of citizens’ by allowing business establishments to implement health measures at their discretion.

In addition, Lawrence raised several questions including why public servants have the option of not wearing masks, while businesses can impose mask wearing on their employees and the public.

“Why does St. Lucia continue to retain some of these ridiculous protocols when the rest of the world, including our Caribbean neighbours have dispensed with them?” He asked.

“Where is the upsurge in infections that was predicted to happen by Dr. Merle Clarke and the COVID-19 Management Team as a result of the government’s decision to allow un-vaxed mass crowd events like Gros Islet Friday, Calypso and steel band competitions and Carnival?” The Freedom Coalition President declared.

In addition, he asserted that it was long overdue for the Ministry of Health to authorize the release of the consignment of Ivermectin for use by doctors to treat COVID-19 and other health conditions since the COVID-19 vaccine has proven to be neither safe nor effective.

October 1, 2022
PAHO Urges Countries To Continue COVID-19 Testing, Increase Vaccination

In an update on COVID-19 presented at the 30th Pan American Sanitary Conference, the Director of Health Emergencies of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Ciro Ugarte, stated that “we are transitioning from an acute phase of the pandemic to more sustained control of the virus.”

Since the SARS-CoV-2 virus first appeared until the 17 September 2022, the Region of the Americas has reported more than 177 million cases and 2.8 million deaths, 29.1% and 43% of the global total respectively. In the last 14 days, cases increased by 0.7% and deaths by 0.3%.

Regarding the future of the pandemic, Ugarte said that the worst-case scenario, “particularly if we fail to ensure surveillance and increase vaccination coverage,” is one in which a more virulent and highly transmissible variant appears against which vaccines are less effective, thus prolonging the pandemic.

“We have been on a long journey these past 33 months,” Ugarte said, urging that the way forward requires resilient health systems and services based on primary care, strong epidemiological surveillance and the expansion of vaccination programs.

“The experience of COVID-19 showed us that countries need up-to-date emergency procedures, flexible public health measures and health networks that can rapidly deploy human resources and health supplies.”

During his presentation, Ugarte detailed the technical cooperation provided by PAHO and the achievements attained.

He also highlighted epidemiological intelligence as well as the strengthening and expansion of molecular detection in laboratories in the region, which have made it possible to track the virus and its variants, and to advise on policies to tackle it.

The Director of Health Emergencies at PAHO also highlighted the progress and challenges of vaccination in the Region. He said that almost 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered in the Americas, 150.8 million of which were delivered through PAHO’s Revolving Fund to 33 countries, many of them through donations.

While around 70% of people are fully vaccinated in Latin America and the Caribbean, Ugarte expressed concern that “averages hide the real situation in some countries where coverage remains low,” a factor that puts the region at risk of further waves as well as the appearance of new variants.

From its strategic reserve in Panama, PAHO has managed 227 shipments of health supplies to 35 countries and territories in the region, including diagnostic tests, personal protective equipment and medicines.

PAHO has also given workshops, formulated guidelines and carried out technical missions to strengthen countries’ response capacities at the first level of care, clinical management, rational use and sustainable use of oxygen, infection prevention and control, and risk communication, among others.

SOURCE: Pan American Health Organization

October 1, 2022
Man With Apparent Gunshot Injuries Found Dead In Vieux Fort

Police have launched an investigation after the discovery of a deceased male with apparent gunshot injuries in Bruceville, Vieux Fort.

At about 3:20 am on Saturday, officers were summoned to the scene.

The deceased has not yet been identified.

The Vieux Fort Fire station dispatched an ambulance after receiving a call for help, but found that the man was already dead.

There are no further details at present.

October 1, 2022
Activities Announced For Breast Cancer Awareness Month
by Fernelle Neptune

As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month observed in October, the Bureau of Health Education within the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs will host a series of activities aimed at raising awareness on breast health and encouraging the adoption of healthy habits to prevent breast cancer.

Health Educator in the Bureau of Health Education, Nadiege Smith-Lambert, spoke on the need to ensure information on breast health is widely available, and to encourage healthy behaviors such as screening and physical activity.

“For the 2022 observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Ministry of Health has decided to focus on ensuring that women are knowledgeable of breast screening services within their communities and that they are taking advantage of those services,” she said. “The Bureau of Health Education has also decided to continue placing special focus on young ladies from their adolescent years into their productive years, aged 12-40, engaging them at schools, workplaces and wellness centres.”

Smith-Lambert said it is necessary that the focus of raising awareness on breast cancer prevention be tied in with physical activity.

“The theme for this year’s observance is “Saint Lucia MOVES – MOVE to fight Breast Cancer” with the acronym for MOVE being:

M- Mobilize schools, families, workplaces and communities

O- Offer and access screening services within our communities

V- Varied age appropriate physical activity

E- Educate on breast health and healthy eating habits

“The theme was chosen in light of the recently launched Saint Lucia Moves Campaign which encourages physical activity within schools, workplaces and communities.”

The Health Educator also spoke on upcoming breast cancer awareness activities and encouraged Saint Lucians to participate. Activities for this year includes:
- Pink Fridays – Work places and communities are invited to dress in pink or decorate work stations or the main entrance in pink with a message to generate visibility and demonstrate their championing of the cause of breast cancer prevention. Community members are invited to access screening services at the various Wellness Centres around the island.
- Host a number of Breast health education seminars and screening activities throughout the month of October at workplaces.
- Engage secondary school-aged ladies on Breast Health
Saint Lucians can access free breast screenings at various wellness centres during the month of October. The Bureau of Health Education also calls for the celebration of breast cancer survivors and warriors.

SOURCE: Ministry of Health, Wellness & Elderly Affairs
October 1, 2022
‘Vieux Fort Has Turned Into A Ghost Town’

Over the past few weeks, gun violence and volleys of gunshots have rung out in Vieux Fort, creating fear for users of the town both in broad daylight and under cover of darkness.

This unfortunate situation has negatively impacted the business community in Vieux Fort as many persons who frequent the town and patronise businesses have stayed away during this time.

Vieux Fort has turned into a ghost town, especially on evenings.

Sadly, this is happening just when the economy and business community had begun a slow restart after the two-year plus crippling COVID-19 pandemic.

It is also occurring just when the inflation as a result of the ongoing war in Ukraine started taking effect, causing spikes in the cost of commodities, especially fuel.

The alleged inner community rivalry has created a negative turnaround and a compounding of the existing situation.

This situation has dramatically affected the fishing sector.

Fishers, to a great extent, begin their operations early. But, unfortunately, the fishing port, with its dilapidated infrastructure, lack of fencing, and little to no user controls, has made it even more vulnerable and a seemingly reliable entry and exit point for criminal elements.

In fact, just earlier this month, the fishing port was the site of an early morning volley of gunshots.

This situation has caused many fishers to stay away from fishing completely or begin their day much later and end earlier.

Of course, this is having a crippling effect on the fishing sector, evident in the sales decline at the cooperative.

The sector will celebrate Fishermen’s Feast only a few days from now.

But, in light of the current ‘unsafe’ situation, despite efforts by the Vieux Fort South Constituency Council and the Goodwill Fishermen’s Co-operative, many of the activities such as the traditional Weiss and domino competitions were called off.

It is past due that the guns are put down, that the town becomes a place where users are free to conduct business or partake in social activities.

We call on the authorities to take the bull by the horns and deal with the problem’s root cause collaboratively.

As a Southerner, this issue is of great concern to me.

Headline photo: A stray bullet this month pierces a window and enters a private home in Vieux Fort. No one was injured.

Note: Kaygianna Toussaint Charlery is a government Senator and the Operations Manager of the Goodwill Fishermen’s Co-operative. The views expressed are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of St Lucia Times.

June 28, 2022
The Role Of Caribbean Insurance In Building Sustainable Communities & Economies
When the governments of the world came together in Paris in 2015 for COP21, it was Small Island Developing States (SIDS), led by the Caribbean, who argued most vigorously that the world needs to limit its average temperature rise before 2100 to 1.5 Celsius and not 2.0 Celsius as many had suggested.

“1.5 to stay alive” was the slogan, first advocated by the Caribbean delegation, led by Dr James Fletcher, at the time of COP21 Saint Lucia’s Minister for Sustainable Development and Energy, under which he voice of SIDS successfully united and together they got the world to agree on the 1.5C target in the Paris Agreement, and which was used again as the rallying cry of the Caribbean at COP26 in Glasgow last year.

By 2022, it is clear that Climate Change is an understatement – it is a Climate Crisis. We have already reached close to 1.2C average temperature increase and the World Meteorological Organization has concluded that we now have 50% chance that the world will experience a temperature of 1.5C above pre-industrial average within the next five years. In 2015 there was 0% chance of that occurring.

But staying under 1.5C rise is not to be understood as a safe-harbour. At 1.5 degrees Celsius, the islands of the Caribbean “are only guaranteed half a chance of a liveable future” according to Michael Taylor, Professor of Climate Science and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona Campus.

There is a world of difference between 1.5C and 2C. The world will lose 70-90% of corals at 1.5C, at 2C 99% of corals will be lost. Fisheries will decline twice as much, three times as many insects will be lost at 2C etc. But here is the kicker: according to the national targets governments set up to last year we are heading to 2.4C and if we base our estimates on the actual policies and actions governments are undertaking, then we can expect 2.7C or as high as 3.7C.

So, whichever way you look at this – it is a full-blown emergency – we need to do our utmost to avert damage, reduce impact, and protect people, communities and the nature that we are part of. We are already experiencing the effects – if you think that it is ‘hot these days’ – well, Dr James Fletcher, now Managing Director of SOLORICON Saint Lucia, aptly reminds us: this is the coolest it will be in your lifetime. It will get a lot worse fast if, or before, it will ever get better.

Risks facing the Caribbean insurance industry

The Climate emergency (and the other emergencies, such as the rate of biodiversity loss, pollution, inequality, health, etc) exposes insurance companies to three main categories of risks:
1. Physical risks – for example the effects of severe weather events –storms, flooding, droughts, etc. on people, communities, and business. Physical risks are becoming so high that ‘insurability and affordability of premiums will become even bigger problems than they already are. Even at current rates there is a huge insurance gap – governments and the most vulnerable are not or cannot insure what they should.
2. Transition risks – there will be huge changes in the demand for insurance as a result of the different decarbonisation paths and speeds across sectors. Different lines of business, sectors, and geographic regions will experience things very differently. A very important part of an insurance company’s business model is how they invest the premiums they collect for underwriting risks. At present, insurance companies in the Caribbean are not very climate conscious investors and they are thereby experiencing and are themselves contributing to huge risk exposures through investments in unsustainable companies. At present most are caught in and are contributing to a vicious cycle.
3. Litigations risks – insurance companies themselves and their customers are increasingly exposed to risks of being sued for inadequacy of their ESG practices. However, most insurance companies are not yet tracking or preparing for these risks.
Insuring the Transition

The 40^th Annual Caribbean Insurance Conference took place June 5-7 in the Bahamas. The biggest theme across the presentations and discussions was not only the risk that insurance companies are facing, but also the critical and urgent role that this industry should play in the Caribbean – that of insuring the transition to a more sustainable future.

Insurance companies are often referred to as “societies’ risk managers.” The true purpose of insurance companies is, according to Christian Mumenthaler, CEO of SwissRe, “to make the world more resilient.” And it is resilience that people, communities, the financial system and companies, need in the face of the crises.

The insurance industry has a triple role in sustainable development, according to Butch Bacani, Programme Leader at the UN Environment Programme’s Principles for Sustainable Insurance Initiative (PSI), the largest collaboration between the UN and the global insurance industry:
- First, as risk managers through their expertise in catastrophe risk modelling and managing physical risks and preventing losses. This expertise is critical for businesses, cities, and communities as they seek to understand, mitigate, and protect against, and manage the risks they are facing.
- Second, as insurers. As underwriters of risk, insurers protect households, businesses and governments by absorbing financial shocks, particularly those due to extreme weather events. Moreover, insurers are key enablers for the real economy and can engage with their clients on their decarbonisation pathways. Insurance solutions can de-risk the assets and activities that are driving decarbonisation—from renewable energy, zero-emission transport and electrification of industry, through to green buildings and nature-based solutions.
- Third, as investors. Caribbean insurance companies must, in accordance with legislative requirements, invest 70-80% of the premiums in assets in local markets. That means that insurance companies hold significant shares in many local companies. Insurance companies should ensure that the companies they invest in transition to net-zero and nature-positive governance and business models so that they reduce the risk, and are part of the solution and not the problem.
At the conference, Bacani suggested that the insurance industry and its key stakeholders consider developing a sustainable insurance roadmap for the region. “A Caribbean Sustainable Insurance Roadmap is essentially a comprehensive regional strategy and action plan that would harness the insurance industry’s risk management services, insurance solutions and investments to accelerate the transition to resilient, net-zero, nature-positive and inclusive Caribbean communities and economies,” said Bacani. “Such a roadmap could also serve as the foundational framework for the Caribbean insurance industry to support the global agenda of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half, reversing nature loss, and achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals during this UN Decade of Action.”

The governance of companies must be transformed, retooled, engaged in new ways with different actors to take a leadership role. My own conference presentation showed how insurance companies can practically address these risks and opportunities through purpose-driven ESG programmes.

According to Musa Ibrahim, President of the Insurance Association of the Caribbean (IAC) and Managing Director of TATIL AND TATIL LIFE, “The industry is committed to working with its members, regulators, policy makers and stakeholders to make insurance cover and our investment practices relevant to the real risks of the climate crisis; and in so doing to take a leadership position in the financial sector. The looming “Climate Crisis” changes the dynamic of the industry. Reinsurance capacity may contract as reinsurers may withdraw capacity, this will create demand and supply pressures on pricing. Notwithstanding this, our primary objective is to the stop the accelerated rate of climate crisis impacts. We must act swiftly and act now!”

Dr Axel Kravatzky is managing partner of Trinidad & Tobago based Syntegra-ESG Ltd vice-chair of ISO/TC309 Governance of organizations, the co-convenor and editor of ISO 37000 Governance of organizations – Guidance. He is currently the project leader for ISO 37006 Indicators of effective governance.

Disclaimer: the views presented are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of any of the organizations he is associated with.

Comments and feedback that further the regional dialogue are welcome at axel.kravatzky@syntegra-esg.com
June 10, 2022
The Young Men Of Today – SMH

Contributed Article by Irvin Springer: So last week I am walking by the Cathedral when a young guy vending on the wall looks in my direction and says “Fatman, you giving me a sale today.”

Of course I totally ignored him. Yes I know I am fat but to me that’s a disrespectful way to address a potential customer.

Passing back, I see him approaching a well dressed older lady working at a law firm shouting: “Shabs buy something nuh” then makes a comment about her ass when she totally ignores him.

I walked up to the young man, identified myself and told him what I did for a living. He is selling dahls, burgers and cakes in the basket made by his grandmother. I asked how many items has he sold. He responded only 2 as things rough, people not buying.

I asked him – doesn’t he believe his approach more turns off customers rather than attracts them? Instead of addressing people as ‘Fatman’, ‘shabs’, ‘my girl’, ‘coolie boy’ etc why doesn’t he try “good morning sir/madam I am a young entrepreneur can I interest you in some of my products?”

I also advised him that he is selling food so his appearance needs to be improved as he more looks like a drug dealer than a young businessman. He says he understands where I am coming from and will try it out.

So there I am walking away feeling great as I did a good deed for the day, he shouts out “Fatman, you passing to give me a sale tomorrow?”

I give up !!!!

Headline photo: Stock image of Castries Flea market

June 2, 2022
Wherever Naomi London Goes, Applause Follows

By Cyann Alfred: As schools nationwide welcomed their students back to the third consecutive academic term, Vieux Fort comprehensive Secondary School opened with a bang, celebrating the triumph of their very own track and field superstar, Naomi London.

London, a third form student, represented St. Lucia in the 2022 Carifta Games, finishing sixth in the 100m Girls U17, second in the heats and third in the semi-finals.

With thunderous applause and radiant smiles, Naomi, accompanied by her family were
welcomed by her peers and the rest of the school’s population.

Mrs. Ava Peter, Acting Principal of Vieux Fort Comprehensive Secondary School, and Acting Vice Principal Ms. Lydia Charlery, beaming with pride addressed Ms. London and the school.

The pair voiced their appreciation and admiration to Naomi and in no uncertain terms encouraged pupils to put their best foot forward in any endeavors they undertake.

The celebration, however, did not end there.

A fellow teacher, Mr. Jawahill then serenaded Ms. London and her family with a harmonious trombone composition.

Naomi expressed her gratitude for the overwhelming love and support she had received after receiving a bouquet of flowers and a token of appreciation from her homeroom sponsor, Ms. Edwards, and Physical Education teacher, Mr. Elien.

She left the students with a few words to contemplate, noting that despite challenges, they should always be grateful for the opportunities and lessons learnt.

Students and staff alike at our prestigious school congratulate Naomi on her achievements
and future endeavors.

We are the home to stars perfecting their shine to illuminate the world.

April 29, 2022