Jazz in the Air and Carnage on the Roads - May 15, 2001

by Earl Bousquet

Prime Minister Dr Kenny D. Anthony returned Sunday from an official visit to Malaysia to the good news of the success of the 10^th St. Lucia Jazz Festival. But he was also very concerned about the continuing carnage on the island’s roads by reckless drivers, which took the lives of three primary school students while he was away.

                The three Micoud students were awaiting transport at their usual place when a vehicle slammed into them, killing two on the spot and a third died later at hospital. By some strange twist of imagination, Alliance Leader George Odlum, Micoud RC Parish priest Fr Lambert St. Rose and the Voice newspaper blamed the government for the deaths. They argued, in different ways and with different words, that the removal of a subsidy for school transport for secondary students several years ago resulted in the accident involving primary students.

                The Ministry of Education clarified the position, pointing out that it was in fact the UWP administration that agreed to end the $3.2 million World Bank subsidy for transporting secondary students and use the money to build secondary schools instead, in those areas where they were most needed.

                The St. Lucia Teachers Union too, said it saw no connection whatsoever between the withdrawal of the subsidy and the deaths.

                In the meantime, the Government announced it would undertake the costs associated with burial of the students, while the rest of the nation shared collective grief over the unfortunate loss of three tender lives. But no sooner had it done so, it was also announced that a Vieux Fort-based undertaker had undertaken to undertake all the costs associated with the burial. The ministry welcomed what it thought was a genuine gesture, only to be castigated by pro-Alliance broadcasters and political commentators from having first offered to undertake all the costs and funeral arrangements. The Education Minister also led a delegation to visit the relatives of the deceased, as well as the other injured victims of the accident.

                Former Prime Minister Sir John Compton tried hard to deflect attention from his administration’s refusal to honour the provisions of a signed World Bank contract by raising smokescreens about government’s payment of $15 million owed to private sector companies and agencies and claiming the monies were from an unidentified fund his regime had supposedly set aside for payment of backpay to public servants. But Mr Compton has so far failed to produce any evidence to support either of his claims.

                While Sir John continued to write letters in the press and articles praising himself, the nation continued to watch in bewilderment as the leadership of the proposed Alliance struggled to explain the difference between the positions of President and political leader. The holders f the position offered different interpretations, with the Political leader saying it was “just another name fr Chairman.”

                Mr Odlum also last Wednesday made another hopeless attempt at explaining what the Alliance is about in a appearance on DBS’ Newsmaker Live. Buttonholed by a persistent “no nonsense” caller, he confidently stated that should the Alliance win the next general election, “I will be the Prime Minister.” But the Alliance President insisted, even after Odlum’s statement, that “after an election, the Governor General shall call upon he who commands the support of the most elected members to become Prime Minister.” He indicated Mr Odlum’s pronouncement was premature and posed the question: “What will happen if he (Odlum) loses his seat in the next election?”

                These minor political distractions notwithstanding, the Prime Minister reported his official visit to malaysia – the first by a St. Lucia Prime Minister despite an official visit here during the UWP administration by that country’s Prime Minister Dr Mahatir Mohamad – has resulted in the signing of a joint cooperation agreement between the two countries, which have enjoyed diplomatic ties for several years.

                The main areas of cooperation, the Prime Minister said, covered information technology and tourism, with the Malaysian government agreeing to provide technical cooperation assistance in those areas.

                The Prime Minister’s return coincided with the closing of what by all accounts was a successful jazz festival. For a tenth consecutive year, St. Lucians and thousands of visitors from far and near. Image Entertainment, a division of the BET Channel, announced it would be producing 10 DVDs entitled “Live from the St. Lucia Jazz Festival” that will feature some of the greatest performances over the first decade of the now world-famous event, which also attracts many celebrities every year.

                But the success of the Festival was not only at Pigeon Island and the northern venues. This year, Jazz in the South was it its best ever and has become a mainstage for local and Caribbean performers of various types of music.

                In other news from government quarters this past week, The Office of the Prime Minister announced the Prime Minister will be travelling to Florida next weekend for  a series of political engagements that will include an address to a gala dinner organised in honour of himself and US President George W. Bush at the upcoming convention of the Florida Federation of Young Republicans (FFYR).

The Ministry of Agriculture announced that the government-funded Leaf Spot Control programme got under way at banana fields across the island, effectively debunking a claim by Alliance President Sir John Compton that the government had evaded its responsibility to the island’s banana farmers.

                The growing tendency of dependence on government for almost everything was addressed during the past week by the President of the Organisation of Goverment Pensioners. Former Permanent secretary Cornelius Lubin said the government should not continue to be treated as something that had to be “everything to everybody at the same time.” He noted government was shrinking and its coffers conracting as a result of such measures as privatisation, which made it difficult for it to continue to provide for everyone as it was once able to.

                Sir Arthur Lewis Community College this past week expanded its Hospitality Trades school to cater for the expanding trained personal and staff needs of the industry. Yhere was also talk about a proposition to establish a hotel training institute at Massade that will also include a small hotel for training, as well as a conference room.

                There was also good news this past week that the local AIDS Action Foundation has secured sources for cheaper drugs to fight the ailment, as efforts continue to provide affordable care for persons afflicted with the disease.

                There was also good news from the literary world this past week, with the announcement of the publication of a series of poems by local writers. Entitled “miscellaneous”, the publication was compiled by noted St. Lucian writer Mc Donald Dixon and is being widely circulated, schools included.

                The week under review ended with callers to Andre Paul’s “What Makes Me Mad” prgramme on HTS, questioning and commenting on the latest political outburst. Some callers openly called on the Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs, the Roman Catholic Archbishop and/or the Archbishop’s Press secretary to clear the air as to whether Fr St Rose’s latest attack on the Prime Minister and the Government, blaming them for the death of the three Micoud students, represents the church’s position.

                Meanwhile, the three students were buried today.

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