Now, Labour Faces A Newspaper Alliance - April 23, 2001

by Earl Bousquet  

It was a weekend in which St. Lucia featured so prominently in Caribbean and world news, with Prime Minister Dr Kenny D. Anthony addressing the opening of an important summit of Latin American and Caribbean leaders in Canada, then proceeding to Argentina on an official visit that will result in the signing of several agreements between St. Lucia and the third largest democracy in Latin America.

There was also the announcement this past week that, hard on the heels of the Quebec Summit, the St. Lucia Prime Minister has been invited to make official visits to Argentina and Malaysia.

            St. Lucia was also in the front row at the opening of the 3^rd Summit of the Americas in Quebec, Canada, with the St. Lucia Prime Minister spelling out the Caribbean’s position on the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas, which 34 Caribbean and Latin American countries have agreed to establish in four years time.

            St. Lucia was also on the frontline in Brussels this past week, explaining why, even though the Caribbean’s banana producing states welcome the early agreement between the United States and the European Community on bananas at the WTO, we still need more help – and much more time to adjust.

St. Lucian Peter Hughes was also one of two Caribbean men on death row at the centre of a precedent-setting case this past week, in which Caribbean Appeal Court Judges accepted a defense lawyer’s argument, that hanging is not automatic when an accused is found guilty of murder.

            There was also the sad story of the Bexon man who died while working on an electricity pole. And the equally sad story of the death of Fr Gaillard in Martinique – of a heart attack – one day after a Thanksgiving Mass was held here, to celebrate his survival and that of the other victims of the Old Year’s Day Cathedral attack.

            On a happier note – there were the various launchings that took place in the past week. First, Jazz on the Square was launched in the North, while Jazz in the South promised to keep its accent on Caribbean jazz.

            The latest big announcement for the St. Lucia Jazz festival this year was that mega movie stars Steven Segal, Richard Roundtree (The Man Called SHAFT) and Sinbad will be coming for our tenth celebration of this annual national, regional and international event.

            There was also the launching of the first effort to introduce hitherto invisible “concerned citizens” to the chosen few, “the best brains in the country”, in whose hands, and in whose hands only, we are told, the destiny of us lesser mortals is supposed to lie.

            Then there was that other launching: of Chef Harry Drive at what was Old Victoria Road. As the Chef himself said, at 65, it was like a gift “from the Queen of England to the Prince of St. Lucia.”

            It was also announced this past week that Caribbean Nationals resident in St. Lucia will get together with the Salvation Army to revive the concept of a Caribbean Food Fair. (Annou Tjuis Ste Lisi encore?)

            There was also news that a local limbo group will perform at the special $1,000 per-plate gala dinner and awards ceremony in Florida, to be attended by the St. Lucia Prime Minister and the US President, next month.

            There was also news this past week about people who want to change things: Like Ms Lorraine Williams announcing that she will run for the Presidency of the Bar Association. Or Dr Vaughan Lewis announcing he’s been selected by his supporters to contest the Castries Central seat for the UWP in the next general elections.

But then, there was also the good news this past week about international links with and for our national health services, both private and public.

Tapion Hospital announced it had formed an alliance with the Baptist Health System, which, we have been told, is one of the best hospital systems in South Florida.

Canada too, announced a few days ago that it had put aside Cdn$126 million to help improve health and combat social ills in the Caribbean.

But, by far the most-talked-about event in political circles this past week was the failure of the “Concerned Citizens” to offer answers to the lingering questions regarding the ability of the proposed National Alliance to get off the ground – and remain intact.

The emergence of Voice Publisher Michael Gordon as a key player among the so-called “concerned citizens” was also a talking point, with many suggesting that apart from the political alliance being created, the St. Lucia Labour Party will also have to face a media alliance involving the island’s main newspapers.

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