By: Spokesman Newsroom

BASSETERRRE, St.Kitts (Friday 6^th September 2019)-Credible information reaching this media house indicates that the Ministry of Education has received the report from a second mold testing carried out at the Cayon High School and that there are plans to do another testing by Bureau of Standards sometime next week as officials have yet to determine when the learning institution would be safe to begin the new school year.

While it is unclear at the time when the results arrived on island, it is understood that the ministry received a report sometime on Wednesday 4^th September.

This media house has also discovered somewhat conflicting detail sharing as it relates to when the mold presence issue was addressed early on.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Shawn Richards gave an update about the school during the sitting of parliament on Tuesday 3^rd September indicating that the results from a recent test were expected this week.

“We would have gotten the test back wasn’t it for the fact that hurricane Dorian would have been in our area sometime during the course of last week and as a result of that we had some difficulties with getting out the samples be it via FedEx or DHL. The samples, however, have since been sent and as you might be aware yesterday was a holiday in the US and so we’re hoping that perhaps between today and tomorrow, we would have the results of the recent tests which were done at the Cayon High School.”

According to him, “During the summer vacation, the entire school was fumigated to treat termite infested spaces at the school. At present, a professional cleaning company is contracted to clean the entire school. All spaces have been power washed and sprayed with chemicals that would remove any final trace of mold infestation.”

Richards disclosed that as a result of the extensive cleaning, that is underway at the school, the Ministry of Education conducted yet another meeting with the staff of the Cayon High School on August 29th at ICCS (Immaculate Conception Catholic School) auditorium.

At 4:30 p.m. on that same day, officials from the Ministry of Education met with the parents and guardians of students attending the school. The audiences at both meetings received the salient information from the first tests carried out by the Bureau of Standards. Both audiences received the commitment of the Ministry of Education that the Cayon High School will be declared safe before teachers and students are allowed to reoccupy the space at this institution. Based on this commitment, the opening of the Cayon High School for the 2019/2020 school year has been delayed. The ministry is working assiduously to have the cleaning of the Cayon High School completed before a decision on its reopening is made.”

The Education Minister had indicated during his opening remarks that upon receipt of a written report by the Cayon High School indicating that it was evident that mold was present at the school’s science labs, the Ministry of Education responded swiftly and decisively.

He said the ministry immediately engaged the Bureau of Standards to conduct testing in the science labs and elsewhere and that tests carried out “confirmed that mold was present in the science labs.”

“As matter of fact the report, Mr. Speaker, is stated that the only two labs that is a biology and a chemistry lab had an amount of mold that was in excess of what would be considered to be acceptable. The report also confirmed that the level of mold found was not significantly high. The science labs were cleaned, cupboards removed and subsequently retesting has taken place,” Richards noted.

According to him, the ministry convened numerous meeting with the staff of the school to give updates on what steps were taken to address the presence of mold in the science labs.  

“The concerns of the teachers were addressed; many of their suggestions were taken into consideration in determining the way forward. As a result of discussions with teachers, other spaces on the school’s campus were tested. The results of these tests would be made available on receipt.”

According to a reliable source in speaking to this media house: ” I am not sure who invited the  Bureau of Standards  to do the initial testing  but they did some testing at one of the labs…they did those tests in March and later on they called a meeting and sent home the students. They didn’t show us the report but they told us it (the mold presence) was higher than normal.”

The mold matter took a controversial turn on Monday 26^th August when several teachers who showed up for work, stood outside the school’s gate refusing to enter.

The new school year officially began on Monday 2^nd September which has seen hundreds of students around the Federation entering and returning to their respective schools.

BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 30^th August 2019)- Over the past weekend, 11 children, both boys and girls ages 5 to 15, took part in the graduation ceremony, for the 13^th  annual banjo, guitar, fife and cuatro summer instrument workshop, held at the Zack’s Historical-Cultural Library & Museum located at the Buckley’s Estate. 

Seated in the audience were family members and other well-wishers. A few of the other workshop participants were unable to attend.

This year’s workshop-observed under the theme ‘Discipline Is Still The Key’- began on Monday 29^th July and ended on Saturday 24^th August with that graduation ceremony. Each child received a certificate of participation.  

Veteran musician Wilmoth ‘Mighty Jules’ Solis from the Dieppe Bay community was the workshop tutor while the usual workshop coordinator was Winston ‘Zack’ Nisbett, better known as the Doctor of Culture.

At the recent musical event, the audience was treated to a recital by the children accompanied by Nisbett on the shak-shak and Solis on the guitar with the combined strumming of banjos and guitars as well as the beating of the traingle in the singing of songs.

Nisbett in addressing the audience talked about the significance of the children being disciplined in the field of music and as individuals in general.

Guest Speaker at this year’s graduation ceremony was well-known writer Lorna Callender, a former permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education.

“When you have learnt the instrument now, you have a sense of pride to do other things because before you came to this course, you couldn’t play the instruments and now you can so just try to be better and better and then you can say maybe I can play another instrument-some maybe you will do the guitar, some of you maybe the flute, maybe the keyboard so on. Don’t think you will stop here because this is the beginning .It is the language for all the world. It is a universal language and you know that when you play for a tourist whether they can speak English or not, they still appreciate your music and you still see them tapping their feet even babies so music is a language that everybody can take. It is also the language of love. You don’t realise the talent and the power you have inside of you but it can help you. This workshop will show you that you can do anything you put your mind to,” she commented.

Callender continued: “You have learnt rhythm and so on then you will learn melody so you are beginning of a whole new world and please explore it so that you would know education isn’t just for the classroom; education can occur anywhere you are so make the whole island your classroom, keep curious about everything and ask questions when you don’t understand; no question is a silly question. If you want to know, you ask questions and now you’re in a world that we didn’t even have because you have Google and you can find out anything you want so use the lovely brain God gave you. Sometimes I think that your mind or your imagination is the magic that is within you and if you learn to develop it, it will take you anywhere in the world.”

She encouraged the youngsters to turn to music during times of unhappy moods and to keep away from negative behaviour.

“Remember it can change your moods. If you’re about to get into a fight, go and take up your banjo and play or if you and your mother have a quarrel or you’re vexed, it will chase the mood away.”

At the end of her presentation, Callender gave each student a copy of one of her late husband’s (Timothy Callender) books entitled ‘SEARCHERS SECRET & SIELNCES described to be a detective thriller in VERSE. Her departed spouse was a well-known author from Barbados.

BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 30^th August 2019) -Two well-known members of the Rastafari community in St.Kitts-Nevis, Ras Sankofa Maccabbee and Delroy ‘Ras I-Roy’ Pinney, have disclosed that in light of the unsatisfied view of the Drugs (Prevention and Abatement of the Misuse and Abuse of Drugs) 2019 Bill amended earlier this month, a follow-up visit to the court is being thought about.

This media house spoke with the Rastas last Friday afternoon (23rd August) during the annual sensitisation march and rally organised by the Rastafari Nyabinghi Theocracy Order in partnership with the Organisation of Rastafari in Unity (ORU).

‘WHY IS MARIJUANA ILLEGAL’, ‘LEGAL MARIJUANA IS REDUCTION IN CRIME’, ‘MARIJUANA IS MUCH LESS HARMFUL TO THE BODY COMPARED TO CIGARETTES AND ALCOHOL’ ,  ‘JUSTIC IS A PRODUCT OF EDUCATION. IF WE ARE EDUCATED WHY DENY US OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS’ and ‘STOP BEAT UP RASTAMAN FOR MARIJUANA’ were some of the placard messages.

 “This year now is a little more special in the march because we won our constitutional case in the court and so people come out in numbers to support the victory but we still also marching because we’re not so satisfied with the changing of the Drug Act to fit the way that the court presented because we still feel that there is still some form of infringement on our constitutional rights,” said Ras Sankofa who had a sign which read ‘Ganja is a plant made by the Most High’.

It was his civil suit won in May this year against the Attorney General and Commissioner of Police after he was arrested in 2012 for marijuana possession with intent to supply and also cultivation for which he was imprisoned for a month and fine $5000 which led to Justice Eddy Ventose’s ruling for a 90-day timeframe for the government to make changes to the law.

Ras Sankofa added: “For example, if you’re saying I could only have four or five plants, supposed all the plants come male trees that wouldn’t help us so much with sacramental because in sacramental we use the herb for meditation and there is other reasons still as well; that’s just one. If you’re found just walking in an area and you are close to a school even if you do it not intentionally, the fines generally still on the marijuana are too heavy.”

According to him, the bill needs to be adjusted.

“…the Bill itself how they present it, it doesn’t have enough clarity and it is still a hindrance because you have to ask a [government] minister to actually grow the plant. They should have give us a certain amount of plants …for those adult users in a household; it should be maybe people and not household because how people living, a lot of people living together  so if you just say it for the house, the other person might not be covered and only five plants in a yard. It (the bill) have to go back and be more orderly because, it’s too little bit [in the amount of plants per household].”

He highlighted that marijuana is not just used for smoking.

“We don’t just smoke herb too; they don’t understand that. We use herb for so many different things. Fifteen grams cannot suffice to true I is Rasta for even just a basic human livity because we’re not using the plant just to smoke. They are thinking it one way because of how they grow up but they don’t understand our life. We try to sit at the table with them and we explain to them all these things and they completely ignored most of our things. The only thing they basically agreed upon was is that people shouldn’t really smoke in the public freely like that because it could offend another person, and the Constitution says that if some of these laws offend another person then  you can’t really do that  so  it’s basically that what we’re marching for right now and if we’re not so satisfied, we will  consider going back to court but we’re  still thinking about all these things because  I don’t really like the court house but we give thanks still for the judge  and lawyers that helped to assist and we thank everybody who assisted in the matter, and we give thanks to the Almighty Jah Rastafari.”

Meanwhile ORU Chairperson Ras I-Roy from the neighbouring sister island, too shared his disappointment regarding the recent amended bill. He carried a placard which read ‘NO GANJA- NO VOTE!!! FREE DE HERB. NO PENALITIES!!!’ with a photo of a leaf which listed-food, recreation, religions, human rights, economics, medicine and textiles.

“It’s more fire on babylon at this time you know! Babylon could just watch it with the jokey drug amendment …it’s not satisfactory for us as Rastafari. No laws could be changed in SKB unless you consult with Rastafari in respect to the herb so I and I have to continue fighting until we get proper  (changes to make it) satisfactory otherwise we are taking it back to the court because the judge ordered them to adjust the Drug Act so as to accommodate Rastafari! Without hindrance, I and I  should enjoy I and I sacrament and all the restrictions and all the fines are hindrances to I and I freedom so I and I not satisfied and I say free up de herb. Rastafari!”

Well-known community and political activist Dr. Terrance Drew, who is the Chairman of the opposition St.Kitts-Nevis Labour Party, joined in on the march citing that it is a “human rights issue.”

He had two placards that read: ‘RASTAS HAVE HUMAN RIGHTS TOO’ and ‘THE MARIJUANA ISSUE IS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE’.

As gathered, Dr. Drew was involved in Ras Sankofa’s case as an expert medical witness where, through his writings to the court, he asked the Judge to take a balance view at the issue of cannabis and the Rastafarian community.

Following the march, a rally was held at the Independence Square which included speeches and presentations from various members of the community.

BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 30^th August 2019)- Less than a month before the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis celebrates the 36^th Independence anniversary, the writer and music composer of the nation’s national anthem ‘Oh Land of Beauty’, Kenrick Georges, has passed away at the age of 64.

This media house understands that on Monday this week (26^th August), he died overseas in the United States where he had been residing- which comes days before the nation’s Independence Day commemorated on 19^th September (attained in 1983). He originally hailed from New Town in St.Kitts.

Prime Minister Dr. Timothy, in a statement, saluted Georges’ patriotic contribution.

 “Over 35 years later, our national anthem remains an iconic masterpiece that will forever leave an indelible impression on all citizens and residents of St. Kitts and Nevis and on all of our lives,” Prime Minister Harris added.

He has called on nationals to sing the national anthem sweetly and lustily for the upcoming Independence celebrations saying: “When our national anthem is played in the days ahead, particularly during our 36^thIndependence Anniversary celebrations next month, I encourage all of us to sing every word sweetly and lustily, remembering the tender thoughts and the conscientious care that went into its creation and the touching meaning behind it.”

In an address to the nation, immediate former Prime Minister and Leader of the opposition St.Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Dr. Denzil L. Douglas applauded Georges’ nationalistic enthusiasm and model character. 

“Kenrick was musical icon to whose words and composition of our national anthem ‘Oh land of Beauty’ are attributed. Every Kittitian and Nevisian will come for innumerable years ahead to appreciate the genius and the beauty of the soul of Kenrick by this illustrious work through which he has been immortalised but beyond his gleaming talents, Kenrick was the exemplary human being. He loved life, he loved his family, he loved people and of course he loved culture. He taught love, respect and the values of hard work, independence and perseverance. kenrick’s love for his Homeland epitomizes to what it means to be truly Kittitian and Nevisian but even more than that, Mr. Georges was an advocate for justice. He was a moral compass and shining light in our community,” he remarked.

Additionally, he described Georges as “a gentle yet courageous soul who used his extraordinary intellect and exceptional skills in music and poetry to bring joy and life lessons to all humanity.”

“Kenrick’s exploit in the world of music were prolific as they were brilliant and throughout this life’s journey, he shared his passion for music with his students, members of the community and his family. In more recent times, he displayed enormous pride over the accomplishment of his son Kenijah in the field of music,” Dr. Douglas added.

In further, tribute to the late Kenrick Georges, please see the lyrics of the national Anthem of St.Kitts-Nevis below.

O Land of Beauty!

Our country where peace abounds,

Thy children stand free

On the strength of will and love.

With God in all our struggles,

Saint Kitts and Nevis be,

A nation bound together,

With a common destiny.

As stalwarts we stand,

For justice and liberty.

With wisdom and truth,

We will serve and honor thee.

No sword nor spear can conquer,

For God will sure defend.

His blessings shall forever,

To posterity extend.

BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 23rd August 2019)-  For 12 years in a row, the Parliamentary Representative of Central Basseterre Marcella Liburd has hosted a Future Leaders Summer Camp and to date, she is pleased with the feedback she has gotten from the young adults who reflect on how their camp experience contributed positively to their growth and development.

The yearly camp, which kicked off on Monday 19th August with about 100 participants ages 5 to 12 in attendance, is slated to finish today (Friday) with a march throughout the streets of Basseterre.

On Wednesday 21st August, this media house paid a visit to the camp hosted at the McKnight Community Centre where the youngsters were seen boarding buses for an outing at Flow Grounds.

“We have some of the persons who were with us from 12 years ago, they have already passed 18 in age and some of them come back to say thanks for what happened during those years even though at the time –as one of the said they were obstinate – but we understand how 5-year old, a 6 –year- old  is going to behave so you just have to guide them and so I myself feel proud  of the end product; those we see now who are adults and would remember when they used to come to the camp and the kind of training we had in terms of god behaviour and so on is paying dividends for us today,” Liburd stated during a chit-chat with this media house.

Commenting on the vision she had when the camp was started, Liburd talked about the community playing a part in the upbringing of children.

 “It still takes a community to raise a child, and so we thought we would help in that regard by helping the parents, the guardians,the teachers and the children themselves. The idea of calling it ‘Future Leaders’, we are really training them to be leaders in their own spheres whatever field they would want to go into. We want them to be leaders in their  particular fields and so we try to ensure that they understand what good behaviour is all about, what resect is all about ; respect for themselves , respect for others, respect for God with our daily devotions.”

“So the whole point is to ensure that as they grow into adults, they become good citizens and good leaders in their various fields,” Liburd noted.

This year’s camp was observed under the theme ‘Celebrating Our Culture’

“We tried to see how we could get them to understand not just culture in terms of performing arts and so but culture in terms of what are we as a people, who are we as Kittitians and Nevisians, the things that we value   that we value our family values, that is also part of our culture so it is a mixture of both,” Liburd explained.

Liburd is the Deputy Leader of the Opposition St.Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP).

BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 23^rd August 2019) – At the annual traditional summer music workshop organised by well-known Cultural Preservationist Winston ‘Zack’ Nisbett, making music and instilling discipline go together in shaping talented and focused boys and girls for lifelong lessons.

Now in its 13^th year, the workshop, which wraps up this weekend (Monday 29^th July to Saturday 24^th August), has been conducted under the theme ‘Discipline Is Still The Key’ at Zack’s Historical-Cultural Library & Museum located at the Buckley’s Estate. 

Instruments spotlighted annually include fife, banjo, quarto and guitar. 

Workshop Tutor is a veteran musician Wilmoth ‘Mighty Jules’ Solis, who hails from the Dieppe Bay community.

This week, this media house visited the workshop venue. Among the activities saw rehearsals in preparing for the closing ceremony featuring genres such as gospel and folklore.

Nisbett was in high praise of the sessions and overall atmosphere.

“I think we have a fantastic group of youngsters. The tutor is interactive, hilarious, exciting, creative and innovative.”

He also talked about the importance of teaching the youngsters about cultural music as well as schooling them about self-respect and respect for others.

“Doing my part to ensure that the culture lives on is what gives me the impetus to host this workshop. The theme this year is very important because young people should be disciplined. As the saying goes ‘Manners maketh man’, and so at the workshop, we try to instill lessons about good behaviour.”

Nisbett highlighted that the children can make a living from the art of knowing how to play an instrument.

According to him, from gigs conducted over the years, workshop students have been able to pocket monies from public performances to buy school supplies for which families continue to be pleased and appreciative regarding the children’s overall involvement.

Meanwhile Solis, a guitarist, had this to say: “I’m glad to come here after Zack invited me to teach the children the (musical) alphabet. A lot of them are doing well but one challenge I have with them is when I’m singing, they have to know how to change the key but all of them know the alphabet and they have done well.”

Commenting on how he feels about sharing his talent, he replied: “It’s a good thing to show them the talent in the name of the Almighty and their family…”

He, too, spoke about good behaviour and indicated that some of the children “need to settle down but otherwise they are ready.”

“I want the children to respect one another because you can’t come to a workshop and playing you’re bad and these kind of things. They have to done away with those things. They have to communicate with one another and live happy but I really want to tank these boys and girls because they have done well,” Solis added.

Come tomorrow (Saturday), the usual graduation ceremony is slated to take place at 5PM.

Sponsors and contributors of the workshop include Delisle Walwyn & Company Ltd. and Development Bank.