By: Precious Mills

BASSETERRE, St.Kitts- On Wednesday 7^th June, a top Venezuelan navy training ship known as Simon Bolivar, docked at Port Zante for its first visit to the federation of St.Kitts-Nevis.

The Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela hosted a welcome reception onboard the Class A tall ship that evening following the official meet and greet session involving local and foreign officials that morning including resident Venezuelan ambassador Romolo Henriquez  and his wife Ludmilla Torres as well as resident Cuban ambassador Hugo Ruiz Cabrera and  Police Commissioner Ian Queeley.

That morning, this media house paid a visit on-board the vessel also. Among other visitors were students of Grade 4 of the Tucker-Clarke Primary School (formerly Newtown Primary) along with teachers.

During an interview with Ambassador Henriquez, he explained that the school ship is making a cruise around the Caribbean with the officials of the army.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia are part of the island stops also.

Asked if the ship’s visit was like piece of home for him, he replied: “Yes, that’s it.”

His wife agreed saying: “It’s like a Venezuelan university going around the Caribbean (while) training. There are officials and there students from other countries also such as Suriname, Ecuador and Dominican Republic.”

A cadet, Rodriguez Miguel who operated as a tour guide for the students and teachers, informed this media house that the ship has three decks. He expressed that they were happy to visit the island.

By: Precious Mills

BASSETERRE, St.Kitts-Scores of residents, on Wednesday 7^th June, attended a free hearing aid clinic organised by the US-based Starkey Hearing Foundation which was hosted at the Warner Park football grounds during the group’s two-day outreach in St.Kitts-Nevis.

Apart from the free check-ups, the Foundation has donated hearing aids, ear molds and batteries to patients.

The International Development Director for the Caribbean, Kirk Richards, explained that working through the Ministry of Health, patients that are in need of hearing aids that require such services were identified.

He had informed that the visiting team comprised of individuals from all over the Caribbean and US to assist in providing hearing aids to those in need.

At the time if the interview, over 50 patients were registered. Richards said a lot of them were seniors whilst noting that there were at least two or three children around the age of eight.

Richards talked about an after care follow-up programme that has been put in place.

According to him, the foundation is working with the Ministry of Health and nurses in different areas who will to do follow-up with the patients on a monthly basis by calling them or having them go into the clinics to get check-ups.

“So that’s one of the beauty of the partnership that we’ve built with the Ministry of Health,” he said.

Special mention was made of the Rotary Club of St.Kitts Club which has been instrumental in helping to organise the event as well.

Richards disclosed that the Starkey Hearing Foundation has been around since 1984 providing the gift of hearing across the world.

By: Spokesman Newsroom

BASSETERRE, St.Kitts– Calls placed to the police about multiple sounds of gunshots heard in the McKnight community on Wednesday afternoon (7^th June) were actually fireworks, according to a police source interviewed by this media house.

As gathered, after police officers arrived on the scene, it was determined that the sounds were not of gunshots but of fireworks.

The explosive sounds were heard within the vicinity of the Burdon Street and Malone Avenue sometime after 1:00 PM that day.

Reportedly, the officers who arrived on the scene and met no one in the area, were told by residents that it “was just some little boys playing around.”

Asked about the view of the authorities on an incident of this nature, the police source stated: “The police strongly discourages the use of such fireworks by members of the public.”

By: Spokesman Newsroom   

BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 9th June 2017)– The man charged with last weekend’s murder of 37-year-old Lydia Jacobs of Cotton Ground, Nevis also tried to kill two other people, according to police details.

Yesterday (Thursday 8^th June), police reported that the suspect taken into custody on suspicion of Jacobs’ shooting has been arrested for that crime as well as two counts of attempted murder.

Being blamed is Alston Phillips of Hamilton Estate in Nevis.

Information reaching this media house indicates that the accused killer originally hails from the island of Jamaica.

Police say he was arrested, formally charged and cautioned for the offence of murder which was committed last Friday night (2^nd June).

Reportedly, the shooting incident was reported at 10:55 P.M.

Unconfirmed information reveal that the Four Season Resort employee was attacked shortly after being dropped off after work at her home at Grace Development Housing.

Other alleged details point out that the two individuals who were in the vehicle that Jacobs exited were fired at.

Police had reported via a press release the next day (Saturday) that Jacobs had been taken to the Alexandria Hospital where she was pronounced dead and that one person was in police custody assisting with the investigation.

In a police press release dated Wednesday 7^th June, Phillips was named in a different crime category among the other individuals included in that particular report of arrests, convictions and other activities.

The Hamilton Estate resident was identified as having been arrested, formally charged and cautioned for the offences of larceny and receiving.

Jacobs’ shooting death was the 11^th recorded homicide out of a present count of 14 in the federation for 2017, with eight on St.Kitts and six on Nevis.