BEST WEEK EVER:

It was the best 51.50 seconds ever for Kineke Alexander, SVG’s most successful female athlete, who last week won for her country a bronze medal in the women’s 400 m at the Pan Am Games in Toronto, Canada.

In mounting the podium, Kineke accomplished a feat not achieved by any other Vincentian at the Pan Am Games since Eswort Coombs grabbed a bronze medal in the men’s 400m in Mar del Plata, Argentina in 1995.{{more}}

Kineke, who is now 29 years old, was an Olympian at the 2008 games in Beijing, China and the London Games in 2012. Her win in Toronto means she has medalled at the OECS championships, Junior Carifta, NACAC Under-23 and AC seniors.

Next stop for Kineke is the World Championships in Beijing next month. Go for the gold! We’re rooting for you Kineke!

Runner-UP

Two weeks ago Special Olympics SVG were unsure if they would reach their goal of raising $180,000 to take 26 very Special Olympians to the World Games. Today, thanks to corporate donors, the National Lotteries Authority and the fund-raising efforts of SOSVG, a 32-strong delegation of our special athletes, their coaches and chaperones is now in Los Angeles at the World Games, flying high the Vincy flag. Our special athletes will compete in aquatics, track and field, bocce, football and tennis. They are at the Games to win, but if they cannot, let them be brave in the attempt.

When our citizens use the best years of their life working hard to build our country, they deserve to spend their retirement years reaping the benefits of their labour. What a rude awakening therefore for retirees from several larger firms around SVG to learn that they could no longer expect pension cheques from CLICO International Life (CIL)! What is even worse is that in 2013, four years after the collapse of the company, the retirees were assured by CIL that their pensions were guaranteed. Does this development give us a hint of what lies in store for other Vincentian policy holders? Is this all part of the rumoured Barbados only plan?

… I’d ask how much longer must the long suffering men and women who have paid for homes at the Green Hill housing development wait before their houses are delivered to them? Homeowners were promised the houses by December 2014, then February 2015. It’s now the end of July! What gives?

Media Watch:

Fear mongering was taken to a new height last week on social media when underwater volcano Kick ‘em Jenny rumbled to life after a 14-year snooze. Chief among those peddling rumours of imminent tsunamis and catastrophic earthquakes were certain online blogs who pride themselves on breaking news.

One Facebook page, originating in a neighbouring island, even posted a photo of a volcano erupting in Asia to add fire to their breaking news story about the activity at Kick ‘em Jenny. Almost as disturbing was how quickly certain bloggers and hobby journalists were to question the advice given by NEMO and our home-grown expert, preferring to believe the hype coming from up north. But what else is new?