BEST WEEK EVER:

The Melisizwe Brothers are probably still on a natural high from appearing on the Ellen DeGeneres Show on NBC last week Friday. The trio – Marc, Seth and Zachary James – who are of Vincentian parentage, not only got to show a wider audience just how musically talented they are and got a plug in for SVG, but they also received US$5,000 worth of musical equipment from the Guitar Center, courtesy the show. SVG is proud of you!{{more}}

Runner-up:

SVG recently played host to the second quarterly Regional Junior Taekwondo Tournament and walked away with a whopping 25 medals – five gold, 10 silver and 10 bronze. Taekwondo may not be the most popular sport in SVG, but that hasn’t stopped these junior sportsmen and sportswomen from fighting their way to excellence. Well done!

Dave Ames is back at it again this week. Not only have his employees at the Buccament Bay Resort finally said “enough is enough” and risen up to try to secure their outstanding wages, but the UK courts have dealt him a blow, too. Ames has been embroiled in a legal battle with UK accounting firm Wilkins Kennedy, accusing them of giving him unsound advice in his dealings with a construction company. Although the court ruled in Ames’ favour, he was only awarded US$11 million – not the US$60 million he was calling for. And, on top of that, the money may not be reaching Ames’ pockets: the judge suggested it be put into an escrow fund to help repay the investors who have been clamouring for a pay-out! With liquidators, investors, outstanding wages and creditors lined up with hands outstretched, that will be quite a stretch if that US $11M is to satisfy everyone!

Runner-up:

Let’s hope this is the last week vice-president of the NDP St Clair Leacock makes an entry on the Worst Week side of this column. The ever controversial Parliamentary Representative for Central Kingstown says he has been under “friendly fire” from his party members and will have no more of their disrespect and disparaging remarks! This Thursday, he will make a statement in Parliament, giving the direction he intends to go politically. But what options are open to The Major? Not many. He feels unwelcome in the NDP and unwanted by the ULP; so what’s left? An Independent member of Parliament? Not be a bad idea at all when you think of it!

…Would the Minister of Housing, Informal Human Settlements, Lands & Surveys and Physical Planning please say when is the Government going to get proactive by relocating all those persons who have built their homes in river beds or on river banks before they are washed by the next flood? With our experiences of flooding since 2013, we know that it’s only a matter of time before our rivers, no matter how dry they may seem now, return to their original paths.

Media Watch

With the launch of our annual Nine Mornings celebration, let’s see how much coverage our unique cultural festival gets from local media, whether it’s print, photographic, broadcast, video or online coverage.

Yes, getting out of bed at 4 a.m. to go to work is a bit of a drag, but Nine Mornings is unique to SVG; it is your duty to document and promote it!