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• Local News

October 28, 2005

By Trisha La Place

The Observer

Kevin Zhang is looking forward to the grand opening ceremony of his new supermarket, King’s Pavilion, a Chinese supermarket.

Zhang said he was excited about this venture and that business looks quite promising.

King’s Pavilion will be the first Chinese supermarket in the Federation.

The supermarket will be located on Sprott Street.

The Sprott Street location is perfect, Zhang said. He added the area has a high level of traffic and that it practically in the centre of town.

Zhang said that many of the items he has in stock for customers are indeed of a unique variety.

Zhang, who is from China, has connections with people in that country to import Chinese goods.

Zhang has been a citizen of this Federation for more than nine years and King’s Pavilion is not his first business situated here.

He also owns King’s Palace located at Port Zante and other Chinese restaurants on Nevis.

Zhang said his upcoming grand opening will have 20 to 50 percent off on all purchases exceeding one hundred dollars.

• Local News

October 28, 2005

By Trisha La Place

The Observer

A shopkeeper testified in the high court last week that he had been shot in the neck and left for dead by his assailants.

According to court testimony on Feb.20 Kebo Hanley and Roger Belle entered the shop of Kenneth Halberts located on Wilkinson Street in the Fortlands area.

Halberts testified that he was counting the day’s earnings at about 10 p.m. when the Hanley came banging on the door asking to buy corn curls and oreo biscuit.

Halberts said since he knew Hanley personally he agreed to sell him the items.

So Halberts allowed Hanley and Belle into the shop and that was then things got nasty.

As Halberts was about to sell the items, Hanley suddenly changed his mind.

Belle came storming into the shop slamming the door behind him shut.

Belle then jumped on Halberts and cornered him against a wall. Halberts testified that Belle pulled out a gun and squeezed the trigger twice, face blank at him.

However, the gun failed to fire. If the gun had fired Halberts probably would have died. Since the gun had failed to fire, Halberts said he heard Hanley order Belle to knock him out.

Halberts saw Hanley reach for a bottle of rum from the shelf. Halberts said he crawled under some stairs as Hanley attempted smash the bottle over his head.

Belle got impatient and lounged after Halberts.

Halberts said he and Belle wrestled on the floor. Belle managed to get his hand on the gun. Halberts testified that Belle held the gun to his face and suddenly the gun went off.

Both Hanley and Belle then ran out of the shop.

Halberts saw blood. What he did not realize then was that he had been shot. He got up and staggered to a mirror and saw that the blood was streaming from his neck. By then he was in shock.

He started screaming for help.

Halberts had been left to die. However, Halberts was not ready to give up on life just yet. He found the strength and crawled to a telephone and dialed 9-1-1.

Halberts testified that he remembered the ambulance coming for him in a matter of minutes.

He spent four days at the Joseph Nathaniel France General Hospital before being released.

Faced with such evidence Hanley, who had first pleaded not guilty, changed it to guilty of wounding with intent and not guilty of attempted murder.

Judge Francis Belle told Hanley he would remain in custody until the Nov. 7. It is then that Belle who has already pleaded guilty would get a chance to testify and a jury would decide sentencing.

• Local News

October 28, 2005

By Stanford Conway

The Observer

More than two inmates of Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) will be seeking legal action against the authorities of that penal institution.

This is a result of the first completed case in the jurisdiction of newly appointed Resident Judge Francis Belle, which turned out to be a watershed because of its uniqueness in the assault of four prisoners by officers of HMP.

Bruce Rogers, Vincent Taylor, Kemba Swanston and Mervin Jeremy appeared before Justice Francis Belle at the Basseterre High Court on charges of assaulting Superintendent of Prisons Franklin Dorsett, Assistant Superintendent Ashiela Connor and Basic Grade Officer Neville Caines, while they were inmates of the prison.

According to the depositions, Bruce Rogers and Vincent Taylor assaulted Superintendent Dorsett in the execution of his duty, while Mervin Jeremy assaulted Basic Grade Officer Caines in the execution of his duty and Kemba Swanston along with Bruce Rogers assaulted Assistant Superintendent Connor in the execution of his duty.

These incidents took place at HMP on Nov. 2, 2004 .

However, on Wednesday, Oct. 12, some three days after listening to testimonies from the accused, victims, witnesses and a medical practitioner, a 12-member mixed jury returned a not guilty verdict, which could give rise to a civil suit against the authorities of HMP.

According to the assault victims, the four accused and two other inmates were discovered smoking what appeared to be cannabis sativa (marijuana) in one of the cells at HMP.

They were ordered to exit the cell one at a time and stand in single file, but after doing so the four accused started being boisterous and one of them threateningly pushed his hand in the face of the most senior officer on the ground.

The most senior officer claimed that the accused, Taylor, said, “you think anybody fraid you, we want smoke we ganja to get our wisdom too.”

He added that the three other accused followed in similar manner and he gave instructions to have them all handcuffed.

“Assim Parris was handcuffed and he conducted himself peacefully, also Omax Bye co-operated,” Dorset said. “When the number one accused, Bruce Rogers was handcuffed on one hand by Officer Charles Molineaux, the numbers two, three and four accused started shouting, ‘don’t let nobody handcuff you’. At that time they were on the staircase in the upstairs section.”

The senior officer added that Rogers ran into the prison yard and was pursued by he and another officer and, as he was assisting the officer in handcuffing the prisoners Vincent Taylor kicked him in his back.

“I had a baton in my hand and I started swinging the baton to get away from Bruce Rogers and Vincent Taylor. I think that I struck Bruce Rogers in his forehead with the said baton. I then ran through the gate and left the prison yard and into the gate lodge or reception area to call the police for assistance,” Dorset said.

He also claimed that the police arrived and on his return to the prison yard, he saw Taylor strike Basic Grade Officer Neville Caines with a black baton on his chest.

“With the assistance of the police and the use of the rubber bullet gun,” he said. “The prisoners were brought under control. The four accused were all searched and I found a quantity of vegetable matter suspected to be cannabis sativa in the underpants of Bruce Rogers.”

Dorset said his right thumb was cut during his attempt to subdue the inmates and the right side of his head was in pain from a blow he got from Rogers.

“Two of the inmates were injured and a number of prison officers were injured. Bruce Rogers and Vincent Taylor were injured and taken to the JNF Hospital and were treated and discharged. All prison officers who were injured were also taken to the JNF Hospital and were treated and discharged, ” Dorset said.

During Dorset’s cross-examination by two of the prisoners testimony revealed that Taylor did not wanting to be placed in shackles was because of an earlier beating after being shackled.

The accused testified that that were injured after being beaten with batons and shot with rubber bullets while their hands and feet were shackled.

Kemba Swanston, who is a remanded prisoner, claimed that he was placed among convicted prisoners since his arrival at the prison and after being beaten and shot was confined in one of the condemned cells along with the other three accused.

While two of the four accused, including Vincent Taylor, were represented by Chesley Hamilton, the others conducted their own defence and evidence revealed that they were the victims of assault and not the prison officers.

All four accused prisoners were acquitted. Vincent Taylor is now a free man because he completed his sentence, while his co-accused Kemba Swanston is still in remand awaiting trial for the offence he allegedly committed and, Bruce Rogers and Mervin Jeremy continue to serve their original sentences.

According to one of the better legal minds in the Federation, the case bordered on civil suits against the authorities; for it was proven in court that there was an infringement of the prisoners’ constitutional rights.

The senior counsel noted a number of similar cases that occurred in and out of the Caribbean but emphasised on the Peters v Marksman and Another in the St. Vincent and the Grenadines High Court presided by Justice Adams J on April 12-13, 1999.

He said that on August 26, 1996, while serving a 12-year sentence for manslaughter at the State Prison for men in Kingstown, 40-year-old Reynold Peters allegedly assaulted Senior Prison Officer Linus Goodluck.

The Senior Counsel added that Peters allegedly hit Goodluck in the back of his head with a three-foot length of two inch by two inch wood, rendering him unconscious for several hours.

“Even while Goodluck was unconscious and being dragged from the prisons, Peters allegedly pursued him with the length of wood attempting to strike him again. However there was no suggestion that Peters succeeded in striking him again or was there any indication what sparked the assault,” the Senior Counsel said.

The Senior Counsel said Rogers was charged by the police with assault causing actual bodily harm but, also on the day in question, he was additionally charged with various contraventions of Section 50 of the Prison Rules and was taken before the Superintendent of Prisons for disciplinary action.

“The Superintendent of Prisons found Peters guilty of the disciplinary charges and ordered 10 strokes with a cat-o-nine tails and to cellular confinement. He was placed lying on his stomach on a bench with iron stays to each of his legs to keep them in place.

“His hands were handcuffed, a hood placed over his face, his back exposed and the flogging with 10 strokes of the cat-o-nine tails was then carried out. Following the physical punishment, Rogers was placed in a cell and allowed out only for a short period each day to shower. He was confined to that cell from the day his physical punishment was awarded until the hearing of his application on July 24, 1997,” he said.

In addition, the Senior Counsel said, Rogers had to eat and sleep bounded by shackles and handcuffs, which were sometimes removed for short periods when he showered, and the inhumane treatment left him with physical scars.

From this backdrop, the trial judge found that Peters being shackled was a violation of the prison laws, noting the conduct was reminiscent of the African slave trade.

The Senior Counsel quoted the Chief Justice, saying, “A tragic day it was in August 1996 when darkness fell upon this land through the activities of a public official serving the State of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the capacity of Superintendent of Prisons.

“As if he were a law unto himself he laid a charge against the applicant, which he had no authority to bring, inflicted the punishment of flogging, which the law did not permit, shackled the hands and feet of another human for months on end with occasional relief and, after his avenging lust had spent itself, consigned the aching body of Reynold Peters to solitary confinement.”

The Senior Counsel explained that the Judge awarded damages to the tune of $225, 000 to Peters, whose charges for assaulting Senior Prison Officer Linus Goodluck were not heard at the same trial but in a subsequent one.

• Letter

October 28, 2005

Dear Editor,

As a former teacher of the Charlestown Secondary School, I am very proud of the consistent quality of education that has been a part of that school and I am just as encouraged of the high standard maintained by the Gingerland High School. Technology has played a large part in the success of these students and I am sure that as technology increases, the education department of Nevis will be right there to meet the needs of the students so that they will be equipped with the tools for the emerging age.

However, I am very concerned about the social skills that our students may be leaving school with and because I have a stake in the sociological will being of my homeland, I hasten to make some observations and recommendations. Gone are the days when students settle differences with a healthy argument or a simple childish squabble, which never lingered. Nowadays, students not only do not have the communicative skills to deal with conflicts but violence is becoming more and more an acceptable way of handling problems. I am convinced that where there is a lack of inter-personal skills there will be a breeding ground for violence. We look at the trend in the world today and we realize that many individuals, and even some governments, have lost the art of diplomacy and psychology. Many would like to call it conflict resolution and many other fancy names; that is all will and good. But when you get down to basics the Book of Proverbs will call it wisdom. Many will not like to give credit to this most practical book, so they selfishly concoct all sorts of theories, which say things that Solomon expounded. Wisdom determines when one speaks or shuts up, when to walk away or when to fight. Our students must be taught, at an early age, how to save relationships and avoid confrontation be selecting the wisest path.

I am hereby recommending that my island’s education system begin to introduce interpersonal skills to its students at the tenderest age. Psychology should not be viewed as a subject for those ready to go to college. Every day we all are required to use psychology in our dealing with those with whom we come into contact. I strongly recommend that the education system of our sweet Oualie, make an addition to the system and introduce psychology in its simplest form at a very low grade level; as the students move up the education ladder, this subject can become more sophisticated just like mathematics. Psychology must not me seen as a subject for lawyers or social workers but for any one who realizes that to survive in today’s world, they must know the art of interacting with others. Let us not forget that Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived, so we must not regard wisdom as exclusive to an elite group of people but a necessary tool for every individual in our society. I am willing to contribute in any way I can, to the formulation of a curriculum, geared towards the implementation of such a program.

God Bless Nevis

A Concerned Citizen,

Myron Nicholls

• Health

October 28, 2005

By Dr. Franz Brown

The problems of everyday life

Stress is a fact of life, neither good nor bad if you learn to make use of it, it will help you feel and think clearly, and fill you with one exciting challenge after another day by day. If you let it make use of you, you will be exhausted, unable to think and act decisively, or even make you seriously ill.

You can put stress on your body through the physical demands you make on make yourself. Mental stress comes from drastic or prolonged shifts of emotion either from negative feelings such as worry, frustration or unhappiness, or from positive feelings such as profound joy, excitement or love. The senses of our bodies and minds can never be really separated; they always occur together.

The body reacts to all stress in exactly the same way, enquiring us to deal with the extra demands. When faced with and emergency situation such as a threat of being fired, the joy of reunion or simply loud or prolonged noise, adrenal secretions form of fat and sugar energy to the brain and muscles. The pulse races, blood pressures and cholesterol levels rise, and breathing becomes faster. Much of the blood supply to the internal organs is immediately redirected into the muscles which become ready for physical action so the body can mobilize all its energies to fight or the run away. The ‘Red Alert’ state.

Within a few minutes, the body’s full energy potential has been realized. We take some sort of action, and then the secretions stop. The adrenalin is burnt off, the sugar and fat are used up, the blood flow returns to its general duties of supplying all the internal organs and systems that keep the body in healthy running order.

At least, that’s how it should work. The trouble is that modern high pressured life surrounds us with almost constant threats that unconsciously trigger off our alert response.. thousands of years ago, quick and decisive action would solve the problems of wild animals or physical danger, and at the same time it burnt off all the extra chemical our bodies produced. Today, we rarely have any physical outlet, we swallow our frustration, apparently remain calm and undisturbed, and these substances accumulate in the body along with the physical and emotional tension that accompanies them. It builds until many of us live in a permanently stressed state, enable to come down again to peace and relaxation.

This is where stress becomes dangerous. Unusual amounts of adrenalin can be stopped in the heart where it affects its functioning, increasing the heart beat rate even when the body is at rest, thus decreasing its ability to use oxygen and causing irregularities. Excess stress contributes to feelings of fatigue and depression. In prolonged stress, there is also an unconscious tensing of muscles.

Stress is now linked with heart disease, arthritis, ulcers, high blood pressure, constricted blood vessels, and mental disorders. These are the negative aspects of excess stress. But there are important positive aspects too. An occasional shot of adrenalin is a great cure for boredom and indifference. We often do our best when we are under some stress. Nut beyond a certain level, which is different for each individual, stress becomes destructive. Get to know how much stress you need to make you perform just that little bit better, but before it becomes damaging and unhealthy.

Making it work for you.

Everyone reacts differently to that ‘red alert’ stress. Some find great stress or even danger a great pleasure, for others it’s simply too much to cope with. A few even become addicted to stress depending on high levels of stress hormones such as adrenaline and nor adrenalin in the system instead of to nicotine or alcohol. They live with prolonged high levels of stress for so long, that it seems normal. This can be serious. For example, business tycoons and pop stars can suffer from being stressed, also alcoholics. They find it very hard to go back to normal everyday life.

Cigarette and alcohol are not the answer either. Both bring many of the same physiological changes in the body as stress itself. Nicotine, for instance, raises blood pressure, the heart beat rate, and levels of stress hormones, and cholesterol. While smoking and drinking may seem to help for the time being, they are actually contributing to the stress overload problem in the long run. But when stress is handled well, it gives us added motivation to overcome obstacles, and an ideal warning system that brings awareness and strength to handle threatening situations that might damage or destroy our happiness, safety and self – esteem. The ability to work under pressure is an important asset.

Don’t try to avoid stress altogether – use it in stead. Every crisis offers an opportunity to let the adrenalin work. Take some kind of action to burn up that extra stress-energy. Make a decision, hit the ball hard, scrub the floor very hard, run around the garden fast and when the crisis is over, learn to forget it and relax.

Excess tension can be eliminated with amazing ease, once you develop a tool for conscious relaxation and use it regularly. Deep relaxation and stress are like two sides of a coin; each is exactly opposite of the other brings about. They complement each other like light and dark, summer and winter. Learn to move from one to the other and you have a key to success in almost every thing you try. Sounds simple? It is.

Tranquillizers are not the best solution to continual stress; the longer you take them the less effective they become. There are serious side effects, too, try not to rely on pills too much.

To conclude: ‘if you listen to your fears you will die never knowing what a great person you might have been.” Read what Isaiah 39:18 states – “For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in me , says the Lord.”

For further information, treatment and training in massage therapy, do not hesitate to contact Nevis Holistic Massage Centre, at Farms Estate, Charlestown, Nevis Tel: 469-5464

• Newspaper Cover

October 28, 2005

• Entertainment

October 28, 2005

By Suelika Buchanan

The Observer

Enlightening, inspirational, educational and awesome were words used by the 11-member group to describe the two-week summer training exercise at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre in New York they attended.

The skills and dance technique they learnt at the dance theatre were then recently imparted upon some of the dancers in the Federation last Saturday at the Youth and Community Centre on Victoria Road at a Master Dance Class.

Participants attending the class learnt techniques such as the Horton Technique that was executed by Heidi Slack.

The Martha Graham Technique is a floor exercise that was executed by Lisa Nisbett, while progressions of the Katherine Durham Technique, which gave the participants a real work out, was done by Vanessa Pinard.

Winding down to the simple combinations of Jazz Modern Technique was executed by Nisharma Rattan-Mack, which the participants seemed to have enjoyed the most.

The techniques were done by members of the Ensemble and were completed in 20 minutes.

Attending the workshop and lending her support was the Department of Culture’s Dance Specialist Ava Henry who applauded the CFBC Dance Ensemble for this initiative.

“I would like to applaud the Ensemble for taking dance to the next level in St. Kitts, this is a worthwhile avenue and it pays off when you work with the department you can achieve great things,” she said. “Being a dancer in St. Kitts, you seldom get the respect you deserve and some even see it as a hobby.”

• Entertainment

October 28, 2005

By Suelika N. Buchanan

The Observer

The O.D. Brisbane Smirnoff Ice Karaoke Annual Competition held its qualification round on Tuesday October 25 at the BET Soundstage Lounge room.

The male participants were Garth, of SoundCore Ent., E.K. of Sugar City Rock, Marlon, Barnin, Joseph, Mikey, Randy, Marvin, Source, Skef, Razor, Jah-son, Rally, Dexter, Dominic, Dave, Mark of SoundCore Ent and C.J.

The male participants brought their emotions out in their singing, as they slightly danced, moved around the stage or made obvious facial gestures that expressed their feelings.

One of the highlights of the night came when one of the participants not only sang Stevie Wonders’ hit, “Ribbon in the sky” but also gave a good impression of the American Grammy winner.

Rally also amused the audience when he went up and sang the “Star Spangled Banner” which is the National Anthem of the United States, and received a standing-ovation for his strong opera-like voice.

Ending off the male round was an extremely talented individual going by the name of C.J. His vocal ability is up to par with the likes of the leading R&B singers Internationally. His version of “You got it bad” by Usher was thrilling.

The ladies that performed were Lorraine, Jessica, Ticoya, Mariece, Renetta, Marissa, Cordella, Petrula, Michelle and Kim.

The ladies were not as strong as the men were and some didn’t seem as comfortable on the stage as they stood one place. However, Cordella who sang Jessica Simpson’s “Take my breath away” surprised everyone, as she at first seemed as the underdog.

After the end of the rounds seven males and seven females have qualified unto the semi-finals. The seven males to move unto the next round are Skeff, Dominic, E.K, C.J, Rally, Mark and Biggers. The female qualifiers were Cordella, Mareice, Renetta, Petrula, Lorraine, Michelle and Ticoya.

For the second round, which is next week Tuesday, the participants will have to choose two different genres of songs.

• Editorial

October 28, 2005

We are going to change gears in this editorial and indulge in some cricket analysis.

What are the criteria for a cricketer to be selected to represent the West Indies at the highest level of the game?

How was Runako Morton’s performance assessed in the recently concluded regional KFC Cup Competition and why is he not a member of the 15-man West Indian squad now touring Australia?

These are some of the questions cricket pundits and cricket lovers in the twin-island Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis are asking.

Morton was second only to Ramnaresh Sarwan in the batting average in the KFC Cup Limited Overs Competition, scoring some 344 runs in six matches averaging 68.80 percent and 87 not out in the process.

Arguably, he should have been selected for the Australian tour ahead of Barbados’ Dwayne Smith whose average in the same competition was 31.42 percent from seven matches. He tallied 220 runs with 96 being his highest score.

Yes, it is true that Smith is younger than Morton and so is Sarwan to Chanderpaul, but age has no significance when compared with performance, especially at this crucial period of rebuilding the once mighty West Indies.

It is argued by many that Smith has better batting and bowling averages in test cricket than Morton. However, what they failed to take into consideration is the amount of matches these two young men played.

The record shows that Dwayne Smith (22), a right-hand batsman and right-arm medium bowler, played seven test matches batting in 10 innings and scored 268 runs, with 105 being his highest score to date. He averaged 29.77 percent at a scoring rate of 70.15 percent.

Morton (27), on the other hand, also a right-hand batsman but bowls right-arm offbreaks, played only two tests, batted in four innings scoring 53 runs at an average of 13.25 percent with 43 being his highest.

In the bowling department, Morton had 15 runs scored off his five overs with an economy rate of 3.00 but did not get any wickets, while in seven matches Smith bowled 55 overs and took three wickets for 169 runs averaging 56.33 percent.

In One-Day Internationals (ODIs), Morton’s performance with the bat was better than Smith’s; in seven matches he scored 199 runs averaging 28.42 while Smith scored 474 runs in 25 innings from 30 matches and averaged 19.75.

Here again in First Class matches Morton outshone Smith. In 54 innings from 55 matches he scored 1,658 runs averaging 37.68 percent with a high of 126 as against Smith’s 66 innings from 39 matches, where he amassed 1,728 runs (highest score 114) at an average of 28.32 percent.

Is Smith’s selection a reminder of Morton’s past? Everybody, particularly in the Federation, and the Caribbean as a whole, knows what he did and the punishment awarded. However, the big question is, “Why wasn’t he selected?”

Smith’s selection has left me to wonder if we were still basking in the past and if the rumours concerning his acceptance in the West Indies team were true.

According to Vaneisa Baksh, “It is rumoured that it was because Viv Richards recognised something of himself in the stance of the young player, Dwayne Smith, that he was ushered into the West Indies team for that memorable start at Cape Town in South Africa in December 2003 where he scored 100 runs in 103 minutes off 93 balls, including 15 fours and one six.”

In spite of being chosen to represent the region in the lucrative Hong Kong Sixes Tournament in which they lost to India in the final, I would like to call upon the Leeward Islands Cricket Board and all cricket lovers in the Federation to rally behind Nevisian-born Runako Morton and let our voices be heard; for with one voice we can certainly reach the ears of the West Indies Cricket Board and the team’s selectors for future matches.

• Crime

October 28, 2005

An early morning operation conducted by members of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force uncovered one Glock Pistol and 13 matching rounds in McKnight in an abandoned building in an abandoned building in

According to Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Joseph Richardson, police conducted an operation in McKnight last Wednesday morning around 7:15 in an efforts to rid the island of crime and its perpetrators.

He said that no one was held responsible but police were feverishly conducting investigations into the find.

• Crime

October 28, 2005

Maurice Kelly Fraites was sentenced to 12 months in prison last Tuesday for indecent assault upon a minor.

The incident occurred May 24. 2004. The accused Fraites who defended himself told the court even before he was called to testify he was not guilty.

This court hearing was a closed matter in regards to the minor who is nameless at this time.

• Religion

October 28, 2005

(Continues from last week)

I have stated according to biblical evidence that God is responsible for evil and its relationships in the world. We have also agreed that God did indeed cause evil events to come about and evil deeds to be done. I have also pointed out that in all the scriptural passages there no evidence that God is directly doing anything evil or taking pleasure in evil.

Evil deeds are brought about through the willingness of moral creatures; and scripture has not excused human beings for the wrong they do. Therefore to say that man is not responsible for his evil actions, and that God takes pleasure in evil, or that God is to be blamed is contrary to scripture.

What scripture says is that, God indirectly brings about some kind of evil through people or demons that make themselves available for such task. Judas made himself available to betray Jesus, purely because he thought of him as a human Messiah fighting to free His people politically, and set up His own throne to that of David’s. However, when Judas realised that Jesus was divine and was interested in freeing his people for the hereafter he then apologised to the earthly officials, rather than repenting to God (Matthew 26:14-16; 27: 1-5).

The story of the Exodus from Egypt repeatedly demonstrated that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. “God says I will harden Pharaoh’s heart” (Exodus 4:21; 7:3). “The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh” (Exodus 9:12). We are told that “Pharaoh hardened his own heart” (Exodus 8:15, 32; 9:34).

What sense do we glean from all this? We are to understand that God’s act of hardening Pharaoh’s heart was only in response to the initial rebellion and hardness of heart that Pharaoh himself exhibited of his own free will.

It may be running through one’s mind that God promised to harden Pharaoh’s heart (4:21; 7:3) long before scripture tells us that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Exodus 8:5). As a matter of fact, the concurrence given above, in which both God and human can cause the same event, shows that both facts are true at the same time. It must be borne in mind that even when Pharaoh hardened his own heart, is not at all inconsistent with agreeing that God is causing Pharaoh to do that; thus God did harden the heart of Pharaoh.

One may object to the above point by stating that God intensified the evil desires and choices that were already in Pharaoh’s heart. This kind of action will in theory at least cover all the evil in the world today, since every one of us has evil desires in our hearts and all of us do in fact make evil choices.

God has a purpose in all this! The Apostle Paul reflecting on God’s purpose in this scenario says, “For this God said to Pharaoh I have raised you up for this very purpose to show my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth” (Romans 9:17); and the apostle continues, so God has mercy on whosoever He wills and He hardens the heart of whomsoever He wills (Romans 8:18).

It was God who hardened the hearts of the Egyptians, so that they pursued Israel through the “Red Sea”. “I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and his host, his chariots and his horsem*n” (Exodus 14:17).

After David sinned, the Lord said to him through the prophet Nathan, “I will raise up evil against you out of your own house, and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbour, and he shall be with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun” (2 Samuel 12:11-12); the same came to pass in (2 Sam. 16:22).

In the Book of Job, Satan sought permission to bring evil on God’s servant. God gave him such permission; Job lost everything he possessed and also his children. Satan worked through the Sabeans, the Chaldeans and the Windstorm to destroy Job (Job 1:12, 15, 17, 19). Job on the other hand recognised that his plight was due to Satan’s evil actions, so he kept his eyes of faith and after being able to recognise that God was allowing his mishap; said “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). The writer of this account says “In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God with wrong” (1:22).

Jesus foretold Peter’s fall, that is, Satan receiving permission to test Peter and Peter’s submission to strict entrapment. This testing was for Peter to examine himself, look at the good and the bad that reigned within him with a view of pursuing the good only. Holding on to the good Peter would have become converted and used this conversion to strengthen the faith of the other apostles, whom he was to lead (Luke 22:35).

Sennacherib, the evil Assyrian King, who was used by God to bring about His good became very complacent, and had a mistaken notion that it was the power of his nation’s pagan gods that made him victorious over all the nations he conquered. This prompted him to have had the audacity to defy Israel’s God and His children (2 Kings 19:20-28). In this matter, the Prophet Isaiah showed King Hezekiah of Israel how to deal with the blasphemous Sennacherib. The message was that Sennacherib would not be victorious over God’s children (2 Kings 19:29-37).

In many of the passages mentioned in my articles God brought evil and destruction on people in judgement for their sins. They were disobedient or strayed into the worship of false gods. The Lord used evil human beings, demonic forces, or natural disasters to bring judgement on them. It must be borne in mind, that this is not always the case (look for instance at the evil that was done to Joseph and Job) however, it is often so.

Perhaps this idea of judgement on sin can help us to understand at least in some measure how God can righteously bring about evil events on all of us as sinful human beings and none deserving God’s favour or mercy.

How then can we charge God when He brings evil on human beings, whether to discipline, lead on unbelievers to repentance, bringing judgement of condemnation or destruction on hardened sinners? All in the end will work in God’s good purpose to bring glory to Him and good to His children.

It is with the punishment of evil in those who are not redeemed – Pharaoh, Sennacherib, the Canaanites, the Babylonians and others of like nature that God is also glorified through the demonstration of His justice, holiness and power (See Exodus 9:16; Romans 9:14-24).

(To be continued)

• Entertainment

October 28, 2005

By Jaedee Caines

The Observer

Wyclef Jean (with Ivy Queen), Angie Stone, Luciano, Beres Hammond, Marcia Griffith, Pepper Ranks, Masud Sadiki, Morgan Heritage and Crucial Banki are the mega-star artists that will perform Sunday in Nevis.

The show, which will commence at 4pm and run throughout the night will be held on the Mount Nevis Hotel Grounds, adjacent the historic Cottle Church. Tickets for this grand event can be bought in Nevis at the Nevis Tourism Authority, Carib World Travel and TDC Business Equipment and in St. Kitts at Walls Bookstore and TDC Business Equipment. The federation’s ferry boats will make special runs for the show.

The performance is part of marketing campaign that MTV is using to launch its new Caribbean music channel, TEMPO.

Nevis tourism officials expect the launch of TEMPO to bring hundreds of persons from across the Caribbean to Nevis.

“We are bringing a Caribbean exposure to the Caribbean islands and we have already been to Trinidad, Jamaica, Barbados and other Caribbean islands” says Production Manager of MTV TEMPO, Joye Cross.

When asked why Nevis was chosen to host the grand concert, Cross told The Observer that Frederick Morton saw it as a way of giving back to his homeland, Nevis. Morton is the senior vice-president and deputy general counsel for business and legal affairs at MTV. His family resides at Simmond’s Estate, Gingerland.

In an interview with the Observer on Tuesday, Morton spoke of Nevis’ importance to him. “I have an emotional bond with the island of Nevis as my family resides there. Also, what some people may or may not know is that Nevis is an island with incredible history,” said Morton. He made mention of Alexander Hamilton and Cicely Tyson who have ties on the island and said Nevis has a richness in culture and people that underscores what MTV TEMPO is all about. “We’ve been to several other Caribbean islands to promote TEMPO and since Nevis is the Queen of the Caribbean then what better place to culminate the launch than in the Queen island” said Morton as he addressed why Nevis was chosen to host the big launch.

The channel, like all other MTV channels will be based in New York and is geared towards providing a platform that exposes Caribbean talents in a more systematic way. “The Caribbean is full of talent and once in a while we see a breakthrough of a few of our artists when in fact there are hundreds behind like Rhianna, Sean Paul, Kevin Little and Beenie Man.”

Morton said, “I came up with the name TEMPO at 3:00 one morning. Caribbean people are a rhythmic people whatever we do we have TEMPO, where you find Caribbean people you’ll find TEMPO. There couldn’t be a better name for it – TEMPO.”

He said the feedback from the shows in the other islands has been great and that he expects the same if not even more from the Nevis show. When asked why ticket sales and promotions for the event commenced a little late Morton said that with a show of this magnitude he’s confident that it will receive the necessary exposure. “After-all, it’s a vibe that we Caribbean people share, we get the word around ourselves, it’s all apart of our TEMPO” said Morton.

TEMPO’s launch is the collaborative effort of MTV and the Nevis Tourism Authority and is sponsored by American Airlines, Bmobile and the Nevis Tourism Authority.

TEMPO is expected to air on Nov. 21.

Residents of the Federation will remember that musical genius Wyclef rocked the Fort Thomas Hotel grounds earlier this year at the ninth annual St. Kitts Music Festival.

Nevis tourism officials expect Wyclef to put on an even bigger performance in Nevis at the star-studded concert on Sunday.

Jean, a proud Haitian, is one of the biggest artists in the Hip-Hop industry. He has acquired respect and fame from all across the globe with songs like ‘My Love’ featuring Whitney Houston, ‘Gone ‘Til November’, ‘911’, ‘Killing Me Softly’ with the Fugees and ‘L.O.V.E. Y.O.U’.

Jean’s performance at this year’s Music Festival was described as one of the best performances to hit the federation.

Sunday’s line-up is schedule to feature a total of 12 acts with mostly regional performers.

Hammond, who was featured on a concert in Nevis in 2001, has one of the most identifiable voices in the music industry. He has done quite a bit in his 30-year career, from being a writer to being a producer.

Music lovers describe him as a legend as songs like ‘What One Dance Can Do’, ‘Tempted To Touch’, ‘Who Say’ featuring Buju Banton, ‘Putting Up A Resistance’ and ‘Come Back Home’ can never be forgotten.

Born in Davey Town, Jamaica, Jepther McClymont known in the music industry as Luciano has captured the souls and hearts of many. Fans everywhere enjoy the conscious vibe he spreads through songs like ‘It’s Me Again Jah,’ ‘Equal Rights’ and ‘Come Down Father.’

Also of Jamaica, Marcia Griffiths is known for her captivating live performances. She is Jamaica’s longest running female vocalist and formed the I-Threes to back up Bob Marley’s International tours and recordings from 1974 to 1980. Some of her songs include, ‘No No No’, ‘I Shall Sing’ and ‘Stepping Out Of Babylon’.

The internationally known Angie Stone presents a soulful, old-school vibe which is loved by many. Stone fits three hats as she is not only a singer but a songwriter and a self-taught keyboardist. ‘Brotha’, ‘No More Rain’, ‘Could Been You’ and ‘Easier Said Than Done’ are songs by the renowned artist Angie Stone.

The talented members of the Morgan family make up the group/band Morgan Heritage. Their R&B influenced vocals and Rastafarian lyrics make them a group to be reckoned with. The group is known for major hits like ‘Down By The River’, ‘Wonderful World’ and ‘Protect Us Jah’.

With his unique style, Pepper Ranks is expected to put on an incredible performance as he did at the St. Kitts Music Festival. He gives a new meaning and sound to gospel music.

Reggae Artists, Masud Sadiki and Crucial Banki will represent St. Kitts at the launch. They have done wonders of putting the federation and particularly the island of St. Kitts on the music map with their conscious lyrics and catchy melodies.

• Commentary

October 24, 2005

By Rev. Canon Dr. Alson B. H. Percival Ph.D.

“Evil is the pursuance of that which harms oneself and others. It is that which is not the will of God, for one self, and for others”. More simply put, “Evil is sin, which distort one’s relationship with God himself, other people and with creation”.

The prophet Isaiah records, “I am the Lord, there is none else, and there is no God beside me. I guided you even though you did not know me… I formed light and created darkness. I made peace and created evil. I the Lord do all these things” (Isaiah 45:5-7).

God therefore has a relationship with evil in the world. Does God then actually cause the evil actions that people do? If this is a fact, does it signify that God is responsible for sin?

Scripture, in several places addresses our questions in direct ways. Firstly, God did indeed cause evil activities to be formed and to be executed. However, it is imperative to note, that none of the text to which I shall refer, will show God as directly doing anything evil, or taking pleasure in evil.

It is my hope, that all readers of this article would view this teaching as a bit of literature that is a forthright effort, which would make all of us aware as to this subject and its scriptural context.

Secondly, all of us existed in the archives prior to our birth. All of us were given our purpose – talents, gifts, and abilities before we were born. This is a point God made clear to Jeremiah, at his refusal to make himself available for the fulfillment of His call upon his life. “Before I formed you in the belly I knew you, and before you came out of the womb I sanctified you, and ordained you a prophet for the nation” (1:5).

Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob was very receptive to God’s call on his life. Being so elated, he felt it was necessary to share this important aspect of his life with his brothers and father. His brothers did not share his enthusiasm for a number of reasons.

They failed to accept their purpose with the same zeal. They saw their call to be simply nomads – moving up and down, sometimes in the hills, in the ravines, and on the plains, merely caring for animals. They did not have as much privilege as did Joseph in their father’s eyes; neither did they feel as loved by their father as Joseph felt. And to top it off, Joseph, one day will have a job which would give him authority over them.

All these, and maybe more, inspired Joseph’s brothers to be very jealous of him, which motivated their green-eyes to hate him (Genesis 37:4, 5, 8, 11). They gave such degree of vent to this hatred that they wanted to remove him permanently from the scene.

So they actually planned to kill him. “Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams” (37:20). Imagine that they concocted this evil to put him to death, while he was on his way to them which their interest at heart (37:12-19).

No one can thwart God’s plan. His plan is always set out in a straight line, but man or demons always try to put road blocks in that straight and narrow path. When Joseph’s brothers were planning to this wicked end of his life, God used one of them (Reuben) to supply an alternate plan that would have ended what He willed. Reuben said, “Let us not kill him (shed no blood), but put him in a pit here in the wilderness”.

Reuben’s real intention was to double back and pull Joseph out, and deliver him to his father Jacob. Reuben’s intention here was to save Joseph’s life and his father’s too. He feared that Jacob, hearing about Joseph’s death, would have taken it to heart and died.

God however, who does not delight in evil, had His own purpose in Reuben’s alternate plan – Joseph was to go to Egypt to save lives.

God removed evil number one, and Joseph is on his way to Egypt, being sold to the Midianites merchants for twenty pieces of silver (37:28). Joseph is now in Egypt, and is sold to one of Pharaoh’s top guards – Potiphar. Potiphar made Joseph very comfortable and put him in charge of his household, except his wife and his meals (39:1-6).

The devil is at his best when God’s people find grace in the eyes of others. Potiphar’s wife began to eye this handsome, young, intelligent boy. Each day she made plans to draw him into her adulterous clutches; until one day when her husband was out, she grasped the opportunity to make her request known. Joseph, who was obligated to God, preferred His ways over against Potiphar’s wife’s.

Being let down, Potiphar’s wife decided that Joseph must pay for not acceding to her request. She was so desperate with her desire, that Joseph had to flee, leaving his coat that she pulled off. This is the same coat she used to persuade her husband that Joseph did try to commit the crime. Her words prevailed; Joseph was tried, God has removed evil number two, and Joseph is on his way to prison.

In prison, Joseph rose once again to prominence. He was placed as deputy overseer. He was unharmed in all these because God was with him (39:2). This was the key to his life and it is the key to the Christian’s life. Pharaoh disciplined two of his palace servants, and sent them to prison. God revealed these servants’ fate to them through Joseph. Sure enough, Joseph’s interpretation of their future came to pass and two men’s lives went as was foretold.

Egypt’s fate was on the line, and Joseph was called to the palace to interpret King Pharaoh’s mystery. God removed evil number three, and Joseph is on his way to the palace to save the lives of the Egyptians, and the children of Israel. As a result, Joseph was given the position to save all Egypt and its environs, from annihilation through starvation (Genesis 41:14-end).

God moved all the obstacles, and Joseph is now in command in Egypt. Joseph’s brothers are forced to appear before him in order to live. Joseph, after 13 years revealed to them that he is their brother Joseph, whom they hated and sold. However, said Joseph, “Do not be afraid; God sent me here to save lives” (45:5). “Your action was evil, but God used it for good” (50:16-20).

Evil will never prevail over God’s children, who have tenacity with Him. Joseph at no time had a preacher, or a prophet, to remind him to keep on the straight and narrow road with God. He had, and maintained full fellowship with God, who at all times provided the calm (peace) and serenity which was necessary for his success. The Christian also who has a sense of stick-to-it-ive-ness will conquer in any situation, thus showing God’s Word is true “He makes peace and creates evil”.

(To be continued)

• Sports

October 21, 2005

The Observer

No Warner Park. No problem, said Spencor Amory, General Secretary of the St. kitts Football Association.

“It just gives us the opportunity to extend football throughout the island,” he said. “We are going to carry the premier games to other venues.”

St. Kitts Football League started last Sunday with premier division games played at the Sandy Point football field. For the next month or two that venue will be home to premier play.

After that, Amory said the next possible venue to host the premier games would be Cayon.

“We are also going to use this opportunity to develop our home-and-away format of play,” Amory said. He explained that in the coming month some teams would play on their home fields where practice. This would mean premier games could be played in St. Pauls, Saddlers, Newtown, Village, McKnight and other venues that have football teams, Amory said.

Playing the games in different venue has potential of attracting more interest in the game, Amory said. He pointed out that the various communities will also benefit in terms of increase economic activity.

“We are basically taking football to the people,” Amory said. “We want that movement of people following the clubs.

“So you see, we are very excited about this season. It is a season of change.”

Also in this season teams will play to qualify for the semi-pro football league that is currently being developed to start in 2006. Amory said the top five teams in the premier division will qualify automatically and playoff type of format will decide the last two spots.

Also he said the national football team would be embedded in that professional league.

“We are looking at ways and means to sustain develop our football players throughout the year,” Amory said. “For us the next two football cycles will be very critical for the development of football in the Federation.”

Amory announced that this year would also see the inclusion of a Nevis team in the League. Nevis’ Cable TV Barth United, current league champions in Nevis, will play in the league in the first division. This means, Amory said, there will be some games scheduled in Nevis.

• Sports

October 21, 2005

By Celeste Hull

The Observer

Newtown FC gave new meaning to the cliché “against all odds” when they defeated St. Pauls FC while playing with 10 men for 35 minutes and 9 men for 15 minutes. In fact, it was in the 87th minutes that Shashi Isaac got the all-important-goal to give Newtown a come from behind 2-1 victory.

St.Pauls had the advantage in the early part of the game and from as early as the 8th minute Koyian Benajamin opened the scoring for St. Pauls. Newtown slowly wrestled the advantage away from St. Pauls to take greater possession of the ball. This resulted in the equalizer in the 35th minute. Olando Mitcham was the assist man when Ashton Davis ripped one past the St. Pauls custodian. Both teams went to the locker room with their scores tied.

Upon resumption, the game appeared more evenly balanced until St. Pauls took control again. They were able to do so due to the occurrence of Avalon Challenger being dismissed from the field of play for a reckless and dangerous tackle therefore reducing Newtown further to 10 men. St. Pauls tried their uttermost to take the lead but were finally unable to against the stubborn Newtown defense. With 15 minutes remaining Newtown was reduced further to 9 and it was at that time that they were able to score against all odds.

The Newtown head coach Anthony “Nets” Isaac was elated with his team’s victory. He congratulated his guys for emerging without their full 11 players for a significant period.

“I am very proud of the guys and I think that Olando Mitchum performed exceptionally well under the circ*mstances. Shashi’s defense throughout the game and his scoring of the winning goal was undoubtedly a major part of our win,” he told the press. “At the beginning, I thought the team looked tired but I advised them to just hold the ball as much as possible.”

St. Paul’s head coach, John “Tuffyo” Gumbs, attributed the failure of his team to their lack of possession, despite their being two men up, and their failure to spread the ball. “Newtown was able to cut out everything,” he commented. He indicated that an area of concern he would definitely seek to improve with his team is composure.

“They need to learn to keep their composure in a game. This is very important, but it’s hardly anything that can be taught by a coach.”

In the earlier game, Cayon had little competition against St. Peters when they trounced them 4-0. Three of the four goals were scored in the second half when St. Peters appeared to be more tired than Cayon. Kurvin Benjamin scored two in his first Premier game while Andrew Govia and Tye O’loughlin got a lone item each.

The league continues at the same venue on Saturday with Conaree coming up against Garden Hotspurs and again on Sunday with Newtown versus St. Peters and Village meeting Cayon in a double header.

• Religion

October 21, 2005

Never should the Bible be studied without prayer. Before opening its pages we should ask for the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, and it will be given. When Nathanael came to Jesus, the Saviour exclaimed, “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” Nathanael said, “Whence knowest Thou me?” Jesus answered, “Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.” John 1:47, 48. And Jesus will see us also in the secret places of prayer if we will seek Him for light that we may know what is truth. Angels from the world of light will be with those who in humility of heart seek for divine guidance.

The Holy Spirit exalts and glorifies the Saviour. It is His office to present Christ, the purity of His righteousness, and the great salvation that we have through Him. Jesus says, “He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you.” John 16:14. The Spirit of truth is the only effectual teacher of divine truth. How must God esteem the human race, since He gave His Son to die for them and appoints His Spirit to be man’s teacher and continual guide!

The Privilege Of Prayer

Through nature and revelation, through His providence, and by the influence of His Spirit, God speaks to us. But these are not enough; we need also to pour out our hearts to Him. In order to have spiritual life and energy, we must have actual intercourse with our heavenly Father.

Our minds may be drawn out toward Him; we may meditate upon His works, His mercies, His blessings; but this is not, in the fullest sense, communing with Him. In order to commune with God, we must have something to say to Him concerning our actual life.

Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend. Not that it is necessary in order to make known to God what we are, but in order to enable us to receive Him. Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him.

When Jesus was upon the earth, He taught His disciples how to pray. He directed them to present their daily needs before God, and to cast all their care upon Him. And the assurance He gave them that their petitions should be heard, is assurance also to us.

Jesus Himself, while He dwelt among men, was often in prayer. Our Saviour identified Himself with our needs and weakness, in that He became a suppliant, a petitioner, seeking from His Father fresh supplies of strength, that He might come forth braced for duty and trial.

He is our example in all things. He is a brother in our infirmities, “in all points tempted like as we are;” but as the sinless one His nature recoiled from evil; He endured struggles and torture of soul in a world of sin.

His humanity made prayer a necessity and a privilege. He found comfort and joy in communion with His Father. And if the Saviour of men, the Son of God, felt the need of prayer, how much more should feeble, sinful mortals feel the necessity of fervent, constant prayer.

Our heavenly Father waits to bestow upon us the fullness of His blessing. It is our privilege to drink largely at the fountain of boundless love.

• Local News

October 21, 2005

Special To The Observer

ST. KITTS — A workshop of the Association of Commonwealth Archivists and Records Managers (ACARM) on the dissemination of best practices in implementing legislation bearing on records and archives began Wednesday at the Bird Rock Beach Hotel.

National Archivist Victoria O’Flaherty said the workshop serves to assist those archives currently drafting legislation or revising it. Issues up for discussion include ensuring that records policies and practices are developed enough to meet the requirements of new legislation; how electronic records management will affect this; as well as how the advent of online archival services impact upon the archivists work.

It is also hoped that the exercise will encourage making records management an integral part of archival practice.

Mrs O’F laherty said that although her ministry has already put the required legislation in place, she is now working on a programme of cooperation with the archives and government ministries and departments.

The one-day seminar is being attended by commonwealth representatives from around the region including Anguilla, Dominica, BVI, St.Lucia, Grenada, Trinidad, Guyana and host country St. Kitts and Nevis.

The main objectives of ACARM are to promote the development of professional archival and records management; to reinforce the importance which archives and records have in national heritage and development programmes; to promote the development of professional archival and records management education and training and to permit archivists and records managers who share a common heritage to compare, exchange, share and develop their common experience.

ACARM also hopes to encourage the dissemination of information; promote an increased awareness of the Commonwealth through the exploitation of archives and records in teaching and encourage the formation and continued development of professional archival and records management associations in individual countries of the Commonwealth

• Local News

October 21, 2005

Junior Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture Hon Livingston Herbert says Nevis like other members of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has been encouraged to hone the practice of linking agriculture to the other sectors of the island’s economy and to consolidate and strengthen linkages that have already been established.

He made the comment on Monday in a televised addressed to mark the 25th anniversary of World Food Day which was observed on Sunday October 16, 2005 under the theme Agriculture and Intercultural Dialogue, It’s Our Common Heritage.

Mr. Herbert said the success of honing the practices of linking agriculture was dependent on people, their attitude, expertise and skills and the use of their financial resources as they mingled with others.

“As a people we want to preserve things indigenous and inherent in the way of life of the many nationalities among us. We are challenged therefore, to have respect for each other’s culture and seek to find areas that are common in our desire to promote harmony among our friends and neighbours,” he said adding that agriculture and intercultural dialogue are a part of the common heritage which reminds people that agriculture is more than an economic activity.

• Crime

October 21, 2005

By Stanford Conway

The Observer

A young man is currently in custody assisting police with their investigations into a stabbing incident involving a male student of Basseterre High School.

According to recently appointed Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Acting Superintendent Sidwin Browne, the police arrested 17-year-old Shawn Phillips last Monday and has him in custody pending investigations into the wounding of Royden Peets, a student of Basseterre High School.

Browne said it was reported that the 16-year-old student was attacked by a young man, identified as Shawn Phillips, also known as Handsome, and stabbed in the region of his lower back within the eastern section of the Basseterre High School’s campus last week Friday.

He noted that no charges have been laid against Phillips but investigations were ongoing.

According to Principal Wayland Vaughn, Peets was among students of Basseterre High, who were engaged in a beautification project of the school, on the day of the incident.

“Right after the clean up, the students were relaxing after a hard work day and some guy came from off the campus and attacked one of the students and, as a result of that, he suffered a wound in his back. He was taken to the hospital for medical attention,” Vaughn said in a WINN FM interview.

He added that the incident was an unfortunate one since it marred “such a good, hard-working and successful day.”

However, when visited at the Joseph N. France General Hospital, Peets told The Observer that he was seated on his bicycle when he was stabbed following an altercation between two of his friends and the accused.

“Handsome was fighting with two of my friends…one of them does attend the same school like me. I told them to stop fighting and Handsome pulled out a 12-inch kitchen knife and my friends started running. He ran behind them but he didn’t catch them and when he returned he stabbed me in my back and ran away,” Peets said.

Peets, who resides at Salt Pond Alley in McKnight, said he felt elated on hearing that the police had arrested Handsome and he was looking forward to see justice being done.

The fifth form student also said that the wound had caused him excruciating pains and, at times, he found it difficult to carry on lengthy conversations with his relatives, friends and schoolmates, who often visit him.

He added that he was very concerned with the after effects of the wound and hoped it would not hinder his success at next year’s CXC, where he intends to write Mathematics, English, Social Studies and Woodwork, as a foundation to his career as a mechanic.

• Fashion

October 21, 2005

By Suelika N. Buchanan

The Observer

Brown Sugar Fashions Inc., one of the Federation’s leading fashion house, prepares to produce a mega-fashion show called Sugar Stories on Dec. 18 at the Royal St. Kitts Marriott Ballroom.

Head Designer of the Brown Sugar, Judith Rawlins, explained that the show did not take place last year because she busy with the opening her new boutique, Caribbean Designs, at the Marriott.

“Last year was very busy, it was a lot of work getting the new boutique ready but people have missed the annual Fashion Show that I started in 2001 and we are very excited about this year’s show,” Rawlins said.

Sugar Stories is the name of the event created by Rawlins and the concept is meant to show the link between sugar in St. Kitts and lifestyles.

“Any story about sugar is about me and my life as a Kittitian… the images of sugar stories in my mind, are of the small home in the village, people sitting on steps that lead to the door way, just living the chores of their lives in the public eye,” Rawlins said.

Sugar Stories will tell many stories on the afternoon of the Fashion Show, for instance, the tale of a men’s line will unfold along with the intimate and very sexy lingerie line.

“We’re really going to do the male line, it’s been in demand for years and finally we have gotten the designs down, the men have been asking for it,” she said. “Lingerie is new for us, they will all be signature Brown Sugar Designs, and we’ll be exploring different types of deigns from Carnival shorts to evening wear.

“We’re also going to explore our cultural wear, and give it a modern twist, I think people usually want to be something cultural to wear but don’t because of it is being looked at as old fashion and so we’ll be giving it our touch.”

With the inclusion of a male line, Rawlins will be seeking male models.

“Finding males will be a task, the look for Brown Sugar is a lean tall look, with various complexions,” she said. “But of course, all males can wear Brown Sugar.”

For the female models, the Brown Sugar designer said that she has already contacted some agencies.

“I’ve already started looking for models, and sometimes the quantity is difficult, twelve models is not enough for a fashion show, you need about 20 to 30 models for the show to run smoothly, not using all of the models in each segment of course,” she said.

Rawlins said she is seeking female models with a fresh or striking look.

It is hard to find a model who isn’t afraid to command the stage and exude sexiness, Rawlins said.

“I guess it’s because of how our society is. We’re very conservative and it seems as though our models are afraid to command the stage,” she said. “For this fashion show we need models who are comfortable with the skin their in, who are professional, good attitude on and off stage and those who recognize the importance of the show and means something to them.”

One of the guest designers on the show will be Patrice Barthlette-Henry who will showcase her deigns Raymonde’ Signature Designs.

The models from Image Model Agency out of St. Vincent will also be apart of the show. This is the second time they will make appearances on Brown Sugar’s fashion show.

Rawlins also said that the setting of the show will be one of a kind with the selection of the music and the design of the stage.

Sugar Stories will have runway style stage with a backdrop that reflects the concept of the show, Rawlins said.

“I want to go beyond expectations. The backdrop will have some showcase of human life and while models are onstage their will be artistes performing, I want something that’s different,” she said.

When Rawlins created her first designer line of clothing in 1994 and dubbed it “Brown Sugar” she had symbolically linked the creation of fashion in St. Kitts to our tradition of producing brown sugar locally.

The stories of sugar in St. Kitts is not just a story about cultivation, production and the colours of our landscape, but stories about the people, Rawlins pointed out. She pointed out that how we live, play and pray, the many aspects of their lifestyles although diverse and distinctive, share that uniting thread of families tied to sugar.

Rawlins strongly believes that the stories that are told of this island are all stories of sugar, afterall Brown Sugar fashion designs is another product of St. Kitts that is expected to be here for generations to come.

So in celebration of over ten years of designs by Rawlins, she brings a fashion show that influences our lifestyle, hence Sugar Stories.

• Crime

October 21, 2005

By Stanford Conway

The Observer

ST. KITTS–A male resident of Cayon Village is currently being treated at the Joseph N France General Hospital for second-degree burns to the lower part of his body.

Thirty-eight-year-old Owen Hunkins of Cayon Village was set afire three Fridays ago in the vicinity of a liquor restaurant while he was asleep after consuming a quantity of alcohol.

Hunkins said that on the evening of Friday, October 7 after imbibing with friends at a liquor restaurant in Cayon Village, he fell asleep and was awaken by a burning sensation in his left leg.

“Week before the last Friday morning I was with my friends drinking and smoking cigarettes at Monica’s shop in Cayon. After a while night come and my friends say that how they going home. Everybody went away and left me, so I decide to relax for a while because I live near to the shop, but I drop to sleep.

“Between sleep and wake I feel a heat by my left knee; so I catch myself and when I look I saw fire on me and a certain man, who does eat and drink with me and sometimes sleep in my home, in front of me laughing,” Hunkins said.

Hunkins said he panicked on seeing his leg on fire but shortly after regained his composure and put it out.

Hunkins added that he made his way to the Cayon Police Station where he met a female officer who summoned the ambulance, which arrived some 25 minutes after and transported him to the hospital.

“It hurt bad…every night I does feel pain and I couldn’t bend my left knee; thanks to the doctor. Last week Thursday I went in the surgery and the doctor take off plenty dead flesh and I got to go back there again this week Thursday,” Hunkins said.

Hunkins claimed the doctor said that he has a very long time to spend in the hospital before his discharge could be approved.

He was high in praise of a number of friends and neighbours who visit him on a regular basis, noting without them he may not have acquired some of the items necessary for someone in his condition.

“I have to thank God, my friends and some of my neighbours for taking care of me. I am not married. My mother lives in St. Martin and only yesterday [Tuesday] my brother, who lives in the same yard with me, was released from prison and I know that he is going to tell her about my condition,” Hunkins said.

Hunkins is calling on the police to find the perpetrator and bring him to justice; the man who he saw laughing when awakened by the burning sensation in his leg.

“I know that he did it. He does always behave foolish when he drinks rum…everybody in the village know the type of man he is. I never do this man anything. I does give he food and sometimes he does sleep in my house.

“Why he had to do this to me? Only God knows, but I want the police to find he because I want justice,” Hunkins implored.

According to Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Acting Superintendent Sidwin Browne, no one was arrested for the offence but recent information could lead to the apprehension of an individual to assist them in their ongoing investigations.

Burn victim Owen Hunkins may have to spend a long period at the Joseph N France General Hospital.

• Entertainment

October 21, 2005

By Trisha La Place

The Observer

ST.KITTS — Two dynamic ladies blew up the roof last Saturday night with thrilling performances at the finals of the Kittitian Superstars competition.

Judging by the audience’s response, people seemed amazed by the high level of local talent from not only the two contestants but also from the local side acts that accompanied the show.

However, the spotlight belonged to the two finalists, Karence De Costa and Andrea Maynard.

The battle was on and these two women came out fighting with golden voices, to earn the right to be crowned as this year’s Kittitian Superstar.

The contestants started out with two songs of their choice and a duet to bring down the curtains.

After the battle, when the smoke had cleared away, one lady was left standing. Singing sensation 15-year-old De Costa became the second Kittitian Superstar, amassing a total of 243 points.

She dominated the finals and Maynard had very little to put up much of a fight.

De Costa was consistent through out the show, and she was competition. From the start of show two months ago, De Costa had been the one to beat.

However, last Saturday night De Costa did not perform like her usual herself. There seem to be a lack of energy, according to the commentary judge, Purple.

“I felt Karence first song didn’t do enough justice for me, she held back from the first song, it was good yes but I didn’t feel she gave her all, I definitely know she can do much better,” Purple said. “Her second song just took my breath away, I was rather entwined with not just the song but the body energy she so modestly possess.”

Andrea just did not compete. Her first song, which was a US country song, was a bit rocky, she really was not into the song. Some people felt she was too nervous. However, she got back some of her energy the second round.

Chico, who is a popular radio DJ, started the show as a call in program on ZIZ to mimic the popular U.S. American Idol on the Fox network. He said the live television broadcast certainly touched the hearts of the entire nation.

Chico gave much thanks to Cable and Wireless, the main sponsor for the contest.

One of the judges, Jason Davis, a ZIZ anchor, said he hopes next year’s show will correct some of the deficiencies he noted.

“I was some what disappointed with the late start and sound failure, however a technical problem like that often arises. None the less the show was of a high standard,” Davis said. “The crowd was mainly comprised of teenagers and I think that deteriorated Andrea’s confidence since Karence already had enough supporters to last her a life-time.”

When ask about future plans for Kittitian Superstars, Davis said that not two but four contestants would be entering the finals, which would make next year and hopefully the years to come even more promising.

Chico said he was extremely impressed with the performances this year.

“ I don’t want to sound too big headed because this is just the second year but it seems as though it will get better as the time presses on,” Chico said. “My main goal in coming up with this show is to showcase our local talent, that is what the competition is about. Putting St. Kitts on the map not just only regionally but internationally.” Chico stated.

The Caribbean Media Corporation hosts a similar format show in Barbados.

Chico hinted that future winners of Kittitian Superstars may represent the Federation in those competitions.

Jasmine Clarke won that competition a few years ago and it would be a great asset for De Costa the 2005 winner to participate in that competition next year.

Local superstars Pepper Ranks, Three Hebrew Boys, Diego, Rally, NG Steppers and many more were also spectacular that night.

De Costa, 2005 Kittitian Superstar, received a number of prizes for her victory.

Cable and Wireless representative Cheryl Francis awarded De Costa with a fully loaded lap top with free internet for one year. Also Island Bakeries provided the trophies, Courts a gave hair set and face massagers to both finalists.

Trendz donated clothing wear for all the participants.

• Local News

October 21, 2005

By Trisha La Place

The Observer

ST. KITTS–This year’s tourism week of activities looks very promising, said Unoma Allen, communications officer in the Ministry Tourism.

She said many ideas were brought forward to enhance the upcoming week.

From Oct. 29 to Nov. 1 a number of events will take place, including the official opening of the week by Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas and Tourism Day of Prayer. Also officials are planning some school activities, symposiums for various tourism related careers, visual art and crafts, a pan festival, and an awards banquet.

Don’t forget Ocean Fest, Allen said, which this year will include the GEM Radio Rave at Frigate Bay Beach.

“St. Kitts is completely fending for itself, we are on our own and as our new motto suggest ‘Preparing to Welcome The World,’ we have to separate ourselves from the pack, in doing so we are definitely trying to make this years tourism week even bigger and better from before,” Allen said.

This year’s tourism week is even more important than ever because the tourism industry has to lead the way in the development of the Federation’s economy.

“We are now moving away from King Sugar which of course was the guard of our financial setting,” Allen said.

Allen said that for the most part tourism week this year would not change much. However, she pointed out that the focus and the energy of the week will be much more intense.

The week will seek to educate the public on careers in tourism, development of a tourism product, as well as retraining, re-educating and re-emphasising the need for everyone’s input in the industry.

Allen said so far the preparations for tourism week looks “Fruitful.”

• Local News

October 21, 2005

By Stanford Conway

The Observer

The St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force (SKNDF) is now 109 years old.

The SKNDF was established in 1896 as a result of riots on St. Kitts, especially the one commonly known as the Portuguese Riot at Needsmust Estate on the eastern section of Basseterre in which a large number of properties were destroyed.

According to Commander of the SKNDF Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Patrick Wallace, the local population initiated the riots because they believed that the Portuguese merchants were taking advantage of them.

“It took a while before the British could have sent troops on the island to restore law and order and, shortly after that unrest, the British decided that it was necessary to establish a local force to combat future riots,” Wallace said.

He said the local force comprised a body of trained men who, in event of a recurrence, would have been able to handle the situation until reinforcement could have arrived from Great Britain.

In West Indian annals, it is recorded that in the same year, 1896, not only in St. Kitts was there instability between plantation owners and the black labour force, but also in many other countries in the Caribbean.

Wallace said the composition of the Defence Force at that time was two-fold – mounted and infantry units – and was made up of white managers of the plantocracy under the command of an Englishman.

Former SKNDF officer Calvin Joseph wrote that shortly after the mounted infantry unit was abolished it was replaced in full by the infantry unit, which formed a defence force reserve.

“The structure of command then saw the Commissioner of Police, who was from England, as the head of the Defence Force followed by the Commanding Officer of the Defence Force.

“The first Commanding Officer of the Defence Force Reserve was Captain (Capt) K S Lockart, a Dominican who came to St. Kitts to work at the treasury, and he was considered the father of the Defence Force,” Joseph wrote.

According to Joseph, Capt Dinzie, who preceded the Dominican, was considered the first local Commanding Officer because he was reared in St. Kitts.

“Together along with Maiden, who was the Commissioner of Police and who had prior training as a member of the Kings Guard, revitalised and built up the Force to the strength it was then,” Joseph chronicled.

Joseph noted that St. Kitts was a member of the West Indian Regiment, which was formed some time after the World War ll with the aim of training West Indians for war.

He added that the West Indian Regiment was embodied with the local defence force where it was stationed and for that period governed that particular country’s defence force.

“It was at this time that the Defence Force in St. Kitts broke free from the police command and served independently,” he wrote.

He also noted that the Leeward Islands Battalion, which was a sub-branch of the West Indian Regiment, was stationed in the islands of St. Kitts, Antigua and Monsterrat and its duty was to protect the mainland coast from possible invasion by the German Army.

He said that the headquarters was based in Antigua and the islands trained together with occasional exercises conducted in Nevis.

“However, he continued, “with the federal movement and legislations passed, along with the islands pushing for independence, the Battalion was disbanded and the defence forces separated with St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla merging.”

In 1966 there was much turmoil in the Federation of St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla.

“As part of the history of the SKNDF there were problems; for during the 1960s St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla, as a colony, was moving towards associated statehood status with the United Kingdom, but the Anguillians resented the fact that they would be administered from St. Kitts and opted to remain as a crown colony.

“This was brought to a head by the Anguillians and American mercenaries along with local political dissidents, who supported their cause. They invaded St. Kitts on July 10, 1967 and were repulsed by the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force and the then Premier, Robert Bradshaw, decided that the state must have a professional body to secure its internal defence,” Wallace said.

Wallace said that the Defence Force at the time was a volunteer organisation and, “So, Bradshaw approached some Caribbean countries for help in setting up a regular corps but most of them were unwilling with the exception of Guyana that sent Capt Oscar Pollard, who helped with the administrative end of setting up the force.”

He added that Capt Pollard, together with a British Army Capt, who saw to the training of the troops, were mainly responsible for the reformation of the SKNDF.

Wallace said that the SKNDF was then a regular corps and after a change of government in 1980, the Force was disbanded in the following year but retained its volunteer status until 1997.

“In 1997, the now administration reactivated the Force because of the problems the Federation was experiencing in drug trafficking and general lawlessness. And so it was deemed necessary to have a body to assist the Police Force in the maintenance of law and order in the Federation,” Wallace said.

He declared that the SKNDF is below a battalion’s strength and comprised a coast guard unit and an infantry unit but the administration was still working towards the formal establishment.

The formal establishment, a battalion, should comprise three companies – ‘A’ Company being the regular troops while ‘B’ and ‘C’ Companies make up the volunteer reserve.

“We currently have ‘A’ and ‘B’ Companies but we are not yet amalgamated under the independent command so they are still being administered by Force Headquarters. The Coast Guard operates on its own but, then again, falls under Force Headquarters. Then there is the Defence Force Band and also the Cadet Corps. However, the Cadet Corps, which also falls under Force Headquarters for administration, cannot be used for military operations,” Wallace said.

He said that the Cadet Corps was made up of secondary school children, 13 years and above, and on leaving school they could no longer remain in the Corps but were free to join the regular unit.

Commander Wallace noted that the SKNDF conducts its own basic training, which includes Recruit Course, Trained Soldiers’ Course and a number of advanced individual courses, and also proficiency developmental courses such as Drill, Military Police, Instructors and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers Administration.

He added that basic courses in Engineering, Marine Law Enforcement, Boat Coxswain and navigation, among others were conducted at the Coast Guard, while for advanced training, the Defence Force normally seeks the services of its regional counterparts, the British, Canadian and American Armed Forces.

• Local News

October 21, 2005

By Stanford Conway

The Observer

St. Kitts telecommunications company, The Cable, will be introducing a new package at a reduced price to its customers with effect from November 1, 2005.

Last Tuesday morning, The Cable announced that one of its bold initiatives to the cost of Internet service on the island, Blue Wave Mega, would be introduced to its customers in St. Kitts.

According to a press release from that company, the Blue Wave Mega entails higher speed for a reduced price and residential customers would enjoy a 512K downstream and 512K upstream package for just EC$97 per month.

Existing customers who currently subscribe to the 128K downstream and 64K upstream package will be automatically upgraded to the Blue Wave Mega.

“After careful analysis and market research,” the release read, “we realised that the market strongly dictates that we should continue to provide lower rates. We understand that price is a high priority to our consumers and catering to our customers is very important.”

The release added that The Cable was committed to providing affordable rates while maintaining a high quality of service and the new package would benefit its subscribers and potential subscribers, who would now pay less and get more.

According to Marketing Manager Glen Phillip, Blue Wave Mega was only one of the many initiatives The Cable planned to introduce to the general public and, in the near future, a quantity of packages would come on stream to suit the pocket of the small man.