Pierre Denies Witch-Hunt In Move To Appoint Special Prosecutor – St. Lucia Times News

/0 Comments/in /by

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: St. Lucia Times News

– Advertisement –

Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre has denied that his Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) administration is mounting a witch-hunt in the move to appoint a Special Prosecutor.

“This Act is not about a witch-hunt. This Act is about having Saint Lucia as a place where corruption is not tolerated or encouraged whether for politicians or public officials,” the PM declared to parliament on Tuesday.

“I want to make it clear. This is not a situation where we are going after anyone because this bill also pertains to us in this honourable house,” he disclosed.

Pierre told parliament that Saint Lucia was not reinventing the wheel, as there have been several similar acts in the region and elsewhere.

– Advertisement –

He said Saint Lucia’s Special Prosecutor Act is based on the Jamaica Corruption Prevention & Special Prosecutor Act.

The Castries East MP noted that the Jamaica Act was subject to an unsuccessful challenge concerning the Director of Public Prosecutions.

In this regard, he explained that the Saint Lucia Special Prosecutor Act in no way conflicts with the duties of the DPP’s office.

Pierre recalled that this country’s DPP had declared that he is overwhelmed.

“He said that there are over 90 cases of murder in the system which he cannot deal with,” the PM told parliament.

“We cannot wait for the Director of Public Prosecutions whilst the very core of our existence is being threatened by acts or perceived acts of corruption,” Pierre asserted.

And quoting from the Act, he explained that the Special Prosecutor would not withdraw a matter instituted or referred to him or her by the DPP unless the DPP consents in writing.

Pierre said the law would not diminish or belittle the power of the DPP.

In addition, he noted that the Special Prosecutor bill indicates that the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, in consultation with the Attorney General, would appoint an Attorney at Law to be a Special Prosecutor.

“So that person is not a political appointee,” Pierre stated.

And he noted that the appointed Attorney must have at least ten years experience in practising law.

– Advertisement –

NewsAmericasNow.com

Ellis asks Bajans if being silent on issues is working for them Loop Barbados

/0 Comments/in /by

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Barbados News

Popular, veteran moderator and broadcast journalist David Ellis is chastising Barbadians for sitting quietly by instead of voicing their concerns to the powers that be in an attempt to bring about positive changes.

This kind of information is not available to the public. My question is, shouldn’t it?

“You all sit down in this country and go through all sorts of stuff and say ab-so-lute-ly nothing. You don’t question these things. Behave as though it is business as usual and therefore, does it get better? No! Keeping quiet doesn’t make it any better. It gets worse.

“So is it worth it to just remain silent when you paying all of these taxes and you expect that these systems are going to work for you? And if they’re failing, you have to draw them to the attention of those who have responsibility for them,” he urged.

Ellis made the comment after complimenting the organisers behind an Eye Clinic, being held at Sandals until August 11. He said that he received reports that over 300 people were in attendance for the free Eye Clinic. And he purported that someone told him the government should see this overwhelming response as proof that Barbados needs more eye clinics; at least four, were proposed.

This led him to say, “This is an area where, you hear Barbados is a place where you can get this and get that, but try to get it sometimes. The kind of stress that some people have to go through just to get that kind of public attention is immense. Because the system does not work as efficiently as it ought to. So, therefore, if there is this rush to see these ophthalmologists the question that we should be asking is, why this is happening? And what can be done to address it?

“But there is another question we need to ask, how many people can’t see because they can’t get to the ophthalmologist that would normally be available in the polyclinic and the public health system? Of course, we don’t get these details. This kind of information is not available to the public. My question is, shouldn’t it?”

He added that in today’s Barbados the predominant issues, not peculiar to Barbados, are the rise in fuel and cost of living, and most Bajans will say, “They expect that the government of Barbados to find the solutions because they elected the government of Barbados to find the solutions.”

But he challenged, “I don’t believe that that is the only way we should look at it because we are all in this together, and we have to be mindful of the fact that Barbados has limited resources and it requires more heads, more people putting their heads together to try to find the solutions to the problems. Do not buy into that narrative that comes from some that only the government has good ideas.

“The government promised you its Covenant of Hope, that there would be greater democracy, and that people should be able to participate, this is the time to put them to the test!”

NewsAmericasNow.com

Best tops 11-Plus with perfect scores Loop Barbados

/0 Comments/in /by

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Barbados News

Renelle Best is the overall top student in this year’s Barbados Secondary School Entrance Examination (BSSEE) also known as the 11-Plus or Common Entrance.

The St Gabriel’s School student placed first in Mathematics and English with a raw score of 100 in both subjects and an A in Composition.

Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, Kay McConney announced the 11-Plus results this morning during a press conference at the Ministry’s Constitution Road, St Michael headquarters.

Meanwhile, the top boy, Azario Gooding of St Geroge Primary School scored 100 in English, 97 in Mathematics and an A in Composition.

Best and Gooding will be heading to Queen’s College this September.

Isaak Headley of St Stephen’s Primary also entered the top three for English with a raw score of 100. He rounds out the list of three to score a perfect score in the English paper.

Madison Smith of St Paul’s Primary School followed Best in the Mathematics section with a score of 100 as well. They are the only two girls and two students to achieve the perfect score in Mathematics this toss in comparison to 37 students in 2021.

The Ministry of Education reported 3,086 students registered for the exam from 68 public schools and 19 private schools. There were 27 absences due to medical reasons and these students wrote an alternate paper on July 19. McConney assured that all students have been placed now and the results are back.

NewsAmericasNow.com

Top performers’ teachers overjoyed but not surprised Loop Barbados

/0 Comments/in /by

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Barbados News

The teachers who stand proudly behind this year’s Barbados Secondary Schools’ Entrance Examination’s top performing girl and boy were “surprised but not surprised” with their results.

Loop delivered the news unknowingly to the principal and teacher of Renelle Best over at St Gabriel’s Primary School. But it was a joy to watch as J4 teacher Susanna Gall held her chest and congratulated her student saying that she deserves it.

Moving her hand between her chest and her mask as she seemingly fought to catch her breath with not only the fact that Renelle got a raw score of 100 in both Mathematics and English, it was a fresh set of breathlessness when she processed that Renelle is the overall top student on the island for this year’s sitting.

Gall said:

“The words are…not coming. I am indeed speechless in a positive way.

“I am extremely happy for her cause she has consistently worked at that excellent peak… So I’m excited but still not surprised!”

Meanwhile, over in St George at St George Primary, a quiet and more composed Kathy-Ann Spencer said, “I’m so proud of him…I did not expect this, but I’m not surprised because he has been working consistently well throughout the two years that I taught him and I know that he was working well even before he came to me in Class 3. Sometimes we tend to forget the teachers who taught these children when they are younger but that preparation and that standard of excellence began from way down in Infants.”

NewsAmericasNow.com