Black Immigrant Daily News

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Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal of The UWI St Augustine Campus Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine and Guild President Kobe Sandy light “The Flame of Excellence”, to represent the union of the Campus administration and the student body, in support of new students. – UWI

At the UWI, St Augustine campus’s first in-person matriculation ceremony in two years, pro vice-chancellor and campus principal Prof Rose-Marie Belle Antoine urged the new students: “Take your civic responsibility seriously.”

(Left to right) Dr Dawn-Marie De Four-Gill, Campus Registrar, The UWI St. Augustine Campus looks on as Solange Joseph – a first year Faculty of Law student signs the Matriculation Register. At right is Assistant Registrar, Ms. Simone Roberts. – UWI

On Thursday, Antoine told students to become involved in their on and off-campus communities and: “Always remember the adage: To whom much is given, much is expected.

“At St Augustine, you will receive the skill sets and uncover vast reservoirs of excellence to begin the process of applying new knowledge to world problems. Through your total immersion in UWI life, you will make the connections and expand beyond previously insular horizons to see the beauty and grace in each Caribbean territory.

First-year students at the UWI, St Augustine campus’ 2022 matriculation ceremony. – UWI

“As ‘One UWI,’ you will continue to be the main unifying force of this one Caribbean, connected by much more than the Caribbean Sea but by an infinite wellspring of vitality that has survived slavery, indentureship, and colonialism.”

Solange Joseph, a first-year law student, signed the matriculation register on behalf of the incoming cohort.

The ceremony was concluded with the lighting of the “Flame of Excellence” by Antoine and Students’ Guild president Kobe Sandy.

In addition, UWI said hundreds of students planted food crop seeds, writing their names on the vessel containing them as part of their first-year experience. It said the Faculty of Food and Agriculture had already planted about 500 of those seeds.

“The students would be expected to support the growth of these crops by visiting the fields throughout their academic years. In their graduation year, the campus –with the Faculty of Food and Agriculture – will host a harvest where students would be invited to share the fruits of their labour.”

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Attorney Anand Ramlogan, SC. FILE PHOTO –

FORMER attorney general Anand Ramlogan, SC, will return to the Port of Spain magistrates’ court in January for a status hearing of his witness-tampering case, which has been delayed because of a constitutional claim he filed in July.

On Monday, Ramlogan appeared virtually before Chief Magistrate Maria Busby Earle-Caddle.

He was expected to go on trial in July, but this had to be abandoned after he filed the constitutional claim, in which he contends the police wrongfully used the warrant process. He also contends the judge who signed off on interception orders did so on the basis of apparent bias.

Ramlogan was charged in 2017 with misbehaviour in public office and obstruction of justice.

At Monday’s hearing, the chief magistrate was told the constitutional claim had been adjourned to November 4, at which time Justice Nadia Kangaloo is expected to give further directions for a full hearing.

Although his attorneys asked for a date in November for a status hearing, and the lead attorney for the State, Edward Jenkins, KC, asked for a date in December, Earle-Caddle adjourned the matter to January 9.

She said the only “bugbear” delaying the start of the matter before her was the High Court matter, since everything has already been filed by the prosecution.

If Ramlogan’s constitutional claim is determined before January 9, when the parties return to the magistrates’ court, new trial dates will be set then.

Ramlogan is represented by attorneys Pamela Elder, SC, and Russell Warner. Appearing with Jenkins is deputy DPP Tricia Hudlin-Cooper.

The case against Ramlogan centres on an allegation by director of the Police Complaints Authority David West that Ramlogan approached him to withdraw his witness statement in a defamation case against then Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley in 2014.

Ramlogan is accused of obstructing justice by using threats and bribery to persuade West not to give evidence in Ramlogan’s defamation case against Rowley.

He is also accused of misbehaving in public office by improperly trying to prevent West’s testifying on Rowley’s behalf.

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More women than men are accessing Saint Lucia’s national helpline which provides confidential support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

Social Worker Bradley Joseph, acknowledging that he might not have the actual numbers, said that based on his own helpline experience, more women than men access the service.

“More women would call and speak about their issues but men would be more reluctant,” Joseph stated.

He spoke last week during a panel discussion on the National Television Network (NTN) to commemorate World Suicide Prevention Day, observed on September 10.

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The theme for the discussion was ‘Suicide Prevention – Creating Hope Through Action.’

During the discussion, Clinical Counselor Alison Joseph-Edward disclosed that from 2017 to 2020, Saint Lucia recorded at least 43 suicides.

She noted that of the 43 suicides, only three involved women.

Joseph-Edward observed that this reflected data from other countries where men accounted for most suicides.

Panellists on the NTN programme underscored the need for people with mental health issues to get the help they need.

However, they acknowledged that personal, community, and societal stigma, represent a challenge.

“In the Caribbean, we have carried a very moralistic view of what mental wellness is, ” observed Robert Huggins.

Huggins is the Programme Lead at Turning Point Drug and Alcohol Detoxification and Rehabilitation Centre.

He explained that people have the idea that mental wellness and substance abuse issues pertain to individuals with weak minds and if those affected put their minds to it, they can recover.

However, Huggins noted that issues like depression and addictions are clear medical illnesses.

“We know that they are medical diseases. These diseases just happen to affect the brain and can affect personality and everything else as well,” he observed.

And he asserted that because of the moralistic view of those conditions, there’s a lot of shame and guilt.

Huggins stated that as a result, people do not come forward and get the help they need.

People can access the national helpline by dialling #203 from a landline or mobile telephone.

The call is free and the helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Headline photo: Stock image

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El secretario del Departamento de Salud (DS), Carlos Mellado López, informó que, por el momento, las autoridades no pueden concluir el rescate de un hombre de 82 años que falleció el sábado en un refugio, en Culebra, mientras esperaba el paso del huracán Fiona, que en ese entonces aún era tormenta.

“En este momento, no se puede volar por el tiempo. Lo otro es… También nos comunicamos con las líneas aéreas locales de Vieques y Culebra, y los pilotos alegan que para Culebra, específicamente, es muy difícil poder aterrizar, y ellos no van a arriesgarse a tener un accidente”, expresó el funcionario.

Asimismo, indicó que tras comunicarse con el alcalde de dicho municipio, Edilberto Romero Llovet, acordaron que una vez mejoren las condiciones climatológicas, la Guardia Nacional o cualquier otra autoridad correspondiente se hará cargo del caso.

Por su parte, el gobernador Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia informó que, al momento, la causa aparente de muerte es por causas naturales, aunque reiteró que el Instituto de Ciencias Forenses  (ICF) hará la autopsia correspondiente.

Pendientes para ampliación.

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