Stan Bishop

Stan Bishop began his career in journalism in March 2008 writing freelance for The VOICE newspaper for six weeks before being hired as a part-time journalist there when one of the company’s journalists was overseas on assignment.

Although he was initially told that the job would last only two weeks, he was able to demonstrate such high quality work that the company offered him a permanent job before that fortnight was over. Read full bio...

Assou Square’s Hits And Misses

THE three-day Assou Square event brought out hundreds of patrons earlier this week. However, what was previously billed as a fun event in years past has turned out to be a mixed bag for many who either found the fun or found it lacking in many respects. With sporadic showers putting a damper on the event each day, many people nevertheless came out to take in the final days of the holiday season. There were lots to eat, drink and buy. But one really needed to look closely to find the fun in some cases.

Clocks, Mirrors, Business

Image: Young entrepreneur, Sephra Duncan, says following her passion for business has liberated her. [PHOTO: Stan Bishop]

SOME entrepreneurs are lucky and smart enough to know when the right moment and idea actually gel. Sometimes that reality is actually planned. Even better, the reality comes to life through a fortuitous moment when one discovers a creative talent that remained latent. Such was the case of Sephra Duncan, owner and designer of Starburst Productions, who fell into business accidentally nearly two years ago with what started as a hobby and has now blossomed into something bigger.

Call for Reopening of Main Courthouse

Image: The newly-refurbished courthouse on Peynier Street remains closed nearly a year after works were said to be completed. [PHOTO: Stan Bishop]

DESPITE promises by both the former and current government to open the doors to the newly-refurbished main courthouse on Peynier Street in Castries in the quickest time possible, the building remains closed. Since undergoing a lengthy period of refurbishment after the court went into recess in July last year, the courthouse has been a hot discussion topic among members of the legal fraternity who were promised that the building would have been opened for the commencement of the new law year by mid-September last year.

Dr. Gardner First Consul of Israel

Image: Dr. Charmaine Gardner (far right) with Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, Dame PearletteLouisy and Ambassador Amihai-Bivas at Tuesday’s reception. [PHOTO: Stan Bishop]

DR. CHARMAINE Gardner, a well-known figure in the business community, has been appointed Honorary Consul of Israel in Saint Lucia. Dr. Gardner, who has an extensive career in the field of banking and being involved in social issues such as advocating for HIV/AIDS awareness, a women’s shelter and the Saint Lucia Crisis Centre, seemed the perfect pick for Ambassador of Israel to Saint Lucia, MordehaiAmihai-Bivas, who was in Saint Lucia this week.

CRIME WORRY – Minister Promises To Remedy Situation

Image of Home Affairs Minister, Hermangild Francis

WITH crime being one of the major factors making the headlines this year, much more is being expected of the police than is currently being done to reassure citizens that things can change for the better next year as far as their safety is concerned. Homicides, burglaries, rapes and drug offences are just some of the issues law enforcement have seemingly failed to keep under control, prompting many to suggest that a real paradigm shift needs to be implemented rather than just being promised.

Denver Pierre – Bringing Art Home

Image: Artist Denver Pierre believes every household should have a piece of art. [PHOTOS: Stan Bishop]

EVER since enrolling at St. Mary’s College in 1996, Denver Pierre has seen his interest in art skyrocket from simply being a subject on the curriculum to becoming his number one passion and major revenue earner. Nevertheless, the thirtysomething year old artist continues to push the boundaries of art. In fact, he’s on a mission to push that boundary right into our homes.

Solange Lawrence’s Art of Life

Image: Father and daughter team, Ken and Solange Lawrence, collaborate for their first joint exhibition. [PHOTO: Stan Bishop]

Famous Spanish painter Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) is known the world over for his extensive contribution to the world of art, including co-founding the Cubist movement, inventing construction sculpture and co-inventing the collage. He is also famously known for coining the phrase, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how we remain an artist once we grow up.” Twenty-one-year-old Solange Lawrence says she’s doing all in her power to make every brushstroke paint a bold statement about her passion for art and an inspiration to others. Simply put, she said, her art is redefining the way she sees the world.

Skincare Beauty The Kako Way

THEY say beauty is skin deep. But one woman is determined to use her business to protect the very skin that characterizes us in a safe, healthy way. With her collection of homemade beauty products, Yvonne Layfield, owner and director of KaKo, hopes to make people love the skin they’re in even more. KaKo is a line of all-natural skincare products manufactured in Saint Lucia. Layfield uses ingredients such as nutmegs, cinnamon, grapefruit and just about and other raw materials to create her scrubs, body oils, body moisturizers, cleansers, toners, exfoliators, to name a few. She also launched the mom-to-be package and the men’s line.

Lucian Aid Feeding A Desperate Need

Feeding the poor

WITH the festive season upon us, a great deal of focus will be on people spending as much as they can on food, clothes and luxury items they would have wanted all year. Many might even present expensive gifts to their friends and loved ones. Unfortunately, there are people in desperate situations who would settle for no more than a can of peas, a pair of shoes or a shirt to lift their spirits. In many instances, parents who might have lost their jobs – or couldn’t find one all year – are feeling a deeper pain at this time in not being able to provide their children with the basic necessities let alone any semblance of the Christmas cheer.

STAND UP FOR RIGHTS – Attorney Mary Francis Calls for Citizens’ Empowerment

Human rights advocate, Mary Francis. [PHOTO: Stan Bishop]

WITH Human Rights Day being observed today, attorney and human rights advocate, Mary Francis, is renewing her call for citizens’ rights to be respected. As such, she is urging the political directorate and citizens to ensure that measures are in place to aid in facilitating that objective. Francis, who also serves as Coordinator of the National Centre for Legal Aid and Human Rights Inc., a non-governmental organization established in 1998 to promote and advance the importance of human rights through education and legal representation, is concerned that people’s rights are not being treated as a priority.

Artist Circle Shares Its ‘Perspectives’

Image: Father and daughter team, Ken and Solange Lawrence, collaborate for their first joint exhibition. [PHOTO: Stan Bishop]

ART LOVERS are being urged to patronize the “Perspectives” art exhibition now on at Alliance Francaise being hosted by Artist Circle St. Lucia. The exhibition opened on Monday and runs through December 19 and features works from some of Artist Circle’s members, namely Nancy Cole-Auguste, Gary Butte, Cedric George, Janet Lang, Ken Lawrence, Solange Lawrence, Jean Mederick, Chester Williams and Nicole Edgecombe.

‘Small Stones’ Hit ‘Alliance’

THE Alliance Francaise at Pointe Seraphine played host to a visiting cast from French Guiana last Wednesday evening that performed a riveting theatrical production entitled, “A Petites Pierres” (or “With Small Stones”). The play is a comedy about the frictions between well-entrenched traditions versus modern influences. It also demonstrates how traditional beliefs bring out the darkest side in people, including their absurdities.