GOVERNMENT will shortly be perusing the technical audit on St. Jude Hospital as a copy of the report will soon be in the hands of the Cabinet of Ministers. Economic Development Minister, Guy Joseph Wednesday told reporters that the audit has now been completed. He said he will not speculate on the content of the report in case his comments prejudice any court action that might arise from it.
MOROCCO’S new Ambassador to St. Lucia, AbderrahimKadmiri has promised that his country will continue to strengthen the cooperation that exists between the two countries. Ambassador Kadmiri who came to St. Lucia a month ago spoke to reporters Tuesday taking the time to introduce himself and his country.
![Image: The collection of weapons seized from students. [PHOTO: By PhotoMike]](https://thevoiceslu.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/collection-of-weapons-seized-from-students-mid-600x400.jpg)
TED King, the police corporal in charge of the northern section of the Community Relations Branch is calling for crime prevention programmes targeting secondary school students following an astounding amount of weapons and illegal drugs seized from them last year and the year before. Warning that offenders and victims of crime are getting younger at an alarming rate, which should be a cause for concern to the nation, he promised that his department will continue its pro-active approach in educating the youth through school presentations, organizing crime prevention programmes and conducting professional random school searches and interventions.
JUST 10 days into the new year and already the country has been rocked by an unprecedented level of violence, resulting in six fatalities in a single day (Sunday) and several incidents of gunplay. The homicide count to date is eight, the latest incident occurring yesterday in the Morne Du Don area where it was reported that one man succumbed to gunshots to the head and back.
![Hilaire [Photo: Stan Bishop]](https://thevoiceslu.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Hilaire-mid-600x400.jpg)
THE St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) has taken issue with comments made by Prime Minister Allen Chastanet during his Thursday night press conference studios of the Government Information Service about how he could prove the veracity of an applicant for St. Lucian citizenship claiming a net worth of US$3 million or higher.
A confidential letter from the former administration to a prospective investor in England almost a year ago is today turning out to be a subject of debate between the government and the opposition St. Lucia Labour Party. Both parties made mention of the letter at separate press conferences Thursday. Prime Minister Allen Chastanet called it “an interesting letter” while Philip J. Pierre, SLP and parliamentary opposition leader, called it “a letter of comfort”.
IT is now cheaper to acquire St Lucia citizenship by way of investment. This follows changes to the regulations governing the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) just announced by the government. The qualifying contribution for an applicant for St. Lucia citizenship is now US$100,000 or half what it was when the programme was announced at the beginning of last year.
TWELVE years after being arrested and charged with murder in the death of his 12-year-old daughter, Verlinda Joseph, nine of …
PRESIDENT of the Police Welfare Association, Cameron Laure will not be seeking re-election when the Association meets in February to elect a new executive. Laure, who has served on the executive as president for two successive terms and prior to that was vice president, says it’s a promise he had made to his wife, but at the same time he feels that it is time to step down and for another person “with a bit more enthusiasm to step in.”
THE Board of the Castries Constituency Council is hoping that the New Year will bring about improved relations with the St. Lucia Craft and Dry Goods Association following a very agitated period this month. The two parties exchanged words this month over a letter from the Association to the Council calling for a meeting between the two sides.
MAYOR of Vieux Fort, Orricia Dembow-Bullen is not fazed the opposition among some business people in her townabout the $2.6 …
THE event known as ‘St. Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival’ will no longer carry that name, however the primary activities staged under that banner have not been abolished, contrary to reports that may have given the impression this was the case. The misunderstanding lies in a move by government to group all national festivals under one banner which is loosely being called the Summer Music Festival to be managed by a Festival Commission. This Commission is expected to be established hopefully within the first week of next month, according to Donovan Williams, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture.
MONDAY night’s Festival of Lights lived up to its hype this year with a magnificent display of lights that captivated the thousands who flooded Derek Walcott Square and surrounding streets. From blazing up the Central Library building with a digital light display to the switching on of the lights to illuminate the square, the producers of the extravaganza at least went beyond the first half of the night’s theme ‘Celebrate Light Celebrate Jesus’.
THE Royal St. Lucia Police Force has unleashed its strategy for combating criminal acts this festive season with a major component focusing on community assistance. Police Commissioner Severin Moncherry is appealing to the public to get involved in the fight against crime by reporting suspicious characters to the police and acts of criminality they have witnessed or are witnessing, whatever the case maybe.
![Image: The Bouton Combined School [PHOTO: By PhotoMike]](https://thevoiceslu.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/The-Bouton-Combined-School-600x400.jpg)
SIX miles from the town of Soufriere is a small community that at one time was the butt of several jokes in the country on account of the lack of attention given it by government. Unknown to many who laughed at the jokes was that this community, Bouton, was home to some of the most glorious scenery this country could produce. Despite the several modern and technological strides Bouton has made today, many still view it as a place that is “behind-God’s-back.”
THE National Housing Corporation (NHC) is looking at the development of house lots in Forestiere as the vehicle through which it will dig itself out of the financial mess it presently is in. The Corporation is in a position where it cannot pay its bills due to several matters before the courts arising from deals and agreements with contractors and companies that either did not materialize or fell through leaving the Corporation to deal with the expenses generated.
THE National Housing Corporation (NHC) is bankrupt, broke and unable to honour its debts. Chairman Timothy Mangal made the announcement …
ARCADE vendors in Castries are asking on the Castries Constituency Council (CCC) not to introduce the value added tax to their monthly rental fee which is $120. 00 as this would be going against an exemption they say was given to them by the previous government. The Council recently informed vendors that the monthly rental of booths at the arcade would be moved to $138 as a result of a sales tax effective this month. This was the first time vendors were being billed by the Council hence the introduction of the sales tax.
THE annual week of activities for the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force ended last Sunday with an awards ceremony dinner. The event was a shining moment for the management of the police force which took time to show off the exemplary work of some of its members, units and even police stations.
THE Castries Constituency Council (CCC) has downplayed claims of tension between itself and the Vendors Association headed by Peter ‘Ras Ipa’ Isaac. At the heart of the matter is a letter from the Association to the Council that Isaac claimed the CCC ignored. This, Isaac asserted, was a snub and showed a level of disrespect.